Written by Jessica Lanyadoo

WITCH TIPS 

This has been a tumultuous time, and emotions are running high. This week there are two major themes that may seem contradictory to each other, but they’re not. This week's  astrology is demanding that you use your ego energies to support social, spiritual, or creative causes that serve the whole. It’s time to take responsibility for what you do, no matter how you feel.

Mercury goes direct on the 18th, so you can expect a smoothing out of communication to happen in the days following. On the 12th Mars retrograded back into ambitious Capricorn, joining demanding Saturn and Pluto there. This transit will last until September 11th, and it delivers an important shift that's worth taking note of. These planets are all retrograde, and we know that this means it’s a time to review, reflect, and reconsider. Mars is a passionate force that governs where you’re going and what you’re doing to get yourself there. It’s related to the ego, fighting, and fornicating. Your ego isn’t “bad.” It’s only when it’s repressed or over-expressed that it leads people to act out of turn and out of integrity. This transit means that it’s time to look at your choices squarely: if your actions don’t reflect your morals and goals, your ego needs adjustment. Some of the worst behaviors come from pain, so remember that you don’t get to act out against others just because you’re hurt. If you’re going to fight, fight for what you believe in, not just in an attempt to have your voice heard over the chorus or to have your ego validated.

This is a time for working with the powers-that-be – the government, your family and work, and the infrastructures in your life and in the world at large. The upshot here is that we’re all on call to consider how our participation impacts the whole of society. Action without integrity or consideration for others is poorly starred.

Spirituality is not just about crystals and horoscopes. It’s about your Soul. It’s about seeing and valuing the humanity in others, not just energetically (though certainly that!) but also in deed. This is a time to ask yourself what, or more poignantly, who you feel called to stand up and advocate for. On the 18th justice-seeking Jupiter forms a harmonious trine to empathetic Neptune. The potential here is for a mass shift in caring. The potential is that we'll use the interconnectedness of the world to actually help us to become closer instead of more isolated. Learn something about someone else’s perspective. Consider how you can orient your time, care, resources, and skills to be a part – no matter how small – of the solution to some problem that is bigger than us all. Spiritual integrity requires some form of service. If you’ve been too caught up in materialistic goals or purely self-promoting actions, take a breather and consider how you can be of assistance this week. Giving, when done in balance, feeds everyone. You don’t have to do everything or even something big. But doing nothing isn’t the answer either. The world needs healing through actions motivated by compassion, empathy, and love.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

If you allow yourself to be goaded into reacting, you’re more likely to act in ways that you later regret. This week you’re likely to feel tested by your emotions and your situation, and that’s alright. The best thing to do is to seek the middle ground – not so that you necessarily make middle-ground choices but so that you have a clear sense of where the middle even is before you rush into things. Act in ways that will mobilize you towards a future you want to live in.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

There’s so much moving in your direction and in your life right now, Taurus. It will be easy to get really overwhelmed this week, so here’s my advice for you: practice knowing the difference between anxiety and intuition. Your instincts are a reliable resource, but when you’re not taking care of your body, they’re harder to access. Cover the basics: drink all the water, breathe deeply, eat healthy foods, and sleep as much as your body needs, my love.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Here are some self-care steps to help you help yourself: first you’ve got to be willing to sit with yourself in order to know what needs attention. Next you’ve gotta be willing to change. Finally, you’ve got to stay the course, even when it’s rough or confusing. This week your distractions will do you a great disservice if you allow them to. You shouldn’t need to be there now in order to have faith that you’ll get there. Just focus on the steps in front of you, Twin Star.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

If you make the mistake of allowing other people to define your worth, your right to take up space, or what you’re capable of, this week may be a hard one for you. Create space to meditate on what you’ve been bringing to the table and whether or not it is authentic for you. You’ve got three heavy hitters retrograding through your relationship house, and that means it’s time to reflect on how you’re choosing to participate and who you’re aligning yourself with.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

Post-Eclipse feels are still pretty intense, and this may go double for you since that whole event happened in your sign, Leo. Instead of trying to make things happen, it’s time to feel into what is. You’re not supposed to be on all the time. Take the space you need to catch up with yourself emotionally this week. It’s important that you determine what you need before you rush in trying to find a fix. Self-care isn’t a detour from the path; it is the path, my love.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Everything is all mixed up in your mind. You’re overthinking things, having a hard time sitting with your feels, and not sure which of the overwhelming number of your cares deserves priority from moment to moment. It’s a lot. Show yourself some compassion this week. Seek to change your approach instead of to analyze the answers into submission. It’s OK to take a break, and it’s OK to not know what’s best. Through it all, approach your troubles with kindness, Virgo.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

You may be feeling frustrated as stressful to-do’s pile up in front of you this week with no clear path in sight. As events test your willingness to earnestly try, it’s wise to watch out for feelings of being trapped or hopeless. There are almost always more than two options of how to play a thing out. Seek possibilities instead of answers, collaborators instead of saviors. It’s time for you to use the many resources you’ve cultivated, Libra.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Your sign is one of the most sensitive of the zodiac. When things are intense, you get hit directly in the feels. You may need a time-out this week so that you can emotionally recuperate from some stressful events or just the intensity of the world. The point is that you don’t need a reason to prioritize getting right with you. In order to be the person you want to be, you must do the things that you know support you so that you can act from your best self, Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

No matter how material your problems are, at least part of the solution needs to be spiritual. Find your highest truth, and leave the low-hanging fruit behind, dear Sagittarius. In the confusion and chaos that life inevitably brings, it’s so much easier to make good choices if you’re clear about what’s motivating you in the big picture. Align with your convictions and beliefs, and allow those principals to direct what you do in the here and now, my love.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

It’s time to nurture your projects, Capricorn. You’ve created a solid game plan, and now it’s time to consider how you’re going to execute it. Make certain that you’ve scheduled in self-care as part of your work strategy. This may look like bubble baths, breathing through stress, unplugging for a little while every day, or just remembering to enjoy your food. The point is that you absolutely do have time to be better to yourself, as long as you prioritize it.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

You’ve got lots of emotions running through you, and while they themselves are perfectly valid, the sense you're making of them may not be. No matter how crappy it is to sit in your feels, please try. The way out is in. Your insides need some space to be messy, so don’t rush in the clean up crew (aka try to logic your feels into submission). Understanding others’ motives won’t replace the need for you to be honest about your own. Do your part, even if it’s super uncomfortable, Aquarius.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

You need change, that’s for sure. What’s not exactly clear is whether you should tear it all down and rebuild or take a more patient and conservative approach. Explore your impulses and needs without the pressure to make a fixed decision, Pisces. You can’t please everybody, but you do have responsibilities to honor. Strive to find a healthy balance between obligation and freedom this week. You’re ready to move on, one way or another, my love.