BORN THIS WEEKTilda Swinton (Nov. 5, 1960)
Ruled by Pluto, the icy planet, Scorpio is the fixed-water sign, which, too, translates to ice. Pluto is god of the underworld whose wife Persephone sits frozen, entranced or asleep on her throne. Swinton plays within her archetype taking on the role of the White Witch, in The Chronicles of Narnia films. Something of an underground inhabitant herself, Swinton joined the Communist Party while at Cambridge, which some might consider subversive. And she remained an indie actor for much of her career, also working as a performance artist, lying in a glass box asleep for a week, on display at London’s Serpentine Gallery. Scorpio rules death, sleep and sex, all falling under the heading of regeneration. Scorpio people have a knack for phoenix-like reinvention.
ARIES
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In topsy turvy fashion, tough challenges are typically a comparative cinch, while the simple stuff of life now seems to elude you. So tend most to home, administrative and inter-personal affairs. Venus and Mercury in Sagittarius, from Wednesday, inspire deep philosophical thoughts. Whether it’s a vague angst or a white-hot panic that triggers the want of a belief system that sustains, the need is great and the atmosphere urgent. With Venus and Mercury square Mars, you easily channel emotional ache into physical action that has healthful benefit. High-minded pursuits dovetail with rigidly disciplining your body.
TAURUS
With the Sun releasing its hold on Chiron, you may long for emotional healing. The Sun opposing Jupiter in your sign points to real simple remedies. Like hobbies—remember those?—and holidays—how long has it been? Not all activities and trips need to be about making money. In fact, you should leave off focusing on finances. Mercury and Venus will break their tie with Mars, come Saturday. So make haste this week to tie up loose ends, especially the busy work of returning calls and emails. In love you may desire more than bonds of convenience. Feelings for an old flame may inform future relationships.
GEMINI
Got Proust? You’re hyper-reflective, wistful, choking up at the drop of an old hat. And an emotional purge is in order, as ruler Mercury enters Sagittarius squaring Chiron and trining Mars. Your sector of the home you come from and that which you create comes into sharp relief. You can only deal with the latter, in reckoning with the former. And it may require reaching out and talking to siblings, an organized group of strangers, or your shrink to get over the hump of certain strong remembrances. November demands nerves of steel on the career front. You ward against energy depletion by facing up to feelings.
CANCER
You’ve rarely had so many balls in the air. The Moon makes a number of motivating connections this week to Jupiter, Mars and Pluto. You can simultaneously pursue new solo projects that protect against uncontrollable changes, while you perfectly satisfy current career obligations. Planet moves also bring financial facts and figures (others have been hiding) to light. You find it easy to forgive, but you’re visibly tough-loving enough to ensure sneaky culprits never pull such shenanigans again. Venus and Mercury releasing Mars from their grip, by Saturday, stems the tide of feeling overly responsible.
LEO
There is a tendency to sell yourself short as Mars continues its opposition to Neptune, which makes you less egomanical, a good thing, but can overly dillute ambition. Though you’re not one to squander gifts or cast pearls, you mightn’t easily recognize when you’re doing both these things. Venus, ending her square cycle to Mars, is illuminating talents and abilities that should demand a hefty price tag, making others as aware as possible of their worth, just in case you underestimate them. Saturn’s trine to Neptune provides you no lack of discpline in manifesting figments of your imagination destined to bear fruit.
VIRGO
You’re not so much impulsive as compulsive, chewing on thoughts before taking action. But now you don’t have the luxury of time to do so. For you, Saturn trining Neptune is a wake-up call to document ideas, first, and then punt them out into the universe. You will not compromise quality by putting a quantity of pitches or would-be projects out there to see what sticks. Venus conjunct ruler Mercury suggests your need for sounding boards, if not collaborators. You can kick yourself when hearing someone’s moved on an idea you also thunk up. But it might be the kickstart you need to not let it happen again.
LIBRA
With a sextile of Saturn and Mars spanning your sector of seclusion, you seek certain solitude to give expression to yearnings of the soul. Despite recent successes, your emotional life has had a way of creeping up on you. And you may feel you’ve regressed or retreated into a bad mental space or behavior. Try to look at it all as part of the same forward moving journey which is nonetheless cyclical. Even on an upward spiral you can feel as if you’re circling back. If Saturn in Libra has taught you anything these past years, it’s that some good old-fashioned hard knocks provide the best opportunity for growth.
SCORPIO
The future is so right now. You’ve questioned whether there is a new life direction available to you. So when one rears its lovely head, don’t miss it by clinging to all-too familiar circumstance. A Moon-Pluto mashup sets the tone this week, shifting focus from external issues to inner longings. All you have to do is allow them to surface, and not talk yourself out of the changes they entail making. Just because you’re putting great effort into building a life based on one set of desires, doesn’t mean you can’t outgrow them, and now receive new destiny callings. To that end, deconstruction of an old order is in, well, order.
SAGITTARIUS
You’re flavor of the week as Mercury and Venus tango into your sign. But the Sun still opposing Jupiter means you’re more infamous than famous, a dark flavor, or one with a distinct undertaste. There is power in this: If ever the old adage, it’s better to be feared than loved, were to ring true, now would be that time. Having lately taken the road less travelled, you’re more intense, seasoned, introspective. Others frankly don’t know which way your moods will swing so they strive to stay on your good side. As your sanguine attitude returns, you might retain that brooding exterior, as it keeps people snapping to.
CAPRICORN
If ever you should go with your gut, now is the time. The Moon makes a poignant link to Pluto in your sign, by Monday, amping intuition of new people and situations. This may put you at odds with partners, with whom a little prefacing goes a long way: Lay your feelings on the table, asking loved ones to trust you on this or that. You can even go so far as to promise they will thank you for it. Resist taking on work solely for money. The potential soul crushing can cost you more than would saying no. Now is time to put even impossible dreams into works, sacrificing extras if need be to make them manifest.
AQUARIUS
You’ve been quick, lately, to dress others down. They don’t understand, as we do, that this comes from a place of jealousy and hurt. This week’s influence of Aquarius in Neptune opposing Mars brings to light the ways you blame others for (what you perceive as) choosing sides against you. But you have to realize the messengers you’re wont to kill don’t see these so-called sides, and their motives aren’t as sinister as you imagine. So before you go making real enemies, relax hard lines and perform a self exam for paranoia surrounding imagined ones. And thank those who express tough love. You’re welcome.
PISCES
Agility is your watchword as nimble Mercury conjunct graceful Venus, both squaring Neptune, make this week something of an obstacle course. This cuts to the quick of your big issues—going with the situational flow (as opposed to utterly escaping it), and doing so with nary an utterance of drama. Seriously, if you can keep these two things in mind, you will emerge with emotional muscle to last a season. The Pisces Moon, Friday, says you’ll play therapist to loved ones, come the weekend. Though its sounds like a chore, now, you’ll be in character by then to help (read: rip others a new one you can fill with advice).
