Air signs like to talk things out -- yet the three members of this clan do so in vastly different ways. Take, for example, Libra and Aquarius. Libra talks as a way of building a one-on-one connection, and one of her prime assets (as well as liabilities) is being able to view an issue from multiple perspectives. This understanding helps her to moderate between opposing parties, and suits her well for careers in mediation, law and public relations. However, this ability to balance the scales can work against her in her personal life, for in trying to please everyone, she may neglect her own needs.

Aquarius, on the other hand, approaches relationships from a more detached perspective. The Water Bearer is friendly, to be sure, but in a more impersonal way than Libra. Aquarius talks to spread ideas through the collective, as his ultimate purpose is to improve the lot of humanity. He has fairly fixed ideas, and thus is less able to be swayed by someone else's viewpoint. He feels confident that his ideas are revolutionary, yet he also feels misunderstood because so few embrace his vision. This sense of alienation can make him unyielding in discussions.

What happens if you put Libra and Aquarius in a romantic realtionship? As much as these two Sun signs are compatible, they have their differences. Libra, being an initiating cardinal sign, will attempt to resolve their problems, yet Aquarius can be so stubborn in his belief of "how things should be" that Libra -- able to get where he's coming from -- jumps off the fence (where she lives much of the time) to his side.

After having compromised numerous times, Libra's anger starts to build up. This Venus-ruled sign may be refined and polite, but everybody gets angry! Libra just has a hard time owning and expressing it. After all, Libra is opposite from Aries, the Warrior, who has no problem blowing off steam. As Aries is direct, Libra can express her anger indirectly. For example, if she does not want to agree with Aquarius but also does not want to be upfront about it, she may use indecision as an act of defiance.

Comment below: Share your Libra-Aquarius relationship experiences.

Photo by The Wandering Angel

Labels: aquarius, libra

April Elliott Kent is one of my astrological heroes. No, she's not a Big Name Astrologer whose surname is immediately recognized in conversation among astrologers -- Hand, Greene, Forrest. But among the many articles I have read in The Mountain Astrologer magazine over the years, her article The Astrological I: Putting the Self Back in Astrology has had the strongest impact on my writing. Practicing what she preaches, April's blog posts seamlessly weave astrological knowledge with personal anecdotes, helping the reader to connect emotionally with a system that can seem hopelessly abstract.

Unfortunately, April doesn't blog as much as she used to, but she has just come out with a book -- Star Guide to Weddings: Your Horoscope for Living Happily Ever. She agreed to answer some of my questions about her book via email:

One of your specialties is using electional astrology to help couples plan wedding dates. This is a complex undertaking, as an astrologer needs to look at the positions of the Moon, Venus, aspects between planets, and so on. Yet, Star Guide is geared towards readers who don't need to know anything beyond Sun sign astrology, as its premise is that the zodiac position of the Sun during one's wedding describes the "personality" of a marriage. Can you explain how you came up with the idea of this book ... and why the Sun sign in a couple's marriage chart is so important?

In all honesty, the concept of the book was the brainchild of Lisa Finander, who contacted me when she was Acquisitions Editor for Astrology at Llewellyn Worldwide, my publisher. She'd read some of my other articles about the astrology of weddings and marriage and suggested a Sun sign book on the topic for a general audience. Like most "serious" astrologers, I have a love/hate relationship with Sun sign astrology. Those of us who have spent years immersed in the deep end of the astrological pool have a knee-jerk reaction to reducing astrology's complexity into a few simple archetypes. So I kind of had to be sold on the idea. Lisa did a great job of that!

And yet ... Sun signs are astrology's ABC's, the cornerstone of astrological literacy; and for the great majority of people who eventually study astrology in more depth, some form of Sun sign astrology is the portal. To a great extent, if you understand the meaning of the twelve signs, then you also have a rudimentary understanding of the planets and houses associated with those signs -- what Zip Dobbyns called "The Astrological Alphabet." And if you understand the basic relationship between signs, you have a foundation for understanding aspects. So Sun signs can be a very useful platform for those who choose to go farther with their astrological studies.

As you point out, the process of choosing a wedding date with astrology is far more complicated than anything presented in this book. But I would argue that the Sun sign for a couple's marriage chart is important for exactly the same reason the Sun sign for an individual is important: The Sun dominates our sky and our life on this planet. It's the life-giver, the engine that propels the vehicle, the sine qua non. My theory -- and it's not uniquely mine -- is that when a couple marry, they create a third entity, a marriage with a chart all its own. In astrology, we believe that for whatever reason, a thing that is born at a moment in time -- such as a marriage! -- has the characteristics of that moment in time. What is the animating force of the marriage? What is its purpose for being? What does it want to become? Those are Sun questions, and I look to the Sun on the wedding date to try to answer those questions.

For each type of marriage, you suggest locations, colors and flowers, based on the meaning of that marriage's Sun sign. In addition, you describe that marriage's purpose, its needs and its source of friction. I presume that your intended reader is one who will peruse all twelve signs to determine a wedding date. The end of the book even features a section on choosing Your Best Marriage Signs, guiding the reader towards Marriage Signs of the same polarity (Fire/Air or Earth/Water) as the reader's Sun sign. Yet, an Aquarius could end up in a Taurus marriage! How do you make sense of the factors involved in choosing one's marriage date, from the perspective of the Sun signs of each member of a couple?

Actually, my dream for the book was to have something that helps people understand the marriage they're in. I was encouraged to add material for those planning their weddings, but that information constitutes a very small portion of each chapter. My one real regret about the book, actually, is that I didn't include at least a brief section somewhere about the importance of consulting with an astrologer to actually set the date and time of your wedding, and why that can be so helpful.

That said, I'm careful to point out that there are no bad wedding signs, and that anything can work if both people want it to -- but let's face it, some signs are more compatible than others. I use the analogy of a house: A marriage that begins with the Sun in a particular sign may be like a house that's absolutely stunning, but just isn't your style. This might be the case with an Aquarian, who by nature is sociable and likes a lot of personal freedom -- a sort of mid-century modern house -- but who ends up living in a Taurus marriage, which is more like a cozy log cabin.

But let's think about that for a moment. You purchase a house for a lot of reasons -- location, school district, investment potential. You may not love the style of the house, but as long as it increases in value, keeps you dry, and serves your basic needs, well, you can always renovate, you know? An Aquarius can paint the walls of the log cabin bright blue, add a deck, build a clubhouse for his poker parties, whatever.

Back when people used to buy a house as newlyweds and stay in it for 55 years, everyone started out with cookie-cutter tract houses which, over the years, they renovated to suit the changing needs of their family. Add a room, plant a tree, renovate the bathroom. That's what we do with marriages: we adapt them to accommodate our individual needs. All marriages change over the years, because both the individuals in the marriage change.

So sure, getting married in a month when the Sun is in a sign that is compatible with your Sun signs, or whatever, is nice if you can get it. It would also be nice if our children were born with Sun signs that blended easily with our own; but if they aren't, we don't send them back ... we try to learn from the relationship.

The meat of your book concerns the Care and Feeding of One's Marriage. For me, this was the most unique part of the book, as you basically go through all twelve astrological houses -- or areas of experience -- of a marriage's "birth" chart:

• 1st House - The Face You Show the World
• 2nd House - What You Own
• 3rd House - How You Communicate
• 4th House - How You Live
• 5th House - Your Children and Creative Spirit
• 6th House - Your Work, Health and Daily Routine
• 7th House - Your Friends and Foes
• 8th House - What You Share
• 9th House - What You Believe
• 10th House - Your Contribution to the World
• 11th House - Your Place in Society
• 12th House - Your Private Sanctuary

I always love reading astrologers' interpretations of signs on house cusps (for example, Gemini in the 4th House in your Pisces chapter: "You enjoy variety in your home, and prefer a house with many rooms..."). Yet the skeptic in me thinks the following: "April is putting the Sun sign on the marriage chart's Ascendant, as Sun sign horoscope writers do for individuals. This alone is somewhat questionable, yet she's also doing it for an entity whose natal chart is based on the date that two people make wedding vows!" In your personal experience as an astrologer who has helped many couples plan wedding dates, to what extent do your interpretations in the Care and Feeding sections truly resonate with the personality of these marriages?

Honestly? When I'm through setting the date for my clients, they toddle off into the sunset to enjoy their honeymoons and have kids and all the rest. I am but a dim memory to them; they never call, they never write! So I don’t have a lot of people coming back and reporting to me on their sex lives or whatever. Much of this is speculative. But I will say that a gratifying number of people who have read the book profess that they're kind of stunned at how accurate it is. And between you and me and your many readers, frankly that surprises me a little as well.

It all goes back to the fact that "real" astrologers like you and me -- when we're not slumming around in Sun Sign land! -- aren't happy with any chart that doesn't have a birth time. And yet, we work with these charts all the time, often with interesting and illuminating results. Most the celebrity and political profiles on Tarot.com or even in astrology magazines use speculative birth times. Often, we make do with noon charts (which assume that a prominent person can be "read" according to placing the Sun in the 10th house, the house of career and public personae) or with solar charts, which is what I used in the book.

Solar charts are also the basis of most horoscopes that are written for newspapers, websites, and the rest. These Sun sign horoscopes have a lot to answer for, but when they're done well, they can be inspirational and imaginative. Look at what Rob Brezsny does with his column "Free Will Astrology" or Michael Lutin with his Sun sign work. To me, that's good astrology, if limited. It's no substitute for a full astrological analysis, and of course we all hope readers of Sun Sign stuff will be intrigued enough to pursue meatier astrology. But if they don't -- and let's face it, most won't -- well, at least we’ve given them a different way of thinking about themselves, their lives, and their marriage.

Thanks, April!

To understand your marriage better, or find the perfect gift for your soon-to-be-wed friend, purchase Star Guide to Weddings at amazon.com.

On Tuesday, Mercury conjoins Venus in in Aquarius. The communication planet receives a big dose of charm, allowing you to add lyrics to your seduction toolkit. However, your communication style can still be jarring due to Aquarius' revolutionary zeal -- Venus simply makes your unconventional chatter go down easier. This is also a good time to talk about your need for space in your relationship, or have fun conversing with friends.

There are no other major aspects this week, other than the Moon's transits. The Moon moves through a sign every 2 1/2 days, so it makes some kind of aspect to every planet. The transits of the Moon are short-lived, and relate to changing moods. We might feel pleasure when the Moon trines Venus, and depressed when it opposes Saturn.

Comment below: Have you ever observed the transits of the Moon, and how its aspects -- or just its transits through each sign -- correspond with your daily moods? And which signs do you think are most "in tune" with the Moon's transits?

Labels: horoscope

He Said/She Said features a love advice question answered by professional astrologers Jessica Shepherd of Moonkissd and Jeffrey Kishner of Seduction Central. After they each provide their perspective, they combine their insight to offer advice they both agree on.

An Aquarius male writes,

I guess I'll just dive in. Two broken marriages, my fault. The first lasted 16 years, the second 10. No fighting, no yelling, the first to a passionless Libra, high school sweetheart. The second to a Leo full of physical passion and deep connection--a lot more fiery. But both were very peaceful, even happy marriages until: Flirtations that became affairs... I was friendly, and then didn't know how to say, "No, I don't want to do this." Too late. Sad children and wreckage everywhere. I've cleaned my self and the mess up as well as I can--and I'm still working on it. Buddha is a light in the dark. I love people. I don't want to hurt anyone again. 2004, 05, and 06 were very dark years. I'm getting better. I feel some light. I want a soulmate, a lifemate. I wouldn't live through hurting another person again. Could you give me some guidance? Is there a soulmate for me? Who, what sort of person, would be a match that would happily hold on with me through this life?

He Said:

Before achieving monogamous success, you need to learn from your past. You write that flirtations became affairs, and you didn't know how to say "No." I'm afraid you are absolving yourself from responsibility. After all, you are (and were) a conscious adult when you decided to be unfaithful.

So, let's chalk it up to a problem with "impulse control." Your planet of sexual desire and action, Mars, is in Aries, the sign that it rules. You act on your desires in an impetuous manner, not really thinking about your actions' impact on others. It's a wonderful placement for initiating projects and leading the march, but as in any war, you leave a mess behind. Your Mars is especially powerful because it is conjunct your Descendant, or Seventh House cusp. For you, sex is an integral part of a relationship -- and if you are not "getting it" in your marriage, you may feel compelled to find an outlet for its expression. (You may also be attracted to direct, active, and impulsive women.)

Your Mars is in a stressful sesquisquare (or 135-degree angle) with Saturn in Scorpio in your 2nd House. Saturn shows where we experience fear, lack or a sense of inadequacy. With this planet placed in such a sexual sign in your House of Self-Esteem, you may feel that your "value" lies in your sexuality.

Your North Node is in Capricorn on the cusp of your Fourth House of Home. This point where the path of the Moon intersects with the ecliptic signifies your path of spiritual or karmic evolution. Your growth entails building structure and security (Capricorn) in your family life (4th House). Unfortunately, Mars makes a tight square (90-degree angle) to your North Node, suggesting that acting on your sexual desires often goes against your ultimate goal of having a stable home life.

There is no easy solution to your predicament. I would suggest using Saturn to discipline Mars rather use its insecurities to fuel Mars' actions. Through exploring your own darkness (Scorpio), you may unearth riches -- your own "natural resources" that can help you feel that you're worth more than how you're sexually validated.

She Said:

To read Jessica's response to the same question, visit Moonkissd -- then read They Said for their bottom line advice!

To submit your burning love question, email Jessica with "he said, she said" in the subject line, or complete Jeffrey's form.

They Said:

There's no easy solution here. Only you can create a standard of behavior and hold yourself to it. Start by taking full personal responsibility for your past infidelities and know you can choose differently. Make friends with self-discipline. Give yourself real supports and emergency strategies around those "heat of the moment" impulses. Learn from the past and you won't repeat it.

Jeffrey and Jessica are available for astrology consultations. Check out their respective websites for details.

Labels: he said she said

There are many reasons two people stay together -- even if the passion in their relationship has died. In a time when serial monogamy seems the norm, sticking it out can seem either noble or needlessly self-limiting. After all, why maintain a relationship with one person over the long haul, when you can experience the juiciness of a new fling -- again and again and again?

Sometimes the decision to stay together stems from the desire to sacrifice one's own needs for the benefit of something greater than oneself. Other times, the decision stems from fear of the unknown. And then, there are people who are just happy together, valuing each other's companionship even if they rarely make love.

Unfortunately, there are worse things in a long-term relationship than no sex -- domestic abuse or emotional isolation, for example. Yet, even many of these marriages stay intact. In this post, I will explore some of the reasons couples choose to stay together -- even when their relationship has reached its shelf life.

Status and Tradition

The 10th House corresponds with the highest point in the chart. It relates to vocation and public reputation, and is naturally associated with the planet Saturn and the zodiac sign Capricorn. Opposite the 10th House is the 4th House, at the very bottom of the chart. It relates to home, family, tradition and roots. The 4th House is naturally associated with the Moon and the sign it rules, Cancer.

Both Capricorn and Cancer are traditional, conservative signs, and this power of the past oftentimes has an effect on the longevity of a relationship. A couple stays together for the kids, to create a feeling of stability and security -- which corresponds with Cancer. The spouses in a married couple may be in business together, or are so invested in their status within their social circle that a divorce would be detrimental to one or both of them ("keeping up appearances") -- corresponding with Capricorn.

Religion and Community

The Third and Ninth Houses are more flexible (being cadent), and relate to the mental/social areas of life. They are respectively associated with Gemini (ruled by Mercury) and Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter). The Ninth House corresponds with organized religion, which holds the institution of marriage to high standards ("til death do us part"). A couple with strong ties to the Church (synagogue, mosque) may stay together simply because they made their vows in front of God.

However, the Ninth House also relates to international travel, sports and activities that expand the mind. The Third Houses concerns local community and stimulating conversation. A relationship that has lost its sexual passion may still continue because the couple has a strong intellectual bond or thirst for adventure. (In which case, it hasn't really expired!)

Money and Self-Esteem

The Second and Eighth Houses concern finances and how one is "valued." Many couples stay together for economic reasons, or simply because one or both individuals do not feel they are worthy of something better. Low self-esteem (2nd House) can keep someone from taking risks to re-enter the "market." One individual may have control (8th House) over the other, preventing them from leaving the relationship.

At the risk of not being exhaustive (i.e., passing over Houses 1/7, 5/11 and 6/12), I'll end by suggesting that Saturn is the biggest factor in the maintenance of a long-term relationship. Its benefits are commitment, duty, responsibility and longevity. Its downside includes guilt and fear. And Neptune is a runner-up, as sacrifice and martyrdom (Pisces/12th House) often make up the glue that keeps a marriage intact.

Comment below: Are you in a relationship beyond its expiration date? What keeps you two together?

Photo by banjo_d

If your idea of love is to be told how you're not measuring up, then this is the week for you! Critical Virgo and her ruling planet Mercury hog the spotlight through Sunday, pushing Venus and Mars off to the sidelines. But they've been getting way to much attention anyway, so it's only fair that they share the stage.

On Monday, Mercury stations direct in Aquarius. That's right, Mercury retrograde is over, so you can safely talk to your lover about wanting to "open" the relationship without being misunderstood. (Caveat: Mercury doesn't leave its "shadow" until March 10, so the coast is not completely clear.)

After the Sun's ingress into imaginative Pisces on Tuesday, it opposes the Virgo Moon on Wednesday, resulting in a Lunar Eclipse. Emotions come to a head in matters of health, work, daily ritual, service and efficiency. More likely than not, you or your partner may feel criticized. Whether it's how you stack the dishes or organize the bills, it's always easy to come up short in your partner's eyes. Remember that they're trying to help you improve. Your sweetie loves you -- it's just that some of your behaviors are so irritating! Why can't you just do things his or her way? Life would be so much easier!

On Sunday, the Pisces Sun opposes Saturn in Virgo. This is one of the most depressing aspects known to humankind. Saturn limits and weighs down the creative life force of the Sun, the center of the personality. In Pisces, the Sun wants to indulge in idealistic fantasies of peace on Earth and union with God ... while Saturn in practical Virgo confronts the Sun with cold, hard reality. In a way, it's good, because Saturn can help the Pisces Sun manifest those fantasies that have a chance of surviving life on Earth. But it's still a bummer.

What does this have to do with love? If you have Virgo or Pisces Rising, the Saturn-Sun opposition and the Virgo Lunar Eclipse will be falling on your Self-Partner Axis (the First and Seventh Houses of your chart), highlighting the conflict between the needs of yourself and another. If you want to fetishize the Virgo-Pisces polarity, you can play "nurse/patient" in the privacy of your bedroom.

First photo by Glen Bowman, second by MegElizabeth_

Labels: horoscope

dazedandconfused included a birth time (click chart to view) and writes,

I am a Libra that married a Gemini pretty young. We have been married for a while, have 2 kids. He does all the things he's supposed to...but I have not had that hot steamy feeling for him for a long time. I don't tell him for fear of destroying him, and the kids. NOW there is this guy I am around as a friend, but pretty regularly. From the very first time we met there was this energy...now that we know each other better, he's a libra too. So I have been doing my research and this is what I am faced with??My husband, a gemini is like my perfect match...and this libra is a perfect sex match?? So I guess I need advice. How do I as a Libra control myself around this other libra, when I have been in this "boring" marriage. And also, ways I might reignite that spark with my gemini.

Long-term relationships often lose their fire, and it can seem easier to act on your sexual feelings toward someone new than to stir the dying embers within your own marriage. However, ethics dictates that you do the right thing -- which means keeping your pants buttoned when you're near the Libra man. I'm sure you don't want to compromise your marriage and family life by having an affair.

The best way to control yourself is to make a decision that you're just not going to "go there." As long as you feed energy to your attractions outside the marriage, you water down your intention to "reignite the spark" within it. There is nothing wrong with flirting, but when this behavior is more than playful, you need to pull back. For starters, set some boundaries with yourself around this Libra man. What kinds of touch increases your desire? What topics of conversation feel naughty? Make a commitment to not cross whatever line you've drawn in the sand.

There is a lot of push-pull in your chart that may illuminate your dilemma. For starters, your Libra Sun is conjunct both Saturn and Jupiter. Saturn honors commitment and longevity, while Jupiter craves freedom and adventure. Your challenge is to integrate both energies into your self-expression, to expand your horizons within set limitations. These Libra planets are in your Fifth House of Romance opposite your impetuous Aries Moon, suggesting that your need to act on your desires right now conflicts with the need to cultivate zest in a long-term partnership.

In addition, both of your "love" planets are influenced by the planet that craves excitement and independence. Your Uranus is conjunct Venus in Sagittarius (the sign that likes to "play the field") and square Mars in Leo. The electric energy of this outer planet makes restraint and impulse control near-impossible.

So I see that it's not exactly easy to hold yourself back. Boredom in a monogamous relationship for someone with these Uranus aspects and personal planets in Fire signs is a recipe for trouble, so it is essential that you find a way to bring excitement and inspiration into your marriage. Since your Sagittarius Venus is in your Sixth House of Daily Routine, I'd suggest you find ways to disrupt whatever ruts you've gotten into as a couple -- you know, the rituals of daily life that you've fallen into by force of habit.

Your husband's Venus and Mars are in earthy Taurus, suggesting he's slower to arousal than you are, yet his love planets are opposed by Uranus, so he's got a similar dynamic to yourself. Perhaps, because it's an opposition, he projects his Uranus onto you and lets you take that on in your marriage ... in which case, his job would be to "own" his own desire for excitement and unpredictability.

Related post: Are Libras unfaithful?

Comment below: How do you bring the spice back into a marriage?

Jeffrey is available for astrology consultations.

Labels: gemini, libra

Lauren included her exact birth time and her fiance's birth date (click chart to view) and writes,

Well me and him have been together for almost 2 years and he asked me to marry him. But im always looking at the internet b/c i love astrology. my problem is everyone and everything i read is telling me that me and him arent the right match and that aqurious men get bored of a cap female. but me and him get along great and we have the same thoughts about everything and have interests in almost everything. so maybe you can help and tell me wether or not a cap female and a aqurious male is a good match. i mean im going to marry him no matter what is said cuz you cant believe everything right? lol

One of the dangers of popular astrology is that it stops at the surface. Yes, Capricorn and Aquarius Suns are not compatible: in the progression of the zodiac, the latter rebels against the rigid hierarchical structures built by the former. However, there is so much more to compatibility than Sun signs. Even though the Sun is the center of the personality, some would argue that -- when it comes to romantic love -- this celestial body is not even the most important ... or at the very least, comparing one Sun to another does not provide critical information. Love compatibility meters abound on the web, and however fun it is to work the drop-down menus to choose the Sun signs for yourself and your love interest, it can be discouraging to read that you're not a great match.

Fortunately, you know what you want and won't let superficial astrology deter you from marrying the man you love. Despite your Sun sign incompatibility, you actually do resonate on many levels. You both have communication planet Mercury in Aquarius, charting your discussions on a similarly deviant path. You and your fiancé like to utter shocking words and to think ahead of the times, making your conversations exciting and unpredictable. In addition, you both have the emotional Moon in cautious Virgo. Your mutual needs and habits are in sync, and you are likely to co-create an orderly, clean home and an efficient daily routine. The potential downside with this lunar placement is that you'll both overanalyze your emotions and have trouble transcending worry and doubt to get your raw feelings out in the open.

Just as you have a planet in Aquarius to shake up your Capricorn Sun's sense of purpose, your fiancé has Venus in Capricorn to ground his Aquarian need for excitement. In fact, his love planet is conjunct your Sun, suggesting that you're just the right type of woman for him. And his Mars in Libra is exactly conjunct your Ascendant, increasing the sexual attraction. I wish you both the best of luck!

Related posts:

• Aquarius woman wants Capricorn man back
• Is an Aquarius man/Capricorn woman match a no-go for longevity?
  

Labels: aquarius, capricorn

Valentine's Day should provide greater business for Hallmark than for FTD and Russell Stover. The Moon will be in Gemini -- ruler of written correspondence -- on February 14. Flowers and chocolates are more Taurean -- where the Moon will be Tuesday and Wednesday. However, with Venus in dignified Capricorn, the flowers and chocolates we do purchase are likely to be high-quality (unless the Goat's stinginess gets in the way).

As Tarot.com astrologer Jeff Jawer points out in his Valentine's Day predictions, the scattered energy of the Gemini Moon makes it difficult to stick to fixed plans, so be sure to be flexible with your beloved. (If you have one.) The Aquarius Sun trines Mars in Gemini on V-Day, reinforcing the mental quality of this most romantic of days. These two yang, willful planets in Air signs can be assertive in their expressions of love, yet -- to be honest -- they'd rather hang out with friends than get all cozy with one person. So this day is actually pretty good for singles, for the energy favors light conversation among groups of people.

On Sunday, Venus enters Aquarius. The mind is favored over the body, and experimentation trumps conventionality. Until March 14, when Venus enters Pisces, traditional notions of love need to be shattered. This doesn't mean you have to cheat on your spouse or indulge in virtual sex (not that there's anything wrong with that...). However, if you are in a relationship, you should honor your desire for freedom in a way that honors the boundaries you've established with your partner.

Comment below: What are your Valentine's Day plans?

First photo by kalandrakas, second by StarMama.

Labels: horoscope

Paul provided birth times for both himself and his girlfriend (click chart to view, but ignore the houses as they may not be accurate) and writes,

We are both very much in love with each other after four years, but each of us, though committed to the other, sometimes worries that the other might be unfaithful. Neither of us believes that he/she will, yet each of us does sometimes worry and at these times our otherwise beautiful relationship suffers. Are there indications that either of us has anything to worry about in our respective charts? Somebody told us there is on both sides, because each of us has a Venus Uranus square.

A Venus-Uranus square does not force you to cheat on your partner. It does suggest that you need to take an unconventional approach to relationships, or that you need a fair amount of space in a partnership, as Uranus rules the need to disrupt the status quo and express one's uniqueness. Venus also rules art and money, so a Venus-Uranus square could just mean that you have unpredictable finances or that you create paintings that challenge the mainstream, for example.

Your Venus in consistent yet possessive Taurus, making a tight 90-degree angle (or square) to Uranus. However, a trine from reliable Saturn to your Venus adds a taste for commitment. Your girlfriend's Venus is in experimental Aquarius, which is more independent than your Venus placement -- but this may just mean that she really needs to spend time with friends. Her love planet is nine degrees away from an exact square to her Uranus, which I think is too large of an orb to take seriously. She may have a wounded sensuality due to her Venus' square to Chiron in Taurus. Her Mars in Pisces is opposed by Saturn, which may put the reigns on her sexual expression. Your girlfriend's Venus is in a tight opposition to your natal Uranus, suggesting a relationship that must accommodate freedom and change.

Any astrological aspect has many forms of expression. Although the signs and house placements/rulerships of the planets provide the details regarding how an aspect manifests in action, we all have the power to make conscious choices. As long as both of you (especially you, with the Taurus Venus) give each other room, you won't feel driven to sleep with someone else just to assert your individuality.

Related posts:

• When you don't identify with your Venus sign
• Does Uranus in the 7th house automatically mean infidelity?

Comment below: Do you have a Venus-Uranus aspect? How do you express it?

Labels: uranus, venus

Rosalind provided a birth time (click chart to view) and writes,

I was married to a libra man, we have a child together. i want him back, and he will only say "the door is never closed". how do i proceed? how do i win back a libra?

Coming from a Libra, "The door is never closed" can mean one of two things:

• "I'm not willing to say 'no' to you because that will hurt your feelings."
  
• "I am not able to make a firm decision, hence the door always remains open."
  

In the first case, he is being insincere, and there is no hope of winning him back. In the second case, you have some room to squeeze through the door. Being an Air sign, your ex approaches relationships mentally. Because Libra always views a situation from various perspectives, your ex is balancing both the positive and negative views of your prior relationship with each other. If you can add the weight of rationale to the scale that's in favor of reunion, then you've got a chance.

I suspect that he may have experienced your Jupiter-Mars conjunction in Aries as overbearing, so you should not try to win him over with force or an appeal to "higher reason." Your best bet may be to rely on the wit of your Mercury in Gemini. Mercury in such a flexible sign knows how to maneuver through cracks and skirt around obstructions. Although not powered by the "almighty" attitude of your Jupiter or your Sagittarius Moon, this is a good thing, for Libra may feel that you're trying too hard to convince him to take you back.

Your Mercury opposition to fantasy-prone Neptune provides you a strong imagination and poetic flair that will help appeal to Libra's idealism about relationships. I suggest you use your gift of gab to incrementally win your Libra ex to your side. Then use your fiery and fun Venus in Leo (supported by trines from both Jupiter and Neptune) to turn up the heat in the romance department.

What this means in English: If your Libra ex-husband is of two minds about whether to reunite, convert him to your side with stimulating conversation and playful flirtatiousness. Don't come on too strong with directness.

Comment below: What do you think "the door is never closed" means? And how would you win back a Libra?

Photo by abbynormy

Labels: libra

Wednesday is a significant day, albeit not one for romance. A Solar Eclipse occurs in Aquarius, sign of groups and friendships. Eclipses occur every six months, when a conjunction and opposition between the Sun and Moon happens near the Lunar Nodes, points signifying karmic connections and spiritual evolution. Eclipses are times of profound change, and are often destabilizing when they "hit" a significant part of your chart. This eclipse presents the opportunity for new beginnings regarding themes like revolution, independence, humanitarianism and social change. Aquarius is an impersonal energy more focused on the collective than one-on-one relationships. In addition, Venus sextiles Uranus on the same day. The modern ruler of Aquarius is in a positive aspect with the planet of love, suggesting healthy independence in relationships. Enjoy your freedom, but recognize that the unpredictability quotient is HIGH around an eclipse in Aquarius. Anything can happen, so don't get too attached to preconceived notions about love or anything else. If you have Cancer, Leo or Libra Rising, this lunation will fall in one of your relationship or sex houses. Solar Eclipses are potent for about a year, and this one will get triggered throughout the year when other planets make angles to 17 Aquarius.

On Sunday, the Sun conjoins Neptune. Fantasy, delusion, escapism, drugs ... if you are in a relationship or are starting one, don't make any decisions based on what goes on a week on either side of this date, as it is difficult to ascertain reality when the dreamy planet obscures the clarity of the Sun. However, this is an ideal time to listen to your muse and to channel your visions and ideals into works of art.

Comment below: What "new beginning" do you need to initiate in your love life?

First photo by ?K?, second by FurryJumperGirl under CC license.

Labels: aquarius, solar eclipse

khristy included her birth time (click chart to view) and wrote,

I was born on the last day of Aquarius. I'm living with a guy who is also an aquarius. I seem to be showing some characteristics of Pisces. I do feel somewhat abandoned when he would rather spend time with friends. He tells me that I ask him too many questions. I just want him to be able to open up to me as I do with him.

You are indeed an Aquarius, with your Sun in the final degree of this Air sign. Some astrologers say that when you are born on the cusp between two signs, you feel impatient to move on to the next sign, and hence have some Piscean characteristics in your solar expression.

You also have Mercury in Pisces. You communicate from an emotional place. Your Mercury also sits in your Eighth House of Intimacy (as do your Aquarius Sun and Mars), making depth of connection a common theme in your discussions. "Opening up" is essential for you to feel close to someone.

Image by theotherway under CC license.

The challenge is Saturn's opposition to your Mercury. Saturn is the planet of restriction and structure. One the one hand, you feel compelled to "define" your relationship, as Saturn thrives on limits and walls. You want to know exactly where you stand with your boyfriend. Yet Saturn also puts a strain on communication. Especially in an opposition aspect -- which often manifests in relationships -- you often don't feel "listened to" or understood. It is difficult for you to get your point across -- and it's already difficult because a Pisces Mercury already speaks in such an elliptical manner.

Combine the above with a Scorpio Moon and Cancer Rising, and the strong Water emphasis in your chart more than makes up for being an Aquarius.

Comment below: Were you born on the cusp? How do you feel the pull between two consecutive signs?

Labels: aquarius, pisces