You will have a hell of a time trying to get anyone to commit to anything while Mars and Mercury are both under the influence of Neptune this week. It’s a slippery slope that will only get slipperier. Resolute Mars becomes vague and meandering while Mercury — always a planet to fixate on details and specifics — will be positively amnesiac. This is not the time to force people into agreements that they don’t want to make because even if you do succeed in getting them to say yes in the moment, they will turn out to be no-shows when you need them most. Nor should you try to keep anyone in your life who doesn’t want to be there. All of the guilt-tripping in the world won’t succeed in making someone feel something that s/he doesn’t. You would be much better off setting this person free. It’s the loving thing to do.
ARIES (March 20-April 18)
You will feel like you’re losing your edge as your Ruling Planet Mars passes under the rays of Neptune this week. Named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune softens and diffuses any planet that comes near it. Consequently, you will feel more lethargic, sensitive and, worst of all — weepy. You’ll want to warn loved ones and friends ahead of time because they will have no idea what has gotten into you. You might also consider steering clear of chick flicks because you will be an emotional mess. Neptune could do some serious damage to your tough-as-nails reputation if you aren’t careful. Yet this is also a good time to reconsider some of those hard lines you’ve drawn in the sand recently. Grudges lose their shape, and vendettas diminish in intensity when Neptune is powerful. The things that used to anger you don’t seem to matter as much — or at least they won’t carry the same burning urgency. You’ll be much more willing to listen to people and to consider other points of view. Meanwhile, the Venus/Uranus sextile on Wednesday gives you an effervescent sparkle. It’s the perfect day to make a pitch, an appeal or a play for that guy you’ve been crushing on. Not only will you score, but you may even learn the quintessential lesson of Venus which is that you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
TAURUS (April 19-May 19)
Get thee to a beauty salon because you’ll want to be coiffed, buffed, waxed and polished during the time that Ruling Planet Venus is crossing over your solar midheaven. The solar midheaven is the most important angle of the horoscope in Astrology (you can liken it to 12 noon on a clock), so any planet here will radiate maximum cosmic power and pull. Venus rules the laws of attraction (actually Venus wrote the book on the laws of attraction), so you can expect to turn heads, steal focus and bewitch and bedazzle for the next three weeks. But remember that you have to look a million if you want to make a million, so get your nose out those sales racks and do some real power-wardrobe shopping on Wednesday and Friday. Investing in your appearance is an absolute must because it will be your most valuable asset now. If you’re going to go on any job interviews, then schedule them for Feb. 12 and 13, and if you’re looking to make a love connection, then you can’t do any better than meeting for drinks on Feb. 19 or 20. Meanwhile, be ready for Saturn to rain on your parade this upcoming weekend. This is when you will be told — and in no uncertain terms — that there will be no making amends and/or getting back together with someone you were seeing. It sucks, so move on.
GEMINI (May 20-June 19)
Many areas of your life will undergo a sea change while your Ruling Planet Mercury is traveling through the watery realm of Pisces from Feb. 5 thru April 13. This won’t be easy after weeks spent untangling complications, putting out fires at work and bending over backwards to get everyone back on the same page where they belong. Unfortunately, clear-cut objectives lose their distinction when Neptune energy is strong (Neptune rules Pisces), and you will see priorities fade and even shrink in the wash. There is no getting around this — especially with Mercury turning retrograde on Feb. 23 — so the best thing that you can do is to adopt a que sera sera attitude (“whatever will be, will be”) during this time. Make the most of what comes in with the tide and the least of what goes out, and you should be OK. Don’t forget that you still have Jupiter, the planet of good fortune and protection, in your sign, so you know that there’s at least one planet upstairs watching your back. Meanwhile, be wary of the advice you get on Saturday because you are receiving poor counsel from someone you trust implicitly. Not only is this person misinformed, but s/he is seriously out of the loop and won’t be clueing in any time soon. You may have to switch confidants or take things with a grain of salt for the foreseeable future.
CANCER (June 20-July 21)
You couldn’t be happier with so many planets traveling through the zodiac sign of Pisces. In fact, you’re in your element! That’s because Pisces is a water sign just like you (the other one is Scorpio), so you can expect to see an increase in cash flow, a flood of gushing love interests and a spilling over of creativity into just about every area of your life over the next six weeks. By the way, if you’re trying to conceive, then you should know that Feb. 5 through March 19 is an extremely fertile period for you. If not, then you will want to take extra precautions on Feb. 20 and Feb. 28. That said, you should move forward with any plans you have to renovate, redecorate or remodel on Wednesday and Friday. These would be the perfect days to collect estimates because you are bound to get a good deal or a price break. If it’s a small project (say one that can be done in a few days and finished up by Feb. 15), then go ahead and say yes; if you’re looking at something more long-term, then you probably don’t want to break ground before April 25. Hopefully that works with your timetable. You don’t want to start any projects between Feb. 23 and March 17. This is when Mercury is retrograde, and it could prove quite costly by introducing unexpected delays and/or unforeseen expenses.
LEO (July 22-Aug. 21)
Finances will be a source of anxiety (if not cause for resentment) as you continue to write out checks to people who don’t deserve them. Whether this is real or imagined doesn’t really matter because money will slip like water through your fingers as long as Mercury is traveling through Pisces, the zodiac sign of the fish. Mercury will be here from Feb. 5 through April 13. Pisces rules that part of your solar horoscope that pertains to joint finances. This describes the people you are in business with (like a partner or a backer) as well as people who co-sign your checks or loans or those you are financially responsible for and/or beholden to. The best that you can do would be to help them manage their debts (which will minimize yours) or, if they’re going to call in a loan, to ask them if they can wait until late April when the planets show that you will be flush again. Meanwhile, you don’t want to mess around with this weekend’s Venus/Saturn square. You are in danger of making a bad situation worse regarding someone who did you wrong. Nobody is disputing that this person is a creep, and it’s clear that you were burned. However, your retaliatory behavior is starting to draw the wrong kind of attention and could alienate support. It’s time to bite the bullet and to let bygones be bygones.
VIRGO (Aug. 22-Sept. 21)
It’s always a good idea to go with the flow when your Ruling Planet Mercury is traveling through the realm of Neptune which will be from Feb. 5 through April 13. Neptune is the planet of altered states in Astrology, and though you won’t exactly be tripping during this time, there will still be a down-the-rabbit-hole kind of feel to life and living. This is when the math gets fuzzy, fact becomes fiction and the decisions that made so much sense in the moment will leave you scratching your head in bewilderment hours later. It’s the perfect time to make the switch from left brain to right brain thinking if you can. After years of being cerebrally correct and painstakingly analytical, you could have a lot of fun right now letting your inner intuitive come out to play and indulging your more creative side. Bear in mind that Mars will also be doing a tour of duty in your opposite sign. Named after the Roman god of war, Mars can be very combative when it’s traveling through this part of the sky. However, Mars is more passive-aggressive than it is “in your face” when it’s in Pisces, so you will have to contend with a sea of sad sighs, forlorn looks and plenty of guilt-trips from your nearest and dearest. The best way to counteract this kind of manipulation is with some selective inertness of your own.
LIBRA (Sept. 22-Oct. 21)
So why are you acting like you’re on the market when you’re not? Born under Venus, the planet of love and beauty, you like to know that you can seize imaginations, inflame passions and break hearts when you feel like it. And if a little ego stroking is what you need, then a stroll around the gym or office on Wednesday and Friday should prove that you haven’t lost your touch. But there’s more going on than meets the eye, and this has to do with your relationship patterns. Libras get restless when they feel taken for granted. This might be because your mate is preoccupied now, but then again it could be a reflection of your own lack of direction. As a Child of Venus, you tend to blame others for not keeping you engaged, and this is when you can suffer from the grass-is-always-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence syndrome. But where other people will just book a ticket for a weekend getaway, you will find someone who’s a bit more moneyed to take you away from where you are. That would be OK if you really were trading up, but oftentimes you’re just exchanging one set of complications for another. Don’t muddy the waters by introducing a soap opera that will only distract you from the creative process of working out the meaning of your own life purpose.
SCORPIO (Oct. 22-Nov. 20)
A certain someone will need to work a lot harder to win back your trust. And from what you’ve seen so far, you aren’t inclined to hold your breath. Now it’s true that there is a lot of water energy flowing through your horoscope nowadays and that it’s pulling at your heartstrings — making you mushy and sentimental. Moreover, Mars passing under the rays of Neptune this week will put you in a rare mood to forgive and even forget. But what makes you stop short is the simple fact that you still haven’t heard the words “I’m sorry”. Now you’re not looking to sit through some long confession, and you don’t need anyone to beg for forgiveness or pledge to do better. You believe that most people mean well. To err is human, and to forgive is human too. But what is it about an apology that makes people recoil in silence and creep around the backstairs when a simple “I’m sorry” is all that it takes to wash away the resentment and restore good feeling? Why is acknowledging that one screwed up so difficult? You are a water sign, so empathy and compassion will always come easily for you. And it’s because you know what it’s like to be on both sides of the fence — to hurt and to be hurt — that you will eventually soften your position, put aside your expectations and cut this person some slack.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21-Dec. 20)
Your home life — already unsettled — is about to become even more unsettling. You know that you should draw boundaries, stand discreetly inside them and just mind your own business, but that won’t be happening. Not with Mars and Mercury both caught up in the undercurrents of Neptune on Monday and Wednesday. These are the days when you can expect to receive a text or email that will make you see red. It will probably come from a put-upon child, an accusatory ex or a distraught sibling in dire straits. It will surely press all of your buttons and get your hackles up. If there is anything you cannot stand, it is injustice — especially when it is fueled by lies, prejudice or intolerance. Yet it’s always a good idea to check under the hood and make sure that you aren’t being emotionally manipulated when Neptune is strong like this. You need to ask yourself who gains the most by you flying into a rage and racing to the rescue? Answer that question and you will discover who the real culprit is. And by the way — it may not be who you think it is. Meanwhile, it looks like you will be making one of your wild and crazy career choices over the weekend. It’s bound to leave people feeling exasperated and frustrated, but you know that it’s right and that’s all that truly matters.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 18)
Good luck trying to get people on board with an exciting business venture or new ambitious project. As far as you’re concerned, this is such a win-win that it’s a no-brainer. Unfortunately, that’s not how others see it. In fact, you’d probably have an easier time herding cats. That’s because everyone will be dazed, confused and easily distracted this week while Mercury, the planet of the mind, is passing beneath the rays of Neptune, the planet of altered states. You will sit there listening to associates and clients promise the Moon one moment and then forget what time of day it is the next. They’re pretty unreliable which is why you shouldn’t get your hopes up for enlisting their support any time soon. Nevertheless, you will still need to peddle your wares and give that sales pitch of yours your best shot because it will be a friend of a friend or a client of a client who will wind up coming through for you in the end. Meanwhile, there’s good news on Friday regarding some kind of application, appeal or claim that you filed weeks ago. It looks like your request has been accepted and you will get everything you asked for. Just remember that a promise isn’t the same as a delivery, and with Mercury poised to turn retrograde on Feb. 23, it could take upwards of five weeks to collect.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 19-Feb. 17)
It’s great that people have the best of intentions, but are they serious about backing them up? That will be the question of the day on Feb. 6 when you will receive pledges of support, but little follow-through when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is. This is something you need to take seriously. You shouldn’t be laying out money on anyone else’s behalf during this time that Neptune energy is strong (which it will be through March 19) because if you do, then you will find yourself seriously out of pocket. Neptune is the planet of illusion, and people that you are doing business with (or who owe you money) may be under the mistaken impression that they are worth more (or are a lot more solvent) than is the case. You don’t want to be the one left holding the bag when they find themselves overdrawn or overtaxed. Don’t do anything until the money’s in the bank, and everyone will be happy. Meanwhile, it looks like there will be a parting of the ways this weekend. You and a certain family member have known that your paths would eventually diverge, and now that time has come. It won’t be easy because neither of you wants to go. Make the best of the approaching separation, and trust that your paths will cross again further down the road.
PISCES (Feb. 18-March 19)
You’ll be making the switch to shark from minnow now that you have Mars, the planet of gumption and drive, traveling through your zodiac sign until March 11. Named after the Roman god of war, Mars has a take-no-prisoners approach to getting what it wants. Indeed, its conjunction to Neptune, your astrological ruler, on Monday could lead to some stormy scenes that will leave loved ones shocked and friends amazed. It will also give rivals moment for pause and make enemies think twice about messing with you. This will come in handy in the weeks to come when you will have to lay down the law with people who think that they can still browbeat you into doing what they say without regard to your thoughts and feelings on the matter. They are about to have another think coming. However, Mars in your sign will also bring conflicts with men. You could find yourself locking horns with your boss, getting highhanded with your beau or drawing the ire and fire of male co-workers. You won’t be able to start a ruckus and then walk away from it when things get heated. You will have to finish any fight you start. You should also know that Mars is the planet of bad boys in Astrology, so on Feb. 10 you may find yourself unable to resist the pull of someone you know is no good for you.
