LIBRA MONTHLY HOROSCOPE January, 2008 The keyword for this month is 'family'. Jupiter, the good luck planet, has been in your 4th House since December 19, 2007, and will remain there until January 5, 2009. This transit marks the beginning of a twelve-year cycle of learning and new experiences in one form or another. The people and circumstances that you encounter during this initial period are likely to be catalysts that inspire you to start new ventures of one sort or another at some point during the next twelve years. From mid-December through the beginning of January, you may begin a business venture, or a new career. You may become involved in higher education or the study of a particular subject, receive advanced training, or engage in long distance travel, writing, publishing, or promotion-- and in the end, you will greatly expand your personal, professional, and intellectual horizons. The introduction of greater spirituality and cultural appreciation into your domestic environment is also an expected result of this 12-year cycle starting on December 19th. You may seek a grander, larger residence, or perhaps build additions to your present home. You may develop a greater interest in and knowledge of your family history, and expand your activities and contacts with family members. You may also become involved in the sale of domestic furnishings or real estate ventures, which may or may not include your own home. Should selling your home become necessary under this influence, you are likely to benefit from the transaction. In all, whatever you do now has lasting effects upon your life over the next dozen years. Saturn, the planet of Karma, went retrograde in your House of subconscious mind, dreams and secrets on December 20th. Saturn will remain here until May 3, 2008. Because this is a relatively long-term period, many other influences will occur that may either emphasize its effect or perhaps mask it temporarily. Other significant factors that will contribute to the way you react, and ultimately to the way things turn out, include your age, maturity, and your past experiences. This influence has as much to do with the past as it does to the present. It will force you to throw out what is wasteful and to abandon unsuccessful situations, replacing them with something more solid and useful. In the case of this particular period, you confront that which is hidden from others, either deliberately or inadvertently, consciously or subconsciously. By choice or circumstance, you must face your fears and worries, resolve issues from the past that continue to weaken your happiness and productivity, and deal responsibly with loss and disappointment. If you have taken refuge in self-pity and unnecessary guilt in the past, you now have the responsibility to rid yourself of these destructive habits. It is not a period in which to expect others to notice or applaud your struggles and successes. These are private affairs and meant to be handled on that level. Significant inner strength and understanding are gained from such efforts, and you emerge better prepared to deal with present and future circumstances. Under this influence, you may be required to assist a family member experiencing a serious health- or work-related difficulty. One of the most positive potentials of this transit suggests that you will now be rewarded for whatever previous sacrifice and deprivation you sustained, or lonely confinement you endured in order to achieve an important goal. The Sun moved into Capricorn in your 4th House on December 23, 2007, and will remain there until January 20, 2008. The focus of your attention should now turn to private life, domestic chores and matters related to home or property. Interest and participation in family relationships and activities becomes more prominent now. You are more aware of your role and influence in the family, and the need to assert and express yourself within this group is enhanced. The negative potential of this transit includes the possibility of problems with parents or other family members, which may be caused by a tendency for too much arrogance or stubborn pride on your part. There may also be disputes over family property. Positive potentials include situations you may experience that enhance family pride and strengthen family bonds. In turn, family support and the advantage of family assets and connections can contribute to your determination to begin new ventures of your own at this time. Retrograde Mars will enter your 9th House, the House of mental exploration and long-distance travel, on January 2nd. This retrograde lasts until the end of January. The month of January therefore has potential to be one big distraction after another! The energy-filled atmosphere that surrounds you can inspire your enthusiasm in so many potential directions it makes it almost impossible to predict which path or paths you will choose. Physical efforts may focus on higher education, religion, politics, travel, cultural pursuits, foreign languages, writing, and publishing. However, there are numerous other categories that can just as easily arouse your interest and physical participation-- speculative ventures, sports, court decisions, a second marriage, and activities or relations with in-laws. The most positive way to approach this influence is to use whatever circumstances and activities you encounter as a way to broaden your spiritual and intellectual horizons. It would also be wise during this transit to find an activity that grounds and centers you, so that you can attempt to control the frantic energy that Mars brings. Even a simple breathing exercise when you're feeling flighty or severely distracted can do wonders to ground and center you back to a place of focus. The New Moon on January 8th shows a struggle between your home and family sector, and your career, reputation and social life. During the New Moon, you may not feel like leaving home, preferring instead comfort and solitude away from people. Alas, the potential here is that you could dwell upon all the ways in which your upbringing has led to the ways in which you operate in the world. This may or may not be a positive reflection for you. You may struggle with needing to be alone, and fearing that you'll always be alone. Yet, going out and being social probably isn't the best thing for you right now. Please also note the potential to become possessive is strong under this influence, but you must resist, lest you push away that which you are trying to hang onto. This is a short transit, lasting only a day and a half, but whatever you do during the time of the New Moon will come back around at the Full Moon. Mercury, the planet of communication, will move into your 5th House on January 9th. The 5th House is the House of love, children and creativity, and as such, creative writing or speaking projects may be part of the scenario during this transit. This is also a time of increased communication or travel with a romantic partner, with children, or with social groups. Under this influence, a vacation is apt to include a guided tour, or feature some other type of educational experience. Plans, discussions, and even business transactions at this time may involve entertainment projects, social events, children’s education or activities, or speculative ventures. Don't get too comfy with this placement, however, because Mercury turns retrograde by the end of the month, on January 29th. This is sure to cause all sorts of communications upsets in your love sector, so do take care, dear Libra, in all things relating to communication, including your speaking and body language, and email. Mercury retrograde lasts from January 29 to February 19, so it would be wise to have any legal documents or contracts signed well ahead of the retrograde, or wait until after the retrograde has passed. The Moon will be full on January 22nd, and anything you started back at the beginning of January has great potential to come to fruition now. The Full Moon occurs on the cusp of your 10th and 11th Houses - that is, the seeds sown in your home sector back during the New Moon now pay off in your House of career, reputation and social life, and your House of friendships and networking, hopes and wishes. Venus enters your 4th House on January 25th, and stays until February 17th. Entertaining at home and encouraging social gatherings within your family should be among the priorities on your agenda during this transit. This is a period that also favors redecorating or enhancing the physical appearance of your home; adding books, music, or art to improve the quality as well as the looks of your domestic environment. Your efforts should also include promoting or maintaining harmonious relationships between family members. Other concerns you encounter under this influence may involve real estate negotiations, legal matters connected with a family business, or the artistic endeavors of a parent. Pluto makes his debut in your 4th House on January 26th and will stay for five months, until June 14th. Pluto is the planet of change, so expect some big changes during the first half of this year, especially in your home life. Pluto's influence now will last over a period of many years. It carries much depth and power of transformation but because of the length of this period's duration, you will only witness evidence of it at certain times, usually during the months when it begins (starting this month), and at various times over the next several months when other circumstances and influences occur to trigger it. Much of what takes place will depend upon the appropriateness of your age, level of maturity, and past experiences. Naturally, the more you are aware of this powerful influence and its potential, the more you will understand and be able to use it to attain personal growth and other positive goals. The nature of this influence is an increased urge to seek ultimate control and a position of greater power in specific areas of your life. The target areas during this particular period include home, family, and concern with the past as well as the future. Circumstances may force you to make a complete break from the past, but not before it has been confronted and dealt with openly and honestly, including destructive childhood conditioning that may be undermining your present behaviour and attitudes. Under this influence it is unlikely that issues and events that have been buried will stay buried. Your personal status within the family is a likely focus of attention. If you feel your position is or has been one of weakness or vulnerability you will (or should) attempt to strengthen it. This process may mean that family ties are either broken, or, as a result of your current actions and discussions, they will ultimately become more powerful and close. For you, home must now be a place that reflects your personal influence and control, either literally or figuratively. Renovation and repair of home or real-estate property may be part of the way you deal with the past. Control of family property and resources may become an issue of intense interest. You will no doubt make a new start in life before this transit ends. No matter what the reasons are that force you to start over-- it will ultimately provide greater personal growth and power. Lastly, if you find yourself wondering why there's so many computer outages and glitches, and wondering if the world has hit an early Mercury retrograde, check it out: as of January 3, 2008, we've entered an eleven-year solar storm caused by erupting spots on the Sun. Giant blasts of solar energy will be bathing the Earth in its wake between 2008 and 2019, with peak activity in 2011 or 2012 according to noaa.gov's website. These solar blasts are so strong that they can take down entire power grids, not to mention your cell phone connectivity. The plus side to such an event is that the aurora will be absolutely beautiful for those living far enough north to see the Northern Lights. 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