Taurus (April 19-May 20)

Recent chapters in your history have taught you not to underestimate the dark side of human nature. Yet you still may not know what to do about it. And you still may be blaming yourself for what you've been forced to confront and may still need to confront. To the extent that you've been willing to do so, you owe yourself some gratitude for having drawn the line and set limits in a variety of circumstances that have called for just this. What's clear now is that you need to be working with an exceedingly careful plan to set your life straight. And you need to understand your relationship to certain men in your life, including your father and someone who looks like an uncle. Both have cost you something emotionally. However, both have given you something whether they intended to or not, and that is street smarts. Now is the time to use them.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)

This is a momentous time in your life, but I would not be the least bit surprised if you were feeling more than a little disoriented. It turns out that the Venus transit of the Sun packed enormous punch, feeling something like a 121-year eclipse. And like an eclipse, you're going to be feeling the effects of this for a long time. But this is not the time to seek definitive answers as much as it is to explore the new territory of your life and figure out more or less where you are, where you're heading and what you want. It is clear that some enormous priority has shifted for you, some root-level value that has kept you attached to an entire agenda. Now, something much larger, obviously more important, clearly more vital, has been infused into your psyche. Let it soak into your cells. Let it grow.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

There is really no conflict between having a concrete strategy for handling sensitive situations, and handling them sensitively. In fact, the two work well together. You would be wise to include in your plan the awareness of when to be sexual with a certain individual and when not. In any event, you are likely to be in "talk it out first" mode, which may indicate that you have much more in common with a partner than you're likely to have ever realized, and they have more in common with you than you ever realized. The question is what to do with this common ground, which may have a boring quality; any fool knows that differences are interesting. The answer is to keep seeking an unfulfilled need that one of you may have and, from your newfound space of total compassion, do something about it.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)

I have a hunch you are hot onto one of the great mysteries of life, which is understanding how your inner wounds connect with those in other people. In fact, the more aware of these relationships you are, the more you can be free of them. This is a clear instance where knowledge is power. In order to use it, you just need the nerves of a surgeon. Which is cool, right? That's what you want anyway. Nerve in this case has a lot to do with choosing whether you are negatively or positively polarized in any given situation; whether you have the guts to expect a good outcome; and how creative you are at turning difficult situations into productive learning experiences. Don't worry if you seem to be doing everyone's emotional work for them. Someone has to do it, and your example counts for a lot.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)

You're one of those people whose gifts are so rare and specialized, you may wonder what on Earth you'll ever do with them all. Yet you're in one of the biggest "find your niche" moments of many years. So Virgo the not so Virgin, emissary of Chiron, spirit of humanity: your job this month is to work it. Work the crowd; work your contact network; work your craft; and most of all, work with yourself. If you need help, ask for it. If you have help to offer, offer it. If you give your work away free now, set a fee. You will get it. You are not so inexperienced as your humility tends to propose. You're not so young as the fountain-of-youth quality you possess. The world is tired and you are not. The world is lost in its ways; you are finding yours. This offers many connection points between you and creation. You'll see.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)

Look at everything and everyone you see in life for the next month or so and recite the mantra: "I've been here before, I've seen this already." I don't know how to translate this to Sanskrit but I'm sure it would sound old and wise. You need to use this familiarity to your advantage; the issues you face are something of expert territory for you, and there is no excuse for making the same mistakes. Use your mistake allocation for making new ones. The only way you could slip up would be literally if you refused to acknowledge what you already know, and know extremely well. You are, at least, starting to acknowledge that certain people are driven by darkness and care not at all for their personal karma. Next, you will triumph in the knowledge that you are not a wind-up robot programmed by your family. Ah, but what then are you?

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)

It's cleanup time. Now that the fools have had their big party and seen the results, they are ready to listen to sense, and you're the one who seems poised to do the talking. But talking implies listening, and it involves reconciling what may be very different points of view. Carefully communicate with your partners until they find themselves thinking clearly. And listen to what they were thinking during these last chapters of history, because they have learned a lot from their mistakes. What most people do not know about success is the extent to which it depends on having excellent political skills, and those include both listening skills and a talent for negotiation. You are the visible leader in certain important situations now, and your ambition is providing a vital example for people who need your guidance; make sure you take theirs.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 22)

There is an unusual "back to the beginning" quality to your aspects right now and it would appear to arrive through some kind of business transaction or even marriage. Marriage is of course a business deal; neither love nor childbearing requires a state license, and it is wise to enter into contracts knowing their legal and culturally mandated purpose. That being said, be mindful of an emotional appeal when it comes to your long-term agreements; while the emotional plane needs to be in accord with all matters requiring a signature, it is never wise to have it lead the way. In any event, your life, your goals, your achievements and your partnerships are all far greater than any one relationship. The beauty of this moment is how individual relationships allow you to sink your roots deep into the Earth and draw up the water of safety, love and life.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

It's time you took responsibility for feeling like you're the hunted one. It is true that distinct, real experiences have led to this sensation, but authentic vulnerability will elude you as long as you feel like everyone wants you for something you're not prepared to deliver. It would help enormously, of course, if you knew what you were indeed prepared to offer up for the common good, and noted what rooms within yourself you're willing to enter for the sake of your own fulfillment. That partners may seem defensive or overly analytical is something you can work with; at least they will listen to reason, and are even more likely to drop their guard if you reveal the ways in which you relate to their circumstances and history. The personal review in which you find yourself likely relates to why you have such fixed preconceptions about relationships. These, we all know, never really work.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

If certain people or circumstances make their feelings known or push you in ways that compel you to get clear with them, make sure you thank them forthwith. Clarity is your best friend right now, in part because you've been so biased by the effects of your own psychological struggles. Yet these are portions of your journey that you can chalk up to lessons well learned -- with perhaps one exception: how you handle your work. This is definitely the difficult point in your life at the moment, and the changes you make need to be designed to work in the long term. This month is your big chance to implement some of the more challenging ones. Fortunately you are learning that making money is not merely about aggression and stamina; it is about brains and being a good inventor. Neither of those two commodities are in short supply. Think of it this way. Everything can be made easier. You're smart; do it.