BORN THIS WEEK
Bruce Springsteen (Sept. 23, 1949)
Libra has the only inanimate symbol in the zodiac, the Scales; It recalls a sun half-setting on the horizon, a nod to the Autumnal Equinox with which the sign corresponds. It is the cardinal-air sign, which translates to light, and by extension enlightenment. Libra portrays intangible principles. Ruled by Venus, named for the goddess of love and beauty, Libra is a masculine sign that abstracts these notions into order and aesthetics. Like its male archetype Apollo, the god of light and concepts of reason, art, music—seven notes in the scales, and Libra is the seventh sign—Libran men are champions of order, equality and liberty. The sign’s motto is “we are.” Libra is about balancing oneself evenly with others. Springsteen’s music and his socio-political efforts speak to leveling the playing field for the common man, ennobling and enlightening the human experience.
ARIES
You’re laying low, recharging the batteries and plotting your next diva/o move. A Mars-Uranus mashup kicks your extra-sensory perception into gear. Instincts are razor sharp, particularly in scanning new faces in your social landscape. Though you could skewer some in your midst for operating from a sub-conscious Machiavellian position, you must resist and rise above, buoyed by gratitude for being as “conscious” about life and human relationships as you are. Let ‘em say what they will about your being self-absorbed, safe in the knowledge that you’re not taxing anyone else with your very own human struggles.
TAURUS
With Mars in Leo, you feel a surge in creativity. Not that you need make anything new. In fact, this week is all about remerchandising your existing talents and wares, doing what you do, with fuller force. So remember, when you’re about to leave the proverbial building, that there is an appreciative audience just arriving. Venus squaring Pluto helps you heal the negative effects of self-reflection, allowing you more objectivity about yourself, thus enabling you to push forward without concern for how you’re seen. A Sun-Mercury mashup on Saturday says a Libra has your number. So come clean to him or her.
GEMINI
You are becoming quite the philosopher, developing years of valuable street cred into a credo that sustains you and others. Indeed, you are being turned to (again) for advice; but you can dispassionately release nuggets of wisdom, like a Confucius Pez dispenser, without being dragged down or into drama. Mercury fusing with the Sun injects you with many big ideas. Don’t waste this grace. Write everything down. You mightn’t get to some light bulbs going off for years to come. But don’t pooh-pooh a single one. And feel free to suggest the idea above to the Pez people. On us. Sun in Libra, Friday, sparks lust.
CANCER
It’s time to connect the dots. Mercury sidling up to the Sun offers a clear outline for networking your way out of any stifling hives trying to assimilate you. In so doing, you bump into synchronistic signposts pointing to new creative paths. Mars entering Leo Monday is right on time to put a me-first spring in your step. It’s like you popped a pill of self-value; and it becomes crystal clear that so-called mentors who never let you forget the “favors” they’ve granted are now in debt to your kindness, let alone your diligence in making them look good. By Saturday, you’re plotting to repay those who’ve done that for you.
LEO
You have tempests mounting inside, with Mars in Leo. You must strive for a healthy detachment. Though it feels oh-so au contraire, embody the mantra: nothing is personal. You do yourself a disservice by fighting affronts with your sword of righteousness and terrible, swift retorts. By Friday, you’re a cunning linguist, as Mercury conjuncts the Sun. Take this opportunity to word business plans and artful missions. It might feel like someone is speaking through you. We won’t dispute that. Mars square Jupiter, Saturday, gives you strength to curb excesses and embrace the Spartanism that your soul desires.
VIRGO
Your most worn accessory this week is rose-colored glasses. Sure, climate change might seem delightful. Political unrest may promote progress. The soaring price of fossil fuels could inspire alternative-energy initiatives. And though we like good spin, don’t be such a sappy Pollyanna. Rage, if just a bit, against the machine. With the Sun entering Libra, squaring Pluto, you are being asked to take a stand for something, gosh-darn-it. A wise Virgo recently taught us the difference between a review and a critique. The former is an opinion you might as well keep to yourself. The latter is an instrument for positive change.
LIBRA
Get ready to go global. Mars entering Leo by Monday sees a surge in widespread interest in whatever you are putting out there. We’re talking worldwide scope for career and creative endeavors, yes; but we are also referring to karma, which is freeze-dried instant. There’s no such thing as an isolated incident—all your interactions are connected. So tip the waiter well, lest he kill your book deal. With the Sun in Libra, by Friday, whatever you focus on magnetizes. If you want to fixate on feeling undervalued, be our guest. If you want to appreciate your talents and unique beauty, then get ready for your close-up.
SCORPIO
Things fall nicely into place. Which means you’re terrified of the other shoe dropping. It won’t. So free yourself from worry and let life meet you half way in materializing hopes and wishes. Mars and Jupiter square off this week, asking you to negotiate living and working in a number of places; or the wearing of multiple chapeaux, from banker’s bowler to artist’s beret, especially the latter. Of all the signs, you’re in the best financial shape. And the most fearful of loss. Fight fright by investing in art/passion projects. Expression is just that. So get your angst out—on paper, in paint, or by pop-up street performance.
SAGITTARIUS
Legacy looms large now as you are passed a generational baton of sorts. It might be blatant. Or you might subtlety recognize how you are evolving into a more traditional role. Tradition. You hate that word. And yet, if you think back on some of the wild ideas, not to mention the fashions, that were floated out there in times gone by, you might well see yourself in context of descending from a long line of wildly imaginative maverick entrepreneurs and social mavens. Mars in Leo bodes well for ongoing legal issues that might suddenly wrap up in a snap. The Sun in Libra fuels philanthropic inclinations.
CAPRICORN
If, in the past, we said that repressed issues are coming to the fore, it would inspire melancholic panic. Now, though, with Mars in Leo, it should spark enthusiasm. You have built much spiritual muscle, and are so at ease with life’s ephemera, that you ace psychological tests put before you. Family may converge, ancient roles being played, but you don’t possess the same old buttons that used to push. A solo vocation beckons, whereby you desire to make an enduring mark. The Sun in Libra makes light work of getting started. Funds ease as you prize freedom over ownership, expansion over restriction.
AQUARIUS
A Sun-Mercury conjunct stresses the need for personal evolution, as an artist or in business, as well as in personal relationships. You’ve been blessed with the ability to carve out career niches and to experience romance that remains freer of attachment than others manage to do. But you must strive to break out of professional cul-de-sacs, just as you should challenge yourself to be with those who require emotional commitment. On Friday, the Sun, squaring Pluto, slips into Libra. A buddy may threaten to give you the boot. It could be the kick in the pants you need to learn that friendship is a gift, not a given.
PISCES
Concentration is now on the physical zone of your chart, getting you in touch with your body. If you’re planning a new fitness regime, you just might stick to it this time as Mars in Leo lends teeth to good intentions. The trick, says the Sun entering Libra, is to be less focused on making alterations and more on appreciating yourself as you are, each moment. If debating whether to kick or cool a questionable habit, do it now. Pluto’s square to the Sun amplifies the power of the process of elimination. The effects of, say, removing a so-called decadence from your diet are that much more noticeably beneficial than usual.
