Venus is going Retrograde – it starts 10/5 and lasts until 11/16. I’ll give you the full breakdown next week, but for now you may notice a slowing down of things as you get more introspective about your relationships, including your relationship to money. Go with it; be watchful and contemplative, resisting the impulse to draw any hard and fast conclusions, my lovers and haters.

On the 27th the Sun will form a harmonious trine to activating Mars. This transit is exactly what you need to get off your sweet hiney and get moving. If you don’t do much to leverage it, you may just feel energized and have a social, playful day. If you want to really get the most of this time, kick off a self-care routine that supports your body, start a new project, or put your ideas into action. In astrology trine aspects are as good as you make them, so challenge yourself to get active in efforts to make things happen.

On the 2nd the planet of communication, Mercury, will form a challenging square to obsessive Pluto. You may find yourself focusing on the things that bring you pain, as this transit will kick up defenses, compulsions, and paranoia. Don’t indulge in cyber-stalking, and try to exercise some balance in your thinking; if you’re going to do a deep dive into what’s wrong, spend as much energy seeking what’s right around this date. You just may get to the truth, but you may not like what you find. Only ask questions that you’re prepared to hear any answer to, and watch what you say. What might be satisfying to blurt out now will have lasting consequences. Reign in your impulses, and strive to keep it constructive.

On the 30th Pluto goes Direct in Capricorn, marking a meaningful shift both societally and personally. Pluto governs big power, big transformation, shame, trauma, and things that feel inevitable. This marks a time when you can make moves to own your power. Whether we’re looking at the world, your insides, your projects, or your relationships, this is a time when the forces for transformation will churn again, and the more willing you are to leverage your agency, the better things will turn out. Transiting Pluto acts like a boomerang; whatever you throw out there under it’s influence will come back at you with force. If you’ve been engaging in power struggles, acting out of integrity with yourself, or trying to work against someone, you can expect that energy to gain momentum and come back at you. If you’ve been doing the work and facing your fears, this can be a time when you feel some results of your efforts and make great progress. Pluto in Capricorn is here to remind you that you are the one that’s meant to save you. Make a plan, be willing to let go of things that no longer serve you, and be brave. The infrastructure of your life, of your projects, and certainly of the hierarchies in our society are in need of transformation. Do your part to create change, and don’t forget to do it with heart, sweet loves.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

This week the little things will get you down if you let them, Aries. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, its time to let go. There’s only so much that you can do at once and even less that you can do well. Pace yourself through the essentials, and try to let go of the stress of what you can’t be doing. You need a pause, and as frustrating as that might be, it will ultimately bring you an energy recharge with which you can move forward more effectively.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

It’s all about leverage; how you make use of the experiences you’ve been having will lay the foundation for where you go next, Taurus. You don’t need to have it all figured out right now, but your attitude is essential. Life has been teaching you kindness and compassion. If you haven’t been turning that good stuff inwards, it’ll be hard to sustain offering it out to others, and it’ll make it tough to know who you can trust when push comes to shove.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Obsessing on the details doesn’t actually help you to see them any clearer. This week, you have some big-picture decisions to make, and it’s important that you make them of your own accord. Instead of worrying about all the ways that things could go sideways on you, try to concentrate on what you actually want, Twin Star. First, point yourself in the direction of the people, situations, and projects that will make you happy, and then determine your methodology, my distractible friend.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

You can do everything right, take all the precautions, and show up with care and foresight, and still not get your way. This week will challenge you to be at your best without being conditional about it. Do what’s authentic and whole for the person you want to be instead of matching the behavior of the lowest common denominator. You are moving through some deep emotional terrain; don’t allow other people to stop you from being your best self, Moonchild.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

You’re wonderful, and everyone loves you! Except when they don’t, of course. Explore the space between your desire to be liked or approved of and your sense of obligation to like or approve of everyone else. It’s time to apply the same standards to others as you’re living by, even if that complicates your relationships for some time. You’re leveling up, Leo, and that’s bound to create a ripple effect of change, both internally and with others. Embrace it.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

This week, you’re likely to be confronted by what you don’t know, or worse, with having been wrong about something that you thought you knew. How you manage your feelings when your instincts mislead you is really important. If you can strive to be interested in your situation and your reactions instead of punishing or looking for excuses, you can leverage this into a real growth experience. You don’t have to be perfect, Virgo; just seek balance.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

The tension within you between what you want and what you have, how you push and when you yield, is ripe as can be this week. Instead of emotionally reacting to these things, take the time to be reflective so that you can respond with purpose to them. You are laying foundations upon which you can grow so much, Libra. The key is to bring greater intention to your actions and in that way, bring more meaning to what you do and what you choose not to do.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

It’s unwise to take on anything new that’s not directly related to what you’re already doing, Scorpio. It’s time for you to reinvigorate your life by getting grounded, and that will be hard to do if you’re busy burning your candle at both ends of the wick. Take time to regroup and refocus, even if that means confronting the things you’ve been avoiding or spending extra time in your hidey-hole, sitting with your feels. Prioritize self-care this week.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

You don’t have to agree with the people you’re close to. What you do need is a mutual respect around how to conduct yourselves in times that are strained. This week is likely to find you in a tense dynamic with someone that you care about. You can prioritize getting along, or you can prioritize the truth, but your best bet is to do a little of both. Pursue the truth in the most compassionate and gentle (but clear) way possible.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

In order to grow into the person you want to become, you must be willing to abandon your impulse to blame others for what you don’t like, Cappy. This week will confront you with some things that you aren’t excited about in your relationships, and the only thing you need to manage is your own part to play. Show up for what you can, and take a seat when that’s the best you can offer. Act in ways that reflect your integrity, not your situation, my love.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

As you let go of the people, situations, attitudes, or habits that are no longer serving you, it would be lovely if you felt magically better right away. This week, you’re likely to find yourself doing the right thing but having some difficult feelings. Anxiety may be dogging you, but that doesn’t mean that you’ve done anything wrong. Tend to your unrest before either pushing it away or seeking answers. You’re at the verge of something wonderful, my love.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

This week is likely to find you at the end of something you’ve been working really hard to move beyond, or even harder to hold on to. Don’t fear this ending because it’s exactly what you need, even if it isn’t quite what you want. Make choices that defer to your long-term needs instead of what’s easy or that which would give you short-term satisfaction, Pisces. This is an excellent time for reconfiguring your life, step by forward-thinking step.