Our resident astrologist Jessica Adams predicts your week ahead
ARIES
If the slightest hint of impatience or over-feisty head-tossing is allowed to affect a work matter, a new arrangement will not take place. At least, it will not take place in any lasting and meaningful way. If you don’t work, then this applies to your life as a volunteer or student. In general, the conjunction between your ruling planet Mars and Pluto in the uncompromising sign of Capricorn suggests an intensely practical solution. Anyone looking at the various people involved can see why there is very little patience or tolerance in the air, yet move past that, into a working compromise. You are well-known for your competitive instincts and your winner’s mentality but the reality is, you often move too rapidly for others. This could now endanger a very new agreement unless you are careful, yet the outcome (fully in place by January) could transform the professional landscape and give you a deeper feeling of control.
TAURUS
The Ninth House of your horoscope describes sea voyages, in old astrology, but in modern life it points clearly to your European, American and Australasian connections - as well as the internet - and travel in the mind, through the world of academia, books or museums. In short, the Ninth House is about expanded geographical, global or intellectual horizons, but you have not found this aspect of your world functioning as it should, thanks to Pluto’s extended retrograde motion this year. Now, however, you are rapidly reaching a point where something just has to work for you, as the stakes have become so very high. How to fix your life and come up with an answer that will see you through to January, is the challenge of the week. You know, at least, what did not work at all for you this year. Ditch whatever little self-deceptions you honestly don’t require and get to the point. This Pluto cycle is relentless and requires a deep and unflinching look at who or what always scuppers your most noble intentions.
GEMINI
You have not been on top of the money, the house, the business interests, the apartment, the charity or the precious possessions for some time, according to your solar horoscope. Oh, you may have had brief victories, but the reality is, Pluto’s long backward run through the financial sector of your horoscope has not given you a fair chance to rethink, reorganise and micro-manage this part of your life. You are constantly aware of the need to get on top of things, yet for most of 2014 you have been struggling rather than succeeding. Now, you are at a point in your year when you have good, sensible options to use - but also some pressure. It may be useful to peer beyond the immediate issue this week, and into its deeper meaning. Basically, this is your chance to run your own life. To own your own material or financial world, and your values as well. What you will and will not sell out for. Who or what you consider to be priceless. You couldn’t buy that sense of empowerment and yet it’s yours to bid for.
CANCER
This week, the dwarf planet Pluto will join Mars, the ancient Roman symbol of war, in the area of your horoscope which describes former, current and potential partners. As this is the same astrological sector which rules your enemies, opponents and rivals, you may want to read that first sentence again to remind yourself exactly who these two ancient archetypes are. The Mars-Pluto conjunction will show you very clearly what is realistic and what is not, and it will help to sail straight past such a potentially difficult atmosphere with, or around, this person. You have spent most of this year trying to adopt what works for others, in terms of partnership or delicately balanced relationships - even feuds - but so often it has not worked for you. The Pluto-Mars conjunction suggests it is time to tailor-make a solution which suits you, not others. Which makes you feel as if you run your emotional or sexual life. Which allows you to feel as if you are pulling your own strings in any conflict, dispute or fierce contest.
LEO
The Sixth House of your horoscope describes your daily working routine and your concept of service and duty to others. It also describes the relationship you have with your body, and the way you approach doctors, food, drink, alternative health and exercise. The horoscope pattern which unfolds this week has been a long time coming; you might label it a call to action. It takes great insight to see what has been happening this year. Essentially, every man and his dog has a vested interest in controlling the way you work, or controlling the relationship you have with your body. From vast faceless corporations to particular individuals, you have attracted those who want what they want. There may also have been (for some Leo people) a health or medical issue which at one point took over completely. Now, you must draw a line when it comes to your body. You know what works for you. And what has patently failed. The litmus test is asking yourself - ‘Am I pulling my own strings this time?’
VIRGO
This week is really about empowerment and yet it will take considerable hard work to reach that point. Essentially you have not been in control of who and what affects you most, emotionally, personally or psychologically - according to your horoscope. You have been pulled this way and that way, by particular people or circumstances and at this point in November, probably feel that you have had too many failed attempts behind you, to even begin a new phase yet again. The issue becomes more intense if babies or children are involved, or issues about pregnancy or step-parenthood. However this story is unfurling, you must now be ruthlessly honest with yourself about what works for others, as opposed to what actually works for you. And it basically comes down to knowing, without a doubt, that you are in charge.
LIBRA
Having not felt fully in control of the family, the house, the flat, the household, your home town or your homeland, you must now face facts. What or who always makes you throw up the reins and behave as if you are not actually running your own life? There is a rather hardline aspect in your chart this week, seldom seen, between Mars and Pluto. So your horoscope is being rather severe with you. Enough excuses or evasion; things have now reached a point where you simply have to improve and change, and you must find a way to achieve that, day by day. One thing is clear. Some situations, people, places or approaches just fail you, consistently. It can be uncomfortable to admit that, but then a Mars-Pluto conjunction is an uncomfortable trigger. You will be grateful for it by January, though. You have around that time span to actually bring about a transformation. There really is no magic trick or easy formula. The key is just knowing yourself extremely well, and doing the deals with yourself, first and foremost.
SCORPIO
Your planetary ruler Pluto is now moving through the hard-headed sign of Capricorn, alongside Mars, which will accelerate the choices you have to make. Essentially this cycle is about being heard, read and understood as you deserve to be. Unfortunately 2014 has been full of backward slides and, very recently, the sense that nothing you did could really affect things. Now, however, the planets in their courses have rotated far enough to give you some leeway. It has taken weeks, even months, to reach this point, but there is nothing stopping you from handpicking what/who actually serves you and ditching the rest. There may be some irrelevant attitudes or assumptions that need to go in the rubbish bin. You could be looking at technology, people, projects or particular plans with the same ruthless eye. It is perfectly fine to be ducking and diving with the real issue, which is what it would feel like to be genuinely powerful. Believe it or not, even a Scorpio can baulk at that level of potential and your chart suggests it is there for you, if you would only change your life. Well - if it’s all too much - turn the volume down on change. But do change, as you can no longer procrastinate about what is required, online or in the real world.
SAGITTARIUS
Money is power and you have attracted banks, corporations, government departments or particular people who have a tremendous amount of time and energy invested in their own power. Where are you in the scheme of things? Your horoscope suggests you are constantly struggling up a ladder, trying to gain a solid foothold, seeking the chance to run your own show. None of this is your fault as Pluto, the planet behind this cycle, has been moving steadily backwards for a very long time in your chart. Thus, the sense of backwards-and-forwards progress, as your feet slip off the ladder rungs. Now that Pluto is in full forward thrust, you are in the unusual position of being able to take a ruthless attitude towards anybody or anything which makes you feel out of control. Those are strong words, but it’s a big week, seldom seen in astrology. Willpower and self-control are words which are easy to bandy about, but they have real resonance if you actually embed them in your soul. And they will change everything, if you wish.
CAPRICORN
It takes great insight to understand the point at which you give your power away. The issue is very personal too, because this is about the way you appear and look to others. It covers your appearance, style, shape and image. It also covers your name, reputation, profile or persona. You now have the luxury of time, space and opportunity, so take a long backward look at 2013 and 2014. Try to see the many ways in which you simply cave in to what ‘they’ or perhaps ‘it’ demands in your life. And if there is a particularly dominating individual, look at his or her presence in your life too. Things have now reached a stage where you simply have to change or pay the price. You cannot possibly get what you want (the self-control, the results) without ditching a lot of unhelpful attitudes, though. So you may as well face the music in this rather intense week, and analyse where you have gone wrong in the past, and why, and how exactly it happens. There are ways around this. Not perfect solutions, no, but certainly much better alternatives than the rather haphazard attempts you have been making throughout 2014. You can and will make headway, with strong results for your reputation or appearance, if you push on.
AQUARIUS
Pluto is a peculiar symbol in astrology. In the Roman myth, he disappeared for half the year, operating underground, in his own private underworld. His presence dominated what happened above, yet he was virtually invisible. This analogy is useful in understanding how Pluto has affected your horoscope for most of this year. You need to have very sharp eyes indeed to see who, and what, has been operating with an invisibility cloak, yet utterly running your life. The point of change which comes with this week’s Mars-Pluto conjunction is the point at which you understand how you give your power away. At last you can put a name, face, label or description to the person, organisation or situation which has been so hard to detect. If you feel angry, use it. To quote John Lydon and PiL, ‘Anger is an energy.’ Perhaps you will encounter the heat from others, individually or collectively. It may be coming at you from the outside. It is still an incredible motivator, though. It is time to change and take control.
PISCES
You can do more together than you can alone at the moment, and not with a lover, nor a partner. The people you need to mobilise with are your friends, or the others in the group. It would be awfully easy to succumb to the forthcoming Mars-Pluto conjunction by trying to power-trip or compete with someone who threatens you, or who - strangely - motivates you. Nevertheless, you will blow it. This Mars-Pluto pattern is unusual, relatively rare, and will set the co-ordinates on your compass for weeks; even months. People power is the key. Anything else is just a bad soap opera script from the 1980s when Dynasty and Dallas ruled television screens and everyone hissed a lot, in padded shoulders. The truth is, there are an awful lot of people, institutions or organisations out there who fear people power. You need to make your own peace with it, because it’s bigger than you are, yet do hitch yourself to this star. The Mars-Pluto conjunction is rare enough to make this week a genuine turning point in your understanding of what friendship involves and how a circle of people can achieve almost anything.