For the week of January 29th thru February 5th, be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

It’s time for an update and a reorientation. Allow yourself to reflect and remember dreams that you once held. Some may be valid for who you are now, but others may not. We outgrow our previous circumstances. We evolve. And as a result our dreams and aspirations also grow and evolve. Some may no longer hold your interest, but others may be calling you back into the fold. As Mercury is now poised to station retrograde in Aquarius, you may find yourself revisiting a previous aspiration, and trying it on for size. One of the interesting things that can happen when we return to these previously longed for aspirations after some time has passed, is that it becomes a whole new experience. This is because you are bringing so much more to the table: greater maturity, wisdom, and a certain level of sophistication that only comes with time. That goes for relationships as well. Mars is investing you with the courage and initiative to dive in, and follow through on these re-emerging dreams. 

Taurus

As Venus moves into Aquarius this week you will find the emphasis placed on your outer roles and reputation. We have many roles in our lives: our work, our vocation, an avocation, our roles as a parent, a partner, a child, a person of substance or character. One or several of these roles are coming into consideration, and perhaps deliberation, especially with Mercury stationing retrograde this week as well. Some of the things that you will be deliberating are whether or not you feel comfortable in these roles that you have taken on. Are they a true reflection of who you are, and what you want to stand for? Do these roles reflect your most cherished ideals? And are you truly living up to your own ideals and standards? During the 3 weeks that Mercury will be retrograde you will be reassessing how you are seen in the world. In some areas you will receive confirmation. In others you may be thinking about how you can improve these roles, and make them a closer and more authentic reflection of who you are now. 

Gemini

The freedom that is so necessary for those who have Gemini rising has been sorely tested lately. And as Mercury is now stationing retrograde and daring to return to what once was, you may find yourself longing for that next great adventure. It is not generally recommended to actually travel while Mercury is retrograde, if it can at all be helped. Having the trickster along for the ride can be an exercise in patience. However, it is hard to hold a Gemini down, and if you can’t physically roam your environs, you can still further explore and expand your mental horizons. And this can be an excellent time to do so. Explore those things that you’ve been wanting to learn more about, but haven’t had the time to get to. Take that tarot workshop, peruse that book by Krishnamurti, take that class on computer literacy, learn how to knit. Learn about that thing you’ve been wanting to get to. Something that tweaks your mind. 

Cancer

You may find yourself becoming impatient over the week if you feel that you have not been able to accomplish all the things that you set out to do. This sense of urgency is in direct conflict with the now stationing Mercury which is telling us all to slow down, and perhaps even shift direction. However you can also use the energy from last week’s Full Moon in a very positive and proactive way. Use that vital energy to tie up loose ends, take care of business, do some cleaning and clearing, both in your environment, as well as within. Use the next few weeks to do an inventory: sort through the drawers, the closets of your life, recycle, re-use, and exchange. But also take some time to do an inner inventory. What are those things, those feelings, those regrets, that you are still holding on to, but are no longer serving the person you are now, and the person that you are aiming to become? Doing all of this clearing is important, for it then makes space for even better things to come into your life and take root. 

Leo

Many will be feeling a certain amount of impatience and restlessness as we move into the Mercury retrograde phase, and Leo will not be an exception. You are going into this phase invested with a sense of hope for the future. And if things don’t entirely live up to your expectations that’s actually okay. Mercury retrograde periods are there for us to sort out the bugs, figure out what is not working so well, and fix it. That can be totally mundane, and simply mean getting the fuel pump fixed. But it can also be applied to your relationships with others, and fulfilling expectations. There is something large looming in the perimeters of your vision, which requires a certain amount of sorting out. Bringing whatever that thing is, that vision or hope for the future, into some sort of meaningful clarity, will be your job over the next several weeks while Mercury is retrograde. And some of that may require some reflection, and reminiscing. In some way your past is daring to re-inspire your future. 

Virgo

You may not entirely know how things are going to end up when the dust finally settles, but you will end up somewhere. And although it may feel at times like you are in a state of limbo, and that you are stuck in this place where you need to still wait and see, that realm of uncertainty is not going to last forever. In the mean time, take advantage of the upcoming Mercury retrograde to sort out the disparate parts of your life. This particular retrograde period lends itself well for organizing, and reorganizing your work, your work space, and your life. This can be like Virgo heaven for some of you. But there is another thing that the next 3 weeks can be useful for. We all tend to be creatures of habit. We do things the same way each day, and walk down the same street, eat the same thing, listen to the same news station. But it has been found that when you are willing to shake up your usual routines, even in small ways, it allows you to see things that you hadn’t noticed before, and opens up all sorts of creative pathways and solutions. 

Libra

Many a Libra has been exploring what it means to reclaim their joy. This can take on an even more meaningful tone now that Venus is entering Aquarius this week. And all the more so, as Mercury is poised to station retrograde. It may be that you are thinking about taking something that you once thought a dalliance, much more seriously. But in order to reclaim your joy, you first have to rediscover what that is. What are the activities, who are the people that spark joy in your life? Take some time over the next several weeks to allow yourself to connect with your own inner muse. To be inspired. Taking time out to absorb, and to process, is half the journey. It’s almost like needing to step out of your own way, worry less about producing, and learning how to play again. This includes finding ways to make what you do more enjoyable, more spontaneous, more personable. But it begins by spending more time, doing what you love, and/or with the ones you love. 

Scorpio

Mercury is poised to station retrograde next week. And as is the case with all Mercury retrograde phases, you could find yourself drawn to and reflecting about the past. This can include actually reconnecting with family members, reminiscing, and thinking about how invested you are in these early childhood relationships and memories. That can also mean revisiting some old family traditions, digging out the old family recipes, foods and cultural traditions that bring a sense of comfort in their own inimitable way. It can also mean looking around you and reevaluating how your current home and environment is a reflection of who you are now, as well as where you came from. It is not unusual to get the urge to redecorate, move furniture around, or make adjustments over the next few weeks. For some inexplicable reason people often decide to move during these 4th House sign retrogrades. If that is the case, make sure that all of your plans are neatly ironed out before proceeding, and be flexible in the event of delays or unforeseen changes in those neatly ironed plans. Then once is all said and done, revel in the new-found perspective these changes can bring. 

Sagittarius

Generally speaking you are heading into the Mercury retrograde period with optimism and good cheer. A big vision is emerging, and you are ready to embark on your next big adventure. Just make sure that you are dotting all your i’s and crossing all your t’s. Mercury is retrograde after all, and it will be easy in your excitement to miss important details. Make sure that you are hearing the whole story, and that nothing is being left out. It may be difficult to get paperwork done: having to refile forms, re-write, re-negotiate, re-schedule and then having to wait when things are inexplicably delayed. It’s an exercise in patience. Dealing with incessant chatter and communications may be unavoidable, but do try to take some time out of your life to turn down the noise so that you can focus within. This will bring you greater clarity in the end, and allow you to connect with that big vision in a more rational and objective manner. Once everything is sorted out, then the real planning can begin. 

Capricorn

As Venus enters Aquarius and Mercury is poised to station retrograde this week, you could likely find subjects concerning money and values coming up in different ways. Are you satisfied with the way that you are currently making money? Do you think that you are being paid enough, or are valued for the services that you have to offer? Is it commensurate with the amount of time and resources that you are investing? It can also be during these times that you seriously re-consider your priorities, and whether or not you are paying enough attention to those things that are truly valuable to you. Ask yourself, how you can make what you do sustainable and profitable, and still keep your priorities in order. And if you were to invest your valuable time, money, talent and energy, what would you want to spend it on? It is time for you to consider those things that are truly valuable to you, and seeing how you can make these foremost. 

Aquarius

As Venus moves into your sign this week, that brings a total of 5 planets traveling in the sign of Aquarius. And if that is not all, Mercury will station this weekend in Aquarius, remaining here until the middle of March. As Mercury aims to shift the perspective, it can also allow you to reflect on yourself, and your life, and what you might want to work on going forward. Through reflection, introspection, and exploration, you can achieve a deeper understanding of who you are now, and where you have come from. You are reacquainting yourself with yourself. Getting to know yourself a little better. While Mercury is retrograde it may be difficult to verbally express yourself to others, to admit, to disclose. It’s not necessarily for the consumption of others. You may find it easier to write things out in a journal in order to be able to sort things out. Doing this important internal work is essential in helping you to make critical choices and decisions going forward, and finding your place in the scheme of things. 

Pisces

As we sit here poised in uncertainty, and not quite knowing (or trusting) what the future will bring, use the upcoming Mercury retrograde phase to take some time out to reconnect with yourself. In a way, this is a process of re-finding yourself. In some way you have been freed up to do this inner exploration, but in order to make the most of it, you will need some silence and retreat. Create a place of sanctuary where you can reflect, process and assimilate all that has been occurring in your own life, and in the world. You may see incidents reemerging from the past. Secrets may be revealed. But more importantly is this inner connection that you are making with yourself on some deep and meaningful level. Doing this work is important. For it is nothing less than realigning yourself with your own inner gps system: your conscience, your intuition, your inner guides, your inner knowing; and making sure that you are on the right course after all. Your mind and your heart will thank you.