This is a year in which love must take up the mantle of responsibility. Be prepared to do the hard yards and the right thing and you will have the most benefit from romance, either the tried and true romance of your mate or that of a new and exciting partner.

You may come into the year with outstanding money matters to be sorted, especially if the credit card or overdraft is involved. Work your way through difficulties with patience and you could alter your position to one of advantage as time goes on. Be careful of getting in deeper to solve problems. Such a tactic will make things worse. Put that bullish patience to work and obstacles will melt through prolonged exposure to your stubborn determination.

There could be surprises or unexpected elevations in work that may change your financial situation with some speed. For some, this will be a lucky year where opportunity is concerned. For others, you will simply have the fruit of your efforts in the long term if you persist until all is done. Use what you earn to secure your position and you may find yourself sitting pretty. Tension between Jupiter and Pluto reveals that extravagance will cost you dearly. Don't dither over financial decisions but do weigh them up carefully.

Home and Family  

Matters of work, responsibility or public status may influence the home or family scene this year for many of you and the home may be strongly touched by the obligations of life in the outside world. For some, there will be changes or unexpected developments that affect your working or professional life and thus influence life at home. This may include promotion, increase in authority or change in the direction of employment. There could be dealings the public or public issues that will colour domestic life or add new factors to your emotional life. Detachment or the controlled response will be your best tactic for problem solving. See what is happening in the world at large and thus devise the best strategies to deal with your personal situation. Stay away from underhand or deceptive dealings or people who function that way. This is a year in which you can elevate your public profile or status, but mud will stick if you don't handle things well. Act to safeguard or strengthen family or emotional ties and you will benefit greatly. For some, older children may make important or defining decisions during the first eight months of the year.

Work and Health  

You may have to watch fatigue or tiredness this year. Your powers of endurance are good, but you may find that too much outward activity or involvement without a break to refresh and recuperate will take you to the limit. Watch especially overdoing it with people. Holidays and work in solitude will help balance what will be an otherwise busy schedule. Take advantage of any chances you have to get away from things for a few days.

Jupiter, the lord of fortune, enters Libra and your solar sixth house of work and health on September 25th. He will sojourn there for twelve months from that time. There may be a new cycle of education with regard to work or learning. You may take a new path or hit a new level of operation. New vistas could open before you or new horizons may beckon. Some of you may travel overseas or have dealings with people from other cultures in relation to work matters. Cooperation and the advice or teachings of others will play a part. There may be health challenges that necessitate change. Don't be stubborn. The tried and true won't help here. Seek the advice of health professionals and follow it. Some of you may simply become more interested in health care and may even study in order to practice it. If you struggle with health matters, it may be your belief system that's letting you down. Re-evaluate and make change where necessary.

Career Matters  

This is an odd year from a career point of view, one with distinct contrasts. Glittering Venus in your solar tenth house may put you in the forefront in matters of profession or status. Some may come to the attention of the public. You may have success through creative or spiritual pursuits. Yet you will need to be wise and discerning for scandal or deception may prove to be your downfall or undoing. Conduct yourselves in accordance with the highest values or ideals and you will rise in people's estimation, whether it be the mass of people of just those you know in your circle. Others of you may have a sudden or unexpected lift in the schedule of responsibilities or obligations. Some will find themselves in a role of a new or different status.

However, with warrior Mars in Aries and your solar twelfth house, some will work away either quietly or behind the scenes to achieve goals. For others, work may have a public and private face. It will be important to keep a clear distinction between the two. For some, work that you have done in secret or kept in a developmental phase may come to fruit. However, if it does, it may not be to universal acclaim. This may be a year in which the feelings of others about what you do could be mixed. Some of you in a public role may attract criticism or strong reactions, along with the praise and sense of achievement. With Saturn in your third house, learn new skills that will help communicate and negotiate any difficult patches. You won't have to suffer fools gladly but you may need to appear to do so at times. Learn to keep your own counsel, rely on your inner certainty and you will find clarity and determination for the road ahead.

Mercury the Messenger  

Mercury moves into retrograde (reverse) motion three times a year for about three weeks each time. This phase heralds a time of confusion and misunderstandings that can affect arrangements, travel, transport, appliances, machinery and communications. The breakdowns that occur are a function of neglect, inattention, simple misunderstandings or component failure. They will often bring to the fore the very contingency we should have planned for and didn't. When the retrograde phase occurs, watch out for such possibilities as well as putting off major decision-making or the signing of crucial documents and agreements. We tend to miss things while Mercury is in reverse motion and then have to come back and do them again. A process of review in the retrograde phase can efficiently show where problems might lie and help us with damage control or the mending of things. Double check arrangements at these times! What you think you've said and what others have understood will often prove to be two different things.

Mercury begins the year still in retrograde motion, in Sagittarius and your solar eighth house. You may need to attend to joint finances, negotiating or resolving outstanding matters. If you've given the credit card or the overdraft a bit of a hammering, work to get them down to reasonable levels. Discuss problems. Don't assume results. This first cycle ends on January 7th.

The second retrograde phase for Mercury begins on April 7th and comes in your sign. You may need to review your style of communication. There may be confusions involving arrangements or exchanges with those close to you. If there are mistakes, check to see it's not you who has it wrong. You might lack certainty or determination. Slow down and look at everything with fresh eyes rather than pushing ahead. Watch for errors of judgement or delays while travelling or driving. Be careful of the period from April 14th in particular. This cycle comes to an end on May 1st.

Mercury's third retrograde phase comes in Virgo and your solar fifth house, beginning on August 11th. Romantic interests may be troubled by poor communications or confusion. There may be difficult dealings with children. There could be a period of review or change with creative projects. Watch for injuries in recreational activity. If you're overdue for a good workout or a resumption of healthy activity, this could be a good time to get going again. Changes here could have some impact on your home life as well. This cycle comes to an end on September 3rd.

The messenger's final reverse motion cycle for the year begins on December 1st in the sign of Sagittarius and your solar eighth house. As at the beginning of the year, financial matters will be under the microscope, especially if joint moneys or holdings are involved. Be careful with the credit card and overdraft. You may be discussing loans or investments. Hold final decisions until you know precisely how things stand. Don't overextend at the end of the first week of December. For some, past financial doings may catch up with you here. This cycle comes to an end on December 21st.

Lady Moon  

Your New Moon comes on May 19th, with harmonious aspects to Chiron the wounded healer. Creative projects may receive a boost with a renewal of energy. Leisure pastimes may flourish and leave you feeling renewed. Relationships with children may come onto a new footing. Advancement may come through important meetings. Responsible action is required to fulfill your obligations to others. Consult with experts or elders over plans.

Your Full Moon comes on October 28th, bringing a Lunar Eclipse. There may be a change or an ending with partners or close associates. A cycle of interaction may come to a close. Something may change in your partner's life, bringing changed circumstances for you both to deal with. Your health situation or that of your partner may affect your plans or arrangements. Your work situation could be affected by a personal matter.

Eclipses  

Eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon often indicate the end of a cycle or a significant change in the direction or pattern of the affairs governed by the house in which the eclipse falls. Eclipses of the Sun may affect work, direction and relations with people in authority. Eclipses of the Moon may affect matters of home, family and emotions as well as relations with women and children. Both may affect your health.

A Solar Eclipse comes with the New Moon in Aries and your solar twelfth house on April 19th. There could be changes in your spiritual life as a connection comes to a close or a cycle ends. Watch health matters, especially with fatigue, indulgence or overwork. You may feel lost for a time and have to find your way again. There may be losses at this time that are unforeseen or unexpected, yet you could gain in wisdom if you accept the changes that occur. Avoid clashes with women, especially where creative or spiritual pursuits are involved.

May 4th brings the Full Moon and a Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio and your solar seventh house. Mystic Neptune inserts himself into the tension, adding a note of uncertainty or confusion. There may be a change for your nearest and dearest or a close associate that will bring change in your life. A cycle may come to an end with a partnership matter. There may be confusion or difficulty at work that affect your partnership situation. Your partner's working life may go through change. This is not a good period for decision-making or fine judgement. Assess before taking action. Beware of deception or unexpected change by people in authority.

The New Moon in Libra and your solar sixth house brings a Solar Eclipse on October 14th. Watch your health at this time. You may not be able to keep to your usual routines. There may be problems with a co-worker or the end of a cycle with your working situation. There could be difficulty or an ending around a female co-worker. New work opportunities could improve finances. Be ready to change where necessary. There may be a change with regard to a romantic interest at your place of work.

Special Events  

Venus the goddess moves into retrograde phase this year, from May 18th until June 30th. This takes place in Gemini and your solar second house of personal finances and resources. You may need to review matters of money and personal spending. Look at the budget. Watch the way you do things and make changes where necessary. Relationships may be influenced by money matters. You may have to work out who pays for what and why. Settle problems or disputes over money by reviewing the situation and examining different points of view. For some, an outstanding obligation may catch up with you. For others, an overdue payment or settlement may sweeten your coffers. A money problem you thought was sorted may raise its head again. Someone you haven't seen for a while may come back into your life, bringing an issue about money to be discussed or reviewed. For most of you, problems will be minor, easily sorted with patient attention.