The other inner planets mostly congregate in Aquarius and Pisces this month. Aquarius represents your solar 9th house of knowledge and information, a rather inactive house. Unless–you want to travel, in which case you’ve got some planetary assistance all the way through the 18th.

The sign of Pisces, on the other hand, relates to work. Specifically, your career. Your career house is lit up 6 ways from Sunday in February, and it plays host to gas giant Neptune for the first time this year. You will soon discover that when Neptune comes to visit, he moves in and installs his gigantic, amorphous self into your work life and gradually rearranges it to his liking. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can mean that your work will swallow your life, so to speak, as your chart places a great deal more emphasis on career. You can find yourself living at the office.

Since, as we noted, you have living situation energy in your chart at this time, there’s a bit of a conflict. Not a horrible conflict, but a conflict. Both home and work want your attention in February, maybe a little more than you want to give either. In the long run, Neptune will win because he’s bigger and he’ll stay for longer. The good side of this is that Neptune is a very hopeful planet; if you want something to happen, sooner or later he’ll try to make it happen for you.

Yet another area of interest for your chart in February is your social life. Venus moves into your social life sector this month on the 8th, brightening things up. Uranus in this sector is encouraging you to broaden your circle of connections, to include people you might once have thought of as hopeless weirdoes. At the very least, it looks for alternatives to the same old folks you’ve always known.

Finally, if you want a nice Valentine’s Day, try celebrating it the weekend before rather than waiting for Tuesday. Neptune will want you to get your rest on a work night.

If the eclipses are still roiling your relationship world (they might be; their effects sometimes show up later), then you have the entire first week of January to have Important Talks with your significant other about where things are headed.

January is also a very Aquarian month. The sun enters the sign on the 20th, there’s a new moon in the sign on the 23rd, and Mercury enters on the 27th. Venus is in Aquarius from the beginning of the month until the 14th and Neptune’s there the whole darn month (but not for long after that). In the Gemini solar chart, Aquarius represents what’s called a cadent house, a house that is used for getting things ready behind the scenes and putting things into place for major achievements to come. Specifically, Aquarius in your chart represents the big picture, looking at both the parts and the whole of a situation to see how things fit together. The major achievement the Aquarian planets are getting ready for involves your career and the shift of Neptune into Pisces next month.

Neptune will be in Pisces for about 14 years and one of the tasks he’ll ask of you is to make a major shift with regard to your career. He probably won’t ask you to do it right away, but you can start thinking about it now–about the big picture vision of how you want your career to unfold. Be aware that Neptune favors a couple of types of things. One of them is nebulous concepts, confusion, lack of definition, and difficulty pinning things down. The other is following a dream, even if it seems difficult or impractical. The second is the cure for the first. In other words, the cure for getting out of limbo-land is to go ahead, bite the bullet, admit to your foolish dream, and start trying to pursue it.

Last but not least, Mars stations and then retrogrades in your solar 4th house this month. The 4th house is the house that refers to your literal house, the actual building where you live. Mars is an industrious and ambitious planet and he may want you to do aggressive things to that building, such as tear down walls or remodel the kitchen. Decide for yourself what you can realistically afford and get done in the first 6 months of this year, because that’s how long Mars has allotted for your home improvement projects.

Lunar eclipses are associated with endings and sometimes losses. But endings can be good, as in ending an unlucky streak (I’ve seen it happen at a lunar eclipse), and losses can paradoxically freeing. That said, a decent guess is that your emotions will somehow relate to a primary relationship–as the relationship sector is the other area of your chart affected by the eclipses of November (on the 25th) and December.

That’s the big astrological event of the month; the other influences are a mixed bag. For example, as of the 20th of December, you’ve got excellent travel vibes thanks to Venus in Aquarius. Sweet times for a winter vacation. You may want to take advantage of this influence if you’re the type that likes to avoid conflict. Mars is in your domestic sector all month long (and for longer than that; he’s there til July), doing his best to flush the natural elements of conflict within your family into the open. Mars has no fear, which means he’s not inclined to tact or peace-keeping either. You’ve been warned.

There are quiet vibes all month long via Venus and then sun in Capricorn, a strong silent type of a sign. These planets in Capricorn can relate to some sort of healing from injury or harm, as Capricorn is your sign of recovery from fear and danger. The new moon in Capricorn this year is on December 24, just before Christmas. You can use the new moon to set an intention, if you wish, to heal from something specific–like that winter cold so many of us get.

Your ruler Mercury bustles back and forth in Sagittarius, the sign in your chart that represents relationships. It goes direct midway through the month on the 13th. This influence, along with the sun in Sagittarius until the 22nd, is good for making and re-establishing connections with others.

Jupiter, who has the job this year of contemplating the relationship between the parts of your life and the whole, comes to a stop on Christmas. Either he figures out something profound right around then or he decides to take a new tack in contemplating your life. If you’d like to follow his lead, listen to your intuition around this time.

Saturn continues to break new ground in your solar 5th house as December progresses. Saturn’s job is to figure out what’s the matter with the 5th house elements of your life. These are typically your love life, your children, or some sort of creative project. It’s okay to ask questions if you are worried about one or more of these areas.

Meanwhile, Uranus also stations this month, on the 10th, lunar eclipse day. We’ve been ignoring him for awhile because he’s been going backwards and not doing too much. This month he wakes up and re-vivifies himself. You have Uranus in a good spot for the coming 6 years. You have him in your friendship house, and Uranus is a natural at friendship. He’s also good at goals, at strategizing, and at building alliances. Feel free to use his talents to push yourself forward in these areas.

Neptune spends the whole month at 28 degrees Aquarius. Neptune has spent years and years and years refining your long-term plans. If he’s been nice, he’s also helped you develop systems and processes that allow you to pursue your ends while being practically on auto-pilot. Enjoy this while it lasts. Next year, he’ll move into your solar career sector, not to leave for over a decade. In your career sector, he’ll get bored with everything he’s achieved, all his seamless processes, and will want to switch up your career, public life, or professional reputation. Chiron’s already in your career sector, trying to stir up inner conflict within Geminis born very early in the sign. Since your time of career change will come, now might be a good time to consider how you can harvest the gains you’ve already made in your professional life so far.

A series of eclipses in the solar 7th house, such as you are experiencing this year, almost always tries to shake up relationships so that they go deeper or go away, but this concept does not have to apply solely to romantic relationships. It can also apply to relationships with best friends and/or business or working partners. Your ruler Mercury will go retrograde in your relationship sector as well, starting on Thanksgiving day in the US, bringing with it the possibility of lots of relationship conversations, messages, texts, emails and so on, as your chart either tries to hash things out or deal with complicated logistics this month.

You also have some fairly deep Scorpio energy in your job and health sector during the first three weeks of the month. If you do have chronic health problems, November could bring some healing your way. Mars also moves into your home sector mid-month, signaling an increased emphasis on family matters or household functions for the next 8 months–until July of 2012! Mostly, though, November is about love and affection in your closest relationships.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.