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Horoscopes | Week of January 29-February 4, 2018

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your friends or colleagues may be your best way into a touchy topic or complicated situation you otherwise haven't known how to address, Aries. Their relative open-mindedness and/or diversity-of-allegiances can help you get outside your perspective, which is limited not necessarily because you're insisting it's the only right one but more as an unintended condition of your current fervor. Folks who generally agree with you (at least on the overriding issue, if not always on the supporting details) are likely holding a more nuanced analysis and/or proven mode-of-engagement you could draw from, as you strive to determine the most effective means of communicating your point and/or recruiting wider support. Why would you leave this asset untapped? I urge you to use your interpersonal connections to deepen your understanding… not only with additional facts or strategy suggestions, but also with first-person testimony about how their own experiences (and the psychic marks they left) have informed their views on your shared interest. Most people's beliefs develop directly from what they've lived, after all.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Last week's horoscope news remains madly relevant, Taurus, under this continued combination of (1) outer-world/professional-realm fortunateness and (2) an amplification of existing interpersonal dynamics. There's almost an exaggerated importance to the role a certain relationship (and/or your attitude toward relationships in general) currently serves in determining the direction in which your public life is stretching, and/or the extent to which you can capitalize on the opportunities for success. Strategic partners and collaborators can help propel you much farther than you'd otherwise go… but, on the other hand, their influence could easily sway your focus more towards their interests (rather than yours) and/or carry you somewhere you aren't quite yet ready to be. The goodwill you've built up in others' regard over months or years of your loyal support can now be reliably called in, should you need folks to back you up… but, likewise, relationships in which you've overreached in assuming a mutual intimacy and/or allowed unhealthy patterns to lurk unaddressed are now liable to reveal their fuller story. Is it possible to separate your potentially rising fortune from its reliance on other characters? We shall see.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep yourself astutely aimed at your future, Gemini, where you'll hopefully carve out a more suitable setting for dedicating ever-larger chunks of yourself to what really matters most. Though I've already pointed out the inarguable truth of your not having gotten there yet, you are making a certain amount of headway on that track… if you're holding such an intention in mind while you're grappling for the upper-hand, asserting your agenda as the dominant one, and/or vanquishing the influence of any bad-energy betties. As Mars continues barging its path through your 7th, you have the choice to deploy its force of interpersonal assuredness, insistence, or discord toward furthering a certain principle or purpose—or you can just let it indiscriminately instigate bitchy exchanges, competitive jabs, or full-on fistfights. Need I state my obvious recommendation is for that first, more mindful option? If you're going to 'get into it' with someone, let it be because you're hellbent on leading a particular type of life… and you're willing to do whatever it takes to claim that path, to bust through any relational roadblocks, and to stand tall in virtue.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Though the arrival of Mars to your 6th late last week bespeaks of an uptick in work-duty urgency, mundane-chore industriousness, and/or bodily-health demands, Cancer, my horoscope-writing instincts are more vigorously drawn to the Venus-Jupiter square forming across two frisky, flirtatious houses (your 8th and 5th, respectively) this week. Let's just say I detect the heady scent from an amped-up undercurrent of sensuous, seductive, or otherwise suggestive vibes weaving its way through certain interactions (especially those in which an unspoken affection has been gradually growing over time). Of course, these needn't be explicitly sexual feelings in order to signal the presence of some sort of chemistry (though sexuality may well be a component). Rather, any mutually-compelling interest, wherein each of you possess a quality or asset the other one wishes to share in enjoying, could be making itself more keenly known as a result of the current astrology. The question then becomes: What are you supposed to do about it? Well, if you're looking to add a touch (or, ahem, more than a touch) of excitement to your life, you might coquettishly mention to You-Know-Who what you've been picking up on… and see what happens from there.

LEO (July 23-August 22): This week's lunar-eclipse full moon in your sign, Leo, is a celestial reminder to put forth what I consider the very best quality of your sign—a warm, big-hearted generosity of feeling toward those you care about. Rather than assume anybody (even those closest to you) is aware of what you most cherish, admire, and/or adore about them, please let them know in glowing technicolor detail. Don't be sheepish about it. Your brave capacity to put yourself out there, in a most sincere investment of all that you are into whatever situation has presented itself, is a model for the rest of us to emulate (even though, admittedly, we're sometimes frozen in doubt about whether we'll be quite as good at it as you seem to effortlessly be). When you share your love with us, we feel that much more special than we otherwise would. We want to share more of ourselves with you, too. We want to get caught in that symbiotic feedback loop of mutual fondness begetting increasing amounts of good tidings. If you take a first step, we'll follow in kind. If you fearlessly show us your appreciation, we will so appreciate it, you'll score yourself some major brownie-points in the interpersonal-give-and-take column.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): What's best for the mundane matter-at-hand, Virgo, is to invite a bit more discussion about it… even while knowing you'll be potentially opening the door to too much of it, due to Venus-and-Jupiter's present influence over (supposedly) pragmatic-minded exchanges. What's obvious or second-nature to you might not be so for other involved parties, therefore making it helpful to the process (since that process also involves them) to talk through these familiar details once again. But precisely because these details aren't obvious or second-nature to them, they'll be looking at them with far fresher eyes than your seasoned sight could ever allow—and they may well see things you're missing, though they may be right in front of your face. Even if no new 'data' surfaces (at least insofar as it's plainly relevant to the matter-at-hand) from such discussion, there are likely to be other less-tangible-or-identifiable benefits from this interactive engagement: That concrete work-item or chore-fact may be the original reason for starting to chat, but the bigger payoff could relate to something entirely different.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): I presume you've detected a lightening-and-brightening of your spirits over the recent days, Libra? If what I'm saying rings no bell at all, then I must emphatically advise you to proactively seek outside influences, for you're obviously overdue to connect and cavort with your wackiest-and-wittiest chums. Sometimes, we get stuck in our less-bright moods simply because we've robbed ourselves from the delightful distraction of other people's personalities for too long, leaving us to repeat the same tired mood-depressing sentiments to ourselves since there's apparently nothing else to do. If you aren't feeling spritely or sunshiny, you should probably take the initiative to make more social plans, filling with recreational hijinks those spots in your schedule which would otherwise be consumed with brooding, brow-beating, or butt-scratching. I also totally understand you may think that getting dressed and going out is the last thing you'd want to do if you're moving through a sustained low… but, of course, that's the very time when doing so would prove most helpful (once, that is, you overcome the inertia). If you are experiencing the lightening-and-brightening already, on the other hand, please keep doing what you're doing.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Don't underrate how much self-externalizing energy you've been running lately, Scorpio. As more of a vitality-conserving type, you probably aren't as used to being so open, outspoken, and/or conspicuous as you've become since Jupiter hit your sign a couple months back. Yet, here you are, chasing your progressively-bigger piece of the pie for everyone to see, harboring no delusions (hopefully) that you've escaped notice or kept your desires under wraps. Now that I mention it, though, perhaps you will recognize that occupying this higher profile can take a lot out of you… and, as a result, you may want to start making a more deliberate point of reserving sufficient psychic-refresh time for yourself. This is decidedly different, for the record, than indulging any escapist tendencies (as I warned about last week). Rather than using your private respite to pretend everything that's happening out there isn't happening, I advise you to remain acutely aware of the outside conditions—which, to remind you, generally favor you in building upon prior self-attainment for even greater feats-of-becoming—as you recharge within, safely shielded from all the ruckus. You're strengthening your reserves so you can effectively persevere throughout this ongoing window-of-opportunity.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): Though it's an eclipse-full-moony kind of week (and therefore imbued with a certain high-vibin' propensity for wallops and whammies), Sagittarius, I find myself unmotivated to offer you any warnings. I feel like I already issued you the standard Mars-in-the-1st cautions last week… and while those are of course still in effect, Mars is presently forming a rather amiable (if not conversationally invigorating) sextile to Mercury as it moves into your 3rd, which makes its greatest 'threat' that your lively jokes or opinionated remarks might carry a sharper bite than you might intend (unless, that is, you do intend). I don't want to imply there aren't certain contexts in which such barbed glibness could actually pose you a danger—for instance, why needlessly incite the ire of someone you don't know very well, considering you lack the ability to accurately assess whether they're prone to hostile overreaction?—though this is the sort of trouble, to be frank, you're pretty accustomed to dealing with. Really, though, I just want you to enjoy this jazzed-up liveliness infecting your every cursory social interaction. Plenty of folks will totally groove with it, even if some may be put off.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Stay in your lane, Capricorn, so you're that much less likely to crash into the rowdy traffic that's zooming this way and that all around you. It'll be far easier than usual for you to lose your bearings this week amidst the diversionary tactics of persuasive pals, pushy peers, and/or enchanting provocateurs. Your own interests, meanwhile, are best preserved by outwardly demonstrating a friendly-but-cool appreciation of everything everyone else up to… yet without unreservedly tossing your hat into their ring, signing off on their pledge, or shifting your priorities to better match their party-line. No need to draw attention to this fact of your subtle self-separation, however: This approach I'm advocating is meant to show to others you're both aware of what's happening and gently receptive and/or encouraging, while providing discreet cover for whatever personal preoccupations are rightly absorbing most of your mental effort. With a pretty busy year still ahead of you, you probably need this moment to help you gear up.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): You're taking up more space this week, Aquarius, than you ordinarily would. Being fair-minded and all, this self-knowledge might cause you think twice about how liberally you'll allow yourself to behave. But there isn't anything inherently wrong with basking in a wider-and-brighter slice of the spotlight—particularly at a time like this, when an eclipse-week's square between Venus and Jupiter is casting you in larger-than-life shades—provided you aren't using the attention to bulldoze anyone else's sincere efforts or demand everybody submits to your will. Despite your loving dedication to the concept of freedom, you probably infringe upon your own free expression more often than you realize… likely in order to preserve the hard-earned impression others hold of you, as a defender of their rights and rhythms, dare you be perceived as stepping on toes in the act of dancing your dance. So, in essence, you typically grant other people more space than you permit yourself. This is a good week to extend the privileges of your freedom-love to that prancing showpony in the mirror.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Tension, turmoil, or other trying tests of your toughness which occur in the public sphere and/or professional domain, Pisces, should not be hastily assessed for whether they signal your fortune rising or your ship going down. It's too early in this stage of that game to determine how you'll be personally affected by this circumstantial backdrop of turbulent goings-on, as it goes far beyond your role in all this. Nonetheless, that role does still require your continued asserting of initiative, force, and/or courage. Though the entire picture isn't clear, your immediate obligation to pushing this enterprise along, in fact, is. And though you mustn't claim to understand all the other players' underlying motives or ambitions, you ought to know which principles and purposes you are advocating for with these immediate actions. That's enough information to proceed upon for now, provided you remain unwaveringly aware of how much hasn't yet come to light. Whatever's right in front of you is what you need to deal with first. The rest will present itself at the appropriate time.