Weekly Astroguide

We tend to equate security with financial success. We think that the more we earn, the more secure we'll feel. Yet the things we possess often distract us from the joyful aspects of our existence. Like open skies and morning dew it's easy to overlook the beauty we're surrounded by as we rush to fulfil our practical needs. Wealth is often held to be a bastion of achievement, yet it's unappreciated by people who've managed to achieve it. Don't lose your sense of perspective as material gains now manifest in your life. In your love life: You are looking at a situation that seems fixed. There's more room than you may think for change and invention.

Sometimes an adventure needs to be carefully planned. Other times, we don't even notice that we've embarked on one until we're in its clutches. A meaningful quest, filled with colourful characters is the stuff of a good story and it's beginning to look as if your current path is becoming one of those. As Mars leaves your sign, you don't need to know all the details of your future in advance. You have enough evidence and support to be able to trust that this new adventure is taking you towards an inspired vision of your future. In your love life: You may not feel you have the experience to resolve a problem. But you do. And you are the one who can.

We're all entitled to be able to hope and plan for a better future. Holding a vision of how we'd like things to be can be empowering we can even dream things into being. Yet, finding comfort in our imaginings is dangers too. It can numb us to our reality, so that we stay stuck in situations we'd be better off leaving behind. As Mars moves into your sign, it empowers you to concentrate on what's going on in your world today, rather than tomorrow. The week brings an opportunity your way. If you relax, you have much to gain. In your love life: Is someone spreading gloom? Don't waste time on them. You can look forward to a new (and rather wonderful) world.

Some folk find it hard to believe in the concept of natural justice. Why they ask, if it exists, do we need a legal system? Surely wrongdoers would be punished with bad things, whilst the innocent would thrive? Of course, that's not how it works. It often seems that selfish people do well and good people suffer. Yet nature follows a rhyme and rhythm which weaves through all of us and all our lives. As your ruler changes signs, if you put your trust in the cosmos, it will bring a way to soothe and calm a drama in a most natural way. In your love life: Don't assume that an obvious' superficial explanation is the right one. Think more deeply; ask more questions.

What's the point in taking a shower when you're going to immediately start getting dirty again? Why bother getting up, when you know you'll be back in bed at the end of the day? Life is cyclical. Certain things need to be done time and time again. Our relationships follow a similar pattern. We can't expect to express our feelings once, and never again reiterate them. As your ruler changes direction, it encourages you to share your feelings to someone important. Some things are worth repeating as you're about to discover. In your love life: Time for a change? Friends and loved ones may also be ready to move on. Don't assume that things will never improve.

How much of what's in your heart do you want to share? Are you being pressured to reveal details? You're balancing between giving too much away (by disclosing information you'd rather not reveal) or misleading someone (by holding some information back). How are you going to both maintain your integrity and enable others to move on? As Jupiter settles opposite your sign, as long as you're honest to yourself, and think before you speak, you can manoevure with true diplomacy towards a welcome, workable outcome. In your love life: Confused? Are you getting contradictory answers to your questions? Just pick the answer you like best and trust it.

We all know that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Yet, if a good quality lawn is all you're after, you can achieve it with judicious weed control and good mowing skills. Some folk seem to think that the state of their lawn reflects the state of their lives. If it's perfect, then so are they. Yet we also all know that appearances are deceiving. As Venus changes direction, it brings the chance for you to enjoy being on the side of the fence that will make you most happy. You just need to decide which one that is. In your love life: I've said it before, but today really is 'the first day of the rest of your life'; a time for a brave decision and bold action.

Very frustratingly, there are times when things just can't happen when they should. There never seems to be a rational reason for this apparent failure. It usually happens because events conspire in such a way that certain processes run out of energy. It's not always easy to shrug our shoulders and try to think of another way to enable a plan towards success. But feeling resentful when an obstacle appears is not only unhelpful, it's unhopeful. This week, you can decide either to bow out with grace, or redouble your commitment. In your love life: Let your mind drift. See what pops into it. You will get a helpful hint, an inspired insight, from the cosmos. Trust it.

Just because your plan is bound to be met with resistance, doesn't mean that you should give up or back down. As Venus turns direct, and Mars changes signs, it's time to explore your imagination. Rather than picturing the worst-case scenario to this situation, allow yourself to daydream and visualise how things could turn out if they went really well. Give yourself permission to be inspired. Then you'll find the faith to carry you onwards. It's not going to be easy but there's a chance to make permanent progress. In your love life: You can only be a loser if you are a competitor. Don't compete; be yourself. Then you will find out what winning is.

Why is it that some people are good at getting other people to do all their dirty work? Such folk are never beleaguered by bothersome feelings of guilt. So, are we weaker than them, if we feel obligated to take responsibility for everyone and everything? Before you decide where this analysis places you, you're doing what you're doing not because you're feeling obliged, but because you're determined. As your ruler changes direction, it underlines your inner strength. Don't worry about what's not yours to handle this week. In your love life: You're out on a limb, at the cutting edge. You've got to show the way. Trust the invisible script written in your heart.

This week, as Mars changes signs, it brings a cosmic call to slow down, which might feel counter-intuitive. Yet it brings the power to set something straight. A silly scenario can either continue to spiral into foolishness and chaos, or you can bring a matter to a halt and provide it with the energy to move in a healthier and more holistic direction. All you need to do, is give things a little more time, and trust that you know what to do for the best. Summon your generosity, your courage and your patience and the right thing will manifest. In your love life: Finding fault is addictive; it becomes difficult to see what there is to praise. Be generous. It will make a big difference.

Planet Earth seems to be populated with more than its fair share of bossy people. Wherever you turn, someone's got an idea about how you could improve your life, freshen up your relationships and manifest more money. Such folk don't hold back from demonstrating their disapproval of your decisions either. Yet, who knows more about your life than you? With your ruling planet settling into your sign, you're beginning to follow your instincts. Just because you can't back them up with facts doesn't mean they're wrong. In your love life: Discerning between a need' and a want' is crucial. Within reason, what you now most deeply desire, you can attain.

You may say that I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one' sang John Lennon. It's a line he might not have written if he'd been surrounded by Capricorns! Although your sign isn't known for its sentimental optimism, or wishful thinking, people often underestimate you. The part of John Lennon's chart representing his calling and aspirations, was in Capricorn. And if there's anyone who can make the impossible happen, it's you. In November, put some faith in what only you can only imagine. Dare to dream. In your love life: Don't decide you are in a bad position, just because you did not choose this. The cosmos has something to help you.

As retrograde Uranus changes signs again, something you thought you'd put behind you reappears. Is that a groan I hear? Actually, there's no need for frustration. Yes, you're going to having to re-work alterations, which you thought had taken care of, particularly in the light of some new information. But this is more than a continuation of a tired narrative. It's the final appearance of a familiar theme - just before the scene changes and the plot twists. As Mars finally leaves your sign, November brings the progress you've long desired. In your love life: Say what must be said, but say it sweetly. It can bring about the change that you seek. But only if you are delicate.

It's funny how advertising images stick. Even as the parent of a young child, I have never seen any kids playing with a drumming bunny. But if I compare you to one of those battery-promoting creatures, you probably realise I'm suggesting that your batteries are being re-energised in November. As Mars enters your sign, linking dynamically with Jupiter, and Neptune turns direct, you're more like a Tesla roadster than a childish toy. Just don't let any new-found speed and energy distract from this opportunity to succeed. In your love life: There are some problems you can't avoid, but there are others that you can and should side-step. Be alert. Be on guard.

Pencils come with erasers because none of us are perfect. As Uranus moves back into Aries in November, you may have to use the rubberised end of your pencil on a part of life's canvass that you thought you'd already completed. But with Mars and Jupiter's change of signs, you may just find that it's giving you the creative freedom to explore a better alternative to what's been put in place. It's often said that when it comes to artistic endeavours, there's no such thing as a mistake. In November, life imitates art in the best possible way. In your love life: You may be finding it hard to smile just now, but please be aware that rapid change for the better is possible.

Self-help gurus insist that our difficulties provide opportunities for growth. So I hope you've got access to a tape measure! Surely, with all you've been through recently, you're bound to have gained a couple of inches? Sometimes though, we experience the wrong kind of growth - when our high hopes for the future don't tally with the reality. In November, disruptive Uranus leaves your sign, giving you space to acclimatise. Meanwhile, your ruler begins to move forward again. Let the right kind of growth commence! In your love life: Be sensitive with close companions - but don't feel obliged to join in with a game that you don't want to play.

The song I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood' could be your theme tune in November. As Jupiter enters your opposite sign, issues between you and a significant other' are bound to grow larger, just as your ability to communicate is challenged by Mercury's turn backwards in the sky. But any turbulence will be a temporary part of a greater journey. The Full Moon, linked dynamically with Mars, suggests that as long as you do what feels right, you really can't go wrong. In your love life: Not everything can be resolved easily, but one big issue can be taken care of. Everything doesn't have to be difficult.

Your ruler, the Moon, is the quickest light travelling across the zodiac. Astrologers don't usually pay much attention to its planetary interactions, especially when looking at an extended period of time. But sometimes, the Moon's activity is a little too conspicuous to ignore. I feel a bit like Lois Lane putting two and two together about Clark and Superman! In November, the Moon is new just as Uranus changes signs and converges with Jupiter, which finally returns home. You can expect to feel particularly powerful this month. In your love life: Some ferocious beasts are almost paper tigers. Don't be afraid of anyone or anything in your emotional life now.

Book the gallery, unveil the canvasses, prepare your palette and wet your brushes! Expect an explosion of creativity and an irresistible urge to express the feelings you hold in your heart. But also be prepared, in November, like so many of the world's great artists, to have ideas misunderstood, calls fall on deaf ears and your vision adulterated. Subversive virtuosos aren't the only people to feel frustration. But if instead of over analysing you let your heart do the talking, you'll form a powerful and optimistic future. In your love life: Crucial points are being made. All been said before? Perhaps, but this time is different. This will bring positive change.

The past doesn't control us. It influences our decisions, but it doesn't ultimately make them on our behalf. In November, as Jupiter, the planet of expansion, opportunity and adventure moves into a part of the sky associated with your past, your ruler Mercury begins moving backwards there. Is this a cosmic mixed message? Why explore territory that you're already familiar with? Yet the mightiest trees have roots that extend far further than their foliage. If you look again at what's hidden, you'll find what you need to flourish and grow. In your love life: Something must give. You may not enjoy all you are going through, but you will be delighted by outcome.

Venus, your ruler, the stylish embodiment of urbane sophistication is newly back in your sign. Only there's something a bit different about her. She seems to be wearing mittens and mules sunglasses and pyjamas! That's because she's retrograde, and life's taking some unexpected turns. In November, not only does she turn direct, she spends the month in opposition with Uranus. Though I can't promise things will be clear, I can assure you that you're on a journey that leads to some great and delightful understandings. In your love life: Change needed? Just Accentuate the positive' as the old song says, then the negative will begin to eliminate itself.

Jupiter's trip through your sign has certainly made the year interesting. On a macro level, the morality of sexual politics has been brought into the limelight, and some long-overdue justice has been served. We've seen excess, and shady dealings from people in power too. On a personal level, it's been an intense time for Scorpios. If it hasn't yielded all you've desired, does Jupiter's departure mean that you've missed your opportunities? No! It brings a different way of exploring how you can get what you really, really want. In your love life: Dig deep and use your natural creativity. No matter how routine life may be now, there is an art to making it wonderful.

When I pick up my Sagittarian son from nursery, I never know what to expect. Sometimes I get my after-nursery cuddle'. Other times, it's a light punch in an early strike of our playful bedtime wars' game. As the Sun, our astrological father figure, moves into your sign in November, it brings warmth, bravery and creativity. But it's your ruler Jupiter, making its first visit home in twelve years, that's really exciting. However you choose to greet your celestial guardian, as long as you're smiling, the fun can really begin. In your love life: Need to move on? You don't have to. Whatever you decide, be wholehearted. The only wrong thing' is to be afraid.

Although we find safety in numbers, we can also find dangerous mob mentality in crowd-like situations. When you think of the efforts most of us go to in order to be on trend with our clothes, it's easy to see that there's foolishness in numbers too. So, just because the people around you don't approve of your most recent project doesn't mean that it won't work or that you shouldn't embark on it. Why do you care so much what they think? This week, the Full Moon suggests that support will come from a surprising source. In your love life: Don't assume the way we are today is how we are tomorrow. Enjoy seeing proof of how far your life has moved on.

No matter how far along a specific path you find yourself, you can always make a choice. You can enhance a situation or you can make it worse. Of course, you know what you want to do. So why are you so worried about making a mistake? As the Full Moon connects to your ruler, it brings the potential to over dramatize so it's going to be hard to resist getting involved in something that it would be wise to steer away from. Yet you have the power to significantly improve the outcome of an important process this week. In your love life: Some believe your life is already mapped out. Not so. Don't punish yourself by doubting how happy your life can be!

Find a big mixing bowl, then add some flour, margarine and sugar. After mixing, add water then, as you stir it all together, throw in some of your dearest hopes and wishes. This is a cake with a difference. It needs to be baked in an oven warmed with faith and then served with plenty of imagination to the people who understand and support you. This week's Full Moon brings all the ingredients for baking something deliciously satisfying. Individually they don't have much power, but together, you can create a memorable treat. In your love life: Any moment now, you'll make a discovery that eventually becomes part of a process that sets you free.

If you find yourself being challenged, rather than responding, consider removing yourself from the fray. It's as if you've just finished an event in the decathlon. You've been forced to challenge yourself in a variety of different ways and you're tired, yet still buzzing with enough energy to move onto the next challenge. The Full Moon marks the moment when you can see how much you've achieved. You're about to be able to relax and appreciate the metaphorical muscles you've gained. Try to relax rather than react this week. In your love life: It may be wiser to see the world as perfect in its imperfection! Better to be philosophical than unrealistic.

It's not your fault. Well, no more than it ever is! No, I'm not trying to suggest that you've led a 'holier than thou' kind of life, or that there aren't consequences from your past to deal with. But, you aren't responsible for the dramatic events unraveling around you. Sometimes, it comes as almost second nature to you to take liability for difficult situations. Yet, under the Full Moon, if you take a step back this week, you'll be able to discern the smartest, most neutral and helpful way for everyone concerned to move on to a better place. In your love life: Juggling? Worried about dropping a ball in your personal life? Fear not. You will catch whatever it's vital not to miss.

Even if you close your eyes and imagine how tomorrow is going to be, the only certainty is that your vision will be different to the reality. It's a bit like the difference between looking at a map and actually embarking on the route. Although there's an obvious connection between the two, they are significantly different. You feel as if you know where you're heading. Yet the Full Moon suggests there's a different (and easier) route to follow. Take another look at the challenge you're facing. It holds far more promise than you'd imagined. In your love life: We all build barriers to repel emotion we can't make sense of. You don't need to understand something. You just need to accept it.

Even mathematicians sometimes do calculations where they can't make the numbers add up. Likewise, we can all find ourselves in baffling situations which don't seem to make much sense. This week, with the Full Moon and Uranus aligning, it's worth expecting to be befuddled and confused as plans and strategies go awry. Yet the most skilful magicians work using the uncertainty of serendipity. They spontaneously respond to their environment. You have the power to turn what looks like trouble to your advantage. In your love life: It's getting harder to tell the good guys from the bad guys. You face a quandary, so look beyond the superficial.

Life is rarely free from worries. There's always something to be concerned about. Yet, it seems that you're in danger of fretting too much. You're taking something more seriously than necessary. As the Moon grows full, how would it feel if you had less respect for your biggest cause for concern? Suppose you were to try to develop a more laissez-faire attitude? You could wag your finger at uncertainty and turn your nose up at what's causing you concern. If you believe in your ability to triumph, then you will! In your love life: You ask, 'Is my goal worth pursuing?' The only relevant question is, 'What matters?' Soon you'll see (and like) the answer.

It's possible to be too perceptive for your own good. Just because you can see through the smokescreens people surround themselves by doesn't mean that you always know what to do. You've got a natural sensitivity to obfuscation, and a radar for truth that sees through facades. Yet, you're vulnerable to folk who know how to fit in with your high standards. This week's Full Moon highlights a potentially deceptive scenario. Just because someone tells you that a dream isn't possible, doesn't mean they're right. Trust your instincts. In your love life: Don't worry about 'accounts'. Put together the 'components' and come up with something greater than the sum of its parts.

Sometimes it's possible to think that everything is hunky dory, and then realise that it's not. When we begin to doubt our sense of what's right and wrong it can throw everything into question. The converse is also true. It can feel as if we're up to our necks in a river of trouble, then realise that the ground beneath our feet is firm enough to make it on to dry ground. This week's Full Moon shows you that an old problem has an easy solution. Look more carefully at something you've been avoiding. That's where the answer lies. In your love life: Say what must be said; say it sweetly. Deliver the information to bring about the lasting change that is now needed.

Making plans is the opposite of being spontaneous. Even when we'd like to be able to activate both of these qualities, they make difficult bedfellows. The planning part of our brain writes spontaneity off as being dangerous. Whereas spontaneity thinks that making plans is dull and boring. Any time when the two manage to work simultaneously should be regarded as precious. As the Full Moon links to Uranus, it brings the chance of creating such harmony. You'll need to be both fast-thinking and wise if you want to take full advantage. In your love life: Problems can help bring focus. But you are not looking at a cause for concern. You are looking at a key to success.

It's not always easy to know when to draw the line under something and move on. Yet, although you're unsure about whether or not to continue putting your energy into a project, you haven't forgotten the principle that sometimes enough, is enough. You're right about there being options to try. You're right too, that this is worth pulling out the stops for. Think radical thoughts and experiment with your most courageous ideas this week. You might be sailing close to the wind, but you're within touching distance of a miracle. In your love life: Choices are a menu you know. Which option could be that old bad thing in disguise? Think back and pick the right way.

You're not usually fooled by flattery. Yet, there's bound to be a difference in the way you respond to someone who pays you a compliment rather than criticises you. We're all more kindly disposed to hearing difficult things when the tone is one of care and goodwill. Yet, someone has been beguiling you and hiding a side of themselves in order to gain your support. As the New Moon encourages you to look beyond superficial comments, you'll gain the perspective you need to turn this situation to your advantage. In your love life: You have bravely set out to make a miracle happen. You don't need assistance, just a little encouragement.

Our ability to learn about and use new technology is astonishing. We take new developments on board and, before you know it, rather than marveling at the abilities of our devices, we're wondering whether we need to upgrade to the very latest model. We want faster, newer, shinier, better. It can feel much the same with our relationships too. We don't always appreciate the uniqueness of our friends and acquaintances as much as we should. Being extra appreciative could make this New Moon week extra special. In your love life: Worrying about rocking too many boats? Worry instead about horizons you may never see if you fail to sail out of harbour.

The New Moon intensifies things. Whatever you're feeling, you'll feel it more. And, where there's a lack, you'll experience a more acute sense of absence. Just because the experience of emptiness is part of life, doesn't make it easy. Yet you now have a chance to get in touch with some rare and powerful emotions. Rather than run away from difficult feelings this week, if you find the courage to face them, you'll reach a greater understanding of what will make you happy. Then, you can start to make that a part of your reality. In your love life: Can you distinguish between your needs and your wants? You can't! Acknowledge it. Be willing to learn; you will be guided well.

The New Moon, in your opposite sign, signals change of a critical nature. That's positive change by the way. Actually, there's no other kind (even though it doesn't always feel that way). If you're so content in your current situation that the thought of altering it makes you anxious, be reassured. No one's going to force you to move on. But if you're less than delighted about some of the scenarios you're facing, you can be quietly confident. You may not have noticed, but valuable improvements are already taking place. In your love life: Nobody has a right to judge how things now stand and you should not be harsh as you judge yourself.

This week's New Moon invites you to weigh up a risk. You can choose to act safely and sensibly, or you can throw caution to the wind and take a gamble. The choice is all yours. Please don't take this as me advising you to do something out of character which you might regret. Just the thought is enough to make me want to advocate caution! Yet, there's something about shaking off the shackles of responsibility and allowing yourself to enjoy being free-spirited, that could do you the world of good. It's up to you! In your love life: Don't listen to what 'experts' say about your situation. Trust your own judgement, it is as good as anyone else's.

What were you focusing on before you stopped so abruptly in your tracks? Where were you heading when you remembered that you had something else you were supposed to be doing? What appeared to be tantalisingly possible just before you realised how impossible it was? Because it might just be possible after all. The Dark of the Moon brings a time to review and revisit some of the harsher rules and oppressive restrictions you've been bound by recently. Don't, this week, feel obliged to do anything you don't want to do. In your love life: In the daily nine-to-five grind, we can forget why we are here. Events will now bring you a timely reminder.

Relationships matter a great deal to you. Being ruled by the Moon, which is in such a visible and clear relationship with the Sun, you're affected by the nuances and angles created between the two planets. This constantly changing cosmic relationship is paralleled in the dynamics and interactions you make as you connect with people in your day-to-day life. As the New Moon approaches, it brings you to a pivotal point. Although what you're experiencing is far from easy, it's bringing a great improvement to your outlook. In your love life: All lives have a purpose. Coming events will remind you that no life is insignificant or disqualified from divine intervention.

Being confronted by a problem for which you seem to have no previous experience is frustrating. It's not that you haven't learnt a great deal recently. It's just that nothing seems applicable to your current situation. Yet the precise knowledge you need exists within you. You just have to access the right memories and then compare them to the scenario you're caught up in. The New Moon suggests that by focusing a bit harder, and by worrying a bit less, you can use a past experience and sort out a situation for good. In your love life: Sometimes, your down-to-earth side rules you; it really is safe to relax, trust and let things unfold at their own pace.

Every once in a while, life presents us with an intriguing possibility that poses a risk to our normal status quo. With the ball firmly in our court, we have to decide how we're going to play the next move. We can either play it safe, or hit it out of touch and into unknown territory. The New Moon brings such a dilemma into your world this week. Since you're more at home than you think when sailing close to the edge, you may find yourself boldly stepping out of your comfort zone. Even exercising caution won't stop something new. In your love life: You are a healer with mystic gifts. You can help people who are 'beyond help'. Rediscover your powers this week

The New Moon, in your sign, is inviting you to take a gamble. It's calling to your free-spirited inner trapeze artist, and urging you to take a dazzling leap of faith. You're being encouraged to perform a breathtaking movement that will take you out of a place of constriction, into freedom. This isn't about being reckless; it's a chance to move beyond a self-limiting frame of mind. You don't need to risk more than you can afford to lose either. Just know that you're being supported. You'll like where the movement takes you. In your love life: Your intense roller-coaster ride is bringing rewards: vindication; reassurance; an experience of true long-lasting comfort.

Even though Venus, the planet of love, is now retrograde in your sign, the signs of admiration and appreciation should still be discernible. They might be harder to spot, but they're still there. Events this week will underline the fact that the cosmos is making quite an effort on your behalf. It's moving obstacles out of your path and adding its mighty influence to the voice of the requests you're making. The New Moon adds to the promise of just rewards. If you share the gifts you receive you'll add to the feeling of abundance. In your love life: A very real conversation takes place soon. It brings inspiration and a fresh perspective. It is a time of hope and healing.

The New Moon brings a turning point a pivotal moment when things start to change. This is when what looked like 'nothing' now becomes something tangible; when a spirit of hopefulness and potential fills the space that was previously filled with frustration. Keep your eyes open for a much-needed solution that will replace old worries. Here comes a new way of looking at a tired problem, and a time where open-hearted conversations can clear past misgivings. All in all, it looks like you have a surprisingly pleasing week ahead. In your love life: You are being asked to commit. Your intellectual justification for trusting this is sound. Stop worrying about it.

Does social media hold the key to the future of human relationships? Networking sites were thought to be the new coffee lounges, or pubs, where friends mingle and relationships blossom. But although a real life Barista might remember how you take your tea, you don't expect your financial details to be kept. In October, if an aspect of your life seems more dystopian than utopian, it might be tempting to retreat back to the safety of the past. But if you draw on Venus' creativity, there's a lot to gain from making plans for the near future. In your love life: Don't think only about winning' an argument; consider designing a way forward that benefits both parties.

In the movie, All The Money In The World, billionaire John Paul Getty is asked how much money would make him feel comfortable. His answer is simply more'. More recently, a chair designer was asked which of their creations was the most comfortable. The next one' was the reply. It seems that we humans are hard to satisfy and always looking for improvements. In October, you may feel unsatisfied with a recent success and seek ways to make adjustments. You won't achieve perfection, but you can make valuable improvements. In your love life: Sometimes, we all have to settle for second best. Not you, not now: you have every reason to expect the best.

Traversing mountainous regions by car is challenging. The twisting and turning of the roads can make you gasp. With the arrival of dynamite, we found ways to tunnel under the peaks allowing us speedier passage, but robbing us of the vistas. When we climb great heights, it's only when we turn backwards that we can see how far we've come and appreciate the view. As Venus turns retrograde this month, and Mercury converges with Jupiter, look for the value in the bigger picture. It makes it worth travelling an extra mile or two. In your love life: One big problem can sweep away heaps of trivia in a moment. Now, how big is your problem? Not that big!

We all need secrets. There's a reason why our hearts are buried deep within our chests. If they were permanently located on our sleeves, it would be far too easy to cause them damage carelessly. There's something you know in your heart of hearts that you're wary of sharing with even your closest confidants. Don't feel obliged to reveal more than you need to. But make sure that if you do hold back, it's for the right reasons. Don't be motivated by fear. Clear communication will make all the difference this month. In your love life: Dreams are very precious. One dream is speaking to you of something ethereal, that will prove most practical.

Your ruler, Venus, turns retrograde opposite your sign this month, signalling that it's time to reassess a relationship and refocus on its value. That's certainly not an indication of the need to bring things to a close. But, with a Full Moon in your sign converging with the change-maker Uranus, a shake up (of some sort) is in the air. If you've been putting up with an unsatisfactory situation, this is the time to take action. You owe it to yourself to make your voice heard and explain your own needs. It will be easier than you think. In your love life: There's much you don't understand about a situation. Acknowledge your need to be enlightened. And you will.

Mike Tyson once remarked that everybody has a plan until they get punched'. I'm certainly not advocating violence of any description. Nor am I endorsing a former heavyweight boxing champion as a self-help guru, but, as your ruler changes signs twice in October, even if it's not punches' that need to be rolled with, it's going to be helpful if you can stay quick on your feet and ready to adapt to anything that life throws at you. When you have developed robust strategies, they're well worth defending. Your ideas are worthy of respect. In your love life: Are you being listened to? Then listen to that person! Being talked at, rather than talked to? Ignore that person.

A while ago I was at an event hosted by the legendary producer Joe Boyd the man who mixed the sound on the night Bob Dylan shocked his fans by playing electric music. Joe explained how the previous night, with great jazz pioneers on the bill, the cool kids in the crowd were dreaming about becoming jazz masters. Then, when Bob picked up an electric guitar, many of them wanted to become a rock star. In October, if you re-evaluate what you think it means to be creative, your influence can reinvigorate and inspire. In your love life: Reluctant to reveal too much emotionally, lest this puts you at a disadvantage? Relax. Treat everyone as a friend.

Space in our cities is at a premium. That's why subterranean building is on the increase. It's easier to add an underground swimming pool to your house than to add one on top. This isn't of course, the kind of development that most of us will have to oversee with this month! But, in October, work on your emotional foundations will be valuable. If you reassess a situation from your past creatively, you'll be able to appreciate what it brought into your life and see how to invest what you've learnt into creating a sustainable happier future. In your love life: You have more within you than you know. A hidden talent in your own personality is now about to reveal itself.

Just because the Sun's in Libra for most of October doesn't mean you can have everything your own way. But then, when do you ever? And actually, when do you want that? Even when things are going well for you, you're uncomfortable when you see other people still struggling. But you don't need to sacrifice your own happiness just to make life fairer. As Venus turns retrograde, it brings an opportunity to take a look at your financial wellbeing. This is a valuable process as you may well find that your finances can stretch and enable others, as well as you. In your love life: Focus on your ability to be upset. Overcome this with a little more positivity; you can change things for the better.

According to the legend, an imprisoned Irish Prince was told to kiss a stone by the Celtic goddess of beauty Cl­odhna. The next day, he left Blarney Castle and pleaded his case with such eloquence that he was granted his freedom. Ever since, people have travelled to kiss the Blarney Stone. The Roman goddess of beauty is Venus, and as she slips backwards this month, your ruler Mercury, who governs communication and intelligence, is on hand to receive her wisdom. You can find a way to achieve even things that seem impossible. In your love life: Look at all you have recently accomplished, how far you have come. You have much to be proud of.

When Venus enters a sign, she blesses its natives with increased creativity and improved love and financial prospects. So what happens when she takes a look around and decides to turn back on her heels and move backwards? Do we feel left in the lurch? Actually, Venus' movement through your sign this month won't resemble rejection. It brings an opportunity to use her resources with subtle skill, so that you can fix some mistakes and make some amends. It's a time to heal relationships and enjoy the fruits of good company. In your love life: Somewhere in your past is the vital clue to a better future. Your resourcefulness will soon sort out any trouble.

They say wake up and smell the coffee' as if we all need shaking out of blissful unconsciousness. As the parent of a four-year-old early riser, I'd give a lot for a few more hours sleep each morning before the arrival of my human alarm clock! This month, as Venus turns retrograde, you may feel as if you're stuck in a repetitive dream, from which you need to wake up. Mercury's activity ensures you don't doze through important details and can make clear-thinking decisions about what you need to do to shake free. In your love life: Don't be too negative. The very umbrella that protects us from rain can be the parasol that keeps us in the shade.

You feel as if life is stretching you one way, while something from your past pulls you in another. This is creating a worrying situation and causing you to doubt the thinking behind your carefully constructed plans for future success. Perhaps you fear that you don't actually want what you thought you wanted. Yet, a fundamental change of plans could be the best way to proceed. It doesn't mean that you need to change everything in your life. As you're about to discover, you have far fewer reasons to worry than you think. In your love life: Take another look. You may find that you underestimated something the first time. Take your time.

With the energetic power planet Mars still in your sign, there's nothing like a sense of urgency to slow things down. When the heat is turned up, and the pressure is piled on, priorities and perspective go out the window. While it's great to feel motivated, feeling frantic creates a space for erratic and wild energy, which can be very disruptive. Rather than impulsively leaping into action this week, it's better to do nothing until you've formed a proper plan. Then, you'll find that there are great gains to be made. In your love life: A forthcoming development will open your eyes. It will help you to appreciate the true value of an existing asset.

How would you define the art of success? Did you say happiness ? It's true, of course, that if you haven't got that, then everything else is rendered almost irrelevant. So, is there something that's stopping you from being happy? If you answered that in the affirmative, could that be anything to do with your unsatisfied desire for success? Ha! That's this week's paradox in a nutshell! It's going to be easier than you imagine to get what you really need: it's just that you might not recognise it when you get it. When you do, it will make you smile. In your love life: You can't control everything! Too much is just... too much. Do your best, then draw a line. And relax.

There's a big difference between taking a calculated risk and making a wild gamble. As the Full Moon in your sign highlights what's been restricting you from attaining your ambitions, all you need to do is ensure that when you feel as if you need to push your luck, there's room to both push and manoeuvre. The stakes aren't as high as they seem; so rather than concentrating on what you might gain, it's worth considering what you risk losing. Apply some common sense and you'll find an easier way to get what you want. In your love life: You're dealing with volatile issues. Be discreet, but don't start apologising for things that you are entitled to be doing.

Just as music stimulates our memories and excites our emotions, so the planets heighten our mood and strike chords in our hearts. In times gone by, it was believed that they were celestial instruments, playing a sound in a heavenly song that we struggle to hear. They're currently creating a symphony that's making you feel nostalgic, and a little uncertain about what to do for the best. This week, as Mercury changes signs, you'll understand why you are where you are, and how it is helping to get you to where you want to be. In your love life: Don't know if you are being unfair? What seems okay now will one day seem despicable. Don't wait; change it now.

There are major ramifications for the choices you're making. Yet, although it's vital to be clear and honest, it's essential to approach any unresolved issues with an open mind. As the Full Moon links to Saturn and your ruler changes signs, a drama is coming to a head. That's not supposed to send you into a panic. Quite the opposite! The feeling of being baffled by the way a key person is responding to a situation has been adding to the complexities that need to be sorted out. Be willing to learn, then you'll be able to lead the way. In your love life: Spending your life coping with the ugly twin sisters of guilt and emotional obligation. A fairy godmother is coming.

We live our lives, we learn a few things along the way, we carry on living and learning. That's the nature of life. You're wondering if you were wrong to be so nervous of a certain possibility, which you then tried to avoid. Yet feeling doubtful, with hindsight, suggests that a lesson has not yet been learned. You needed to do everything you did, even if it was just so that you could stand back and decide not to go ahead. This week, brings reason to be grateful for a decision you've reached; so you're free to be optimistic about the future. In your love life: Underestimated the energy that a commitment is likely to require? Give it more; it will eventually give you more back.

Since human beings first graced planet Earth people have been pondering the meaning of our existence. Philosophers across the centuries have reached different conclusions. Some even think that the universe has been designed so that no one ever gets what they want. If they're right, then you're living proof that there's a flaw in the laws of the cosmos! With Mars opposite your sign, there's a good chance that if you want something you can get it! And, the less effort you make, the more likely you are of success. In your love life: Apparently irreconcilable forces can be united. It's worth making an effort for that kind of a perfect compromise.

Although a problem may baffle just about everybody else in a room, you'll have an idea of how to solve it. In fact, there's a good chance that you'll know just what to do to make everything all right. You have clarity. Yet, you don't always manage to follow your logic through with the right actions. Does that matter this week? As the Sun leaves your sign, we find you in a less pragmatic and more poetic frame of mind. Even though your methodology may surprise even you, it could turn out to be unforgettably successful. In your love life: Serendipity is about to start working in your favour. But don't feel obliged to accept every gift you are offered.

When is it time to say stop ? How do we know when we've had too much of a good thing? Or when we've reached the end of the road? Warning lights aren't always as obvious as we'd like to think they are. And, sometimes, things look far gloomier than the reality, and we hear false alarm bells. You've been the recipient of information which has caused you so much concern you're considering coming to an abrupt halt. Yet your project means a lot to you. With the Sun in your sign, you just need to stay alert, and keep on track. In your love life: You are doing something delicately and it is having the right impact. Don't become blaring instead of caring.

Romantically minded folk talk about finding a soulmate. It's such a wonderful idea no wonder we wistfully imagine such a creature exists. Yet souls have ethereal natures and cannot be possessed by anyone. On the physical plane of planet Earth, it's hardly surprising that no matter how strong the bond, or affinity of a relationship, there are moments of exasperation. That's life. With Venus in your sign, don't let your ideals of an impossibly romantic dream stop you from enjoying the reality of what's on offer! In your love life: Playing roles can often be the right thing to do. It may be awkward to adjust to, but it can bring you what you want.

Life has a way of surprising even Sagittarians! You have no idea what it might call you to do in the future. You often show a fascination for gathering information that others might consider irrelevant. But rather than condemn this characteristic, you should value your innate enthusiasm. You're increasing your knowledge base and knowledge is power. This week, as you're called to use some of your experience to assist in a critical situation, you'll find that you're appreciated for your attention to detail and your willingness to share. In your love life: Don't let anger derail you. Look and see that you can create vast improvement in a set-up that you object to.

If you find yourself under a clear night sky this week, try looking into space. Surely, when each star in the Milky Way galaxy is a solar system, there must be life out there somewhere? There's a high chance that highly-evolved civilisations exist, ones that have found ways of dealing with life on their particular planet. Maybe those extra-terrestrials find common sense an easier concept than we do. As your ruler and Neptune link, they'll inspire you to think illogically. And, an alien concept could show you the way to finding just what you need. In your love life: Boundaries and barriers? You really need only be impeded by a restriction that you consciously elect to respect.

You always have authority and can command respect, yet you usually prefer to take a more go-with-the-flow approach. Yet, as your ruler Uranus links with Mars, you're becoming aware of a gift for leadership, and being provided with opportunities to show other people what you're capable of. Your idiosyncratic, creative style can, if channeled in a focussed way, inspire innovative collaboration. A metaphorical mountain can be moved. Just watch where you invest your energy, because you have more power than you think. In your love life: Missing something? The only reason you don't want to want it now, is because you are not sure that you can have it.

A certain situation is taking up a great deal of your attention. The question, as your ruler and Saturn harmoniously align, is whether you're right to put your energy in this specific place. Sometimes, when we're feeling daunted, it's easy to become fascinated by something that's actually irrelevant. It seems much simpler to focus on something small and relatively unimportant than to stare into the vastness of the seemingly impossible. Yet, if you focus your attention on what's vital this week, you can make astonishing progress. In your love life: Your idea seems a little far-fetched to some. If you could turn it down a little, you could actually make it very viable.

What more can you do when you're doing your best? No, before you start wondering if you really are trying your hardest, let's look at what that means. Does it always entail struggle and hardship? Do you assume the need for sacrifice and compromise? There are times when it's best to stand back and allow yourself to be picked up and guided. As your ruler and Uranus powerfully align, they bring so much oomph that you can afford to do just that. With so much energy around, you can sit back and see where it takes you. In your love life: The enormity of a key development will soon strike home in a surprisingly inspiring way. These are special times.

They say that pride comes before a fall. But, with life so full of slippery paths, we're bound to take the occasional tumble. There'll always be the odd, surprising banana skin. As Mars and Uranus create upheaval and surprise, there's a high chance that something will make you feel silly. You'll wonder if you've taken a wrong step or miscalculated a situation. You'll be aware of potential repercussions. Yet, as long as you know that every road has ups and downs, you'll realise that the one you're on, is the one you need to be on. In your love life: Love, money and happiness? Change an old attitude... and all the other changes you need will happen too.

Imagine the scenario. King Canute strode towards the shoreline, wearing his robes and his crown, surrounded by his courtiers and much excitement. His voice must have boomed out as he commanded the incoming tide to stop. Yet, the sea ignored him and carried on rolling in. As Mars and Uranus connect, they bring a wave of craziness into your life and tempt you to sort an exasperating situation by trying to do the impossible. Yet Saturn and Neptune bring cosmic reassurance and the promise that valuable help is at hand. In your love life: Forget the dramas, there are also reasons to feel very hopeful. You are not wasting your time. Give it your best shot.

Sometimes, a little bit of luck can carry us a long way. This is especially true when we find ourselves close to the edge of either success or failure. But to get to that precarious place, we need to have taken risks. Then, there's a high chance of pushing ourselves too far and being reckless. You've made a great effort to resolve an issue of communication so that you can make a move away from a difficult situation. The cosmic indication is that this week, you can take positive action, without risking your reputation or your integrity. In your love life: You are stepping over an emotional threshold into a world where your reality is far better than your fantasy.

As Mars and Uranus make their final powerful alignment, you can finally begin to see why the information you've been seeking is unnecessary. Although you've been baffled and confused by a series of events, as long as your intuition is being respected, you don't actually need to understand the ins and outs of what's going on. Listen to your inner wisdom. You're the beneficiary of serendipitous occurences which, even if they don't appear to make sense, will bring inspiration and encouragement. You're on the right path. In your love life: There's a fine line between wise caution and foolish fear. Is something happening by mistake or by choice? Decide.

As the planets spin and encircle each other, our universe is much like a merry-go-round. We become particularly aware of this when planet Earth returns to the place it occupied at the moment we were born. This cyclical event is our solar return, otherwise known as our birthday. It brings blessings, and reminds us of the potential to change. With the energy of Uranus and Mars adding a spark to the already heady mix of energy you're experiencing around your birthday, you're about to be the beneficiary of a welcome surprise. In your love life: When smile, your think clearer. Whatever makes you smile now can be made to keep you smiling for a long time.

The alignment of Uranus and Mars suggests that you're dealing with an issue that involves the complicated difference between being tactful and honest. You find yourself the keeper of knowledge which could be the key to a successful strategy. Yet what you know might be explosive and create tensions; it's not easy to know how much of it to divulge and to whom. When there's a possibility of conflict, we always have a choice. Since you don't want to create a difficult situation, you can choose to move forward with discretion. In your love life: Wrestling ifs, buts and maybes? Stop thinking about them. Don't deprive yourself of what you need; all will be fine.

One of the many advantages of having Venus in your sign is an improvement in your finances. Does this mean that your overdraft is going to suddenly disappear? Will your salary be exponentially increased? It's more likely that enhancements will be less obvious but still beneficial. You'll find it easy to make better financial arrangements and realise potential ways to gain future wealth. Even if you're still feeling hard up, there are reasons to feel okay and optimistic. Where you're feeling uncertain and anxious, support is at hand. In your love life: You have an idea of what is possible. Don't be talked out of it, just because someone else can't envisage this!

The only people who think they know all the answers are asking themselves the wrong questions! Life is full of uncertainty. The wisest folk are the ones who know this and make space for it in their lives. With so much disruptive energy around this week, no wonder you're unsure of what to do for the best. That's the perfect way to be feeling. It means there's no danger of you pushing ahead with something that you'd be better staying away from. If you bide your time, there's a great deal to learn this week. It's OK to be fallible. In your love life: You have to communicate an inconvenient truth.' Is it really such bad news? Find the upside and deliver that.

Our brains hold the capacity to do so much more than we use them for. Think of all the people who have no choice but to work on production lines, repetitively assembling components. How do they cope with the mind-numbing monotony of their work? Few are the employers who actively encourage their employees to think imaginatively. As Mars and Venus change signs this week, it's time to recognise that you're capable of a great deal more than you're doing. Take hold of any opportunities to demonstrate your strengths. In your love life: Make an effort; if you see encouraging signals, carry on. Just focus on a plan that stands a chance of working.

Come on baby light my fire, sang Jim Morrison in the Doors' incendiary, timeless classic. But surely we can't just follow his suggestions and throw caution to the wind? That's the kind of behaviour that needs a licence and a health and safety certificate isn't it? To put it another way, whatever has been preventing you from acting spontaneously can now be cast asunder. As Mars moves into your sign, the red planet brings a spark of passion that can set your enthusiasm alight. Your excitement holds more potential than you realise. In your love life: The journey counts as much as the destination. No need to be pedantic now, but there is a reason to be perspicacious.

Although you've been feeling stuck in a difficult situation, this week you can make a vital change and break free. As your ruler opposes Mercury, you'll find yourself able to think more creatively. As you challenge a supposition and reconsider a long-held point of view, innovative ideas will help you to see how to make the right decision. Although the route ahead may appear to be one that you've previously rejected, it's worth exploring again. Don't be put off by other people's reactions. Things have changed. In your love life: Sometimes your head is in one place and your heart in another. In your heart, at least, you are in the right place.

It's not true that there are more questions than answers. There are answers everywhere you look it's just that we haven't yet understood the questions they're answering! By focusing on the queries which are hard to solve, we create a false impression of a mysterious world. As your ruler makes powerful alignments and changes signs this week, not only will an answer that's been under your nose become clear, but you'll be able to understand the question that accompanies it. Clarity over a long-standing puzzle is possible. In your love life: Events will soon bring a series of revelations and some surprisingly positive changes to your situation.

Although it feels as if something is wrong, it's more a case that something irritating won't go away. No matter what you do, (and despite the significant efforts you've made) you appear to be stuck with an unacceptable situation. There's only one course of action left open to you: you've got to find a way to be OK with it. Is there something you've been overlooking that you might learn to like? As Venus, your ruler, moves signs, if you can find a way to put your fears and your restlessness down, you can find a healthy and happy way forward. In your love life: If what you see is inspiring, trust it. If it is not, change it. Whatever you do, don't ignore it.

Shakespeare was spot on when he compared the world to being a stage. The problem, is that none of us come here holding a script. That doesn't stop us from looking for one, though. Yet, the best we ever find is a glimpse of the storyline. Then, we're able to improvise through a scene or two. Whenever we feel as if we know how the story is going to end, life inevitably proves us wrong! As your ruler links with Neptune this week, your imagination is being fired up. You can be delightfully creative with your storyline and rewrite your future. In your love life: A degree of tension adds interest. But don't let a small, ultimately trivial issue, turn into a big silly dispute.

Apart from one rather irritating situation, your outlook remains good. Yet this particular issue is having such an impact that you're unable to ignore it it's influencing your attitude to everything. Current cosmic indications suggest that you've been finding it difficult to stop thinking about this annoyance, but you can yet find a way to see it from another angle. Despite what you fear, it's going to work out for the best. Just do what you can and stay relaxed about what you can't. Be a little patient, and you'll like what eventually manifests. In your love life: Feel infringed upon? All you want is a compromise acceptable to both. Don't you think they want that too?

With Venus changing signs this week, you can begin to feel both supported and encouraged. Life isn't as hard as you've been finding it recently. It's a roller-coaster of contrasts with ups and downs, and unders and overs. Now that you've visited one side of the scale, it's time to shift over to the other. When it's all going well, we're alert to potential problems, and when it's challenging, we look for the lucky breaks. Accept the gift you're about to be offered. It may be disguised as a challenge, but it holds potential for a breakthrough. In your love life: There face passing challenges, but this is no time to let doubt blow out the candle of faith.

You're feeling overwhelmed by other people's opinions. It seems as if everyone wants to tell you how to act and what needs to be done. You're such a free-spirited soul, (who never likes being told what to do) that I'm surprised you're even reading this! So, all I need to tell you, as your ruler connects to Neptune this week, is to bear in mind that you can't change what's done, and that things might not be better even if you could. If you can let go of your inner critic, you'll see that this challenge, though daunting, is an opportunity. In your love life: Try to look beyond the mundane day-to-day practicalities. You have a true passion to declare.

Are you being too daring? Possibly. Are you being too rash? Probably! Should you show more restraint and patience? Well, of course. But, more importantly, are you taking risks that will put you, or anyone else into a harmful situation? No! Actually, the indications are that you're getting away with the consequences of your impulsiveness. As Venus, your ruler, changes signs, it looks as if you're going to benefit from recent choices you've made. So, it's OK to relax. And it's OK to continue enjoying this new approach and way of investing your energy. In your love life: You need more information even if it brings risk. Take that risk. You need clarity. And most of the news will be good.

You're not averse to taking a risk or two nor are you afraid of failing. You realised, a long time ago, that progress and courage go hand in hand. This doesn't mean that you take chances when it comes to other people's security, though. The movement of Mars, plus Venus moving into your sign, suggest that you may be tempted by an option you're not able to explore. Whilst yearning for what's out of reach may inspire you to move beyond your limitations, a satisfying alternative is available. It will more than meet your needs. In your love life: One part of you feels inclined to be kind; another thinks this is foolish. True fools are the folk with hard hearts.

The obstacles that appear in our paths are never quite what they seem. Sometimes, in steering a way around them, we avoid a more dangerous situation or a time-consuming distraction. Other times, they present us with ways to demonstrate our determination and tenacity. It's never easy to distinguish one kind from another. This week, as Mars changes signs, you need to think about whether you want to expend so much of your energy breaking down a stubborn barrier. Finding a way to go around it could save time and effort. In your love life: The cosmos wants you to remember that life is not about power or money it is about enthusiasm and gratitude.

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.