Weekly Horoscope: 25th April - 1st May 2016

Aries

Not until June 7th will the situation with your house, income, apartment, business, company, charity or possessions be firmly in place. Despite the fact that Vesta, the Sun, Mercury and Venus are all in the area of your horoscope which rules money, property and ownership - Mercury the Messenger is set to stand still and then appear to turn backwards on Thursday 28th April. This means May will find you also moving backwards and forwards with the paperwork, or the matter under discussion. Fortunately you have had ample warnings about this as astrology is a good, solid forecaster of events - so you already have an alternative tucked up your sleeve, or are allowing for delays or flux.

Taurus

You are understandably more concerned with appearances than usual, or matters of image or reputation. It is not often that we see a stellium in Taurus, your own sign, and this one reminds you that your title or even your wardrobe defines who you are - at least until June. Make allowances for waiting games, u-turns or general muddle about one matter in particular, which is likely to go nowhere fast after Mercury stations on Thursday. One example might be personalised number plates, which remain uncollected. Another might be a website bearing your name, which is affected by bugs. None of this is the end of the world, as you can see, but as sometimes the smallest link in a chain can be the issue which affects much larger machinery - be aware. This holds good until 7th June. Until then, make very special allowances.

Gemini

The Sun passing through Taurus, one sign behind yours, puts the spotlight on matters which are behind the scenes. This week may be about an unseen or uncredited role you play. Perhaps it is about a secret you are covering up - or a secret which is revealed. Gemini people who are interested in the occult (which literally translates as ‘hidden’) may find their time taken up by esoteric matters. Now that you have the overall picture of your week, how do you read the subject matter? Your ruling planet Mercury is behaving oddly, from our point of view on earth. Nothing is flowing or moving as it should, until after the first week of June. Consequently, no matter if this is a case of beans being spilled, or matters being firmly covered up, you must allow for a rather long and drawn-out process. There will probably be delays or changes, so factor that into your thinking and your planning. One example might be a diary which is lost by the removalists. Another might be top-secret matters, held up by phone problems. Take care.

Cancer

It looks as though your social life, old friendships, social media or group involvements are affected by gender politics this week. That old scenario of one man, surrounded by two or more women, is a bit of an old retro 1970s joke. You do appear to be experiencing it on Twitter, though (or even in the real world) and this affects the community around you, or the circle. When in doubt, sidestep the gender games and do not allow women to compete for a man’s approval, any more than you would allow a man to put up with women manipulating him! The bigger picture of this important friendship and group is rather muddled. In fact, despite all the announcements and news of April and May, it might not be until you are past June 7th that you finally, fully know where everything and everybody stands. Until then, oils ain’t oils.

Leo

Your career, your unpaid work or your university degree is at the heart of this week’s horoscope story. Under normal circumstances you would be well onto your way by a firm outcome, no later than the third week of May. Instead, you could be lingering longer, as Mercury is now behaving oddly, and it will not be until June 7th that he has completed a loop in your astrological chart. Fortunately it has been possible to let you know about this some months in advance so you have been insisting on getting matters in writing, and then reading the fine print or obtaining second opinions. If you can’t do that this week, then at least make private allowances for delays, changes or even reversals, as what has been under discussion to date (or even ‘news’) may not be the final version of events. It’s a good time for dress rehearsals or first attempts; rough sketches and beta testing. But no - this is not final.

Virgo

You may be gazing across the map from Alaska to Arabia at the moment. Or from one part of your country, to another. There may be a trip or move involved - or perhaps exporting and importing. Sometimes the journey on this cycle is intellectual or spiritual. Thus, you become absorbed with the world of the internet, books, academia or self-education. Normally all this would be expanding your mind and your beliefs without any interruption, but Mercury (your ruler) is behaving abnormally. This means the risk of delays, changes or even u-turns increases and perhaps you have already experienced this. Right up until 7th June there is a strong chance of more, so read the terms and conditions on your flights or hotels carefully. Double-check arrangements involving publishers, the worldwide web, universities, schools and churches. All these areas of your life are ruled by the sign of Taurus, and the constellation of Taurus is temporarily tricky now.

Libra

Your ruler Venus will be in the financial, business, charity and property sector of your horoscope by this weekend. Normally this would signal an important breakthrough phase for a relationship which revolves around the money, company, good cause, house, apartment or possessions. Instead, you are likely to be going over old ground with this person, group or organisation until late May or early June. There may be a hold-up which affects the paperwork, meeting or negotiation. The risk of technical errors, missing mail, misfired communication or other x factors also increases at this time, as we go through the Mercury Retrograde cycle, which begins and ends with a shadow period that often catches people out. Get everything in writing and read the fine print. Allow for a circuitous process until June 7th and cover yourself. The Sun’s opposition to Juno on Wednesday 27th April is a crossroads for you, as it highlights a financial, property, retail, business or charity commitment. There are decisions to be made but you may want to allow for the process to go backwards and forwards for some time.

Scorpio

It is not often that Vesta, the Sun, Mercury and Venus line up in your house of lovers and partners. This is also where we find your former partner, and your potential other half. Not surprisingly, romantic rivals, difficult exes and even bitter legal opponents are also described by this house of your horoscope. No matter which person is pushing your buttons now, and how, you must continue to allow for a long and winding road until 7th June. After that date, Mercury (the planet of communication, information and negotiation) will be on a straight road at last and you can genuinely sign off on this chapter. At the moment, along with making allowances for changes or delays, you can also try two more strategies. One is to avoid any situation where two or more females must compete for the attention and approval of one male. Another is to sidestep complicated game-playing which generates passion, at the expense of truly soulful relating. I mention this because you have not only Vesta but also Venus at large in your opposite sign of Taurus, which rules your opposite number in life - and any opposition.

Sagittarius

If all was proceeding normally in the heavens, you would have two important issues relating to your workload and also your body, neatly wrapped up in three weeks. Instead, you may find yourself going backwards and forwards with one discussion, plan or question until June 7th. This is a very good time for first attempts, rough ideas or beta testing with your job, unpaid work or university course. It’s not so great for big ‘final’ announcements, grand launches and the rest - only because you or others may have to go back to the drawing board - or there could be scheduling changes. Your body is also the key to May. Your physical condition in May will have a much greater bearing on your lifestyle, position, sense of self - and place in the world - than usual. Here again, you may want to make allowances for typical Mercury Retrograde effects. Telephones, computers, fax machines, the mail, the internet, couriers, transport and travel are all ruled by Mercury so when he goes backwards, they go backwards. This could impact the way you look after your body through six degrees of separation, so be aware. A dental appointment, for example, could be made in your name, but be given to the wrong person. It happens.

Capricorn

At this time of year you should be courting (or courted by) lovers who could bring godchildren, nieces, nephews, stepchildren or even pregnancies into your life one day. Instead, you appear to be going round in circles until 7th June. Also at this time of year, if not pursuing courtship, you should be focussed on your children, stepchildren, godchildren, young relatives, grandchildren and so on - the next generation. Even young pretenders to your throne count. Because Mercury is not behaving normally in your horoscope, an important discussion, agreement or paper chain will be affected - also until 7th June. Not until then will this planet be out of its shadow period, which classically trips people up. The best way to go through this cycle is with a philosophical outlook. Cover yourself for possible delays and changes. One example might be internet dating which is affected by the phone issues of one person. Another example might be a child’s school teacher, who is on and off duty all month.

Aquarius

You can muddle through with the family, house, apartment or household. You can even muddle through with your town or country. What you may want to avoid, though, is the people politics. We have Vesta in this zone of your chart now and she is joined by Venus just in time for the weekend. These two ancient symbols of female game-playing remind you to keep it simple and avoid any situation which could be vulnerable to manipulation. Women, rather than men, tend to act out these stories and it may be you (if you are female) or at least one lady around the situation who is spinning the loom. Keeping life simple is a good idea, not least because your horoscope suggests you will be going backwards and forwards with all this until 7th June. Only then can you truly sign off on one important issue, and know exactly where you and everybody else stands. If the property transaction is expensive or costly in other ways, then get everything in writing and read the fine print. If you know a relative or flatmate can be flakey, pin them down to an e-mail. One example of this cycle might be the family reunion where invitations go missing. Just be gently aware at this time.

Pisces

What happens when Mercury the Messenger moves backwards and forwards in your house of communication? The sky does not fall on your head, but you certainly have your work cut out for you, with digital plans or projects which depend on the phone, the fax, the computer or the microphone. Your house of communication also covers commuting and transport, as these grease the wheels of every meeting you must attend, or message you must send. Mercury’s retrograde cycle classically brings delays, rescheduling, reversals or other significant changes to bear. Be aware of this until 7th June as he will not clear his shadow until then. An extremely good use of this time is to make one or two first attempts at paperwork, speeches, recordings, multimedia projects, books and so on (all the stuff of communication). I doubt very much any astrologer on the planet will be telling you to race out and purchase new laptops or smart phones without reading the terms and conditions. This is a classic cycle for product recall. The magic word ‘rehearsal’ is your key. Treat everything related to your projects, plans, short-haul trips and web life as an ongoing rehearsal.