We are living through a time in which we will either be transformed by acts of kindness, empathy, and unity, or we will succumb to the worst elements of society: fear, blame, and punishment. The transit of both Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn (until mid 2020) marks a turning point in humanity, and here’s a consistent component to every downturn in human history: fear. Fear of others, fear of survival, fear of judgment, and fear of difference. The only pragmatic way to battle this is by working together for a common goal, to commit to embodying our humanity, especially when scared or triggered. When we feel down, we can get stuck in paralysis, or worse, it can transform us into petty tyrants who feel entitled to everything because nothing feels good.

Don’t be that person. Don’t sink to the lowest level. If life is a game of rock, paper, scissors, rock doesn’t beat rock. In other words, cruelty doesn’t beat cruelty. Judgment doesn’t beat judgment.

Venus is still Retrograde (October 5th-November 16th, 2018), and this means we're at a particular stage in our journey where we’re meant to look at our values, women’s rights and place in society, money, gender, and of course, love.

This week we move into the sultriest season of the year – Scorpio season! On the 23rd, the Sun moves into Scorpio and instantly forms an opposition to explosive Uranus. This means that you can expect the unexpected around this date and that the energy you experience around this date will inform what’s to come this Scorpio Season. You may feel a tension between what you want and what you possess, or you may have a conflict between the various things you're willing to do for your desires. This transit brings about excitement, distraction, and innovation, and it heightens your restlessness and impulses. If you’re prone to irritability, you may feel extra annoyed, and if so, you’re probably bumping up against limitations. This is a good time to explore the concept of freedom in your life and to make the space to be true to yourself – at least in your thinking.

When we unpack all of the details, the planets' placements distill down to this: it’s time to practice kindness in your thinking, words, and actions. Notice when you’re being a jerk to yourself by minimizing or dramatizing your situation (they’re pretty much heads/tails of the same problem). Understand that your relationship to yourself is the foundation upon which you build everything and all that you do. Be patient as you learn new things about yourself, the world, and your role in it. This is the time to take responsibility for what you obsess on and to strive to keep it constructive.

When you feel anxious, gratitude is the key. It aligns you with what you have, and the attention you affix to your abundance is what makes your life more bountiful. This allows you to be generous with yourself and others, to actively support the world around you in small or big ways.

Don’t recoil from discomfort; it’s a teacher that you have much to learn from. Your life is so deeply valuable, and you make a difference. Treat the present like the gift that it is. Honor it today, try again tomorrow, and repeat.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

The role that fear plays in your life is really important, sweet Aries. Find ways of respecting your fears without indulging them and making them worse this week. Allow space for what you don’t know to unfold, and try to parse out what feels bad from what is actually bad for you. Here’s some homework for you: ask for help when you need it, take breaks to check in with yourself, and no catastrophizing! Strive to manage your feels with patience and strength.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

When you’ve accepted too much mixed input, it can lead you to feel confused, demoralized, and unsure of what to do with yourself. This week calls for patience, Taurus. It’s unclear what’s coming for you, and you may even be forming a new understanding of past events. When the past and the future are both out of your hands, all you have is the present. Put all of your self-care tools to work, and strive to do your best in the here and now, my love.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

The ego needs balance. When you feel good about yourself, it’s easier to be clear about your aims, to direct yourself in a way that works, and even to be responsive to the world around you. When you feel utterly down on yourself, you can get stuck in inactivity, or worse, act out of integrity because of how bad you feel. Seek balance so that you don’t find yourself needing to work off an ego hangover. Transform that ego into a friend you can rely on this week.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Make it your mission to find evidence of your own strength, Moonchild. You are a force to be reckoned with! This week it’s time to stop comparing yourself to others, to where you want to be, or to where you once were, and it's time to embrace the person that you are in the here and now. It’s only by embracing this moment and your place in it that you can determine which are the healthiest boundaries. This will in turn free you up to do what you’re meant to do.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

When you can’t figure things out, it’s often a sign to slow down. The path to growth and expansion sometimes involves retraction. In order to have the life you want to live, you have to first strive to become the person you want to be. This week is about that striving. Don’t look so far outside of yourself that you miss out on the most simple and impactful source of change – you. Gather your strength, and with it will come your sense of purpose, Leo.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Open up and let go, Virgo. There’s no stopping progress, and that’s as it should be, even if it doesn’t feel like it. This week will challenge you to become the person that you want to be, but the weight and stories of the past will try to keep you as you were. Be sincere, Virgo. Even if things move slower or in a more circuitous way than you’d prefer, this is the time to be present and to focus on your efforts and not fixate on the outcome.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

When you hurt or your heart is heavy, it’s easy to lash out, shut down, or generally be out of sorts in how you relate to yourself and others. This week your job is to practice kindness and empathy. Go beyond the surface of your situation, and embody the openness and support that you believe everyone deserves to be afforded. You need to let go of something, but you don’t need to do it today. Be patient with your process, Libra.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

There’s no way to grow without outgrowing some things, Scorpio. As you expand into the person you mean to be, there are inevitably people, attitudes, and attachments that you will have to shed. This week is likely to bring you the chance to put into practice some wisdom you’ve earned, but it may come at some personal cost. Do what’s right, even when it’s scary, my love. You can’t lose anything of value when you’re following your truth.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

FOMOS is real, but it won’t help you get very far in life. Try to not get so turned around that you lose track of what you care about and why, sweet Sagittarius. This week will present you with choices, and if you aren’t clear about your motivations, you may get overwhelmed and not know which shiny thing to chase. Stay true to your heart. Align yourself with what brings you joy and does the most good, and you won’t miss out on anything that you need.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Abundance isn’t about having lots of things. To have true abundance, you need to actually feel it. When you focus on what you might lose, it’s almost like you never truly have a thing. Look around your life, Cappy, and consider the bounty that you have. Be grateful for your health, the love, your possessions, or whatever you value. Next, align yourself with the knowledge that you can improve those things over time. Enjoy what you have in this moment, my love.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

You don’t need to know what comes next, or why that thing happened yesterday; the story may be compelling, but it’s not as important as how you choose to respond to it all, Aquarius. If you can move away from thinking that things have to happen tit for tat, you can actually be more efficient with how you use your energy. You determine your actions, and you decide how you to engage with your obsessions and your dreams. Don’t look for blame, look within.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

If you’ve been burning yourself out lately, it’s on you to name your limits and enforce them. Stop waiting for others to agree with you or see things from your vantage point. It’s OK to go your own way, even if that means walking alone for some time. You have agency, and this is the time to use it; deal head-on with your fears and hopes, both for your life and for the world around you, Pisces.

WITCH TIPS AND HOROSCOPES 10.17-23.2018