Weekly horoscopes: Recovering lost ground

This week you will have an opportunity to regain something that was taken from you earlier this year. This could be a prized possession, your job or maybe just your sanity. Jan. 23 through April 13, 2012, was a rough quarter, and it took an enormous toll on you. In fact, your sentiments may be that the less said about that period of time, the better. However, the Stars will be pushing you to revisit what took place then because some very important information will be coming to light on Monday, Friday and Saturday. This could be when you learn the back story on what actually went down — thereby allowing you to get some closure — or it will be when you will discover that there’s money with your name on it due to somebody else’s misfiling, technical error or sloppy sleight of hand. Follow all leads — no matter how farfetched — and you will surely come out ahead.

ARIES (March 21- April 19)

It will be hard to believe the dramatic about-face in people’s behavior — especially with those that you’ve been on the outs with. One day they’re impossibly volatile and combative, and the next they’re incredibly agreeable and peace loving and ready to do whatever it takes to mend bridges and make amends. It’s enough to make you wonder if somebody upstairs put something in the water. Actually it’s the Uranus/Venus trine that you have to thank for this eleventh hour conversion.  Uranus is the planet of revolution in Astrology. It’s that bolt out of the blue that knocks over the game board and sends all the pieces flying. Yet Uranus is also the planet of revelation as well. It can signal a time when the clouds part and people suddenly see the light. This is what will be happening on Wednesday when an opponent or rival sees the error of his ways. Be smart and have those release forms, court documents and/or power-of-attorney papers ready to sign because those clouds won’t stay parted for very long. Epiphanies — like George Clooney romances — tend to have extremely short shelf lives. Meanwhile, you may be surprised to hear from a previous employer or client on Friday. You didn’t think that this person liked your work, but evidently he did. Moreover, this person appears ready to move heaven and earth to bring you back.

TAURUS (April 20 -May 20)

Sometimes it’s only when we find ourselves walking a similar path that we begin to appreciate the road that someone else has traveled. This is especially true of our parents. That parent-child relationship changes when you marry, buy a house or have your first child. You may not make the same choices that your parents did, but standing in the same place allows you to see things from their perspective in a way that you couldn’t before. This is something that will resonate with you this week when you think of your father. You could be standing at a similar crossroads when it comes to making choices about your career or family life. Hopefully, he’s on hand so that you can benefit from his sage advice. If not, then you can always turn to your heart and ask yourself what he would have done in your position. You’ll learn the answer soon enough. It’s important to remember that the instinct for self-preservation can get in the way of your personal evolution, and this is something that you will really need to think about over the weekend. Are you fighting for something that’s worth holding on to? Or are you fighting for something that’s outlived its purpose and that you’re afraid to let go of? This question will be answered when Saturn enters Scorpio on Oct. 5, 2012.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

This week is when you see if your efforts will pay off or not. Now there’s a very good chance that you will not see the kind of return that you expected to see, but you shouldn’t be too worried about that. Mars was retrograde for the first quarter of 2012, and this backward energy would have done a lot to undermine your strong start. You might have been beset with delays, obstacles and unforeseen complications in April and July that cost you an important advantage. But just because you lost the lead doesn’t mean that you can’t regain it as you will see for yourself on Friday when you learn that a competitor has made a significant misstep or that someone who wasn’t in a position to help you before is ready to help out now. This will do a lot to bring you up to speed. Indeed, much of what unfolds between Sept. 15 and Oct. 5 should be encouraging, empowering and, more importantly — enriching.  Developments during this time will put you at the starting line that you should have been at earlier this year — but better late than never, right? Meanwhile, make a point to lock in promises and to get all agreements and commitments in writing over the next two weeks. People are in a particularly generous mood, and you could profit enormously from their largesse.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

New Moons are always illuminating, but the one on Sept. 15 will be especially informative. This is when you will discover the truth behind a fiasco that took place earlier in the year. This is something that would have cost you emotionally and/or financially. You might receive notification of a clerical error, an apology for some kind of misappropriation or a request to meet with an attorney. You should follow up on this because there’s money in it for you. The New Moon could also put you in touch with a mutual acquaintance — a friend of a friend perhaps — who divulges the entire background story to why someone who waltzed in and out of your life behaved so abominably. Then again, given the New Moon’s propensity for unearthing hidden treasures, you could come across some racy pictures of Prince Harry in Vegas that hadn’t surfaced before. It might not set you up for life, but it could help pay down some credit cards. Meanwhile, you will want to get yourself into the right headspace for the dramatic planetary developments that will be taking place from Sept. 17 through Sept. 29. This is when you experience a shift from things leaving your life to things being restored to you. It could mean revisiting old problems and familiar dilemmas, but this time things will turn out differently.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

You may be surprised to find that a rival has all the makings of a really cool friend when you finally meet face-to-face this week. Chances are you would have discovered this sooner except that a certain someone had a vested in interest in playing you two off of each other. Maybe it was an ex-boyfriend, a competitive co-worker or a manipulative in-law that was poisoning the well. In any case, it looks like this person’s efforts at sabotage will backfire as you and your new friend will come together and forge a bond that will last for years. Meanwhile, the New Moon in Virgo later this week will bring good news regarding finances. Six months ago things were looking pretty dicey as revenue streams were running low and you were doing everything you could to make ends meet. Now it looks as if water levels are rising. Actually, you could wind up doing better than that as Venus in Leo through the beginning of October increases your charisma and appeal. Potential employers and/or clients may see you as the answer to their prayers, and this could result in an increase in pay. Say yes to all interviews and let the other party do all the talking.  In fact, the less you say the more likely they’ll sweeten the offer that’s on the table.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You will want to keep close tabs on incoming tweets, texts and emails on Monday, Sept. 10th, because you will receive an exciting offer from out of the blue. It’s bound to be larger than life, too good to be true and the very change in scene that you’ve been looking for. The only drawback is that you will have to give your answer right away because this invite has an extremely short shelf life. Indeed you will have until Friday before that window of opportunity slams shut again. But don’t worry because you will make the right choice. You were born under Mercury — the wing-heeled messenger planet.  You’re at your best when you think on your feet. And speaking of toes, it looks like you will be very fretful about watching your step on Wednesday and Thursday. This is when you will be fraternizing with a different crowd whose customs are wholly unfamiliar to you. Perhaps you’re meeting your future in-laws for the first time, starting your first day at work or making the acquaintance of new classmates. Nervousness often makes you do strange things in the moment which is why you should know that you have already made a favorable impression and that you don’t have to prove a thing.  If anything, you should relax and enjoy getting to know the people who will go on to become life-long friends.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Someone you thought you’d never see again will make a surprise reappearance this week. Whether it’s a reminder that you really did make the right choice about calling it quits or a rare opportunity to give it a second shot will all depend on the kind of headspace you’re in. Your love life tends to get pretty complicated when your Ruling Planet Venus forms a trine to Uranus, the planet of surprise twists and unexpected upsets. Thankfully trines always bring good fortune, so this will be more romantic comedy than tragic angst. More importantly, you will get the answer that you were always looking for. Either this will allow you to make peace and move on or put the past to rest and make a fresh start. You can also look forward to an about-face with a judgmental parent, boss or client. This person has been doing some soul searching recently and wants to improve relations. It sounds good on paper, but may prove too tall of an order when you discover that your feelings of pain and anger lie pretty close to the surface. You will need to talk about these and get them off your chest — no matter how awkward or off-putting. You will find that one candid moment deserves another and that this back and forth exchange could lead to a new and enriching friendship.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

This is the week when you decide to give peace a chance. You’ll be skeptical at first (how can you not be?  You’re a Scorpio), but it looks like estranged loved ones, absentee friends and querulous exes have all gotten the cosmic memo and will be making a concerted effort to make amends. And you should really meet them halfway because you won’t be disappointed. The Sun is now traveling through that part of the sky where Mars was retrograde earlier this year which means that it’s the people you were locking horns with from Jan. 23 through April 13, 2012, who will be extending the olive branch now. You may also want to take this time when the Sun is swinging through Virgo to think about ways to improve your job performance. One idea might be to study a rival’s methodology at work. Obviously there’s something she’s doing right to have gotten as far as she has, and you might benefit from treating her like a role model rather than treating her like an object of derision. Finally, the New Moon on Sept. 15 shows that you have friends in high places and it’s time to contact them. Those valuable names and influential contacts won’t do you any good sitting on the shelf collecting dust. Ask for that favor, loan or financial backing. You’re sure to get a thumbs up!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

The simple message being spelled out by the Stars right now is that life is too short and you need to be pursuing the things that make you happy today rather than further down the road. This will require a complete reorientation, and it will begin on Monday when you finally make up your mind about a family matter. You’ve had it with the feuds and disputes, and you want to bring them to an end. If that means cutting your losses, then so be it. You can live with that. What you cannot abide any longer is the constant warring over trivialities. Thursday should be a good news day for you career-wise. This is when you will hear back from a perspective client or when you will go on a callback. You have every reason to expect the best with Venus in Leo bringing a bump to your approval ratings. If there was ever a time to ask for the Moon, then it would be from Sept. 12 through Sept. 20 because you will surely get it. This is one of the few times when you will have the opportunity to make a living doing what you love to do rather than doing the things you feel like you have to do in order to make ends meet. Set your sights high and you can’t miss.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Broadening your horizons isn’t a waste of time. Not only are there insights to be gained by traveling outside familiar intellectual haunts this week, but acquainting yourself with exotic ideas will enrich your outlook on life. We were all born with a sense of wonder. It’s what keeps us from becoming cynical and jaded. However, you have to find ways to nurture that wonder, and that’s by embracing the spirit of discovery that leads you down new and unexpected paths. Let yourself pursue a farfetched idea or tangent. You never know what brave new world lies waiting for you beyond the next bend. Meanwhile, Venus, the planet of relationships, will form a trine to revolutionary Uranus on Sept. 12. This transforms your lover or spouse into a money magnet. Although you can’t expect the good fortune to come to you directly (Sorry! Venus symbolizes your partner, not you), there’s nothing saying that some of that good fortune won’t rub off on you if you stand close. Finally, the New Moon on Saturday signals the start of a hectic four-week cycle. You can expect to be on the road a lot during this time as it looks as if you will be making quite the impression with an out-of-state client. In fact, you’re such a success that this person may not allow you out of his sight.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Meet with a financial consultant early in the week. Your money could be doing a lot more for you, and it looks like this person will have some exciting and innovative ideas. Virgo is the zodiac sign of the bean counter, so it’s always a good idea to touch base with your money people during the time that the Sun is traveling through this part of the sky. In fact, a detailed, leave-no-decimal point unturned approach will lead to you finding a better way to maximize resources on Sept. 19th, and this could even result in a refund or rebate on Sept. 25th. In any case, it’s clear that you have been sitting on your assets for too long. The 12th and 13th promise to be dramatic days. This is when you will find yourself in the middle of a huge to-do. Two feuding parties have both laid claim to you, and they’re ready to duke it out. This would be flattering if you went for that sort of thing, but Aquarians don’t like “scenes”.  If anything, you will go out of your way to avoid them. The controversy will burn itself out if you just leave it alone; however, you should know that people see you as a valuable commodity whose star is on the rise. You can expect to see more fracases like these in the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Don’t give up on love just yet! It’s true that 2012 hasn’t been easy. Part of this comes from being born under the zodiac sign of women who love too much, and part of this stems from a simple case of bad timing. Mars retrograde from Jan. 23 through April 13, 2012, would have put the brakes on any relationship that started out at this time, and if you were already in a relationship, then Mars retrograde would have thrown things into reverse. Now it’s possible that the fellow you were dating wasn’t as upfront as he could have been, but it’s also just as likely that he truly was unavailable. He may have been winding up his marriage, betwixt and between jobs or getting ready to move or ship out on a tour of duty. Circumstances get tangled up and knotty when Mars is traveling backwards in the sky. Well the good news is that your paths will cross again this week, and this time your energies will click. He’ll want to tell you all about what went down and why, but ultimately it’s not that important. What’s important is that you’re back in each other’s orbit. Quick note: Put off giving any final word or notice until after the 19th. Unexpected developments over the weekend could change the rules of the game considerably — and in your favor.