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Horoscopes | Week of February 5-11, 2018

ARIES (March 21-April 19): On the one hand, Aries, I still see you reaping a lot of benefit from talking through the intricate ins-and-outs of your current status with those colleagues, comrades, or chums you consider thoughtful, opinionated, or up-to-date on the relevant trends-in-discourse. Otherwise, you'll be too prone to loudly and/or loftily beat the drum of a rather reductive line of thinking… one which may seem broad-minded to you, but only because it so aptly fits the life-experiences you have had. Those who have led vastly different lives, meanwhile, will be able to spot the glaring holes in your reasoning from a mile away. If you rightly respect these differences, you can learn a lot about what you aren't seeing—what you maybe can't see, by simple virtue of you being you and not them—and build upon your existing knowledge by adopting this coalitional mindset. On the other hand, accepting the need for outside feedback and reflection will force you to abandon the illusory existence of quick-and-easy answers, straightforward explanations, and/or tidy solutions. But that's precisely your greater evolutionary opportunity at the moment: rejecting the overly simplistic or convenient, in favor of deepening insight into the varieties of human experience.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Because there's currently no good way to escape the impact of your relational ties, Taurus—whether you're leaning on them for support or collaborative gain, taking them for granted, or desperately trying to snip yourself free from them—I suggest you treat your end of these partnerships as skillfully as possible. Such skillfulness demands you refrain from any hysterical outbursts, vindictive low-blows, envy-driven underminings, or begrudged self-sacrifices. Though your own ethics might condone this type of all's-fair-in-love-and-war behavior, plenty of other folks would feel differently… and I'm not just talking about any one certain person whose divergent opinion you're willing to override, because you take liberties with them (due to accumulated history or intimacy) or don't care what they think (since you wish to vanquish their influence by any means necessary). Please think beyond the narrow context of just you and them, considering all the collateral characters (e.g., mutual friends, fellow community members, official representatives, governing bodies, etc.) who are likely to catch wind of your conduct and judge you accordingly. Follow appropriate protocols, then, and communicate as if everyone will read the transcript.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Sticking to your guiding ideals is important, Gemini, but not if it compels you to be unrealistic in your outlook on how certain tasks, duties, or functions are going to get done. With no present shortage of bold brave concepts re-enlivening your notions of what's possible, you mustn't skip the crucial step of properly vetting every potential action-plan for its operational efficacy. Who will handle each stage of the process, and how long will it take? Which facets must be attended to before which other facets? What lower-priority items are liable to fall by the wayside, and which time-wasting inefficiencies should be stripped from the routine? Don't assume these variables are a 'done-deal' or will otherwise 'work themselves out' once the big decision is made. Please remember the truism about that proverbial devil lurking in the details, waiting to cackle spitefully at you once you discover (at the most inconvenient moment, no doubt) what you forgot to consider. The good news: You've got all these great ideas and plenty of sharp-minded pals and peers who you can bounce them off of. As long as you're not overly attached to being the lone commander or dismissive about others' contributions, you can turn those ideas into workable progress.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be shrewdly aware, Cancer, many of your week's most significant exchanges may be simultaneously transpiring on multiple levels. Just because someone speaks a certain sentiment aloud, that isn't necessarily all that they'll be saying. The spoken words might even contradict the truer-and-scarier feelings which lurk inside the speaker, as the vibe coming off of them would indicate there's more to consider than what's been shared. Or perhaps they're just telling you what they think you want to hear, to preserve themselves a fond or favorable foothold in your impressions. I shouldn't have to tell you, keen intuitive amongst all the signs, about how we communicate with one another using way more than our mere verbal skills… how sometimes the words fall short, don't do us justice, convey the wrong idea, or serve as a cover for what we desperately don't want to say but probably should. Pleae don't overlook these insights, then, when engaged in any interaction where one and/or the other of you may be holding strong, conflicted, confusing, or questionable feelings. Taking things at their stated face-value may prove a willfully over-trusting misstep.

LEO (July 23-August 22): Be mindful of a currently-magnified tendency toward pandering to other people's potential impressions of you, Leo, in how you choose to present yourself. In a certain sense, this advice flips last week's horoscope on its ear: First I encouraged you to share your appreciation of other people generously, and now I'm telling you not to pander to them? Obviously, a common thread is the heightened emphasis on your interpersonal relationships (thanks to a temporarily strong 7th-house signature), a zone where you can continue to expect smoother-than-usual connections. But the critical distinction between my encouragement and my warning hinges on whether you're authentically moved, by a passionate outpouring of sincere emotion, to sing someone's praises and enfold them in your adoration—or if you're just flattering them with easy compliments, keeping their ego fluffed, and/or playing them like a fiddle so you can get or stay on their good side. If you lapse into the latter behavior, the recipient(s) of your ingratiating efforts may not realize you're sucking up (at least not right away). However, you are liable to feel a little dirty inside, knowing you've won them over with somewhat hollow sentiments… and that you'll probably have to talk your way out of this misconception later, to likely uncomfortable ends.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): It's another week ideal for getting the most out of your workday, Virgo, provided you're still working in steady dialogue with the other participants… staying receptive to their helpful suggestions or novel outlooks, but not indulging an excess of irrelevant banter or insidious gossip about third-party players. One breakthrough possibility: Perhaps the current division-of-labor or sharing-of-responsibility needs a shakeup, whether that'd involve redistributing certain tasks or splitting into more autonomous subgroups and then coming back together after more progress has been independently made. Don't be afraid to rattle others' stale expectations of who does what and/or with whom, in the act of accomplishing this joint effort. Nor should you be needlessly hostile should they make such a proposition; if it'll help the job get done faster, better, or with less headaches, you might want to push through your resistance and give their idea a shot. There's no need to fear if anyone's ego is bruised in the process. With Venus heading into your 7th by week's-end, you'll soon have more patience and greater understanding for others, as well as a surge of likability to get those folks back on your side again.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): This week offers you an excellent chance to softly shift the relational cadence of a particular coupling, Libra, so it more directly satisfies what you are hoping to get out of it. This isn't an energy of deadly serious heart-to-hearts, but one which favors gentle suggestions and lead-by-example behaviors that show the other person how to better please you. Skip the blatant criticisms or passive-aggressive eyerolls, instead using positive-reinforcement tactics that give them something to become progressively happier about too. One thing to look out for: Please don't encourage any financially extravagant gestures or equally excessive self-congratulations, as if someone's got to pad your pocketbook or stroke your ego to prove their affections to you. With squares to your 5th from Jupiter-in-the-2nd, you could confuse what you really want from them with what you think you need for yourself. Other people (like this certain someone, for instance) are meant to enhance the quality of our lives, not assume responsibility for fulfilling all our needs. Treat their presence as a cherished icing-on-the-cake benefit rather than a duty.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Though you'd probably benefit from a brief self-enclosed cocooning moment or two, Scorpio—whenever you're not busy exploiting all the potential profit-centers now available out there, that is—the astrology suggests you could struggle to downshift, simmer down, or settle in, no matter how badly you might crave the break. Likewise, though it might behoove you to quietly sit on your latest feeling-thoughts rather than rushing to outwardly declare them, you may have a hard time not letting people know what's presently in your heart. Even if you bite your tongue, your facial expressions and bodily carriage and vibrational emissions are still likely to tell the tale pretty effectively. As I'll continue reminding you as long as Jupiter's in your sign (which is through much of '18), you're presently way less sly or stealthy than you typically are or may even realize. (This needn't cause you problems, unless you're utterly oblivious to it.) That said, I urge you to take time to yourself as you're both recharging your battery and privately working through some still-in-progress emotional insights. If you think you can pull off such a recharge-and-process without the corresponding self-focused retreat, you're very likely wrong.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): You're on a sort of 'go it alone' streak at the moment, Sagittarius… and it isn't such a bad drift for you to keep riding out either. That's not to say you should altogether stay away from other people—on the contrary, you may have quite a lot of fun shooting the shit with any number of random characters—but more a case of your not necessarily needing their presence, participation, or approval in order to continue along with whatever you're doing. If they happen to follow your lead or otherwise gravitate to your audacious being, great. If they aren't into you, your approach, or your attitude, so be it. You're under no pressure to try to explain your thinking, compromise your tendencies to better suit their comfort, or win their favor. You don't have to be angry, aggressive, or vicious about it. If they manage to get a rise out of you, thus distracting your attention away from whatever's far more interesting to you so you can push back against their interjections or insinuations, you've essentially allowed them to call your shots. You'll score a securer victory over such interlopers by not paying them much mind at all.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): With Mars still in your 12th for another few weeks, Capricorn, you remain at risk of inciting the ire of covert foes or short-tempered reactionaries—or otherwise setting off an unplanned chain of self-subverting events—if you are too inattentive (intentionally or not) to how what you're up to is liable to impact those around you. Jupiter's ongoing presence in your 11th promises positive developments from positioning yourself in mindful relation to the pertinent friend-groups, teams, communities, or social movements. Yet, its current squares to your now-activated 2nd house pose a caution against inadvertently adopting a self-interested tone in your outward manner (even if you're 'just being practical')… with the likelihood of leaving others thinking you don't care about their interests enough to include them in your considerations (which, even if that is the case, doesn't do your promise of 'positive developments' any favors). While there's absolutely nothing wrong with actively concerning yourself with meeting your own practical needs, I'd advise not being so publicly outspoken about it right now, so as to prevent accidentally imperiling alliances.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): One side-effect of this 'taking up more space' trend, Aquarius, is that it's far tougher to mask your baldest thirsts and hungers behind the usual veneer of intelligent-sounding distancing techniques. Folks will spot your grabby ambitions from a mile away… and no matter how delicately you seek to phrase your pitches and come-ons so it seems you're only advocating a certain slant because 'it just makes the most sense' or 'it's a win-win for everyone', the truth of your desire as a primary motivating factor will be evident for all to see. As a result, I'd advise conceding this truth as plainly as can be, with explicit statements-of-opinion and unapologetic 'I want' declarations, instead of disavowing the subjective and/or self-serving undercurrents (to little avail, I might add) now ferrying you onward. Posturing as if you have no personal stake—as if you're somehow less thirstily-and-hungrily human than the rest of us poor fleshy saps—won't engender confidence in you, as much as it will alienate you from those who find that posture disingenuous, untrustworthy, or arrogant. You can both advocate for fair collectively-minded solutions and still want what you want, though it demands critical self-awareness and honesty.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Venus will be triumphantly returning to your sign late this week (on Sat Feb 10), Pisces, blessing you with a lovelier attitude, an easier manner, and a more favorable reception from those around you for nearly this whole next month. Therefore, any formidable feats or challenging conversations would be better held off on until after you've got Venus on your side, if only to hold out for every last bit of help you can get. In these interim days ahead, then, you remain in a spot where premature judgments and short-sighted actions are likelier to worsen any perceived problems than swiftly fix them. Notice I attached the qualifier 'perceived' to the label 'problems' to highlight how relative (rather than absolute) the question of this situation's ultimate meaning truly is. There's a lesson here for you about letting uncertainties and ambiguities play out… resting on a faith that you'll know when the right time to act presents itself (and, in the meantime, learning to capably bear the worries that accompany the waiting), instead of hysterically thrusting your hands straight into the danger-zone in an attempt to help, risking your own safety even though everything would've eventually been fine without your 'assistance'.