August 2010

PLANET REPORT: Astrologers have circled August on their calendars as the standout month of 2010 because this is when Mars enters the cosmic sparring ring that currently contains four outer planets that are in a highly-excitable angle to each other. Astrologers have put both red flags and bright lights all around August as they hum and ha over how the energy – with the potential to be both hugely optimistic and inspiring and hugely pessimistic and fearful – will manifest. While one end of the see-saw is up, the other will be down and the trick is to grab something from each end and find a perfect balance in the middle! We need to act rather than become paralysed by indecision and doubt but we need to act with wisdom and foresight so that new structures can be built on solid ground. These long talked about (since late 2008) formations between the outer, slower moving planets will certainly be charged up by the quicker moving inner planets – Mars who entered Libra on July 30th (NZT) and smacks straight into Saturn and Uranus then Jupiter and Pluto, and Venus who glides into Libra on the 7th (NZT) again rousing the gang of four. On top of this we have Mercury, while not directly connected to the patterns, turning retrograde in the sign of perfection, Virgo, on the 21st. All these signals suggest that the inner planets will bring everything onto a conscious playing field and though it will be in the lap of the gods exactly how the grand plan will play itself out over time, this will be a period of unpredictable and swiftly changing landscapes where we have the chance to respect the awesome power that is life. And whether it’s from up high, down low or from somewhere in the middle, there will be plenty of drama and karma. Every action will have a reaction that follows on very quickly. The sensitivity of the planetary richter scale is such that so much can be unleashed that can propel us forward - for good or bad - into a new era and so we must act with extreme caution by taking the time to tick off the cosmic checklist as we proceed with life-changing decisions and experiences with greater consciousness. It’s all in how we balance feelings, thoughts, the material world and the spiritual realms and with Saturn now in the sign of Libra, any imbalances will need to be swiftly righted. Managing strong emotions - from outrage to optimism to awe - will also impact on the outcome of events and situations but all of these feelings can be put to good use if we can channel and contain them in the context of the bigger picture. With five planets retrograde by the end of the month we have to pause and take a deep breath before surging forward. Creating plenty of space will help bring about positive consequences and outcomes after November which is when the planets resume direct motion. In the meantime with so many planets are dallying, stomping and sliding around the early degrees of the action signs Aries, Libra and Capricorn, there is little doubt that many areas of our lives, both personally and globally, will give ground and transform into something completely new this year. Occurring in instalments, it will take until March 2011 for this scenario to work itself out so keep an eye on the bigger picture and realise that delays or changes in August are part of a larger story. With Mercury following a zig-zag path as it turns retrograde on the 21st (NZT) until September 12th (NZT) we need to take extreme care with commercial activities by thoroughly checking the small details whilst remaining open to the adventures that have begun. Other dates to watch are when Jupiter, who is now retrograde, squares Pluto on the 3rd and opposes Saturn on the 18th. Saturn and Pluto in turn square each other on the 21st just as Saturn who, as the month begins, separates from one last opposition to Uranus (which moves back into Pisces on the 14th) ending a very long period of financial instability and emotional insecurity that now needs to be rebuilt. August's New Moon occurs on the 10th at 17 degrees of Leo at 3:09pm and the Full Moon occurs on the 25th at 5:06am in Pisces. Virgo's birthday time begins at 5:28pm on the 23rd giving a practical slant that helps to smooth the tension that Pluto is under.

ARIES: Joining the amazing formations that are occurring in the heavens right now, your ruler Mars entered its opposite sign Libra on July 30th. This means that as August opens your whole sense of being will be highly sensitized and receptive to what others are saying or doing on a professional and private level. You are currently in a brand new 12-year cycle that is establishing itself in your sign and because Mars’ active nature will animate your interactions, bringing to life whatever has been under discussion or swirling around in your thoughts, this is a month when everything comes to life. From here on in, you will have to deal with the issues you have in common with other people and even though some of this will be stressful and tense, you will also find that a weight is lifted from your shoulders as they also deal with issues that pave the way for fairness and balance between you in the long run. Professional changes could be part of this process that will take until November and then March to work through.

TAURUS: Your ruler Venus joins Saturn and Mars in Libra on the 7th. This cosmic mixture occurs in your sphere of work, health and everyday routine and will activate any issues, thoughts or feelings with regard to co-workers, people you deal with on a medical level or if you are overseeing a physical project. It will also highlight on the job learning experiences or with the responsibilities that are starting to flow in. Everything needs reformatting and restructuring as this new cycle in your daily life begins and hopefully Venus’ presence will help you gain a balanced perspective. The trouble lies in the distractions that your private life brings at the moment and because what you are doing there is confidential, it is difficult to marry your outer life with the inner without opening a Pandora’s Box of problems within each area. Hopefully, once the Sun moves into sister-sign Virgo on the 23rd joining Mercury who will slow life down as it turns retrograde on the 21st you will find space to come up with creative ideas.

GEMINI: Mercury turns retrograde in its own sign Virgo on the 21st and in your family, home and domestic sector making August a month of strange twists, turns, snarls and delays that will add to the larger cosmic complications. This suggests that the first half of August is a time to pay attention to your to-do list and get super-organized with details. If big projects can’t be wrapped up by the 21st then it’s best to put them on the back burner. After that, things will tend to go awry and commitment hard to come by. The positive side to this is that you will see much more clearly than you do at other times and this can help you avoid mistakes. Keep plans open and have an alternative up your sleeve! There will be a hundred and one details to attend to and a massive amount of information or communications to make sense of. If you are renovating, moving, expecting family or just doing a massive spring clean, you will probably find that even though life does not stick to a tight schedule, you will have heaps of fun trying to achieve what you set out to do. The bigger picture of your finances might involve some unusual changes too this month as friends or group associations as well as the realm of children enters a bizarre period of activity however all will be revealed later in the year..

CANCER: The three other cardinal signs – Libra, Capricorn and Aries – are experiencing massive changes as six planets traverse across the early degrees of all three. And even though there are no planets currently in Cancer, the angle of the planets will still impact across the four most important areas of your life – you, your family and home, your partnerships and relationships, your professional life, parents and public reputation. Unique changes will occur here that, while stressful as they occur, will lead to a bigger view of your life in the long run. Saturn at the lowest point of your chart will be like an anchor that prevents you from breaking free to pursue those visionary goals that haunt your dreams at night, however, events in August will trigger an undercurrent that will help you gain balance and build solid structures for the coming months. This process will take until March 2011 to achieve so take heart and enjoy slowing down.

LEO: Happy birthday Leo! Your personal year has an amazing series of patterns and planetary partnerships that will mark the coming 12 months as totally unique if you can go with the flow of all the exciting turning points that are all around you. Your thinking and communications as well as long distance travel or connections are the areas that will experience the most changes as you come across amazing people, places, facts and figures that inspire you with the realization that there is so much more to life than your everyday environment. Even if you don’t physically travel, you can still learn a terrific amount about the world via people, books or movies that open up new worlds. Financially, this is a month to pay attention to the facts, figures and details of important transactions, but if you are thinking of buying a big ticket item, just make sure everything is as it seems and that you truly have a need for whatever it is. The practical nature of Mercury in Virgo this month can make even the most extravagant Lion think again!

VIRGO: Oops, your ruler Mercury turns retrograde on the 21st - just before your birthday year begins! This is a signal to sit up and pay extra-special attention to whatever is happening on a personal level because events and people now will have a direct impact on your life in the coming months. As if the bigger stuff is not enough! If you can, try to have negotiations, agreements and plans stitched up by mid-August to avoid changes or hassles further down the line. Financially, this is a big month where you need to move very slowly and thoroughly, avoiding the temptation to take pot luck or gloss over the more difficult details. A major financial restructure is at hand and this requires a delicate touch so that everything is balanced correctly. Exciting ventures are on the brink of manifestation and while this requires an entrepreneur’s vision, you also need to see with the precision of an accountant. Intense is one way to describe a child who has a black and white view of the world, or perhaps a love interest or hobby that you are pursuing has an all or nothing feel to it.

LIBRA: It’s complicated! August is such a big month for you Librans that it’s difficult knowing where to begin! Not only has a fresh 29-year cycle started (look back to 1979 to 1982 for clues) with Saturn now firmly entrenched in your sign but Mars (July 31st) and then your ruler Venus (7th) decide to spice up the party! Well, it’s more like a formal dinner party than a full-on rage, but whichever way you look at it, you are the host and there is so much to be gained from considering how you interact with others. Conscious of the image you are trying to project (responsible, reliable) the wildly exciting Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in your relationships sphere are like the unruly gatecrashers who promise to turn up the volume and get everything humming. The only thing is that with both planets retrograde until November and December you are likely to turn the exciting people away until you are sure that their presence will have something positive to contribute to your life or image. Unless you look at the bigger picture and longer term, you are likely to miss the fact that no matter what creed, colour, race or belief system they have, everyone has a role to play in your life this year. And don’t forget to check the cellar where the family members or living companions are hiding out – there are some interesting dynamics at play and these are sure to surface now. Be conscious and careful as the month begins!

SCORPIO: As August begins, your ruler Mars has finally caught up with sensible Saturn who has just moved into the very private area of your chart that governs health, wellbeing, big institutions and people and places that are tucked out of public view. With Mars and Venus activating this area, this could mean taking a very serious approach and applying the brakes to take time out to truly survey the landscape of your private life. By attending to things like health or people who are behind the scenes, you will get this fresh 29-year cycle clear of the flotsam and jetsam that is sure to float to the surface. You have been focused on friends, acquaintances and the groups of people you have mixed with for the last 2-3 years and now that this difficult energy is on the wane, it could be time to regroup your energy and connect with the inner you. August is tricky as so many planets, including Mercury on the 21st, are moving against the tide so this means waiting for the backwash to settle before moving ahead. Keep your eye on the bigger picture that will unfold between now and next March.

SAGITTARIUS: Your social and love life have truly stepped up a notch or two with radical Uranus and expansive Jupiter bringing this area to life over the past few weeks. And even though it’s highly enjoyable after the seriousness of the past 2-3 years, Saturn, who is on the far side of town, calls for a more balanced approach to the way you juggle friends, acquaintances and your social network. Events now are a reminder to keep sight of your long term aspirations that are distinct to your career as you have a wonderful chance to carve out a special niche for yourself. Creatively you have a ton of energy but during August you need to regroup and take a step back. Uranus moves back into your domestic sphere on the 14th with one final chapter needing to be written as far as family and home is concerned. This could result in making a clean break further down the track where radical changes can be implemented but for now you need to see what motivates you and why. You are currently undergoing a personal revolution that involves children, romance and creativity and this will take until March 2011 to work through.

CAPRICORN: Life can be so exciting this year with all the planetary formations influencing your sign however August is the month when we can all benefit from stepping back and surveying the lie of the land. With so many planets – including Mercury on the 21st - moving in a backward direction, and action planet Mars activating the bigger patterns, this is a time of being aware of the undercurrents. For Goats this will be especially true as far as your professional life is concerned because serious decisions need to be made now that will affect the coming years. Sudden changes in your home and family life will have a big impact on what direction you ultimately follow and it will be this month where you can get a better idea of how these domestic issues will shape up. Your intense desire to truly make yourself over can somehow cloud the real issues so pull back and let events and people show their true colours. Take heart that despite the seeming difficulties this month there is a bigger process at hand that will take until March 2011 to work through and that the best is yet to come!

AQUARIUS: Your mind is working at full speed this year and it is so easy for you to dream up new ideas or communicate them to other people. Now that you are half-way through your birthday year, August is the month to take stock and restructure your thoughts. By talking to teachers, gurus and guides before going any further on this bigger journey of self-discovery, you will gain useful advice that will help you in the months leading to up March 2011 when this cycle will be firmly established. Saturn puts the brakes on our ability to act with precision in the opening weeks of August but if we can look past the frustration that this causes and see that this gives us time to rethink and restructure, we can avoid expending energy needlessly. Mercury also throws a spanner in the works in the second half of August when a financial matter that involves shared resources needs to be dealt with. This could be anything from taxes to settlements and the most important thing is dealing with the details and being clear and precise. The New Moon of the 10th falls in your other people sector so work with this date to clear the decks.

PISCES: Uranus dips back into your sign on the 14th followed by a Full Moon in Pisces on the 25th. Affecting only late-born Pisces, there is one final chapter in a long-running saga to tidy up. After March 2011 you won’t have Uranus back in your sign in this lifetime. If you have avoided a financial issue that you have been dreading or putting off, August is the month to tackle it head on. And even if you have the tidiest books in the zodiac, you can still benefit from reviewing your insurance policies, wills, retirement plans or whatever issues you have that involve second and third parties. Venus, Mars and Saturn are all very active in this area of your chart and there is a natural inclination now to attend to this sort of housekeeping. On another level, work and health are very important areas to be aware of. Mercury turning retrograde on the 21st signals a review of routines and practices.

July 2010

PLANET REPORT: After Saturn transited into Libra between October 2009 and April 2010 (ending a mean and lean two year stint in Virgo) a new phase tentatively began that gave us a glimpse of things to come in the second half of 2010. In April, Saturn backed out of Libra and returned to Virgo to tie up the loose ends within events, situations, people and projects that had begun since September 2007. On July 22nd, Saturn moves back into Libra where he will remain in a much more active role until October 2012. Giving full attention to the laws of balance, we now enter into a new world order and an active phase of natural correction where unfairness and inequality will become glaringly obvious. Saturn is the icing on the cake when he opposes Uranus in the last of five oppositions on July 27th, and is in turn opposed for the second time by Jupiter in August, as both planets turn retrograde themselves on the 6th and 24th respectively. This suggests one final event that will integrate the old with the new as we move forward. Expansive Jupiter and revolutionary Uranus both have unfinished business of their own to attend to in Pisces between August, September and January and March 20011 respectively so this means that Saturn will act as a cosmic scout going ahead of the group and setting up new structures and rules for the new period of global activity that lies ahead of us. But while trying to carve out his niche, Saturn still has newly arrived Pluto in Capricorn, and also with unfinished business, to contend with in August so, like a landmine that has been forgotten over time, we will see a resurfacing of issues from late 2009 that will need to be dealt with. Issues of power and control will manifest as Jupiter trips the collective unconscious into action on the July 25th and then Saturn takes up the gauntlet on August 22nd. Greater empowerment will result as awareness of hidden activities or agendas comes to light. A solar eclipse on the 12th at the New Moon in Cancer at 07:42am in aspect to Mars brings the gift of discrimination and diligence in all that we do as he also bumps into Saturn and creates the space, time and place to act with precision and to analyse and dissect before setting forth. The most fertile New Moons of the year, the eclipse suggests there are hidden issues that will come to light as the month wears on but which might not culminate until January 2011.

ARIES: July is a complicated month for all of us but because Jupiter and Uranus have both recently moved into your sign kicking off two brand new cycles personally and globally, there now comes the need to return to issues, people and places that have been prominent over the past few years. Putting the fresh twists and initiatives on hold until January and March 2011 when they will take root and start showing signs of growth, it’s time to come back to earth and focus on the details of work issues, the intricacies of a health matter as well as the running of your day to day life during July. This will help you streamline and become much more efficient when future opportunities start to manifest by 2011. The New Moon of the 12th, which is also a solar eclipse, signals a fresh start within your home and family life, and even if some of the events and situations are fraught with birthing pains, at least you will be clearing the decks for the new you that will emerge during the first half of 2011. Because Pluto, at the top of your chart and therefore strongly placed, is active during July and August, pull back from power struggles with either parents or influential people while quietly holding your own position.

TAURUS: Your ruler Venus travelling through Leo and your home zone is proud and haughty as July opens creating heat between family members, or your passion to rise as you tackle domestic issues. When Venus shifts into Virgo and your sphere of children, hobbies, romance and speculation on the 10th, your inner critic will surface so that you can work on hobby-related activities with more precision. Whether it is a sports or an artistic pursuit, you can pinpoint weaknesses and draw up a game plan to strengthen your act in the future. It’s so complicated! You have so much going on in your private world that it is difficult to concentrate on outer issues with clarity but relax and go with the flow, which appears to turn backward on the 6th and 24th. Saturn lumbering into your work and health sphere on the 22nd suggests that it is time to get very serious about balancing your diet and exercise regime. The same can be said for work and your co-workers, who will have a lot of influence over your feelings and strategies in the coming two years. Someone who is good-looking, but with a spine of steel and who may be born around October, has the biggest impact on your day to day life, pay attention to what they say. The New Moon is particularly potent on the 12th so be alert to anything and anyone who pushes you in a certain direction.

GEMINI: Your thoughts revolve around money and security in July as well as the excitement around friends and associates who are going to feature very strongly in the coming months. Once Jupiter and Uranus turn back toward your sphere of life direction, profession, parents or public image you will need to return to one or all of these matters that have evolved over the last few years so that this long chapter in your life can be closed once and for all. This process may take until January and March 2011 to work through but the long term results will be a huge sense of relief and a growing sense of freedom because you will be aiming for goals that are distinct from your career. Nothing is clear cut for any of us right now but listening to that tiny voice within that something is on the verge of changing will give you something to propel yourself into clearing up old issues. A son, daughter or someone else’s child or children will become one of your primary concerns once Saturn moves into the area of your chart that rules young people, and some of you may be dealing with pregnancy or adoption as a realistic solution. Your hobbies and spare time activities can also be a source of productive possibilities.

CANCER: The solar eclipse (New Moon) on the 12th smack bang in your sign underlines the amazing cosmic changes that are flowing through all our lives during the second half of 2010; and even if you feel taut and tense and less than amazing, rest assured that in time you will become aware of the opportunities on offer – hindsight is always 20/20. Attitude makes all the difference, as well as taking full responsibility for where you find yourself in life, so open yourself up and take a good look at how you can do things differently with family, home and all things domestic. If you can take on the karmic load, then you will be well positioned to move closer to your goals to travel, learn or publicise your wares with a free conscience. By January and March, you can achieve a 180 turnaround. Saturn enters the foundation of your chart and the zone that has to do with your living arrangements and family sphere on the 22nd suggesting that over the coming two years you will face situations where you learn to balance the responsibilities that arise from your natural association with loved ones or the people you co-habit with.

LEO: With Venus travelling through your sign as July begins, you have twelve days to present yourself to others so that you can capitalise on your abilities, wares and ideas and turn them into cold hard cash as your birthday year takes hold on the 22nd. Your money zone has been heavily guarded by Saturn who will move out of this area and into your thinking zone (also on the 22nd) leaving you free to earn, spend or save money without all the worries of the past two years. A solar eclipse on the 12th in the area of your chart that is hidden away from others suggests that there are still some issues lingering from the past that can be addressed now, however, it could take a good six months to weave your way through the complications. By January and March 2011, these people and issues can be put firmly behind you. With the 22nd being a pivotal date, it’s time to rearrange your thinking along more practical lines as the coming two years are going to be very serious indeed. By grounding your mind and restructuring your ideas you can arrive at a well-balanced space where you can approach writing projects, tests or communications with a clear and purposeful mindset. This in turn will help you move forward with travel plans, educational goals or publishing ventures in 2011. Lay good foundations now and remain realistic by taking everything one step at a time.

VIRGO: The financial sector of your chart is going through a revolution right now and with events and situations changing quickly day by day, it could be hard to get a handle on exactly how your accounts department will balance up in the end. This is definitely a time to look to the future and take a risk but you also need to remain mindful of overstepping the mark. Good advice will be worth its weight in gold, the only problem that remains is recognising who knows what they are talking about and whether their advice benefits you or them, whether it’s opinion or fact. Other people and organisations seem to be pivotal to your decision-making process but rather than be swept along by their ideas, suggestions or proposals, you will sleep well at night knowing you have done your research thoroughly rather than leaving it to chance. Of course, embracing the element of risk is what we all need now otherwise we would never move far in life so use Mars’ energy in your sign to crunch the numbers and carry out a diligence test without ending up with analysis paralysis. If it all gets too complicated at month’s end, pull back and let the intensity pass before making a firm commitment.

LIBRA: Welcome Saturn back to your sign on the 22nd! Nestling in for a long, two-year stay in the area of your chart that rules how other people see you, this is the month to take stock of yourself and take a realistic approach to relationships and the question of give and take. Getting serious about life is generally what Saturn’s message tends to hammer home, and though this means taking a cautious route where sensibility rules, in the end you will attract like-minded people that you can build a future with. By oh what a conflict as Jupiter and Uranus, two planets that are the polar opposites to cautious Saturn are travelling through your other people zone bringing wild attractions and exciting propositions; it’s a case of old versus new, exciting versus practical. Remember, your sign is the sign of balance so what better challenge than to equalise this dilemma and find a middle-ground between the flash and the trash, commitment and fun during the second half of 2010. As long as your eyes are open and you are concerned about the long term and rely on yourself for happiness, then you can have your cake and eat it too.

SCORPIO: We live in very interesting times where opposing forces clash against one another and life seems chaotic and full of choices. Somehow, somewhere it all ends up falling into a neat package and we move into a new phase of living. For your sign, these changes will tend to happen around you (unless your personal chart has a planet or two that is in the degrees where all the cosmic action is taking place) and this puts you in a less stressful position where you can be of assistance to others (but without being imposed upon or giving your power away). For Scorpios, the area of work and your day-to-day living processes are where little changes make a huge difference to your comfort levels and the flow of your routine. This is the year to experiment with the unknown and do things a little differently; and whether it’s trying out a new department or technique at work, or investigating new medical devices or remedies, you could strike gold by making a shift to the left or right. You won’t know how things will pan out until January or March 2011 but you will certainly have lots of fun experimenting and being open to fresh ideas that could lead to a totally different way of living. Apply the brakes as you turn the corner at month’s end.

SAGITTARIUS: Your ruler Jupiter is in with a great crowd at the moment and even though he turns to backward direction on the 24th in difficult aspect to power-hungry Pluto, there are still plenty of reasons to get up with an off-to-work-we-go attitude each morning. Each day is completely different to the next and this is how life will be over the coming months so that by early 2011 the twists and turns of 2010 will have carved out a new niche that leaves you free and easy. Until then your home life and domestic situation needs to run through a series of laps before the atmosphere settles into a calm routine – this situation has been going on for quite some time and has just about run its course. The solar eclipse on the 12th suggests that it’s time to work on shared financial or business matters while the opportunity presents itself and by getting advice from someone you trust, your progress in terms of career and reputation can move forward. In the long run, the attention will eventually come back to children, your spare time activities, romance or creative pursuits. Something as simple as making an educational choice for your child could relieve you of bigger stresses that you did not realise were such a big issue. Avoid complications and commitments at month’s end when push comes to shove in an important project or situation.

CAPRICORN: It’s complicated! That’s the catchphrase for life in the second half of 2010. There are so many choices and decisions to make now that the plug has been pulled from the stagnancy of the past two years. And with your ruler Saturn finally settling down into Libra on the 22nd, it’s time to get serious about where you are actually going in life and looking at ways at how you are going to get there; for those who are already there, it’s a matter of where-to from here and what are you going to do with all the knowledge and experience you have acquired recently. Reaching the highest point in your chart, Saturn says that it is time to draw up a long-term plan, to structure your decision making process and to allow others to guide you. In Libra, moving onward and upward always involves other people so if this can’t be done on your own steam, you will find that there will be teachers, guides, bosses, parents and other people who will see to it that you keep your nose to the grindstone so that a balance can be achieved between career and home, personal needs and public demands. July is tricky with an eclipse in your relationship area on the 12th bringing issues out into the open but if you can work through these situations over the next six months, you will land in a very nice place where anything is possible.

AQUARIUS: It has been fun experimenting with new ideas and communicating in a completely different way but there are money matters to take care of before the way is clear. Jupiter and Uranus head back toward this area on the 6th and 24th so even though you may think that the new energy is starting evaporate, rest assured that your new-found style will only go into hibernation while you clear up past business matters. By January and March 2011, the mental stimulation will all come back in a completely different package. Saturn lends a helping hand though by making you realise that higher education, travel, meeting with people from different backgrounds and cultures will actually help you structure your bigger thoughts in a much more balanced way. It’s time to step out of the mould, taking the best of what you know and interweaving it with what you are presented with in the outer world. Somehow this will help with fiscal matters and bring a surprise or two in September that will lead to a wealth of freedom further down the line. Analyse, dissect and research all options in the latter half of July.

PISCES: Your ruler Jupiter does an about turn on the 24th and begins its journey back toward your sign reaching it in September. This means that any recently found excitement for money-making projects may seem to wane a little and if so it is very important that you keep at it because by January and March 2011 you will be back in the driver’s seat with even more options at your disposal. July will be funny month where we need to take the reins of what began in June but without steering too hard for outcomes which are not quite ready to manifest. Saturn moves out of your partnership zone – relieving you of any stress, boredom or issues that have been around for the past two years – and into your other people’s money zone. This will require a restructuring of assets, insurances, taxes or mortgages so that financially you arrive at a fair and equitable place. Mars catches up to Saturn at month’s end and this means applying the brakes before you proceed to go and collect $200. Look at your investments with a shrewd eye and realise that Park Lane is not the always the best card to be holding. Downsize or streamline so that you can build your collection back up again by going for cards that have great cashflow rather than just prestige.

June 2010

PLANET REPORT: Welcome aboard and fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for lift-off as we welcome two brand new, very active, 12- and 84-year cycles that will begin in a breathtaking but ultimately liberating style. Taking until March 2011 to turn everything around and resettle in a completely new format, the second half of 2010 – circle June, August, October and January 2011 - will be a time when the cards are thrown up in the air with no idea on how they will land. Our greatest strength will be to embrace the necessary changes, explore new territories and open up to new points of view. Old patterns, people and places are about to pass into the history books with a whole new cast of characters and players emerging as this cycle takes hold. There will be little time to think since the swiftness of events, developments and opportunities will catch us off guard but if we have prepared for this shift by winding down the contents of the old cycle (this can be as simple as knowing that after a prolonged period of being stuck there now comes a need to let go and move on) we will be in a position of strength. There are larger social patterns already playing themselves out with Saturn/Uranus/Pluto creating a social divide where old structures are on the wane, but everything moves up another gear to push the energy along very quickly. Having not been here since between 1928 and 1935, Uranus moved into Aries on May 28th marking a very important generational, social and personal shift that will last until 2018. Moving out of Pisces where it has been for the past seven years, we will leave behind the mute, behind-the-screens mode of relating such as Facebook, texting and emailing to embrace a much more active, upfront way of existing in the world. Those of you born in the first few days of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn will be the people who will experience the firsthand personal effects of this transit the most, and this means you may find yourselves in the midst or forefront of very interesting situations. Look for the pioneer within! You will find that your personal identities will undergo swift changes as a desire and/or need to make sweeping changes take hold. Creating the trigger for the otherwise unconscious cosmic shift of Uranus, hot on his heels comes Jupiter, which simultaneously transits into Aries on June 6th (look back in 12 year increments as a gauge for what may happen now). In an active Fire sign Jupiter will expand upon whatever we are doing, for good or bad, and being so close to rebellious, eccentric, forward-looking Uranus, we will find that all these qualities are enhanced in a very flamboyant, out-there style. The Winter Solstice (which sets the tone for the next quarter) will be particularly significant as it ties in directly to these new cycles. This will be followed by a lunar eclipse at full Moon at 11:31pm on the 26th. Because it occurs very close to the Jupiter/Uranus-sensitised degrees of early Capricorn, the destabilising effects of the eclipse could trigger a grand finale-type effect on the old structures that are falling by the wayside. Mars moves out of Leo, where it has been since last October, and into Virgo. This means it is time to perfect our craftsmanship and attend to the smallest of details.

ARIES: Despite the foggy, dull start to the month, if you are born within the first four days of Aries, hold tight because you will be the first to experience the beginnings of two new cycles that start this month (read Planet Report). With whacky Uranus and expansive Jupiter setting up camp in your sign after a very long absence and rolling over your Sun from May 28th and June 6th respectively, life will be anything but normal. Events speed up in the most unexpected ways and life moves into the next phase. And despite the highly strung feel of the astro-energy, there is a curious sense of unity within. Self-expression and what you stand for will become extremely important to you and if you put in as much energy as you can, you will find that you can quite easily leave your mark and create a momentum that gets you off the ground. As the next seven years of Uranus in Aries wear on, the rest of you will in turn experience the same erratically liberating effects of this transit in the years up until 2018. Old patterns will break up so much that your self-identity will be quite different in a year’s time. And despite the stressfulness, a very different worldview is yours for the taking. From June 21st, events, people and places - domestically and professionally - will emerge with discussions, debates and dilemmas paving the way for this new energy to take hold. Err on the side of caution, take care to rest and eat well and be conscious of all that you are doing while looking toward the future that is just around the corner.

TAURUS: People will look at you from June in a way that says you are acting totally out of character to your normally placid self and your sudden change in attitude is sure to raise a few eyebrows! Uranus and Jupiter in your secret-self department will provide the keys to your inner sanctum and because of this you will find that all sorts of people and events from your past provide lots of food for thought. Your general attitude is likely to be that it is okay to be yourself and if other people don’t like it, well, they can lump it. Honesty, with yourself and other people, is imperative now. Over the course of the next six months, you will be handed four sets of keys to open the door and step from the shadows – June, August, October and January 2011 will be the most significant months to release old habits and wipe the slate clean. These opportunities may occur in confidential meetings, within a secret rendezvous, or from being in places that provide sanctuary or healing. Large institutions may also form part of the picture and whether you work, live or visit people, pay special attention to the feelings that emerge as a result of what takes place there. Up until the 14th, siblings and neighbours, short trips and courses are prominent but after that there is a special connection to your home and family and a strong nesting instinct takes over. Around the particularly intense Full Moon (lunar eclipse) on the 26th, there is little that can be done to stem the flow that leads to a freer life.

GEMINI: Happy Birthday Gemini! Just as two important planets change signs, this is a great time in history to have a birthday and exciting changes are almost certain in the coming year. Look within your circle of friends, associates, team members or social life for amazing events that will propel one or all of you into a new era! It’s time to jump on the roundabout and seek out the people who are most authentic, like-minded or socially conscious. You can achieve so much by teaming up with people who can make a difference both single-handedly or as a group. People will come and people will go but it’s the experiences you have together that make the difference. For others, a strange desire or opportunity to become active in community ventures takes hold and as a communicator, you would be prime candidate to be spokesperson or fact-gatherer, especially from the 10th, when your ruler Mercury moves into your sign. The end of the month will be an all or nothing, make or break time on a financial level but at least you will know where you stand and can finally move on. Aim to clear up debts, restructure mortgages, scale back on credit, divide property or simply set up a savings plan. That way you have less to worry about and more energy to spend on being socially active in the coming months.

CANCER: Life is about to change quite dramatically over the coming months and these changes will set the tone for the next seven years. We are all experiencing this intense energy to some degree but certain signs feel it more than others and for this cycle it will be Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries. Climbing to the peak of your chart, Uranus and Jupiter stand poised at the first degrees of the area that reflects your profession, reputation, parents and your general direction in life. Authority figures such as bosses, supervisors, teachers and officials are also ruled by this special slice of your chart and this could mean having to deal with VIPs who have a lot of influence. Changes that may appear quite suddenly, but which have been slowly evolving over the last few years, will manifest in the most unusual of ways and will lead you down completely new paths. Success and acknowledgement become important now and whether this is because of the realisation that time is marching on or because you are reaping the rewards of past efforts, it is the sense that you are moving in the direction that suits your most authentic self that matters. Try to keep life simple so that the complicated situations can play themselves out without anything further being added to the mixing pot. A lunar eclipse at Full Moon on the 26th could pull the pin on underlying feelings and situations but once these have been released, life will move forward in no uncertain terms. Be careful and conscious of all that you do.

LEO: Life is about to move up a gear for you Leo folk who can cash in on the wealth of knowledge that is about to drop into your mental letterbox that could lead to life direction and professional changes in a year or so. Prepare now for the huge input of information that you can take far into the future even if it doesn’t make sense straight away. People and places who are totally different to your everyday exchanges, and who will make your life much more colourful after all the financial heaviness of the last year, is in store. There could be an adventure or two over the next seven months that will change your whole worldview and beliefs. There’s a myriad of ways that you can further your mind and some will be attracted to the halls of learning while others will want to travel or go in search of spiritual experiences that result in a whole new ethic. For others, publishing or internet-based projects can lead to fantastic results. And even though, there is so much around you that will be stimulating and interesting, you still need to exercise caution and consciousness. We live in a time where there are so many conflicting patterns taking place at the beginning of a major cycle, that there comes a need to walk very carefully while being open to the wonderful experiences, people and places that will emerge. The concentrated energy of the eclipse at Full Moon on the 26th highlights health and well-being as well as your work practices, co-workers, pets and your day-to-day routine; it may be time to let some habits or people go and take extra care of health.

VIRGO: Mars moves into your sign on the 7th adding to the bigger cosmic changes that are taking place over the next seven months that mark the commencement of a new era. Like a skilled football player, this means calculating each step while keeping an eye on the goal. Nervous energy will be abundant now, especially when Mercury shifts into Gemini on the 10th and into your very public zone of profession, reputation and your place in the outer world. How you communicate with people who hold rank and file – including your mum - will be your biggest challenge but by listening carefully you will gain a much better understanding of their needs thereby cutting your work in half. New fiscal measures are called for now that a major four-part dance between Jupiter and Uranus is playing itself out in June, August, October and January 2011 creating roller-coaster of ups and downs, opportunities and brick walls. Other people will also form part of the new financial picture that will emerge in the second half of 2010 (June, August, October and January 2011) as well as with the emotional and physical ties you have with others. These maybe months of contradictions but at least life is moving along at last. Saturn is now on the exit path from your sign, which occurs on July 22nd, and this will certainly lighten the tremendous load of the last two years.

LIBRA: Saturn is on the verge of moving into your sign – circle July 22nd as the date of arrival – and this means that you are about to enter a two-year period where straightening out the rough patches and taking your commitments seriously is the pre-requisite to an authentic life. Your relationship sector – which is very important to you Librans – is the area that is lit up most so it looks like there is nowhere to hide as far as other people are concerned! Like Aries, Cancer and Capricorn, Librans are in the crossfire between Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto during the coming months and this cosmic exchange is sure to bring great excitement and exchanges that require steady nerves and a strong sense of self. In stark contrast to the heavy challenges that Saturn presents to you that will keep you firmly on your own turf, people of all shapes and sizes will enter your life with larger than life personas. Their gallantry, adventurousness and pioneering attitudes means they are likely to enter the front door and exit the back – whilst you may be looking for commitment, you will find that that is the least they can offer you. You live in interesting times where space to grow and a true desire to mature and learn are the order of the day. The Full Moon (lunar eclipse) on the 26th will shake the foundations of your life so that can see what needs strengthening.

SCORPIO: With your ruler Mars poised to move out of the groove he has been stuck in since last October, your life is about to move into another chapter from the 7th! We are experiencing the huge cosmic changes that are playing out over the course of the next seven to eight months and by March 2011 we will have well and truly arrived in a new era that is much more passionate and definite. Of course, everything depends on one’s own chart and circumstances, but the main thing will be that we can at last put some people, places and projects behind us. For you, there will be new ways to tackle health, work, co-workers, your day-to-day routines or even a pet, and you can get a head start by being aware that some patterns need to change in one or all of these areas. Friends and associates can help you formulate new goals, look at the details or devise a special plan of action. It’s all in the way you think and it may be as simple as looking at life from a new angle. The lunar activity at Full Moon on the 26th will certainly create situations that allow you to confront the way you communicate and a sibling or neighbour could be part of the package that helps to pull the plug.

SAGITTARIUS: Are you ready to groove Sag? Your ruler Jupiter changes signs on the 6th and because he is moving into fellow fire sign Aries, this means your levels of enthusiasm for life are about to move up a gear or two. It’s excitement plus though since Jupiter is travelling with rebel Uranus and their connection with each other gives you four chances - in June, August, October and January 2011 - to truly make fantastic changes and connect with your passion, purpose and pride. By March 2011 a brand new chapter will have begun. Whether it is a creative act or art, a child, a pregnancy, a romance or simply an investment of energy in a sport or leisure time activity (that suddenly looks like it can really be something much bigger), it is the feeling of satisfaction that will make you feel brand new again. Of course, if you remain stuck in a financial groove from which there seems like there is no escape, then you are likely to feel frustration as your higher self knows there are bigger and better things to be getting on with. The challenge in this case will be to shift your thinking and look for unique solutions so that you can move on. You can start the ball rolling by making lists and making arrangements with debtors and creditors. The longer you keep your head in the sand, the less open and free you will be to make the most of the unique cosmic opportunities that are yours for the taking.

CAPRICORN: Along with Aries, Cancer and Libra, there are massive cosmic changes beginning this month that will span the months up until next March and that will take you into the next seven years. By March, your life will probably have done a 180-degree turn. Your environment and personal life is where a lot of these changes will take place and you may find you move to another place, change the dynamics or structure of your home or that you decide to change your circle of friends in a bid to break out of the patterns you have found yourself firmly entrenched in. Physical changes could also take place – from losing or gaining weight to a completely new style – and this is all part of the desire to break the mould and make your mark. Your ruler Saturn has reached the pinnacle of your chart so now it’s time to take what you have discovered or learned about yourself and the world at large and translate this into a new career direction. You will have four chances in June, August, October and January 2011 to take action and make changes. The lunar eclipse in your sign at Full Moon on the 26th will set the ball rolling and even though what happens then will be intense and personal, situations and feelings will open the door to a brand new world.

AQUARIUS: With the two brand new cycles beginning in your sphere of thinking and communicating, from June onward it’s time to look at life from a completely different angle. With the help of a brother, sister or neighbour by March 2011, you will be in a completely different headspace with ideas flowing and words magically appearing on paper. For others it will be the manner in which you communicate that opens doors and a letter, phone call, text, email or facebook entry changes your life overnight. For those who have shied away from technology as a means of communicating, you will suddenly see that there are unique opportunities that can only be gained by opening your mind to the world wide web and that it’s not just about the dangers that lurk in the cyber-shadows but the knowledge and connections that expand your mental territories. Circle June, August, October and January 2011 as months when anything and everything can happen. If you can go with the flow of events, by March 2011 you will find your thinking has turned around 180-degrees. The Full Moon of the 26th also happens to be a lunar eclipse. Eclipses are well-documented as having powerful effects that can unplug feelings and situations and even though this can be uncomfortable, they most often lead to clear spaces in which to operate from.

PISCES: Your ruler Jupiter begins a fresh 12-year cycle in Aries on the 6th and will team up with eccentric, rebellious Uranus in a four part dance that will span June, August, October and January 2011. Entering your sphere of money, there will be huge opportunities to cash in on the changing circumstances and whether you have a plan to pay off debt, earn more money or develop a new business strategy it will be your attitude that makes all the difference to the success of whatever you set out to do this year. It’s all about being innovative and thinking outside the square rather than sticking to the tried and true systems that are already in place. Of course, there are still larger global financial issues to contend with but if you can pull it off by having a system in place, you can reap the rewards. Friends, associates, team and band members somehow have a role to play and it is important you lay your cards on the table early in the piece otherwise you could miss the opportunities that will turn up and disappear if you are embroiled in power plays. The Full Moon of the 26th, which also happens to be a lunar eclipse, will certainly give you plenty of opportunity to discuss deeper issues. Tread carefully whilst maintaining your own line of defence. Perhaps some people need to walk free now.

May 2010

PLANET REPORT: For the fourth time in 17 months, May opens with an exact and tense Saturn/Uranus opposition splicing across the late degrees of the Virgo/Pisces polarity. Like a receding coastline that has endured years of erosion, Saturn, the planet of established rules and regulations, must give ground against the waves of assaults that revolutionary Uranus (backed by philosophical Jupiter) hurls back against the old structures as it moves out of Pisces and into Aries for a three month stint on May 28th. Uranus has been in Pisces since 2003 so a new generation is about to be born who will be pioneering go-getters in whatever they do. Giving us a taste of things to come between late May and mid-August, this new era that will take root properly in March 2011 when Uranus takes the Ram by the horns and moves permanently into Aries until March 2019. One last clash will occur between the old and new though in July when both planets draw a line in the sand and the last in this nail-biting series of connections takes place that will reflect a definite divide within society. As captain of its own ship, but nevertheless embroiled in this conflict by echoing Uranus’ sentiments when it opposes Saturn on May 23rd, Jupiter navigates through Uranus’ choppy wake, following it across the boundary line into Aries on June 6th and finally catching up with Uranus on June 8th. Leading up to the first in a series of four connections, Jupiter catches up with Uranus on June 8th and we will go from a subdued, pulled in energy to a cracker combination of sizzling surprises and sudden twists and turns of events, people and situations that push us in brand new directions between now and January 2011. Mercury’s direct motion on the May 12th may encourage holding on to stubborn thought patterns but we would be better off using resources to practical advantage than resisting change which may be inevitable. The New Moon of the 14th brings an opportunity to look toward the future while the Full Moon of the 28th helps to put feelings into words and tidy up situations that began six months ago.

ARIES: Your sign will be host to two new tenants from May 28th and June 6th respectively. Uranus in your sign only happens once every 84 years and Jupiter once every twelve years so you can see from this that a unique set of cosmic forces will set a unique set of conditions in motion that you will not have experienced before. How you approach this and what you make of it is always a matter of free will but if you are prepared to look to the future rather than the past, life will be that much more amazing. You will be given four chances to make radical changes, free up your life and change your perspective in June, August, September 2010 and January 2011 and it all starts this month. Yes, other people will still be there with their issues but it will be the way you approach what is taking place that makes the difference. It’s time to find reinvent your life!

TAURUS: Mercury turns direct in your sign on the 12th after a period of review and reflection that began on April 18th. How you have communicated your ideas and feelings will begin to bear results and this proves quite timely now that you are in a new birthday cycle. Clearing the deadwood and pruning your personal garden either through events occurring or through conscious choice will help you plan and strategise as we head into a bigger cosmic cycle that people under 84 years of age will not have witnessed before. For you, this new cycle will occur on a very private level where an internal revolution may be taking place. A quickening of internal processes may occur and you may feel jumpy or nervous but if you go with the flow and allow new images to take form, you will find that by January 2011 a whole new you emerges.

GEMINI: Your ruler Mercury turns direct on the 12th in the area of your chart that relates to confidential or internal processes that others are not aware of. A period of personal review may be at hand that you will slowly be able to express externally once your birthday month arrives. Shifting old patterns may be difficult but if you are aware that we are entering into a new era that begins at the end of May, you will realize that there are promising new developments just around the corner. For this reason, it’s best to let go of the old baggage and think along practical lines so that you are in a position to make the most of opportunities, events and people who will certainly prove stimulating between now and January 2011. Late born Geminis will still need to contend with family, home and domestic issues that have been evident for the past two years but once you get through this phase, you will be able to work more creatively as you build new structures around your self-expression.

CANCER: Let’s hope you are ready to handle the amount of publicity, kudos or attention that Uranus and Jupiter moving into the highest part of your chart will bring! Being pushed into the limelight could be unnerving and unexpected but going with the flow will help to alleviate the nerves. Since you will be so publicly placed for big or small things, for better or worse, you need to be quick on the uptake but cautious of what you say or do until you are certain of your position. You can learn so much from what takes place now and it’s probably a matter of being thrown in at the deep end and learning on the job. For others, parental actions, concerns or activities may alter your direction in totally new ways.

LEO: Ending a long phase of financial situations that have involved other people or institutions via commitments to mortgages, hire purchases, credit cards, settlements, insurance or taxes, you will finally be able to move on from matters that will hopefully be a thing of the past. Moving out of this area and into your zone of travel, higher education, philosophical beliefs and publishing, Uranus and then Jupiter will act like a lightning bolt that brings you to attention. Sparking up your life so that you suddenly feel very passionately about aiming for goals that will come to fruition in about a year’s time, you have every reason to believe in yourself and aim as high as you can. And even if you don’t travel, you will meet people from other creeds, classes and cultures who can teach you something new and unusual.

VIRGO: Your ruler Mercury turns direct on the 12th in the area of your chart that extends your mind and enriches your life through direct experiences such as long distance travel, courses that lead to a qualification or by publishing ideas that can help others to make their own lives richer. Suddenly the practicalities of what can be achieved become apparent from mid-May. This is a good time to look to the future because by early June the first in a four part cosmic dance between Jupiter and Uranus will begin that will liberate you from financial situations such as mortgages, taxes, debts and shared money. Wiping the slate clean via sudden and unexpected windfalls or turnarounds could be on the cards. You’ve been cautious and conservative for sometime now but you will soon be able to take risks without fear of the consequences.

LIBRA: Despite the slow start to May, do not be lulled into thinking that your life will remain in a static state forever! As early as June 6th there will be a synchronistic sequence of events that will propel your relationships in new directions – this sequence will play itself out over the next seven months. Commitment will not be name of the game but rather having fun and freeing yourself via the people you meet or the changes that occur in the people who are close to you. Even on a professional level you are likely to encounter people who do things very differently. Take others as they come rather than trying to stereotype or pigeon- hole. Librans who are in a relationship will find the rules changing very quickly and this can be either freeing or frightening depending on how static or flowing you would like your life to be.

SCORPIO: The half way point of your solar year is here and a New Moon in opposite sign Taurus occurs on the 14th that will reveal areas in your relationships where you need to move forward. It won’t be until after this date that discussions and agreements can lead to a general consensus and in the meantime you need to look beyond the current constraints and realise that a bigger and brighter future is just around the corner. We are entering into a phase of liberation somewhere in each of our lives and for you this will take place in your day-to-day routine, where exciting new events or procedures make one day totally different to the next. For others it will be in the area of health and wellbeing where new regimes, techniques or therapies can be experimented with. You may also discover ways to dispel the effects of the past, which will still there be in the shadows, and this can be liberating in itself.

SAGITTARIUS: Your ruler Jupiter is gearing up to change signs on June 6th and on June 8th it catches up to Uranus to create a revolution in the way you approach romance, your self-expression or the realm of children. This cosmic scenario will play itself out over the next seven months and will be something of a roller coast ride. Sudden pregnancies or ready-made families could be on the agenda for some Archers, while for others sudden attractions to people who have been totally off your radar could happen. It may be baffling but it’s what these people represent and how they reflect back to you your own desire to be something or someone that you have had difficulty expressing that will be the real attraction. On another level, you may suddenly find yourself wanting to play more either through creative acts or simply going out a lot more than you have been. Enjoy the ride but don’t leave others behind!

CAPRICORN: Home is the last place your heart will want to be once Uranus and then Jupiter enter this area of your chart in late May and early June. Exciting changes are on the way but first you must overcome hurdles in your public or professional life before you can move on as there is a residual matter that needs to be cleared up that has been hanging around for the last two years. You will need to acknowledge what you have gleaned from events before you can move on. Once this has been achieved, you may find yourself hankering after a bigger space or place to live. This can result in buying, selling, renovating or moving to another locale. Events will move along quite quickly once decisions have been made so use the time now to research where and how you would like to live. If you are staying put, then the excitement might come to you in the form of relatives or unusual visitors who are looking for a place to spend a certain amount of time to gain experience or simply break from their own life for a while. It all depends on your personal situation but karma and drama are sure to knock on your door over the next seven months.

AQUARIUS: Your thinking is about to go through a revolution that will change your perceptions and help you to communicate in completely different ways. Ideas that you have regarded as normal will suddenly fall by the wayside to be replaced by a whole new philosophical outlook. This in turn will change the way you relate to a brother, sister, neighbour or to view your environment in a totally different light. Suddenly, you will find that all the usual places you go to or the people you interact with will look tired and dull. This leads to either leaving altogether or to implement changes that can make a difference to your street, town or city. You may find that you support or break away from causes that affect your locale and truly make a difference. Vive the revolution!

PISCES: Financially, a stroke of luck or a brilliant idea or course of action will free you up to earn money in the way you would truly like over the next seven months. It begins in June and finishes in January 2011, and this rollercoaster ride, while bringing extremes, will help you clear the hurdles that other people constantly place in your path as a means of testing the correctness of the direction you are now heading in. As long as you have considered all angles of your fiscal life and have put practicalities first, there is no reason to avoid risks that can lead to an unusual form of stability that is liberating – none of this 9-5 nonsense for you! Where there are debts there will be a way to earn or make money to overcome them. This is a year when 11th hour saviours appear at the last moment to lift you up and out of danger.

April 2010

PLANET REPORT: With Mercury gearing up to turn retrograde on the 18th, the beginning of April is a window in time to clear up outstanding matters in practical affairs, which will be prone to delays, frustrations and mix-ups until May 12th. In Taurus and moving alongside Venus, which is also in its own sign until April 25th, material matters that affect our general sense of security are where our energies should be concentrated. People and organisations will be slow to respond to communications so if you require a speedy response, have red tape to cut through or seek a settlement or a claim then it is best to attend to matters well before the 18th. Also be prepared to look again at details. After that time, it is better to wait until Mercury turns direct again on May 12th unless circumstances or opportunity dictate otherwise. The Full Moon in Scorpio on the 29th imposes its emotional weight on intellectual concerns making it difficult to separate thought from the emotional investment in areas where security and stability are important. Frustrations may also arise from Mars’ current extended stay in Leo when the Full Moon simultaneously affects matters where pride and ego have been most evident since mid-December. Mars is a little like the guest who won’t leave at the moment! Feelings can run high by month’s end as a result and though it may be difficult to contain the hidden attitudes that will surface, it would be a good idea to work through issues in advance knowing that the slightest spark could set off a firestorm if things have been left hanging. Whatever does happen now will be a final clearing of the air before major planetary changes occur from June. Saturn returns to Virgo on the 8th where it will remain until July 22nd. This means that between April and May we may see a re-run of issues that have affected the world markets and our general equilibrium when Saturn opposes Uranus in the second to last of five hits that have occurred over October 2008, February and September 2009. The last will occur after Uranus moves into Aries in July 2010 when a whole new cosmic era will have begun and life moves along very quickly. This makes the next four months a time of on-going uncertainty and highlights the need to take a continuing wait and see approach but there could also be golden opportunities that will disappear once the planetary energy starts moving again. Saturn will try to impose rules and regulations that no longer hold substance while Uranus nearly always means that we won’t know which way the cards will fall when life eventually settles into a somewhat predictable pattern. Surprising twists and turns make planning hard but we should avoid paralysis by analysis.

ARIES: On the threshold of a new 12-month cycle when Jupiter enters your sign on June 6th, April is the month to sort out the books and balance the ledger. With Mercury orbiting in an apparent backward direction from the 18th in your financial sector, it would be nice to start your personal year with a clean slate. You may find that something like searching for a receipt or invoice spurs on a massive filing fit or perhaps circumstances require that you make payment arrangements for outstanding bills. Whichever way, it’s a time of settling and sorting finances, possessions and material matters. At work or in investments, the issue of earnings is also important and only you can know whether to pursue this particular avenue. If you do decide ask for raise but things look uncertain, then it could pay to wait until after May 12th when the energy is less stressed. Weigh up the pros and cons in a very detailed manner to arrive at an answer. By the 29th, you may find that matters happen in a natural sequence of events. Your annual New Moon occurs on the 15th – there are clues everywhere that point to the changes that will take place in the second half of 2010.

TAURUS: There is a lot of cosmic action taking place in your sign as you approach your birthday month. Venus, your ruler, is on your side until the 25th and this puts you in the driver’s seat as delays and mix-ups occur, or details and information start to unravel when Mercury does an about turn on the 18th in your sign. Entering into a period of personal review, you have plenty of support around you and you may find that a supportive admirer is the cornerstone of your world as he or she acts as a guide or is there for you when you need them. By month’s end, be particularly careful of hidden landmines as the Full Moon approaches on the 29th. The stakes might be quite high then and there’s a possibility that the emotional content of your hard drive causes the intellectual content to crash. Becoming deadlocked with someone or something is the worst case scenario; however, if you are aware that things could build to a possible breaking point then deal with as much as you can before feelings take over. Better to arrive at a compromise than not arrive at all.

GEMINI: Your ruler Mercury turns to retro motion on the 18th. This always creates instability and insecurity as suddenly the solid stuff that makes up your life turns to jelly. These periods are useful as a means to review your affairs and rethink areas that may not be as promising as they once appeared. Make adjustments as information comes to hand. You may also find that during this particular period you disappear behind the scenes either through choice to think about things or through circumstances dictating that you attend to people or matters that occur on a private level. You may have increased dealings with large institutions. Saturn moves back into Virgo on the 8th so those of you born in the last few days of this sign will once again feel the squeeze of matters that are on the cusp of being resolved, however, this is the last lap of a two-year stint and by July you will be home and hosed.

CANCER: In June, Jupiter, the planet of expansion reaches the pinnacle of your solar chart and heralds a new 12-year cycle in your area of career, life direction, parental concerns and your public image and reputation. By reflex, your home and family life will also form part of this picture. With a New Moon in Aries occurring in your area of life direction on the 15th, if you are observant you will see early clues of how this energy might manifest in the latter part of the year. It could be time to start tentatively thinking about new career initiatives, perhaps by updating your CV or looking into courses that can lead to amazing lifestyle or career changes in the second half of 2010 and into 2011. Mercury will be retrograde in your sphere of friends, associates and general hopes and wishes from April 18th until May 12th and with the Full Moon of the 29th challenging all your ideas about friends and friendships you may need to wait until May before you can focus clearly on the big picture. Distractions could keep you busy in the meantime. Keep faith in those, this month is a temporary glitch that gives you a window in time to review everything from top to bottom.

LEO: Yes, Mars is still in your sign but at least everything is now on the straight and narrow and your identity has at last started to gel with your immediate environment or circumstances. After the Full Moon of the 29th, the battles you are fighting will begin to lose their fire and you will burn less of your energy in non-essentials than you have been. We are in the last throes of an old cycle that is giving way to an amazing new cycle in June and beyond. And even though Mercury retrograde will throw a spanner in the works until May 12th by bringing delays or setbacks, when it comes to career, lifestyle or parental issues, you need to adopt a forward-looking approach and know that the pot holes you encounter will soon be in your rear vision mirror. Look into courses or places that you have either longed for in the past or that can directly enhance your knowledge or experience in your current position as the realms of education, travel, publishing and philosophies will become increasingly important to you.

VIRGO: Saturn re-entered your sign on April 8th resurrecting issues with health, your emotional and physical well-being, as well as the way you support or get support from your immediate environment. You will be used to these issues by now and it’s simply a matter of clearing up the residue of what has been taking place. The biggest question is what have you learned about yourself and others? Virgins born in the last days of Virgo will be most influenced by this placement but rest assured that by July this particular episode will be over once and for all – it has been a hard two-year stint! Your ruler Mercury also turns retrograde on the 18th in your area of travel, education, publishing and philosophical beliefs. It could be that you will look into ways of solidifying your life knowledge so that you can package your talents into one parcel. You might also consider looking outside your normal territory both physically and intellectually. The coming months will place a heavy emphasis on your finances so now is the time to think ahead.

LIBRA: Saturn swings out of your sign temporarily moving into the area of your chart that takes you to a place where secrets or burdens weigh heavy. You have nearly got to grips with what these private issues mean and where they will lead and by July 22nd you will be free – at last - from their weight. In the coming months, the important relationships in your life will become increasingly important as you free yourself from the shackles of convention. In the meantime, April is the month to take care of finances and business matters, especially those that involve other people or government sectors. Read the fine print, set up a payment system or simply avoid taking on more than you can handle. Change will be swift once it starts to happen from June onward so position yourself and get ready to fasten your seatbelt!

SCORPIO: All signs point to your annual Full Moon on the 29th! With Mercury retrograde in opposite sign Taurus from the 18th and the Full Moon highlighting all communications that are either in progress or about to begin, this is the month to work hard on the small details, pay special attention to the fine print in agreements, and modify how you express your feelings. Negotiations could stall due to an unwillingness to give ground but this can be overcome by finding the middle ground. If you agree to disagree then it might be best to wait until this phase is over (May 12th) before trying again. Look back six months ago for clues on what might transpire now. So much is taking place behind the scenes that will become to the fore in the coming months so keep sight of the big picture. Watch your health and well-being first and foremost.

SAGITTARIUS: May will be a month full of amazing opportunities that lead to bigger and better propositions in the second half of 2010 and into 2011. This means it makes sense to turn April into the month where you clear the decks so that you are in a position to make the most of what turns up later. Health and work are where your energies will get dragged down by delays and setbacks but as long as you are practical yet flexible, you will get through this phase which lasts until May 12th. Your ruler Jupiter will soon be in a much more playful position where you can get out and about, or even start to think about the realm of children and their achievements and activities. Sports and creative pursuits may also be high on your agenda. Look for clues around the New Moon of the 15th, which will gives you an exciting preview of what can develop in your life in the next year or so.

CAPRICORN: Like Cancer, Libra and Aries, the lunar energy this month focuses upon the changes that are about to land on your doorstep – two more months and you will find yourself in a new time and place altogether with the current hassles a thing of the past. On the 8th, your ruler Saturn moves back into your zone of people and places at a distance as well as publishing or philosophical matters that have weighed heavily on your mind and those of you born at the end of your sign will need to sew up the remaining threads of an era that has spanned two years. It’s time to ask how you can put what you have learned during this time to use on a career or public relations level. The New Moon of the 15th throws light on domestic issues that are about to change in a spectacular fashion.

AQUARIUS: May will be a month of astounding financial developments that will lead to a whole new ballgame in the second half of 2010. First we have to navigate Mercury’s retrograde passage from April 18th until May 12th and Saturn’s opposition to Uranus, which occurs on the 27th. Polar opposites, old structures butt up against a changing landscape that will take hold in June and beyond. We will all be amazed at how quickly life can change either through a single event or a series of events that are occurring in the background now. Your home zone will be one place where you will need to focus upon the needs and wants of family, flatmates or a parent. Stick to practical solutions and plans rather than try to bring in new angles. Patience is the name of the game.

PISCES: The life or persona you have carved for yourself over the past year will take a huge leap in May when a twist of fate thrusts you forward into a new era that will take hold in June. In the meantime, late-born Fish have one last chapter of an on-going relationship issue to contend with. By July this episode will be put to rest and you can finally move on. Around the middle of May, you may feel as if your newly formed wings have been clipped so prepare for this pulling in of energy by keeping your expectations low knowing that bigger things are on the horizon later in the year. Financially, things are going to change dramatically and you need to focus on how to make the most of opportunities while reducing risk.

March 2010

PLANET REPORT FOR MARCH: At long last Mars turns to direct motion after being out of action since mid-December. With heavy, ponderous Saturn also retrograde, we can be forgiven for feeling that life is currently like a bad movie being played in slow-motion. All of this is about to change though and any stagnation is likely to turn into lightening-quick activity in about two months time. Like the calm before the storm, we stand on the brink of a whole new era that commences in June. When Jupiter and Uranus change signs and shift into fast-paced, action-packed Aries, we will be astounded at how quickly developments occur at from late-May onward! Everything will speed up considerably so we need to view the time between March and May as a last-gasp, clean-up phase. Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are the signs who will feel this energy the most, especially those born in the early days. In the meantime, from March 11th, Mars’ energy levels begin to return to normal and, as the month wears on, any projects, plans or setups that have been delayed or have become inactive since the last quarter of 2009 will get a new lease of life. From now until mid-May, it will be much easier to know which fork in the road to take based on the information that has come to light during the past 11 weeks; it will be a relief to finally be able to make firm plans and decisions. And not only are our actions governed by this self-initiating planet but relationships with others, especially masculine or work-related ones, will also enter into another stage. It may happen that connections we have forged since November ‘09 will show their true colours and as a result we may need to be prepared for another side to emerge in others that will make or break the contact. From the 8th, three planets will slip, one by one, into Aries, Mars’ sign, making March the month to act (there are clues hidden everywhere that will highlight the second half of 2010 so watch carefully). Most significant will be the autumn equinox on the 21st at 06:33am as this heralds not only the change of seasons but will also set the tone for the coming quarter. In an energizing aspect to Mars but opposing a weak Saturn, we should aim for the stars rather than give into doubts and fears that will continue to linger at the back of our minds while remaining mindful of practicalities and our limitations. The New Moon of the 16th in Pisces at 10:02am is a harbinger of change too as sudden events, both in our private lives and globally and abrupt turns of thought, propel us down new paths. Go with the flow and look for change where it is due rather than be thrown off-course by abrupt and somewhat unusual developments. The Full Moon occurs on the 30th at 2:27pm in relationship-oriented Libra bringing issues that began last October to a culmination.

ARIES: Hurray! Your ruler Mars is finally coming to life (11th) after a very lethargic patch since mid-December that may have created delays and indecision. Between now and mid-May all the pieces of your personal jigsaw will fall into place so that child-related, romantic or leisure time activities will all pass into a new phase. Before your birthday cycle commences at the equinox on the 21st at 06:33am, use the beginning of March to spring-clean your life so that there is room for the next lot of energy to take hold. A new 12-year cycle starts in June that will open up a bigger playing field in your life that will be very exciting but also stressful due to the quickening that will occur so now is the time sow new seeds and prepare the turf. Sudden insights and events from the past arise around the New Moon of the 16th whilst the Full Moon on the 30th will highlight people who are for or against you.

TAURUS: Mars moving forward on the 11th in your zone of family, home, flatmates, and parental issues means that long-standing issues can finally move into the next phase. Pulling the plug on these situations or people will certainly shift the dynamics and flow of your domestic life but it will probably take until mid-May to finally resolve. Pride and ego will dominate the complex web that has been woven but with a compromising attitude many things can be resolved around the Full Moon in Libra on the 30th. You will certainly make interesting discoveries around the New Moon on the 16th when hidden agendas or people show their true colours. Life will move very quickly around this time so prepare for developments to move you into the next phase. Your past will be very important in the second half of 2010 so be prepared for some surprises! Look after health too, and balance your private and public lives.

GEMINI: With a Mercury retrograde phase looming in April, use the frenetic pace of early March to get your activities, plans and projects moving so that everything is in place by March 24th when we enter into the shadow of the retrograde period. Mars moves direct on the 11th in your sphere of communications, siblings, neighbours, short distance travel and educational activities so with these activities having been in the doldrums since late last year, now is your chance to turn life around. Communicating with others is a top priority this month as opportunities can open up that can lead to changes in your domestic and family life from June 7th. Friends and your social circuit will become very important in the second half of 2010, as will your hopes and dreams. Surprises loom around the New Moon of the 16th when fast-paced events arise out of the ethers that cause you to change directions in a career or parental issue. By June you will mingling in new circles that expand your activities and introduce you to fresh faces and places.

CANCER: Conduct a stock take this month as your sign, along with Aries, Libra and Capricorn, is on the brink of great change that commences in late-May. Money-matters move into a new phase from March 11th when Mars, the planet of energy and vitality, rouses itself from the doldrums and charts a more decisive course. Being a Moon-ruled sign, you need to track events that occur around the New Moon on the 16th because a completely unexpected turn of events will highlight travel, education, your beliefs and people and places at a distance. Suddenly the boundaries that kept you on one side of the fence will no longer matter - or exist - and you will be quite amazed at how your thinking completely alters course – if you look carefully you will find that the inner you is already laying the groundwork for this change to occur. Conversations and meetings with others could be at the heart of your decisions then. The Full Moon on the 30th on the other hand will highlight your living conditions and family, communal living, or parental issues.

LEO: Many Lions will have found Mars’ retrograde visit through their sign an uphill battle since late December. The good news is that Mars turns direct on the 11th bringing a turn of the tide that will wash up new information and bring insights about existing situations so that you can finally move ahead. Because Mars pirouettes at the beginning of Leo, for some of you, this could mean going right back to beginning and starting all over again; while for others, there is a need to create a new start and go in a completely different direction altogether. Your energy levels will begin to return to normal once the red planet gathers speed over the coming weeks but it will take until mid-May to clean up, finalise or understand what has taken place over the last 18 weeks. Exciting changes lay in wait in the second half of 2010 when travel, educational or publishing ventures suddenly take off so lay the groundwork now! 2010 will be the year of learning! The New Moon on the 16th brings a surprising turn-around in your area of shared finances, resources, claims, settlements or payments.

VIRGO: Like Gemini, your ruler Mercury turns retrograde on the April 19th making March the month to get your everyday life into order before the details start to get muddy and confused (from April 4th). Mars turning around on the March 11th in the area of your chart that rules all that is hidden, or private, could mean that surprising news surfaces that changes your perception of people or situations. You may need to go back to the beginning in some way, clearing the slate and cultivating a new tack and looking for ways to make up for the ground that has been lost. From late-May amazing changes will occur at lightning speed in your sphere of shared finances. The New Moon in your zone of other people on the 16th also brings some very surprising conversations and meetings and again because of the twists and turns that occur, you will find yourself taking a very different view of people you deal with on a one-to-one basis.

LIBRA: Even though Saturn is new to your sign and will remain here until October 2012, he will nip back into Virgo early April so the pressure that has recently become evident will ease giving you the chance to rethink. In the meantime, March is the month to become active in whatever is high on your agenda as we have a window in time to set things into place before Mercury stirs up a hornet’s nest in April – do watch for the New Moon though on March 16th when unexpected events throw life onto a completely new course within your work and health sectors – and before a new chapter in relationships commences in June. Life is going to take off in this area in no uncertain terms! In the meantime, Mars turning around on the 11th suggests that friends, associates, your social circle and the clubs you belong to all become important for varying reasons and you may even be inspired to review your own hopes and dreams that are separate to career-type goals. Your annual Full Moon occurs on the 30th bringing to a conclusion events and situations that started last October.

SCORPIO: The good news this month is that your ruler Mars turns direct on the 11th and this means that the zig-zag pattern you have been following without too much certainty since late December will now chart a much straighter and definite course. Travelling through Leo, a sign that is at an adverse angle to your own, suggests that patience and humour have been in short supply within your professional and parental sectors. Pressure to perform – perhaps for all the wrong reasons – will ease back simply because the larger picture will begin to come into view and everyone can see that perhaps a new tack needs to be followed. If you have child-related issues, the New Moon will see an unexpected development that will require allowing greater freedom or trying something completely different. The same is true for leisure time activities such as sports or creative pursuits – look for ways that you can do things differently.

SAGITTARIUS: Your domestic life looks set to be quite dramatic this month and what takes place now will project into the coming months and will lead to greater self-expression in romance, creativity, or via a breakthrough with a child in the second half of 2010. Earmark June as the pivotal month of 2010 as this will be when your ruler Jupiter moves into fellow fire-sign Aries and joins forces with revolutionary Uranus promising great change. The New Moon on the 16th highlights an emotional quickening that will compel a lot of us to think outside the square and implement changes in an abrupt manner. This will definitely bring some very exciting adventures in the coming months so pay close attention to how you are feeling now especially with regard to your home life and all things domestic – from flatmates to family members or your physical home; what takes place will allow greater freedom and latitude in the long run.

CAPRICORN: With huge change imminent in the second half of 2010 within your domestic life, concentrate on your financial and shared commitments this month. Aim to reduce or sort out mortgages, hire purchases, credit cards and taxes so that you can handle what is going to occur from late May onward when a whole new era commences. Mars turning around in this area on March 11th means you can now tally up whatever has been clocked up or agreed upon within financial agreements and arrangements you have made with other people or corporations since mid-October 2009. It might take until May to sort through everything but with diligence, and by taking action in outstanding areas, you will end up with a much clearer picture and more peace of mind. We are currently in a closing cosmic phase that began in 2003 and though you may feel you have become somewhat stagnant in the past few months rest assured this is all about to change.

AQUARIUS: Keep a sharp eye on your income and savings sector this month as there is a New Moon on the 16th that highlights sudden reversals of fortune within your finances. Whether this occurs for good or bad will depend on your own personal circumstances and it’s more the need to be aware that changes are afoot so that you can be prepared to make the most of sudden opportunities, or, buffer yourself if life goes the other way, that matters. It is always hard to tell what Uranus will do but change is always a constant! Communication and clear thinking are very important now. Your interactions with others may be like a battle zone at present but from the 11th issues will begin to straighten out and if you have upheld good principles, then hopefully others will bat for you too and results will come. We stand on the brink of change in the latter half of 2010 and for you this will occur in your zone of thinking, communicating, writing and speaking as well as your neighbours and siblings. You may not realize you are setting the groundwork for expansion in any one of these areas right now!

PISCES: What an amazing New Moon you have in your sign on the 16th to lead you into your new birthday year! Life may be magnified in many ways since Jupiter, Mercury and Venus are also in Pisces but if you can prepare the groundwork by truly examining your life and then making adjustments, setting new goals or sticking to resolutions, magic can happen. March will be a month of intense activity that is a precursor to bigger changes in your financial life from late May onward. Uranus has been in your sign since 2003 so it may help to look back and see how much your life has changed since then and what this means now. Once Uranus, and then Jupiter, shifts into Aries in June, the sky will be the limit as far as your finances and earnings potential is concerned. If you have done all the right things like scrimping and saving, budgeting and setting goals, you should find your horizons expanding quite considerably. Conversely, if there has been a lack of control, circumstances will conspire to thrust you to review your situation. Either way delicious opportunities can be saving grace at the last minute.

February 2010

PLANET REPORT: February will be a mixed bag of cosmic goodies that will be hard to define with so many conflicting patterns occurring as old cycles coincide with new and planets move contrary to their normal motion. Firstly, we move into a new 12-year cycle created by Jupiter entering sensitive Pisces on January 18th, secondly we are in the closing square of a much longer Saturn and Pluto cycle, and thirdly, Mars is retrograde until March and won’t get out of its own way until May, slowing our vitality and making decisive action difficult. Fourthly, we are moving out of the eclipse season. Saturn and Pluto are the big guns to be mindful of as their energy creates dramatic events that could mask the good that Jupiter offers (the trick is to separate our lives into compartments so that one supports the other). Acting as the social backdrop until September, these two were last together in tense aspect in 2001. As we know from the events of that year (9/11), this means that over the next seven months, we are once again in a phase where global happenings exacerbate personal experiences. Leaving behind the eclipses that blotted the celestial landscape during December and January, complicated February begins with a waning Full Moon that occurred on January 30th in Leo. This Full Moon carries the energy of the annular solar eclipse that occurred on January 15th (close to the Haitian earthquake). As a result, life is likely to be unsettled and insecure despite the underlying sense that new beginnings are taking hold with the ethereal Jupiter in Pisces transit. Occurring very close to Mars, which is travelling in a very lethargic condition until March 11th, the residual internal tension and stress of the Full Moon on Jan 30th will subside as the month continues. And pertaining to these events, we will have a small window of time between May and early June to act with decisiveness. On Valentine’s Day, a very romantic but somewhat rose-coloured and unrealistic New Moon will occur at 3:52pm in Aquarius. Wanting to immerse ourselves in the finer feelings and experiences that Jupiter now makes clear, decisions need to be made carefully in the second half of February. This applies especially to relationships where it is all too easy to imagine traits or situations that are not really there. Because of Neptune’s spell-binding influence at the New Moon, even with the best of intentions, we need to make (and take) promises very carefully, or, make assumptions with care. Finally, despite the continued decay of the old facets of our lives, we still want to maximize Jupiter travelling through its own sign Pisces. This fresh once-in-12-year cycle coincides with the Chinese Year of the Tiger which can be lucky, protective and full of creative idealism and this will greatly help to deal with the larger, destructive patterns that mask the real beauty of life. If we have not over-reached the mark in the last few years, this can be a very productive year where dreams can come true; but in the areas where we have over-stepped or misjudged it will take longer to see the true potential – the trick is to still spot the potential and work toward achieving it – anything can be turned around now.

ARIES: In January 2011, Jupiter will enter your sign kicking off a fresh 12-year cycle of self-development that will involve spreading your wings via bigger and better approaches and attitudes to life. Future prosperity depends on learning how to get out of your own way this year; and the introspective nature of 2010 helps clear the emotional and physical clutter of your inner life and examine relationships, which will take on greater meaning in the context of your career, in the second half of 2010. By doing this the way will be clear in 2011. Over the next 12 months wipe the slate of your past and learn about the effects of people and places that you may or may not realise were important. Health and well-being are very important too in the first half of 2010 as your emotional life takes shape. Choose confidantes with care and be aware that secrets can emerge as part of an overall process.

TAURUS: This is a year when we will all find become aware of certain habits, attitudes, involvements and activities are hard to avoid when it comes to changing the negatives into positives. There is the realization that so much is ingrained and automatic and that work is needed to break free. You have the potential to count on friends and associates to provide support or open doors when others are closing. When it comes to child-related activities there is one final chapter to contend with before the way is clear – use your experience in this situation to make final decisions by mid-2010. A health or work issue may recede but be aware that it will return later in the year so keep your medical life on track with sensible diets, advice and exercise. Your home and domestic life will prove frustrating as so much is stuck, but slowly by March and then by June, the plug will release and you can blaze new trails.

GEMINI: Finding a balance in your leisure time and children will be better achieved in the second half of 2010. You have had a glimpse of what the future holds with the potential to express and enjoy your spare time or your creativity or talents (this may or may not include children) but there is still one last chapter of your family and domestic life that will require another shot between April and July – try to plan for this and use sensible means to approach situations. The New Moon of the 14th will bring a beguiling opportunity in your career or life direction but be sure to examine every angle rather than blinded by the apparent opportunities. You have the chance to expand and grow career-wise but situations now require that you to learn to walk before you can run. Budget well for financial costs associated with investments, hobbies, children or leisure time activities as this seven-month situation can eat into savings quickly. Sort out taxes, claims, insurance and settlements with diligence and be aware that it will all take time and resources.

CANCER: With Jupiter nicely poised with your sign, this is the year when educational heights can be achieved so that by 2011, you will be ready to expand and grow on a career or lifestyle level. Travel and publishing all hold the same lofty potential and sources of inspiration. At ground zero, however, we are all facing the barrage of Saturn and Pluto’s unfriendliness towards each other (last time was 2001) and this will have a particularly profound impact upon Crab’s intimate and public relationships as well as home life, which is under intense review until September. Keep hold of your ideals, prayers and beliefs as this is how you can draw down the inspiration to move through obstacles and be patient while dramas play themselves out. Mars continues to pull the purse stringers tighter but by March, May and finally June you will feel the brakes releasing and a wealth of potential will be revealed. Be thorough and diligent in your research in whatever you do.

LEO: Mars continues to hamper and frustrate your activities but by March you will be much clearer on which way to forge ahead. Burning issues have taken up much of your energy leaving little left over for your personal activities. Rest assured that you will emerge stronger and much better placed after March. In the meantime, with the emphasis on health and well-being, rest as much as you can and spend time reviewing your place in the world. Siblings, communication, neighbours and your daily travels are under scrutiny now as Saturn and Pluto squeeze against one another and it is all a matter of making the most of limited resources that do hold opportunities that will become evident in the long run. It is a time of extremes so allow yourself the luxury of flexibility as you swing from one end of the spectrum to other.

VIRGO: Your annual Full Moon occurs on March 1st emphasizing - in a big way - whatever began six months ago. A busy month, other people will play a large role in whatever you are doing and in some ways your fate is in their hands. The trick is to be considerate but not to the point where others are taking advantage of your vulnerabilities. Be patient and, most importantly, try to see others in a true light or run the risk of having your plans derailed; keep your thoughts and plans at a realistic level too when others are pumped up with their own ideals and an optimism that does not apply to your situation. At the same time, you can only expect so much from others so listen to what they have to say but do your own research and rely on your gut instincts. Having said that, other people are the ones to inspire you and bring alternative views when you are stuck for ideas.

LIBRA: Saturn is in the midst of the second of three major cyclical hits to Pluto that began last October and November 2009. The last will be August and September 2010 so there is still a way to go before life settles down. While it affects all of us because Saturn is in your sign, Librans will be particularly receptive to the effects, especially if you are born at the end of October. In your area of personal self and home and family life, this will have an impact on your state of mind, health and well-being, as well as your interaction with parents and other family members. There is much good that can come from this aspect, even if it is hard to see whilst life is changing so dramatically. Rebuilding your view of the world and, as a consequence, how others relate to you, will be one particular benefit but you will need to flow with the chain of events and allow the process to occur in its own time. At work, opportunities to realise a dream position, or to work with larger than life people will make your daily routine much more colourful than it has been. Pets too can make an appearance.

SCORPIO: Mars continues to dredge up old feelings about a career or parental situation, and even though you may feel you are on a treadmill and going round in circles, all will be revealed after March when situations will grind into the next gear. Patience and thoroughness is the name of the game as it will take until at least June to close this particular chapter that has been drawn out and filled with drama. For some Scorpios, parenthood, other people’s children, or the thought of children, as well as your creative potential, will go through amazing leaps and bounds this year and you may also get a hunch and take a gamble on something that pays big dividends - keep within your limits though, seek advice where necessary and remain realistic. Other Scorpios may suddenly get the urge to fill your spare time with activities that are aesthetically appealing or physically soothing but demanding, like swimming.

SAGITTARIUS: Your ruler Jupiter moved into its other own sign Pisces in January and will remain here until next January. In your zone of family and home life, there will be a strange feeling of insecurity mixed with an underlying optimism that life could be very different by making a few adjustments. While it is imaginative and altruistic, Pisces is not a decisive sign so a lot of your impulse to do something different will arise from your feelings than from solid events. Some of you may desire more space and will either renovate or move to a larger home while others will attract people into your domestic sphere who come from other another or culture. Either way, it’s the sense of boundaries being removed that gives you the greatest thrill. The trick is to do your homework thoroughly before making any moves. Life will also be full of fits and starts until June so take your time whilst holding on to your dreams.

CAPRICORN: Your ruler Saturn continues its war-dance with Pluto this month but at least you are now becoming very familiar with the theme of events that began to emerge last October and November and have a better handle on them. By August and September much of the reconstruction that is taking place will be set in concrete so seize the opportunity between now and then to make sure you are building strong foundations rather than become defeated by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And despite the unknown nature of events that life deals to all of us this year that we know you cannot avoid, it will be the ability to use the knowledge and experiences you are gaining to look to the future. Think, speak and write in a much bigger and louder voice than you have been. Keeping a journal, blogging or sharing thoughts with others can keep you inspired. You could be amazed by what you discover by taking the time to jot things down.

AQUARIUS: It won’t be until after March 11th that a burning relationship issue can begin to resolve itself and it won’t be until after June that the heat will completely disperse. The Full Moon of Jan 30th will have brought many issues to the table and the residue of these situations and feelings will colour the first half of February. By the 14th, the New Moon in your sign will soften your resolve and bring a new set of conditions that encourage you to visualize the potentials and possibilities; however it would be wise to wait until March so that you know you are acting from a solid perspective. So much is going on behind the scenes right now that relates to your past and the bigger picture of your life and you need to sort the wheat from the chafe. This longer-term pattern won’t be complete until September 2010. Financially, a different picture emerges. Jupiter in this zone until next January draws the creative potential from all fiscal dealings. It is important to separate your life into compartments so that you don’t miss the fertile opportunities that are beginning to emerge now.

PISCES: It might take some time to define the potential possibilities that are inherent in Jupiter’s 12-yearly transit through your sign but if you are vigilant and observant, all will be revealed as the year wears on. Masking Jupiter’s softer, gentler and more optimistic energy, a larger pattern of cosmic energy that is part of an older closing cycle is at work this year. And despite the sense that some aspects are changing too dramatically, you don’t want to miss out on all the underlying creative goodies on offer. The trick is to ring-fence the different areas of your life so that you can maximise the good in one area and soften the changes in others, such as friendships and financial dealings with other people. It could be as simple as learning to say no to some situations and yes to others. By September, this older process of breaking down will be complete and once you are down to the bare bones, if you have tuned into Jupiter despite the obstacles, you will be well-placed for the next 12 years.