This week, Pluto turns retrograde under Aquarius in the 5th House of Pleasure. Because of Pluto’s distance from Earth, we will most likely feel its effects in grand, overarching schemes. But rest assured. This backward motion will make its way into our lives, no matter what we have to say about it.
When Pluto is retrograde, the stars call us to take a good, hard look at our internal selves. This process can be messy, uncomfortable, and even alarming. But the rewards waiting for us at the end make the troubles well worthwhile. Be prepared for some serious self-reflection, but keep your eyes focused on the positive change that this analysis can provide.
How will your sign fare this week?
Choose Your Sign
Be careful not to underestimate the value of someone who is always willing to be in your corner. When we grow used to the company of these all-weather friends, this can breed a false sense of security that they’ll stick around no matter what. Even the most loyal companions will start to stray if they feel like you never return the favor — or, at the very least, appreciate it.
This week, take stock of your most valued platonic relationships and do a bit of upkeep. Maintenance doesn’t have to be complex; it must only be meaningful. Call a close friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, or ask a long-time pal out for coffee. Small ways of showing your gratitude can go a long way, Aries.
Your cosmic alignment this week suggests a healthy dose of unpredictability. So, what’s there to do about it? As your ruling planet, Venus, inches closer toward Uranus under the 8th House of Reincarnation (which also governs mental health and shared wealth), you might notice unexpected financial burdens popping up throughout the week.
While this might be alarming at first, try your best to remain calm. Acting too hastily can bring about unwanted mistakes. Conversely, digging your heels in the dirt and refusing to face the problem altogether has its own set of problems. These challenges will pass. In the meantime, perhaps it’s time to tighten those purse strings for a while.
Your ability to mold your wants and wishes to the expectations of those around you certainly makes you an amicable friend to have. But it also presents internal challenges that the stars indicate are coming to a head this week. When you spend so much time anticipating the needs of others, you start to lose connection to what it is that you want.
This week, the stars urge you to take some time for yourself and recalibrate. Figure out what you want out of the coming weeks before taking other people’s feelings or desires into account. There will be plenty of time for that later. Grounding yourself in your own priorities will make it easier to determine what’s a worthy cause and what’s a cause worth leaving behind.
Your week begins with an extra dose of sentimental power as your ruling celestial body, the Moon, flies through your star sign in the 10th House of Social Status. Additionally, the Moon forms a potent opposition with Ceres. This planet influences our relationship energy and nurturing sides and is currently in the 4th House of Home and Family.
Simply put, this cosmic alignment suggests major shifts in a close relationship, likely familial. Events early in the week will reveal facets of this bond you might not have been privy to otherwise. These discoveries will challenge you. Amidst any turmoil that may arise, remember that if you act with love, it’s hard to go wrong in the long run.
The greatest successes often require equal sacrifice. And indeed, only you can determine if this trade-off is truly worth it. If it is, then prepare to put your head down and tough it out for the next few weeks. If it isn’t, then there’s no shame in taking a second to rest, reassess, and redefine your goals.
Luckily, you have tremendous talent, skill, and fortitude. Assuming you find this endeavor to be worthy of your valuable time, the sky is the limit, Leo. Will it be difficult? Certainly. But will your future self think that it’s worth it? Well, that’s all but guaranteed.
If the high road were easy to walk, then everyone would take it. But sadly, this path is often a lonely place to be. Standing up for what’s right can sometimes mean standing by yourself. During these challenging times, take solace in your moral code. These feelings of discomfort won’t last forever, but your regret for not sticking to your beliefs just might.
A harmonious trine between your ruling planet, Mercury, and a first-quarter Moon will take place midweek. This will offer some much-needed support and clarification. Endings can be difficult, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid them indefinitely. They will find their way to you eventually. Wouldn’t you rather have some say over how the two of you meet?
The harder you try to control this situation, the more chaotic it’s going to feel. As counterintuitive as it might seem to give in to the unpredictability of it all, there is merit in accepting the inevitability of the universe’s ups and downs. Ironically, giving in to your lack of control is the one thing you do have the power to do. Indeed, that type of inner peace can be powerful.
As your ruling planet, Venus, forms a powerful conjunction with Uranus, which is notorious for shaking up even the best-laid plans, you’ll likely find certain elements of your life (think finances and relationships) will go a bit haywire. Rest assured that these moments will pass. In the meantime, try to minimize the damage by rolling with the punches.
Personal growth is rarely comfortable. In fact, that’s metamorphosis’ entire MO — to get you out of your comfort zone and into the unfamiliar. Unfortunately, there is no deal you can strike with the cosmos that gets you out of the discomfort of this transformation. You can either run away from it for a little while longer or get it over with by confronting the pain head-on.
Certainly, you can deduce which option is the most productive. Your ruling planet, Pluto, enters retrograde this week, and during this time, the stars force us to face the parts of ourselves that are no longer serving us. While assessing our shadow selves can be challenging, the end reward will be well worth the effort. Of course, you’ll never know that if you don’t try.
No one is good enough to brush off the opportunity to improve themselves, not even you, Sag. The stars suggest it’s time to address that nagging feeling that’s been buzzing in the back of your mind once and for all. Conflict is always a two-way street. While it’s true that other parties should take responsibility for their words and actions, the same goes for you.
This isn’t an open invitation to self-flagellate. But events early in the week do pose an invaluable opportunity to address the parts of yourself that keep drawing you back to the same type of tension time and time again. It will be far easier to stop this seemingly never ending cycle once you figure out what’s causing it in the first place.
Before you start blaming yourself for the amount of time you’ve been stuck on this metaphorical plateau, consider this. How heavy are the emotional burdens you’re carrying? Give yourself some grace, Cap. Moving onto the next level of personal development would be difficult for anyone while they’re weighed down with unnecessary grudges and fears.
It’s time to start shedding that weight. If the problem is an unresolved conflict, then maybe it’s time to revisit some tough conversations. If it’s fear, take solace in the fact that you’ve gotten yourself this far. Why wouldn’t you be able to carry yourself a little bit further? You deserve to have faith in your abilities.
Limiting yourself only to the endeavors and goals you’re immediately good at is setting yourself up for a scant experience indeed, Aquarius. Like it or not, life is one long lesson. You can either fall asleep at your desk and risk getting left even further behind or pay attention, take notes, and use this newfound knowledge to your advantage.
The grass might seem greener when you’re neck-deep in a new challenge, but rest assured that the neighbor’s yard poses its own set of challenges. Either way, this is going to require a little bit of work on your part. Why not get a jump start on it so you can get to that feel-good “I got this” moment sooner?
The power of your imagination is admirable, but be wary of allowing it to lead you into traps of overromanticizing and, in turn, disappointment. While there’s merit to the cliche of shooting for the stars, you’ll get a lot more done if you take off with a clear plan in mind. Without it, you’re liable to get lost and discouraged more quickly than you would have otherwise.
If this plan is worth pursuing, then a brief delay to lay the groundwork for accomplishing your goals shouldn’t disaffect it. The get-rich, happy, or successful-quick schemes that you should be worried about, Pisces. All good things take time, even the things that are so good you want them to become a reality overnight — in fact, those types of endeavors often take the longest.