Horoscopes | Week of March 5-11, 2012

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You're entering an especially profitable window of economic opportunity, Aries, lasting through the next few weeks… a time during which you must be willing to utter lightning-fast statements of decision, revision or out-and-out reversal, if that's what your instincts tell you the situation warrants. But while your readiness to suddenly zig instead of continuing to zag could seem (to outside observers, at least) the height of whim-indulgence, any such quick moves must be motivated, first and foremost, by what's most fiscally responsible. In other words, feel free to abruptly change your mind if it'll expand the market potential, leave you a larger slice, save you precious budgetary dollars, or increase the profitability. (As far as personal pride or convention as motives are concerned, there's simply no time to bother.) The brave renegades will snag the gold—yet only when 'snag the gold!' is their constantly reiterated rallying cry. Your most advantageous position combines knowing exactly what you want to get, not knowing quite how the hell you're going to get it, and being open to trying nearly anything that heightens your likelihood of getting it.

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Well, hello there, Venus! Any of us usually loves when Venus arrives in our sign… and it's that much sweeter when she's the planet that rules our sign, as is the case for you, my dear Taurus. For the next month or so, you now have both benefic bodies (the other being Jupiter) playing for your team, an especially noteworthy tailwind of positive possibility I urge you not to ignore. Whatever you set into motion during the next few weeks will very likely soar to greater heights, seemingly of its accord, with quicker and/or fuller returns than it might at another time. Why waste that sort of fortuitous astro-influence? I also suggest paying special attention to any recent flashes of unexpected brilliance, ideas that seem wild or kooky yet 'just feel right', or other sudden interjections of cosmic wisdom that might even make you giggle because of how serendipitously they arrived. Include and integrate them into your initiatives, endeavors and/or antics. One more thing: You have to genuinely take active advantage of this lucky astrology, if you want something to happen; otherwise, it'll just inspire laziness or self-indulgence.

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are almost ready, Gemini. Not quite yet, but really soon. Over the course of the coming few weeks, you'll watch as other players shift their game-pieces around the board to new locations… moves which will essentially change the playing-field, in ways you needn't worry about trying to control (nor, for that matter, could have much control over even if you wanted to), opening and closing different doors and windows, positioning you within a revised set of circumstances. Then and only then, after these circumstantial motions have taken place, will you be in an exceptionally sweet spot to finally begin recreating your life according to your desires. From April onward, you can expect a noticeable increase in positive potentials—one which persists for a few months and intensifies around June—that points you in new directions other than the one that's had you, limbo-like, in its clutches for too long now. New job possibilities, new romantic possibilities, new friendship possibilities... all of this and more may be up for review during this exciting interval ahead. Ready for it? No, I didn't think so. Not quite yet. Do the preliminary prep work, then: Clear the decks. Put the past behind you. Smile at yourself in the mirror, with devilish anticipation. Open your heart to renewed optimism.

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Staying in overtly visible circulation among your people, as well as voluntarily jumping in to take charge of whichever loose-ends require someone to assume leadership over their tying-up, will keep you happy... if only because you'll gain tremendous support from those who are eager to get behind someone like you who actually cares about getting stuff done (instead of just getting credit for it). This is a stellar time, Cancer, for shifting the dynamics in your social relations… not by declaring you deserve more respect or begging some comfortably-ensconced (and defensively self-protective) individual for a bigger slice of responsibility, but by simply doing more and behaving as somebody who is wholly committed to the project, cause or organization. Should one or more threatened characters throw you shade, you mustn't let it stick to you or, worse, discourage you from continuing to enthusiastically strive. Answer any of their questions or insinuations cleanly, with direct reference to the issue-at-hand—and without allowing it devolve into a personality struggle.

 

LEO (July 23-August 22): You really should consciously decide what sort of impression you'd like to make, Leo, considering that spotlights are presently shining in your direction, whether you want them to or not. The public will take note of whatever image you're exposing to them, which is a pretty compelling reason to voluntarily give 'em something that'll make you look good. Acting as if you don't care what people think of you (even if, from the short-term perspective, you don't feel like couching your behaviors within a wider concern for 'reputation') is presently, to be blunt about it, a recipe for disaster. However, with the additional of a few purposeful flourishes to your outward carriage, you can imprint a memorably positive mark on their view of you… an effort particularly worth making if you are seeking a new height of responsibility or respect, some sort of professional advancement, or greater esteem among certain figures of considerable influence. Though you might indeed be experiencing a personal identity-crisis that mischievously stirs a side of you who can see through the veneers of bothering to care about such impressions, putting on a reputable 'show face' is still part of your job.

 

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): The rising feistiness in you, Virgo, may actually be received as refreshing to those in your life who are quite accustomed to your more typical modesty… though you might feel self-conscious about giving off so much heat in so dramatic a fashion. Please don't stress about going too far with it, since you're likelier to have been long suffering from not going far enough than for this so-called 'excessiveness' to be an ongoing problem. Not being able to 'properly' control yourself isn't always a bad thing, particularly when your expressions are powered by a torrent of genuine feeling that desperately seeks release. If you are (1) telling the truth and (2) refraining from malicious attacks on others, then you're probably doing just fine—even in situations where you fear letting loose will lose you some advantage that's based on one's level of self-restraint. While restraint does serve to keep one's hands spotless, it also implicitly surrenders one's will to actually profoundly alter the direction of developments in the way that only an audacious outburst can do. That said: Let your will be known.

 

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): Don't let yourself get too spooked, Libra, if someone discloses a fact or expresses a sentiment that startles or shocks you. Even if hearing them say this certain something throws you off balance for a few moments, you mustn't allow it to cause you to pull back or disengage. We all confront such interpersonal surprises from time to time… and it's our ability to respond with grace (rather than cracking up and splashing our unruly emotions all over everyone) that furthers our psychological maturation, insightfully reminding us never to get too comfortable with our innately rigid expectations. How adeptly you take in whatever this new information is, without interrupting its sinking-in by fighting against it, will determine how smoothly you're able to transition into the altered reality spawned by the revelation. Those with whom you're continuing an involvement will feel that much closer to you, once they see you're willing to swerve along with them; this is how intimacy develops, after all. You have to believe me when I tell you: It's better to know more than less, though the period of adjusting to the further knowledge is sometimes awkward or unpleasant.

 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Indulge your idealistic side, Scorpio, particularly when it comes to offering that enticing extra bit of yourself to someone whose good favor you hope to win. Now that both benefic planets (Jupiter and Venus) are in your 7th house of interpersonal collaborations and unions, you're in a truly exceptional spot for expanding upon your level of engagement in relationships—both with folks you're already involved with and with those you've had your eye on. Though this advantage is not strictly limited to the romance sector (in that you can also expect pals, neighbors and business-contacts to respond more favorably to you than they ordinarily might), it surely does have a powerfully positive impact on any love stories you may be starring in. Your idealism (a la your two-weeks-ago horoscope) comes in handy when you allow yourself to believe that any advances made with an open heart will always yield a crystal-clear result, even if it's not the one you wished you, and immediately bring you much closer into alignment with whatever True Love you're destined for. Your open heart is a beacon.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): I am going to begin this week's horoscope, Sagittarius, right where we left off last week: You'll produce your best work if you feel free to say exactly what you're thinking about it, without compromising your viewpoint to appease those with their heads in the sand. You can't successfully put a glossy coating on your true feelings (about the work, that is) any longer, not if you want to avoid blowing a gasket… and anybody who would rather carefully choose diplomatic half-truths than actually get anything done is not likely to be pleased about it. Yet, as long as you are legitimately concentrating your shit-stirrer remarks on the responsibilities at hand, you'll be essentially untouchable. No one's going to reprimand the person who's actually producing results (unless their priorities are so ass-backwards, they'd sacrifice functional success for power-tripping, in which case you're working for a moron). So as long as you keep your nose to the grindstone, you should also be able to freely voice your wise-crack observations about the inefficiencies and ineptitudes… about the work, that is.

 

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): You've been cordially invite to participate in the performance of joyousness—not an imitative portrayal, but a sheer embodiment—with fewer self-imposed fetters than you're accustomed to, Capricorn. More concise ways of claiming that pleasure might involve blurting phrases like 'fuck it!' or 'cut the shit!' or 'why the hell not?!?'… any such energizing expletives, really, which would give you a defiant sense of overthrowing the voices inside, telling you to grow up, be reasonable, keep it together, and/or forestall doing what you'd really enjoy. Like a triumphant Houdini wowing his awed audience, you ought to flaunt how deftly you can unbind your hands, pick the locks, and free yourself from the cage you've put yourself in, just to prove you can get yourself out. While you must admit you often make things harder than they need to be, you should at least glean the flip-side benefit from such arrangements: Once you acknowledge the trap and learn to work your way out of it, the succeeding liberation is so sweetly hard-earned, you can really bask in the self-satisfaction of choosing release. And then, all sorts of subtle aspects of life start to seem really fun!

 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Actively choosing to keep it 'light' (or 'less complicated', as we discussed last week) may be your best externalized antidote to the increasing urge to hibernate, Aquarius. Your split-screen astrology of the moment both (1) indicates your role as a conversational electrifier, the one who says the provocative thing that cracks open a pal's way-of-seeing to unleash 'the missing link' from its hiding-place, and (2) spurs a yearning to hide away from the world in the pillowy nest of your home-base. This simultaneity, alas, can put you at some degree of odds with yourself: You want to assume your appropriate social role and you want to escape from it. But if you reduce any pressure you may be putting on yourself to show up to your social engagements with any particular amount of presence (that is, you don't have to go into detail about your own emotional state or what's swirling nervously around your head), your showing-up becomes more like that of a supporting character, a dotty great-aunt or colorful bachelor from down the street who swings in and out of the scene, uttering comedic-but-profound one-liners, Greek-chorus- or court-jester-style… then hurries home again, to feed the cat and watch your favorite stories.

 

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Bearing witness to the attention-grabbing goings-on of those around you, Pisces, may be the best friendship support you could offer. I don't think you'll do yourself or the other person much justice by imposing any certain strain of advice onto the situation, as if you're likely to resolve the conflict or ease the hysteria. Though you may indeed possess a helpful idea or two, you cannot be too sure that it'll be (1) taken at face-value, (2) understood correctly, or (3) appropriately relevant to this particular individual at this particular moment. And thus, it's probably not worth the risk of becoming the target of someone else's suspicions, misperceptions or confused motivations… especially when, instead, you might merely nod your head, flash concerned looks, periodically touch their hand or arm, and end up appearing as the most sympathetic pal someone could ask for. This is just one of those moments when doing relatively little for somebody will actually assist them more effectively—and trying too hard to help is liable to blow up in your face.