Midlife Transits

Your living situation continues to get attention from the stars in February. There’s a full moon in Leo on the 7th that relates to your neighborhood and Mars continues to haunt the sector of your solar chart that relates to home and home improvement matters. If you have work to do around the house or a neighborhood project to complete, time to get on it. Note to DIYers: Virgo values quality over quantity and is a bit of a perfectionist; don’t expect your project to be completed soon. If you hire someone to do work around your house, get specifics, especially regarding the estimate and don’t neglect to handle issues that are structural but not visible. Check and double-check all work done. (more…)

Happy New Year, Gemini. Hopefully, you survived the eclipses of the last two months of 2011, and are ready to rock and roll in 2012. If you’re a creative or artistic type, you’re blessed by Saturn in your solar 5th house of creativity, who is not only moving forward this month but also making a wonderful trine to Neptune, the planet of imagination. This trine lasts throughout the whole second half of January, so put aside dreary thoughts of New Year’s resolutions that involve the gym, not smoking or drinking or engaging in bad habits, and put your focus instead on capitalizing on your talents. (more…)

December is scheduled to be an emotional month for Geminis, thanks to a lunar eclipse in your own sign on December 10. Some of you will have jumped the gun and had an emotional month in November, while others will lag and have an emotional month in January. A lunar eclipse in your own sign is personal–it could relate to anything in your life. Possibilities range from something as mild as a distressing realization about yourself to as upbeat and life-changing as ending your single status forever by taking the marital plunge. (more…)

Your chart tries to move romantic matters into deeper waters this month, courtesy of a solar eclipse in your relationship sign of Sagittarius on the 25th. For some of you, this eclipse will signal the start of a new relationship, perhaps unexpectedly. The orb of influence of this eclipse is about a month before and after the eclipse itself, perhaps even a bit longer, so don’t give up hope if nothing exciting happens right at the eclipse itself. Those with existing romantic relationships may also take things to a new stage with the help of love planet Venus, also in your relationship house for the bulk of the month. (more…)

Love time for Gemini from the beginning of  fall through October 23. Yay! Your love new moon was actually on September 27th. You know what to do with the few days after a love-oriented new moon, don’t you?

Just put your lips together and blow–a kiss at someone you’re attracted to. Flirt, make a romantic wish and then try to make it come true. All kinds of relationships are favored with this month’s Libra energy, so if you are not in the market for a dating relationship, don’t let that deter you from enjoying the affectionate vibes.  Geminis are good at love, so I’ll let you and your imagination take it from there.

Now on to more philosophical stuff. If the sign of Gemini has an Achilles heel, it’s the fear of routine. Gemini, ironically, can get stuck in a rut of avoiding routine. With Jupiter in the sector of your chart that deals with this Achilles heel, see if you can give some mental space to the idea of embracing routine to counteract your dislike of boredom.

Is it possible that a comforting routine could be the opposite of boring? Maybe coasting along in easy mode for awhile without having to break things up could actually be—nice! It could certainly be nice in that love life of yours that is so highlighted. That means letting  go of restlessness for someone or something else  to focus on the moment instead of the near future.  Give it a try.

October is also potentially a great month for your social life. If that Gemini restlessness strikes, get out of the house and hang out with some interesting, lively folks.

The final area that comes into astrological focus for you this month is your job or health. The default Gemini mode when it comes to these matters is to be a little bit paranoid. If you feel like being paranoid on either of these subjects, try looking at the big picture. For this month, the big picture is the paranoia or fear antidote. Your health and job new moon this year is on the 27th of October.

If you need to make a substantial change in ether of these areas of your life, the time to do so is right around this new moon.

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.

Jupiter scoots to a stationary point at the end of August before beginning its slide backwards in the sign of Taurus. For Gemini, this theoretically signals a subtle but pleasant sensation of inexplicable feelings of kindliness and that the world is a gentle place after all. Mars in Cancer will scrimmage with Pluto and Uranus and Saturn this month, giving the lie to the idea that the world is all that gentle, but your sign isn’t supposed to care. Jupiter in Taurus tries to give you a taste of the really big picture, in which the fleeting annoyances of the moment are just not that significant.

There are other things that Jupiter in Taurus is good for, too. One of them is bodywork with a healing or psychological or stress-relief component, such as massage. Taurus is a very sensual sign, one that revels in touch. It really appreciates the simple pleasures in life and encourages you to do the same.

As for that pesky Mars in Cancer. It’s busy trying to coordinate your finances, which it apparently finds a complicated endeavor. You may have joint financial issues to consider or insurance matters or taxes or various bureaucracies to contend with. It appears from the aspects that somehow or another your finances are linked with other people, and that’s what Mars is trying to straighten out. Mars is an excellent defender of your interests though and you can use the energy to push things through, get things done and off your list.

You’ve also got the sun and Venus in a useful spot for the first three weeks of the month. These puppies can help you get out of town for a short trip or two for pleasure purposes. That’s what summer is for, at least partly, packing up the car and heading out for a bit of fun and relaxation. Go somewhere!

I should point out that Venus in Leo also loves to shop. With Mars in Cancer and Mercury retrograde, shopping could get a bit complicated this month. Minor indulgences, gifts, and things bought purely for enjoyment seem to be fine. It’s shopping for things that are utilitarian that perhaps could go awry or become subject to buyer’s remorse or indecision.

From the 21st on, the energy switches, and it’s time to get back home again. Late August and early September are traditionally the annual nesting time for Gemini folks with a nesting instinct. The vibe this particular year is a gentle one, relaxing at home, maybe a bit of light entertaining. Nothing too strenuous, more an atmosphere of easing toward the fall. The energy favors things like hanging out with the animals, tending to the plants, doing some work in the garden and so on. Soothing things.

One final note: if you need to make a longer trip or one to a distant destination, August ushers in about 6 months of energy that support that. Best time for a long trip is probably November, but if you need to go earlier, you do have a planetary green light.

Uranus in Aries comes to a stop in your solar 11th house this month, then turns retrograde. That makes it especially powerful this month. We’ve talked about Uranus in Aries representing friends and groups, but the 11th house is also the house of systems. It’s a good month for you to objectively evaluate yours to determine if they are working as well as you’d like. A useful system makes Uranus happy and a happy Uranus is a good thing.

Mars is also in your sign all month long. Mars likes goals. It likes to know how you are going to accomplish them from beginning to end. If you can come up with a suitable goal, Mars would be happy to team with Uranus to help you devise and implement a system for achieving it.

Mars only visits a sign once every two years, so if you can get started now, you have a good shot at achieving a medium-range objective, something concrete that you know how to do. Since the rest of your chart seems fixated on possessions, you might want to make a goal regarding something you want to buy or own. For a variety of reasons, including the sun in Cancer, your chart is just heavily into material objects right now.

Part of this has to do with Jupiter in Taurus for the next 12 months approximately. Taurus is the sign of possessions and material objects, so it is theoretically making everyone the world over a bit more stuff-obsessed than normal. Theoretically, this would bode well for the economy as it would signal the unleashing of pent-up consumer demand that would raise confidence and produce jobs. Jupiter’s been disappointing in that regard during the first month of his stay in Taurus, but there’s still time for him to get things going.

Jupiter is also the long-distance travel planet. In Taurus, he barrels through your solar 12th house. This can have the effect of making a vacation or trip seem like it’s a long way away and will never come. You can plan and dream, but it might be better to wait before you hop on a plane. That’s because the 12th house is the sector of dreaming before doing.

There’s also a solar eclipse in your 2nd house of things this month, on the 1st. And yes, it also is about possessions and material objects. This is the last in a series of eclipses that has taken aim at your finances. It could have you finally getting around to making that big purchase you’ve been thinking of but haven’t been ready to commit to before.

Theoretically, this purchase would be an investment in the future, something substantial that could last for a decade or so. An eclipse indicates that the time to act is now. Trust your instincts. Embrace the world of things for the moment, as well as the world of ideas.

Venus slides from your sign to Cancer right after this eclipse, so it appears that your new possession would be something you could not only use but that you would enjoy. It could also be something that promotes togetherness or that in some way relates to gatherings with others or to being able to entertain company in your home. It could even be something that primarily benefits someone else. The bottom line is that this is a month with a lot of emphasis on getting, having, buying, and material objects.  Your chart wants to see packages and shopping bags.

Lots going on in June, Mr. or Ms. Gemini. Helper planet Jupiter moves from Aries to Taurus on the 4th. This will put Jupiter in a quiet spot in your chart for about a year. Whereas Jupiter in Aries encouraged aggressive communication, Jupiter in Taurus is of the opinion that silence is golden and that selfless acts of unsung charitable devotion are even more golden. Adjust as needed.

Not that this means a lonely year ahead. Uranus is still in Aries, encouraging you to go toward your dreams with your favorite companions in tow. Uranus is strong in June because it will reach the degree at which it will station in July. Which is a fancy way of saying that your life is intended to be in rapid motion this month.

That motion-y thing is intensified greatly by the presence of 4 inner planets in your sign during June, plus a solar eclipse. The sun in your sign is a creative force, urging you to make changes or shape your presentation of yourself to your liking (yes, that can mean a makeover!). It’s there until the 21st.

As for your year ahead, it’s a connect-y type year with the eclipse series in your sign continuing and connect-y Uranus still in Aries dancing with awkwardly with wary Pluto in Capricorn until the two big clumsy oafs actually collide about a year from now. It’s also a year of potential extremes, which the planets apparently think you need to prevent you from experiencing the worst horror known to the Gemini mind: boredom. Here are some sample affirmations to test out: I love connections! I love extremes! Connections are safer than Pluto thinks! Extremes are safer than Uranus thinks! I’m safer than I think! It’s gonna be a great year! And so on.

As for eclipses, there are two of them this month. The first is in your sign on the 1st and the second is a lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on the 15th. These eclipses fall along the axis of your chart that relates to relationships. It’s not at all uncommon for people to get married during a series of eclipses in their own and the opposite sign. This series lasts through 2012, so if you haven’t made wedding plans yet, there’s still time. Look for permanent adjustments to your relationship status this month or next.

If the relationship status of your dreams does not appear imminent, your ruler Mercury in your own sign can help. Mercury’s in Gemini from the 2nd to the 16th, wedged conveniently between the eclipses. Mercury can help you plot out a systematic yet clever series of actions directed toward securing that proper relationship status. If you don’t want any changes in your relationship status, then use Mercury’s systematic cleverness for another goal. If Mercury’s not working on something, he causes trouble!

Venus is in your sign also this month, from the 9th on. Venus will help you woo with language, something your sign excels at. You’ve also got a little bit of Mars energy on your side in June, during the last 10 days of the month.

The month starts with your ruler Mercury retracing ground he covered during the last two weeks of March. Think back to that time for clues as to what will be on your mind as May begins. Alternatively, a particular person may be dominating your thoughts, as Mercury and Venus will be within smooching distance for almost a week, which often means love on the brain. First day to take advantage of this would be the 9th.

On the 11th, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter all cluster together, making this a really good time for pursuing love in whatever fashion you desire. These planets are all in Aries, which means burning love by the way, not piddly-widdly minor affection. With Jupiter involved, this could also mean long-distance romance.

As has been the case for much of 2011, the theme of get-togethers with friends continues to be important. Much of the energy of the past couple months has been clumped in your solar 11th house, and the 11th house is the sector of being included in whatever’s going on in the moment with large or semi-large groups of people. The wild card, perhaps unfortunately, is Uranus, stuck by his lonesome in the early degrees of Aries. Uranus gets annoyed when things go as planned, so he may try to whip up a certain caustic vibe to blow apart the lovey-dovey atmophere of the other planets. This could create mistrust in a budding relationship, so be aware that it may be prudent to use your tart Gemini wit judiciously rather than impulsively. Insult the organizations or ideas you truly wish to disparage, not the people you happen to be conversing with.

On the 21st, the sun moves into your sign, which is traditionally when you bring things into being that you have been contemplating earlier. It’s not just fun time, it’s creative time as well.

The other sign o’the month is Taurus, with Mercury, Venus, and Mars congregating here in the second half of the month. Mars is the planet of fire, whatever sector he happens to be in. In your solar 12th house, which is where he’ll start hanging out, he’ll have an affect on the general atmosphere around you. For some Geminis, this will be literal. It will seem too darn hot to you, even if others are exclaiming that temperatures in the 80s are pleasantly springlike. Other Geminis will welcome the feeling that summer is starting.

Six planets transit through Aries this month, which concentrates a lot of energy in one area of your solar chart. This sector is traditionally said to symbolize friends and allies, and you can use the new moon on the 3rd of the month to make a wish or set an intention regarding this part of your life. This is an intensely people-oriented set of energies, including groups of people. It’s also a willful, courageous energy more focused on saying things like “I will do this,” rather than “I might do this.”

The traditional downside of Aries energy is that it has a fondness both for destruction of various sorts and for outbursts of temper. On the other hand, it gets over its anger quickly and is generous at heart. Its best use is probably acknowledging all the friends and allies you already have and adding more to the list.

If the friends you add would like to destroy the same things you would and have outbursts of temper over the same types of world issues that you do–so much the better. It might be good to avoid going too deep with these new friends; you don’t need to get into their heads, just enjoy their company as acquaintances. This should be easy for you and will help you avoid complications, I think.

The heavy hitter in the Aries lineup is Uranus, and he will not go until 2018. Uranus in this position in your chart can contribute quite nicely to your success, partly by encouraging you to try new things. The other heavy hitter this month is Neptune scooching into Pisces when it thinks no one is looking.

Neptune in Pisces is like a scary rising tide of excessively deep water washing over your career. It’s almost like the opposite of the Aries energy, but the Aries energy can help. The long-term task is going to be to acquire the ideal career for yourself by whatever means it takes, including jumping off the boat into those aforementioned deep waters. In this endeavor it will help to have forceful Uranus in Aries by your side as well as those casual friends and allies you are busy compiling right now.

The first thing to deal with in the month of March is your career. Mars and many of the inner planets are in Pisces throughout the month, expressing an earnest desire for you to follow your calling whatever it is. Following your calling in this instance may simply mean following your shifting moods, whims or emotions, but the universe just doesn’t feel like having you dance to anyone else’s professional tune this month.

The big news of the month, though, is Uranus moving from Pisces to Aries on the 11th. The imperative requirement when dealing with Uranus in Aries energy is to get out there and live. No dragging about and moping, no being gloomy or troubled. It’s an energy that celebrates being glad to be alive. You can do the same.

On the 21st of March, just as spring begins, the sun in Aries will be conjunct that Uranus in Aries. Party time! On the 28th, the sun in Aries conflicts with Pluto in Capricorn. This represents the desire to shake off the shackles and do something new and impressive and maybe even unprecedented running smack dab into the shackles themselves and suffering a setback. Think of the people of Egypt liberating themselves from a dictator last month. They ran into resistance, held their ground, and prevailed against the odds. Your situation is not nearly so dramatic, and you too can survive a setback if you hold your ground.

So there we have it–your to-do list for the month. Career, celebration, partying, and holding your ground. Admirably straightforward, just like the Aries energy likes things.

For the first 6 months of 2011, every time you get the heebie-jeebies, turn immediately to your friends for encouragement, advice, reassurance or friendly teasing. For the first half of the year, your friends are your designated go-to resource. Even if February proves to be heebie-jeebie free, you can still take the opportunity to butter them up for when you need them later.

If you are going to have a couple of panicky moments, with or without good cause, they would be most likely to occur during the last week of the month. Mars will be in your career sector from the 22nd on, and Mars up at top of your chart can sign you up for visible projects that are a bit beyond your comfort zone. Go along with the program and do your best at whatever intimidating activity Mars brings your way, on the theory that if nothing else, it’ll make for a good anecdote later.

If you are going to have some adventurous travel moments, those should come earlier in the month, during the first three weeks. With Jupiter out of Pisces, the flood waters of January should be receding (literally–Jupiter is associated with the weather and when Jup was in Pisces, he overdid it worldwide with the water). With Jupiter in Aries now, it may even be safe to get on a boat and take a winter cruise to get away from it all. The weekend of the 5th also looks pretty darn good for a quick trip with some of those aforementioned friends.

Happy New Year Gemini! Lots going on to kick off the new year. This month the sun’s in Capricorn and Aquarius. There’s a solar eclipse in Capricorn on the 4th. Jupiter and Uranus have a party in your career house during the first 10 days of the month (you’re invited!), and Jupiter moves into Aries on the 22nd. Saturn in Libra stations (gets powerful) on the 26th.

Let’s take the Capricorn part first. Capricorn represents your solar 8th house. This is a strange house associated with mysteries, crimes, conspiracies, hidden stuff, intrigue, spies, and all that jazz. Since most of you aren’t actually going to end up in a spy novel this month, you may have to get your fix of this stuff through the news of WikiLeaks, government conspiracies or whatever sort of hidden knowledge piques your interest. Use your imagination to delve into the deep in whatever way you would prefer. That’s during the first half of the month.

The Aquarian energy predominates during the 2nd half of the month, and that’s more about ideas in the abstract, something your sign is usually good at dealing with. Meanwhile, Saturn’s still in Libra and it’s more powerful this month than it has been. Saturn is in the part of your chart that deals with children, creativity and your love life/social life. Combined with the lingering effects of the lunar eclipse in your sign on December 21, we have something of an air sign trinity going on in January. If that sounds like gobbledygook, think of it this way: If you can conceive it, you can achieve it. Your beliefs matter. And stuff like that.

As for the year ahead–Jupiter in Aries this month will be joined by Uranus in Aries in March. That’s good for you. Neptune will move into Pisces in April. That’s challenging for you.

Your normally super-conscious and intentional rational mind is going to have to struggle with a whole bunch of stuff that’s neither conscious nor intentional and it’s certainly not rational. That struggle will theoretically take place around your career and professional life, a spot wherein you may notice that your supervisors seem to be going off the deep end and not resurfacing. Fortunately, this bout of irrationality lasts only from April through July. For the rest of the year you get a break, and you can be just as rational as you please.