Virgo (23 August – 22 September)
Your ruling planet Mercury is the main player in the heavens in January. Yet this is not a straightforward month by any means because Mercury is ducking and diving all over the place.
Firstly, on the 2nd, Mercury enters Aquarius and the sector of your chart which rules your work and routine, your health and lifestyle. This is primed for New Year resolutions, choosing to look after yourself and get the basics of life right.
Yet three days later, Mercury turns retrograde in the heavens and remains on go slow until the 25th. Plus, on the 8th, Mercury leaves Aquarius and retreats back into your fellow earth sign of Capricorn.
So your good intentions for New Year resolutions may go out the window early in the month and it’s only when the Sun enters Aquarius on the 20th that you can continue what you started early in January.
Therefore, it’s extremely important that you’re flexible throughout January and don’t give yourself a hard time if you’re not doing all the things you want in life straightaway. It could just be one of those months when life gets in the way.
If you’re looking for work or a new job, don’t give up if a conversation goes nowhere at the start of the month and pick up the conversation again after the 20th. The Full Moon on the 24th is a shining beacon for you when it comes to your working life and this is when you can sign and seal a deal or make a key work decision.
Once Mercury moves back into Capricorn on the 8th, you have other decisions to mull over. Capricorn rules play rather than work and highlights the things in life you love doing. This will be different for each individual but some of the areas under Capricorn’s domain are romance, children, creative projects, entertainment and hobbies.
This is whatever gives you pleasure in life and what stirs your passion. Yet before you get carried away and embrace what you love, it looks as if you have to sever ties in some way and decide where you want to focus your attention.
There may be financial or emotional reasons why you recognise that one path in your life isn’t working out. It could be time to say goodbye to a gym membership, expensive lessons and this can apply to you or a child if you’re a parent. Wherever you recognise you’re wasting your time or energy, this is the perfect time of year to shuffle things round until you get the balance right.
Plus when Mercury’s on go slow, it’s often the case that things simply don’t work out the way you want them to. This can be a chaotic period which brings with it disappointment if a big event has to be postponed or something you love comes to an end.
Keep on your toes, eliminate waste, be savvy and give yourself the right to change your mind if necessary. Once Mercury is back up to speed after the 25th, you’ll find that things begin to fall into place and you may even be glad that you waited as a better opportunity comes your way.
Love and relationships also fall prey to Mercury’s trickster period because Capricorn rules romance in your chart. If you meet someone new this month, you can’t commit yourself until the last week in January. Until then, you may experience mixed messages or feel muddled about where your heart lies. It’s rarely wise to make big decisions about love when Mercury’s on go slow.
That’s not to say you can’t or won’t meet someone new in January and the period between the 10th-15th looks especially lively. The New Moon on the 10th highlights your romance sector and lucky Jupiter adds a boost to proceedings over the subsequent days. Look out for new opportunities which come your way mid-January.
Once love planet Venus enters Capricorn on the 23rd, the tide turns and love enters a more settled period. You can talk about things with your partner in a manner that’s amicable and compromise is a viable option. Sort out any misunderstandings and get back on track with the ones you love.
The more you can relegate old behaviour to the past this month and you let go of resentment or difficult emotions, the more your relationships benefit across the board. The same goes for other people in your life so encourage the people close to you to be willing to let go of the past and start afresh.
Finally action planet Mars is also on the move this month and on the 3rd, Mars leaves Libra and your money sector and enters Scorpio and your communication sector. This is a brilliant time for sharing ideas, brainstorming, gaining knowledge and passing on your own experience.
Mars remains in Scorpio for a long time throughout 2016 because Mars turns retrograde from mid-April to late June. Up until early August, the more you brush up your communication skills, the better. Use social media to good effect, share your message via a website or blog, take up a teaching position, learn to speak in public. Being courageous about your voice and what you want to say is a key feature of Mars in this sector of your chart.
Plus you’ll be drawn towards a role within your local community whether you join the neighbourhood watch, sign up as a governor at a child’s school or do your bit for the local environment. Mars is powerful in Scorpio and you’ll be at the forefront of a group of people who are ready to speak up and make a difference.