Ay, but the case is alter’d.
When you disgrac’d me in my embassade,
Then I degraded you from being king,
And come now to create you Duke of York.
Alas, how should you govern any kingdom,
That know not how to use ambassadors,
Nor how to be contented with one wife,
Nor how to use your brothers brotherly,
Nor how to study for the people’s welfare,
Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies?

Earl of Warwick in Shakespeare’s
Henry VI, part 3 act 4 scene iii, line 30-40

Horoscopes starting 2.11.2016

Aquarius:

This is all about Aquarius. There is clarity, soon enough. There is harmony, soon enough. Before the next week’s horoscope rolls out, there’s also most of the birthday promises, “Delivered unto Aquarius.” The easiest way to realize the hopes, dreams and wishes for the best from Aquarius is to understand the mechanics of Mars.

Mars, while in Scorpio, still there, even now, is going to cause some tension. The rest of the planets, offhand, lend strength, especially as both Mercury and Venus enter Aquarius. Means there’s good stuff, about to happen — provided that your Aquarius self doesn’t snap in a “too hasty” manner at some poor, unsuspecting soul. Other than that, yes, the last of the Aquarius birthdays and the tail end of good times. Seriously, as I looked further afield? I’d think that some of this Aquarius ease and grace should continue longer than the next few days. Provided you don’t snap, of course.

Pisces:

There’s a “Lunar Precursor” that runs concurrent with this week’s Pisces horoscope. The Moon, in all her radiant glory, shines a light where the sun ain’t been yet. On its way, to be sure, but as a precursor, this Lunar Cycle gives note that “things” in Pisces are fixing to get warmed up in a good way.

The singular obstacle seems to be that some, perhaps many, of the “Friends of Pisces” fail to realize that this is the good times, the early-bird version of good times. The Pisces good times stretch over a longer period, because, well, you’re Pisces and after what you’ve been through — astrologically — you deserve a better time than before. There’s an echo of something that has long-since passed by, and if you keep referring to it? It might come back to haunt you. Instead, concentrate on the “attitude of gratitude,” or, as one buddy refers to me, “Mr. Happy.”

Aries:

“Get shoes that fit.” This is an echo of a previous statement, but as Aries goes? What you’re really looking for? Shoes that fit. Statistically, it can’t be 1/12 of the population that’s looking for shoes, not this week, but the idea carries forward rather well. The analogy fits your planets, even now.

“Shoes,” to me, mean transportation. “Shoes that fit?” It implies that there’s been some uncomfortable situation about transportation, so the cure? Get shoes that fit well. I’ve used this analogy before, but it I circled back around to it because an ugly reminder popped up. It was about shoes that didn’t fit, and watching a poor person struggle with footwear that rendered walking a near-impossible feat.

Seems to me, I’m not Aries, but it seems to me that a practical walking shoe that was the correct size might be a better option than hobbling around in discomfort. The quickest, easiest solution? Find shoes that fit right. It can’t be that hard, can it? For what’s ahead? “Find shoes that fit.”

Taurus:

Many years ago, I swore I’d never, ever wear a tie again. Towards that end, I discarded all of my cloth ties. To be sure, I still have impressive collection of bolo ties, the ubiquitous “string tie” of Western fame. Usually corded leather, occasionally, just a leather thong, and in one example, mere nylon rope, but usually, a cord with some kind of decorative ornament as a slider. Common and commonplace, useful as it can be worn rather loosely, which, in truth, was part of my argument against cloth ties, cinched up tight as tick, against the neck.

In warm weather, ties make even less sense to me. It was a cold snap, few days back, and the first piece of clothing I grabbed? A shawl, a muffler, a scarf, a piece of cloth that is both warm and soft, that I wrap around my neck. As a way to seal off the external element of cold from the rest of my upper body, it works as an effective barrier. I don’t know much about the history of style, fashion or clothing, but I’ll bet the current “cravat” is based, in part, familial linage, something, in that muffler I grabbed. One I swear I will never wear again, and one I use on the infrequent chilly days in South Texas. There’s a subtle irony at play in the Taurus chart with Mars opposing you, in Scorpio. There’s a funny coincidence, or visual irony, something, that you will notice. Rather cold by my standards so the muffler made good sense that morning. Not something I wear often, but as I don’t have any real “ties,” I wonder of the connection is obvious to some?

Gemini:

“God is in the details.” Simple admonishment for my Gemini friends. However, there’s another version of this, too, my version? “Date a Virgo.” Seems a bit weird, but that’s the way it rolls out. There’s an uncharacteristic and unfashionable Gemini trait required for the next few days. Attention to details. Yes, you’re usually good with details, maybe not as a good a Virgo, but close enough.

The problem being, the details are important, and the grand scheme can get lost if we don’t pay attention to details. The Gemini mind is a wondrous concoction of beauty, truth and imagination. Details aren’t always part of this, but when it does serve the Gemini well, yes, you’re good with details. However, this is one of those times when you’d like to gloss over the details, keep moving, “I’m a ‘Big-Picture’ person” kind answer. Doesn’t quite work that way. Would that I could make it work that way? Yes, it would be wonderful, but no, doesn’t work like that. So, the message for the next couple of days? Check the details before you move forward, or borrow a clue from my old playbook, “Date a Virgo.” Either option works.

Cancer:

What can I say? I’m a loud-mouthed, fashion-challenged Sagittarius. “Open mouth and insert both feet,” that’s me. So when I looked at your chart, for this next few days, all I could think of? Just go for it. Do it. Jump. Jump in with both feet. Hit the ground running. Do it. Run with that idea.

Or, in other terms, “Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes!”

There I am, standing at a slovenly form of attention, saluting that thing. You did it, and I’m standing with you, proud as can be. Not everyone feels the same, and not everyone is as big a supporter of a Moon Child, no, I’m certainly not like them all, but there is an element that suggests this is a good time. Maybe not the best of times, but a subtle clue — or two – that points to success.

The trick is action. Take some action. Do something. Try something, Make an effort.

Sitting there, bemoaning your fate and cursing the odd gods that have left you? Nothing good will happen. Action, even acton that doesn’t seem to have a lot of direction, but is a good, forward motion, as judged by your internal Cancer time clock? Action will be rewarded. Soon. Very soon. I salute your action!

The Leo:

Strong as the majestic Leo is, and cool as the Leo usually is? This weeks calls for a type of finesse that — normally — wouldn’t be a problem for The Leo. This week, however, that finesse is a problem. This week, that finesse seems to be lacking. Maybe you’ve been irritated by one too many non-Leo people Maybe there’s been one too many non-Leo occurrences that don’t set well, possible even grate on your nerves. Perhaps it’s a combination of just such events. Maybe it’s a snarky astrologer trying to tell you to cool it, when all you really want to to do is bite his head off. Ouch. That one hurt.

What it is, in the bigger picture, is that there’s an issue, look, your shoelace is untied, and you majesty bends down to tie the shoelace. A large pile of flying, looks like, smells like, seems to be a large piece of flying “organic male-bovine byproduct” goes whizzing past where your head was before you attended to the shoelace yourself. If you told one of the Leo minions to tie your shoe for you? Might have had a “Pie in the face” scene. To avoid pain, frustration, and possible “pie in face” scenes? Consider doing it yourself instead of the minions. Might be easier.

Safer for The Leo, as well.

Virgo:

I’ve spent many years teaching clients, coaching them on how to take a large problem and break it down to bite-sized, or byte-sized, manageable challenges that can be bested. As a normally cool Virgo, this is not a new approach. Some of you have heard me whisper about the process of breaking down the larger problems and making them easier to tackle. This isn’t about larger, more difficult problems. This is the opposite.

It’s a series of small, totally unrelated set of experiences that can be woven together into a greater whole. The bits and pieces are larger, more enigmatic, when everything is stacked up nicely together. That’s the Virgo goal, too. Stack everything up nice-like. Gather up the disparate pieces, shells and fragments of realities, collect all the loose and unsorted pieces. This is a long-term project. This is the opposite of breaking a big obstacle down into surmountable issues that can overcome, bit by bit. This is about a big-picture, big-ticket item. Look long term at a big-picture. Big goals right now? Perhaps a goal that looks too big, even for a mighty worker like your Virgo self? That’s the idea.

You can do it. And now’s the time to start.

Libra:

One of my hardest lesson I’ve ever had to learn? “If one is good, then ten is better?”

It does not always work that way.

I love a touch of cayenne in almost any food I prepare. I’ve discovered, after chasing off more than one date, that the idea of substituting a tablespoon for a half a teaspoon? That doesn’t work unless I’m dining all alone. Another spice that this is a big flavor factor? Garlic. Can be regular garlic or just garlic powder. I try to stay away from garlic salt as I prefer sea-salt and fresh garlic bulbs. What I discovered, just half of a shake from the garlic powder spice jar, not even a whole shake? That works much better. Allow the garlic to lend flavor without it killing the mood or the vampires. Just a touch. Combined with that cayenne? Even better. Just a touch, the two accentuate the flavor of each other and they let the veggies, the beef broth, the chicken stock, whatever the base is? That gets enhanced, but it has to be only the merest touch. Half a shake is how I measure it. How your Libra self measures it is up to you, but this is a time when “Less is more.” Like me with spices, and not letting the spice selection overpower the inherent Libra flavors, a little bit less goes a long way. Less is more, as long as Mars is still in Scorpio.

Scorpio:

I know Mars is in Scorpio. I know that winds you up just like a gas-powered chainsaw. I realize that this energy is pushing, pulling, and otherwise adding a level of urgency no one else seems to understand. Here’s my trick. Pause. Like a giant “Pause” button on the Scorpio cosmos, just pause.

Stop and assess a directional change before making the change.

Just because “It seemed like a good idea at the time” doesn’t make it a good idea. That simple pause, wait for about a three-beat, maybe count to six? That’s less than three seconds to normal, non-Scorpio people, and wait. Pause. Assess that directional change, consider the ramifications of a venue relocation, maybe think it through before you do it. Before you just jump off in a new direction that sort of seems like a good idea? Consider that Mars is running a private beat-machine, an internal drummer that the rest of us, the non-Scorpio people, we can’t hear it. We don’t grasp the necessity or urgency of what’s going on in the Scorpio mind. Which is why, under this martian influence, I’m begging you to pause before you launch yourself in a new direction that might — or might not be — fruitful.

“Seemed a like a good idea at the time,” is NOT a valid excuse. Won’t hold up in a court of law. Trust me, I know, I’ve tried.

Sagittarius:

When Mars is in Scorpio, like it is, even now, it’s in the Sagittarius Solar 12th House. This is not a happy place for Mr. Mars.

What he does? He stirs up crap.

As a Sagittarius, we’re not immune to the crap being stirred, and some of this material is from our own mind. The little voice in the back of our Sagittarius cranium, the tiny voice saying “You’re not tall enough, you’re not thin enough, you’re not rich enough, you’ve been too lazy lately…” Know that little voice I’m talking about? Heard it lot, recently? If not, maybe into next week, that voice speaks louder and louder.

As an exercise, for other signs? When I’m working with this very scenario with other signs, my clients, I suggest they text that voice in their heads, I suggest the voice gets a message, “STFU.” However, possibly this is a situation where I’m not willing to take my advice, but as Mars roots through the Sagittarius subconscious and pushes fear buttons, bringing up insecurities? Possibly this is a time to turn those items over, and examine the cause of the fear and insecurity.

Time to toy with the fears. Time to examine then maybe re-examine the source of the fears, the insecurities, the little voices saying “You’re not enough…” Mars, along with the introspection afforded by Aquarius, mostly Mars but don’t rule out Aquarius, that gives us a chance to examine what’s going on.

Answers? Some demons just need a hug, you know. Hug your demons. Our demons, really. Hugging our demons reduces their efficacy.

Capricorn:

I had a T-shirt made, one time, inscribed with the slogan, “The only constant is change.” Didn’t sell, too philosophical, I suppose, for the masses. No, the T-shirt is no longer available, but if you do print up a bunch of them with that slogan, send me one? Or put my URL on it? So that’s not what this is really about, this is about change. I prefer, as Capricorn, you prefer it, too, change of our own making. Don’t like changes being forced upon us under duress. Changes under duress are the least favorite. I tend to be Mr. Happy, and as such, I tend to avoid making changes that are not of my own inclination. As a Capricorn, there’s a definite direction you think you should be moving, a change, if you will, and that change? Make it look like, spin it up so it appears to be, make this so it’s a change for you want to make. Best expression?

“I can see how that would work well.”

The addendum? To that expression, “I can see how that would work well,” the way to make this work for your Capricorn self?

“I’d like to do that.”

Simple expression. Makes your life ever so much easier.

There’s a slightly different but equally applicable comment that works, too:

“I meant to do that.”

The meditation track, updated: Meditation 1 (mp3)