BORN THIS WEEK

Colin Firth (Sept. 10, 1960)

The mutable-Earth sign of Virgo is about negotiating virtue and vice. The potter god Hephaestus made Pandora and her box filled with the good and bad stuff. Faustus is likely derived from Hephaestus—a Faustian struggle is between good and evil. And Virgo man personifies this wrestling of the human conscience. We see this in the characters that Virgo actors portray. Like Hugh Grant, born Sept. 9, Colin Firth is often cast in anti-hero roles, from Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice to Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’ Diary. In life, too, Virgo man keeps us guessing whether he wears a white or black hat; while he is most suited in clay grey, the signature color of the sign.

ARIES

Now is about discerning fine lines between being investigative and suspicious, sacrificing and victimized, meditative and just plain old lazy. With the Sun in opposition to Chiron, the shadow sides of your personality come into sharp relief, so that you might first recognize, then seek to temper or eradicate them. It is helpful to listen to advice being given from those who’ve been professional pioneers, as you are one now. Ask questions. And not just rhetorical ones. When Mercury hits Virgo, on Friday, it will reawaken dormant conflicts with loved ones. Issues need to be wrestled, so to pin down solutions.

TAURUS

As laidback as you can be, you must rally gusto to get out and grab opportunities. With Jupiter in your sign forming a Grand Trine with the Sun and Pluto, great fortune surrounds you, but you must root it out with forthright intention and formal social exchange. That means making direct contact with those whose hands you’d like to shake, verbalizing true reasons for doing so. This is not a time to manipulate or skulk into situations sideways, attempting to give a false impression of nonchalance. A Moon-Mars opposition on Wednesday says that stifling your feelings results in an explosion of them.

GEMINI

Feeling restless, you’re shaking up the status quo wherever you encounter it. But you must beware of reckless actions and an abrupt demeanor, lest you alienate those whose favor you seek. Planting evolutionary seeds of diversification (if not plain old diversity) is powerful enough without pushing agendas on people. Mars sextile Venus can cause friction with mates or business partners. Dissatisfaction on the home front necessitates a showdown that ushers in a desired new order. So don’t avoid facing or fessing up. By Saturday, Mercury opposing Neptune, Moon and Chiron is a call to exceed limitations.

CANCER

First impressions count for a lot now. The waxing Moon teams with Pluto, by Tuesday, to give you X-ray vision into people’s hearts and minds. You’re able to scan them as such because you no longer have much to hide. Not only does the truth set you free, it actually pains you to avoid it. This may shock those used to your sidestepping; but people have falsely counted you in their corner. Speaking your mind challenges them to change. By Saturday, when Mercury opposes the Moon, expect the return of someone who went far afield. You may find s/he has outgrown old customs—something new you two can share.

LEO

Your tolerance is being tested now. Though you’re loath to admit it, you possess certain biases, which we can safely say are vestiges of childhood conditioning. Mercury now opposing Neptune suggests that characters you are quick to judge as unsavory will prove, for-real, to be all sweetness and light. Mars square Saturn says to dust off a project you pored and salivated over, then prematurely shelved. There is gold in them thar ideas. By Friday, Mercury revisits Virgo giving you the requisite grit to overcome negatives and naysayers you encountered last month. What kind of Leo listens to other people anyway?

VIRGO

Objectivity is the key to short-term success. So analyze situations and conflicts carefully, employing all the enlightenment-age reason you can muster. Put a lid on emotions and repeat this mantra unceasingly: Nothing’s personal. You’re now in the business of discernment. And Saturn’s squaring Mars gives you the extra skepticism necessary to put a pin in would-be promises. That is, until you’ve fully scoped out “perfect” scenarios being presented to you by those hoping you’ll sign over power or fork over dough. When the schmoozy and solicitous say, “You’re no fun,” rest assured you’re on the right track.

LIBRA

Put stock in your emotional intelligence and avoid prospects that give you agita, no matter how good they look on paper. Venus sextile Mars marries grace with sinew, which physically manifests as feeling better in your skin, more balanced and agile—explains the increase in stares on the street. This mashup also lends you a fierce diplomacy, such that you can swing deals, nearly totally, in your favor and have opponents thank you for the pleasure. Mercury’s move into Virgo on Friday makes worldly matters seem empty. You yearn for spiritual transcendence in a way you haven’t since you carried a quartz crystal.

SCORPIO

Your moral compass is right on track. Take that, insidious rumormongers suggesting you were doing anything underhanded. Pluto trines Jupiter, expanding your vistas and your vision. Many of you will travel to exotic places. Others will voyage inwardly. Actually you will all do that, well aware that you are turning a corner in life, entering a fresh phase of increased financial success, renown and retreat, if not early retirement. Saturn squaring Mars means systems you put in place this past year start to settle in. Freedom is knowing the myriad moving parts of your professional life are operating like clockwork.

SAGITTARIUS

The need to escape responsibilities is overwhelming. But you insure long-term happiness by facing them. With Jupiter in a Grand Trine with Sun and Pluto, the only way out is through. Freedom rings from checking duties off your list. And a sense of completion makes you blissfully smug, if not a little superior. We pity the poor foolish slackers who get on your bad side. Mercury in Virgo, by Friday, stresses the need for networking at a high level. So moisturize those elbows in preparation for some major rubbing. Just don’t try to grease anybody else’s in the process. Even genuine gestures may read like bribes.

CAPRICORN

Who says obsessions can’t be healthy? You now pinpoint creative callings, and nothing can keep you from devoting to them. Money and creature comforts take a back seat to expressing your soul in a meaningful way. Ruler Saturn is unaspected, from Tuesday, so career plans are suddenly more fluid. You must own the fact that you have acquired great mastery in your profession, which cannot be taken from you. On the contrary, you now discover innumerable ways to market your wares, be they real or metaphoric. As a rule, get chores done early in the day, so you may muse, wander and wonder into twilight.

AQUARIUS

You’re in uberAquarian mode, honing your unique selling points (read: eccentricities) and asserting progressive agendas that evolve the professional milieu in which you thrive. Mercury opposing Neptune in your sign says: making bank and spreading the wealth aren’t mutually exclusive. Indeed, you can feel good about profiting from any work you do for the common good. With Mars releasing Saturn from its grip, you are free to move about the globe, taking up suggestions to wing your way to uncharted climes. Visiting unspoilt places sows the seeds for your own future, leading a more naturalistic lifestyle.

PISCES

Career reputation is paramount now. And garnering a great one depends on an ability to specialize, distinguishing yourself from the pack. Mercury opposing Chiron in your sign, from Tuesday, helps change your professional headline for the better; moreover, this mashup quells your fear of success. You are ready to step up and take increased responsibility on the work front. By Saturday, the Sun and Jupiter sever ties, giving you the edge in competitions or rivalries. This may also signal a breakthrough for a mate or close intimate you’ve helped see through a struggle with overwhelming emotional issues.