Venus comes out of retrograde on June 27, which means that it’s time to air kiss and make up. Does this mean that you have to forgive those so-called “friends” who left you hanging, texted vicious rumors about you behind your back, and maybe even made a play for your boyfriend over the past six weeks? Yes, it does because Venus is the planet of peace and harmony and even though your friends behaved abominably they’re still people that you have to see every day. Does forgive mean that you have to forget? No way. And this is the special gift that Venus retrograde can bring. You are now in the position to play the guilt card whenever you want to and it will give you immediate results. It’s a tad Machiavellian to say the least, but then again Machiavelli was born under the planet Venus.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
This is a big week for you as Saturn, the planet of tests, will be coming out of retrograde in Libra, the zodiac sign of partnership. Retrograde refers to a period of time when a planet acts contrary to its true nature. For instance, Saturn in Libra is always a good time for forming long-term relationships. But Saturn retrograde in Libra (like it has been since February 7) means that you couldn’t make a love connection if you had Chuck Woolery pimping you out. It was like there was a cosmic block put on every one of your outgoing calls. No one (and I mean no one) was biting. Thankfully, all of this will change when Saturn comes out of retrograde on Monday June 25. This is when your love life will wake up from that coma it’s been in and take itself off life support. It hasn’t been easy having your faith tested like this, but you’ll see that you’ve past it with flying colors. Meanwhile, you may want to revisit that ultimatum you made last week at work. It looks like your boss isn’t backing down and may even be searching for your replacement. Friday would be a good day to apologize and to make nice.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
You’re ready to reassert yourself after weeks of withdrawing into the background. Part of you knew better than to hand over the reins to an associate who was out of her depth, but you were also told (and in no uncertain terms) that you needed to learn how to delegate responsibility. Well, you delegated it. And she dropped the ball. Although it will be a major hassle cleaning up after this person’s mess, your professionalism will win you renewed respect as well as add to your cachet at work. It also ensures that a boss or supervisor will think twice about meddling with you again. Meanwhile, Venus comes out of retrograde this week and her change of direction will do a lot to restore your psychic equilibrium and self-confidence. You’ve been out of sorts since May 15 and Venus’s backward motion really brought out your needy, clingy co-dependent tendencies. Downward spirals are never fun, but the best thing that you can do after taking a spill is to pick yourself up, rearrange a couple of things and carry on with business as usual. And don’t worry about explaining yourself to your love interest. If he turns tail and runs, then he wasn’t worth it in the first place. If he sticks around, then you know that he’s seen the worst there is to see, which means that he’s a keeper.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
Remember the old saying that when it rains, it pours? There couldn’t be a truer description for the Jupiter/Neptune square on Monday. This is an extraordinary time when the floodgates will open and you will be inundated with opportunities and offers. This energy will be active in your life for the next three months and you could see the landscape of your life transformed from a parched and dry desert into a green and lush paradise. However, you will have to change thinking caps if you want to hold on to the bounty that only Jupiter and Neptune can bring. You were born under the planet Mercury, so it’s in your nature to examine the dental work of every gift horse that trots by. You just can’t help yourself. And this is fine for strategizing and working the angles to get what you want, but an overly analytical mind can also lead you to doubt when you should trust. Jupiter in your zodiac sign says that you need to learn to take things on faith. If you don’t, then you will always put more credence in questions than you will in answers and this could lead you to pick apart the good things in life. It won’t be easy learning to lighten up on the skepticism, but then again that’s why you have a year to give it your best shot.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
You’re everyone’s go-to Rock of Gibraltar this week. The Sun currently traveling through your zodiac sign means that all eyes are on you and that people see you as the means to their salvation. Pressure maybe? It’s a heavy burden to bear, but if anyone can stay the course while being buffeted about by the winds of change – it’s you. However, there is a secret part of you that can’t help but wonder if it’s a good idea to come to the rescue. You are not unsympathetic to their plights, but you also know that some of those people in dire straits are responsible for having put themselves there in the first place. Will pulling them out of the drink give them carte blanche to return to their profligate ways? Perhaps. But then again they’re never going to learn from their mistakes if they don’t get bailed out. Meanwhile, a shake up in the higher ranks at work brings trickle down opportunities on Wednesday. This is just the break you’ve been looking for, but you will need to step forward to let your voice be heard. A little modesty is always tasteful, but too much is counterproductive. If there was ever a time to for shameless self promotion – especially when you deliver on your promises – then Friday would be it.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
This is a tricky time when you will be plagued with a swarm of doubts and insecurities. On one hand, you will feel like you’re not living up to your own great expectations and on the other hand you will feel like you’re not being given the opportunity to really show off what you can do. You may even wonder if there’s a cosmic conspiracy afoot aimed at compromising you at every turn. It’s understandable given all of the recent misfires and missteps. Yet the reason for this mismatch between best effort and intended result is based more on the alignment of the planets than it is on anything you’re doing. 2012 is probably one of the more frustrating years on record simply because every planet that could turn retrograde did – and all during the first six months. This has wreaked havoc with people’s timetables, bank accounts and best laid plans. Thankfully, this backward sliding will come to an end this week and you will see an upturn in fortunes. Meanwhile, you will have to make a choice between two competing courses of action on the 29th – one will give you spectacular results with a short shelf life and the other will yield sustained results over a long period of time. The first choice is compelling, but it pays to be more tortoise than hare in your thinking.
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
It’s going to feel like an embarrassment of riches when Jupiter forms a square to Neptune on the 25th, but there’s nothing for you to be ashamed about. You’ve worked hard for your good fortune and you deserve every ounce of it. You won’t jinx yourself by basking in the glow of your triumph. If anything, you’re one of the few people who could afford to spend more time enjoying your moment in the Sun. This would also be a good time to think about where to go from here. If you haven’t already been released from a heavy burden of responsibility, then you will be in the next two weeks. Moreover, you can look forward to a debt being erased or dramatically reduced. Finally, resources that were once out of reach will be made available to you. Circumstances couldn’t be more conducive for starting the next new and exciting chapter of your life. So, are you going to take bold steps forward or are you going to hug the shadows? Only you can answer that question, but keep in mind one important point: you don’t always get a chance to be the best that you can be. You’re entering a three month period when you can fulfill your greatest hopes, dreams and ambitions. It’s not the time to be afraid of accomplishment; it’s the time to embrace it.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Venus, the planet of love and beauty, comes out of retrograde on Wednesday. Venus is the planet of attraction in Astrology and when she’s behaving herself then she attracts the things that you like into your life. However, when she’s not behaving herself (like when she’s retrograde, which was from May 15 to June 27), then she will attract all of those things that you don’t like – like false friends, needy exes and perv grandpas who can’t keep their hands to themselves. Thankfully, this bad spell will come to an end this week and you can go back to hanging out with people who make your life a beautiful place to be. Meanwhile, be ready to step in for a supervisor or manager on Friday. The official word is that this is only a temporary situation; however, the truth is that you are being auditioned for the spot. This person who’s missing won’t be coming back, which means that the empty seat is yours if you want it. This is your chance to show off what you can do and though it may feel like this is all too much, too soon the simple truth is that you’re better prepared than you know. And the only way to find out if you can do the job is to step up to the plate.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
You may think that you’re standing at the crossroads and that you are now facing your moment of truth – but you’re actually three months shy of that. In fact, the Stars are giving you a unique opportunity to test-drive some options without committing to any choices and you would be well advised to follow their lead. For instance, you might consider circulating your resume on Tuesday. You may be surprised by the positive response you get. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to leave your job, but it’s always good to know what your market value is – especially if you’re thinking about asking for a raise. Thursday is an interesting day for you romance-wise. Usually, you’re the one in a hurry to seal the deal; however, it looks like you’ll be telling the new hottie in your life to dial it down a bit. And this isn’t because you’re not interested. On the contrary, you are – but you want to see how things unfold organically. That Scorpio gut instinct of yours knows that there are some very subtle and powerful planetary forces at work in your life and it also knows that you have a pretty firm grip on the reins. This is one of those rare times when you are in the driver’s seat and you should enjoy it while it lasts.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
Venus’ emerging from her retrograde on Wednesday June 27 will reveal who your true friends are – and don’t be surprised if you wind up unfriending a host of them as a result. The past few weeks haven’t been easy when it comes to trust and reliability. Not only were you left hanging by those who said they would be there for you, but you probably experienced unflattering sides of people who you thought you knew. It’s bruising to say the least. However, you may have also been pleasantly surprised – not to mention impressed – by the honorable actions of people you had considered to be enemies. Venus, the planet of love and beauty, is famous for showing us the other side of the looking glass when she’s reversed. It’s disillusioning, but then again isn’t it better to be in the know about people than to be kept in the dark? Meanwhile, you are swiftly reaching the point where you can finally resolve a longstanding dispute. This may require you to cut your losses, but that would be better than to allow this dispute to drag on. You have a tough decision to make on Friday, but you will see that a sacrifice is really a strategic finesse; it’s the very maneuver that will stem the tide and save you from throwing good money after bad.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
You were born under the zodiac sign of the old soul. Now, that doesn’t mean that you came into this world feeling spiritually evolved — although you might be. What it means is that you were beset with all kinds of burdens when you were young and that these challenges robbed you of your childhood. The end result was that you felt “old” by the time you reached twelve. You were probably a very precocious twelve, remarkably self-sufficient and mature for your years, but the downside to this is that you would have taken a dim view of trust. People are allowed to lean on you, but you will not allow yourself to lean on them. On Monday, June 25, your Ruling Planet Saturn will start the last leg of its journey in Libra. Saturn has taught you a lot about relationships these past two years and the hardest realizations have been learning that you are a lot more closed off than you thought you were. Now, there’s still time to turn this around. In fact, you have until October 5, 2012 to do just that. But you need to change tactics from testing people to welcoming them into your life. It’s not that people have the right answer. It’s that people are the answer that you’re looking for. It’s time to open your mind and your heart.
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
You’ve had so many things going on that you were beginning to wonder if you could keep track of all the balls in the air. Thankfully, Saturn coming out of retrograde on Monday signals that it’s time to bring everything in for a landing. Begin by asking those people who are still on the fence if they are in or out. You will find that many will say yes and are ready to make good on their pledges and commitments. And for those who are still hemming and hawing? Feel free to show them the door because if they haven’t signed on by now then they never will. Meanwhile, you will want to press ahead with a project at work on Wednesday. You have been eclipsed by lesser lights for too long. Not only have they hindered your growth, but it’s also clear to higher-ups that they are hindering the growth of your company, as well. Thankfully, you won’t have to get involved with all of that. Just mind your own business and let your job performance speak for itself. On Friday, you will find yourself torn between keeping a friend’s secret and the realization that your silence is causing more harm than good. What to do? Speak up, of course. You will risk your friend’s enmity but it’s better to be loyal in the truest sense than it is to watch her self-destruct.
PISCES (February 19 -March 20)
You have until Wednesday to seal the deal. Why the rush? Because right now you have a close (but not an exact) conjunction taking place between Astrology’s two most benefic planets — Jupiter and Venus. Jupiter is the planet of good things and Venus is the planet of people who bring those good things to you. This will re-introduce an offer that you were seriously considering last March. Now, this unexpected Round Two may reconfirm the reservations you had at the time and that may be as far as it goes. However, the conjunction could also introduce conditions that weren’t there before thereby making this offer more desirable on second viewing. In any case, you have until the 28th to decide. Meanwhile, it looks like you will be dealing with the fallout from a different decision you made last week. You knew that this would rock the boat, but it looks like that incoming storm will be upgraded to hurricane status on Friday. Thankfully, you were born under the sign of the fish which means that you have an uncanny ability to go with the flow. In other words, you know how to make people feel like they’re being heard without necessarily agreeing with them. This will do a lot to assuage hurt feelings and to diffuse built up tensions. It will also get you off the hook.
