Also, uh… go Knicks?! I think I’m a basketball fan now? Sports are back in a big way, and Jupiter’s not even in Leo yet! I highly recommend reading ’s breakdown of the astrology behind the Knicks’ historic run on her Substack.

• Monday, June 15: Venus in Leo (2°) sextile Uranus in Gemini (2°)

• Tuesday, June 16: Venus in Leo (4°) trine Neptune in Aries (4°)

• Wednesday, June 17: Venus in Leo (5°) opposite Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Friday, June 19: Chiron enters Taurus (5:18pm ET)

• Sunday, June 21: Sun enters Cancer (4:25am ET)

• Sunday, June 21: Sun in Cancer (0°) sextile Chiron in Taurus (0°)

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Happy solstice to the girls, gays, and theys only. Venus steals the spotlight at the top of the week, and how fitting for a planet that recently sashayed into fire sign Leo. She’ll make a trio of exact aspects to Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, and Pluto in Aquarius. Look at our girl, doing the absolute most 😍 Quick, somebody queue “Born This Way.”

Obligatory reminder: Every time a personal planet connects with a slow-moving outer planet, we get intel on longer cycles playing out in the background of our lives. So pay attention. This week’s activations could also offer clues as to what’s ahead for you in July, when the aforementioned outers all link up. Oh, and one more thing: As of this week, Mercury is officially in its pre-retrograde shadow. Meaning, the wonky retrograde-y vibes are ramping up. If you’re having any big conversations now, this expect to revisit them in the coming weeks.

My guide to 2026's whirlwind astro

Monday starts us off strong with a Venus-Uranus sextile. This electric configuration invites us to play around. It’s a meeting of planets in fire and air signs, and what happens when fire meets air? Flames burn brighter. You might feel inspired to shake up how you dress or try something new with your partner (wink wink, nudge nudge). Pleasant surprises are the theme of the day. Stay open.

Similarly, Tuesday’s Venus-Neptune trine is alive with erotic energy. I don’t mean “erotic” in a strictly sexual sense; this applies to your creative libido too. Embrace your artistic impulses or romantic whims by acting on them, fire sign style. Will other people get your vision? Maybe not. But who cares? This is your one and precious life, babe. Live it your way.

In less-exciting news, Venus opposes Pluto the very next day. Latent creative blockages, power imbalances, or appearance-related insecurities could surface under this transit. Think back to January 19 and April 3, when Venus and Pluto last connected via hard aspects — you might notice echoes of stories that emerged around those dates. This is a good moment to address any resentment that’s been festering between you and someone you love. The key? To keep your ego in check and own your part in this dynamic.

Friday brings us Chiron’s entrance into Taurus. It’s one of the big astrological shifts of 2026 that makes this year so consequential. For context, this minor planet has been slow-burning in Aries since 2019. And the last time Chiron was in Taurus was over 50 years ago. This is only round one of three — it will retrograde back into Aries next year — but you can see why it’s noteworthy.

Chiron represents our greatest vulnerabilities and how we transmute these core wounds into wisdom. Get up close and personal with the Taurus house in your birth chart. What areas of your life does it represent? That’s where you can expect to embark on a healing journey over the next seven years. On a mundane level, I dig Chani’s take on this shift (via the app’s blog):

Because Taurus is an earth sign associated with tangible things and sensory experiences, this Chiron transit asks us to confront where we feel cut off from the natural world or from our own bodies. Over the coming years, Chiron in Taurus will push us to take better care of our personal health and wellbeing, and to rethink the unsustainable practices and extractive systems that harm the communities and environments we live in.

Finally, the summer solstice. The longest day of the year! And one of my favorite days of the year, largely because I am a diurnal bitch to my core and simply cannot get enough of the sunshine.

The Sun’s crab walk into Cancer moves us into a new meteorological and zodiacal season, one shaped by the energetic ebbs and flows of the Moon. Where Gemini prompts us to think, Cancer nudges us to feel. But Cancer isn’t the passive crybaby certain people on the internet make them out to be. This is a cardinal water sign. Cardinal, the modality of new beginnings and initiations. It’s also associated with birth, the foundational beginning. A process that’s as active and bloody as it is sentimental.

Did you know that there is a mythical birth chart of the world? It’s called the Thema Mundi, and it is my astrology Roman Empire. (This article offers a great primer on the chart.) Used as a teaching tool in the ancient Hellenistic tradition, it visually depicts a number of foundational astrology concepts. It’s so brilliant and elegant that I sometimes get emotional thinking about it1. Can you guess what the world’s rising sign is in the Thema Mundi? Surprise, surprise: It’s Cancer. This sign is so powerful, so essential to life, that ancients conceived of it as a guiding force for the entire world.

Think of Sunday’s summer solstice as your mid-year checkpoint. What’s went well over the past six months? Where have you struggled? It’s not too late to restart. In fact, it’s almost never too late to restart. Channel Cancer’s cardinal energy to turn over a new leaf. This is the Moon’s sign, after all. That queen hits reset once every 28 and a half days.

That’s all for now, friends. I’ll catch you next week with the tea on Mars in Gemini.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. If you enjoy it, let me know. Every like, comment, and repost goes a long way. And if you’re an astrologer who’s interested in being interviewed for future issues, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. Mutuals to the front!

Meet today’s guest, my dear friend Sterling:

Sterling Bowen (he/they) is a post-Pentecostal, Southern Appalachian astrologer based in Brooklyn, NY. His writing and astrology are based in a love of sharing stories and harnessing them to empower ourselves and each other. He regularly hosts circles for the New and Full Moons at Hive Mind Books in Bushwick.

Keep up with Sterling: Instagram // Substack

Sam: Let’s kick things off with a fun question. What is your hottest astrology take?

Sterling: Not so much a hot take, but the thing that pisses me off the most: cusps. I started learning astrology from a modern / psychological perspective, but my education sharpened and became much richer when I started studying traditional astrology. That’s all based in math. And a cusp is inherently anti-mathematical. There is 29 degrees and 59 minutes of one sign, and then there is 0 degrees and 0 minutes of the next sign.

Sam: It’s a hard line.

Sterling: It’s a hard line! And I understand why people subscribe to it, but it’s usually in my best interest to keep my mouth shut when people are talking about cusps because I will go off.

Sam: For anyone who’s reading this who may not know what people are actually picking up on when they’re talking about cusps — it’s a few things. One piece is the decans. Every sign can be broken up into three subdivisions that each have their own vibe. And Mercury, because Mercury can never be more than one sign away from your Sun sign.

Sterling: Yes. Mercury plays a large role in how people understand their Sun sign and how it shows up for them. I can only speak anecdotally about this, but every time I’ve encountered a “cusper,” and I’ve looked at the chart, it’s been a situation of the Sun and Mercury in different signs. Or an aspect situation. How every planet witnesses each other is also very important.

Sam: Sure. Or like, let’s say your Sun is in late-degree Aries, but you have a massive stellium in Taurus, and it’s angular. Of course you’re going to relate to Taurus characteristics.

Sterling: The answer nobody wants to hear is that it’s chart-dependent.

Sam: Say that [laughs]. So, for anyone who doesn’t know you, I’d love it if you could share a bit about yourself and your astrology practice.

Sterling: I’m from Southern Appalachia. I was raised Pentecostal and grew up in this very witchy version of Christianity. I have a very mathematical brain. Music, language, pattern recognition — I have proficiency in that sort of thing. And once I learned that astrology was math, it all just clicked into place. I also love storytelling and archetypes. So much of my practice as an astrologer has turned into a form of storytelling. When I’m doing a reading, essentially what I’m doing is pulling pieces of a narrative together.

One of the things that got me emotionally invested in astrology was realizing that you have a full depiction of the sky in your birth chart, including all 12 signs. There are duplicate birth charts, but there are no duplicate people, no duplicate stories. And in the same token, we’re all just telling different versions of the same story.

Sam: There’s a degree of universality that we can’t escape.

Sterling: Mm-hmm. And some people may feel like that takes away the uniqueness of it, but I think it’s the opposite. The fact that we have this shared language that’s come together through human observation and learning over thousands of years is important. Obviously astrology has been having a pop culture moment, but at this point, I think the people who are still drawn to it are genuinely seeking something that they don’t have the words for. It’s a system that helps us interpret the passage of time in ways that are meaningful on a personal and collective level. There are lessons that astrology teaches that are humbling, and I think the world needs that.

Sam: I agree. I also think the world needs tools like astrology that allow you to both zoom out and zoom in.

Sterling: Yes. One of the things I love most about astrologers is that everyone is going to have a different interpretation of a chart because they have a different lens through which they’re looking at things. And those interpretations are not necessarily in conflict. If anything, they complement each other. As long as you are actually grounding what you’re doing in some sort of tradition, it’s valid.

Sam: Ugh, can I talk shit for a second?

Sterling: Please.

Sam: We’re recording this 24 hours and change after the Mars in Aries ingress. And I’ve read so much content on the internet about this being like — alright, be completely uninhibited, go after what you want, charge, charge, charge! And I’m just like… Saturn and Neptune are right there! This is not a normal Mars in Aries experience.

Sterling: Literally nothing about this Aries season is normal.

Sam: Right?! There’s a lot of flattening that happens when people talk about astrology on the internet, especially on social media. Like, yes, Mars in Aries is a fundamentally action-oriented energy. But we can’t divorce this transit from the broader context, which is Saturn and Neptune.

Sterling: It’s absolutely a thing. “Flattening” is a great word for it. When I was the social media manager of Sanctuary World, I was seeing a lot of content like that floating around. And I just remember feeling so defeated by it. It was this moment when I had to acknowledge that the masses are interested in something that’s not incorrect, per se, but not fully correct either.

Sam: Generalized, oversimplified.

Sterling: Exactly. And that kind of defeats the whole point.

Sam: Astrology’s beauty is its complexity. It’s the birth chart that contains every sign. It’s the zooming out and zooming in.

Sterling: And I would argue that you have to zoom in [to the natal chart] first before you zoom out.

Sam: Well, honey… that’s the natal promise.

Sterling: [Laughs] That’s the natal promise!

Sam: Y’all can’t see this, but I have very short hair, and I did tuck my imaginary hair behind my ear when I said that.

Sterling: So did I.

Sam: We famously co-founded , a queer astrology newsletter that’s on an indefinite hiatus. But never say never. Do tell, what do you think is the gayest planet?

Sterling: Mercury.

Sam: Period. Zero hesitation, I love it.

Sterling: [Laughs] I feel like when people read that our newsletter is called Venus Gays, they’ll want us to say Venus — I’m sorry, it’s Mercury. Venus is very gay, but until you have met a Mercurial person… [gestures to both of us] that is the f*ggiest planet in the cosmos. Maybe expect Neptune. But Neptune is more like primordial f*ggotry.

Sam: I think Uranus gets some gay points too.

Sterling: Sure. But Mercury… that’s like the queer person going out to the Studio Ghibli rave at 3 Dollar Bill tonight. Which we did discuss doing. Sounds like it would be really fun on mushrooms, but also, doing mushrooms sounds fundamentally incompatible with the idea of going out there.

Sam: [Laughs] No, I completely agree that Mercury is the gayest planet. Do you follow ? They’re great. They posted this hilarious Thread recently, and they called Mercury the “nonbinary trickster twink.”

Sterling: Literally!

Sam: Mercury is the psychopomp traveling between worlds. It’s liminal spaces, it’s the principle of duality.

Sterling: In a video game I’m playing right now, the storyline is based upon the god of elation — moments of divine insight that make life laughable, basically. Big perspective-shifting moments. And that’s what Mercury is to me. It’s more interested in inspiring a new neural pathway than mirroring something that already exists. Mercury can be anything and anyone.

Sam: Okay, we’re both aligned on Mercury. Who’s the next gayest planet? Not that it’s a competition, but…

Sterling: Why do I want to say Saturn? Probably because I’m so Saturnian [laughs]. When I think of Saturn, I think of the queer elders making sure that community stories are being preserved, the person who’s making sure things aren’t getting swept under the rug. I think of survivors of the AIDS crisis. But, I mean, I can make an argument for any of the planets being queer, which is one of the reasons why I love astrology.

Sam: Are you someone who doesn’t mind sharing your “big three” with the web?

Sterling: I don’t mind. I have an Aquarius Sun — ruled by Saturn traditionally — and in that same sign, I have Saturn and Mercury, which is my chart ruler because I’m a Virgo Rising. Aquarius is the only stellium in my chart. Even though it’s in a “quiet” house, the 6th House, it is the loudest, most pervasive part of my chart. And I’m an Aries Moon.

Sam: Would you say that your life is a Saturnian experience?

Sterling: It always has been. As a kid, I really struggled with… I’m trying to think of a phrase that’s not “fitting in.” But yes, I struggled to fit in. I couldn’t relate to other kids on an emotional level. I was thinking about things that they simply were not thinking about.

I remember one day leaving school. My mom picked me up, and we were heading home. I don’t know the context, but I couldn’t have been older than 6 or 7. And I asked my mom, “Why am I me?” Like, instead of some other soul inhabiting this vessel, why am I me? I wish I could remember how my mom answered. I don’t think it was satisfying, but how could it have been?

Sam: Like, what is a satisfying answer to that question?

Sterling: Genuinely. Because I can’t even answer that question now.

Sam: That’s such a debilitated Sun question to ask too. Literally outsourcing the justification for your identity, your existence.

Sterling: The entirety of my childhood, up to and honestly past my Saturn return, has been figuring out who the fuck I am, only for me to figure out there was nothing to figure out [laughs].

Sam: Something I say to virtually every Saturnian who I read for — and if you’re a consulting astrologer, please steal this, because it always hits even though it’s quite simple — is, “If you’re struggling to figure out who you are, what you want, etc., consider instead who are you are not or what you don’t want.” Sometimes the “no” comes much faster than the “yes,” especially for Saturnians. But it’s tough because that’s not the way we’re taught to understand ourselves.

Sterling: I have Venus in Pisces, which I think beautifully counters my Saturnian-ness because it let me still hope as a kid. I could at least dream about who I wanted to be, which I didn’t realize at the time means that’s who I am.

I would argue that you can’t even really understand a Saturnian kid because even if they can articulate all the things that are in their head, they don’t have one, the literal development to ground any of that in reality. And two, we’re notoriously hard on ourselves. How do you tell a Saturnian kid to relax and lighten up? You can’t.

Sam: Well, I think of you as a Saturn ambassador. I’m curious, what is your take on Saturn? Because I feel like this planet gets a lot of flack. He’s not easy, but I think he’s more complex than people make him out to be.

Sterling: Saturn’s not easy at all, no, but I feel very tender about Saturn. I think there is no greater teacher than Saturn, and part of what makes him a great teacher is that you don’t have a choice. You’re gonna learn no matter what; it’s just a matter of how willing you are to hear the lesson and integrate it. Also, Saturn is all about boundaries, which is one of the ultimate forms of love, in my opinion. That’s how we teach people how to love and care for us.

Sam: [Nods] You don’t set boundaries with someone you don’t actually want in your life, right? You just end the relationship.

Sterling: Right. And Saturn gets so much flack because he’s a harsh teacher. Traditional astrology connects Saturn to thieves, loss, death, grief… not that those things are untrue, but with the exception of thievery, maybe, those are some of life’s greatest teachers. Time — nothing gives you more perspective than time. The negative emotions that Saturn governs are the things that provide fertile soil for the brighter parts of life. You can’t really experience the fullness of joy without sorrow.

And I think Saturn also just governs the cycles of life and nature. The grace of inevitability, I think, is Saturn.

Sam: That’s beautiful. My brain went to a few places when you said that. I thought first about how Saturn exalts in Libra, which is a Venus-ruled sign that has a lot to do with the concepts of balance and relating.

Sterling: That leads me to a very Saturnian-but-exalted-in-Libra thing that I heard recently — in an anime, frankly — and it was this character talking about fate. There are these points in life that are inescapable. But the thing is, just because we’re all headed to the same destination doesn’t mean we’re all getting there the same way. Saturn’s not gonna get quieter until you do what he’s asking. And he’s never asking you to do something that is bad for you. Even if it’s difficult or painful, it’s something that is necessary, in the same way that the Death card in tarot is clearing the path for something new.

Sam: You can’t always just be acquiring, growing, gaining. There has to be some emptying out, some deprivation, to make space.

Sterling: Yes. I wrote an explorative essay about the astrology of fungi. Mycelium are so Mercurial because it’s this very intelligent network that’s disseminating nutrients and information. Even things that are not rooted in the ground will eventually connect with mycelium through death and decomposition. So, eventually, everything goes back to Saturn. [Laughs]

Sam: Life is short, baby!

Sterling: But what you do with that time is what Saturn is trying to help you carve out. He’s truly trying to carve out as much space for you as you can possibly have. And that requires boundaries.

Sam: Something I think about a lot when it comes to Saturn is how discomfort and struggle are often part of the process of pleasure and creation. There is this fundamental relationship between the Saturnian and Venusian.

Sterling: It brings to mind things like the life vs. death drive. It brings to mind kink, which I think of as more of a Saturnian thing, but it’s Venusian too. I’d argue that pleasure needs Saturn in the same stroke that it needs Venus.

Think about how eroticism develops. Often, it’s based on things we couldn’t have — some sort of dysfunction or deprivation. Over time, whether we accept it or not, we naturally turn that into a source of pleasure. And a source of empowerment, if we let it be. Community and empowerment are two of the things that I most associate with kink, as far as the value-adds. I think Saturn is inherently sexual too. You can’t really separate life and death.

Sam: What is the most Saturnian kink? My mind immediately goes to edging.

Sterling: Oh… bondage. But I’d argue that any kink or fetish is Saturnian because you’re playing with a real or perceived boundary that, in a safe, Venusian space, you’re able to explore without danger involved. It’s giving pleasure a container, which is not limiting it; it’s allowing it to be denser, more rich.

Sam: I want to talk a bit about your village witch journey, which has been such a delight to witness as your friend. You host fabulous New and Full Moon circles at Hive Mind Books, an incredible queer bookstore and cafe here in Brooklyn. How did this come about, and what has it meant for you, personally?

Sterling: It’s something I was asked to do at a previous job almost 10 years ago. I worked at a witchy shop, and I was one of the only employees who was regularly available to host it. It felt really natural — working with groups and facilitating is something I’ve always felt very comfortable with.

Sam: Let the record show that you have a social work degree.

Sterling: I do. I know how to hold space for a lot of different things. And thankfully a lunar circle at a queer bookshop is something I’m well-equipped to do. The circles are oriented toward the Moon, and I do ground it in astrology, but essentially, it’s a meeting space. It’s an opportunity for people to mingle. A lot of it is just people sharing what’s going on in their lives.

What I’m hopefully teaching people is how to harness their own stories, how to take control of their narrative. We don’t have control over the story that’s happening around us, but we do have control over the main character we are in our lives. It’s us figuring out how to be there for ourselves and each other in ways that are not just venting, which is important, but more tangibly supporting each other. Shoutout to Jules and the Hive Mind team. They’ve done a really good job of helping me foster this corner of the community.

Sam: I also want to state for the record that you’re a Virgo Rising, which means your 3rd House of neighborhood and rituals contains Scorpio. So that makes the ruler of your 3rd House your Cancer Mars. There’s a lunar slant here, imbued with that Scorpionic passion and emotional investment.

Sterling: Mm-hmm. In my work with my mentor , we’ve had a lot of conversation about the relationship between my 3rd and the 5th Houses. I know you’ve done some work around the 3rd House too. In my chart specifically, that connects so much to my 11th House. While I have found a lot of quote-unquote commercial success, what has been actually moving in my life — not just emotionally, but in the sense of actually moving things forward — is grounding my work in my literal, physical community. For further context, my 5th House is ruled by Capricorn. So, Saturn. There are many ways in which the Moon and Saturn dance in my chart, including a very loose sextile.

Getting back to the village witch of it all, I think it’s a really good combination of my Saturnian roots and all the fixins’. I can really point to most anything in my chart, and it shows up in some way in the form of work. And I don’t mean paid work always; I mean the things I work for and feel of service to. I think using the Moon as the more embodied timekeeper helps me do my more Saturnian work of helping people be okay with hardship. If I could make a living [teaching radical acceptance] — amazing. But I’m doing this for free because it nourishes me so much.

• Monday, June 1: Mercury enters Cancer (7:56am ET)

• Wednesday, June 3: Mercury in Cancer (4°) square Neptune in Aries (4°)

The rundown

Last week was a testy one! I didn’t publish a forecast, so here’s the Spark Notes version: Mars square Pluto brought the rage-bait. Venus square Saturn brought the reality checks. And Saturday’s Full Moon in Sagittarius square the lunar nodes left us with more questions than answers.

If your main focus right now is figuring out where to go from here, you are not alone. Promise. In fact, you’re right on time for this week’s stars, which are notably quieter. The messenger planet changing signs will orient us toward emotional awareness and introspection.

Let’s all take a deep breath in together, okay? Now three, two, one… exhale.

Welcome to June, aka Pride Month, aka the best month of the year1. We open the week/month with Mercury leaving chatty Gemini for intuitive Cancer. This marks the end of the messenger planet’s brief stint in its home sign, where it was able to do Mercurial things exceptionally well. I think I speak for every writer-astrologer on here when I say, Miss you already, diva.

On the bright side, Mercury is now in the same domain as benefics Venus and Jupiter, who are edging us building up to a particularly auspicious conjunction early next week. Find the Cancer house in your birth chart — that’s the area of your life where your attention is being directed. You might notice more external support or opportunities flowing in here.

Cancer answers to the Moon, which whizzes through the zodiac faster than any other celestial body in astrology. You know how Luna’s appearance is always changing in the night sky as she waxes and wanes every month? Cancer’s expression is filtered through those rapid fluctuations, hence why this cardinal water sign gets a bad rap for being moody or fickle. More accurately, we can say that Cancer operates in the fluid realm of emotion and embodiment. Sensitivity is its orientation to life — and its superpower.

With Mercury here, expect to feel more conscious of your daily energetic ebbs and flows. Your body is always talking to you. Listen in. It’s a great time to focus on somatic practices or check in emotionally with yourself and your loved ones. Relatedly: We’re T-minus four weeks out from the second Mercury retrograde of 2026, which will prolong the messenger planet’s time in Cancer. Get comfortable with this new energy. Practice “riding the waves” when you’re in your feelings about something. It will serve you well as we head into summer.

My no-bullshit guide to Mercury Rx

Last up for this week: Mercury squares off with Neptune, its first of two planetary gatekeepers in Aries, on Wednesday. Meaning, confusion will be in the air. Mental fogginess and spotty communication are likely. So manage your expectations. And if you walk away from a conversation feeling touchy? Try not to jump to conclusions.

A better use of this astrology would be freeing up some room in your schedule to rest or daydream. We’ll have a cute benefic enclosure of the Moon in Capricorn occurring simultaneously. Treat your self-care rituals and creative outlets like serious business (because they are). Ditto for this coming Saturday, June 6 — the Moon will be void in Aquarius almost all day. Big space cadet energy. If you can set your responsibilities aside temporarily and just enjoy yourself, do that.

That’s all I have to report, friends! I’ll catch you next week to unpack all the juicy-delicious benefic conjunction goodness 💦

I’m pressed for time right now, and my birthday is on Sunday, so I’ll keep this forecast brief. But make no mistake, this is an eventful week. The changes happening now are teeing us up for the some of the juiciest astrology of 2026. Here’s the scoop.

• Monday, May 18: Mars enters Taurus (6:28pm ET)

• Monday, May 18: Venus enters Cancer (9:05pm ET)

• Tuesday, May 19: Venus in Cancer (1°) sextile Mars in Taurus (1°)

• Tuesday, May 19: Mercury in Gemini (3°) sextile Neptune in Aries (3°)

• Tuesday, May 19: Mercury in Gemini (5°) trine Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Wednesday, May 20: Sun enters Gemini (8:37pm ET)

• Friday, May 22: Sun conjunct Uranus in Gemini (1°)

• Friday, May 22: Venus in Cancer (3°) square Neptune in Aries (3°)

• Friday, May 22: Mercury in Gemini (11°) sextile Saturn in Aries (11°)

• Sunday, May 24: Sun in Gemini (3°) sextile Neptune in Aries (3°)

The rundown

Let the fun begin! The Moon is gaining light; Gemini season is nigh. Still riding the high of last week’s revelatory cazimi, our nonbinary trickster twink Mercury (to borrow a bit from the brilliant ) is back in their own domain and ready to play.

When Mercury is in the sign of the Twins, curiosity abounds. It’s the cosmic equivalent of having a million tabs open in your web browser or fucking around with the express intent to find out. If you’re a writer, academic, speaker, salesperson, or someone with prominent Gemini or Virgo placements in your birth chart — you’re in luck. This will give you a leg up. Put these next few weeks of sharper mental faculties and social skills to good use.

As Mercury zips through Gemini this week, they’ll make a handful of exact aspects in rapid succession. But it wouldn’t be the start of Gemini season without some contradictory planetary energies co-mingling. Case in point: Mars’ dip into can’t-be-rushed Taurus on Monday (dates: May 18–June 28, 2026). This shift will nudge you to slow down and prioritize pleasure over productivity. It might feel like your brain and your body are operating at two totally different speeds right now.

The silver lining? This sign-switch will take the heat off the Aries part of your chart, which has been trapped in double-malefic pressure cooker hell since, ahem… early April. Not to mention, the first aspect Mars forms upon entering Taurus is a sweet sextile to Venus, who’s also moving into new territory at the top of the week. So take the scenic route. Bring somebody you love along for the ride.

That brings me to Venus in Cancer (dates: May 18–June 13, 2026). This is a juicy sign-change, chat! In the Moon’s home sign, Venus shows love through sensitivity and sentimentality. She remembers everything — your favorite foods, your favorite spots, even that one mediocre TV show on the The CW you latched on to as an emotionally constipated teenager1. Will this stretch of time bring out your inner sap? You bet. But will it feel oh-so good to care for your loved ones and be cared for in return? Abso-freaking-lutely.

I should also note that Venus and Jupiter are officially in the same sign. Meaning, we’re one step closer to the Venus-Jupiter conjunction in June, one of the luckiest days of the entire year. Insert the “girl who is going to be okay” meme here.

Granted, Venus still has to clear a tricky square to Saturn in Aries, which might interrupt your fun with a hard pivot or a harsh reality check. But after that, you can expect all things Venusian — your relationships, beauty rituals, creative outlets, you name it — to flow with more ease and reciprocity. I’m especially excited about these next few weeks of Venus and Jupiter smooching for my fellow Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn placements. Has it felt like you just can’t catch a break lately? Here’s your reprieve.

Finally, because I’m keeping this dispatch short and sweet: the Sun’s pivot to Gemini (dates: May 21–June 21, 2026). Playful and changeable, this mutable air sign belongs to Mercury. If Taurus season is all about attuning to the physical senses, Gemini season pulls focus on our mental processes and social landscape — how we think, learn, and communicate with others. It’s a reminder to channel your inner vers queen and honor all your multitudes. With the Sun and Uranus linking up for the first time since the latter entered Gemini, it’s also a reminder that disruptions to your status quo can be clarifying, illuminating your true priorities.

My challenge to you in the spirit of this cerebral season? Read a book. Put pen to paper. Delete Ch*tGPT and use your brain. Trust me, the world doesn’t any more regurgitated takes or flat, fluorescent-lit writing. But it does need you to stay sharp. And to have a fucking backbone.

ICYMI:

🖊 Beginning this month, I’ll be contributing more regularly to Them, an online magazine that publishes some of the sharpest LGBTQ+ news and culture writing on the web. I just wrote a really fun article about the next queer TV show you should watch, based on your sign.

• Wednesday, May 13: Mercury in Taurus (20°) sextile Jupiter in Cancer (20°)

• Thursday, May 14: Mercury cazimi in Taurus (23°)

• Saturday, May 16: Mars conjunct Chiron in Aries (28°)

• Saturday, May 16: New Moon in Taurus (25°, 4pm ET)

• Sunday, May 17: Mercury enters Gemini (6:27am ET)

• Sunday, May 17: Mercury conjunct Uranus in Gemini (1°)

The rundown

While last month’s astrology drummed up urgency, it didn’t exactly help us build momentum. This week, that all changes thanks to messenger planet Mercury. Its cazimi in Taurus delivers the clarity needed to make concrete plans, right on time for a New Moon in the same sign. With Mercury returning home to Gemini, you’ll close out the week feeling mentally “on” and in touch with your curiosity.

Wednesday’s Mercury-Jupiter sextile sets the tone, pulling us out of last week’s Plutonian depths and into a lighter, more expansive headspace. Mercury in Taurus wants to see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and yes, talk about it; Jupiter in Cancer wants to experience all life has to offer and spread the wealth around. It’s a day for big ideas, grand gestures, and indulgently long yap sessions.

On Thursday, Mercury conjoins the Sun, an alignment also known as a cazimi (Latin translation, via Arabic: “in the heart of the Sun”). Planets in this position are said to be purified and renewed — that sounds intense, but it’s actually really good news for Mercury. Expect mental downloads or clarifying conversations related to the topics of your natal Taurus house. Now’s your chance to take stock of the terrain here, which has changed pretty radically after seven years of outer planet Uranus rattling the ground.

The Moon will be in Aries at the time, giving this Mercury cazimi some edge. What comes to light may feel a bit agitating or raw. That said, a strong Mercury bodes well for tangible takeaways. And the timing couldn’t be more convenient: Two days later, the Moon darkens to new in Taurus. The same area of your life that’s just come into clearer focus will be ripe for future planning.

Venus may rule Taurus, but the Moon exalts here. Like fertile soil, this fixed earth sign is the ideal environment for intentions or new beginnings to take root. That’s supported by this New Moon’s sextile to helper planet Jupiter as much as the absence of Uranus. If you plant seeds with this lunation (and you should, especially if you have any personal placements near 23° of the fixed signs), expect slow and steady growth.

Equally important: The New Moon falls on the same day as a spicy Mars-Chiron conjunction in Aries. Tempers could flare. Old wounds could be reopened. But the purpose of Chiron, astrology’s wounded healer, isn’t to hurt us (okay, maybe a little). Activations of this minor planet poke at our insecurities and vulnerabilities so we can learn from them. Let this be a reminder that your anger and grief can coexist with your hope for the future. They can even work in tandem, motivating you to break harmful patterns or ditch limiting beliefs.

Rounding out the week, Mercury heads home on Sunday to Gemini, its air sign domicile. I’ll elaborate on what this transit means in next week’s forecast (spoiler alert: it’s short and sweet 🤌), but for now, I want to highlight the messenger planet’s conjunction with Uranus. Mercury is the first inner planet to link up with Uranus since the latter switched signs for good in April. Meaning, this short-term transit may reveal something about the new long-term cycle we just entered. Uranus likes to keep us on our toes. You can anticipate some curveballs, outside-of-the-box ideas, and more broadly, clues as to what the next seven years of Uranus in Gemini will hold for you.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Paying extra close attention to your Taurus and Gemini house topics. The former is where you can expect more clarity this week (Mercury cazimi) followed by an opportunity to reset or plant seeds (New Moon). The latter will be on your mind a LOT over the next few weeks.

• Targeting Monday and Wednesday for social outings, creative projects, meetings, or heavy-lift work projects

• Tailoring your commitments to your emotional and energetic capacity (dark Moon weeks are for resting and recharging, not charging forward)

• Anticipating some “tired but wired” energy over the weekend

• Digging deeper into any anger, frustration, or hurt feelings that get kicked up (don’t let the rage-bait win!!!)

• Staying open to new ideas and perspectives

• Monday, May 4: Mars in Aries (19°) square Jupiter in Cancer (19°)

• Tuesday, May 5: Mercury in Taurus (5°) square Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Wednesday, May 6: Pluto stations retrograde in Aquarius (5°, 11:34am ET)

• Sunday, May 10: Sun in Taurus (20°) sextile Jupiter in Cancer (20°)

The rundown

There’s not too much going on in the stars this week, and you know what? I’ll take it. A theme that keeps coming up in my own life, particularly as Taurus season unfolds, is moving with purpose and presence. Not frantically, not distractedly; intentionally. In these trying Saturn in Aries times this late-stage capitalist hellscape, there is power in setting your own pace. I invite you all to reflect on how operating under a false sense of urgency might be siphoning your energy, even if it looks productive from the outside.

First on the docket: Mars square Jupiter on Monday, an invigorating alignment involving the planets that govern our actions and convictions. Squares catalyze movement, and nobody wants to get moving more than Mars in Aries, its go-getter domicile. Depending on how this lands in your birth chart, you might feel empowered to take a bold leap. Or you might feel weirdly wired, like the cold brew you chug every morning is really hitting today.

But hey, not so fast! Squares also introduce friction between two planets. And in this instance, malefic Mars has the upper hand over benefic Jupiter. For some, this will manifest as being overly pushy, moving too fast, or biting off more than you can chew. If you say “yes” to any big undertakings this week, make sure you’re being realistic about your capacity. Betting on yourself is good, but overextending yourself? During Taurus season? When we’re supposed to be taking life slow and catching our breath after all the rapid-fire intensity of Aries season? I don’t recommend it.

On Monday evening, we enter void-of-course Moon territory — it’s not ideal for staying focused or initiating anything important, though the Moon in Sagittarius may tempt you to give it your best shot. Instead, think about ways to create more breathing room in your schedule while you’re floating in the void on Tuesday morning and afternoon. Maybe there’s a meeting you can postpone or task you can set aside for another day.

With Mercury squaring Pluto that same day, expect some heavy thoughts or conversations. Outer planet Pluto presides over all things shadowy and subterranean — the deep-seated fears, compulsions, or power imbalances many of us would rather not consciously confront, lest they drag us down emotionally. Like it or not, uncomfortable subjects could surface mid-week. There’s an opportunity to have a productive conversation here, but you’ll need to be real with yourself first. Is there anything you’re avoiding?

Big picture, the messenger planet will also help you put words to your own Pluto in Aquarius story, which began in earnest in January 2024 and lasts until 2043. What house does Aquarius occupy in your birth chart? A slow but profound transformation is underway in this area of your life, the kind that can only progress with patience, unflinching self-honesty, and willingness to reinvent yourself.

Pluto’s retrograde station on Wednesday will emphasize this, particularly if you have any personal placements near 5° of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius. Like all retrogrades, it’s an invitation to turn inward (and it lasts until mid-October, so you’ll have plenty of time to chew on whatever comes through). Take a moment to reflect on any uncomfortable truths Pluto has dredged up for you thus far — or alternatively, any shadowy depths you’ve yet to traverse. It may help to journal or talk about it with somebody you trust to be discreet, like your therapist or one of your close friends.

Come Thursday morning, we once again encounter a void Moon. The Moon also enters a malefic enclosure that lasts for… checks notes 36 hours. Translation? The vibes will probably be off. So if you’re feeling unusually spacey, antisocial, or physically drained going into the weekend, now you know who to blame. Laying low isn’t a bad idea.

In better news, expect a mood-boost on Saturday, peaking with Sunday’s Sun-Jupiter sextile. This is the sweetest, most uncomplicated transit of the week, and it’ll get even sweeter once the Moon moves into Jupiter-ruled Pisces on Sunday afternoon. With this dynamic planetary duo of a luminary and benefic connecting in two not-so-dynamic signs, you might feel especially comfortable in your own skin or inspired to indulge your five senses. I’m too much of a Gemini to gate-keep, so please steal my Sunday itinerary: sleeping in, eating some excellent Italian food, and spending quality time with my loved ones.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Hitting the ground running on Monday (but, you know… not being too pushy about it)

• Being realistic, not overoptimistic, about your current bandwidth

• Cutting yourself some slack on Tuesday morning and all day Thursday, and creating extra breathing room in your schedule where you can

• Anticipating that you’ll feel cranky, tired, or generally Not Great on Thursday into Friday (malefic-enclosed Moons are no fun!)

• Treating Sunday like a true day of rest (it is Taurus season, after all 🥱)

• Reflecting on your Pluto in Aquarius journey thus far. What personal transformation or emotional excavation is underway in the Aquarius part of your chart?

Luckily for you, I’ve got the house tour down pat. So Sabrina Carpenter voice take your shoes off, make yourself at home, and save this post for future birth chart deep-dives.

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What are the houses, anyway?

First things first: Pull up your birth chart for reference. I recommend using Astro-seek’s online generator. No matter which house system you select, you’ll be left with a wheel divided into 12 numbered subsections that vaguely resemble slices of a pie.

Those subsections are known as the 12 houses. They break up the sky based on the Earth’s daily rotation on its axis, with planets and stars visually moving clockwise from east to west as they rise and eventually set1. Each house represents distinct areas of your life, or house topics, and how they manifest for you. Astrologers interpret this by analyzing a few factors, including:

• The zodiac sign occupying a house2

• The placement and condition of the house ruler, or the traditional planet that rules said sign

• Any natal planets or placements that fall in that house

To calculate the houses accurately, you’ll need an exact birth time3. This determines your Ascendant, or Rising sign, a.k.a. whatever zodiac sign was rising on the eastern horizon when you were born. It’s a time-sensitive placement that represents you and establishes your chart’s unique layout. The order of the houses always follows zodiacal order, starting with your Rising sign in the 1st House, the next sign in the 2nd House, and so on. I use Whole Sign Houses, which render all 12 houses equal in size (spanning 30° of the zodiac each); if you use a quadrant house system like Placidus or Campanus, they’ll vary in size.

For multiple reasons, including what part of the sky they signify and how they’re configured to the Ascendant, certain houses are “louder” than others. We can categorize the houses into three groups:

• Angular Houses (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th): Most influential, personal, and literal. Think of these houses as the four cornerstones of your life.

• Succedent Houses (2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th): Less loud, but still pretty tangible. They have to do with your resources and support systems.

• Cadent Houses (3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th): Most subtle and abstract. They reflect how you move through life, process information, and communicate.

The meanings of all 12 houses

Below, find a cheat sheet to the 12 houses, including their traditional names, basic keywords, and deeper dives into what they mean. Note that some house significations are gnarlier than others. That’s because your birth chart encapsulates your entire life — the good parts, the not-so-good parts, and everything else in between.

1st House | “The Helm”

• Keywords: Identity, body, appearance, & life path

• The deep dive: More than any other house, the 1st House is all about you: your identity, physical body, outward appearance, personal goals, and core motivations in life. Since it kicks off the 12 houses, it can also signify new beginnings or initiations. Your Rising sign will always fall here4. As you can imagine, natal planets and transits here tend to be very loud!

2nd House | “Gate of Hades”

• Keywords: Resources, money, & values

• The deep dive: This house is all about your resources and how you support yourself. That includes your livelihood, financial situation, the food you consume, the material possessions you own, and any intangible resources you have at your disposal (like innate talents or skills). It also represents your values, sense of self-esteem, and relationship with self-sufficiency.

3rd House | “Goddess”

• Keywords: Siblings, daily life, mindset, & communication

• The deep dive: This house has a wide range of significations, most of which have to do with your day-to-day life and mundane interactions with the people closest to you. That includes your mindset, writing or communication projects, siblings and extended relatives, informal educational endeavors, everyday rituals and surroundings, neighborhood, and local travels (like commuting or running errands).

4th House | “Subterranean Place”

• Keywords: Home, family, & private life

• The deep dive: This house hits close to home, representing your private life and living situation. It also encompasses your family, connection to ancestry or lineage, foundational experiences from childhood, and innermost needs. If you’re estranged from your biological family, your chosen family can show up here, too. In quadrant house systems, your Imum Coeli (IC), a chart-specific point associated with your roots, marks the start of this house by degree.

5th House | “Good Fortune”

• Keywords: Romance, children, creativity, & pleasurable pursuits

• The deep dive: A fun house! This one represents your hobbies, passion projects, athletic or artistic pursuits, sex and dating life, romantic interests, and children. Anything or anyone you birth into existence falls here. More broadly, the 5th House also represents your relationship to creative self-expression and pleasure for pleasure’s sake.

6th House | “Bad Fortune”

• Keywords: Physical health, work, routines, & obligations

• The deep dive: This house is all about the daily grind: your job, mundane obligations (like chores or routines), physical health, experiences with illness or injury, and need for structure and self-care. The 6th House also encompasses your pets, coworkers, anyone who reports to you at work, and any causes you feel of service to.

7th House | “The Setting Place”

• Keywords: Relationships, reciprocity, & commitment

• The deep dive: Traditionally associated with marriage, the 7th House represents all close relationships in your life, romantic and platonic, and how you show up in one-on-one dynamics. It also shows the sort of energy you gravitate toward in a partner. Anyone you have a contractual relationship with, such as a client or business partner, falls here, too. Your Descendant, a chart-specific point representing your closest relationships, will always be in this house directly opposite your Ascendant.

8th House | “The Idle Place”

• Keywords: Grief, intimacy, collaboration, & shared resources

• The deep dive: This house represents your emotional and financial entanglements with other people. That includes your debts and loans, collaborative ventures, joint assets, and any resources you access through others, like an inheritance or money from your spouse. It also encompasses your experiences with grief or loss, emotional healing journey (including therapy or shadow work), and relationship with intimacy and interdependence.

9th House | “God”

• Keywords: Spirituality, higher education, travel, & self-discovery

• The deep dive: This house encompasses your worldview and self-discovery journey, including your spiritual and political beliefs, foreign travels, academic and publishing projects, pursuit of higher education, and teachers or mentor figures. More broadly, it reflects your openness to new or unfamiliar ideas and life experiences. (Fun fact: It’s also the house of astrology!)

10th House | “Midheaven”

• Keywords: Career, legacy, & public life

• The deep dive: The highest part of the sky in your chart, this house is all about your public life, professional ambitions, and any big responsibilities or leadership roles you take on. For people who don’t have a career, it can speak more broadly to your relationship with visibility and responsibility or how people know you. In quadrant house systems, your Midheaven (MC), a chart-specific point associated with your reputation, marks the start of this house by degree.

11th House | “Good Spirit”

• Keywords: Friendship, community, & aspirations

• The deep dive: Another fun house! This one represents your friendships, alliances, social circles, group endeavors, and sense of community or belonging, as well as the sort of friends you tend to attract. It also encompasses your hope, dreams, and goals — anything you aspire to, basically.

12th House | “Bad Spirit”

• Keywords: Mental health, marginalization, & solitude

• The deep dive: Associated with self-undoing and the subconscious mind, this house governs your mental health, self-sabotaging tendencies, need for restorative rest or alone time, and anything going on behind the scenes in your life. It also represents your experience with marginalization or exile. As the last of the 12 houses, it can signify endings or closure.

Interpreting the houses in your birth chart

When reading a birth chart, the houses inform where and how natal placements show up in a person’s life. For instance, if your Sun is in Gemini in the 7th House of partnership, I’d expect close relationships to be somewhere you shine innately. Maybe you consciously identify as a “people person” or instinctively gravitate toward people who share your curiosity. But if your Gemini Sun lands in the 12th House of solitude? Not so much. This suggests a more cerebral and introverted expression of Gemini energy. You might somebody who does your best work solo or tends to overthink things.

You can also look to house rulers for deeper insight into specific house topics. It’s an especially valuable tool for delineating “empty” houses, or houses that don’t contain any natal placements.

Continuing with my first example above: Let’s say you’re looking to your chart for information about your future long-term partner. Since your 7th House of partnership contains Gemini (a Mercury-ruled sign), the sign, house, and condition of your natal Mercury will reflect the kind of partner you’re attracted to, the role they play in your life, and where you’re likely to encounter them.

If you have Mercury in Taurus in your 6th House, you might meet your S.O. through work (6th House) or seek out a reliable, grounded partner who can provide material security (Taurus). If it’s in Gemini, however, you’re more likely to meet your S.O. through someone else you’re close with (7th House). Chances are, you’d look for a partner who values mental connection and an active social life just like you (Gemini).

For reference, here’s a list of every possible house ruler:

• Aries & Scorpio houses: Mars

• Taurus & Libra houses: Venus

• Gemini & Virgo houses: Mercury

• Cancer house: The Moon

• Leo house: The Sun

• Sagittarius & Pisces houses: Jupiter

• Capricorn & Aquarius houses: Saturn

Interpreting transits to the houses

Over the course of your life, different houses in your birth chart will be activated by astrological transits, or the real-time movements of the planets in the sky. The transiting planet indicates the tone and substance of the action, while the house shows the specific area of your life where the action is going down — i.e., the “what” and the “where.” This is why the houses are so important for predictive astrology (and why it’s best to read horoscopes for your Rising sign, not your Sun sign. Remember, your Rising sign determines your chart’s layout!)

In general, the benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter, bring more ease, support, or opportunities to whatever house they transit. By contrast, the malefic planets, Mars and Saturn, introduce complications, conflicts, or delays. The transiting Sun represents conscious areas of focus and effort for the present month; the transiting Moon highlights your emotional state and how much energy you have on any given day. And transiting Mercury represents what’s on your mind or coming up in conversations.

If an astrologer calls out “your [X sign] house,” they’re referring to the house in your birth chart that contains this sign and the topics associated with it. Let’s say you’re a Cancer Rising. We’d expect transits to your Cancer house (your 1st House of self) to impact you quite personally — maybe they’d involve changes to your appearance or vitality. Transits hitting your Leo house, on the other hand, might affect your financial situation or put your values to the test (both 2nd House topics).

Going one step further: You can also incorporate the layer of house rulers here, which folds in additional house topics. For instance, in the above example, the Sun rules Leo, which is the sign in your 2nd House. The Sun’s month-long stint in Libra in the fall (i.e., your 2nd House ruler transiting your natal 4th House) could manifest as investing more time, energy, and money into your living space, or obtaining work through a family connection.

See how these interpretations blend the significations of both houses? That’s how you make predictions that hit 🤌

References:

• Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice, Vol. II by Demetra George

Additional Resources:

• “Significations of the Twelve Houses — Part 1: Houses 1–6,” The Astrology Podcast

• “Significations of the Twelve Houses — Part 2: Houses 7–12,” The Astrology Podcast

• The Houses Guidebook by Kira Ryberg

• Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune by Chris Brennan

Good news: May and June contain some of this year’s best astrology, hands down. Your mileage may vary depending on what else you’ve got going on transit-wise, but in general, things are about to feel much less intense. Cheers to clearer skies ahead, and to publishing here on a weekly basis again. It’s been such a pleasure to return to this space.

• Tuesday, April 28: Venus in Gemini (5°) trine Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Wednesday, April 29: Venus in Gemini (7°) square the North Node in Pisces (7°)

• Friday, May 1: Full Moon in Scorpio (11°, 1:23pm ET)

• Friday, May 1: Mercury conjunct Chiron in Aries (27°)

• Friday, May 1: Venus in Gemini (9°) sextile Saturn in Aries (9°)

• Saturday, May 2: Mercury enters Taurus (10:57pm)

The rundown

Ready to get deep? Desire, intimacy, and vulnerability will be recurring themes this week. Venus forms three exact aspects, pulling focus on our relationships and values. Over the weekend, the Moon peaks in fullness in Scorpio, a sign that’s as passionate as it is private.

Mondays opens with a void-of-course Moon in Virgo, which lasts until early Tuesday morning ET — not exactly a “hit the ground running” vibe. Don’t be surprised if you only get through a few tasks on your to-do list today. If you can ease into your week with loosely structured plans and minimal obligations, even better.

On Tuesday, Venus trines Pluto; a day later, she squares the lunar nodes. In air sign Gemini, Venus craves mental connection and verbal affirmation. Pluto in Aquarius, on the other hand? This planet-in-sign combo is concerned with unearthing and innovating the subterranean. You may feel called to bring up something unpleasant or weighty — maybe an instance when someone made you feel unheard or stifled, or a desire you’ve been keeping close to your chest. Crack a joke if you must (Venus in Gemini loves a good bit), but don’t undercut your point. Pluto is pushing you to go deeper emotionally and trust that the people you love can meet you there.

With the nodes in play too, there could be a pivotal quality to this exchange, almost like it has to happen before you can go any further. If you’re feeling nervous or overwhelmed mid-week, expect some relief on Wednesday morning ET, when the Moon in Libra clears a tough malefic enclosure and gets an uplifting boost from Jupiter.

And now, the main event of the week: Friday’s Full Moon in Scorpio, a tender lunation lighting up the night sky alongside a Mercury-Chiron conjunction and Venus-Saturn sextile. Activating the Taurus / Scorpio axis, this Full Moon brings to mind themes of contentment and hunger, complacency and transformation. It poses probing questions like, what unfulfilled desires are gnawing away at you? What’s stopping you from pursuing them? And, how might collaborating or confiding in someone else ease the way?

Though the Moon isn’t very comfortable or energized in Scorpio, this lunation gets an invigorating boost from its ruling planet, Mars, which is still fired up in its home sign of Aries and closely squaring Jupiter in Cancer. That, plus Mercury’s meet-up with wounded healer Chiron, suggests a need for courage and risk-taking as you go after what you want — to do it scared, basically. I love this analogy astrologer Kira Ryberg uses in her 36 Decans Guidebook to describe the all-consuming passion of the second decan of Scorpio, where this Full Moon falls:

“Creatives are no stranger to the harrowing realities that can arise out of dedication to one’s craft — the gut-wrenching process of putting the deepest parts of your soul into something and then sending it out into the world. It is deeply vulnerable, and that is precisely what we encounter in this face.”

Where are Taurus and Scorpio in your birth chart? Those house topics will be most relevant for you here (fixed rising signs, you’ll want to pay attention). You can also think back whatever was going on in your life around the last New Moon in Scorpio on November 20, 2025, which I wrote about last fall. Any intentions or new beginnings seeded at that time are culminating now.

For all of the reasons above, conversations with your loved ones could get emotional on Friday. Venus sextile Saturn tells me you’ll probably walk away feeling like your connection is stronger and more solid for it. Remember, honesty builds trust. And if you’re left with a raging vulnerability hangover afterward? Cosmically, you are right on time. Nurse it like you would a literal hangover: with a light schedule and extra rest.

Last but not least: Mercury’s foray into fixed earth sign Taurus. This marks a transient shift in how we think and communicate, lasting from this Saturday until May 17. Taurus is grounded and highly tactile. Here, Mercury relies on felt sensation over abstract reasoning. It’s consistent and dependable, but it can’t be rushed. The key to working with this energy is to radically accept that anything Mercurial — writing, reading, research, even getting a text back — will take the time that it takes. (Let Mercury in Taurus cook!!!) You can also expect the topics of your natal Taurus house to take up more of your mental real estate.

I’m especially excited about this sign-change for Mercury1 because it means the messenger planet will enter a mutual reception with Venus in Gemini. This configuration occurs when two planets occupy each other’s home signs, offering a reciprocal flow of support. Mercury will encourage Venus to slow down and relate in a gentler, more embodied way; Venus will help Mercury keep pace. Cute, right?

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• In honor of the Full Moon: exploring the themes of your natal Taurus / Scorpio axis, and reflecting on what’s come to pass in your Scorpio house since last November. Are any pivots or adjustments needed?

• Paring down your schedule or budgeting extra time for important tasks on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday (just void Moon things)

• Slowing down and resting as needed

• Naming your deeply held desires, even and maybe especially if they scare you

• Holding space for any thorny feelings (yours or someone else’s) that come up over the weekend

• Letting your guard down and getting a little vulny with the people you love

• Monday, April 20: Mercury conjunct Saturn in Aries (7°)

• Monday, April 20: Mercury conjunct Mars in Aries (8°)

• Thursday, April 23: Venus conjunct Uranus in Taurus (29°)

• Friday, April 24: Venus enters Gemini (12:04am ET)

• Saturday, April 25: Sun in Taurus (5°) square Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Saturday, April 25: Uranus enters Gemini (8:50pm ET)

• Sunday, April 26: Mercury in Aries (18°) square Jupiter in Cancer (18°)

• Sunday, April 26: Venus in Gemini (3°) sextile Neptune in Aries (3°)

The rundown

Welcome to Taurus season. I’m writing to you from sunny Brooklyn, where spring is in full force. Flowers are blooming. Temperatures are climbing. This forecast will literally go out on 4/20 (blaze it, etc.) As much as I’d like to say things are slowing down in the spirit of the season, this week actually looks quite eventful. Electric, one might say. So strap on in!

What did Sunday’s Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aries bring up for you? Expect echoes of that story on Monday, when messenger planet Mercury perfects back-to-back conjunctions with Saturn and Mars. Best case scenario, this concentration of energy in go-getter Aries will shift your focus to next steps, propelling you forward. Worst case scenario? You’ll wake up feeling restless, irritable, or hyper-aware of any limitations placed upon you right now. Aim to channel that frustration into action. It’s time to talk the talk and walk the walk, Aries style. And if it takes a minute to build momentum? Blame the Moon, which will be floating in the void all day. You can always start again tomorrow.

Thursday’s Venus-Uranus conjunction calls attention to your Taurus house — with the Sun here, these themes will be in the cosmic spotlight for you until May 20. This particular alignment will spark creativity and inventiveness in the Venusian parts of your life, including your relationships, artistic endeavors, and aesthetic preferences. Friends and loved ones may surprise you, or maybe you’ll feel inspired to mix up your usual creative process. Fixed earth sign Taurus can be particularly loath to experiment (it’s giving I know I like this one entrée, why would I branch out?), so take any internal resistance in stride.

Note that slow-moving Uranus is hovering at the final degree of Taurus before it enters buzzy Gemini for good. We’re at the very end of a seven-year cycle that triggered big changes in the Taurus-ruled area of your life1. Take some time to reflect on what’s shifted here since May 2018. With Venus escorting Uranus over the Taurus / Gemini threshold, I’m hoping for a smooth transition into this new seven-year cycle.

That brings me to Uranus in Gemini, one of the most talked-about astrological shifts of 2026. Uranus is the great disruptor, catalyzing technological innovations, scientific advancements, liberatory movements, and radical changes to structures in society. It returns to the same sign every 84 years, meaning many people alive today haven’t experienced this energy in their lifetime (barring a brief stint last year). Much has already been said about this transit’s association with U.S. involvement in major wars throughout history. Astrologer recently published a fantastic article about the war in Iran that touched on this.

With outer planets Pluto, Neptune, and now Uranus all in new signs, we’ve reached an inflection point for the collective. The world as we know it is changing rapidly, and April’s supercharged Aries stellium struck the match that set the fires of revolution ablaze. Very literally, in the case of the recent California warehouse fire set by an employee who just wanted to be “[paid] enough to live.” To which I say, let it burn. Corporate greed is evil! Everyone deserves to earn a livable wage! This is not a radical stance by any stretch of the imagination!

Communication and discourse fall under the purview of mutable air sign Gemini. Thinking ahead to the next seven years, I can’t ignore the growing ubiquity of social media and generative AI, for better and for worse2. I also can’t ignore how culturally and politically divided the U.S. has become. As , one of my friends and astrology teachers, wrote on Instagram,

“This change brings a charged mental atmosphere where contradictions intensify and polarization reaches new heights. Chaos is a tool to disrupt the status quo. … The course of history will change as AI and other technological advancements move their way through the collective psyche.”

What does Uranus’ sign-switch mean for you personally? Well, you can expect more stability in your Taurus house (I’m looking at you, fixed rising signs!), but don’t get too comfortable with the current state of your Gemini house. Things are about to be in flux. We previewed Uranus in Gemini from July 7 to November 7, 2025, so you can think back to that timeframe for hints. Staying curious, adaptable, and open to experimentation will do wonders as you navigate this mentally stimulating (and dare I say, exciting) shift.

Venus in Gemini is less consequential, lasting until May 18. It’s a sweet deal for your Gemini house — helper planet Venus brings ease, pleasure, and connection wherever she goes — and any mutable rising signs reading this. Since Taurus answers to Venus, the remainder of this zodiacal season will be colored by Gemini’s cerebral, social vibe. Cue the self-indulgent research rabbit holes, the 100+ unread texts in the group chat, the talking for hours as foreplay. Socially, creatively, you may feel like you’re being pulled in many different directions over the next month. You may even wish you could clone yourself3. But hey, at least you’ll actually get out of the house!

Saturday’s Sun-Pluto square could test your patience. Watch out for power plays, interactions that cut deep emotionally, or frankly, shocks to your system — this is the same day Uranus enters Gemini, after all. Against the backdrop of Venus sextile Neptune, Sunday’s Mercury-Jupiter square looks much cuter. It’s a good day to shoot your shot, ask somebody for a favor, or bang out some inspired writing. Be bold and enthusiastic with your wording, not grandiose.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Finding your Taurus season flow (which is to say, balancing the urgency and dynamic change of this moment with plenty of leisure time and consistent, grounding rituals)

• Getting curious about the Gemini house in your birth chart. What topics does it rule? In the short term, expect some extra sweetness and support in this area of your life. Long term, change is on the horizon.

• Picking your battles, especially on Monday and Friday

• Channeling any restlessness or frustration in constructive ways (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Mars in Aries needs an outlet)

• Branching out and trying something new with your friends or S.O.

• Running with your creative ideas, especially if they involve writing or communications projects, and embracing meandering, tangent-filled conversations (it’s the Venus in Gemini way 🤌)

ICYMI:

💫 My books are open for astrology readings in April and May! Selfishly, I’d looove to connect with more early-degree mutable folks and explore what changes Uranus in Gemini has in store for you.

Book a reading with me

ICYMI:

🎭 I wrote an article about astrology of this season’s biggest Broadway openings for , a new arts and culture site. Spoiler alert: There are sooo many revivals. Read it here.

💫 My books are open for astrology readings in April and early May! Learn more here.

• Monday, April 13: Mars conjunct Neptune in Aries (2°)

• Monday, April 13: Venus in Taurus (16°) sextile Jupiter in Cancer (16°)

• Tuesday, April 14: Mercury in Pisces (29°) sextile Uranus in Taurus (29°)

• Tuesday, April 14: Mercury enters Aries (11:22pm ET)

• Thursday, April 16: Sun conjunct Chiron in Aries (26°)

• Thursday, April 16: Mars in Aries (5°) sextile Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Thursday, April 16: Mercury conjunct Neptune in Aries (2°)

• Friday, April 17: New Moon in Aries (27°, 7:51am ET)

• Saturday, April 18: Mercury in Aries (5°) sextile Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Sunday, April 19: Mars conjunct Saturn in Aries (7°)

• Sunday, April 19: The Sun enters Taurus (9:39pm ET)

The rundown

This week dials the heat up even higher. By Wednesday, we’ll have six planets in Aries. Six planets! And seven celestial bodies, if you count the asteroid Chiron. That’s one hell of a pileup. If you haven’t already: Pull up your birth chart, and familiarize yourself with your Aries house topics. Something big is coming to a head here.

Monday’s Mars-Neptune conjunction kicks things off, galvanizing us to act on our beliefs — and clouding our judgment1. Thankfully, Venus sextile Jupiter softens the intensity. On Tuesday, Mercury blazes into Aries (exciting!) and promptly head-butts Neptune (disorienting!). The Moon swings by and darkens to new in this sign on Friday, upping the emotional stakes.

And that’s not all. Sunday brings one of the spiciest transits of 2026: the Mars-Saturn conjunction, which is really more like a triple conjunction between Mars, Saturn, and Mercury. Hours later, the Sun exits Aries for Taurus, breaking up this fiery party. Talk about going out with a bang!

That’s a lot to unpack, so here’s the main takeaway: A reality check is imminent. Mars colliding with Saturn means your momentum will stall. With Mercury here, you won’t be able to deny it. This could involve a dream, personal goal, or something else you feel strongly about pursuing2. Maybe you can already feel the pressure building alongside your passion or sense of urgency.

So, what do we do when Saturn slows our Mars-in-Aries roll? We don’t force anything; we don’t rage-quit. We channel our inner ram and face the obstacle head on.

For a litany of reasons, this is not the week to push yourself, nor is it the week to let your delusional or reckless side run the show. We’ll all be more susceptible to burnout, conflict, and emotional reactivity (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn placements, this will hit hardest for you). What’s needed right now is an honest self check-in — about what you’re building or striving for long term, and what changes or sacrifices you may need to make to get over the finish line. Make no mistake, honesty of this caliber takes courage!

Friday’s New Moon isn’t one I’d recommend manifesting with, per se (she’s much too malefic-addled for my tastes), but it will set the tone for new developments in the Aries-ruled part of your life over the next six months. Let’s not forget that Saturn will be in Aries for two more years. Like it or not, you’re at the beginning of a long road. Be brave this week. Ask yourself the hard questions. Get the clarity you need to move forward intentionally, not impulsively. And if anger or frustration sets in… babe, Venus is still in Taurus! With the Sun trailing close behind! Go for a walk. Touch some freaking grass. Do whatever you have to do to cool off and recenter.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Focusing extra heavily on your Aries house topics. What’s coming up for you here? Passion? Frustration? Both?

• Keeping your schedule nice and light

• Taking any blocks, delays, or reality checks in stride, even if they annoy the hell out of you

• Resisting the urge to make decisions rashly or take big risks before you have your facts straight

• Avoiding unnecessary conflict (or god forbid, rage-bait). People will be running hot.

• Finding healthy outlets to blow off steam (venting, working out, sex, etc.)

• Slowing down whenever possible, and leaning on your five senses to stay present and grounded

• Wednesday, April 8: Mars in Pisces (29°) sextile Uranus in Taurus (29°)

• Thursday, April 9: Mars enters Aries (3:36pm ET)

The rundown

Mars, the planet of action, motivation, and discord, cranks up the heat this week. If Aries season hasn’t really hit for you yet, or you’re still struggling to build momentum, get ready. That’s about to change.

First on the docket: Wednesday’s Mars-Uranus sextile, an electric alignment that’s perfect troubleshooting, breaking routine, or getting out of your own way. It’s a good day to do something that’s outside of your comfort zone or at least keep an open mind.

Then, on Thursday, Mars returns home to Aries, joining a growing pileup of planets in this cardinal fire sign1. This just so happens to be the same day that Mercury clears its post-retrograde shadow degree and starts covering new ground. We’re moving forward, chat! For real this time!

Mars departing Pisces for Aries signals a big change of pace. This is peak let’s fucking go energy. The phrase that comes to mind: “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” And Mars in Aries will immediately have heavy influence over the current skies, calling the shots for every other planet in this sign. For some, this shift could land like an invigorating burst of energy — the cosmos lighting a fire under your ass, if you will. You might feel emboldened to shoot your shot, make headway on one of your long-term goals, or fight for something you really believe in.

Alas, that comes with a few caveats. Big caveats. Mars is one of the two malefic planets in astrology (literal translation: “bad doer”). A strong Mars like this can be a powerful source of motivation — or anger, or frustration2.

Remember, the Aries part of your chart is a hotbed of activity right now. As Mars speeds through this sign, he’ll collide headfirst with Neptune (the planet of dreams and delusions) and Saturn (structure and responsibility), who’ve settled in for the long haul to do some demolition and rebuilding here. Those structural changes are well underway in your life. Mars entering the picture means they’re about to be emphasized and expedited, whether you’re ready or not.

TL;DR, the pace accelerates rapidly this week, but faster isn’t always better, especially when Saturn is involved. The key to working with Mars in Aries constructively is to be discerning about where you put your energy. Think of this like an endurance test. What hopes, dreams, or goals are you willing to fight for? To commit to, even when the going gets tough? That’s where you should focus.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Getting up close and personal with the Aries house in your birth chart. What real-world topics does it represent? That’s where you can expect an uptick in action, intensity, or urgency in your life.

• Using Wednesday’s Mars-Uranus sextile to troubleshoot, try something new, or get yourself out of a rut

• Tabling any creative or focused work for Thursday morning / afternoon, when the Moon in Capricorn will have support from Jupiter and Venus

• Reflecting on where you could stand to be more independent or audacious (or conversely, more measured)

• Moving your body! Please, for the love of god, give Mars in Aries an outlet 😫

• Monday, March 30: Venus enters Taurus (12:01pm ET)

• Wednesday, April 1: Full Moon in Libra (12°, 10:11pm ET)

• Friday, April 3: Venus in Taurus (5°) square Pluto in Aquarius (5°)

• Friday, April 3: Mercury in Pisces (16°) trine Jupiter in Cancer (16°)

• Sunday, April 5: Sun in Aries (16°) square Jupiter in Cancer (16°)

The rundown

After an antsy few weeks in Aries, Venus, the planet of love, art, beauty, and all things pleasurable, is coming home to slow-and-steady Taurus1. This is lovely news. Find the Taurus and Libra houses in your birth chart — from now until late April, you can expect more ease, stability, and connection in the realms of your life they represent2. Cute! But first, you’ll have to confront any not-so-cute power imbalances at play in your close relationships.

Venus in Taurus is like your one well-adjusted friend who insists that you log off at 5pm because you work in marketing, and nothing is truly urgent in marketing (okay, also because she’s waiting for you to come over so you can gossip over takeout). She keeps you grounded. She keeps you fed. She reminds you that life is meant to be enjoyed, nay, savored.

Frankly, we’ll need this steadying force as April’s astrology heats up. The world might be on fire, but there’s always time to stop and smell the roses.

My guide to 2026's whirlwind astrology

Wednesday’s Full Moon in Libra is the emotional and energetic peak of the week. You’ll feel this most strongly if you have personal placements near 12° of Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn. If any relationships, collaborative ventures, or areas of your life feel out of balance or misaligned with your values, then this Full Moon will shine a big ol’ spotlight on it — doubly so since Venus, Libra’s ruler, will be squaring off with Pluto, the planet of power and transformation.

What steps can you take to achieve reciprocity or find balance again? Yes, the Moon is opposing Saturn and Neptune (no fun), but her next aspect is a square to Jupiter. Meaning, you’ll have luck on your side as you recalibrate.

Friday’s Venus-Pluto square perfecting opposite the Moon in Scorpio looks a little, ahem… intense. With Mercury trining Jupiter for the third time in recent memory, emotionally charged conversations from the past few weeks could resurface, too. My advice? Talk about how you’re feeling, or at least take it up with your journal. Let your words (and tears) flow freely. This could be the cathartic release or shift in perspective you need right now.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Reflecting on what’s changed, grown, or reached a climax in the Libra-ruled area of your life over the past six months.

• Resisting the urge to overcommit, overwork yourself, or rush into something big. The Sun squaring Jupiter can make us overconfident. If you take a risk this week, make sure it’s a calculated one.

• Focusing on the important relationships in your life

• Talking about anything that’s bothering you openly and honestly vs. bottling those feelings up

• Honoring your emotional needs and energetic capacity, especially in the second half of the week (no people-pleasing!!!)

• Treating yourself to something sweet or pleasurable on Friday, our first Venus day with Venus in Taurus 🥐

• Monday, March 23: Mercury conjunct the North Node in Pisces (8°)

• Wednesday, March 25: Saturn cazimi in Aries (4°)

• Wednesday, March 25: Sun in Aries (4°) sextile Pluto in Aquarius (4°)

• Thursday, March 26: Venus conjunct Chiron in Aries (25°)

• Friday, March 28: Saturn in Aries (4°) sextile Pluto in Aquarius (4°)

The rundown

Welcome to the astrological new year. Temperatures are rising. The Moon is waxing. Mercury is finally regaining speed. Ready or not, it’s time to lock in. Remember what I said last week about noticing where your creative muse leads you? This week’s astrology will push you to follow your inspiration or vision with concrete action.

Wednesday brings us our first astrological headline of the week: our annual Saturn cazimi, or exact conjunction with the Sun, in Aries, backed up by an empowering Sun-Pluto sextile. For context, Saturn — the planet of discipline, restriction, and reality checks — recently reentered Aries for the long haul1 alongside outer planet Neptune. Mars-ruled Aries acts on instinct, moving swiftly and courageously. The challenge with Saturn and Neptune here isn’t dreaming big or getting started; it’s sustaining momentum. Staying locked in, if you will.

Cazimis distill planets to their purest essence, making them particularly potent for clarification and renewal. Think of this as an invitation to recommit to one of your dreams or long-term goals. Hold yourself accountable by making a realistically paced plan, one that won’t end in rage-quitting or burnout. Will that be easier said than done given Saturn’s current condition2? Yeah, probably. That’s why it’s so important to keep a firm grip on reality.

Expect to feel extra ~sensitive~ around the people you love on Thursday — with Venus conjoining Chiron in Aries, old wounds or insecurities could rear their head. Thankfully, the Moon’s monthly meet-up with Jupiter in Cancer will soften the blow. Is there an opportunity for deeper connection or emotional catharsis here? Remember, other people’s outsized reactions are almost always a reflection of their issues, not their true feelings toward you.

Last but certainly not least: Saturn in Aries sextile Pluto in Aquarius. An alignment we’ve been building toward for the past few months, and even longer if you count Saturn’s initial stint in Aries last summer. When these slow-moving planets aspect each other, it reflects wider cultural and societal shifts. The link between Aries’ righteous rage and Aquarius’ innovative vision for the future underpins much of this year’s paradigm-shifting astrology. If you’re not mad about the state of the world right now… babe, I’m gonna need you to start paying attention!

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Exploring the Aries house in your birth chart — this area of your life is a hotspot right now. What dreams, blocks, or reality checks are coming to light here?

• Recommitting to a future goal or dream by making a solid plan and taking aligned action

• Moving your body to get your creative juices flowing again (a humble recommendation: shaking your ass)

• Revisiting anything you put down during Mercury retrograde

• Treading lightly around tender topics mid-week, and assuming good intent

• Continuing to stay informed and fight for the change you want to see in the world (think catching up on the news, calling your representatives, etc.)

ICYMI:

🎙️ I sat down with the lovely Kate Douglas of to chat about last week’s New Moon in Pisces. Listen to the episode here.

💫 My books are open for astrology readings in April! Learn more about my offerings here.

• Tuesday, March 17: Mercury Rx conjunct the North Node in Pisces (8°)

• Wednesday, March 18: Venus in Aries (15°) square Jupiter in Cancer (15°)

• Wednesday, March 18: New Moon in Pisces (28°, 9:23pm ET)

• Friday, March 20: Sun enters Aries (10:46am ET)

• Friday, March 20: Mercury stations direct in Pisces (8°)

• Saturday, March 21: Mars in Pisces (15°) trine Jupiter in Cancer (15°)

• Sunday, March 22: Sun conjunct Neptune in Aries (1°)

The rundown

This week is the turning point we’ve all been waiting for. Wednesday brings us a New Moon in Pisces1, our monthly reset. On Friday, the spring equinox heralds the beginning of Aries season and a new astrological year. Mercury also stations direct. Yes, you read that right: The messiest Mercury retrograde of 2026 ends on the same day the cosmic calendar restarts. Now that is a vibe shift I can get behind.

Need a do-over on your New Year’s resolutions? You’re in luck. With Mercury changing directions, the pace will pick back up, slowly but surely. Staying focused and making progress on your goals is about to get much easier. As early as Saturday, Mars trine Jupiter will help you move forward with conviction.

But first, we’ll have to wade through the murky waters of Mercury hovering at its stationary degree conjunct the North Node in Pisces. The North Node is a point of increase, which stands to intensify the miscommunications, delays, and disorienting blasts from the past we’ve been dealing with since Mercury retrograde began on February 26. Basically, things will get messier before they get clearer. Do: Mind the details this week. Don’t: Disregard any ideas that surface in your dreams or conversations, even if they’re half-baked. When Mercury meets up with the Lunar Nodes, fate interjects, often routing us in new and inspired directions.

On Wednesday, Venus and Jupiter connect via square. This is fun friction, the kind that emboldens us to take risks and chase after what we want. It’s also the backdrop for this week’s New Moon. Think of this as an invitation to tend to your inner needs. Coming off the whirlwind astrology of the past month, sitting with your emotions or making art could be especially cathartic.

One more thing: Pay attention to how Sunday’s Sun-Neptune conjunction lands for you. What’s inspiring you right now? Is there a dream or idea you feel called to pursue? This alignment will set the tone for the month ahead and offer clues as to what the next 13 years of Neptune in Aries will hold for you, personally.

Work with this week’s astrology by…

• Slowing down and resting if you feel tired or overwhelmed

• Prioritizing creative pursuits and intuitive flow > rigid structure

• Making social plans or treating yourself to something nice mid-week

• Celebrating the pivot to spring this weekend (GO OUTSIDE!!!)

• Reflecting on what came up for review in your life during Mercury retrograde and integrating those lessons (look to your Pisces house for clues)

• Setting intentions for the astrological new year, ideally this Saturday, once the Moon is gaining light in Taurus

• Saving any tedious tasks for the weekend, when you’ll have Mercury direct and Mars trine Jupiter on your side

The cosmic chaos continues with this week’s Lunar Eclipse in Virgo (12°), exact at 6:37am ET on Tuesday, March 3. Unlike last month’s eclipse, this lunation involves a familiar storyline, one that’s been unfolding since September 2024.

A story-in-progress

Eclipses loosely follow the path of the lunar nodes. For nearly two years, they’ve pinged the Virgo/Pisces axis in your birth chart, accelerating change in the areas of your life these houses represent.

Course correction is a big theme with eclipses. Wherever they land, chapters in our lives begin and end, sometimes abruptly or before we feel ready. They also emphasize the push-pull between the sign pairing of the transiting North and South Nodes — in this case, a need to balance rigid structure and over-preparedness (South Node in Virgo) with intuitive flow (North Node in Pisces).

Think back to September 2025, when we had our last eclipse in Virgo. What was going on in your life? Did you experience any big mindset shifts or new beginnings? That story resumes now.

What you can expect

Ruled by Mercury retrograde in Pisces, this week’s Lunar Eclipse will open the floodgates for emotional processing and catharsis. It’s occurring near the South Node, a point associated with release and surrender. Breakthroughs are possible. Waterworks are highly likely.

Depending on how it’s hitting for you — for instance, if it falls in close proximity to one of your personal planets, or you’re in a Cancer or Virgo profection year — this eclipse could bring about a significant ending in your life. For everyone, it will highlight changes that are well underway in the Virgo/Pisces parts of your chart.

With the South Node in Virgo, the message is clear: Perfection is so overrated. What triggers your self-critical streak? When are you prone to overthinking, overworking, or grasping for control? What would it look like to break that cycle? This is a great moment to reflect on how over-optimization might be blocking your creative flow or getting in the way of your happiness.

Work with this astrology by…

• Taking a closer look at the Virgo house in your chart. What real-life topics does that house represent? How have those areas of your life evolved over the past six months? Is there anything you need to process or walk away from?

• Keeping your schedule nice and light. Eclipse season is an infamously hectic time of year. Plot twists pop up; time feels like it’s moving at 2x speed. We’ll be in this cosmic pressure cooker until mid-March. The kindest thing you can do for yourself right now is to take it easy. (For what it’s worth: Virgo rules the digestive system. If you have a sensitive stomach, this is a good moment to prioritize easy-to-digest foods.)

Want additional support navigating eclipse season?

Book a reading with me

Why does this one look so messy? Well, for starters, it’s occurring in Pisces, where Mercury finds its detriment and fall. Pisces is the sign of the poet, the mystic, the dreamer. It’s creative, and it’s highly empathetic, but it struggles with clarity and efficiency, which puts Mercury, the Messenger Planet, in a tough position.

If you have any personal placements between 8 - 22° of the mutable signs, especially Pisces, expect to feel this. Ditto if you’re a Gemini or Virgo Rising — with Mercury as your Ascendant ruler, you’re more likely than most to be sidetracked by its change in directions.

Key dates:

• February 11: Mercury entered its pre-retrograde shadow (8° Pisces)

• February 26: Mercury stations retrograde (22° Pisces)

• March 7: Mercury Rx cazimi (16° Pisces)

• March 20: Mercury stations direct (8° Pisces)

• April 9: Mercury leaves its post-retrograde shadow (22° Pisces)

Note that this Mercury retrograde will end on the same day Aries season begins, resetting the astrological calendar for the year. How poetic is that? Spring is coming. A new astrological year is on the horizon. And remember, Saturn just completed a three-year trek through Pisces. Instead of resisting the inevitable Rx slow-down, use this time to reflect on the lessons you’ve learned and refocus ahead of the spring equinox.

Mercury retrograde in Pisces: What to expect

Mercury influences how we think, communicate, use technology, and travel short distances. Three or four times each year, for a few weeks at a time, this planet appears to move backwards from our vantage point here on earth, hence the term “retrograde.” Whenever Mercury pivots directions, the areas of life it represents temporarily go haywire. Think confusion, delays, and miscommunications.

More on what Mercury retrograde means

Let’s not forget that Jupiter-ruled Pisces is a textbook romantic, prone to waxing poetic and viewing the world through rose-colored glasses. With Mercury retreading old ground here, some delulu thinking is likely. Not to mention, Mercury will meet up with Venus, the planet of love and relationships, multiple times throughout this retrograde journey. People from your past could come out of the woodwork.

Which brings me to my number one piece of advice: Manage your expectations. Between this messy Mercury Rx and the ambient chaos of eclipse season, February and March are not going to be the most productive months of your life. Staying organized, making linear progress, resisting the urge to daydream — attempting to do so will feel like swimming against the current. This timeframe calls for slowness and creative contemplation.

If you have anything big and time-sensitive to tackle over the next month, I recommend working with Mercury’s retrograde cazimi, or exact conjunction with the Sun, on March 7. Since this is the halfway point of the retrograde, it may offer clarity on any questions or problems that surface.

Your Mercury Rx to-do list:

• Don’t put your life on hold — Mercury retrograde happens too often for that! — but do try to mitigate any messiness. Double-check your work, budget extra time for projects or travel, and think critically about the information you’re presented with. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Consider where Pisces falls in your birth chart. What topics does that house represent? They’re about to be on your mind a LOT. And what was going on in this area of your life in early February? Like a boomerang, people or conversations from your recent past could come back around.

• Prioritize input and introspection > output. Often, looking backwards is necessary to help us process our emotions and move forward. Closure talks and cleansing tears are welcome, but don’t fall into the Mercury retrograde trap of romanticizing the past. Some things look better in the rearview mirror.

• Embrace artistic and nonlinear modes of self-expression. Whatever creative outlet you prefer, this Mercury retrograde is excellent for finding your flow. Hit “play” on nostalgic playlists. Revisit half-finished art projects. Delve into the oceanic depths of your imagination and get lost there on purpose.

ICYMI:

✍🏻 In honor of Pisces season, I wrote some very fun, very gay sex and dating ‘scopes for Grindr (yep, that Grindr). Read yours here.

💫 My books are open for astrology readings! Learn more about my offerings here.

Here’s everything you need to know, including where this eclipse energy is showing up in your life and grounded advice for navigating the next few weeks.

On February’s Solar Eclipse in Aquarius (28°)

Change is in the air. Eclipses occur in pairs twice a year and trigger fated events in our lives, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly. They’re synced up to the movements of the North and South Nodes over ~1.5-year increments. You can think of eclipses as plot points in a longer story. They fast-track the inevitable, reminding us that when one door closes in life, another one opens.

This Solar Eclipse in particular looks pretty damn disruptive. It’s aspecting Mars and Uranus, two planets that spark action and change; it’s ruled by Saturn, which just switched signs and is mere days away from a rare conjunction with Neptune at 0° Aries (maybe you’ve heard?) That binds it to February’s revolutionary astrology. And it’s the first eclipse in years on the Leo/Aquarius axis, turning the page on a new storyline of fated change in your life that will continue unfolding until 2028.

Like I said, buckle up!

Learn more about the astrology of 2026

In short, this is a supercharged New Moon, colored by the distinct “new era” energy of this Saturn-Neptune moment, but not the kind I’d recommend ritualizing or manifesting with. We don’t harness the energy of eclipses, per se; we flow with them. This time of year tasks us with observing and embracing change, even if it stirs up feelings of anxiety or discomfort.

This Solar Eclipse asks, where is disruption or innovation needed? And what are you going to do about it?

Something is shifting in the Aquarius house in your birth chart. Expect a breakthrough that pulls you in a radically different or unexpected direction. That may involve Aquarian themes like a desire to break the mold, an increased sense of responsibility to the collective, or the urge to shake things up because a system in your life is overdue for an upgrade.

Remember, this eclipse is also the beginning of a longer nodal story. If nothing eventful happens now, it may become clear later in the year that something important was set into motion around this time. All of the above will be loudest for anyone with placements between 25-28° of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius).

Your eclipse season checklist:

• Study up on your Aquarius house. The area of life it represents is where you’re being pushed to shake up the status quo. I’ve listed out the topics associated with this part of your chart for every Rising sign below. For additional context, consider their interplay with the themes of the Aries house in your chart. It’s part of the story here too.

• Stay flexible and open-minded. The few weeks surrounding eclipses often feel unusually hectic or disorienting, almost like life is moving at 2x speed. If you’re struggling to keep up or see the bigger picture, you’re not alone. A healthy dose of Aquarian detachment is good medicine for this moment.

• Don’t over-schedule yourself. Seriously. Since eclipses involve the Sun and Moon, the life-giving luminaries that represent our vitality and emotional state, they can be rough on the body. From now through early March, make rest and self-care your top priorities — doubly so if you’re a Cancer Rising, Leo Rising, or currently in a solar or lunar profection year.

• Maybe, just maybe, embrace the radical potential of this paradigm-shifting astrology? Change can be hard, but it can also be exciting. Invigorating. Liberating, even.

Here’s where change is brewing for you, based on your Rising sign:

• Aries Rising: Your friendships, community, and aspirational pursuits

• Taurus Rising: Your career, reputation, public-facing ambitions, and future legacy

• Gemini Rising: Your spiritual practices, travel plans, academic & publishing pursuits, and self-discovery process

• Cancer Rising: Your grief, emotional baggage, investments, collaborations, and access to other people’s money or resources

• Leo Rising: Your closest relationships (romantic or otherwise), commitments to others, and desire for balance or partnership

• Virgo Rising: Your physical health, work, pets, and mundane obligations

• Libra Rising: Your sex & dating life, children, pleasurable pursuits, and creative projects

• Scorpio Rising: Your private life, family, living situation, ancestry, and sense of stability or rootedness

• Sagittarius Rising: Your siblings & extended relatives, daily rituals & surroundings, and communication habits

• Capricorn Rising: Your money, resources, core values, and sense of security

• Aquarius Rising: Your identity, physical body & appearance, personal goals, and overall life trajectory

• Pisces Rising: Your mental health, solo self-care practices, and need for closure

Want personalized guidance for navigating eclipse season? My books are open for readings in March.

Book a reading with me

Read more on Saturn in Aries

What is a Saturn return, anyway?

In astrology, Saturn is the planet of structure, discipline, limitations (internal and external), authority, and legacy. It’s the slowest-moving classical planet and spends about 2.5 years in each sign as it makes its way through the entire zodiac. Sometime between the ages of 27 and 30, Saturn will “return” to whatever sign it occupied when you were born for the first time in your adult life, marking the end of one act of your life and the start of a new one. This cycle resets again around ages 60 and 90, if you’re lucky enough to live that long.

Your first Saturn return lasts for a few years and will push you to face reality, take responsibility for your personal growth and fulfillment, and assess whether the foundations upon which you’ve built your life and identity were made to last. But like… no pressure!!! You can think of this period as your astrological coming of age, punctuated by a shorter timeframe (or timeframes, plural) of acute growing pains. It’s a threshold, an initiation, a rite of passage.

This consequential transit is one astrological explanation2 for why so many people hit their late 20s or early 30s and change careers, move to a different city, decide to have kids, get married, get divorced, etc. It can be a profoundly rewarding stretch of time when past efforts culminate in big accomplishments. It can also be a period of increased pressure, responsibility, or isolation, either because you’re being challenged to rise to the occasion, or because a structure in your life that lacks integrity is being stress-tested. For most people, it’s a mix of all of the above.

Later this week, Saturn will leave Pisces and reenter Aries for good, which means a new cohort of Saturn return initiates is about to be in the trenches. If that’s you, and you’re nervous about what’s ahead: I see you, I hear you, and I’m right there with you, bracing for impact. We’ll get through this together.

Here is my no-bullshit, astrologer-approved advice for surviving your first Saturn return.

1. Know thy birth chart.

This is THE most important piece of Saturn return advice I have for you. Information is power, baby! Familiarizing yourself with your unique Saturn signatures won’t spare you from what’s to come, but it will prepare you, and that’s not nothing. Here is my short list of interpretative factors to explore:

• Were you born during the day or at night? The sect of your chart can hint at the tone of your Saturn return. People who were born during the day tend to experience Saturn transits as constructive or stabilizing; people who were born at night often struggle more.

• What is the degree of your natal Saturn? Your Saturn return is considered active for the entire 2.5-year period where Saturn is in the sign — but it’s loudest (read: most likely to feel stressful or intense) when transiting Saturn reaches the exact degree of your natal Saturn. This can actually happen multiple times, so it’s helpful to know the precise dates in advance. Calculate yours here.

• What are the sign and house placements of your natal Saturn? The sign of your natal Saturn indicates the themes of the challenges or limitations you’re likely to face. The house represents the area of your life where this will play out. I’ll use my chart as an example: I have Saturn in Aries in my 10th House. So, my Saturn return story will bring up themes of self-assertion, risk-taking, and scaling at a sustainable pace (Aries) in my career and public life (10th House).

• What houses does Saturn rule in your chart? The topics associated with the Capricorn and Aquarius houses in your birth chart are the subplots of your Saturn return story3. For instance, I’m a Cancer Rising. Capricorn and Aquarius are located in my 7th and 8th Houses. That means my Saturn return will also involve my committed relationships (7th House) and shared resources (8th House).

• Is your natal Saturn aspecting any sensitive points or planets in your chart? At some point during your Saturn return, these natal aspects will be reactivated by transiting Saturn — and that will almost definitely be loud! (My friend and fellow astrologer Marissa Leigh wrote a fantastic blog post on this topic with case studies.) Saturn squares and oppositions can be particularly challenging or emotionally taxing, so again, it’s good to prepare yourself.

• Is Saturn currently activated for you? Analyzing your solar return chart or annual and monthly profections can help you make accurate, detailed predictions about when you’re most likely to feel Saturn’s influence. But at that point, you should probably just hire a professional astrologer.

2. Practice humility, and look into Saturn remediation.

Saturn is one of the two malefic planets in astrology (literal translation: “bad doer”), which is to say, a difficult influence on an experiential level. In online circles, I’ve noticed that some astrologers downplay this when delineating Saturn transits. Here’s the truth: Parts of your Saturn return will probably suck. When, why, and the extent to which it will suck all depend on your birth chart and personal timing activations. I’m not saying that to trigger fear or anxiety. I’m saying it because pretending otherwise would be a disservice to anyone reading this. Frankly, I wish another astrologer had told me that point-blank before I had my shit rocked.

Saturn’s lessons take time and effort to master, which can be freeing (no rushing the process 😤) and excruciating (no shortcuts 😓). So if you find yourself struggling to keep your head up or think big-picture, that makes perfect sense. Focus on steadying yourself and implementing any changes to your life one step at a time.

This is a season of your life that calls for emotional maturity, endurance, and above all, humility. You can take that one step further by intentionally putting yourself in situations where you’ll be humbled, a piece of advice for weathering tough Saturn transits that I picked up from astrologer Kira Ryberg. Action is the antidote to despair, as they say.

See also: Saturn remediation, a form of astrological magic that involves developing a relationship with this planet and easing its influence via weekly rituals, planetary charity, or talismanic materia. A small example of this from my life is that I almost always work for a few hours on Saturdays, which is Saturn’s day. I also wear black clothes on Saturdays for Saturn, but 90% of my wardrobe is black, so that feels like cheating.

3. Remember that this too shall pass.

We’ve established that parts of your Saturn return will feel uncomfy. It’s equally important note that this transit has a definitive end date. That doesn’t mean the work stops when Saturn moves on to the next sign (does the work ever really stop?)4. Rather, you’ll move into the integration phase, where you can catch your breath and let the lessons you’ve learned sink in. Here are some hard end dates, for reference / a morale boost:

• Saturn in Pisces: Ends on February 13, 2026 (🥳)

• Saturn in Aries: Restarts on February 13, 2026; ends on April 12, 2028

I know: Two and a half years feels like an eternity when you’re Going Through It. But/and, this season of your life will end. In the lowest moment of my Saturn return thus far — picture me sobbing on someone else’s kitchen floor at 4 o’clock in the morning, delirious and hysterical, to the point where my own dog was nervous to approach me because I was heaving so dramatically — remembering that fact helped. It didn’t take away my suffering, but it did put it into perspective.

My advice, beyond studying your own chart? Write down the date of Saturn’s final sign-change and put it somewhere you’ll see it everyday. Make a countdown for your phone’s lock screen. Talk to people you know in their early 30s or beyond who’ve endured their first Saturn return and are better off on the other side of it. Do whatever it takes to remind yourself that you’re growing and maturing in real time, and any pain or discomfort you face along the way is only temporary.

Further reading & recommended resources:

• “Remediating… Saturn” by Hélo Astro

• “Saturn Return Files” by Marissa Leigh

• Planets in Transit: Life Cycles for Living by Robert Hand

• Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil by Liz Greene

• Any and all talismanic materia from the brilliant astro-mages over at Sphere & Sundry

My guide to the astrology of 2026

Your guide to this month’s Full Moon

The chaotic month kicks off with the Full Moon in Leo (13°), exact on Sunday, February 1 at 5:09pm ET. It will be loudest for anyone with placements in the middle degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, but this is a loud Full Moon, period. Everyone will feel this. For starters, it’s peaking in Leo, a sign known for its drama flair. It’s also opposing a massive pileup of planets in Aquarius. The Sun, the planet that rules this Full Moon, is sandwiched uncomfortably in that pileup and answering to an antsy Saturn in late-degree Pisces. Leo and Aquarius themes — our personal desires and collective interests; what’s widely accepted and what goes against the grain — are in the spotlight.

Right now, there is a palpable sense of long-simmering grief and frustration finally boiling over. Can you feel it? I live in the United States, where the Trump administration is deploying ICE to terrorize immigrant communities and enact unconscionable acts of violence. Granted, state-sanctioned violence is nothing new (BIPOC activists have been sounding the alarm for decades), but more Americans are waking up to it and mobilizing in resistance. Fear and outrage are igniting tangible, widespread action.

Maybe you’ve heard that Neptune, the slow-moving planet of ideals and illusions, is now in Aries? Saturn, the planet of structure and solidification, is trailing close behind. And eclipse season is fast approaching, which means more change is imminent. We are standing in the threshold of a new cultural and political reality. Outdated systems and structures are crumbling so we can build newer, stronger ones in their place.

This Full Moon asks, what role will you play in shaping our shared future?

Imbued with Leo’s passion and fire, this Full Moon calls for courage, creativity, and authenticity. It’s a push to get crystal fucking clear on who you are and what you stand for, and to say it with your full chest. Last but certainly not least, it’s a reminder that your joy and rage, your art and activism, can coexist.

If you’re doing it right, by which I mean having strong convictions and staying loyal to them, then someone someday will inevitably decide that you are too outspoken, too divisive, too “political.” Let them. Radically accept that you will be misunderstood when you operate from a place of unwavering authenticity — and keep going. Your voice matters.

Practical advice for this Full Moon:

• Explore the Leo and Aquarius houses in your birth chart. What topics are associated with those houses? They’re probably taking up a lot of your mental real estate right now. This Full Moon could spark an emotional realization that’s pertinent to those areas of your life. You might notice an echo or culmination of something that began six months ago at the New Moon in Leo.

• Reflect on your unique talents, skills, or creative gifts and ways you can share them with your community. Activations of the Leo/Aquarius axis help us bridge the gap between the personal and collective. If you aren’t already connected with community organizers or mutual aid groups in your area, now’s the time to get involved. (For my fellow New Yorkers: This online database is a good place to start.)

• All Full Moons heighten our emotions and reactivity, but I suspect that this one will make news headlines and social media discourse extra dramatic. Try to keep your screen time to a minimum over the next few days. Find outlets to create more than you consume.

I promised you all that when I opened my books publicly for readings, subscribers to this newsletter would be the first to know.

Well, that day has come. After quietly growing my client practice over the past six months, I’m excited to announce that anyone can now book an astrology reading with me. I have openings available in my calendar for February and March.

Book your reading now

Why get an astrology reading?

I’m so glad you asked.

• Astrology supports self-discovery.

• Astrology empowers you to make important life decisions on your best timeline.

• Astrology can validate your real-world experiences, reveal patterns, and help you make the most of this season of your life.

• Last but certainly not least: It’s fun!

And why get one with me?

Because I’d love to be part of your astrology journey, and I’m really good at holding space for the full spectrum of life experiences — the exciting stuff, the gnarly stuff, and everything in between.

In the words of my client Liz,

“I’ve had astrology readings before, but none of them compared to the empathy and wisdom I received from Sam. Even with sensitive topics, I felt so held and respected by Sam as a spiritual guide that I was able to share honestly and get insights into some big life changes I’ve been going through. They also gave me space during the call for my own perspectives and humanity to come through, so I never felt like they were telling me who I am.”

My currrent offerings include:

• Birth Chart Readings: If you’re new to astrology, or you’ve never had your chart read, book this. We’ll explore your natal promise, which is astrologer-speak for your biggest strengths, pain points, and overall direction in this lifetime.

• 2026 Year Ahead Readings: Wondering what the astrology of this whirlwind year means for you, personally? Book this. (I will only offer this reading until the end of March. Snag a spot while you still can!)

My free guide to the astrology of 2026

• Solar Return Readings: Book this around your birthday or if you’re in the midst of a major life transition. We’ll unpack the key themes of your year and what’s in store for you.

• Rapid Fire Readings: If you have a very specific question, working familiarity with astrology, and/or a limited budget, book this. It’s essentially your opportunity to pick my brain for 30 minutes. We’ll cover as much ground as we can.

For more information about my booking policies, reading style, and technical background, head to my website. You can also reply to this email directly with any questions.

I hope to connect with more of you 1:1 in 2026. Cheers!