Photo by Renzo Navarro
Aries
21 March – 20 April
The good news is that Venus, the planet of love and money, enters your sign this week. The not-so-good news is that Mercury turns retrograde. In your sign. This week. So how do you handle the mixed blessings that are bound to come along with these mixed messages? Since love, money and communication are set to be complicated now, think before you speak, text, write or post anything in public or in private. Also, aim to be honest in all your interactions. Venus in your sign gives you the charm and allure to get away with almost anything, but if you abuse that superpower then Mercury retrograde will surely make you eat your words, and apologies may also be necessary. Stay true to yourself despite the cosmic calamities that Mercury in reverse might bring and the cosmos may help you learn a few life lessons about integrity at the same time.
Taurus
21 April – 21 May
Your ruler, the love and money planet Venus, glides into your zone of emotions, ideas and memories this week so love and perhaps especially past loves may be on your mind. You’re more likely to be in the mood for love now too, even for a spontaneous fling if you’re single and after a connection rather than a commitment. However, Mercury is also in your emotional zone and flips fully into retrograde this week, so your memories of past loves could be skewed. The chances for messing things up with your current or new love increase exponentially as Mercury gathers steam and pace over the coming weeks so think through any interactions super carefully now. Mercury retrograde is for backtracking and retracing your steps to help you learn from mistakes and put you back on the right track, so consider whether you want to go over old ground or need to move on from the past.
Gemini
22 May – 21 June
Your ruling planet Mercury launches into its first full-on official retrograde of 2024 this week, and it’s happening in your zone of friends and ambitions. The cosmos is offering you an opportunity to virtually go back in time and reconnect with old friends and collaborators, and chase up your past aims, hopes and big dreams. Are they worth revisiting? Venus in the same zone could put a romanticised glow over things so it may be difficult for you to judge. A hook-up with an old flame who is or was a friend could be confusing now too, but Mercury in reverse makes every day a school day, and sometimes by going back into the past you can find your way to a better future.
Cancer
22 June – 22 July
Things could get a little tricky at work now with Mercury fully retrograde in your career zone. Miscommunications are likely to occur and there could be issues over who’s in charge, with rules getting bent out of shape and everybody wanting to rule the world of work. The possible saving grace is the presence of Venus, the planet of diplomacy but also the planet of love and money and these last two issues are the ones most likely to cause consternation with Mercury muddling things up. A fling with a co-worker is not an impossibility now as Mercury retrograde and Venus could make you lose your common sense and potentially your dignity as well as your mind. Some things you can’t reverse your way out of with ease, and charm will only get you so far if you make a very public faux pas at work. You rarely get a second chance to make a good first impression, but the cosmos is offering that now if you choose to learn an important life lesson during this retrograde phase.
Leo
23 July – 23 August
Your sign tends to like being in the public eye, either in real life or virtually. You could get your wish for fame or at least for recognition now as Venus, the planet of love, money and charm pushes you into being very visible indeed. You’re bold, charming and utterly convincing in any situation currently, until it comes down to the details. Mercury retrograde is likely to cause some confusion about what’s fact and what’s fiction, so be wary about what you say or post as it could come back to bite you if you attempt to blag your way through situations rather than having the required information at your fingertips. Things could go haywire if you promise more than you can deliver now too, but this phase is all about making mistakes so that you learn from them and don’t repeat them.
Virgo
24 August – 22 September
A need to commit is likely to be strong for you now with Venus in your zone of financial and intimate connections. Love and money might be the driving forces, but so is a need to succeed and break new ground with the fire and passion that are deep inside you. However, your ruler Mercury is also casting a huge influence now as it turns retrograde for the first full session of the year. You’re usually so clued in to what you want to do and need to do, but this retrograde could have you flailing and failing at the first hurdle the cosmos sends your way. Check the small print on contracts, be prepared to step back rather than push your way forward and, above all, listen and learn rather than just do it now and face the consequences later. Asking for forgiveness rather than for permission won’t cut it for you now. Venus might ease some of the Mercury retrograde glitches but ultimately you need to get through the next four weeks and then decide whether to commit—and what or who to—or quit.
Libra
23 September – 23 October
Since your sign often takes an age to make a decision, the next few weeks might prove tricky for you with both your ruling planet Venus and communicator Mercury in your partnership zone, and with Mercury fully and firmly retrograde. What you want and what you need from a relationship are likely to be two different things now, so this current retrograde phase is all about backtracking to make sure you’re on the right track, going forward. Your sign is all about love, in all of its forms, and with Venus gliding through your partnership zone you have it all to play for with the love and money planet adding charm, tact and diplomacy to your most important interactions. Mercury retrograde might try to mess all that up so avoid arguments, confrontations and rash actions, and channel the smooth vibe from Venus to help you overcome any communication challenges that might arise this week.
Scorpio
24 October – 22 November
Look after your health. That’s the message from the cosmos this week as Mercury turns retrograde in your zone of work and well-being routines. Any progress you’ve made on either of these fronts could be subject to a review, a refresh and a reworking if things haven’t turned out quite as you’d hoped. Asking questions and being upfront is the way to go, but don’t expect to get sensible answers any time soon. What might soothe this situation is the presence of Venus, also in your healing and work zone, adding a sense of serenity that will help you get through whatever Mercury retrograde throws at you. Romance may feel a little off-kilter for now, but if ever there was a time to keep calm and carry on with your self-care above all else, this is it.
Sagittarius
23 November – 21 December
A budding romance or an artistic endeavour that seemed to be going somewhere that’s both original and strong could backslide now under the influence of Mercury retrograde. It’s not a time to jump into things without really thinking them through, as passion could overwhelm common sense and you could end up paying a high price for your pleasures as a result. Hosting Venus in your romance and creativity zone would usually be a good thing, but right now there may be conflicting thoughts about love, or a charming ex could appear back on the scene to mess with your romantic mojo. Learn from experience and avoid being overwhelmed by irrational passion or misled by anyone who only has their own interests at heart.
Capricorn
22 December – 20 January
Home life has a retro feel about it now thanks to Mercury retrograde gliding into your home zone. This cosmic move has the potential to cause confusion around issues linked to how and where you live, or who with. Despite this possible chaos, there’s a sense of love in the mix with Venus in your home zone as well, starting from this week, to smooth over any difficulties that might arise. Even so, the overall vibe is headstrong and impetuous, and it’s more likely that you, or those who share your space, or would like to, could rush into things without fully thinking them through. Tough love is still love, and it might be more helpful to take this stance rather than let others push you into things you’re not ready for, or for you to insist on something that others might not be ready for yet either.
Aquarius
21 January – 18 February
One of the trickiest places to host Mercury retrograde is in your sign’s communication zone, and that’s your mission over the next few weeks so brace yourself! Saying the wrong things at the wrong time, inappropriate online posts, or misdirected messages to the wrong recipient are just some of the potential pitfalls while Mercury is performing backflips. Mercury rules communication, short journeys, transport, tickets, timings and transactions so one or more of these areas may need special care during this phase. Neighbours and siblings might also add to the controversy if what you say is not what they think you meant. The saving grace is that Venus, planet of love and money, is also gliding through your communication zone now so charm will help you and money might also get you out of a tricky situation if or (more likely) when it arises.
Pisces
19 February – 20 March
Count your change, check your receipts and double check what’s going into and out of your bank account this week. Mercury retrograde is influencing money matters for you, as well as your values in life which might also go into reverse for a rethink now. Worrisome as this might sound, you’re currently blessed with planet Venus in this zone and since Venus rules both love and money, the cosmos is giving you a safety net if things do go pear-shaped with payments. You might even find that you’re owed money if you delve into past accounts or statements so, tedious though it might seem, getting on top of your spending and personal admin could be worth the effort. A re-look at your self-esteem might arise now too so consider valuing yourself more for who and how you are rather than for what you have.
This article was originally published on Vogue Australia.
