Mars in Leo, Mercury in Sagittarius, and Retrograde Season Approaches

Vol. 66 // 11-12-24

Mercury entered Sagittarius on November 2nd and will stay there through January 8th, due to a Mercury retrograde beginning later this month on the 26th. Mars entered Leo on November 4th and will remain there until the beginning of January—the 6th—which will be when it moves back into Cancer due to its stationing retrograde on December 6th. That being said, we are moving into a rather heavy retrograde period over the next six months or so, as we will have another Mercury retrograde and a Venus retrograde happening in March 2025, both occurring in the sign of Aries. While retrogrades are an annual matter for the outer planets, Jupiter and Saturn, and Mercury usually travels backward three times on average each year, Mars and Venus do not follow this same schedule. Mars retrogrades every two years and Venus every eighteen months or so. If you’ll remember, last summer (2023) was Venus’s previous retrograde when it retraced its steps in Leo. Mars’s most recent retrograde was between October 2022 and January 2023 in Gemini. For them to happen so near one another, and both beginning in fire signs, there will definitely be a period of review for us regarding creative and romantic matters, regardless of where these signs fall in your natal chart, although those with fire placements may find themselves especially noticing these shifts.

When Mercury, Venus, and Mars retrograde, we may notice their shifts in energy more prominently reflected in our day-to-day experiences, as the personal planets relate more to “real life” themes and the 3D world. While they can be discussed in a more philosophical sense, these three planets usually help us make sense of the more material and physical aspects of life. That said, we may be urged to revisit matters that we’ve already indulged in, matters that we have yet to experience and will move through over the next few months. It may be insightful to identify the themes of the houses that Leo and Cancer and Aries and Pisces govern in your chart, as these will be the thematic areas we will be asked to review. I’ll discuss these matters as we get closer to them, but if you’re curious to know how they’ll personally impact you, I am still hosting live events quite frequently on TikTok—I’ve been discussing the transits of the next six months or so quite in-depth, so if this is something you’re curious about, I’d love to have you stop into one! I also do mini-readings on live if you’d like to have me discuss how this will personally impact you.

TIKTOK LIVE EVENTS
You can register for the events I have scheduled for this week through the buttons below, whether you’d like to come get a mini-reading or just sit and chat about the upcoming transits!

In the two events below, I’ll be discussing the retrogrades happening over the next six months.

In the event below, I’ll primarily discuss Saturn direct in Pisces, Pluto’s shift into Aquarius, and the Taurus Full Moon.

MARS IN LEO
Mars thrives in the fire signs, as fire acts from passion and does not need a practical reason to be motivated to instigate change. Mars is the planet of action, drive, motivation, masculinity, war, aggression, and willpower; it also influences our physical energy levels and how we exert it, as well as our more animalistic qualities, which is why it governs sex drive and “the pursuit.” When Mars has too many restrictions placed upon it—these restrictions could look like fear of social ridicule, lack of confidence, overly emotional reasoning, perfectionism, or obligation—its energy can be stifled and become pent-up within us. Unexpressed energy in this way can lead us to feel restless, stagnant, or agitated, and may eventually lead to explosive and uncontrollable actions. In Leo, we may seldom encounter such restrictions, as Leo is governed by the sun and acts when inspired by an inner power—the fire within our hearts. Mars in Leo likely feels quite refreshing to us after its long stay in Cancer, which made much of our actions and productivity much more dependent upon our emotional state. This was a period for internal focus and assessment of how our spaces of comfort are supporting us physically—many of us may have focused on establishing more routines or creating our living spaces into more inviting or productivity-inspiring places. However, our emotions were much more influential over our ability to act, which may have had us needing more rest than usual. With the flame of the sun influencing Mars now, we may find that we have a powerful force within us that is guiding many of the actions we’re taking. We may find ourselves much busier and capable of accomplishing far more work without exhausting ourselves under the influence of Mars in Leo.

Due to the retrograde beginning next month, the matters we encounter in this first month of Mars’s stay in Leo will inevitably be revisited in December, so it may be insightful for us to consider where we are directing our drive, power, and attention—what we are “fighting” for. Mars in Leo often has us operating from instinct, as Leo is traditionally said to be the most animalistic or “beastly” of the signs; because of this, we may find our actions to be a bit bolder and willful, but we also may be more inclined to act due to selfish motivations and impatience. The Mars retrograde next month will be heavily centered around patience and being able to distinguish the difference between the ego’s desire to possess or be validated versus the heart’s authentic truth. Mars in Leo is deeply motivated by the will of the heart; it seeks to pursue the heart’s deepest calling and can often have a ferocious sense of loyalty to the heart’s desire. Mars in Leo’s natives are passionate and animated and can be greatly inspiring leaders and motivators. Leo Mars is a “professional hypeman” type of placement. However, Mars is the “lesser malefic” (the weaker of the two planets—the stronger one being Saturn—that can indicate misfortune or grief), and because of this, it can often bring more friction, conflict, or competition into our lives. We may find more action happening in the house that Leo governs, which may be favorable for work and productivity, but we also may encounter more frustration or discontent.

Mars in Leo will advise us to entertain more of our passion and will encourage us to embrace more of the instinctual urges that ask us to take action. Cancer and Leo symbolize our intuition and instincts, just as the Moon, Cancer’s ruler, and the Sun, Leo’s ruler, do. Intuition is a soft knowing and does not correlate to a timeline—it does not try to convince or sway us; instead, it is a quiet, consistent truth that sits deep within us. Instinct, on the other hand, is a spark and often has a timeline it asks us to follow; it is the urge that asks us to act. Instinct is the masculine iteration of intuition, and intuition is the feminine iteration of instinct. These things collaborate to lead us into alignment with purpose and fulfillment. We may be exploring these things more intentionally during the Mars retrograde, but in this month leading up to the retrograde period, which will last nearly three months, we are encouraged to honor our inspiration and instincts by acting on them. We may be surprised to see where they carry us. Mars in Leo often illuminates to us how often we may get in our own way by trying to control the process of our actions, and it often has us recognizing this by leading us to act with a bit more animation and audacity than we may typically have.

I encourage you to utilize this energy by embracing the wave of inspiration and indulging those more instinctual desires—to follow the heart’s true calling. There may be desires that have not been acted on that make themselves known to you during this transit; perhaps you have avoided taking action toward them due to fear of how they will be perceived by others or due to a lack of confidence. Mars in Leo may support you to have a bit more self-assurance in the actions you take, which may be favorable for starting new projects and building momentum to get the initial pieces of something off the ground. This is an especially powerful time to pursue matters of the heart—if your heart wants something, Mars encourages you to not give up on it. Many of us may actually find clarity around what our hearts truly want under this influence, especially if there have been additional factors that have created some (perhaps unwanted) complexity to matters of the heart. Embrace the energized power of this and feel supported to entertain more creativity, possibility, and curiosity. I’ll share more about the meaning and influence of the retrograde period later on.

MERCURY IN SAGITTARIUS
Mercury positions itself in an interesting place in Sagittarius, as it is now in what we call mutual reception with Jupiter, which is in Gemini. Despite Sagittarius being traditionally translated as an archetype that is quite philosophical, thought-provoking, and a seeker of knowledge, Mercury finds itself in detriment in this sign, as Sagittarius can sometimes be “too big” for Mercury to keep up with. Likewise, Jupiter can often find Gemini to be “too small” for its expansive nature. Mercury is a planet that helps us operate in linear time and function on a day-to-day basis, as it is the messenger planet that governs communication, idea exchange, mental processing, language, planning, and the collection and organization of information. Mercury also assists with transitions—the movement from point A to point B—and therefore, interestingly, governs over thresholds. We can think of Mercury as our human consciousness, the brain, but we can think of Jupiter as the spiritual consciousness, the soul. When Mercury is in Sagittarius, it can sometimes struggle to support us through daily functions, as it is very big-picture focused—it may help us identify where we’re trying to end up but may have a hard time guiding us in identifying the tangible path to get there. The step-by-step can be incompatible with Sagittarius, as it typically doesn’t approach progress with a plan but rather allows the experience to carry it as it has a great sense of faith that things will work out exactly as they need to.

While this can be favorable for us on a grander, spiritual scale, supporting us to trust that which we don’t yet know or see, we may find ourselves feeling somewhat directionless when it comes to our daily processes. However, we’re in a unique situation with Mercury and Jupiter being in mutual reception as they transit one another’s natural domains, and with the additional influence of Mars in Leo encouraging us to follow our instincts with a bit more confidence, we may find ourselves able to take intentional action toward our goals from a place of stronger faith in the grand plan that our lives are. Jupiter and Mercury being in mutual reception encourages us to make plans that are more faith-based, plans that may involve some leaps of faith or perceived risk, but they appear to be more doable and less intimidating than they typically would under this energy. Mercury in Sagittarius encourages us to embrace optimism a bit more as it asks us to entertain the “why not?” that opens the door for new opportunities to be experienced.

This may be a point in which we are reckoning with the forces at play that we don’t have any influence over, and while we may want to predict every possible outcome that may result from each new action we take, this energy reminds us that we cannot try to control the main story and should instead embrace the influence we have over the smaller pieces—the things that are right in front of us. This transit also asks us to observe our personal philosophies and to take note of any that may be rooted in a lack of trust in ourselves. The thing with Mercury is that it likes to know—it wants to be as mentally prepared as possible and will do the research to ensure that it is. In Sagittarius, this ability is weakened, which can sometimes have us feeling directionless. But there is an enhanced sense of optimism with Mercury in Sagittarius, which may help us embrace the magic of possibility. Sagittarius encourages us to exercise our authority over our perspective. The thought “I don’t know what’s going to happen!” can be interpreted differently depending on your sense of surrender and faith—Sagittarius advises us to entertain the magic of, ”What if it all works out?” Sagittarius reminds Mercury that it is impossible to know everything and that there is a point where we have to walk in blind so we might gather insight through our experience. We can either resist this or embrace it—which you choose to do is up to you. But this is also what Sagittarius supports Mercury to be mindful of; we can “know” what will happen by knowing that everything will happen as it is supposed to, regardless of what the outcome is. Despite not knowing the details of the exact events, we can know we will be okay, as we can control our perspective—we can choose to see the bigger picture.

Because of Mercury and Jupiter’s mutual reception, we may be finding some peace in not knowing; we may be surrendering to matters that we’ve been grappling with for several months. With Jupiter in Gemini, we’ve likely found ourselves mentally conflicted with the bigger plan that is unfolding before us—this theme of wanting to understand why everything has happened and is happening in the way that it is has likely created quite a bit of mental unrest for us. We may, at last, be reaching a peaceful place with the matters we’ve wanted to know the end result of. There are likely unfinished stories or situations that seem quite blurry to us at present, but this period may alleviate some of our inner dialogue that has perpetuated anxious thinking.

A BRIEF REVIEW OF RETROGRADES…
If you’ve been following my astrological musings for a while, you will know my passion for ending the retrograde slander—retrogrades are NOT bad! But if you have not yet heard my take on retrogrades, I’m here to remind you of a few important things to keep in mind, especially as we move into the next six months, which will host a series of retrogrades in the personal planets. Planets in direct motion are in a masculine state—even if they are a traditionally feminine body like Venus. Masculine energy is linear, action-oriented, assertive, progress-focused, determined, and competitive. Planets in direct motion help us to direct this energy out into the physical, 3D world; they support our movement through the human plane, which we must partake in to create the lives we desire to live! However, a planet that is retrograde shifts into a feminine state—feminine energy is cyclical, empathetic, patient, still, surrendered, and restorative. It’s restful, intentional, and observant. This is why we may encounter difficulties or frustrations in our physical worlds during retrograde periods—we are still trying to use that planet’s masculine iteration when it is in its feminine energy. This is often why we find our actions stifled or delayed, or we experience more miscommunications or misunderstandings during retrograde periods, as our actions forward have less clarity due to the lack of urgency or assertiveness that we would typically have. Energetically, retrogrades are not a time to push forward but rather a period of reflection upon where we’ve come from. We are often guided to look back upon matters we’ve previously addressed so that we may see them from a different perspective and observe them with more empathy and open-mindedness.

We are often guided to readdress our inner structures and the interior factors that contribute to how we respond to our external environments during retrograde periods, which is oftentimes why you may hear things like “Exes will be coming back!” or “Expect old issues to arise!” when we are preparing for these periods. But it’s important to remember that it’s not necessarily the physical thing, person, or experience that you are being urged to re-examine, but rather the feelings you encounter when interacting with those things and when immersed in those environments. Retrogrades are a time for us to simplify our schedules so we might better understand the state of our interior worlds; that way, when we do take action, we are doing so from a place of inner security, empowerment, and stability. It’s considered more favorable to maintain what we have and not take on new things and more establish new agreements or commitments during retrograde periods, as things begun under retrograde energy may not be as energetically cohesive with the physical plane or favored to be longevity-oriented. These periods invite us to spend more time in our interior worlds, homes, and spaces of safety and often are quite telling of the subconscious truth that we may otherwise have difficulty accessing. We might discover quite a bit about ourselves in retrograde periods, as there are oftentimes subtle truths made more prominent in our conscious awareness.

By the time a planet returns to the initial place of its retrograde’s beginning, we will usually have much more clarity around and acceptance and understanding of the matters that we’ve been prompted to review. There will likely be a deeper sense of surrender in their outcomes, and we may find ourselves energetically restored in many ways.

ARIES, with Mars shifting into Leo, you may find yourself more creatively motivated and inspired to pursue more fun and exciting experiences. This may be a time of enhanced social drama for you if you allow yourself to become involved in gossip-heavy or comparative social environments. You will likely be pondering what makes you feel most “you” under this influence and may feel motivated to change your personal style, make a change to your appearance, or act with a bit more confidence. This may be a revealing time for you in regard to your authentic expression and overall confidence in your identity, as Mars can enhance our power but also create conflict or agitation. Because Mars is your ruling planet, your experience of this transit may be more enhanced than other planetary shifts; you may be working to build a stronger sense of confidence within yourself that will contribute to your sense of direction, identity, purpose, and inner security. You may become the subject of others’ jealousy or envy more easily under this influence, which is another contributing reason to be mindful with whom you socially engage, to not indulge in unnecessary drama. This transit may also initiate new romantic ventures; you may notice more action in your dating life or perhaps you will find yourself motivated to pursue new connections—both platonic and romantic—at this time. You might have to address insecurities that have been built up to protect your ego, and while your response when these insecurities are triggered may be to push them aside, you are urged to instead explore them with a neutral curiosity, to perhaps identify what unmet need they may be illuminating. This is a powerful time for you to learn more about who you are, what you believe, and what makes you feel most confident and strong.

TAURUS, with Mars now in Leo, this may be a valuable time for you to assess what foundational beliefs you are operating from and what stories your ego may cling to in an attempt to create inner security. You may find that you experience some unrest in your home life or family unit, but this also may be a time in which you will have an increased focus on how you nurture others as well as how you nurture yourself. Perhaps you will be looking at the core pillars of your identity and exploring how you might reconstruct them into something more authentic, as this may be a time in which you will notice the ways that your ego may sabotage your confidence in an attempt to maintain control. You may be addressing fears that revolve around the things that are out of your control—the unknown, the future, death, illness, or sudden change—you may be grappling with how you have mentally handled these matters in the past and could be learning a new approach to them—one that is more grounded—perhaps because of something that has happened in your life that relates to one of these topics. This is a time to embrace the transformation process of your mind, as your inner world could be going through a drastic shift that is stripping away old thought processes and mental habits and urging you to implement new ones. You could have secrets that have been stored in your deep psyche revealed, which may guide you into a spiritual expansion of sorts, but you will likely be asked to surrender to the transformation process—there may be a tendency to panic and try to gain control, and these transits urge you to continue having faith in the bigger story that you can’t see. You are encouraged to practice more self-care rituals that help support your confidence and inner security. This may be a time in which your energy is focused less on “productive” matters like work and to-do lists, and more on your well-being and self-assurance.

GEMINI, this may be a time to embrace your ability to multi-task a bit more, as Mars supports you to make progress by following your sparks of inspiration in whichever directions they lead you. You might find that your mind is a bit more active at this time, which may mean that you could be more prone to overthinking or mental clutter, but also suggests that your mind has an enhanced ability to work for you. However, with Mercury’s shift into Sagittarius, you might feel that you’re a bit more stabilized, as Mercury’s current mutual reception with Jupiter in your sign will likely make you feel more empowered to trust your instincts and the path you are on as it unfolds before you. While Mars in Leo supports you in handling more responsibilities than usual, there is a possibility that you will mentally exhaust yourself by biting off more than you can chew, which is why you’re encouraged to stay in tune with your physical energy and vitality and honor them by resting if they’re no longer feeling bright and alert. You may find yourself exploring your reasoning behind acting under this influence, which, upon investigating, you might find at times is driven by internalized obligation and self-criticism rather than excitement and inspiration. These transits will invite you to clarify your intentions before acting so that you may ensure you are moving from authenticity and passion rather than the ego’s will. Keeping yourself busy constantly doesn’t always mean more will get done; in fact, this often leads to an inevitable burnout. These energies urge you to identify how to establish a healthier relationship with growth and expansion by implementing daily habits that promote sustainable energy levels. You could additionally be learning about delegation or embracing help through these influences; accept help when it’s offered!

CANCER, with Mercury shifting into Sagittarius, you may be gaining more insight into what supports your productivity and work habits, as well as a better understanding of what boundaries are necessary for you to maintain so that you might make progress toward your goals and get your needs met. While you may have a typically pretty flexible approach to productivity, order, and discipline—which may apply to your daily rituals but also your expectations of others in terms of how they treat you—you may be learning at this time that implementing some rigid boundaries actually allow for higher quality action and interpersonal connection to exist. Mars in Leo may motivate you to focus more intently on your finances and self-esteem; perhaps you will find yourself more determined to prioritize your needs above other matters that you would typically place more importance on. Mars may support you to have stronger focus and concentration; this is a valuable time for you to invest consistent time and effort into your goals. It may be helpful for you to experiment with different workflows or routines so you might find what maximizes your focus, energy, and effort to be most effective and productive. While your ability to work is strengthened, you may be more prone to self-criticize at this time, which may lead you to establish unrealistic expectations of yourself. You may also find that any tendency to place your value as a person on the work that you can accomplish or the physical acts you can do for others is enhanced, which will pose you opportunities to release wounds around worth or value. Mars intends to reconnect you with the inherent value that you possess simply by being yourself—there is only one you; your unique light is a treasure. While you have an enhanced ability to get things done, be sure to check your intention for taking action. If your reason for acting is to prove to yourself or others that you are valuable, perhaps self-care or rest will be more beneficial.

LEO, with Mars in your sign now, you may be feeling more motivated and driven to focus on yourself, your goals, and the life path that is uniquely yours. During Mars’s passage through Cancer, you may have felt a bit directionless and tired, which may have led to you indulging in more distractions than usual, in an attempt to provide you with a sense of emotional comfort, even if for temporary, fleeting moments. Mars in your sign provides you a great deal of power and energy, which is yours to wield as you desire—you may find that this initial period of its activation of your sign (before it goes retrograde) will have you clarifying your priorities and perhaps making changes that are intended to help you free up energy and focus from things that you don’t feel truly aligned with. Perhaps you will have an influx of creative ideas that inspire you to take action. This may be the beginning of a significant growth-oriented season for you, as the Mars retrograde may urge you to put more action behind your ideas and invest more sincerely into yourself. You may find that by the end of Mars’s passage through Leo (mid-June 2025) you will have reaped many rewards from your concentrated investment into your physical body, self-concept, character, and identity. This is a time to gather inspiration and ask yourself what you truly want. What things or which people make you feel more yourself? What contributes to your expansion and growth, and supports your pursuit of your dreams? But more simply, what is your heart’s calling? What does your heart crave? This initial activation of your sign by Mars will help you to answer these questions and will ask you to refine the structures that support or restrict your progress to achieve them over the course of its retrograde.

VIRGO, this may be an internally turbulent time for you, as Mars is activating your twelfth house—the house of the subconscious, transitions, liminal spaces, the afterlife, mental health, and spirituality, among other things. You may find yourself more intentionally investing in your self-development process, as you may be directing more conscious effort toward identifying limiting beliefs, tendencies of self-sabotage, or cyclic behavior under this influence, and may feel more driven to break free from them. Or perhaps these matters will be somewhat forced to the forefront of your consciousness. With Mars in Leo, you could especially be made aware of how your ego secretly operates and perhaps tries to disguise itself as instinct or intuition; this may be a time for you to more intentionally investigate the foundational structures of your belief systems and thought processes—the beliefs that were instilled in you in childhood—so you might get a better understanding of the origins of unwanted behavior or thought patterns. You might find your ability to focus or act feeling a bit scattered at this time, as this is not a time for excessive physical work or direct progress forward, but rather, is a time for intentional introspection. This could be a time in which you become more concerned with others’ opinions; you may tend to fixate on what people may be saying about you when you aren’t in the room. You may also find your mental world will require more attention, which may mean that therapy or finding some other form of counsel will be supportive of your experience. However, this may be a favorable time for you to unveil a more authentic part of your identity that has perhaps laid dormant—one that is more vulnerable and truthful to who you are at your core. It will benefit you to observe where your ego may be secretly in the “driver’s seat” so that you can recognize the deeper truth of your motivation to act at times. Try to separate your definitions of progress from linear time and sink into the present—this may help this transit be one of clarity and insight.

LIBRA, you may find yourself more socially involved in the coming weeks and months, as Mars and Mercury will both be activating houses of connection and thought exchange. You might find that you are in a more philosophical headspace at this time; perhaps you will feel inspired by the most “normal” things in your day-to-day experience and will make time to slow down and notice the magic around you a bit more. This may also be a time in which you will be urged to think more optimistically so that you might indulge more of your ideas and sparks of inspiration; you may find yourself moving into uncharted waters either socially or professionally in some way, which will likely require you to embrace a bit more of an optimistic “what if” mentality. This may be a time in which you will feel more sensitive to social criticism, but you simultaneously may feel motivated to engage in your social groups and community more actively. While you may find yourself seeking approval from others, you may also feel determined to show up more authentically in your communities, even if that means you will receive more criticism or invite more misunderstanding. You may find yourself becoming more driven to show up as a leader in your community, which you may take in a physical sense or may accomplish by being more present on online spaces. Perhaps you will begin standing in the social spotlight in a more significant way, which could bring up insecurities or fear of judgment, but also may prove to be a significant accelerant in your professional or long-term goals. You may be shifting your physical energy toward your dreams a bit more and are perhaps drawing your focus away from what society would deem successful—success may be finding new definitions in this season. Embrace the qualities that set you apart from the rest of the crowd—such qualities are often our “it factors” that contribute to authentic confidence which allows us to pursue our goals with less fear of misunderstanding.

SCORPIO, you may be feeling more motivated to direct your energy toward specific long-term goals, careers, or a deeper sense of fulfillment. This next season we are approaching may be one in which you will become much more invested in your future and the physical achievements that will contribute to constructing it. You may be gathering inspiration that will motivate you to create new streams of income or perhaps you are experiencing more opportunities that will contribute to your sense of confidence and strengthen your trust in your instincts. While you have perhaps spent the past couple of months planning for the future, brainstorming potential actions toward long-term goals, or pondering what you desire your priorities to be for the next chapter of life, you may find that you are now moving into a more action-oriented space, a time in which you may be building the initial momentum that will carry you to higher places. This is a time for you to be determined and motivated; you may find it especially important to be intentional about whom you spend your time with and where you allocate your time and energy, as your physical ability is significantly enhanced, which may mean you want to maximize this motivation while it is accessible to you. You could potentially find yourself motivated to achieve so that you will receive praise or attention from the public, and while you may naturally acquire the attention of others in the process of accomplishing your goals, this transit reminds you that others’ approval should not be what motivates your action. This is a time to take action toward goals that enliven you and make you feel more authentic within yourself. If you find yourself adopting a more competitive approach to success—perhaps by comparing yourself to others or trying to outshine those in the same field as you—you’re reminded to embrace your individuality and remember that only you have an approach that is entirely unique to you. Focus on what “lights you up” and you may find yourself making great progress!

SAGITTARIUS, with Mars in Leo, you likely are feeling much more optimistic and energized, as Mars in Cancer may have felt confrontational, emotionally explosive, and as if it were forcefully trying to get you to open up. You may have faced fears during Mars’s passage through Cancer, but its shift into Leo likely has you feeling more motivated and willing to take action in unknown spaces. This could be a favorable time for learning, action taken in new directions, travel, and philosophical contemplation; you may find yourself forging a new path for yourself toward something that will be deeply expansive on a philosophical and spiritual level. You may be learning more about how to trust your instincts to guide you through this transit, as you will likely be directed to initiate your own expansion progress. You may find yourself stepping into a leadership role of some sort or seeking out a new educational path of your own, either becoming a mentor or beginning work under the guidance of a mentor. This may also be a time in which you are investing your study into something more deeply, perhaps you are taking a self-paced course or pursuing education—this could also simply be a time in which you are becoming more educated on your identity, self-concept, confidence, and joy. You will likely be urged to trust yourself to venture beyond your comfort zone under these influences; don’t concern yourself with what the “right” path looks like or the “correct” pursuit of your aspirations may look like, celebrate your unique trajectory, even if it may seem drastically different from the rest of the crowd. With Mercury in your sign for a brief period, you may find yourself reconnecting with dreams that have sat idly by, awaiting the next breath of inspiration you feel for them. Perhaps you are directing more of your mental energy toward your personal priorities, body, identity, and individuality. Allow these energies to help support the clarification of new goals and aspirations—ask yourself, “Where do I feel called? What makes me feel most me?”

CAPRICORN, with Mars shifting into your eighth house, this may be a time in which you are devoting more of your physical and conscious energy to your transformation process; perhaps you will feel driven to face insecurities or fears that you have previously avoided. This may also be a time in which you are addressing pride or reckless confidence, as Mars passing through the eighth house can oftentimes accentuate any internalized sense of invincibility or exemption from the natural progression of transformation or the natural laws of the universe. You may find that you will feel more defensive or empowered under this energy, as you may feel more suspicious of others’ intentions or aware of hidden motivations. You may find that your identity and core essence of self are transformed through this energy—you may experience ego-death in some way or could find yourself reckoning with a vulnerable aspect of your identity that you typically try to hide from others. Perhaps you will find yourself feeling more connected to your sexual nature as well; you may be driven by primal instinct, which could resonate in intimate connections, but may also be the leading force in creative projects, inner work, or self-creation. You may be getting acquainted with the unrefined aspects of yourself under this energy—the parts of yourself that are most wild, potent, and unruly—which you may learn to integrate into your work habits to propel yourself forward more easily. This is a time to develop more trust in your instincts, but these inner cues of guidance are not to be confused with tactless self-belief motivated by the ego. You may find that taking risks can help you get ahead at this time, but risks taken with little calculation or intention may lead to lessons learned the hard way. Your instincts will tell you when to act, but intuition will remind you when to pause—know that both are equally valuable and can be utilized strategically to maximize rewards.

AQUARIUS, with Mars entering Leo, you may have a prolonged focus on your relationships, commitments, and other such investments that require sacrifice and devotion. You may find yourself encountering a bit more conflict within relationships, as Mars may infuse these connections with more passion, which could have a favorable impact that enhances the “spark” in present connections, but may also invite more jealousy and pride. You may be able to more easily distinguish what your heart desires under this influence, especially if commitments have felt a bit blurry to you in the past months. This may be a time in which you are the object of multiple people’s desires—perhaps you will have several admirers who wish to have a more committed relationship with you. While you may find yourself conflicted about what you truly want, the current transits and the season we are collectively approaching will invite you to let people’s actions speak for them and will urge you to stay devoted to your expectations and boundaries. You may also have a tendency to try to “force” a connection to happen under this influence or may find that much of your energy is robbed by a fixation on a partner or commitment. You are supported by Mercury to be open to the many possibilities that the future holds and to not become too cemented into one desired outcome over another, as doing so may limit your ability to experience connection, love, and inspiration. This may be a good time to set your focus on your professional life or connection to your community; you may find that your professional pursuits are positively impacted when you shift your focus toward yourself. While you may have the tendency to chase at this time, this is a time to relish in your magnetism and allow others to come to you. Release the attachment to one specific imagined future—the future unfolding before you is likely far better than you can presently picture.

PISCES, this may be a time in which you are more intently focused on work, productivity, and discipline; perhaps you are feeling yourself becoming more energized to implement structures that will help you actualize your longer-term goals. With Mercury in Sagittarius, you may presently be identifying or clarifying these long-term goals, perhaps you are finding yourself opening yourself to more possibilities and are viewing the future with a bit more optimism. This is an invitation for you to not become heavily fixated on one desired outcome or specific path too intently, as your doing so may prevent you from experiencing other expansive opportunities that you perhaps are not aware of. Rather than specifying specific events that you want to happen, perhaps identify the feelings you want to experience in the future. Rather than clinging to getting this specific job, perhaps you simply set the intention to welcome more feelings of success, accomplishment, empowerment, and confidence into your experience. Due to Mars’s presence in your house of work, physical health, routine, discipline, judgment, and boundaries, this is a favorable time for you to identify what physical expectations and boundaries you can set with others so that you do not over-exert yourself or become energetically drained. You will likely be learning through this transit how to more effectively channel your inspiration into productive directions; perhaps you will find yourself becoming more devoted to “the process” and will find inspiration in the gradual development of specific goals. This could also be a time in which you will perhaps find more joy in self-care rituals, fitness, or health—this is a time in which you will likely have enhanced vitality and physical strength. Recognizing your limits—in regard to both your ability to extend your effort to others and your energy toward your own projects—will empower you. Let your instincts guide you.