Weekly Astroguide

Hidden deep inside you is immense strength and power. The fact that you don't broadcast this information is to your credit. But sometimes you forget your many talents and allow passing problems to discourage you. This month, with your ruler's retrograde journey through your sign finally coming to an end, and Mars now direct, you find yourself with the opportunity to show more of your gifts. This will affect your material status and could have a powerful effect on your romantic life too. In your love life: To others, it looks as if you are wasting your energy; but a great emotional investment is about to take off.

Some psychological experts think that anger masks deeper emotions. They believe it disguises insecure feelings such as fear and uncertainty. It's worth bearing this in mind if anyone shrieks at you this month because knowledge brings power. In a stressful situation, if someone can stand back a little, they can diffuse the tension. With your ruler linking harmoniously to Saturn, you have the skills to resolve conflict and calm dramas. It suggests a genuinely satisfying September lies ahead. In your love life: Accept that what's now coming into your life, is right for you. A big obstacle to progress is crumbling. Rejoice!

When my young son tries to outfox me it's endearing rather than affronting. His naivety shines through his attempts to beat me at whatever game we're playing, so I often humour him and pretend, so he thinks he really has beaten me. In the same way, destiny is bemused rather than annoyed by our attempts to disregard its suggestions. This month, as your ruler links to Pluto and Saturn, it brings a situation that is meant to be. If you look for what's good (even in complex situations) you'll find it. In your love life: You can get away with a lot if you act confidently. You are making an effort too, and that will also get good results.

With Mars moving forward once again, a gust begins to fill your sails. For some while you've been tacking against the breeze, having to navigate with a force blowing against you. But the wind has turned. More direct routes are available and the climate is becoming a little less stormy. That doesn't mean an easy ride in September. But it does mean less of a struggle than you've been used to. The Full Moon in your sign indicates that you're reaching an important turning point and navigating towards a delightful destination. In your love life: Whatever you are going through, the potential for Heaven is just as real as the potential for unhappiness. You choose.

This month, with your ruler, Venus, moving opposite Taurus, it's a sign of good things to come especially in regard to your close relationships. But sometimes what's best for our heart isn't what we expect, and with Uranus in your sign, surprises are never far away. As Venus moves opposite the planet of surprises, your heart will be skipping and feeling a delightful enthusiasm that can strengthen a key relationship. This transformation will involve a challenge or two, but that will only add to the excitement. In your love life: You can't speed up a process no matter how much you wish. But you can reap the benefit of a seed planted long ago.

Although busy people get things done, they often have a hard time prioritising. When we have an endless to-do list it can be tempting to pick the low-hanging fruit, choosing to do the easiest items instead of tackling the more influential issues that will make the most difference to our workload. But in September, as your ruler forms a Grand Trine with Saturn and Uranus, you have the strength to do more than that. By addressing the root of your problems you'll be able to harvest the fruits of your endeavours. In your love life: Your worries are largely unfounded. Be thoughtful, not fearful, in your life now. You can yet get what you need most.

There's no such thing as a typeface font to suggest sarcasm. But if you want to shout in an email, you can use CAPITAL LETTERS. It's easy to express alarm too just use exclamation marks; and we can show affection with an x'. In the age of emojis, there are many ways to convey feelings in messages, but subtlety is hard to detect. This month focuses on your communication skills as you balance sensitivity, creativity and clarity. Just make sure someone's misinterpretation doesn't hold you back. In your love life: You are not being fooled. That problem' is not the result of deception, it's the outcome of an ill-informed assumption.

As a parent, I have to deal with my fair share of tantrums. Usually they're caused by over-tiredness when there are many things my son thinks he wants but nothing that satisfies him. What he really needs is sleep. You're probably aware that you could do with a break. And, although it might not last as long you'd like, Jupiter's links, both with Pluto and Saturn, will help you regain control of your schedule. Once you relax, think about what you really want. Because in September, you really can have it! In your love life: You find a subject difficult to ignore. It can't be constructive to be obsessive. Open your heart to new alternatives.

Once a year your ruler visits your sign. But it's not every year that it forms a Grand Trine with Saturn and Uranus, and a Minor Grand Trine with Jupiter and Pluto! In celestial terms, you're being handed every advantage this birthday season. But too much choice can be the enemy of happiness; having so many doors open can lead to inaction for fear of making a less than optimal choice. As long as you keep taking action, you'll find optimism and luck accompany you throughout the month. In your love life: Experience is worth more than theory. Don't be so guarded that you inadvertently create issues to guard against.

The Equinox joins the Sun and Mercury in your sign. Along with the Jupiter-Pluto link, it suggests you have the chance to fulfil important needs in September. Despite the undoubted benefit of hosting your ruling planet, as long as you don't prioritise material security over emotional stability, Venus' exit could benefit your emotional adventures. The challenge is to overcome the temptation to seek success in the fickle and the fleeting. Focus on your deeper needs; you'll receive a deeper sense of satisfaction. In your love life: Don't decide the end of the world is nigh. The cosmos is on a mission to provide you with what you need.

The best salespeople know that success lies in encouraging customers by making suggestions rather than assertions. They have a knack for engaging people in conversations and employing the art of gentle persuasion. Venus' tense link to Mars this month brings intensity to your relationships and demands an easy way of communicating. If you push your point of view, people will be pushed away. Yet, by mastering the subtle way to guide people, you'll get the agreement you need. In your love life: Start making healthier choices. Balance your need for freedom and security; do something that is good for your heart.

You feel as if you're lacking something important. Is a financial situation making you feel insecure. Or a lack of time? Or support? Or understanding? It feels like a physical rather than an emotional need. This month, as your ruler links with Saturn, if you look for creative ways to stretch your resources to help others, you'll find that your own needs are met too. You're being more protected than you think. The cosmos is doing all that it can to enable you to move forward in a very productive way. In your love life: Hold your nerve. You have just got to finish what you have started. All will be fine as long as you don't falter.

As Mars slows to a stop in your sign, it's a clear indication that you need to pause. Take a moment. Of course, there are many things that you can't just stop doing and many thoughts that won't quite be quieted. That's OK. In reality, stopping means taking the time to take stock and not embark on anything new. Rather than making new commitments this week, try just to stick with what you've already begun. You'll soon be moving forward again. But a chance to reflect could influence the new direction you choose to take. In your love life: Are you guilty of taking too much for granted? Be more willing to recognise the exceptional and the special in your life.

Since our planet's governed by so-called educated folk, it's no wonder we're baffled by the mess it's in. We'd like to think that the people at the top know how to deal with difficult issues like poverty, famine and war. Yet that doesn't ever seem to happen. You've had an innovative idea, but are concerned that other people will disapprove. Yet, with Mars changing direction and a Grand Trine involving your ruling planets, something that seemed remote is possible. Follow your intuition and your vision can positively affect people's lives. In your love life: Don't let worry overwhelm you. Choose: are you going to be led by fear or faith? The rest will take care of itself.

Toss a coin? Rock-paper-scissors? Wait to see what happens? Roll a dice? You're usually pretty good at making decisions. Every once in a while, though, you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation when you're uncertain about what to do. Fortunately, this time it's not going to last for long. The Grand Trine that focusses on the Full Moon, in your sign, will guide you towards the right choice. By the end of this week, you'll have understood what's going on and know what you need to do. You'll be much happier too. In your love life: One man's meat is another man's poison, they say. Give them time and hopefully, that will change.

With your ruler Mars changing direction this week, get ready for the pace of your life to be turned up a few notches and the potential for success to increase. There will always be, of course, things that you want to change and situations that you wish you could alter. No one can escape the odd feeling of dissatisfaction and worry. The trick is to be able to put our reasons for concern on to the back burners and turn them down so that we hardly notice them. You can do that now! Then, you'll find practical ways to solve problems. In your love life: You can adapt to and cope with most things. But be careful not to give away too much power now.

We're all on the roller-coaster of life with its ups and downs, its highs and lows. Things are good for a while, then problems creep in. When we're zooming along at the top, we think we're going to stay there forever. And when we're feeling down well, you've had enough experience of difficulties to know how that feels. The good news is that there's no need to fear slipping anywhere this week. The Grand Trine, featuring Uranus in your sign, will help you find a stable new position from which life looks very promising. In your love life: You need to be kind entirely for reasons of self-protection! The nicer you can be, the happier you will feel.

You've been ducking and diving for a while now. You've been doing everything you can to avoid having to deal with an unwelcome situation which has developed despite your best efforts to keep things simple. Under the helpful influence of the Grand Trine, this week should bring clarity and calm. While you've been focusing on sorting things out, things have moved on. A drama has come to an end and an important decision has been agreed. If you can find the courage to face your fear, you can watch it disappear. In your love life: Is it a lie? Is it the truth? Either accept or reject something in your emotional life now. But do it wholeheartedly.

Are you known for your strength or your vulnerability? It's a hard question. We all fluctuate between the two. One minute, we're showing off our muscles, the next we're hiding under the duvet. This isn't just individual behaviour either nations follow the same pattern. The stronger they perceive themselves to be, the more fearful they are. As the retrograde movement of Mars (opposite your sign) comes to an end, and the Full Moon focuses the energy of the Grand Trine, you'll be emboldened. You can put your fears aside this week. In your love life: You have been unsure about the game you are playing. Soon you will make more sense of recent confusion.

As Mars, the planet of energy and ambition slows almost to a halt, you may find that you're lacking your usual enthusiasm. There's a real possibility that you'll find it difficult to focus on anything other than the tasks that need to be completed and the battles that need to be won. Will the week be a success? Well, under the influence of an auspicious Grand Trine involving your ruler, the Sun is energised by the Full Moon. So, as long as you persist, you'll accomplish all you set out to do. If you want to do well, just keep smiling. In your love life: If only answers really were blowin' in the wind. You face a dilemma now. Soon, an answer will blow its way to you.

This is one of those special weeks that don't happen very often, The Sun, which is in your sign, is forming part of an auspicious Grand Trine with Saturn and Uranus. That, all by itself, is enough reason to expect very pleasing progress. But, there's more to this cosmic story. The Full Moon adds its energy, as Mars prepares to turn direct in the part of the sky associated, for Virgos, with serendipity. There's no such thing as a guarantee of success. But there are a lot of blessings around you, and a lot of reasons to be thankful. In your love life: There will always be problems and doubts. There may be uncertainty too, but your doubts are making you wise now.

You're blessed with skills and talents which you're smart enough to recognise and develop. You are rightly, quietly proud of your abilities. You're also clever enough to know how to avoid situations where you might be out of your depth. It's the area in between these two extremes that's being highlighted by the Grand Trine this week. The challenge is to push beyond your idea of what you can and can't do. How do you know your limitations until you push the boundaries? You've created a border that you can move beyond. Go ahead! In your love life: Don't ever feel that you have to make sacrifices at least until you have tried all possible compromises.

It's easy to disagree about something. Anyone can do it! That's why arguments are so common. A little conflict here, and a little skirmish there can even be good: it can bring things out into the open, ease tension and force more open communication. Although we tend to think life would be easier if people disagreed less, the reality is that we'd miss the dramatic interludes. You've been dealing with more than your fair share of drama recently. Under the Grand Trine, and with Mars changing direction, a lot can be resolved. In your love life: Are you now in the luxurious position of being able to give your heart to something you believe in? You ought to be.

Watch carefully! There! Almost out of your field of vision, you can just about spot an almost imperceptible movement. With such a broad visual horizon, how then can you ever miss a trick? Yet, you find yourself in a position where your attention has been subtly pulled away by someone else, and your expectations have been affected by their influence. As the Grand Trine weaves its magic and Mars changes direction, they bring a cosmic gift which will ease the tension. It's the courage to change your mind about a recent decision. In your love life: If you want to hold a constructive conversation you need to put your own beliefs aside for a while.

Focusing our attention on something gives it greater precedence in our lives. This is all well and good when we're thinking positively, but what about when we're worried about something or someone? It becomes hard to let go of our fears. Mercury's change of direction brings a glimmer of hope in a situation that's been causing you concern. By stepping back, a different viewpoint will change how you respond and that will create a new dynamic. You can take a significant step towards a more relaxed and happier outlook. In your love life: Caught up in a situation? You are going to get much-needed help with a decision that has long been rather difficult.

Someone's going to share a piece of critical information with you that you can't keep to yourself. You're going to need to express what you know but you're worried about the steps this will involve. Suppose you hear something you don't want to hear? What if you say something you'll regret? What if you somehow manage to cause more confusion when you're trying to sort things out? As Mercury ends its retrograde phase, you might need to take a risk. But if you trust your luck, and yourself, your courage will pay off. In your love life: Someone is taking advantage of you. Someone else appears to be thwarting you, but they are doing you a big kindness.

Gradually, gently, subtly, tenderly but inevitably and irrefutably something is beginning to resolve. Things are calmer and starting to meld together into a cohesive and pleasing shape. Yes, this process is taking its time. But this is the kind of progress that can't happen in an instant. One thing has to happen before another thing can begin to change. This week, as your co-rulers Jupiter and Neptune harmoniously align, look for hopeful signs and you'll find them. The more open you are, the better your prospects will be. In your love life: Nobody lives a clean-lined, glossy-magazine world. Get real and set yourself an attainable goal in your emotional life.

It's never a good idea to speed when the visibility is poor. If you want to stay safe, it's better to slow down and make careful progress when you're making your way through foggy, misty conditions. Whilst Mercury was moving backwards, it provided you with the perfect opportunity to gain valuable perspective, but was not the time for urgently sorting out problems. Now that it's moving forward once again, you can think more clearly, and see the cleverest, most straightforward way to move to where you want to go. In your love life: An apology? You have a right to be who you are. Grant yourself the confidence to stay your ground.

Have you ever been told how wonderfully special you are, in a way that you've been completely able to believe? Have you ever been able to accept a compliment in a way that has enabled you to move forward in a more confident way? Have you ever felt appreciated just for being you, rather than for what you've achieved? As Jupiter and Neptune harmonise, just as Mercury changes direction, under the watchful gaze of supportive Venus, you can attract so much attention and affection that you'll have a lot to share too. In your love life: Your life is not lived in black and white. It's an intricate web of colour and it deserves deeper consideration.

We've all walked in on conversations and happily added our tuppence worth, only to realise that we've got the wrong end of the stick. As your ruler moved backwards, it brought a situation for you to re-examine and reassess. It's uncomfortable when you realise that you might have misjudged someone or something, but there's potential for healing to occur. With Mercury's change of direction this weekend, if you're courageous enough to admit to a misjudgment, you can move freely forward with renewed confidence. In your love life: Are we on Earth to pay for past transgressions? If you believe that you'll miss your chance to get a big result.

That's enough time spent imagining gloomy scenarios! This week, unnerving thoughts can be banished. It's time to think about all that you have that's positive in your life and all that you have that you can be grateful for. Like your intuition, your talents, your aptitudes and your creativity: which can be celebrated. Mercury's change of direction will enable you to see that you have what you need in order to be comfortable and happy. A sense of security comes from a growing faith that the choices you've made recently were right. In your love life: Are you playing an essential part in a complicated chain of events and circumstances? It's time to make it all simpler.

Walking through treacle is never easy. Neither is negotiating your way around unpredictable obstacles. Yet all the problems that you've ever had to deal with were blessings in disguise. Without them, how would you have been able to appreciate the ray of sunlight that's beaming into your life this week? There's no chance of you overlooking the opportunity that's on your horizon. Nor will you fail to take advantage of the gift it brings. Mercury's change of direction will boost your efforts and revitalise your spirit of adventure too. In your love life: Don't ignore your own better judgement. Do what you know to be right, not what someone else considers appropriate.

As your ruler Mercury changes direction and begins to make up lost ground, you rediscover territory you never thought you'd find yourself in again. As you find your feet in a familiar scenario, don't be fooled into thinking that it will work out the same this time. There have been some major changes. This time, you can approach challenges with a renewed faith in yourself and your ability to judge what suits you and what does not. Seeing this situation from a new angle brings inspiration, plus a sense of well-deserved empowerment. In your love life: Stop doubting yourself. If you question every development, you will lose the magic being showered upon you.

This weekend, Mercury, which has been appearing to move backwards, makes an encouraging link with Venus, comes to a standstill, and begins to appear to move forward once again, bringing you to a position from which you can finally start going in the direction you've long wanted to move in. You're no longer going to feel as if you're struggling to run up an escalator that's going down. You can begin to shake off a way of behaving that was based on a survival technique. Your defences can be lowered as you find an easier way to proceed. In your love life: Imagine if you had the gift of infallibility. There may soon come a point when it begins to seem as if that's the case.

Even people who find themselves living in paradise have their struggles. Although we like to think that we'll leave our anger, frustrations and worries at the airport, our emotions tend to follow us wherever we go. Pleasurable though swinging on a hammock, sipping your favourite cocktail sounds, it's no guarantee that your mood will reflect your surroundings. Much the same can be said of the harmonious link between Neptune and Jupiter. It won't guarantee good things, but it will definitely help rather than hinder. In your love life: Is there too much complexity? Make things simple. Don't let a small uncertainty create an enormous stumbling block.

Instead of jumping out of bed when the alarm goes off, you'd be better off hitting the snooze button, rolling over and going back to doze. As Neptune and Jupiter align harmoniously, this is the moment to dream. Take the time to explore fantasies of how your life can be this week, because there's a good chance that the wish you've been trying to push aside, and the hope you can't stop yourself from hoping, stand a chance of turning into something tangible. You just need to be certain that you know what you really want. In your love life: Your epic journey of emotional discovery begins a new phase. But you now need to become more sure of yourself.

Although the expression there's no smoke without fire' is usually accurate, smoke isn't always easy to identify. As vaping and e-cigarette smoking demonstrates, steam may be less harmful than smoke, but it certainly looks very like similar. This week, as Mars moves into your sign on its journey backwards through the sky, a situation may arise which has all the signs of being very problematic. But a look beneath the surface will indicate that it's part of a highly helpful process that can re-energise and re-motivate you. In your love life: You feel emotionally attracted to a possibility. It's not enough reason to think it is the wisest course of action.

When you've done all that you can to speed up a vital process yet nothing is happening, it's hard to be patient and wait for a new development. This week, you might have to wait but you don't need to develop patience! You can, if you want, be edgy and full of nervous energy. All you need to know is that whichever way you decide to tackle this situation, as retrograde Mars changes signs, your mood can't alter the speed of its progress. The success you want to achieve is tantalisingly within reach, just not quite how and when you want it. In your love life: You feel like a giant among dwarfs. True. But you have a duty to recognise your advantage and use it wisely.

When sports commentators talk about the importance of taking part, they don't say it about the winning team. Such generosity of understanding may be helpful in some situations, but you're determined to give this particular scenario everything you've got first. You have something you want to prove and a change you want to make. Even though the odds may not be on your side, if you're sure that you're pursuing your objectives for the right reasons, your chance of being successful is surprisingly high this week. In your love life: In a drama, you're inclined to diffuse the tension, and inclined to add to it! Be honest about what you really want.

The biggest battles and wars are remembered in the annals of history. Yet there's little space to acknowledge the smaller skirmishes that have been fought along the way even though they made a significant impact and enabled later bigger successes, there's simply not enough space to remember them all. In fact, it's sometimes those little moments that are worth more than the so-called big events of our lives. As Mars slips backwards this week, all you need to do is consolidate one small victory. That's enough. In your love life: You take a while to adjust to new realities. But when you finally do move on, you do so with grace. Is it time now?

Even though you feel as if you're facing a battle that you can't possibly win, there's some good news on your horizon. There's no way you're going to lose it either! The most likely outcome is a stalemate. Some sort of compromise is being called for so that, despite your concerns and efforts, things will work out right and fair. There will undoubtedly be some annoyance and frustration involved as you reach a truce. But nothing unacceptable. As long as you manage to stay calm and philosophical, your dream will stay intact. In your love life: Don't set out to solve problems that aren't really problems and don't need solving. You truly do have power now.

What's the point in carefully chiseling away at the rock face, when there are explosives to use? Well, it depends on the scope you have for error. There's a strong likelihood that you'll have more of an impact than you imagine this week. Once you've blown something out of the water, it won't sink again without a trace you'll create a wave of energy that can shift and change the dynamics of a key relationship. Or you can keep slowly chipping away at the block. Eventually you'll achieve the same result. The choice, is yours. In your love life: You suspect you should take a development very seriously. But you should just relax. Nothing needs to be forced.

We can always find a reason to have an argument. There's always something or someone who's easy to criticise. We can find a battle that needs fighting, a side that needs joining or a score that needs settling. Then, when we put energy into life's battles and challenges, it throws more of them our way. Even when a contentious issue arises, you don't have to respond in the usual way this week. As Mars reverses into your opposite sign, you can achieve more than you think and then stop, before you get too drawn in. In your love life: Satisfaction can be linked to finding the ability not to partake in something we fancy. Remember that, and go gently.

You know where you want to go and what you want to achieve. Your vision is crystal clear. You have a strong feeling that you know exactly what you need to do to be able to get what you want. This, though, may not be quite as helpful as it seems. Your aspiration is valid but as Mars reverses out of your opposite sign, just after the Solar Eclipse pushes you forward, you need to reassess the route you're taking and take life a little less seriously. Before you have time to register the change in direction, you'll be off on a better route. In your love life: Be careful with your words. Be sure you know how something has begun before you assume how it is going to end.

As Mars continues its backwards journey, it returns to the area of the sky associated with your ability to be creative. As your lateral thinking skills are highlighted you'll not only be able to see something that's unacceptable, you'll find a way to communicate your dissatisfaction with ease. It something's not right, you're right not to put up with it any longer. This being the last week of Mercury's retrograde motion, you'll soon be able to put your energy into a new project. Be on the look-out for inventive ideas, and you can weave magic this week. In your love life: Want to alter something superficial? Or fundamental? Before you attempt a miracle, be sure you need to go that far.

It seems that human beings are born with an innate sense of kindness, and a desire for justice and fairness. The old saying an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind' serves as a good reminder of what happens when we forget the importance of such behaviour. When someone does you a good turn, you instinctively want to return the favour: you understand the benefits of reciprocating generous actions and the danger of revenge. Keep positive and productive this week and the payback will be significant. In your love life: You would like confusion to be clarified. The best way to make that happen might be to alter your own expectation.

However well you use a language, there's room for misunderstanding. When it comes to physical communication methods such as Morse code, the potential for misunderstanding is even more complicated; the communicants need to be very focused so as not to create confusion. While Mercury remains retrograde, and as Mars changes signs as it continues to move backwards across the sky, there are communication challenges in the air. Don't let an easy assumption skew important progress this week. In your love life: Seeing no progress in a sensitive area? Perhaps it is not really needed. Before you step forward, try stepping back.

There's a saying about how a journey of a thousand miles begins by taking just a single step. But what if the step is in the wrong direction? Does the saying still ring true? Sometimes we need to gain an experience of what isn't right in order to know what is. This week, as Mars changes signs on its backwards journey, you may find yourself feeling unusually uncertain about a recent important decision. Since regrets are not your style, you can rethink things through, learn from any mistakes and instigate a positive change. In your love life: Life is offering you the chance to go further than usual. Don't be afraid of this. Observe the story with an open mind.

Some people go to great lengths to own the latest electronic gadget or designer product. They'll queue all night outside shops to get the most recent designs. In one way, they want to be at the cutting edge of change. Yet this kind of change holds little satisfaction for you. You're looking for a way to express outwardly what you're feeling inside. Things can be done very differently this week if you take the cosmic energy and run with it. Uranus will help you to ensure that you do all the right things, for all the right reasons. In your love life: If you want to cut yourself off from someone else's feelings, you can. But whether or not you should, is your decision.

Mars is slowly reversing back through Aquarius on its way to leaving your sign. Uranus, your ruler, is turning backwards too. Rather than this being a celestial signal that you're going to be sitting around waiting for something to happen, it's an indication that what's slowing you down is easy to fix. If anything's impeding your progress now, it's more than likely to be your impatience! You could be putting too much energy into accomplishing something that is happening of its own accord. Trust a little more and let things unfold. In your love life: Exciting discoveries are rarely made whilst pursuing obvious objectives. It can't do any harm to stretch yourself a little.

This week brings an opportunity to explore something that's of great importance to you. Whether it's a relationship or an opportunity, you can investigate it in detail. As Uranus begins its retrograde movement across the sky, it indicates that the more you know, the deeper your emotional commitment will be. Being aware of this might help you to find the objectivity to stand back rather than to care too much. Context is important. Don't focus too much on the details and lose sight of the bigger picture. It's very promising. In your love life: If we think too hard, there would be no romance, or adventure. Better sometimes to go too far than not far enough.

Life is composed of different rhythms and cycles that ebb and flow, recess and revive, slow down and speed up. Sometimes, despite our best intentions and plans, a process needs to be wound down before it can be cranked back up again. It happens both with world economies and within our own relationships. It's a natural process which is best handled if you accept it and go with the flow. So, as you sense that something in your life is coming to an end, instead of feeling regrets, just have a look at what's beginning. In your love life: We all worry about what others think of us. But don't let it be why you deprive yourself of an entitlement.

With so many different unresolved problems on your hands, wouldn't it be wise to prepare yourself to be disappointed this week? If you add a few of the world's current issues, plus the fact that Uranus is turning retrograde in your sign, surely that's enough to make anyone feel down on their luck? Should you set your expectations too low? No! Absolutely not! Although the silver lining is only just appearing, it is there, and the cosmic climate offers more than just a ray of hope. Be ready to welcome a quiet reason to be optimistic. In your love life: There is a tendency to assume that everything can happen magically. But a little common sense won't go amiss!

From the comfort of our sofas we love watching dramas unfold. But it's not just watching them being acted out on screen that we find so entertaining, we love being part of the action too. We play out roles and take on different characters throughout our lives. We act out parts with such gusto that we forget that we made a choice about the role we're playing. As Uranus turns retrograde this week, it encourages you to reassess an intense situation you're involved with. If you want to move on, the time to do so is here. In your love life: In the battle between head and heart we all need to find balance. That's what the cosmos is trying to help you to do.

It's easier to change the world than we're led to believe. There are so many ways to take action that I'm not sure where to begin. You could join a protest movement, try to open the minds of the close-minded, fight against the traditions that give power over others. Or, you could just choose to change the way you approach life and try to find a gentler, more accepting way of dealing with the events that come your way this week. Though it may not be right to forget an injustice, you can find a way to move ahead. In your love life: A challenge is sometimes needed. Be adventurous . Set yourself a goal you are not sure you can reach.

Is it possible to negotiate with destiny? We tend to think that our future is a done deal. That we're going to end up where we're supposed' to end up, regardless of what we do and how we live our lives. But, your future isn't written down on stone tablets somewhere in the ethers. It's more like a light sketch, made in pencil, which can easily be adjusted and altered. As Uranus prepares to change direction, you have the possibility to change the course of your life. This week brings an exciting opportunity to collaborate with faith. In your love life: Does our own view have more validity than someone else's? Recognise a sensitive situation before judging it.

There's something comforting about imagining an easier life in a different world. Actually, though, there is a different world available to you and it's much closer than the one you imagine. It's part of where you are right now just hidden from view. Think of it as if you own a car that isn't working as it should. It's tempting to trade it in for a new one, but instead, you simply take it to a mechanic for a tune-up. So, in your life now, rather than run from something that feels difficult, there's an easy way to fix it which will save you time and energy. In your love life: You don't need to solve the puzzle that surround you. Just relax, let events unfold. Patience will be rewarded.

Amazing things can happen when we allow ourselves to think creatively. Letting go of the familiar script of your life, and improvising, leads to innovative ways to solve problems, and unfamiliar solutions that can change lives. As Venus changes signs, just as Uranus begins its retrograde motion, don't underestimate the power you have to think on your feet and find answers to some of your most perplexing problems. Use your energy to inspire your actions and focus on what could be possible because you can reach for the stars. In your love life: Don't get bogged down in too much philosophical wondering. Your outlook is surprisingly good right now.

The planet of communication has joined your co-rulers Mars and Pluto in retrograde motion across the sky. Although you might think this suggests that the week ahead will have more than its fair share of communication problems, it's not quite that simple. Mercury isn't in your sign: so, although the art of clear communication will be a focal point, there is no need for any difficulties. The challenge lies more in your ability to listen attentively to what someone wants to share with you. The depth of understanding will be valuable to you both. In your love life: You are hearing a soft, yet strong, whisper of advice from within. Trust it. Your inner-voice is wiser than you know.

The beginning of Uranus' retrograde movement across the skies brings you the chance to do something you've been waiting to do. You have a skill that you've never really been given the opportunity to use to its full potential and this is your moment to begin using it. Rather than pushing away the feeling of edgy apprehension this transit brings, you can use it to fire yourself up and motivate you. If you're determined and confident in yourself, you can grab hold of a real chance to create positive change. It's been long overdue. In your love life: Sinking in an ocean of uncertainty? So why are you ignoring the luxury liner that is steaming to you with a lifebelt?

When large vehicles reverse they emit a bleeping noise to warn anyone who might be in their path. Can you hear that noise as Mars reverses into your sign? Perhaps this is where the analogy falls down! Mars is more of a speeding roadster than the heavy goods vehicle of the zodiac. This is nevertheless an uncomfortable manoeuvre for it to make and for you to experience. But it's part of ensuring that the road ahead is clear so that you can profit from your ruler's Grand Trine later in August, which will see you shifting through the gears. In your love life: You have grown unused to change. Gigantic gears are turning again. Just give them a little time to get up to speed.

Much of August's celestial activity occurs opposite your sign, including a partial Solar Eclipse and Mercury turning direct. So, it might be easy to think that breakthroughs happen to other folk rather than you. This is especially the case with Mars reversing through Aquarius. But it's not the whole picture. Mars leaves your sign before turning direct, while your ruling planets form a powerful Astrological kite' at the Full Moon. Not only will you understand the relevance of your current learning, you'll appreciate the strength it's giving you. In your love life: It's easy to feel all alone. But you are being well looked after now. You can expect to feel better protected soon.

When Romeo first saw Juliet, he wondered, Did my heart love till now?' There's always been a debate about love at first sight. Whether it's infatuation or physical attraction, we recognise that moment. Following the final trine between your rulers this month, the annual Full Moon in your sign forms a magnificent astrological kite'. It suggests that you should concentrate on what you can establish for certain. Lucky you! Because, when it comes to opportunities, the sooner you believe what's in front of your eyes, the better! In your love life: Pressured? Remember the part you have played in getting here. What is happening needs to happen. Be patient.

Mars will finally end its retrograde period towards the end of August. Although this may feel like something in the distant future right now, it's a development that will have far-reaching implications in your life, and all for the good! I am telling you this to encourage you because I suspect that retrograde Mars is causing you more than enough stress. So, rather than allowing the current pressures to impact you negatively, you can focus on the future. The road may not be free of bumps and dips, but you'll like where it's leading you. In your love life: Some things really are impossible. Others just seem impossible. There is a smart solution. You will find it.

Teenage years are always a struggle for teenagers and parents alike! That dizzying mix of hormones and battle for independence is a tricky journey to navigate. It's hard not to take it personally when things hot up. As August begins with Mars making a tense alignment to Uranus, try to keep as calm as possible. Context is key. You're being asked to revise your situation, not abandon hope. Both Mercury and Mars will turn direct again later this month and when they do, you'll be glad of the steadiness and strength you showed. In your love life: Partners need space to be by themselves. Getting the balance right is a challenge. You can rise to it.

Have you ever read the risks listed on a medical label or listened to the legalities at the end of an advert? Companies declare all sorts of remote possibilities to free themselves from potentially damaging consequences. What if life came with similar terms and conditions, listing all the potential problems that could arise whenever we make a choice? Nothing's ever guaranteed. Mercury's retrograde period is making you aware of the ways things could go wrong. As it turns direct, prepare for things to start going reassuringly right again. In your love life: Caught in a drama? You can shape it decisively. All you need is support. Despite your concern, this may be easier to get.

No one likes feeling unsupported. Whether it's a someone, a something or a situation that we can't depend on, it's disconcerting to feel that there's nothing to catch us if we fall. We hope we won't need to use it, but we like to have a safety net to feel secure. Perhaps we need the appearance of security more than we need security itself. As Mercury turns direct this month, with Mars also changing direction, you can start to regain a little assuredness in life. And with a Full Moon kite' arriving, you can find enough faith to make bold advances. In your love life: Don't think of luck in terms of a lottery win. Your outlook and luck are great but not necessarily how you may think.

The annual Golden Bull awards are handed out to the writers of the most incomprehensible gibberish written over the past year. The authors of these meaningless masterpieces are often lawyers and academics who think that using convoluted language gives them more authority. This month, with Mercury retrograde in your sign, and Mars retrograde opposite it, there are self-appointed experts telling you that the solution to a problem is fiendishly difficult. But as long as you do what feels right to you, you won't go wrong. In your love life: You would like to see the resolution of a recurring problem. Too much to ask? You may think so, but it is not.

In places where the weather is less than hospitable for many months of the year, a blue sky can seem miraculous. Of course there are also many places on our planet where a raincloud is a reason for great celebration. But whichever meteorological climate we inhabit, we all know what it's like to emerge triumphant on the other side of a dark or difficult period. Overcoming the odds makes victory taste sweet. Mercury's retrograde period will end in August, just before the Sun enters your sign. A fair wind is starting to blow. In your love life: Your ability to fix a recurring problem is greater than you realise. As long as you are watching out for trouble, you will win.

It's been so long since you've had a lucky break that you're half-convinced fortune is avoiding you. But it could be as simple as making a change in your approach to cause it to alter its course and head in your direction. Mars may be retrograde, but its change of direction is imminent. You might have a host of justifications for why something's not worth the effort... but you just need a good reason to hold on. And as your ruler Venus enters your sign later this month, you've definitely got more than one of those. In your love life: You are in a tight corner. It's time to come out fighting! Trust your ability to create change.

With Mars and Mercury retrograde, your mind is restless. You're fretting, yet no closer to finding an answer. The more you pick at the knot, the tighter and more complicated it seems to become. But, as Jupiter in your sign makes its final trine with Neptune this month, the unraveling of a complex scenario can begin. In truth, no matter how much time you spend thinking about this conundrum, you may never entirely solve it. But when Mercury and Mars turn direct, you'll be able to tie up the loose ends in a very satisfying way. In your love life: Be wary of statements, even quiet words, whispered in your ear. Listen to your own misgivings. Tread delicately.

Since you're in the process of nourishing a seed sown in the fertile soil of your mind, don't be tempted to discard your dreams because they have yet to deliver on their promises. Be willing to play the long game. The final trine between Jupiter and Neptune heralds the last stage of Jupiter's journey towards its homecoming in Sagittarius. Keep a picture in your heart of what you're questing for and follow the instinctive knowledge of your soul. Then you won't stray from the path you're following towards your true destiny. In your love life: Unsure what to make of a certain situation? This week brings you insight and the potential to enjoy much comfort.

If you fancy being uncompromisingly idealistic, you should probably start by thinking about how dizzy you can get away with being! A crazily wild action plan needs to be accompanied by at least a shot of practical realism (well, it does if you want it to stand a chance of enjoying it for a while). Yet a common sense attitude doesn't mean coming back down to earth with a bang. If you can see it more as necessary refueling, you'll find yourself the passenger in a rocket that can take off on a promising adventure. In your love life: You are hoping for too much in one way, too little in another. Whatever you fear, you need not be afraid. Whatever you think, think again.

When the Lunar Eclipse occurs in your sign, the rest of the world had better watch out! There's no messing with you right now. You know what you want to do and how you want to do it. What's more, you're feeling ambitious and you have targets lined up in your sights. Which is great news, because although this week won't go exactly as you'd like, progress is in the air. Just keep an eye out for any intense emotions. Since you're extra sensitive, the art of gentle persuasion will lead to success. In your love life: You have a tremendous asset. A big advantage for which you should feel grateful. Be glad of what is good in your emotional life now.

This week, you'll find yourself among admirers and friends who believe in you. So rather than doubting their discriminatory powers, try just enjoying the possibility that they're right to put their faith in you. Yes! You deserve the attention. The Eclipse, plus Venus opposite your ruler, suggests that the appreciation you're receiving has been a long time coming. Don't be tempted to divert the attention towards a source of aggravation or even a conflict. By focusing on a source of strength you'll find empowering support. In your love life: Forgive and forget' is an unfortunate pairing of words. You have lately learned a lesson. You would do well to remember it, but without rancour.

Although you're trying to ignore it, a delicate situation is preoccupying you. You've tried to push it under the carpet, but it just keeps popping back out and demanding your attention. Could there be a chance that there might be some sort of lesson for you to learn here? Just because you're under pressure to suppress the desire to follow a tempting proposal, doesn't mean that you should give up on it. Trust your instincts and take a good look at this issue. Then give it your best shot and really sort it out. Do what you want to do! In your love life: Sometimes, progress means doing an about-turn to get to the right road. Don't be too proud to embrace a wiser approach.

If we always knew what we were doing, life would be dull and predictable. Without impossible situations we'd never change. Doubts and confusion force us to use our creativity, insight and inventiveness. Well, they do until they reach a certain limit! After that, though, they start to sap our energy. But you're nowhere near feeling worn down by this situation. As long as you eventually make a decision about the direction you're heading, it's extremely healthy to wonder why you're going where you're going. In your love life: You don't feel like putting on a show. But if you fake what you can't feel for real, it will actually help you to believe it...

People say that what you don't know can't harm you. But how exactly do they know? Has anyone ever conducted a proper experiment, using a cross-section of society, keeping one group of people informed and another not? As Mercury turns retrograde this week, just ahead of an Eclipse in the part of the sky that represents higher understanding, you're on a quest to overturn an assumption that will lead to a long overdue breakthrough. The lack of information wasn't harmful, but being enlightened will help you immensely. In your love life: The cosmos showers you with bright blessings. You don't have to take your chances; but if you can find the courage...

Even the most impressive trees on our planet begin life as tiny seeds. It's astonishing to think about how one tiny individual seedling can ever mature into something so awesome and necessary for the survival of the world as a magnificent tree. The idea in your mind might only be little; but you have no idea of how big it can grow. Yet, you do have an instinct. The Lunar Eclipse is revealing a helpful secret, and the wisdom to help you nurture something that seems inconsequential and turn it into a tangible benefit. In your love life: Rules somehow eat up your energy now. There are some that you cannot live by any more. So break them. But the right way.

This week begins with the Sun entering your sign, and then brings a rare Lunar Eclipse conjunct Mars in your opposite sign. If you've ever been tempted to write a book about your life, these events could inspire a chapter or two. This is a fairytale situation, bringing a period of sleepiness followed by a revelation. It involves an important discovery which helps you understand a relationship from an altered perspective. It means revisiting something in your past and finding a crucial key. Be ready for some fascinating fun! In your love life: You've got a feeling about something. It is easy to argue yourself out of this. But hunches deserve respect.

Since Mercury rules Virgo, its presence in your sign is a cause for celebration. The fact that it's turning retrograde helps to explain why you're being bombarded by blasts from the past. You're reflecting and reviewing and making significant discoveries which will enable you to reappraise a recent decision. That's why certain projects have been delayed. Rather than allowing a sense of frustration to affect your critical faculties, you can use this phase to find a constructive new approach to a tired situation. In your love life: Don't let anyone put you off and dissipate your energy. Just one small speck of rain could distinguish what might become a glorious fire.

We might know that some of our problems are blessings in disguise, but it's not easy when you're living in the middle of one. Right now, everything you do to sort out a particular problem seems to make matters worse. So suppose, this week, you were to stop focusing all your energy on it? What would happen if you were to relax and trust someone else to look after things for a while? That would give you a chance to stand back and see a better way to proceed. If you slow down and breathe, a breakthrough becomes possible. In your love life: There isn't always a calm before a storm. A part of you can hardly wait for trouble to intensify. But you should not feel obliged to invite such a development.

How do you stop yourself from scratching an itch? You can ignore it. You can try focusing on something else. Or you can imagine that you've got another itch somewhere that needs attention. We all have to find ways to distract ourselves. Even though an intense cosmic climate seems to be recreating a repetition of a recent difficult situation, you don't have to go through the same old discussions. Make this an opportunity either to confirm a past decision, or confidently change your mind. Just make your choice with conviction. In your love life: The more you rise to the bait of a conflict the more impaled you will become on the hook of contention. So do not engage. Support is coming.

Have you noticed how some folk never stop talking yet don't say very much, while other folk are constantly busy, but don't get much done? It's easy to expend lots of energy without really making progress. As Mercury turns retrograde, even though you might have problems communicating with someone, rather than needing strength, you need clarity. Then, when you know what you need to say, you can change a complex undertaking into an effective way to make progress. You don't need to hurry or worry this week. In your love life: Sometimes, it really can be a mistake to play it all too safe. We need a little adventure in our lives. Dare to do things differently.

It would be easy, yet unwise to underestimate the effect that your influence and experience can have on your week. As your ruler links to Neptune, it brings you a choice. You can either picture your future glowing in the golden light of success, or you can dream up a nightmarish landscape of grey disappointment. The responsibility is yours. So, if you find yourself reacting negatively to a challenge, try looking calmly and coolly at whatever is pushing your buttons. Then you can channel any negative feelings into positive action. In your love life: Whilst carrying on as normal, you must make a little room in your life for the possibility of something significantly different.

The gift of happiness overrides financial concerns and social ambitions. When we're feeling joyful we count our blessings rather than focus on our lacks. It's during times of anxiety and insecurity that we tend to place blame on the scarcity of our resources. This week, as we move between eclipses, you can make a positive difference to your amount of wealth. Yet, as Saturn and Neptune link, any other sources of annoyance will need to be handled with a change of psychological attitude rather than with a physical approach. In your love life: Is your life something of a high wire act just now? However precarious it seems, just take one step at a time.

Since you're likely to receive some outrageous propositions this week, you might find yourself tempted to invest in the psychological equivalent of an amplifier and a set of good headphones. Who needs a head filled with other people's preposterous notions? Except, somewhere, disguised in a whimsical fancy, one of them could hold the solution to one of your life's most baffling problems. So, however tempted you may be to dismiss a seemingly ludicrous idea, don't dismiss any spontaneous opinions this week. In your love life: Somewhere in your storehouse of experience is the key to resolving the scenario you face. Think harder; worry less.

It's a simple fact that nature abhors a vacuum. When a gap appears, it will be filled. That doesn't always mean that the perfect solution finds its way to the pertinent problem. The real difficulty is that some people pretend everything's perfect when it's not. They'd rather make do with what they've got than risk shaking things up to make space for something different. If you've filled a temporary gap in your life, this is the week to let it go. The cosmic indication is that it can be filled with something much more promising. In your love life: Rules are less clear-cut than you might imagine. They'll bend a surprisingly long way. That may yet prove very helpful.

Just because you're feeling under pressure to solve a problem doesn't mean you can let your standards slip. The media might be constantly showing examples of instantaneous solutions, but such fixes are often superficial in their effect. It's worth taking the time to look at what you're trying to fix. Rather than having a problem, you're going through a process that's actually necessary and good for you. So don't make a compromise. Wait instead, this week, for good news that will reveal a better way to find peace and calm. In your love life: How precious is dialogue? If the communication is honest, the stimulation and satisfaction it brings is priceless.

There's a chance that in one aspect of your life, you'll experience such a degree of success that you won't know how to deal with it. That may not sound like a bad problem to have! Yet the feeling of being trapped is the same whether you created the prison yourself or not. As we move between eclipses, you're going through a period of creativity. You can make things happen. The key to success lies in knowing what you want to occur. Then, you'll be able to find an easy way to progress around any obstacles that appear this week. In your love life: You can project a seemingly impenetrable facade. But, inside, you are sensitive. Don't let your detractors know.

Saturn's link with Neptune provides the perfect climate for an imaginative exercise. So, would you mind pretending to be someone very different to you? It's as if a crazy scientist has transferred your mind and personality into the physical container that is your body. You're suddenly more conscious of your intuitive abilities and the life skills that you've gleaned from your past. You're seeing the world in a fresh, new way. If you keep looking at life with this perspective, you can change how someone important perceives you. In your love life: Are all moments created equal? Not for you; and not this week. It's going to be a good week' in the classic sense.

Your flight or fight reflex has been activated; you're ready for action. But the trouble, if it's coming at all, is a long way off. The good news is that there's a good chance that you'll have stepped out of its path before it gets to you. Trouble doesn't resemble a smart bomb'. It's not predestined to follow you and explode into your life. Following the Eclipse, you can make a decision that will keep a problem at bay. If you alter your approach to a frustrating relationship, you can let go of a tiring habit and take up something healthy and new. In your love life: You're being invited to go out of your way to help someone else. It is my duty to inform you that you are really under no obligation.

Ideas are a bit like seeds: if they're planted in fertile soil and watered and fed, they tend to take root and start to shoot. And, just as seedlings bear little resemblance to the plants they become once they're established, so our dreams and hopes often stop looking like the reality of our initial idea. As Neptune and Saturn link, you need to be alert both for overly romanticised dreaming, and unnecessary fears based on imaginings. Something lovely is waiting to be discovered. You just need to dig for it in an unexpected place. In your love life: In an effort to protect someone, you are holding back sensitive information? It's time to put your cards on the table.

Where's the mastermind plan that will explain the reason for so much unpredictability in your life? If only you could see the reasons behind all that's chaotic, you'd be more able to cope. Yet if there is such a thing as a grand cosmic strategy, it's doubtful that any of us would be able to understand its complexities. In this sensitive time between eclipses, you're feeling compelled to grasp the motivations behind a difficult scenario or relationship. Yet, intuitively you already know just how to deal with it. Trust your instincts this week. In your love life: A life without drama isn't much of a life at all. You have a chance to do something that could bring deep, lasting satisfaction.

The concept of infinity lies beyond our comprehension. Eternity also is too mind-blowing for us to understand. Yet both of these are realities and more real than the characteristics we take on, in order to fulfill our own expectations of who we are and what we should be doing. So what's the point of feeling sad about what you can never have, or regretful about what you've let slip through your fingers? This week brings an opportunity to investigate something you're skeptical about. Yet it has lots more to offer than you suspect. In your love life: A life without drama isn't much of a life at all. You have a chance to do something that could bring deep, lasting satisfaction.

You're feeling some financial pressures. It's as if you're being stretched too far and don't feel confident that you'll be able to return to the same shape and level of comfort that you previously held. You're not sure that you can access your normal resources or make the moves you want to make. Saturn's creative link to Neptune this week brings an invitation to find an intuitive approach to a problem. You can more than meet your current sense of need and make a change that will create a sustainable sense of certainty. In your love life: There is something you want, and no reason why you shouldn't get it, either. Give a plan a chance to unfold.

It's easy to snap a little twig. It's easy enough to snap two. But if you pick up a handful you'll have trouble. There's strength, as well as safety in numbers. The disadvantage of this ancient wisdom is that in order to be supported, you sometimes need to be closer than you'd like to a bunch of other twigs! Jupiter's change of direction, plus the Eclipse opposite your sign, suggest that your strong need to be independent may have to give way this week. You're surrounded by people who can help you. Rather than resent this, enjoy it! In your love life: The contribution that you are about to make is absolutely crucial. There is a problem that you alone can solve.

People always want to know if some zodiac signs are luckier than others. I honestly don't think so. There are, though, times when one sign's having a better run of it than the others. This week brings a Solar Eclipse and a Grand Trine, which features both your ruling planets. That makes a rather heady and delightful cosmic cocktail. You may not be able to have everything that you'd like, in just the way that you'd like it, but there are many areas of your life which can be improved by a series of very helpful changes. In your love life: Wherever some small success is attainable, that's where a much larger quantity will soon become available.

Some people seem to think that you're too compassionate for your own good. Your natural ability to empathise means that you hear about peoples' struggles as well as their triumphs. Despite the advice of those around you, if you were to harden your heart, your life would not improve. As Venus moves into your sign to form a Grand Trine, just before the Solar Eclipse, all you need to do is keep trusting in your sensitivity. You know the right thing to do and the right way to get there. What feels wrong will turn out to be just right. In your love life: The eclipse is the cosmos presenting you with exceptional circumstances. Something pleasing is coming.

How is life on the roller-coaster? How does the view of the Grand Canyon look when you're preparing to bungee jump into it? There's not much you can do to dissipate the sense of nervous energy you're experiencing. You're facing one of those moments that will take you into a new and exciting time of your life. There's not much you can do except stay optimistic and prepared for action. But that shouldn't be a problem. The Solar Eclipse suggests that whatever surprises the week brings, you're more than able to handle them. In your love life: Are your head and heart engaged in a tense opposition? Focus on what you know you need to change.

You're under the influence of a Grand Trine. And this week your ruler enters into yet another rare alignment, adding a new twist. Jupiter's change of direction, plus the Solar Eclipse will bring even greater intensity to the potential impact of the opportunity you're facing. There's a chance to see someone (or something) from a completely different perspective. Your insight is being heightened so that either a material situation, or a relationship can be greatly improved. You're being empowered to change what you want to change. In your love life: It is beginning to look as if you may just possibly have been wrong. Be patient. Don't rush into (or out of) anything.

No one knows the exact origin of the phrase, Cometh the hour, cometh the man (or woman)'. It could be from the Bible, or an ancient cricketer or even Winston Churchill. Whoever it was, a partial Solar Eclipse indicates that a special hour cometh into your life this week. All you need to know is that you are a match for any challenge. Nothing is so tricky or sticky that you can't find your own way to handle it. When the hour presents itself, just draw on your deep resources. The cosmic climate is in your favour. You can rely on the resolve it brings. In your love life: You will soon see who really is or isn't on your side. That will help in so many ways.

A Solar Eclipse takes place in your sign at the end of this week. Isn't that enough information for you? Oh, all right. You want the winning lottery numbers too do you? Actually though, the news you already have is more valuable than those! You're about to feel more powerful, energetic and determined than you've felt in a while. As long as you remain focused and calm even when life gets unusually exciting, you can take great steps along the path to success. You have all the tools you need to make this a pivotal time. In your love life: Refuse to be taken for granted, that way you will help yourself. The Eclipse brings emotional empowerment.

This week's partial Solar Eclipse will affect your position within a structure or an organisation. You're right to be feeling that you've been taken for granted, but the recognition you're starting to receive brings compensation. Actually, you like the fact that other people are relying on you. Although it's not easy to live up to unspoken expectations, you're doing a good job. So if you're unhappy about an arrangement, this is a good time to reveal your feelings. Venus' change of signs makes it easier to get what you want. In your love life: Are you fooling yourself? The coming Eclipse brings a valuable revelation to your heart.

One of the teachings of the great philosopher Lao Tzu tells us that, in our heart of hearts, we know who we are and what we want. Hundreds of years have passed since he shared his wisdom, yet his words remain as true as they ever were. As Venus moves into your sign this week they are particularly pertinent for you. The planet of love forms an empowering alignment with Saturn and Uranus just as the Sun is obscured by an Eclipse. Trust what's in your heart. You contain much more potential for magic than you think. In your love life: Are you driven to action? Sometimes, inaction is advisable; nothing may be the best thing to do.

You're going over something in your mind, thinking of all the could-have-beens' and the should-have-beens'. Yet focusing on life's near misses makes it harder to make decisions in the here and now. Although resting in resentment might bring a degree of comfort, it holds you back and stops you from accessing the skills you've learned as a result of all your experiences the good and the bad. Your ruler's Grand Trine, coinciding with the Solar Eclipse offer you a window of fresh perspective. You can move on from the past. In your love life: Accept a slight setback. Don't worry about winning' or losing'; just focus on doing and giving your best.

Nothing stays the same. Even the hardest stones on the planet erode over time. I'm reminded of this because you're coming to terms with a new set of circumstances that make you feel unsettled. With Jupiter retrograde in your sign, you've been feeling doubtful about a situation that used to make you feel secure. A Solar Eclipse, opposite your ruler seems to underline reasons to worry. Yet as Jupiter turns direct, you'll sense a shift in power. It means that you can turn whatever feels unsatisfactory into something satisfying. In your love life: Don't hide behind a mask of apparent helplessness. You feel unready for a new responsibility. But it is ready for you.

No, you haven't been idling your time away on frivolities. Neither have you been banging your head against a wall or teaching pigs to fly. You've just had all your time taken up by a difficult situation. You've done all that you can to hasten a process that is still going frustratingly slowly. No wonder you're feeling exhausted. Yet there's no reason to give up. This week, as your ruler finally turns direct and the cosmos brings a powerful Solar Eclipse, prepare yourself to see some positive progress. At last! In your love life: Tense and worried? Is it a roller-coaster ride? Dramatic downs will yet give way to exhilarating ups. Hold tight.

When you're doing a rigidly systematic job or tackling a question that emerges from a specific set of procedures, it's imperative to understand what you're doing or you won't succeed. Conversely, when it comes to imagination and emotions, a rigid set of beliefs is often all that's needed to close down inspiration. You won't always make the discoveries you expect to make but that doesn't mean they're not the ones you've been searching for! Keep an open mind and your quest will see success before the month is out. In your love life: If you can remain kindly disposed towards a source of antagonism, the more likely you are to bring forth an angel.

Will you be up or down? Successful or not? These aren't easy questions to answer this month. With retrograde Mars in your sign, and Venus in a Grand Trine with both your rulers, your situation is both delicate and commanding. Your emotions are being tossed about like a fishing boat on high seas. The ups and downs might even make you feel a little seasick. But it's better to be sensitive to turbulence than oblivious to all around you. This is a time of unusual magic and possibility. Eventually, unease will turn to joy and fascination. In your love life: You are not always good at recognising items that need not be on your agenda. You have your own fish to fry.

Have you ever been lost and started down one path, only to backtrack and take another then wonder if the first path was the right one all along? When you can't find your way, you can ask for directions, look for road signs or open up Google Maps. In other areas of life, though, the answer isn't always as easy to find. As your ruler Jupiter turns direct this month remember that second-guessing will get you nowhere fast. As Venus moves opposite your sign, just take one step forward. Then another. You'll be amazed where you end up. In your love life: Nothing broadens the mind and opens the heart like a willingness to learn. Prepare to make a wonderful discovery.

Recently I've had a writing room installed in my back garden. It's only a glorified wooden shed, but to make it homely the builder has put brick slips' panels of exposed brickwork on to the wooden walls. This reminded me to ask you how your crash helmet is holding up? There's an element, with Mars moving backwards across the sky, of you feeling as if you're bashing your head against a brick wall. With two Grand Trines to soften the impact, though, certain barriers won't be as impenetrable as they first appear to be this month. In your love life: Good fortune is blessing you now. Changes in your emotional life will soon make you even more sure of that.

When everything's up in the air, what's the use in searching for a method to the madness? Since we can't understand the chaotic nature of the universe, we settle for finding safe havens in the structures that govern our lives. As long as we control our own private corners of the world, we don't have to worry about the whirling craziness that lies just outside the door. But it's from out there that the magic happens. If you're not seeing any results from following the rules, this month, it's time to colour outside the lines. In your love life: You have been shown a lot about your true feelings and those of others. It's time to digest this. Don't worry.

Few religions or sects invoke their particular spirituality in silence. Even Quakers, famed for the quiet at their meetings, make allowances for invocations when moved by the spirit. There's something you want to believe in which won't become believable until you say it out loud. When you give it voice, you give it life. Then, when you communicate your idea you'll find that it begins to grow. The celestial movements this month insist that it's time to change the narrative of a certain problem in your life but you need to speak up and out. In your love life: You have exactly what you need now in order to help you get what you're going to need for a very long time to come.

Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate, said President Kennedy in his 1961 inaugural address. His words were certainly put to the test during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Although the stakes aren't as high, the partial Solar Eclipse in Cancer this month brings a chance to renegotiate the balance of power in your relationships. But it's also a moment to experiment with how you want your relationships to be. Find the freedom to let go of any fixed ideas and you'll receive far more than you bargained for. In your love life: One simple mistake can sometimes last a lifetime. Make sure you will never have cause to regret your legacy.

Venus leaves your sign in July, but it's the Sun's annual visit to your sign that will steal the limelight. The Sun will be at the centre of your attention but there are also magical eclipses to enjoy. The Solar Eclipse will help you take a fresh approach towards bringing an important dream into your reality. You'll make a discovery that will help you explore an emotional investment. But it's the Lunar Eclipse that brings about the change you seek. Be passionate, be confident and you'll be delightfully surprised by the end of the month. In your love life: We say we want harmony, but sometimes what is wrong is part of what will eventually make things right.

July is full of good news for Virgos. Venus enters your sign and forms a wonderful Grand Trine, while the Eclipses represent golden moments of opportunity. Although I can't promise an end to all your troubles, the planets suggest that there will be more intuitive understanding, heightened perception, greater self-worth and more love in your life. You have the necessary tools at your disposal. The cosmic alignments bring a gift which needs to be unwrapped and appreciated. Just remember that the Universe helps those who help themselves. In your love life: The fact that a key factor in your personal life is out of your control, is more of a blessing than you know.

Sometimes all we can see are the things we can't have, do or be. It feels as if we're facing unfulfilled hopes at every turn. But just because your situation is less than perfect doesn't mean that there aren't many reasons to believe that it can change for the better. Nurture the sparks of optimism. Feed fuel to the flame and it will grow, warm and sustain you. Before long you'll be amazed by the strength with which it burns. This month, you can make a discovery that brings welcome and visionary change to your world. In your love life: Time is money,' they say. They are wrong. Your time is too important to waste worrying about what is trivial.

Luck is a fickle friend. But far better a fickle friend than a steadfast enemy. At least with a fickle friend you can make up and be as thick as thieves for a while, whereas when someone's out to get you, there's little you can do to avoid conflict. Recently, you may have been cursing your luck more than thanking your lucky stars. But in July, Jupiter forms two Grand Trines before finally starting to move forward again in your sign. The wind has shifted, and so should the extent of your expectations. Try to take full advantage! In your love life: You are not sure whether you recognise a tune that is being played. Trust it and dance to it.

Have you ever wondered why alien spaceships that enter Earth's air space disappear so promptly? Could the extra-terrestrial community be trying to avoid us? Apparently so! According to intergalactic gossip, we're selfish and grouchy except for you, obviously! This month, your mood lightens, your optimism returns and there's reason to be cheerful as Jupiter turns direct amid a Grand Trine. You might not connect with extra-terrestrials, but your earthly connections will take your far enough to make an enormous difference. In your love life: Read between the lines. Don't overcomplicate a simple matter now... and don't underestimate your power.

The Full Moon in your sign this week is conjunct with your ruler. That's worth celebrating so, as a special treat, I'll let you drive my psychological time machine. We're going to break every rule in the Time Travellers' Handbook and go back to meet the old you. This will give you a chance to let yourself know all the things you have to look forward to. It might be risky, but seeing your face light up with hope, joy and thankfulness will make it worthwhile. This week, don't forget how far you've come and how much you've achieved. In your love life: Look beyond the obvious and pay more attention to actions than to explanations over the next few days.

It's as if there's a big red button in front of you with the words Last Resort' printed on it. The thing is, once you've pressed it, there's no going back. You'll no longer have the comfort of having it as an option. You can't unpress' it or undo it. That's why it also says: Break glass in event of an emergency'. Before making a dramatic decision, ask yourself what alternatives are available. As Mars turns retrograde in your sign, you don't need to rush any decisions. You'll make more progress with sensitivity and intelligence this week. In your love life: Welcome the challenges that will bring a tomorrow you have long waited for, and the chance to solve a knotty problem.

Where in your world is the pressure piling up so high that you're unable to apply your usual sensitivity? As Mars turns retrograde, it's not that you no longer have passion and energy for the vision you've been working towards. It's just that you seem to be spending more time fighting fires than fuelling the furnace of progress. But the Full Moon promises generous protection in the form of the people who support you, and who have your long-term interests at heart. Stay true to your word and you'll have all the help you need. In your love life: Feeling sad about something lost? Be glad you ever had it at all. Don't be so sure that you know what the future holds.

As an Aries, even though you're often scolded for impatience, you're canny enough to know that it has its benefits. You don't like dithering, and your willingness to throw yourself into situations often puts you leagues ahead of the pack. You get things done and you get them done fast. But you can struggle when a scenario needs time to breathe and develop. This week, as Mars turns retrograde, something can't be rushed. If you're able to reach out for help in restraining yourself, you'll create a partnership of lasting value. In your love life: A part of you is in a hurry, but something is holding you back. Might it be better if you do not attain your goal?

The other night, I wanted to make fettucine alfredo' for dinner. When I looked up a recipe, there were a bewildering number of variations that I needed to choose between before making an impromptu trip to the supermarket. All in all, the task of cooking dinner took longer, and was much more involved than I'd imagined. Sometimes, things take longer to achieve than we'd like. Your progress isn't slow you're just catching up with your slightly unrealistic expectations. Right now, you're exactly where you need to be. In your love life: A change is coming your way. A key friendship or involvement is not ending... just evolving.

Who's the cleverest person in history? Albert Einstein? Or the late, great Stephen Hawking, whose ideas continue to shape our view of the universe? Whoever's worthy of the title, it's worth remembering that no one knows everything. There are great gaps in our knowledge and mysteries that might never be solved. Since you see the bigger picture, you may have already worked out that you need to think again about a recent decision. You're about to discover a missing fact. The brainpower involved will be well worth the effort. In your love life: It's wrong to think you are to remain in a precarious situation. Don't plan for trouble. Prepare for a sense of comfort.

The Moon will be Full opposite your sign and conjunct with Saturn this week, which is, no doubt, why you're feeling overwhelmed. You're tired from carrying a heavy psychological load. You're not sure that you can handle what's being asked of you or even what you're asking of yourself. But you can! Just keep on keeping on, and your perseverance will ensure you make progress. What you've achieved so far is no small feat. The challenges you've already overcome will prepare you to take what lies ahead in your stride. In your love life: Despite recent worrying signs and signals, you're not heading for problems. If anything can work out well, it will!

Most of us don't really know how to work our computers, smartphones or tablets. We just do the simple things. We've worked out what we need to do to achieve what we want. But if someone asked us why we do what we do, we'd be more than a little stumped. Now that you've found a pattern that works for you in your life, there's no need to start prodding and questioning it. Ignore those people trying to undermine your confidence this week. With luck on your side, you're about to achieve the result you've been looking for. In your love life: You seem reluctant to revisit a situation that once seemed set in stone. It can change if you want it to change.

Sometimes it's right to forge ahead with a plan; it's the brave and right thing to do. Yet, right now, your motivation to push forward is an attempt to extricate yourself from a pickle. How sure are you that your idea will work? As Mars turns retrograde this week, it's worth re-examining your plan. The pressure is cooling off, giving you time to consider your options and question your assumptions. Take the time you need to get this right. The Full Moon linking with Saturn suggests a clever, longer-term solution can be found. In your love life: Are you really trying to understand a situation? Events are obliging you to face a vital reality. Be glad of that.

When you realise how unevenly resources are distributed, the world looks like a very unfair place. Although we like to think that we're all born equal, it's patently untrue. Life is like a lottery, except that everybody's playing and the rules remain a mystery. Is it possible to level the field? Well, that's a question that's hard for anyone to resolve. But, you can find an answer to a different question. Whatever you think your life is lacking, you can find a simple way towards satisfying that need. You are, in many ways, very lucky. In your love life: Up against more than you can take? Or so you feel. Discover that things are nowhere near as bad as you imagine.

Rather than worrying about past mistakes, this week brings an opportunity to leave them where they belong. We've all done things we regret, but those actions are just a part of who we are. You've moved on. It's thanks to all that you've experienced that you are exactly who you need to be. This insight will bring crucial insight into your perception of who you are and who you can be. Then, as Mars turns retrograde this week, your dreams can be refashioned into a stronger, more ambitious yet achievable form. In your love life: Feeling held back, as if attached to elastic? Stretch it or snap it. Which is it to be? You will soon find out. Don't worry.

It's impossible to be happy when you constantly apologise for yourself. If we spend time making amends for mistakes, we rarely get the opportunity to learn from them and move on. There's a part of you that's tempted, if not to wallow in regret, then to focus too much on what you owe, and to whom you're beholden. But acknowledging mistakes from the past doesn't necessitate being trapped or controlled by them. This week, as Mars turns retrograde, remember that your greatest responsibility is to your future happiness. In your love life: Keep things simple. Just address an immediate apparently minor issue that will help clear up a more crucial point.

The Solstice is just days away, a moment when your ability to express yourself is reborn and your natural persona operates unchecked by personal baggage. Whoops. I've got the wrong Solstice! It's not the one where the Sun enters your sign; it's pretty much as far from Capricorn as it can be. Should I change your prediction? Is the opposite true? Not at all! In order to fulfil the original idea, all you have to do is reach for it. You may simply need to engage a willing companion to help reflect your potential for positive change. In your love life: Trouble reading a subtle heavenly sign? Don't fear; it will be delivered in the most unsubtle and unambiguous way.

As the Solstice arrives it's encouraging you to focus your mighty intellect and skills into a project that means a great deal. Even if you feel as if you've hit a wall, and that your recent efforts have been in vain, what you want to achieve is possible. Mars remains direct in your sign a little longer, providing the energy to sustain your enthusiasm. And Venus' opposition with this fiery engine helps to soften any frustration you feel at having to tackle this again. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. But you can make valuable progress. In your love life: Do you wonder if, by avoiding an issue, you may be prolonging it? Fear not. Everything is starting to take care of itself.

This week, the Solstice brings enchantment into your life. Even though Neptune changes direction in your sign, there's an undercurrent of potential positive change. The Grand Trine involves both your ruling planets, indicating an important juncture in your life. Through a process of re-examination, you can expect to reach a very pleasing resolution on something you've been putting off too long. As you find the courage to talk about a difficult experience or relationship, you'll gain precious insight. Make the most of it! In your love life: Being constantly overwhelmed is something we must learn to enjoy. Remember, the journey is the destination.

I've been terribly busy recently: in fact I've still got a few errands to run. So, would it all right if we just skipped your forecast? I could really use the extra time. Since you're naturally kind and generous, you'll no doubt understand and graciously allow me to get away with this! But that's my point. This is a gentle reminder that, as we approach the Solstice, with Venus opposite your ruler, you risk giving something away that you need to hold on to. Bearing that in mind, it's also true that one good turn leads to another. In your love life: Those who belong to the sign of the ram are born with huge potential. Are you using yours. Could you right now?

Even the world's greatest athletes have 'off 'days. The most talented singers sometimes lose their voice and the best chefs have been known to whip up inedible dishes. External conditions, difficult moods and even changes in the weather can throw us off course. No-one can be at the top of their game all the time. This week, the energy of the Solstice and a Grand Trine remind you that just because something doesn't work out as you'd wished, doesn't mean that it won't work out for the best. Have faith in your dream. In your love life: Are better times always 'just around the corner'? Decide that you are going to feel okay, regardless of what happens.

Although the Sun is soon leaving your sign, your ruler is more than making up for any loss of celestial light. The Grand Trine is a sign of strength, understanding, achievement and prosperity. But a signpost is only useful if you heed it. Whatever you do, don't develop tunnel vision and focus entirely on the road you can see before you. To profit from the efforts your ruler makes as it links to Jupiter and Neptune, be open to changes of direction. Be skilful, be patient, but be brave too. There are adventures ahead. In your love life: You are starting to see the world differently. Your changed priorities will yet bring something little that means a lot.

They say the darkest hour comes just before dawn. It's a theory I'll be putting to the test this week when I set my alarm to silly o'clock and get up to greet the Solstice sunrise. But I hardly need tell you this you're already well on your way to a theoretical understanding of the maxim. You feel as if you're entering your own darkest hour; as if the vestiges of light guiding your path are fading. You're starting to doubt a recent choice. Be reassured that, whatever the weather, a flood of hope-filled sunshine is on its way. In your love life: You think that doing nothing' is not an option. But sometimes it is. Like now! Give the dust a chance to settle.

There's a difference between things coming naturally and them being easy. Many of the 'natural' processes we go through in life are difficult. Just ask the long-suffering lady who gave birth to me! She wouldn't, I hope, ever think that the result didn't justify the means, no matter how difficult it was. The Solstice comes with a Grand Trine, and Venus in your sign. That suggests a powerful, positive week ahead and a turning point in a key relationship. You may have to be strong and forgiving, but it will come naturally to you. In your love life: Here comes your chance to fulfil a desire and satisfy a need. Stay calm and prepare to solve a baffling mystery.

Walking a mile in another person's shoes is a familiar idea but it's difficult in practice. What's really the best way to see the world from another person's perspective and be able to understand what that they want, or what they fear? It comes down to being observant and really listening to them. That's how you decipher people's motivations and needs. And that's how you can best support them. Be aware of what's changing in your life this Solstice week. Could others also benefit from these events? You certainly will. In your love life: You might not think you have much, but you have what you need and you are about to use it rather brilliantly.

Don't work harder, work smarter. Too many people go through life throwing everything and anything at the world with little to show for their efforts. Rather than rushing headfirst into this Solstice week, you'll make greater advances if you carefully analyse what you need to achieve. As Venus and Mars align, your enthusiasm will only get you so far. It's time to think rationally as well as emotionally. If you recognise the root of your powerful feelings, and act accordingly, you'll be amazed by all you can accomplish. In your love life: You can't leave behind all you would like to consign to the past. But you can kiss goodbye to a fear you have outgrown.

I've received a letter for you from the cosmos. It reads: Please notify your Scorpio readers that this is an exceptional week. It's time to throw out the rulebook. None of the usual worries or constraints need apply. Here's a certificate exempting them from their normal anxieties and frustrations. Warm wishes, The Cosmos.' I've verified the certificate and I can confirm that it's authentic. So, to paraphrase, you can walk tall and be confident in the benevolence of the Universe! This Solstice week, nothing stands in your way. In your love life: Temptation is coming. The question is not, should you fall for it or resist it? It is: do you see what it could lead to?

Uncertainty is the enemy of progress. So, don't be tempted this week to waste valuable time and energy worrying if you've made the right decision. Not when you've made such a strong start. The path is opening up ahead and there are no major roadblocks in sight. As we enter the Solstice week, people all over the world are reaching major turning points in their lives. The most important thing you can do is to lay your hesitation to the side and embrace the myriad of possibilities you're now being presented with. In your love life: You tend to cling on to grievances. Now, though, there is good reason to let them go. Forget what you used to feel.