Saturn Return Can Bite Me

This week's Aquarium Age

"The planets tilt the routines of daily life toward even greater intensity this week, so don't be surprised if you find yourself increasingly skewed toward how things "should" be. These leanings could include opinions, decisions, or actions you never imagined you would embrace or embody; or, conversely, you might find yourself clinging to established positions with a fierce and poignant loyalty that refuses to be budged by reality. We're in a process of transition, in preparation for an even longer process of transformation, and the next several weeks represent a "that was then, and this is now" threshold between what was, what is, and what will be. Figuring out how to move through these shifts is going to take skill. Transitions are often uncomfortable, especially when they require a change of mind or a change of heart — or both. Anticipate feeling vulnerable or exposed. Do whatever it is you do to protect yourself, but make sure you stay open to the potential for profound change. Personal pole shifts require courage, but they are almost always worth the energy and effort.

The astrological threshold we're standing on opens into several years of squares between Uranus and Pluto, the two most powerful change agents in the astrological system. The first exact square is June 24, and while that sounds as if it's too far in the future to have an effect right now, from the perspective of cosmic time we're already in it; Uranus and Pluto signatures are always present in times of revolution and evolution. Protest thrives under this influence, and as the next several months unfold, we are certain to see an increase in dissent. Expect those demonstrations to be more than political; personal revolutions are just as likely, as individuals chafe from restraints, real or imagined. Over the next several weeks, as this square tightens its grip, daily life will preview what needs to shift. Pay close attention to what you are resisting the most — that's usually the first sign that something's gotta give."

May Planet Waves

Taurus (April 19-May 20)
Now would be a good time to realize that you cannot proceed through life with two competing sets of values. What seems like superficial confusion often masks this very issue — that you’re trying to make decisions based on deeper principles that conflict with one another.

Oh god, this is so true and my exact problem. I want stability and creativity--and you cannot have both at the same time. Does. Not. Happen. I can't bear to give up the safety to  chase after whatever makes my heart happy, because my heart ain't gonna be happy if I need to go to the emergency room and end up broke and homeless because I followed my heart and gave up that sort of thing. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

As long as you’re wondering whether you want to do this or that, you’re still hanging out on the surface.

Also totally true. I can't make a commitment to Following My Heart And Dreams and be totally okay with no safety at all. I don't want anything THAT bad...but then the inner nagging continues. Argh.

When you find yourself asking why you want to explore one particular option, and why you want to explore some other particular option, and how you feel about those reasons, then you’re getting closer to the heart of the matter.

Good, but so far I can't tell :P

Yet the real discovery comes when you find out that you have several programs running at the same time, which guide you in different directions. These conflicting programs will be problematic only if the conflict is ‘unconscious’ — that is, if you’re not aware of the roots of the debate, or even that the debate has roots.

Eh, I'm aware of it.

Those can reach into many places, but the one thing they have in common will be the past. You now have the opportunity to decide what values are truly your own, and you have a bold moment to allow your life to be guided by them and nothing else. Between where you stand today and the confidence that this will give you, there’s a process you’ll undergo — and it will take you into some forgotten places. You will benefit from learning, and from using what you learn to make conscious choices. This way, you will be one person, guided by what is actually meaningful to you.

Uh....? I don't understand this at all, actually.

 

MIdlife Transits horoscopes

Taurus:

Happy Birthday Taurus! May is your traditional month of power and beauty, and it opens with a powerful full moon in Scorpio on the 5th. This is when you can project yourself forcefully. The new moon of the month, in Gemini on the 20th, is equally powerful because it’s a solar eclipse. It falls in your financial house and hopefully represents some sort of a fresh start for you. The idea to think about is coming upon money from an unplanned source. It may not be a huge amount of money, but any money will probably help. Look for it!

Mercury also breezes through your sign this month, from the 9th to the 24th. Mercury puts an emphasis on speaking and on other language-related activities. Not the time to keep your mouth closed. Speaking of which, there’s an awful lot of emphasis on chatty sign Gemini this month. I already mentioned the new moon eclipse. In addition, the sun, Mercury, and Venus will all transit this sign. Gemini, as you may know, is the sign of the twins. It is an externally oriented sign that likes to socialize, but it is also a sign known for its incessant thought. It cannot turn its mind off.

The best manifestation of something like this is finding a sort of twin of your own. Someone who thinks like you do, with whom you can talk endlessly and comfortably without the least bit of hesitation. All the Gemini activity makes it somewhat easier to find someone like this because people of all signs will be being encouraged to speak their minds more freely. You’ll have a better chance of spotting the ones with whom you have a lot of stuff in common. And yes, I did mean a soul-matey type twin of the romantic kind is possible; you do have Mars in your love life house helping you too. Don’t forget about this or the fact that it is your power month–put yourself out there if you want results in this area.

Okay, that’s the good news for this month, what about the longer-term trends for your personal year ahead? Well, we’ve got Jupiter moving out of your sign next month and into the sign of Gemini (yeah, there’s a lot of Gemini action going on in the near future). This is maybe not so good on a personal level, but it could be good on a financial level if you learn to work with Jupiter by paying close attention to how you are supported by the universe (not how your nerves are driven to distraction by the universe, different thing).

Saturn also changes signs about midway through your personal year, in October 2012. Saturn’s shift will try to get you to stop thinking about your job or health (currently legitimate areas of concern) and start thinking more about your primary relationships. Saturn in Libra (the current sign) is very logical and rational; Saturn in Scorpio (the sign he’ll enter in October), not so much. Part of the discipline of Saturn in Scorpio for Taurus folks is learning how to think before they feel (I didn’t say it would be easy) so that emotions don’t overwhelm them.

Uranus in Aries will be duking it out with Pluto in Capricorn over the next 12 months. Uranus is in your solar 12th house, trying to stir up the notion that your life is filled with alternatives. This is an abrupt and upsetting notion because the sign of Taurus, when allowed full reign, likes to set up things so that they are exactly right the way they are, precisely so that alternatives won’t have to be considered. The sign of Taurus considers alternatives exhausting and generally useless.

Your job is going to be to view alternatives from a detached and neutral standpoint, not as a threat to the order that you have established in your life. This will keep you surprisingly busy over the next year because folks in other signs will be dealing with their own versions of threats to their established routines. Your practice being detached and neutral can help them, which will make you feel oddly heroic. Pluto plays into this too, because he’s trying to change your beliefs, give you a big picture that will ultimately make you more powerful.

Fortunately, Neptune will be doing its best to see that you have friends to talk everything out with. Lots of friends. Neptune likes to present things in great quantity and he’s swimming slowly through your friendship house these days, looking for likely prospects to toss up onto your friendship beach.

In fact, the next 12 months are amazingly good for the exchange of thoughts and opinions and the secret kind of relating one feels with people who just ‘get’ you. It’s all about detachment in this area, too. It’s like a Taurus personal ‘mastery of emotions and conquering of objectivity and neutrality’ year.

Finally, in the coming 12 months, eclipses will switch back and forth between the Sagittarius/Gemini axis and the Scorpio/Taurus one. That’s right, eclipses in your own sign are coming up! Not for awhile yet, but a year from now. In the meantime, a solar eclipse in November 2012 will put the spotlight on your relationship with your closest companion, romantic or best friend. Get ready for a new chapter in this area of your life!

Scorpio:

For you, the combination of energies could favor things like earning money through mental activities or skills, through speaking or writing, or through using your hands in some graceful manner. Earning money through other forms of creativity or art is another possibility. This is especially true around the time of the new moon (which is an eclipse) on the 20th. The eclipse is in Gemini, a language-oriented sign, so polish up your language skills and put them to good use.

With Venus in your rather hidden 8th house, the phrase ‘dancing with myself’ also comes to mind. During the week that begins with Mother’s Day on the 13th, though, the planets in Taurus line up rather neatly with Mars in Virgo in your friendship house. At that time, it would be more like ‘dancing with a bunch of my friends at a music festival, party, or club in a wanton display of sheer physical pleasure.’ Stuff like that.

Another nice angle occurs near the end of the month on the weekend of Memorial Day. The sun and Mercury in Gemini hook up with Uranus in Aries in your solar 6th house of job and health. Your physical and mental abilities to earn money, get a job, or improve your health are in fine form.

Of course, you may not care about earning money or dancing with your friends, maybe you only care about your love life. Well, yeah, the stars certainly wouldn’t mind if you put a priority on that instead. The indications are certainly there. Whenever there’s a lot of energy in the sign opposite yours (Taurus), there’s a possibility of getting pointed in the direction of love, relationships, or just harmony and unity. This month, the sun’s in Taurus until the 20th and Mercury’s in Taurus until the 24th.

The annual birthday post!

• NY Post: "You know what your "big idea" is and you know it will make you rich and famous if you give it a go. So what's holding you back? Sooner or later you have got to commit yourself, and your birthday chart says soonest is best." Also: "You will be hugely assertive over the next few days. According to the planets you have no intention of playing a supporting role - you know you should be the star and you won't let anyone steal your glory."

Oh my god, THIS is a kick in the ass...

• Canoe: "Uncertainty will cloud your decisions if you don't ask questions and discuss possibilities. The more upfront you are about your goals, the easier it will be to stay on track. Exercise your right to an opinion, and be wary of unpredictable or impulsive people. Take a practical approach and choose quality over quantity. Your numbers are 3, 15, 18, 23, 26, 31, 40. Birthday Baby: You are dedicated, loyal and hardworking. You are powerful, patient and prudent."

Also rather a kick...

• Chicago Tribune: "Don't be surprised if your normally grounded energy deserts you today, leaving you feeling restless and keyed up. You might talk with people all day, or read, write and stimulate your mind with ideas. By the time nightfall rolls around, your body may be tired, but your mind will still be active! It's hard to relax when you're so full of antsy energy. Take slow, deep breaths to calm your nerves."
• Tarot.com: "Treat yourself to all the things you like, but remember that moderation is the best way to avoid the consequences of having "more than enough"! You can make real progress today by simply remaining true to your values instead of trying to reach arbitrary milestones throughout the day. It's easier to overcome your own inertia if you are passionate about your goals. You'll be able to accomplish each successive task on your list if they are part of a holistic approach, rather than just isolated chores. Nevertheless, it's smart to begin slowly and build momentum throughout the day."
• Georgia Nichols: "You feel better about your financial situation today because things seem to be falling into place (fingers crossed). Trust your money-making ideas. You'll enjoy shopping today, especially for beautiful goodies for yourself and loved ones. Keep an eye out for collectibles. ("Look at that!")"
• chron.com: "Knowledge can be like a light that turns on in your mind, or it can be a structure that complicates matters by casting confusing shadows. In the latter case, keep studying until you have your breakthrough."
• NZ Herald: "The Sun/Mars trine encourages you to be a bold and brave Bull. Be inspired by birthday great Shirley MacLaine "Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. It's where all the fruit is."
• Seattle Times: "Today is an 8 -- Words come easily. Use them to increase your fortunes. First, set a juicy goal. Determine what you want, as well as a strategy to obtain it. Craft a winning pitch. Get creative."
• Daily Horoscopes: "If you have been considering a new business venture lately, this Sunday is the day you may be able to put your plans together and see the possibilities come together. Additionally, you may find it favorable to voice your ideas. Ambitious schemes and the pursuit of success and status take on a high priority this Monday. This Tuesday is a good time to step aside and think a bit on what each of us does to protect the future of our own space, neighborhood, city, state, country, etc. Very simply, the future of our ability to live comfortably begins within each person's personal space. Thoughts and ideas are usually running through your head a mile a minute this Wednesday. You might enjoy having a notebook or tape recorder handy for note taking. You have a sense of practicality to get many things completed and behind you this Thursday. It is good to do some serious thinking about work or a certain project--calculating the results. This Friday has favorable aspects for financial dealings and if you have received money recently, there are some very good ways to invest it. A private talk with a friend this Saturday morning leads to revisions in a plan. You are flexible and find little problem in bending one way or another. Your co-workers, friends and family will notice that your sense of humor and your good attitude is stronger than ever this Sunday. You may be pleased at some recent accomplishments. New ideas and an independent or pioneering mental orientation take on more importance in your life this Monday. Enjoy your special time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
• Elle: "Today, the moon and pleasure-planet Venus are in Gemini, your second house of work, money, and sophistication. Since you already have quite the penchant for the better things in life, Taurus, today’s planetary activity adds even more chicness to your personal mix…which is never really a bad thing, right? Have an important business meeting at a great new lunch spot (instead of huddled together over sandwiches in a conference room), add a bouquet of beautiful flowers to your office desk, and head to an elegant watering hole after work. No one can live the good life quite like you!"
• astro.com: "Happy birthday! Today the Sun returns to the position it was in when you were born. As would seem appropriate with this transit, today is a day of new beginnings, and the influences you feel today will affect the entire year to come. However, this does not mean that the whole year will be disappointing if today doesn't work out exactly as planned. You are receiving a new impulse from the energy center within you, as symbolized by the Sun. Therefore any new venture that you start at this time will ride the crest of this new energy and will very likely come to an acceptable conclusion. Whatever you do or begin today will bear the stamp of your individuality more than anything else. This is the day to assert yourself anew."
• Ruby Slipper: "Mercury and Uranus will uncover a secret or shine the light on a surprising potential. Flashes of insight are particularity powerful and should not be ignored. Messages or ideas that seem to come out of nowhere have actually been brewing for the past few months. The Sun in your sign receives a boost from Mars in your sector of creativity and celebrations. Expect increased confidence, self-assurance and the calm knowledge that you are on the right track."
• MSN Astro.com: "April 24 people make terrific parents and unconventional lovers, because they resist any kind of cliche in their thinking. Nobody born today thinks others should behave in a certain way if it makes them unhappy. Good news for their tearaway kids. Good news for their love-life too because they have an open mind about everything. Not such good news for the parents of young April 24, who probably won't agree with anything their parents say, certainly won't do what they are told, and will probably drive teachers at school mad with their questions. This is a day which questions everything, especially the status quo. At work, they can't understand why bosses are supposed to know less about certain parts of the organisation than the workers. As bosses themselves, they make sure that all managers mix with the workers, understand the business from the floor upwards and don't behave patronisingly to employees. They are also careful to maintain a healthy environment for people at work. Kind and fair, employees like them. Managers are frightened of what they will think up next. And it's likely to be no private offices, no company cars and everybody eating together in the canteen. They throw a great party at work and at home. These are the people who shine at karaoke, dance brilliantly and often play in their own band. Some go on to make a career in showbusiness, where they will be known for their innovative style and infectious energy. On stage, everybody likes working with them because they are generous about others' talent, and always good for a laugh. Many people born on this day are keen on sport, sometimes overkeen according to their long suffering lovers and friends, who have to listen and enthuse until tears of boredom flow. Their homes will be tapped into cable and satellite for the sport, and newspapers seized first for the sports pages.
  April 24 people can suffer from physical tension, or simply muscle strain. They get this from sport, just horsing around, and moving through life fast. An aromatic bath may be the answer. It's not expensive, helps skin disorders, relieves muscular and other pains, and induces restful sleep. Some essential oils can be an irritant to the skin if you use more than three drops. So be careful of basil, ginger, fennel,orange and peppermint. Sandalwood is one of the mildest and you may safely use up to 10 drops in your bath. Sprinkle the drops after you have run the bath.
  Most people born on this day are essentially kind, but some may get swept away and make more conventional people feel dull and even afraid. Terrifying others is never an attractive characteristic, and always rebounds on you."
• Cafe Astrology: "You are a determined person and you intuitively know that with patience, you can accomplish anything you set out to do. You easily earn respect from others around you, due in part to your regal manner. Your family is extremely important to you, and many of your values are quite traditional, which keeps you grounded and responsible. However, you are unafraid of embracing the new, even if  you do so slowly. Famous people born today: Shirley MacLaine, Barbara Streisand, Kelly Clarkson.

  Your Birthday Year Forecast:

  With the Sun and Moon in a waxing semi-square at the time of your birthday this year, the period ahead is one of new initiatives and action. You possess quite a bit of energy, but you must be aware that emotions color much of what you do this year. It can be hard to be objective as a result.

  Saturn opposes your Sun beginning in November. During this time period, you may experience some form of disillusionment with regards to an important person in your life, with authority figures, with personal plans and achievements, or with aspects of your own personality. You may feel "left out", blocked from advancing in your chosen life path, or temporarily lacking in energy and confidence. Ego boosts don't seem to be forthcoming, or if they are, you don't see them in such a light. Some sort of buckling down is necessary at this time, and is often perceived as limitations coming from other people or from circumstances. A general feeling of "slowdown" is likely, and if regular tasks seem more overwhelming than usual, it is likely due to poor spirits and lack of motivation. Sometimes, this transit is associated with problems with the teeth, bones in general, and the skin. It is also associated with mechanical breakdowns in your life. However, these generally happen because you haven't been managing your life effectively, and Saturn calls upon you to identify the weaker areas of your life, and to fix or strengthen them. Take the time to sort out your life, improve your work, and to become more efficient. Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary now. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate, but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards. This influence lifts rather quickly, lasting only approximately a month.

  You are especially interested in setting goals and challenges for yourself this year, and taking the necessary action to meet them. You may meet or interact with others who encourage or inspire you in some way to have more confidence in yourself. Your energy levels are generally strong this year, and your sense of timing better than usual, particularly from October forward. You tend to instinctively know the right course of action to take in most situations. Your desire nature is strong, and increased physical activity, including sexual, is likely. Independent work is favored and competitive activities may also thrive this year. Joie de vivre and increased energy can truly enhance your life in many ways, not only because you are more able to enjoy life this way, but also because others sense your dynamism and you are likely to attract good things to you as a result. Stress is eased as you feel more confident about your abilities and your judgment. Also, you are more able to assert yourself without rubbing people the wrong way. You are more inclined than usual to help and support others this year.

  With Mercury conjunct Uranus in your Return chart, there are bound to be some surprises in store. Your thinking is more clever and original this year, and there may be unexpected opportunities for travel (or at least "armchair" travel), as well as new and perhaps unusual friendships. You are able to come up with original solutions to existing problems and brand new ideas more readily this year. Unusual, sudden, or eye-opening connections to younger people are likely to figure. This is a good year for projects involving technology or New Age topics. You may find more opportunities to attend meetings and other organized group activities, to communicate online, and to take part in activities involving computers, scientific projects, or metaphysics. Your intuition is strong, and insights seem to come from "out of the blue". Original, creative ideas are easy to come by this year.

  You need to be aware of a tendency to be attracted to impractical ventures, however. You may experience passive-aggressiveness in others, which impacts your life in frustrating ways, or you could find relationships with others confusing and hard to define. Although you may enjoy an increase in your intuitive capabilities, you could also be too open to influence so that fears or delusions impact your ability to see your life clearly. Take an objective look also at how your dreams and visions fit into the lives of others and the world in general. As well, your energy can vary greatly from one period to the next, so take advantage of the "high" periods in order to offset the possible loss in productivity during the low-energy stages. This could also be a year in which you are considerably more creative.

  Both confidence and energy are up and down this year, but when you're in the zone, you can accomplish much. Some of your efforts can meet with resistance this year, but delays tend to allow you the chance to make important refinements. You are helpful and supportive of others. Intuition runs high and creativity is strong. New interests and ideas are many and progressive in the period ahead.
  2012 is a Number Six year for you. Ruled by Venus. This is a year of relative contentment. It is a time when love is the easiest to attract, and partnerships formed under this vibration have a better chance for longevity. You are able to attract others, and material things as well, this year. This is a good year for establishing harmony in the family and in the home. Advice - develop existing relationships, be positive and receptive because these kinds of energies help you to attract what you desire.
  2013 will be a Number Seven year for you. Ruled by Neptune. This is a year of preparation, chance, and refinement. It is not a time of dramatic changes. Instead, it's a year when reflection on the past is helpful, and when refinements to your life path should be made. It's a good year to study and analyze. Unexpected twists to your life story and "chance" meetings are probable. Advice - take stock of your life in order to prepare for more exciting years to come, examine the past and plan for the future, get in touch with your deepest needs and uncover your personal power, don't strain yourself or actively try to expand."

Today's astrology

"Early in the day the Gemini Moon’s quincunx to Pluto can bring with it an unsettled feeling, as though something buried is trying to emerge but it’s not quite reached the surface. With Aries Mercury sextiling the Moon as well as squaring Pluto, and Gemini Moon being Mercury-ruled, this could come in the form of disturbing thoughts or communications, or even an internal shift in perception. Given the sextile of Mercury to the Moon, the feeling merits a quick sift to see if there’s gold in thar’."

"Todays planetary weather opens doors in communications as Luna sextiles reasonable Mercury and far-reaching Uranus. Strong possibilities are available in changing our minds as well as revising the way we approach matters. The Gemini Moon allows us to float with the breeze for much smoother travel. We aren’t holding onto anything if it means limitations in what we are seeking. Positive thoughts make wonderful companions on our individual journey. Later this evening, Luna conjuncts supportive Venus. Beautify your world. “Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances”. Mahatma Gandhi. Tarot guidance from Four of Wands, Ace of Pentacles: Our world expands generously as a well-decerved gift arrives."

This week's AstroBarry

For your perusal.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What 'just feels right' in terms of a reaction to, or decision about, a certain topic could surprise you in its contrast with what you'd have expected your most level-headed reasoning to yield. Are you willing to go off the proverbial map, then, and move in that right-feeling direction? It's terribly inconvenient that we can't always explain how we know what we know, Taurus; yet it's equally foolish to refuse to accept that knowledge on such grounds, as if to play ignorant, just because we aren't able to plainly show our math. And by the way, it's your life that's going to be greatly affected by whether you turn left or right at this juncture, so the only person who'd be demanding proof would be your inner number-cruncher (not some imagined panel of stubborn rationalists who would laugh any references to 'feeling' right out of the room)... and therefore it's you who gets to bend the criteria for 'proof' to your liking. If you need a bit more convincing, try a prolonged meditation on the specifics of the other alternative. Notice how that makes you feel, then compare this sensation with the original 'right' feeling. This is also valuable data to consider.

 ....Yeah.... my usual dilemma can be summed up here. 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Finally getting those certain logistical concerns resolved once and for all will likely involve some hand-holding, ego-stroking and mollycoddling, Scorpio, so please gather the requisite pocketfuls of interpersonal patience. You may need to spread the persuasive reassurances on pretty thick, potentially departing on lengthier-than-desired tangents about the personal lives of colleagues, just to ensure you reach the consensus necessary for moving forward. As wasteful of time, energy and personal dignity as you might believe this protracted conversational process to be, you'd be smart to smilingly swallow your complaints and engage in as much pandering as necessary… but without letting on even a tiny glimpse of the fact that this is what you're doing. (I trust in your ability to conceal such feelings.) Keep reminding yourself about how the ends will definitely justify the means as soon as this or that item can be checked off the 'in progress' list and moved to 'completed' status. As manager of this responsibility, use whatever catering-to-personalities skills are at your disposal.

And ditto this.

 

This week's AstroBarry

Here.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your past few weeks have put an epitomizing cap on an incredibly expansive past several months, Taurus, during which time you have (hopefully) come to see yourself as more than your previously limited vision had allowed. Jupiter's been warming up your sign since last June, providing a more comfortable environment for unsticking yourself from stale patterns that have built up over time… though, naturally, the responsibility has been yours to choose to try something else. Then, much more recently, a blend of (1) even more good favor from the planets, courtesy of Venus, and (2) some glaring recurrence of an undesired symptom, direct from said 'stale patterns', has spread a culminating icing on your cake. And if you have indeed decided, yes, you are ready to transcend to the next-highest level of your capacity for excellence, this has been a powerful pivot-point. Now, in the chapter just barely beginning to unfold, you are due to take all those tiny, practical, just-do-it steps required to accustom yourself to these improved patterns… to take this self-transformation from 'conceptual' to 'tangible'. Remember, though: This is some all-new shit, and you are far from having mastered it. Allow yourself to experiment, stumble, rethink, and explore. Just don't retreat or regress.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): That your understanding of the labyrinthine involvements in which you find yourself, Scorpio, does not neatly divide 'good' from 'bad' or 'black' from 'white' along pre-perforated lines, this is the sort of complexity that'd drive many a simpleton to text 'FML' (or, to us old-timers, 'fuck my life') to their pals… though you are a fat-cat glutton for the stuff. Without mixed messages or conflicted feelings generating their pin-prickly charge, you would be flat-out bored with what's going on (which is why you sometimes look at those who are living 'the simple life' and wonder just how they find stimulation from such an apparently shallow existence, though appearances can be deceiving). Lucky for you, then, you're being presented with an early introduction to your latest choose-your-own-adventure story, an open-ended experience with no 'right' or 'wrong' directions to turn (though each has its own subsequent series of complicating confrontations and exhilarating episodes). And all you have to do to stay with whatever meaty excitements will keep your wild world spinning is to keep on turning the pages—with no erroneous expectation of being able to set the book down for more than a moment or two over the coming months. Embrace the either-or, yes-and, it-all-depends-on, we'll-just-have-to-wait-and-see highs and lows. I already feel you smiling.

April Planet Waves

Here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)
The concepts ‘Taurus’ and ‘change’ sometimes seem to have nothing in common, but this is the season when you may shock yourself with how much stuck energy you can move in a short time. This month, Venus ingresses Gemini, where it will be until August — a long time for Venus to be in one sign. This is an extended special occasion, which includes Venus retrograde and the Venus transit of the Sun — a rare event that will be visible during daylight hours. One theme is a sudden, liberating release from the past. This includes moorings into history deeper than you remember, which will allow you to do something else — make contact with a point of origin or what you can think of as your original instructions for this lifetime. Don’t worry if today you don’t have any notion of what that means; live your life as normally as you can, but being responsive to opportunity, to chance encounters and to anything that has an odd sense of familiarity. In essence, the theme of this season is staying open to the experience of existence. Notice what seem to be random encounters, desires that come out of nowhere and people who you find unusually moving. Experiment with new activities, or going deeper into the ones that you love but have not had time for. What influences your life in these very days has the power to do so deeply, and in ways that can truly shift your reality.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
As you know, we live in a culture obsessed with image, too often lacking any expression of what is real or meaningful. Any time you try to make an impression on someone, or lead them to believe something about you, stop and ask yourself why. Image is powerful, even dangerous, and for you this power must be applied to honest and worthy causes. Given that you stand at a major signpost of your life, it’s time to inquire: who or what do your actions serve? Mars stationing direct (after a long retrograde which began in January) in an angle of your chart that includes the themes of service and your vision for your life is a reminder that (in the words of Dylan) you’re gonna serve someone (or something). That fact you cannot alter, though you get to decide what that something is, based on your true values. I don’t just mean what might be external to you — I mean searching your depths for what you want to offer to the world. Mars retrograde in Virgo has infused your traditional ruling planet with all of the properties of that sign: attention to detail, devotion to healing, tempering aggressive impulses (particularly toward yourself), and the integration of your masculine and feminine sides. And then there is the famous Virgo theme of devotion to something beyond yourself. Yet what this really suggests is that you’re expanding your concept of yourself, and can now bring together many elements of life you might have thought were separate.

This week's AstroBarry

Oh lord, this is totally how my last few days have gone. Eerily so. Long story short: on the good side, successfully drove to, around, and back from the nearest big city to me by myself for the first time without getting hopelessly lost or crying like I did in December. Only took me 4 months of weekly practice to get to that point. HUZZAH! On the bad side, had an extremely nasty hours-long blowout with my mother after her crazy erupted all over me. The insults got particularly memorable this time, including wishing I was a boy so I'd be more obedient. (I promptly thought of  how the few dudes in my gene pool have not been known for keeping their tempers, and was mentally laughing my head off.)

So here's the 'scopes:

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A reappearance of certain ethical concerns is beckoning you back from the frontiers of consciousness, where I essentially encouraged you to wander about in last week's horoscope… but whether the content of this call is one which ought to be considered as seriously as it would have you believe, or whether it's a zombie-like apparition of some former guiding-principle that no longer serves your growing interests, remains to be seen. You are presently caught, Taurus, between (1) taking magnificent, life-expanding advantage of this still-fledgling freedom you've recently claimed for yourself and (2) bowing to firm strictures that were instilled in you long ago, clearly stipulating specific behaviors are allowed and disallowed, which are threatened by the encroachment of these new desires of yours that fall either in the grey area or decidedly within the long-standing 'disallowed' category. In other words, what you have been taught and/or strongly believed in the past may, or may not, be getting in the way of your evolution. And pretending this moral dilemma doesn't exist will not make it go away. Instead, you must approach the familiar belief as a debater might: testing its soundness, listening for cracks and internal contradictions, posing tricky questions that reveal its shakier links in logic, and arguing with whichever of its facets seems to prohibit your growth in that frontiersy direction. Only after participating in this debate to its rational conclusion can you know for sure whether this certain tenet of your philosophical worldview need be overthrown, in order for your evolutionary freedom to triumph.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): The words are dense, with power. They are not merely about what their dictionary definitions denote, but hold a surprising amount of unfinished psychological business that even their speaker may be largely unaware of. Therefore, do not take them merely at face value—though that is not to imply anybody is necessarily being deceptive or insincere, if they aren't wholly conscious their longings or discontentments or fears are saturating their supposedly simple statements or requests. Do not neglect to pause, in your rush to get something moving quickly ahead, to consider why this person said it quite the way they did… and what else they may be conveying, something you'll miss if you don't stay in tune. And do not neglect to acknowledge the dense power of your own words, Scorpio, to inadvertently wound or devalue, should your temper be set off by not immediately finding what you'd expected to find… or, on the contrary, to lift somebody up, by investing them with the earnest esteem all our human interactions deserve, no matter how perfunctory the topic or busy our schedule.

See what I mean?

Midlife Transits horoscope

Hoo boy, Scorpio.

I’ve mentioned before that Pluto in Capricorn is transiting through your solar 3rd house of intellectual pursuits. Pluto wants you to pay attention to your thoughts rather than just your feelings. More precisely, Pluto would like you to understand that your thoughts create your feelings and that you can control your thoughts. I mention this because Pluto is your ruler and he’s moving real slow these days, trying to get your attention. He’ll come to a dead stop next month and then he’ll gear up for a mighty battle with Uranus in Aries in June.

We get an itsy-bitsy preview of this coming clash of the titans as inner planets try to sneak through Aries in March without attracting too much attention. Aries in your solar chart represents your job, service, health, and the daily tasks of life, whether performed on your own behalf or for others. Uranus has been in this part of your chart for over a year and Venus moved into Aries last month. The sun moves into Aries on the 20th, and Mercury is in Aries from the 2nd through the 23rd. Now is a good time to familiarize yourself with how your thoughts affect your experience of 6th house matters.

Uranus will be in your 6th house for about another 6 years, and he’s a pretty darn intellectual planet himself. He and Pluto may battle about specifics but they both agree that you need a nice big dose of reasoning and objectivity these days to move yourself to the next level.

If Pluto and Uranus can’t get you to contemplate these matters, then Saturn may be able to. Saturn is currently moving through your solar 12th house of psychological issues, and he’s trying to pry open any issues you have with ideas about work and career and social status and the relationship of service to all these things.

You theoretically have more energy at your disposal to deal with these areas of life now because Neptune, Mr. Psychological Complex himself, has finally stopped brooding about your residence and moved on to a more favorable location in your solar chart. Mars is still kicking up a little dust these days around your relationship with groups, but he’s nothing compared to what Neptune was doing to your chart.

The other area of big importance in your solar chart these days is relationships and other people. Venus and Jupiter hook up in your solar 7th house of committed relationships and make goo-goo eyes at Pluto and Mars the week of the 12th. Other inner planets throw a party in Pisces and your solar 5th house of romance. It’s a wonderful month for falling in love! If you cannot bear to actually fall in love at this time, at least seek out or even pursue attractive people to spend time with. You will make at least 5 planets very happy if you do. And if you don’t think there’s anybody out there–look again; the planets will be happy to point some people out to you.