Midlife Transits

Your birthday month opens with a nice peaceful trine of planets in compatible earth signs and no planets in any of those annoying other mutable signs that occasionally get on your solar chart’s nerves. There is still an excess of energy in pushy cardinal signs, but at least at lot of it is in harmony-seeking Libra. So let’s break down what the planets are doing this month.

The Virgo energy of the month comes from the sun, Mercury, and Venus. That energy is supposed to represent you and your personal interests. You can use that energy as you wish. Your birthday wish new moon this year actually falls in August, on the 28th. Virgo energy gives way, round about mid-September, to Libra energy that is supposed to represent your finances, values, and expenses.

Saturn has been in Libra for awhile now and will continue to be so until October 2012. Saturn favors the tried and true when it comes to your finances, wanting you to rely on financial habits that have been effective in the past or that offer the promise of reliability in the present. If words like ‘effective’ and ‘reliable’ do not normally describe your financial practices, the time to turn over a new leaf is at the Libra new moon on September 27.

Saturn’s also a super-big fan of concepts like ‘truth,’ ‘reality,’ ‘facts’ and other non-imaginative, non-denial-enabling practices that give Saturn its reputation for being depressing. Reality isn’t necessarily depressing though and dealing with the reality of your financial situation is ultimately empowering. However, if you get a wince-y look on your face when you check your bank balance, you might want to wait until the 14th to gather the facts. At that point, Venus moves into Libra, which generally softens any financial blows that Saturn has to deliver. Remember that in the long run, Saturn is your friend.

Speaking of friends and Saturn, Mars in Cancer in your friendship sector will stop being in a bad mood with Saturn by the time September opens. You have until September 18 to be as friendly as you’d like without interference from Saturn and with the help of active Mars. Mars is a conflict planet, but it is also a planet that helps build strong bonds 12 ways! Doing things with people you know could turn them into closer friends than they were before.

As for your ruler Mercury, he actually starts the month in Leo, lagging behind the other planets due to previous retrograde motion. He enters your sign on the 9th. While he’s in Leo, he’s snoozing. While he’s in your sign, words can be used for getting things done. He moves into Libra on the 25th. At that time, words can be used to connect people and ideas.

Now let’s take a look at your year ahead. In February 2012, Neptune will move back into your 7th house of committed relationships. He spent about 4 months there this year, from April through July. Whichever things and people were important during those 4 months will most likely become important again next February as part of a long-term focus by Neptune on your relationships.

As already mentioned, Saturn will continue to hover over your financial sector for the next 12 months. Saturn’s job, in general, is to take each sector of a person’s life, in turn, and root through it like an auditor. It looks specifically for what is the matter in that sector of life. This is something you can actually appreciate and benefit from. If there’s nothing the matter with your finances, then I suppose you won’t get much benefit. If there is, though, which is pretty common in this economy, proactively asking yourself what’s wrong and how it should be fixed is really worth your while.

Jupiter in Taurus until June 2012 is a help in this regard. Taurus as a sign really values security, safety, and cozy freedom from danger. This is exactly what Saturn values in your finances right now and this mirrors the philosophy of Virgo when Virgo is paying attention to its philosophy.

In other big planet news, Pluto continues to try to transform your love life, your relationship with your children, your creativity, or all three. Uranus in Aries in your 8th house is probably just being flat-out annoying. Uranus may mess with your taxes, your joint finances, your divorce, an inheritance or your peace of mind. Take heart in knowing that it’s not the least bit personal. Uranus in Aries is going to try to annoy as many people as possible over the next 12 months, sometimes all at once.

He will generally attempt to do this through world events, most likely, or through irritating but not ultimately significant personal events. Uranus is doing this because he is in charge of valuing the opposite of security–valuing change, danger, excitement, freedom, force, anger, and other disruptive things. Uranus action is necessary, but there’s no harm in ducking if you see a bit of threatening energy headed your way over the next 12 months. It’s really not aimed at you and you don’t need to take it to heart.

I’ve mentioned a few things regarding the opportunities presented by Jupiter in Taurus this year, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned property. Taurus is a sign often associated in my experience with land ownership (loves that earth), and Jupiter in one’s second house (where it is for you now) can be a good time to invest in real estate. I’m not urging you to buy right now but pointing out that if you have a hankering for your own little piece of earth, this year would be a good time to look at the possibilities. We happen to have planets in all 3 landscape loving earth signs this month (until the 25th), which could sharpen your eye for a deal. Picky Virgo is especially good at assessing the flaws and potential future value of property, so you may want to take advantage of the Virgo vibe while you got it.

For those who don’t want to buy property, Jupiter is also a travel planet and Jupiter in Taurus can represent traveling back to familiar places from one’s past. Jupiter in Taurus in your solar 2nd house is also pulled toward almost any kind of material object or thing, for the 2nd house represents possessions. This can mean that you are in an excellent cycle for purchasing and obtaining new possessions–or that you should watch your debit card to make sure a lot of expensive purchases don’t sneak their way onto to it while you’re not paying attention. It probably means a little bit of both.

This is also the annual season when Aries’ chart instinctively turns toward matters of work and health. This year is no different, with such matters most likely to be pleasant during the first half of September. Venus in Virgo ups the likelihood of benefits from co-workers and long-standing work relationships during this time.

The second half of the month is Libra season, and for Aries that means attraction. That can mean attraction in the common sense of romantic attractions developing. Attraction can also mean things like being attracted to a potential business partner, an opportunity to participate in a partnership or even in a venture that involves cooperation with others. It’s the time of year when your chart is interested in other people and what they have to offer. That covers a pretty broad spectrum and means you could be attracted to almost anything!

Take note of what you are especially attracted to this year, when Saturn gives the sign of Libra some gravitas. Take note especially around the time of the new moon in Libra on the 27th. The attraction factor this month is amplified by your ruler Mars in Leo from the 18th on, with Mars in Leo interested especially in romantic, sexual or creative partners. Leo is also the sign that represents children in the Aries solar horoscope, so you may be expending more energy than normal on your kids.

September presents us with planets in all three earth signs, which is nice for you because you’re an earth sign person yourself. Earth sign energy is great for the simple pleasures and joys of life on earth, such as getting out in the garden, mucking around and getting ready for the switch from summer to fall. Virgo month is also Taurus’s love life month. Venus is behaving herself this year, sliding gracefully along in Virgo during the first half of September.

Venus in Virgo is pickier in her choice of lovers than some other Venus placements, but don’t let that stop you from getting out there and keeping your eyes open for someone to be attracted to. You never know where Venus will find someone to catch her discerning eye. Virgo is ruled by Mercury, and Mercury loves writing, reading, and conversations. He also loves your cell phone.

As it so happens, Mars, the planet of desire, will also be in the Mercury-ruled 3rd house in your solar chart during the first half of the month. For a time, Mars will love these things too. If you are in the market to meet someone new, don’t overlook striking up a conversation around wordy, intellectual things, complimenting someone’s written work, or following up on an encounter with a friendly text. Love via cell phone may seem a bit cold for your earthy nature–but it’s the modern world and if it works, it works.

If you aren’t in the market to meet someone new and don’t much care about your love life, all the Virgo energy is still good news. That’s because Virgo represents your solar 5th house of pleasure. Virtually anything you care to do for the sheer fun of it is favored during the first half of September.

During the second half of the month, Venus turns her attention to your workplace. Here she can often be seen smoothing over relations with co-workers. Finally, Mars will enter Leo and your domestic life sector on the 18th. So the second half of the month is more about work and home. Get your fun stuff in early!

There are three planets in earth signs during most of September, which offers a certain steadiness to the month. Mars is in your second house of income, outgo, and gifts for the first half of the month. Best case scenario: offers that increase your income potential. Worst case scenario: lots of spending.

As usual, at this time of the year inner planets are congregated in the sector of your chart that deals with family and domestic life. With Mars in Cancer, you expenses may have to do with family members or your home. If so, Mars will lend some decisiveness to your responses to any situations that arise. A good use of funds would be to free yourself from minor but persistent irritation around the house that you can fix in relatively short order.

By mid-month, inner planets start drifting into the part of your chart that deals with creative efforts. If you want to mush up the creativity vibes and the domestic vibes, you can do some decorating or some beautifying of the home front. Painting, furniture refinishing, art for the walls and so on. Saturn’s in Libra these days and he likes that kind of practical expression of creativity, but you can engage in some arty stuff purely for pleasure too, if you’re of a mind to do so.

Unless you have some dramatic personal transits going on (especially those involving Pluto), you may actually find September to be a bit too steady, a bit too domestic for your boredom-hating Gemini sun’s tastes. I hear ya, but keep in mind that for most folks this year has seen plenty of drama and change and conflict and that there’s something to be said for the occasional earthy, stolid month.

Ever notice all those commercials touting foods and consumer goods that are ‘all-natural’? Jupiter in Taurus these days is promoting the principle of naturalness. In the Cancer solar horoscope, Jupiter falls into your 11th house of friends, groups, political beliefs, and aspirations.

This can mean all kinds of different things for you–getting out in nature with a group of your friends. Shifting your buying habits toward more natural and sustainable goods. Aspiring to a diet free from artificial additives. Voting your nature-friendly conscience, joining a nature advocacy group, hugging a tree, and so on. If you’ve harbored a hankering to ‘get natural’ in some way, now’s the time to act on it. Now meaning the rest of 2011 and the first part of 2012.

The consumer or buying portion of this push is relevant in September because Mercury spends the first week in Leo and Mars spends the second half of the month there. Leo represents your solar 2nd house of buying and spending. Leo likes luxury goods, things that are well-made.

When Mercury is in Leo, he’ll like book-y things, intellectual things, communication things. You can combine the two energies by investing in things like beautiful crafted wood bookcases or the like. Mars likes even bigger stuff than that, often including things for your home or property.

As the second half of the month approaches, the inner planets move into Libra. Libra loves to buy things for your home too. With Mars, Venus, the sun, and even Mercury wanting to put down some cash on home furnishings by the end of the month, if I were you I’d shop the sales, the outlets, and even the thrift stores for yummy finds. Your shopping-loving Libra full moon takes place on the 27th, so you might make a note of that.

That’s one theme for the month. Another theme is inner planets in Virgo, in your solar 3rd house of conversations, gossip, text messages, emails, reading, and people in your neighborhood. The sun and Venus open the month in Virgo, with Mercury following a week later. So right off the bat, your month is likely to be people or talk-intensive. A great day to go out with friends and relatives is the 2nd, when the sun and Jupiter make a nice trine.

Okay, now I have to mention that if you were born during the first week of your sun sign, you may be facing some sort of a problem or dilemma that you’d like to escape. Pluto is hovering dangerously close to an exact opposition with your sun all month. And he won’t budge. He just sits there.

Pluto probably represents a relationship, because oppositions usually do. Pluto is at his most intense around the 16th of the month. Before that, there’s a full moon in Pisces that relates to looking at things holistically (on the 12th).

See if trying to look at both the parts and whole help you get some perspective. If you are affected by Pluto’s station (what it’s called when Pluto slows down and then turns direct), you’ll probably feel some relief after mid-month. With Mars in your sign until the 18th, the tension seems to be building to a turning point and then a decisive move eases the pressure.

Leo continues to enjoy potential material benefits from a lineup of planets in all three earth signs in September. The earth signs in the Leo solar chart represent career, income, and job. The key to success with earth signs is to display qualities like reliability and dependability. You may see immediate rewards, but even if you don’t, showing the world that you can show up and perform will pay off by the time Jupiter leaves Taurus and your career house next year. Take advantage of a wonderful aspect between the sun in Virgo and Jupiter in Taurus on the 2nd of the month to show what you can do.

Your solar income sign is Virgo, and this month the sun, Mercury, and Venus move through it. With Venus here, the energy in September refers to both things and people as well as potential income. Venus here symbolizes both giving and receiving, as well as possessions and the arts. Through the first half of the month, place value on your relationships as you may see gains through them.

The third leg of the earth triangle is represented by Pluto in Capricorn in your solar sixth house of employment matters. Pluto stations this month, turning from retrograde to direct on the 16th. The upshot of this is that Pluto moves so slowly that it barely moves at all. When a planet moves slowly, its influence gets stronger. You may be able to take advantage of its strength by allying yourself with older co-workers or mentors in your field.

After the 14th, Venus moves into Libra and your solar 3rd house of messages, phone calls, written works, speaking and communication in general. The sun moves into this sector on the 23rd and Mercury follows on the 25th. Libra is an artistic sign and Venus is especially strong here because it rules the sign. You may find the last week of the month a good time to enjoy classical artistic works (Saturn’s in this sign too and Saturn loves anything classical) when Venus and Saturn meet up just after the new moon in Libra on the 27th.

Security-seeking continues to be a theme in September in the overall skies, as planets in both Cancer and Taurus are highlighted. What that means to you is that the first half of September is a lot like August was. Venus in Virgo in particular urges you to look within for a sense of calmness and serenity. On the 14th, the first of the inner planets moves into your sign, Venus in this case, hopefully bringing with her a soft landing to your annual period of pre-birthday contemplation.

In the meantime, we have an interesting planetary line-up that seemingly relates to your career. You’ve got Mars at the top of your chart urging you to go balls out in pursuit of whatever it is your career requires you to pursue, but Jupiter and Venus and the sun indicate that you are to do so while relying on behind the scenes support from others. Even though Mars is an independent planet by nature, the overall configuration is more Libra-like, with its ‘no man is an island’ aspects. You seem to feel safer being a part of a greater whole.

What’s interesting is that it’s as though you are briefly to be the unlikely aggressive face of what is actually a team of people with a common goal. The full moon in your job sector on the 12th also seemingly indicates that whatever your team is looking for or trying to accomplish reaches some sort of resolution around that time.

Speaking of the moon, make a note that your own birthday wish new moon is early this year, falling on the 27th of September. Along similar lines, Mercury opens the month in your sector of hopes and wishes. This gives you an opportunity, should you choose to accept it, to write down what you wish for. If you choose to leave the list where someone can stumble upon it before they do their birthday shopping for you, well nothing wrong with that, is there?

By the 25th of September, the sun, Mercury and Venus have all moved into your sign. This is the time to do those annual health things that we are all supposed to do once a year, such as get a checkup. It’s also time to set your major goals and strategies for the year. If you know enough astrology to consult your solar return chart (birthday chart, essentially), that can help you set goals. Or you can ask an astrologer to help you interpret yours. Getting an annual reading is sort of like getting an annual check-up, but for your life direction rather than your physical health. Mars moving into your goal-setting sector on the 18th can also help you clarify your goals this year and will probably prompt you to aim high.

Saturn in your own sign is still urging you to be frugal; it will be doing this for a long time, so hopefully you are adjusting to its cautious vibe. Finally, Uranus and Pluto are still taking aim at September-born Libras, creating a complex configuration known as a T-square with your sun. Your job for the moment is to simplify, simplify, simplify your life so that you are lean and mean and in shape to deal with whatever outward circumstances may arise.

I’m thinking that Scorpio’s job this September is to just say no to existential angst and melodrama. Neptune’s in Aquarius again (angst), Mars moves into Leo (career melodrama) and inner planets move into Libra (existential contemplation). But there’s no use worrying or get upset about anything. There are many planets in fixed signs this month, which means that sturm und drang is not going to change anything.

Besides, Jupiter in Taurus is here to remind you that helpers are all around you. And Venus in Virgo is here to remind you that your friends love you.

Okay, it is true that during the second half of the month, the sun, Mercury, and Venus do enter your solar 12th house, where everything is indefinite and vague. These inner planets will urge you to go inward not outward. Consider the Libra time of year (which starts at the fall equinox on the 23rd), your annual low point of the year. It’s the pre-birthday time when the sun in your solar chart rests and gathers up its strength to be symbolically re-born on your birthday. That’s a good thing, if you understand it and know to anticipate it.

Now, about your career. The first 8 days of the month see Mercury in your career house. The last 2 weeks see Mars in your career house. That’s 3 weeks out of the month with career energy.

Your solar career sign is Leo. Like your own sign, it likes emotions. It also likes exaggeration, drama, a strong storyline, excitement, action, and sensationalism. It likes to make an impact. So what you need are some things to expend all that energy on without wasting your time spinning your wheels in a fixed sign rut.

My suggestion, and it’s just a suggestion, is that you get out and attend some events. Lots of events. As many as you can pack in.

This will allow you to mingle, to be seen (which is what Mars in Leo likes), to meet new people, enjoy their dramas without participating, be entertained, and do all this without having to share too much of yourself during your annual self-renewal period. Think of yourself as the audience, not the star, and most parts of your chart will be happy.

There are planets in all the earth signs (your solar wealth houses) for almost all of the month. It might sound as though by mentioning the wealth houses that I am suggesting that you go out and run around making money. Not really, and that isn’t the typical Sagittarian style anyway. Which is good, because we’re talking trines and trines don’t mix well with frenetic activity, anxiety or laborious effort.

Trines urge you to find the easy way, to sit and think and then move gracefully. Earth trines would just as soon you do your sitting and thinking in a nice natural setting rather than while poring over the latest information from the stock market. They’re not into the kind of exhausting mental and physical activity that your sign sometimes favors. See if you can spend September not hurrying and see what flows to you.

The only thing to move fast on is taking a vacation. You have a tiny bit of vacation energy left via Mercury in Leo through the 8th. This energy would favor short but memorable trips, such as over Labor Day. There’s additional Leo energy during the second half of the month but vacation season has passed by then so it is more likely to indicate contact with people from afar or perhaps adventures of the mind and contact with new ideas.

The rest of the time you need to have your butt in the chair at the office to take advantage of loads of career and job energy all the way through the 24th. Jupiter is in your 6th house of employment for months to come, but the influence of planets in Virgo in your career sector will be more short-lived, as least this time around. Toward the end of the year Mars will move into Virgo for a very long stay, putting you in the catbird seat again when it comes to wealth and material matters. Pluto is also in your second house for income for a stay that will last more than a decade. In other words, over the next 9 months, you are going to have more work and money energy at your disposal than normal.

The second major influence of the month comes from planets in Libra, which in your solar chart represents your associations and your friends. From the 23rd on, conversations and get-togethers are highlighted. The new moon in Libra, which multiplies this energy, is on the 27th. The idea is to be surrounded by people toward the end of the month.

Mars meanwhile spends the first half of the month in your solar 8th house. The 8th house represents a variety of things including physical intimacy and support you receive from your partner. Mars is done clashing with outer planets by the time September begins, so you have brighter aspects in this area of your life as well. The second half of the month is a good period for your sign, as Mars in Leo harmonizes with Uranus retrograde in Aries, which harmonizes with your Sagittarius sun. In short, Sagittarius, it seems that you should thank your lucky stars in September.

One of the things that I haven’t mentioned for Capricorn yet is that Jupiter in the 5th house (Jupiter in Taurus in your solar chart) can be related to making money through what’s called ‘speculation.’ In other words, investments that have some inherent risk, such as putting money in the stock market. I don’t have Jupiter in the 5th house, and I haven’t checked whether this proves true in real life, but if you are considering putting money in the stock market or some such thing, Jupiter in Taurus could be part of the reason. Another part of the reason could be the return of Neptune to your solar financial house.

Neptune likes easy money. When Neptune is good financially, it can be very very good. Think of all those dot.com millionaires and even billionaires. However, when it’s bad, you can lose a bundle. Think of when the dot.com bubble went bust.

Lately, the stock market’s been about as speculative as you can get. I’m not advising whether you should or shouldn’t put some money into speculation. I’m just pointing out that your chart is eyeing the possibility of big profits and that you can make your own decision using your sharp Capricorn brain. With Venus (money planet) in your house of international affairs during the first half of September, this could have something to do with foreign investments, but you’ll want to get specifics as Virgo doesn’t like to do anything without specifics and cold, hard analysis.

If you don’t want to turn your attention to practical matters (unlike Capricorn, but just in case), the first part of the month sees a lot of energy in your solar 9th house of philosophy and contemplating the meaning of existence. This may not be exciting but it can be restful.

On the 14th, Venus moves into Libra, which represents the most visible sign in your solar chart. This is the sector of your chart where you get attention, where you are watched, listened to, where your words are given authority. Given that Saturn has been hanging out in this part of your chart for quite a while, you may be viewed as an admirable figure or a cautionary tale. In either case, Venus softens the perceptions of you a bit. That’s probably good because Saturn in the solar 10th house is kind of a heavy placement.

Saturn can do big things for you and your reputation, but generally not easily. The sun joins Venus and Saturn in this sector on the 23rd, and Mercury makes it a foursome on the 25th. If you want to make changes in your career or reputation, the time to do so is around the time of your annual career new moon, which this month falls on the 27th.

Switching gears, Pluto stations and then turns direct this month, making him especially potent right now. These days, Pluto is your personal planet of heavy changes. If your sun is at 4 degrees Capricorn (you were born 4 days after the start of the sign, right around Christmas), then Pluto is at its peak of power in your chart. Fortunately, that means a turnaround is in the works and whatever heaviness you’ve been undergoing is about to lighten up. If you’re not a December born Capricorn, Pluto’s switch in direction will probably manifest in a more muted way, but you will still probably feel a bit of a shift.

So far, we’ve been focusing on money, career, and heaviness, but Jupiter in the 5th house can also signal a good time to begin a new relationship. If you’re in the market for love, it’s time to advertise yourself.

One thing I haven’t mentioned about having Neptune in your own sign (which you do, until next February) is that Neptune really digs on music. This year, we also have outer planet energy in music-loving Taurus, which hasn’t happened for quite a few years. In short, we have a perfect combination for you to tap into the soothing power of your favorite tunes. Listen to some around the house, sing in your shower, pull out the instrument you haven’t played in awhile, experience the joy and beauty of this most emotional form of expression.

As it so happens, this musical vibe goes along with energy in your solar 8th house of healing this month. Venus here is an antidote to anxiety and distress and music is proven to diminish both. If your anxiety and distress happen to be financial, Venus in this position (until the 15th) can help with that too. Calm yourself, be gentle with yourself (and others); that’s the gist of Venus in the 8th.

The sun’s in the healing sector of your chart, too, until the 23rd. That means it’s in Virgo. Virgo is a sign of observation and of specifics, of naming and of words. You can use this energy by sorting and classifying your joint financial affairs and debts–not trying to do anything with them, just observing what’s going on and gathering the data. This is an especially good idea if Neptune when it was in Pisces and your personal financial house earlier this year got you all confused and misled about where your finances actually stand.

At mid-month, Venus moves into Libra, which represents your solar house of learning and knowledge and big picture wonder at the awesomeness and majesty of life. Go out at night and look into the starry skies for a dose of the cosmic perspective that this sector of your chart represents.

Speaking of the big picture, the second half of September sees a reprise of heavy energy in the fixed signs like yours. We’ve already mentioned Jupiter in Taurus and Neptune in Aquarius; Mars in Leo gets added to the mix after the 18th. (And Mercury’s in Leo until the 9th.) Planets in fixed signs don’t really like anything to change if they can help it. They’re foot-draggers.

Don’t expect big changes during the second half of September, even if you’re bored and want some. The exception to this would be around the new moon in Libra on the 27th. If you’re involved in legal matters, you may be able to make some changes in your situation then. Other potential changes would be more intangible, such as a change in perspective.

Finally, the energy in Leo this month (Mercury at the beginning, Mars during the 2nd half) refers to your relationships. With Mars in the 7th house, anything can happen in your relationships, positive or negative. In either case, this is a temporary transit, not likely to change the underlying stability of a committed relationship. If your significant other is grumpy, you’re grumpy, or the two of you are feeling argumentative, chalk it up to a mood that will pass.

Chatty Jupiter in your 3rd house forms part of a trine of planets in earth signs this month. Since Jupiter will have earth signs buddies to talk to this month, you may find yourself speaking so much or so fast that you can barely keep up with yourself. What will you be talking about? Money maybe, since the earth signs are always interested in money and you do have planets across your financial houses this month.

If you do talk about money, you may talk about how you need to pare down your lifestyle and concentrate on the essentials since Saturn is in your sector of paying off debts. If you need to make a resolution to trim your own budget, you can start a new program at the Libra new moon on the 27th. If you decide to institute a sensible financial program, make the changes measurable and specific. Saturn loves measurable!

Maybe you’ll want to talk about fun things like music. Jupiter in Taurus loves music and he may get a chance to share enthusiasm with music-appreciating Venus in Virgo during the first half of September. During the second half of the month maybe you’ll be talking about work or gossiping about co-workers in the office. Mars will be in Leo then (Leo represents your co-workers in your solar chart); Jupiter may have plenty to say about their performance or reliability. He may be impressed by their style or disapproving of their blatant displays of ego.

Maybe you’ll talk about (or with) your friends. Pluto stations in your friendship house this month, so there may be some intense things to talk about.

Whether you talk about them or not (and who are we kidding, of course you’ll talk about them), September is relationships month in the Pisces solar chart. Your relationship sign is Virgo. Virgo is the sign of, among other things, proper behavior, even prissiness when it’s in a bad mood. Your sign is the sign of letting it all hang out. It sees a lot of moral gray area that Virgo doesn’t see. That’s because it’s Pisces job to see the whole and Virgo’s job to see the parts.

During relationship month, your sun is encouraged to help you behave in the way that Virgo energy prefers, or in the way that your partners prefer. So your current job is to honor the parts that Virgo focuses on so that you can nurture the relationship. Translation: if someone wants you to do the dishes and you don’t see what the big deal is–do the dishes!

To whoever is asking it’s a matter of fairness, even if your sun thinks it’s a matter of uptightness or misplaced priorities. During relationship month, your partners are the ones who need you, not the other way round. This dynamic is only increased by the presence of Mars in Cancer in your love life house until the 18th.

You can sort all this out through heavy conversation (there’s that talking thing again) when the sun moves into diplomatic, negotiating Libra on the 23rd. Libra as a sign is more willing to take everything into account than Virgo is. The payoff for focusing on your partner’s needs during the first half of the month is increased closeness during the second half of it. If the we-ness and togetherness of the month gets a little too intense for you, Neptune in Aquarius gives you permission to slip away occasionally for a bit of solitude. It snuck back into your 12th house of aloneness last month so you could get a little downtime.