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Horoscopes | Week of November 5-11, 2012

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be careful in how confidently (or cockily) you move to encapsulate the sum-total of what's presently motivating you, Aries, into too tidy a moral package. While you may be quite capable of explaining much of your sense of this situation according to a few straightforward value-propositions, there's also an elusive 'x factor' impacting your consciousness—one that's helping you know which direction is up, on a subtle intuitive level that cannot be precisely pinpointed. I share this with you not because I think you should significantly alter the outspoken manner in which you're proceeding, but just to add a finer nuance to your self-understanding… and to give you an appropriate 'out', should someone else's refusal to let the issue lie lead you into a philosophic standoff where you're desperate to make your case but secretly worry some central platform is missing. What's 'missing' is simple: You feel how you feel on a gut level, and no compelling-sounding argument will be enough to trump that. You can surely continue trying to explain, but it's only productive up to that certain point where words fail and it is what it is.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Everything that comes out was meant to come out, I suppose… know what I mean, Taurus? Whatever could no longer be contained is, at this point, probably healthier for all concerned now that it's part of the record. Does that imply everything's all hunky-dory, then? Probably not in the immediate sense, no. But let's not confuse (1) the difficult emotions that underscored this eventual release, which were lurking under there all along and are only now more acutely painful because they're finally being confronted, with (2) a misdirected emotional reaction aimed at yourself or someone else for allowing it to come out this way, which is simply a less-than-ideal reality that must be accepted and moved beyond. It's the first emotionally-charged angle that's far more pertinent to your overall evolution, whereas the second one is merely an easier target of projection. Instead of going back and replaying how it all might've been different, jump-start your process by situating it within the psychologically vulnerable here-and-now. Ultimately, this exposure is exactly what'll lead you beyond the dull ache… though, for right now, you may not like feeling so exposed.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Above all else, be conscious of context, Gemini. You won't want to forget where you are—as well as who may be watching, and what influence they may wield over your ability to achieve your desired goals—when you knowingly engage a certain someone in dialogue. Your motives will lead your way with unmistakable force, leaving any other party with no doubt that you want something specific from the interaction. Yet, should your fairly-cut-and-dry interests become clouded by descent into a war of wills, you might quickly forget what exactly is the business-at-hand… and instead end up addressing this other person as if your intent is merely to triumph over them. That excessive expenditure of interpersonal antagonism isn't liable to look good to spectators, superiors, or mutual allies, many of whom wouldn't likely understand why you've made such a big personal deal out of a rather impersonal item. If your push does come to a sturdier shove, assume this to be a public brawl… and play it accordingly, by the fairest rules imaginable.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Truly strive to relish those quiet retreat moments (like we discussed last week), Cancer. These private increments of peace ought to be seen as your easy victories… particularly in light of a bumpier-than-usual road out there in the world, impacting your productivity with obstacles somewhat out of your control. Try as you might to so diligently continue checking items off the never-ending to-do list, you simply cannot avoid the muddling of priorities liable to occur as the opening-up of 'new questions' about overarching vision threatens to create even more work. If the added confusion is coming from other people's mismanagement, there's really not much you can do to instantly alleviate it… though I warn you not to just dash ahead anyway, knowing certain decisions are still up in the air, as if you might lord your progress over their heads and force them to concede. (If anything, that's only a recipe for aggravating yourself due to the potential waste of your time and effort.) Even if you are the main figure behind the confusion, you still mustn't talk yourself out of hesitating to instead rush forward: This 'confusion' isn't accidental. It's a clue to reconsider your methods.

LEO (July 23-August 22): You're somewhat in danger of misgauging where you and a partner or significant associate diverge in opinion or attitude, Leo, if you aren't sufficiently amenable to an ongoing openness between you. Too confident a desire on your part to attain fast agreement could hit the other person like a steamroller, potentially leading you both to gloss over substantive issues that really warrant continued conversation. Are you that unconsciously worried about the content of this unexplored disagreement? You might be giving such worry far too much power over your psyche, motivating an ignorance-is-bliss hurriedness that does neither party a proper service. Whether you're just too eager to get to the pleasanter part, wearied from having to deal with so much heavy shit, losing your patience with this particular individual, and/or simply hell-bent on laying down the law your way, I urge you to think twice about rushing past this critical hiccup. Wait, what? You didn't even notice there'd been a 'hiccup'? That's exactly what I'm talking about.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Attempting to hold it inside, perhaps because you don't trust the other person's ability to take it as you intended, may actually increase the likelihood of it busting out when you least expect (or want) it to. You're not being ridiculous, by the way, in fearing they might misread you—except such fear mustn't be indulged as an excuse to conceal information which is relevant to the relationship. We're always under the threat that someone will hear what they want to hear, or what they're most afraid of hearing, instead of what we're actually saying, Virgo… which is an entirely different issue than your own need to release the communicative brakes for emotionally self-liberating purposes. So, if and when they do respond with confused, cryptic and/or crazy sentiments that reflect their obvious misunderstanding, you can address each point as it comes. This is how a true conversation (as opposed to two non-interacting monologues) works. No need to stress out in advance, therefore, trying to anticipate all the potential examples of how they might get it wrong.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): As long as you have a clear mental snapshot of 'The Big Picture' (i.e., which life-zone(s) now holds your most promising chance for expanding into new territory), you can freely allow the scene immediately in front of you to unfold in the meandering manner it appears to demand, Libra. A lot of circumstantially favorable fillings-in of blanks is due to occur, hopefully bringing you nearer to folks who you might not know well but who can connect you to other folks and/or experiences likely to benefit you… though I admit none of what I'm describing presents you any concrete call-to-action other than, say, fully exploring any and all random social opportunities. Venus is still in your sign and forming a lovely trine to lucky Jupiter, only further accentuating the fortunateness with which your every participation is tinged. This is not an astro-influence to squander by staying inside the house or indulging a timidity streak. When faced with a conversational thread you could pick up and run further with, do it. That extra question you ask or additional characterizing detail you offer is likelier than usual to make a crucial fortuitous difference.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Concentrate much of your mental attention on those small, personally self-supportive details you'd probably prefer not to have to concentrate so intently on. With major life-orientation questions and circumstances in such dramatic flux, Scorpio, your only bet for somewhat stabilizing your stance is to get the little shit just right… and this advice especially applies to monetary concerns, at a time when you might rashly sign away more than is necessary just to move quickly ahead. Though I understand that zeroing your focus so closely in on what seems like the least exciting stuff in your life may not be your number-one desire, it's truly a necessary facet of proving your seriousness-of-self to the 'lord of karma' (otherwise known as Saturn). A solid grasp on your financial situation may be your only anchor during this wacky reinvention… mainly because such calculations are fairly unambiguous, objective and, therefore, quite simplifying. Where you spend your dollars makes a clear statement about personal purpose.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): That possible outcomes are acutely up-for-grabs at the moment, Sagittarius, could provide fodder for nervousness or freakoutitude… or, just as powerfully, give you a perfect incentive not to worry about trying to control things. These alternatives are actually yours to choose between, based upon whether you can sustain ample inward faith that you'll be fine no matter what surprising rapid-fire development happens next—or, more properly, that there may be a divine logic to this madness, which is in the process of carrying you somewhere interesting that you never would've or could've otherwise selected. What we do know right now, however, is that your sign is hosting both a retrograde (and thusly unsteady) Mercury and an emphatic Mars, a combo which bespeaks of a passing capacity to assert the overall direction of your destiny through spontaneously following your instincts… though, I must yet again point out, you cannot specify how all the intermediary steps will play out. Your next action(s) will certainly get a ball rolling powerfully onward; what else occurs along the way is anybody's guess.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Float along, aware of the adjacent unfoldings, but unpressured to play a critical role. Let the other actors reveal the dramatic tension at the heart of what's going down, Capricorn… and how they sort it out, amongst themselves but so nearby you can taste their whirring vibes, will end up circumstantially slotting you here, there or somewhere. While this may sound like a very passive approach to where you'll next end up, the restraint involved actually requires quite a bit of internal effort on your part (though it'll be largely invisible to the world outside your head). Pardon my gunfire metaphor, but this wise self-control is akin to reserving your ammunition, as everyone else too rapidly discharges their fire-power, since you can't even be sure who or what may be the proverbial 'enemy'. It only takes a single well-aimed bullet to take out the problem. You might not remember this, however, considering how those around you are hazardously shooting this way and that, unaware of collateral damage they're inflicting. Stay out of harm's way, and let the other actors go after each other.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): You should be able to maintain a convivial smile and a genuinely interested demeanor, Aquarius, even in the face of conceptual or conversational challenges from colleagues who suspect you of holding some biasing stake they'd love to expose. Bless their hearts, sincerely, for caring so much about 'uncovering the truth' that they're willing to have it out with a competent thinker such as you. But before you rush into defending yourself, consider the possibility that a better strategy is to first agree with whatever fragments of valid observation they may have of you (because their wacky suspicions are probably somewhat based in a small tinge of actuality, which they've just run way too far with)… and then clarify where they've gone wrong. Quick denials are often subconsciously read as a signal of underlying guilt, whereas an attitude of open amenability to engaging a topic (though you may legitimately find it rather ridiculous) exudes calm confidence. Along the way, you might even glean an insight or two into where your personal attachments have created a minor blind-spot in your understanding… though I'm sure it's nothing nearly as suspect as they'd like to believe.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): What might be prematurely defined as an 'oops!' moment, Pisces, could prove to be one of the most favorable 'mistakes' you ever make... particularly if it unfurls a fuller version of the story than the one you'd been carefully trying to tell so as not to threaten someone else's partial understanding. Going further into it than you perhaps had intended, due to your heightened emotional commitment to sharing what's really up, is just another way of saying that your passion got the best of you—and in this situation, the honesty behind your passionately comprehensive exposition will speak for itself. In the short term, you may be forced to suffer a certain sacrificial consequence, as it'll be too easy for whomever is momentarily shocked by the information emerging from your lips to misperceive your role, and in a rather unflattering light. Don't hook into that passing delusion and start to doubt yourself, especially since the deed will already have been done and there's no going back. Remember: If you have courageously told the truth, you'll eventually receive your deserved honor.