General Forecast

If you know your ascendant, read it too.

Cruising on Wednesday’s Cancer new moon energy could get you out of town fairly easily. Especially if you’re willing to pay a higher price, a choice the extravagant, self-indulgent Venus-Jupiter polarity would endorse. An aspect-free, unmotivated Independence Day allows you to enjoy your freedom, the food and the fireworks in that order. By Sunday, as affectionate Venus and barrier-breaking Uranus finally perfect their mutually rewarding trine, you may have something truly remarkable to celebrate. And when the cuddly Cancer sun confronts jolly Jupiter on Wednesday, you can do it again. That is, if the doubly difficult Mars-Saturn conjunction in Virgo doesn’t present a problem well-worth worrying about.

Aries

Mar. 20 - Apr. 19

The bi-annual conjunction of your energetic Mars ruler with Saturn could feel daunting, but while Mr. Macho and Mr. Management merge on the 10th in perfection-seeking Virgo, the ambitious Aries may realize that you’ve bitten off more than you can or, at that point, want to chew. Too much work or too many bosses? Health practitioners and service providers, especially those with sensitive stomachs, should keep an eye on their own body parts. Virgo is known for its gut-wrenching experiences; plus this summer salmonella is running rampant.

Taurus

Apr. 20 - May 20

(April 20-May 20) Before your sociable Venus ruler runs off to play with the lions, give the goddess one more chance to bring something interesting or someone new into your life. Her rewarding relationship with Uranus, the planet of progress, could do wonders for a Bull who has been content to nestle in the cozy comforts of Cancer since the last full moon. Just remember that cavorting with capricious felines, a practice confined to the summer months, means there’ll be more scratches and hisses from the Misses in the family.

Gemini

May 21 - Jun. 20

Nobody wants to hear, “I told you so!” So on the 10th, when Mars and Saturn, the classic “malefics” of astrology, join forces in picky Virgo at the nadir of your chart, don’t complain that you weren’t warned. Because the Twins can go either way where advice is concerned, to heed or to seek another opinion, it’s possible that you’ll circumvent the problem entirely. Or, since you’re such a buoyant air sign, rise above it. Except for a twinge of jealousy masquerading as a power play, there are no other clouds on the horizon.

Cancer

Jun. 21 - Jul. 22

Some Moon Children will be able to celebrate their birthdays without a care in the world, except maybe what to do about all the gifts they’ll receive, particularly those from significantly generous significant others. Yet some will be saddled with responsibilities both real and imagined: “Did everyone get enough to eat?” “Who is driving you home?” A compassionate Crab on a guilt trip can easily suck the air out of a room, not a good thing when there are wishes to make and candles to blow out.

Leo

Jul. 23 - Aug. 22

A sense of what the next hazy, lazy days of summer will bring can kick in as soon as pleasure-loving Venus enters Leo on the 12th. Until then, you’ll have to make due with the myriad possibilities you envision when your creative sun ruler gets a peek at Jupiter’s extensive gift list. Being able to look into the future, especially through rose-colored glasses, is just one of them. The annual sun-Jupiter opposition rarely occurs while you’re preparing to celebrate another birthday; therefore, the weeks leading up to this one could be special.

Virgo

Aug. 23 - Sep. 22

Making up for lost time? Not yet. Not until your Mercury ruler advances well past the point at which it turned retrograde on Memorial Day. Best to wait until the Messenger leaves the Twins altogether and crosses over to the Crab on July 10 before digging into a new project. But once you do, plan to move fairly quickly. That transit lasts for only a short fortnight. Once Mercury enters the Lion’s den, i.e., your karmic 12th house, it’ll be a lot harder to maintain control. The visit to the Virgin starts on August 10.

Libra

Sep. 23 - Oct. 22

Right about now you could feel torn between two equally attractive choices, one impacting your reputation outside the house, the other your clout at home. More than any other sign, Libra knows how important it is to keep a foot in each camp, to maintain a sense of balance. Or to appear as if you’re giving both alternatives equal weight. Although we know you’re going to do whatever you damn well please, we also know that, because gigantic Jupiter is involved, the Scales could be leaning in favor of the family.

Scorpio

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

It’s been two years since you had to maneuver around an obstacle as problematic as the one currently blocking your way. If you recall what occurred in July 2006, when your Mars co-ruler last ran into Saturn, you should be able to figure out how to bypass the restrictions Saturn imposes. One thing in your favor: their conjunction takes place in Virgo, a well-informed, health-conscious earth sign that gladly lends support to the Scorpion. This wasn’t the case when they met in fiery Leo, a fixed sign as stubborn as your own.

Sagittarius

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21