We trade one retrograde for another this week as Pluto turns direct and Jupiter goes retrograde. The former directional shift will once again turn transformative efforts outward. The internal changes the stars have been calling us to make for the past several months will now give us a better chance of exacting change within others, whether in our personal relationships or communities at large.
Meanwhile, Jupiter’s backward shift does virtually the exact opposite. The typically expansive, forward-thinking planet’s retrograde motion shifts our perspectives inward. This months-long retrograde will challenge beliefs and attitudes, forcing us to either defend these principles or leave them behind for other, more productive values and ideas. Senses of self will destabilize. These metamorphoses can sometimes be uncomfortable but are almost always worth it.
How will your sign fare this week?
Aries: March 21 – April 19
A challenging square between your ruling planet, Mars, and Mercury early in the week will disaffect communication and insight, increasing the likelihood of speaking out of turn and, consequently, burning bridges. Be careful of the words you choose during this time, Aries. You can think whatever you want, but once you release those thoughts, they’re no longer yours to manage.
While this slower communication might not be your go-to, this week’s Jupiter retrograde is designed to challenge the norm. Lean into these feelings of unfamiliarity. Mars ends the week in direct opposition with a first-quarter Moon, providing much-needed motivation to face this interpersonal dilemma head-on. There will be some discomfort, but there will also be progress.
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Taurus: April 20 – May 20
Your ruling planet, Venus, starts the week in a harmonious trine with Mars under Scorpio and Cancer, respectively. This potent celestial alignment signals growth and expansion in love and finances. Relationships are more likely to start or gain more significant levels of intimacy during this time. Similarly, monetary investments you make under this alignment are more likely to pay off in the long term.
The Venus-Mars trine is preceded by a direct opposition between a waxing crescent Moon and Uranus retrograde, which continues to fly under your sign. As the expanding Moon calls us to plan and find a way forward, Uranus adds a bit of unpredictability to the mix. Getting out of your comfort zone is a good thing, Taurus.
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Gemini: May 21 – June 20
Although you are not directly governed by this planet, Jupiter retrograde promises to have far more tangible effects on your life as the gas giant flies under your celestial domain. On October 9, when Jupiter officially begins its backward motion, it flies in a positive trine with Mercury, your actual ruling planet. This fortuitous alignment is a fantastic signal of good fortune ahead in an otherwise challenging period.
Indeed, Jupiter retrograde might challenge your belief systems and values. But its harmonious trine with Mercury suggests this confrontation was either one you already anticipated or needed. In either case, the stars seem to be preparing for you to take a significant step in the right direction, Gemini.
Cancer: June 21 – July 22
As the waxing crescent Moon flies through Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn this week, it lands in direct opposition with Jupiter the day this massive planet turns retrograde. With Jupiter under Gemini and your ruling celestial body under Sagittarius, you can expect a major shake-up to long-held beliefs or ideas. Standing by your principles can be easier said than done for multiple reasons, Cancer.
Sometimes, these principles force us to take a far more desolate high road that alienates us from people in our lives we might care about, despite their negative influence on us. But on the other hand, it’s often when we challenge these beliefs that we discover holes in our logic. Either way, it’s a chance to learn.
Leo: July 23 – August 22
The Sun inches toward a favorable trine with Jupiter—and by Wednesday, Jupiter retrograde—this week. By the weekend, your ruling celestial body forms a challenging square with a first-quarter Moon and Pluto under Libra and Capricorn. These clashing “good” and “bad” energies will require a bit of balancing to manage simultaneously, but it’s certainly nothing you can’t handle, Leo.
As Jupiter and the Sun’s trine locks into place, the stars will reveal areas in your life that could improve. Of course, figuring out that you’ve made great strides down the right path and now have to backtrack can be disheartening. Give yourself grace to grieve this lost time, but remember that you’re actually better off now than you were before making these discoveries.
Virgo: August 23 – September 22
Your ruling planet, Mercury, begins the week in a challenging square with Mars, suggesting a cognitive disconnect between your perception of the outside world and your willingness to act on these observations. Unfortunately, identifying problem areas is only one small step in the overarching path to self-improvement. Now is not the time to rest on your laurels, Virgo.
An opposition between Mercury and Eris retrograde will only exacerbate this rebellious “I don’t wanna” spirit, which means you’ll have to try even harder to muster the courage to make necessary changes, particularly in areas of social interaction. This week might be a good time to look for reinforcements via trusted friends or family who can better hold you accountable.
Libra: September 23 – October 22
No matter how deliberate our actions may be, that doesn’t stop their consequences from surprising us. Your ruling planet, Venus, enjoys a harmonious trine with Mars early in the week, prompting action and assertion in areas of the heart and wallet. You might be more willing to go out on a limb emotionally or financially, and this type of bravery is generally positive.
However, a subtle celestial shift occurs later in the week as Venus stands off with Uranus retrograde under Scorpio and Taurus, respectively. The effects you might have anticipated from your actions earlier in the week will likely diverge into something different—perhaps even stressful. Use this as an opportunity to work on your adaptability, Libra.
Discover what the stars reveal about your future – connect with expert astrologers on Keen.com
Scorpio: October 23 – November 21
Change-ups abound in your celestial alignment this week, Scorpio. First, your ruling planet, Pluto, returns direct this week, signaling its transformative energy’s shift from your internal to external worlds. Under the influence of pragmatic Capricorn, following through with actions that will get you closer to your goals, particularly in areas of family and home life, will become easier and less burdensome.
Meanwhile, Venus forms a direct opposition with Uranus retrograde under your sign and Taurus by the weekend. This stand-off indicates unpredictability or stress within areas of love or finances. This is an understandable consequence of Pluto’s outward transition. Significant change rarely comes without discomfort. Weathering this transformative period is a requirement for achieving the more prosperous home life that awaits.
Sagittarius: November 22 – December 21
Jupiter goes retrograde this week, and as the only Zodiac sign governed by this gas giant, you are liable to feel the effects of this backward shift more tangibly than others. This months-long shift will challenge your beliefs and make you either defend or abandon the values you’ve adopted over the years. While the former would certainly be the preferable option, letting these ideas go has its own silver lining to enjoy.
Your ruling planet makes its shift to retrograde on Wednesday as a waxing crescent Moon opposes Jupiter under your sign. This placement strengthens the cosmos’ effects on your everyday life even further. Keep your heart and mind open to new ideas, Sagittarius. They’re here whether you like them or not.
Capricorn: December 22 – January 19
A significant shake-up is just what you’ve been needing to break out of this funk, and this week, Jupiter retrograde delivers. This faraway planet turns its expansive energy inward, encouraging you to dig deeper within yourself and weigh the worth of previously held beliefs and ideas. Meanwhile, your ruling planet, Saturn retrograde, continues its trek through Pisces, strengthening your connection to your emotions.
Notably, the first-quarter Moon conjoins with dwarf planet Ceres under your sign the day after Jupiter’s retrograde shift. This lunar phase encourages bravery and forward movement, while the latter dwarf planet calls us to pay close attention to how we can care for the world and ourselves. It’s time to rethink your preconceived notions of productivity, Capricorn.
Aquarius: January 20 – February 18
Besides the overarching effects of Jupiter’s midweek shift to retrograde, the most notable alignments in your celestial forecast occur around the start of the weekend. During this time, Venus directly opposes your ruling planet, Uranus, under Scorpio and Taurus, respectively. Additionally, your ruling planet forms a harmonious trine with a first-quarter Moon under Capricorn.
These two aspects indicate a need to enact change within your innermost environment: your home life, long-term relationships, etc. It’s time to re-evaluate how you divvy your emotional and financial resources. While your eccentric spirit might push you to think otherwise, these reserves are finite and deserve greater discretion than you’ve given them, Aquarius.
Pisces: February 19 – March 20
The day Jupiter turns retrograde in the cosmos, your ruling planet, Neptune, forms two challenging squares: one with Jupiter and the other with a waxing crescent Moon. Neptune and Jupiter retrograde can either help or hurt the other’s efforts. Your ruling planet’s backward shift promotes imaginative thinking and identifying areas of deception or misguidance. Jupiter retrograde encourages new perspectives and ideas.
When these planets work in tandem, you can better isolate problem areas in your life and take steps to fix them. But get them out of sync with one another, and you can start struggling against novel ideas even if they’re better for you in the long run. Be sure you’re responding to reality, not fantasy, this week, Pisces.
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