For the week of February 14th thru the 21st be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

Two transits for Aries to watch this coming week, are Mars entering Capricorn and Mercury stationing retrograde. Chiron has been traveling the early degrees of Aries this past year, and as Mars enters Capricorn the first thing it does is form a square to Chiron. Chiron has been churning up a lot of gumption in these early degrees. It doesn’t take much to get Aries going, but Chiron has your number now, and he’s relentless. He knows courage and gumption when he sees it. And knows that you really don’t care. Now Mars is here to stir up the pot just a little bit more. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself speaking your mind. Just realize that in this weather you are unlikely to be changing hearts and minds. Mercury is stationing retrograde in Pisces of all signs, and anything we are saying is only falling on deaf ears. We’re all introspecting. There are times to speak, and then there are times for silence. And this retrograde period is about doing your own inner work: connecting with your soul’s yearnings; your subconscious needs. Taking time to do this inner work, will ultimately, bring you greater clarity and affirmation. And that will be the most powerful weapon in your Aries arsenal that you will ever need. 

Taurus

As Mars enters Capricorn, and then the Sun enters Pisces this week, they are both going to aspect Uranus in the early degrees of Taurus. Those of you born in these early degrees will feel this most strongly: bringing a sense of adventure, and a greater willingness to step off the beaten path and try something new. It is also about looking at things: ideas, beliefs, issues, from another perspective. This may seem to be contraindicated by Mercury stationing retrograde this week, but Mercury will be coming back to sextile Uranus as well as we approach the New Moon on the 23rd. And when we break from our usual routines and do something or go somewhere different, it allows us to see things in a different light. Combine that with the dreamy reflective quality of Mercury and you have a recipe for creative visualization and inspiration. Dare to connect with your dreams, your aspirations, your imagination as we enter this retrograde phase. Sing, dance, imagine and visualize. There’s no telling where this all will take you. 

Gemini

If you are finding that your anxiety levels are increasing, or that you are more affected by things than you usually are… stop and breathe. Mercury is poised for its retrograde station. Gemini (and Mercury) have domain over the breath. So although anxiety can rise during these retrograde periods, they are also really good for stress reduction! Especially things like meditation, and paying attention to the breath. Therefore if and when you feel tense or out of ease remember to take some deep calming breaths. They work wonders. Often by merely changing the way we breathe can affect our whole mental and emotional alignment. This retrograde period will also be a good time to reflect on and reassess your current goals. You may want to step back in order to retreat from the limelight for a bit, and get a more objective vantage point. It may also be a time to make more time for other things besides work. These retrograde periods are great for taking time to wonder, and imagine. Therefore, see if you can pause now and then, and ask yourself: What would invest your life and your current goals with greater meaning? 

Cancer

Two transits for Cancer to watch this week are Mars entering Capricorn on the 16th and Mercury stationing retrograde. Those Cancers born in the first few degrees of the sign will notice the ingress of Mars, which can almost feel adversarial when it first enters the opposite sign of Capricorn. Just realize that in this world of polarized emotions and viewpoints, that it will be all you can do to try and find common ground and heal the divide. Things can only get worse what with Mercury stationing retrograde this week. If you find that your ideas and viewpoints are being challenged, see these as an opportunity to be clear about how you feel about certain beliefs and issues. You will often find that during these Mercury retro periods we can fall down a rabbit hole looking up all sorts of useless information we will never need. However, you can also use that inclination to look up useful information: become informed; make sure you are clear on a particular subject; review, re-take an exam, make sure you have all the information you need. This confirmation will be all the support you want going forward. 

Leo

Two transits for Leo to watch this week are the Sun (your ruling orb) entering Pisces, and Mercury stationing retrograde. For Leo, this Pisces surge puts extra emphasis on things like getting your taxes sorted out; making sure insurance issues are taken care of; finally tackling a habit once and for all; or focusing on your inner emotional and psychological well-being. Mercury retro in Pisces can bring things back that were once lost. Things that once were hidden may now be disclosed. Not necessarily a good time to borrow money; but money owed you in the past could finally come in. What Pisces weather is really good for is finding deeper meaning and purpose in your life and what you do. This is an introspective period, that is also fertile ground for creative inspiration and expression. Seek meaning, seek purpose, both outwardly and inwardly, in order to lead a more soulful and enriching life. 

Virgo

The two transits for Virgo to watch this week are the Solar Ingress into Pisces, and Mercury’s station retrograde, also in Pisces. One of the difficulties with Mercury retrograde, which will be confounded in Pisces, is that it can feel as if you are either speaking at cross purposes, or that it’s almost as if you are speaking another language. At these times it’s the nuances that seem to matter most: the gestures; the feelings; and even the silences. Without trying to read too much into what people are or are not trying to say, you are being asked to just be. There will be those times over the next several weeks when you will need to make sure that you are being understood. In that case make sure that the lines of communication are as clear as you think they are. Messages, words, the means of communication can get lost at these times. However it can also be a time to address an issue that has been bothering you for some time: get that cell phone issue sorted out; check the trash folder in your email. What this time is excellent for: taking some time out of your busy life to allow yourself to become enchanted. 

Libra

Especially for those early degree Libra’s, paying attention to your own health and well-being is something of a priority these days and deserves your attention. It has been all year, even to the point of needing to reprioritize your life and your focus. One thing to reconsider, especially now with the Sun entering Pisces, and Mercury stationing retrograde; is to think about those things that you do as part of your daily routine in order to support your health and well-being. But perhaps the most important thing you can do is to take time out each day to wonder. You need to make space for silence, quiet reverie and dreaming. This can be accomplished with a daily meditation practice; or a morning divination; or reading (or listening to) a really good book; taking a stroll in the park; or a yoga class. Make it a part of your daily practice. This is as important for you (especially now) as having a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep. Paradoxically this will actually make you more productive and efficient in your work and daily activities. So get dreaming this week!

Scorpio

Two things for Scorpio to pay attention to this week, is Mars entering Capricorn and Mercury’s station retrograde on the 16th. There are already a number of planets in Capricorn, and Mars (your ruling planet) also entering this sign, creates some ballast for the Mercury retrograde. It will both ground you and force you to be focused in a way that can be very productive if you use it well. Sometimes things can be confusing or misleading when Mercury is retrograde. All that practical and grounded Capricorn will allow you to see the importance of getting all the facts first, even if it takes extra time, before jumping to conclusions. One of the positive effects of this retrograde period is the creative inspiration and insight that it can bring. Whereas Pisces can instill an ideal vision of something that you wish to strive for; Capricorn shows you the practical ways of making that dream a closer reality. It also gives you the understanding that all good things take time and patience; and that the right timing can make all the difference. 

Sagittarius

Among the many things happening this week, perhaps the most important for Sagittarius is the Jupiter/Neptune sextile which will be exact on the 20th. This is the first of three this year, and this first sextile could help to set the tone for the year. Or at the very least, it begins to plant some compelling seeds. Life is flowing in a certain direction that will ultimately allow you to lead a more fulfilling life and lifestyle. If you but let it. One thing that becomes more evident is what are the priorities in your life; what are the things that make your life meaningful; and how you can make more room for these. This could be something creative, something that you consider spiritual; or something that just touches your soul in some way. The other thing to take into consideration is how you can make a certain goal that you had been wanting to fulfill affordable, or sustainable. How can you actually make it happen? Use the Mercury retrograde period to reflect on the past, and reconnect with those who have supported you, and believed in you even when you doubted yourself. 

Capricorn

Mars enters Capricorn this week, joining forces with all the other planets currently congregating in your sign. Mars usually brings a surge of energy and the motivation to do something. You’ve been waiting patiently behind the scenes, and now you are ready for action. This may seem counter-intuitive to Mercury’s retrograde station this week, but when Mars says go, you get going. However, in deference to Mercury being retrograde over the next 3 weeks, do take time out of your busy schedule each day in order to assimilate, absorb, and make sense of all that has transpired, and where you want to be going. Mars is bringing you the energy. What you need to do is make sure your inner gps system has you safely on track. Allowing the busyness of your mind to settle, if only for a brief period each day, is necessary in order to gain greater clarity. Don’t let the outer distractions dissuade you: emails will be missed; phones will have glitches; there could be delays while commuting. Take these all in stride. For you have a vision for the future that is gradually coming together, and your mission this year is to make that vision a closer reality. 

Aquarius

Patience and a willingness to hold back are key for the next few weeks. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot going on behind the scenes. You are in a preparatory phase: running reconnaissance missions, gathering data, checking things out before you make any commitments. This is a wise thing to do considering that Mercury is retrograde any way until March 10th. And you will want to make sure that you are fully informed before making any commitments. What Mercury retrograde in Pisces can be good for, are things like reassessing your current financial situation. Sometimes when Mercury is retrograde like this you could receive money owed you. But it is not necessarily a good time to make any large purchases or financial commitments. Not until you have done your due diligence first. Mercury can be deceptively tricky, and often what seems like a really good idea while Mercury is retrograde will have its problems revealed later on. So do your reconnaissance missions, do gather the data, you can even fantasize, provided you keep your feet firmly and patiently planted on the ground. 

Pisces

The Sun is returning to your sign, even as Mercury is appearing to station there as well. This is important and timely, but perhaps the most important transit to watch this week is the Jupiter/Neptune sextile which is exact on the 20th. This is the first of 3 sextiles this year between your two ruling planets. When these two work harmoniously together you are being called to fulfill some sort of vision. And even if you don’t quite know what that vision is yet, Jupiter/Neptune aim to plant seeds of potential with this first sextile. Use the Mercury retrograde phase over the next few weeks to wonder, and ask yourself: What would a more fulfilling life and lifestyle look like for me? And perhaps, What would be the best path for me to get there? Wonder, imagine and visualize. And then write it all down. Often when Mercury is retrograde as it will be until March 10th, it is easier to put down on paper what is trying to gather and ripen in our minds; than it would be to say it out loud.