our world may be a kinder and gentler one this year, allowing you the time to appreciate what you have already created in your life. Of course, there are still challenging issues to face on both a personal and global level, but at last you can reconsider goals you may have previously put aside. It's a year of slow and steady progress that can set the stage for a long time to come. The last couple of years have been rather stressful as Saturn the tester tensely squared your Sun sign from July 2007 to September 2009. If you met the tough resistance with your own unyielding determination, you may have overcome obstacles by making critical choices that reaffirmed the overall direction of your life. Keep working hard and you should be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor throughout 2009. If you experienced major setbacks, however, you might have had to start all over again, struggling to regain your lost stability. Now it's time to pick up the broken pieces and get yourself back on the right track, for karmic Saturn is harmoniously trining your Sun sign all year. Saturn is well known for delaying success, but it also rewards long-term planning and a serious routine.Taurus is a fixed earth sign, so your emotional security depends upon having your basic needs met. Still, you seek pleasures beyond simple food and shelter. You may have a penchant for quality clothing and linens, comfortable furnishings, a nice car, good music or fine wine. It will be easier to satisfy your material desires now that the outer planet emphasis has shifted into the practical element of earth. Expansive Jupiter spends the entire year in achievement oriented Capricorn, helping you to be realistic while considering opportunities for advancement. Solid Saturn is in earthy Virgo for a two-year visit, bestowing you with increased patience and efficiency. Even slow-moving Pluto enters Capricorn, starting a profound sixteen-year transformation of the beliefs that guide your biggest decisions. Accept the good news that these planets bring, for the cosmic energy is working with you this year and not against you.
There is a definite and noticeable shift in your life this year as both Jupiter and Pluto leave philosophical Sagittarius to enter realistic Capricorn. Jupiter was in your sign throughout most of 2009 and opened your horizons, presented you with new opportunities, and encouraged your growth in many areas of life. Pluto, on the other hand, has been in Sagittarius since 1999. It has gradually yet relentlessly forced you to act on the convictions of your beliefs, confronting you with a need to change. This is a transitional year, for Jupiter's entry into your 2nd House of Self-Worth can increase material wealth and your self-esteem. Instead of starting things anew, it's time to build on what you have already created. Pluto's entry into Capricorn is at once more subtle and more powerful. Its subtlety derives from the fact that it's so slow in its movement. It tentatively steps into Capricorn on January 25 before retrograding back into Sagittarius on June 14, only to reenter Capricorn on November 26 for a fifteen-year stay. Pluto offers glimpses of a new world -- one based less upon your lofty ideals than on a down-to-earth approach to who you are and how you interact with the world. Saturn and Jupiter were harmoniously trine last year in action oriented fire signs, which inspired you to take calculated risks to reach your goals. This year, Jupiter continues its trine with Saturn, but their presence in earth signs limits your vision to that which makes practical sense. This could be a positive change for you, and yet you may feel as if the fire of enthusiasm has died down and been replaced by the humdrum of daily routine. The good news, however, is that Jupiter's continuing connection with Saturn -- exact on January 21, September 9 and November 21 -- gives you all the right tools to make last year's dreams come true this year.
This is a karmic year for you as Saturn, the gatekeeper of reality, moves steadily through your sign, testing the integrity of the foundations upon which you continue to build your life. It may sound trite, but you just might get what you deserve. Some areas of your life may fulfill your fantasies beyond your wildest dreams, while others will present you with one test after another, requiring you to work vigilantly with relentless self-discipline. Although Saturn can be rather strict, punishing laziness and sloppiness, it can also be quite reassuring when it rewards your diligence. Be aware that if problems do arise, they aren't necessarily a sign of failure. As Saturn works its way through critical Virgo, it simply points out where more effort is needed. Rather than growing discouraged over what you didn't do or what you should have done, this is the time to refocus your best intentions and take care of the serious business at hand, instead of waiting for a better time. But all is not difficult this year, for Saturn can also bring more certainty into your life. If your efforts are sincere, then your perseverance will bring you closer to personal success. It's not only about receiving what you've earned; it's also about setting your long-term goals and creating the necessary strategies to materialize your dreams.The good news is that you are blessed with continued support all year as optimistic Jupiter counteracts the realism of somber Saturn. Jupiter is in Saturn's sign, Capricorn, systematically expanding your horizons and gracing you with a positive attitude that helps you overcome any obstacles. Key times for initiating actions that have long-lasting effects are January 21, September 8 and November 21 -- dates when the supportive Jupiter-Saturn trine is exact. Since Jupiter is in your 5th House of Self-Expression, your creativity is at a peak during these times, although you probably won't be overly demonstrative. Instead, what pays off is your commitment to perfection and your desire to be involved with meaningful projects. On the other hand, you may experience some creative blocks when Jupiter forms tense sesquisquares with Saturn on March 18 and June 25. Keep in mind that unresolved pressures can be channeled into productive work, assuming you can manage your frustration and keep your eyes on the goal.
A big year lies ahead of you, complete with a few surprises that can complicate your life, yet fortunately you have the tools to integrate change with great ease. Optimistic Jupiter, realistic Saturn and exciting Uranus create a major theme, as you are ready to see opportunities through a practical filter, enabling you to steadily move toward your desired goals. Together, Jupiter and Saturn form a repeating pattern of harmonious trines -- exact on January 21, September 8 and November 28 -- that balances your drive to succeed with the continued focus you need to reach your goals. What makes the Jupiter-Saturn trine so significant for you is that your sign, Scorpio, is safely nestled between these cosmic regulators, with confident Jupiter encouraging you to expand your thinking to grow beyond your present level of awareness, while practical Saturn simultaneously concentrates your energy inward so you don't scatter valuable resources. Saturn in your 11th House of Friends and Wishes requires you to work cooperatively rather than venturing out on your own. You may not have the patience for the frivolous activities of others, yet being part of a team can help you be much more productive. Additionally, Saturn expects more from you than just meeting your day-to-day obligations; it expects you to honor your hopes and distant dreams. This is a transitional year for you, beginning with an intense standoff between your two key planets, fiery Mars and domineering Pluto. As a Scorpio, you are particularly sensitive to the movements of Pluto. Your life was transformed when Pluto was in Scorpio between 1996 and 2002. Then, as Pluto moved through opinionated Sagittarius, you reexamined your core beliefs, discarding ideas, values and possessions that no longer served you well. On January 25, this tiny concentrated bundle of planetary intensity leaves Sagittarius to enter hardworking Capricorn in your 3rd House of Communication. There it will force you to reevaluate the validity of your intellectual foundations.
You can reach new levels of fulfillment this year when you participate as part of a team, because optimistic Jupiter, your co-ruling planet, is in your 11th House of Groups. Opportunities to advance professionally depend on the support of colleagues and your ability to network professionally. You're ready for more responsibility and higher achievement, but ultimately your success depends on the quality of relationships you create with others. Serious Saturn is in your 7th House of Partnerships now, making your closest alliances the most challenging area of your life. Your tender heart hates to reject or criticize people, yet it's vital to associate yourself with those who are dedicated, competent and willing to work as hard as you do. Carrying the load of a less-than-capable partner can wear you down in your personal life or hold you back in your career. Fortunately, Jupiter and Saturn form three harmonious trines this year that help you discover a balance between being compassionate and setting limits. These giant planets align on January 21, September 8 and November 21 in the practical earth signs of Capricorn and Virgo to connect your lofty ambitions for tomorrow with the reality of today. Establishing well-defined goals and creating a strategy to achieve them is well within your reach.
Expect a tricky balancing act throughout the year between your innate need for relationship and the attention you must place on your inner development. Saturn, the planet of making it real, entered your 12th House of Spiritual Mystery on September 2, 2009, and will spend all of 2010 in this part of your chart. Your most precious accomplishments may not receive full recognition with Saturn in this behind-the-scenes house, but this can also give you a break from some of your worldly responsibilities. Taking more time to tend to your inner life is a good way to gain strength, heal old wounds and reassess your life purpose. This is a period of preparation when you're readying yourself for an enormous step forward, beginning with Saturn's entry into your sign on October 29, 2010. Still, you're far too sociable to cut people out of your life. In fact, even with the challenging changes, you might be ready for a rebound when it comes to love.Two eclipses in your 5th House of Love and Creativity can shift the landscape in these vital areas of your life. The Solar Eclipse on February 6 is joined with inspirational Neptune to raise hopes of a more sublime emotional connection, and a harmonious trine to Mars may even provide a willing playmate. Neptune, unfortunately, tends more toward fantasy than reality, which could lead you astray in the pursuit of a more perfect union. The Lunar Eclipse on August 16 is also joined with magical but illusory Neptune, repeating the fantasy-chasing theme. It's certainly healthy to open your heart and mind to more fulfilling forms of love, yet if common sense is lost in the process, you could wind up with less than you expected. The magic lies within you, so create through your own acts of art, style and self-expression where you can direct the process and control the outcome.
Your primary focus this year is likely to be on practical matters as Jupiter and Saturn, the planetary regulators, are both in realistic earth signs. Expansive Jupiter's drive for more in life is managed by patient yet ambitious Capricorn. This "lucky" planet's passage through your 6th House of Work shows that good fortune must be earned through your direct efforts. Talent, skill and social connections all have value, but without clear intention and commitment on your part, they are unlikely to take you where you want to go. For the most part, gains accrue when you make a plan and stick to it. This slow and steady path to success may lack some of the drama and flair you tend to enjoy. However, there are more than a few bright moments along the way that make your sacrifice worthwhile. Jupiter's three synthesizing sextiles with inventive Uranus in imaginative Pisces on March 28, May 21 and November 12 are periods when intuitive flashes and surprisingly supportive people allow you to take great leaps forward.Saturn, the planet of hard, cold reality, filters out distracting fantasies through Virgo's tightly woven screen of practicality. The cost of random thoughts and ill-conceived ideas is higher than usual this year. Instead of feeling constrained within these narrow limits, though, this is your chance to focus your attention and raise your abilities to a higher level of competence. Develop your expertise in one area at a time instead of scattering your attention across broad fields of interest. Serious Saturn is in your 2nd House of Resources all year, a reminder to honor your gifts, including your precious time, by not squandering them carelessly. This planet that says no but means yes demands that you humbly serve your talent through practice and training to express it to its highest potential. Last year, Jupiter and Saturn formed favorable trines to each other in visionary fire signs that framed an inspiring vision for the future. They repeat these creative aspects this year in earth signs to turn those ideals into something real. Passionate Pluto's first steps into constructive Capricorn from fiery Sagittarius are another signal of the elemental shift from the realm of concept to the world of form.
Relationships open your life and widen your horizons this year, but the reality of what follows may not live up to your exaggerated expectations. Exercising caution and using common sense could be your best weapons against disappointment, because some opportunities won't prove quite as amazing as they seem at first glance. A feeling of infinite possibilities in January quickly turns into hard work as you successfully scale the mountain of ambition to reach your goals.When Saturn was in your sign just a few years ago -- from May 2006 to July 2009 -- you had to get serious and make a stand for what was then most important to you. In 2008 and 2009, you began to firmly establish yourself in your new direction. In September 2009, Saturn entered practical Virgo, the sign of efficiency, and stays here in your 3rd House of Communication throughout 2009. Now you must organize your thoughts clearly enough to present them to others. Putting your personal information in order, deciding how to make better use of your time, and establishing positive working relationships will enable you to progress methodically along your path to success.
Responsibility is your key word this year, especially at work. You won't lose your taste for fun and adventure, of course, but getting ahead in measurable ways may distract Aries from your usual playtime activities. In fact, work could become the new play for you, a form of competition with yourself to see how high you can climb on the ladder of success. Aries, set your own goals in 2010, though, rather than trying to meet those established by someone else. Your natural independence may lead you to rebel if you feel you're being forced to respond to outside pressure. It's much healthier, and the likelihood of achievement is much higher, when you're motivated by your own desires. Saturn, the planet that makes things real, is in your 6th House of Daily Routines and Service this year. Upgrading your abilities with proper training and discipline is essential. Developing competence increases confidence and is the best way to get out of a work-related rut.
Aries, give yourself a little time to get up to speed this year. Mars, your ruling planet, began moving retrograde in mid-November 2009. It stops in its tracks and resumes forward motion on January 30, but doesn't pass its shadow point (the degree where it originally turned retrograde) and regain its normal speed until early April. Patience is more than a virtue; it's a necessity. Aries, you're planning for the long term in 2010 with Jupiter, the planet of opportunity and expansion, in ambitious but cautious Capricorn. Each step up should be taken carefully so that you assimilate your gains before pushing ahead to the next level. Demonstrating your ability to manage what you have on your plate earns respect from others and builds faith in yourself. Although you love surprises and thrive on spontaneity, the challenge ahead of you is to practice self-discipline and pace yourself wisely.
Rebuilding and realigning emotionally are your key issues this year with Saturn, the planet of hard, cold reality, in your 4th House of Roots and Foundations. Problems at home or in establishing a sense of safety and security can be resolved by reflecting on how you reached this point. Looking deeply into your personal history can be a painful process. Opening up old wounds may be the last thing you want to do. But this work, when done in a compassionate manner, will make you stronger and create a more solid foundation upon which to build your future. With the power of your own insightfulness or the support of a counselor or therapist, you can unravel knots that have inhibited the flow of your full creative potential. Regardless of the limits of the people closest to you or the barriers you encounter professionally, you have the capacity to turn the course of your life in a more fulfilling direction. This is not a process that can be rushed, because slow-moving Saturn in systematic Virgo requires changes of habit that can't be completed overnight. Taking small steps can test your patience, but consistent patterns of healthy self-awareness will eventually add up to a giant leap of consciousness that expands your opportunities for success.Generous Jupiter is not giving away the store this year. This outgoing planet is somewhat restrained in practical and goal-oriented Capricorn, and its passage through your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources is a graduate-level course in the meaning of relationships. Being clear about your goals in a partnership is essential, since anything less than a well-defined purpose can limit the benefits you collect. You receive the emotional and material rewards of joining forces when you know what you want and establish a plan to get it. In return, you need to commit to doing the hard work necessary to earn and keep the trust of others. If you are not willing to stick around when the going gets tough with someone, it may be wiser to not get started at all.
This is a year filled with paradox and mystery, for you know that many new experiences are just around the corner, even if you aren't quite ready to meet them. Saturn, the planet of hard work and responsibility, was opposite your Sun sign from July 16, 2010, until September 2, 2011 No matter how hard you applied yourself during that time, you probably struggled just to keep up with the many responsibilities you were facing. Now, with Saturn in efficient Virgo moving through your 8th House of Deep Sharing, you must apply yourself diligently to strengthen your ties with others, both in business and personally. This work will not be easy, because Saturn reveals where you meet resistance in your life. As one of your key planets, reality-based Saturn symbolizes your ongoing quest for knowledge and your need to be right. Armed with technical information and skills, you have an innate ability to understand complex systems and know how to handle nearly any situation. You can run into trouble, however, when you think you have all the answers and are unwilling to change your mind. Therefore, it's crucial to remain open to what you still need to learn as you delve into the less-than-logical emotional realms.Radical Uranus, your other key planet, describes your need to break the rules of Saturn when they no longer serve any purpose. Uranus the Awakener continues to move through temperamental Pisces and your 2nd House of Self-Worth this year, preventing you from becoming too complacent with your financial situation and your relationship to your possessions. Your two ruling planets -- traditional Saturn and unconventional Uranus -- gradually move toward an opposition that is exact on November 4, agitating suppressed tensions and motivating you to make drastic changes that free you from restraints that were once tolerable. This marks the beginning of a dramatic, long-term transition that can change the direction of your life, but that will take until July 26, 2012, to complete. This key theme emphasizes your desire for total and immediate change, balanced by your need for ongoing stability. Without any simple solutions, the stresses will likely increase until something gives -- so it's best to process any discord as it arises, rather than wait for the lightning to strike.
Optimistic Jupiter is in ambitious Aries this year, making it a great time for major expansion and significant personal growth. Traditional astrology's most fortunate planet brings opportunities for increased public recognition, as well as a deeper understanding of yourself. This enables you to recognize your past patterns and see how your successes and failures are connected in meaningful ways. Your ambitions are empowered by these insights, allowing you to plan with foresight and common sense. It's vital, though, to trust yourself, rather than letting the opinions of others weigh too heavily now. Jupiter in your 1st House of Self represents the power of your innate wisdom. Even if you miscalculate and make a mistake, you can quickly learn from it and adjust your course of action accordingly. There is no time to settle for less in your life, either personally or professionally. Standing still is the least desirable option. Aim high and boldly step forward to raise your life to the next level.