Leo Horoscope for December 2009

The planets are acting like little gremlins. On one hand, you have Mars in Leo, making you courageous, energetic, and ready to conquer the world. You’ve been moving at the speed of light since mid-October, but now you must allow some of that power and light that you created to carry you forward into March on its own. Mars is about to settle down for a nap on December 20 until March 10. Any ventures started with Mars retrograde would lack power and punch, so have faith that by sitting back you won’t lose anything. Just the opposite: By slowing your pace and allowing time for feedback, you’ll actually perfect your plan.

Mercury will go retrograde this month in your sixth house of work projects from December 25 to January 16. This means you may have delays or re-dos in your work projects. Take it all in stride. Every human activity requires backtracking if it’s to become the best it can be.

The one sterling part of December is that it’s due to be outstandingly festive. This will help you relax and unwind, and considering the tensions you’ve been under in 2009, having fun will be good for you. The full moon will appear on December 2 and bring a reason for you to mix with a large number of friends and associates within five days of this date. It is alternatively possible that you’ll attend a party or function of many people, a few of whom you’ll know but many you won’t - such as if you attend a holiday concert or ballet. This moon will be in beautiful angle to Mars in Leo, so you’ll be energized by what you do, and it seems there’ll be a touch of luxury about it.

If you were born on August 2 or within five days of this date, you will especially love the energies of this full moon December 2.

On December 10, your ruling star - the Sun - will have a decisive meeting with Mars. This will be fantastic for you, for the Sun, your guardian star, will be in your fifth house of love and romance. Put a gold star on this day for just about any reason, but especially for social fun. Meet someone new, or have a wonderful night together looking at the city lights and pretty store windows as you pick up last minute gifts. This night could be remarkably romantic.

Your social life will move into a more sparkling phase once the new moon appears December 16 and in the two weeks to come. Venus will glide in fellow fire sign Sagittarius, a lovely influence, for Venus will fill your house of true love from December 1-24. How lucky are you to have this perfect influence for parties and fun?

There is a catch, however, in that the Sun and Uranus will be at hard angles, so you will have to watch your spending very carefully. Your sign is very generous, and this is holiday gift giving time - so you may go overboard. There’s no need to do that. Uranus is in your house of credit cards and loans, so you may feel impulsive but later regret spending as much as you did.

By the way, with Mercury going retrograde, you must be sure not to buy any electronic items after December 8. If you must, give a gift card, but it’s more fun if you choose the item in December’s first week, wrap it up, and hide it under the bed!

The weekend of December 19 - 20 should be your best. Venus will signal Jupiter in your house of commitment, so whether you are attached or single and newly dating, you’ll feel the spark that could bring you closer. The moon will be in Aquarius too, an air sign that will allow your fire element to burn even more brightly.

Are you single? You won’t be left out. Venus and Mars will be flirting up a storm on December 16, the perfect configuration you need to meet a fascinating new person.

Christmas Day, December 25, and the day before, Christmas Eve, December 24, will be wonderful for you, for the moon will be in Aries, another fire sign! You seem to have scooped up all the dazzling aspects and put them all in your pocket, dear Leo. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, these days are sure to please.

In your career, you’ll do really well on December 18 to 21, for Venus, the natural ruler of your house of professional honors, will meet with Jupiter on your behalf. A twosome collaborator, agent, or other middleman appears to be very instrumental in your success on these days. If you ARE the agent, then it would be the talent that you represent that comes through for you and makes you feel excited about life.

On December 21, Jupiter will align perfectly with Neptune for the last time in this decade. These two lovely planets have been meeting and parting all year, and it’s added a lovely pastel color to 2009. If you are an artist or actor, this day would be an outstanding day to present or audition, compose music, write, paint, design, illustrate, dance, or in any other way express your artistic side. It’s a jewel of a day, not to be repeated until 2022. Jupiter, the great planet of happiness and financial success, will reach out to Neptune, the planet of the most graceful, poetic inspiration.

What an inspiring configuration to have at holiday time! It may be the most loving gift the universe has to give. Jupiter and Neptune will meet in your seventh house of partnerships and collaborations, so if you have someone to work with you, all the better. If not, find an agent to bring your work to market. You have excellent financial prospects in 2010, so keep that in mind!

Keep in mind, however, that Mercury will be retrograde and spinning confusion as early as December 9, even though Mercury won’t retrograde until December 25. This means your most productive time will occur from December 1-9. If you need to sign a contact in the first week, you can do that, but if you need to sign later, delay your signing until late January. Better yet, wait until after Mars goes direct March 10. Important ventures need the high-octane energy of Mars. So by all means use the lovely creative energy of December 18-21 to present to clients, but just don’t become impulsive and sign people.

As exciting as your love life will be, you’d be wise to make New Year’s Eve private. The lunar eclipse will fall in your twelfth house, ruling institutions of all kinds, from hospitals to rehab centers. Someone you know may suddenly need you, or it may be that you decide to have a test or small operation done. If you do decide to go to parties that night, it would be best to have a professional driver pick you up after the party. If you prefer, you can stay in a hotel, bed and breakfast, or at a friend’s house in the city you will be visiting. Driving could become hazardous on a lunar eclipse, so make safety a priority.

At the very least, the total eclipse of the moon (full moon) on December 31 in Cancer will ask you to slow down and sequester yourself in a private little world of your making. You’ve been moving at the speed of light, but many of the planets will be running out of steam, so you would be wise to rest now, while you can. Once you get to March and the months that follow, you won’t have a moment to rest. You need rest, and the good part is that this eclipse will allow you to stop for a moment to recharge your batteries without suffering any consequences.

This same night could turn out to be quite emotional, as lunar eclipses bring endings. There will be always be finality to a lunar eclipse, so it’s a bit like walking over a bridge to a new land, but after you get to the other side, as you turn to look back, you see the bridge collapse. There’s no way back, and if you think about it, you will admit you wouldn’t want to go back.

On New Year’s Eve you may find out something that someone has tried to hide from you, and when you do find out, it may be completely by accident. The information could change everything you knew and everything you felt before. Be open to all the universe will reveal to you on December 31, for it will be only to protect you in the most loving way.

Summary

As December dawns, you’ll be in the mood for the coming holiday. Within five days of December 2, you will likely get an invitation to a four-star event. This party seems to promise lots of fun and if it falls over the weekend, December 5, the moon will be in Leo, making it better yet. Any festivity you go to in the first week will be elegant and stylish, filled with people you will like to get to know.

Mars, the action planet, is still in Leo, making you anxious and ready for change. You will need to cool your heels, though, because Mars will go retrograde from December 20 until March 10. At that time you’ll find that the approval process slows down and that progress becomes much more difficult. Rather than try to buck this trend, use the coming weeks to perfect your plan. Aim to launch your ideas after March 10, when your plans will have a far better chance for success.

Your social life will heat up to a sizzle in the weeks after the new moon appears on December 16. Planets encourage you to leave the office early and indulge in the pleasures of the season during December’s second half.

December 16 should be extra special for another reason, for on that day Venus and sexy Mars will combine energies in fire signs like yours - it’s a spectacular aspect for love, just made for you. December 20 has extra razzle-dazzle, too - Venus will waltz with Jupiter, so how could you fail? It’s a happy day for love AND career.

The year will end on a rather dramatic note. A lunar eclipse - a full moon - will arrive on December 31 and bring to the surface a secret that someone may have tried to keep from you. Alternatively, you may have interaction with medical personnel, so you may be called on to help a close female friend or family member in the hospital. Or, it’s possible you may have surgery or dental work done yourself, a good time because the holidays allow time for rest and recuperation. In any case, keep your schedule light.

Dear Leo, Happy New Year. You have many good things to look forward to in 2010.

Dates to note

Most romantic evenings: December 1-6, 10, 14-15, 16 (solid gold), 17-18, 20, 24, 25, and 29

Spectacular days to go to a party or give one: December 10, 14, and 16, each one outshining the previous one.

A party you attend on December 16 or 17 should be extra special. If you’re looking for love, love should find you!

Financially, guard against loss: December 14

Apply for a part time or full time job: December 20-21

Present a creative idea: December 16 and 18-21.

Travel may be difficult (especially if you’re making a short trip): December 24-25. Be sure your car is ready for all kinds of weather and contingencies.

Unknown facts surface, and mysteries are solved as a result of the lunar eclipse: December 31

A close female relative may be in the hospital and you’ll be needed to visit, or you may decide to use the quiet holiday time to get a procedure or surgery done so you can feel better in the New Year. Watch December 31 for this to possibly come up.

Leo Horoscope for November 2009

This will be a big month, for you’ll see more progress than you’ve seen in months. While you will have to sidestep a number of obstacles on the path to success, you will have what it takes to do so - don’t let one little doubt enter your mind.

The month starts off with a big career development at the full moon in Taurus on November 2 or within four days of this date. This full moon will floodlight your house of career reputation and reward, bringing to fullness a professional matter that has been bubbling up for some time. You may hear of a promotion or be awarded a prestigious new job, or you may be given enviable publicity.

The problem is that someone at home - in terms of a family member or a partner - will be less than thrilled and possibly even upset at the news that you have been given this new assignment. If you were to translate what is going on, this all means you’ll be spending more time at work and less with them. Gee, in this economy, you’d never imagine anyone would say this, but this month, with a grand fixed cross at this full moon, actually there is a very real possibility that this could happen. You may have to give some assurances to rally the doubter at home to your side, but doing so may pay dividends later.

Alternatively, you may be concerned about the welfare of a beloved parent, child, or other relative and wonder if you can continue to be helpful to that person now that you will be consumed with a new job at least initially. That question is one only you can answer, but this new development at work seems to bring with it the promise of more income. Considering how wildly your finances have gyrated lately, the extra money has to be a consideration, too.

To get the new job, you may have to fend off competitors, so be ready. With competitive Mars in your sign, does anyone seriously think they can get the better of you? That’s a laugh - go get your prize. Things should be settled quickly, within four days of November 2.

Whenever one has a full moon in the house of career, even though fairly friendly, there is always the possibility for something to go wrong. If you should be downsized or lose a client - and I am not saying it will happen - they will be doing you a favor. You are now in an extraordinary phase, for with Mars in Leo until June 7, you will be unstoppable. In fact, the only danger may be that you come on a little too assertive, so take things slow and easy, confident you can surmount any obstacle. Mars is giving you courage, energy, and determination - all necessary ingredients for success in any endeavor.

Looking at your chart, I still feel this full moon will be your moment to shine and that you will finally get the recognition you deserve. If the universe feels you are not in the kind of job that would ever permit that to happen, it will get you out of there to help you find a much better setting. You need a job that can show off your talents, dear Leo. Like a rare diamond, you need the right setting to show all of your brilliance to best advantage. It looks like you may have found that position in early November.

Mars will retrograde on December 20 and remain in that weak orbit until March 10. This means you are right to be making big decisions in November. New ventures undertaken with Mars in sleepy retrograde motion won’t have the high-octane fuel to properly lift them off, so the venture may not fly as high as it might otherwise, assuming it flies at all. If you are thinking of offering a new product or service to the market, do so in early November when all eyes will be on you. Publicity and advertising campaigns should go well, too.

A partner, agent, headhunter, or other expert may become quite helpful in your quest for career recognition, for Neptune, now traveling arm-in-arm with Jupiter in your house of collaborations and serious commitments, will move direct orbit on November 4. This will be the first time you’ve had this kind of help from Neptune since the end of May. If you feel your career has stalled or derailed because your expert, agent, or partner has not been working effectively for you, you may be right. Hang on, though, for after November 4 things will change for the better.

Neptune’s stronger orbit will also help you on a personal level, too. If you have been thinking of getting engaged or married this year but have hesitated, now you may feel ready to do so soon, either for the winter holidays or Valentine’s Day weekend. I actually love the idea of your getting engaged or married while Jupiter remains in your seventh house, until January 17. You are in the best year in over a decade to be thinking of marriage or for making another kind of serious commitment to your partner.

As I mentioned earlier, money difficulties seems to have posed quite a challenge, especially in March and September, but this month, with so many positive aspects from Mercury, you should find the picture brightening. Watch November 11, 13, 26, 27, and 29 for good financial news, for Mercury will be a virtual chatterbox with the other planets, meeting and greeting many on your behalf.

Also, mark the weekend of November 14-15 for surprisingly good financial news, too. While the dates I just mentioned will be good for news about your earned income, a different source of money is more likely over the weekend of November 14-15. You may win a small prize, for example, or receive a check you never expected.

Actually so strong is the weekend of November 14-15 that happy news could include many areas beyond money. I say this because the Sun is your ruler, and with Uranus sending a golden beam, you should have all sorts of happy surprises this weekend.

Your home will become a far bigger focus at mid-month, at the new moon November 16 plus two weeks. The second half of November will mark your very best time of the year to think about ways to make your home life more cozy and inviting. You will only get one new moon a year in your house of home, and this is it! Fortunately, it’s a very positive one.

If you have to find a new apartment, sell a house, paint the living room, make repairs, clean out closets - you name it - you can do so now. You seem filled with ideas on how to make your home more stylish, for Venus will travel through this part of your chart too, from November 7 to December 2, a perfect time to make decorating, design, or architectural decisions. Not only can you make your physical home more reflective of the true “you,” but you can also help make your relationships at home go much better. Venus really does have the power to make everything go silky smooth.

Not only are roommates and your immediate family ruled by the fourth house, but your parents are, too. If you’ve been worried about your mother or father, you will likely get a shot of good news. If you need to do research to help one of your parents, start your investigation after November 16.

Mercury will go retrograde next month, from December 26 to January 16, so you would be wise to shop for furniture and electronics now - not next month. Although you may assume that you will have until December 26, that’s not true - due to a certain mathematical phase Mercury will enter into earlier, it would not be wise to shop after December 10. The hectic, haywire effects of this planet are always felt before it actually sleeps. The types of purchases and decisions you may be making this month are simply too important to make at a bad Mercury phase. Besides, you will have the new moon to help you get lots done at home, but you won’t have this help next month.

You might as well get the bulk of your holiday shopping done now, too. With Mercury retrograde on December 26, lots of presents will be returned between December 26 and January 15. I know there will be sales during that time, but a bargain is not a bargain if the merchandise is not what you want or if it’s damaged. I suggest you avoid those sales, especially if the item has moving parts (like a car, watch, or computer) or if the item itself is expensive. If you hope to thrill your friends and family with the gifts you choose, you will have to start early.

Although the start of the month will bring big news about your career, you won’t be quite done with news. November 24 and 25 could bring a surprisingly upbeat, sudden career breakthrough, too. Those days are the days leading to the American holiday, Thanksgiving, but the universe doesn’t know that we have four days off. Don’t assume that nothing special could possibly happen in your career as the world slows down for Turkey Day. Of course, if you live outside the USA, you will be open to anything that might occur, but I want you to know that holiday or no holiday, good news can always happen!

Romantically, December will be your stronger month but you will notice things starting to become lighter, happier, and more relaxed once the Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 21. After that your socializing will start to sizzle. As you get closer to the full moon, December 2 in Gemini, you may have a sensational holiday event to attend within four days of this date - possibly as soon as November 28 or 29.

Leo is one sign that loves to make a grand entrance, and with Mars in your sign all month, you’ll be able to do it with style. Go show the best of them how it’s done, dear Leo.

Romance will be best on November 2, 9, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, and 27.

Summary

With energetic Mars now in your sign, you’re at the head of the class. It’s the perfect time to take control and run with major ideas. November will be a strong month, but with Mars and Mercury about to retrograde in December, you will be more productive now, in November, than you could possibly be then. Make this month count. If you work in a team situation, you’ll find the group will rally around your ideas. Even if you found much of 2009 trying (very possible), you will see a turnaround now. Give your dearest projects all you’ve got to give, but do it with a delicate touch. You may not even realize that you may come off a little strong - you’ll be so enthusiastic you won’t even notice!

Your career should bring headline news on the full moon November 2, plus or minus four days. If you’ve been interviewing for a new job, you may hear back on the answer in November’s first week. If you want the job, you’ll have to fight for it, for it appears a number of other candidates will want it, too. Not to worry - you are a lion, and when the lion wants something, he gets it!! If you have offered your boss a new idea lately, you’ll get word back about it that too, but again, expect to have to argue your points. You can win - just be sure to show passion and enthusiasm!

Your attention will switch to your home once the new moon arrives November 16. If you need furniture, an appliance, or electronic item, get it now before Mercury turns retrograde next month. (Gifts bought this month will have a far better chance of pleasing your recipients than they will if bought in December.) With pretty-me-up Venus in your house of home, you can find many ways to make home more inviting for the coming winter. If you are house or condo hunting, you may find a charming space. Keep hunting!

Romantically, with Mars in Leo, you will instantly become more noticeable and attractive. You are likely to be fussed over, and you’ll need to get used to a new level of popularity. If single, you’ll be all set, but even attached Leos will find that their partners are more attentive and responsive, always a good thing!

There’s more! Neptune, the planet that rules your seventh house of marriage, has been lolling in retrograde since May 29. Now Neptune will wake up on November 4, so if you’ve hoped for a proposal that hasn’t come, be patient - it should happen soon. If you are already married, you can use a more energetic Neptune to form a key business partnership.

Dates to Note:

The full moon will bring news about your career - it’s sure to be a major professional moment of the year.

Neptune’s turn to direct on November 4 will speed your plans to couple up with a significant other in weeks ahead if you are serious about one another.

Home is likely to be a big focus this month, especially just after the new moon, November 16.

Venus will tour your home sector all month - you can make lots of progress making things prettier.

Financial news should be excellent November 10, 13, 14, and 25.

Avoid all financial decisions on November 30.

Romance will be best on November 2, 9, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, and 27.

Leo Forecast for October 2009

What a relief. September is over, a very difficult month that may have given you a few scary moments in various parts of your life, and may have included a major financial consideration. No matter what happened - or didn’t happen - last month, October will be a vast improvement. You deserve an easier life, dear Leo, and happily, it is on the way. You will see some major shifts in October, and all of them will bring events in the right direction. Let’s get started looking at all the goodies that are due you!

You might be traveling in the first week of October. In fact, by the full moon October 4, you may be going to - or returning from - a long distance trip. This trip would have a touch of luxury about it, which always pleases a Leo. Jupiter will be in fine angle to the Sun and full moon, which suggests that you may get some exceptional help from your romantic partner, or your lawyer, broker, agent, expert, or other middleman at this time. It looks like this trip would be taken for fun, but even if you have to go for work, it would feel like pure pleasure! Allow a plus or minus of four days from this full moon as its area of influence. Not only is travel likely to be beneficial for you at this time, but you will also see an international project shape up. If you are in college, or hope to attend college or graduate school in the fall, you may have an exam or interview at this time, with good results.

You may also get good financial news on or very close to October 4 too, as Mars will be beautifully angled to Uranus, planet of surprise, in your house of “other people’s money” (eighth house). This is money you would not earn as salary, but rather money you might make as a finder’s fee, bonus, or get in the form of financial aid. Or, it may be money you get from selling or as a cash gift from someone who loves you, as some examples. As you see, the money would come in from the back door, not through the usual means.

If you were born on August 3, plus or minus five days, you will benefit most from the full moon of October 4.

Your favorite days of the month will be October 9 and 10, when Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, will visit with the Sun on your behalf. Again, a partner or middleman will contribute to your luck over these days. The Sun is your ruler, so these days really are special for you.

The rhythm of your life will pick up noticeably once you get to October 16, for that’s the date Mars will enter Leo. This is an enormously important moment, for Mars is the planet of courage, drive, action, and determination. You’ve not had Mars in your sign for two years, and its arrival in Leo signifies that you are poised to begin a brand new fresh cycle.

Mars usually only visits a sign for seven weeks - after all, he has to give the other signs a turn at his energy - but lucky you, you will have Mars all to yourself for eight months, until June 7, 2010. Mars will give you rare favor, starting this month, so get your ducks in a row and be ready to launch your dearest projects from October 16 onward. Be careful not to launch your project before that date, however - you do need to wait until mid-month. Happily, Mercury will no longer be retrograde in October (as it had been throughout September), so you have a clear road ahead. Be confident! Very soon you will have a large advantage over the competition.

Mars will be moving at an increasingly slower speed as it reaches December 20, the date Mars will go retrograde until March 10. That means October will bring you a stronger Mars than you will have in November. In each successive week, Mars will run a bit slower and slower, until December 20. No matter - don’t let this stop you. Just realize you may need a little patience while the world catches up to your ideas. You still are the leader of the parade, and you will have the kind of control you’ve not had in months.

Know you will encounter delays at holiday time and in January. February will be a bright, strong month for other reasons, and from March 10 to June 7, 2010, you will enter your very best time ever to push hard on your dearest endeavors and plans. If you have a huge project of enormous importance, you must aim for that period to initiate it.

Now we come to the new moon of October 18 that will again emphasize the travel theme that was prevalent earlier in the month at the full moon, October 4. This time, however, you will begin to travel closer to home. You appear to be traveling for business in the second half of October, and if so, that’s good, for you will find it easy to meet your goals. It is possible that you will go to a distant city but fan out from there to nearby cities, or you may simply need to travel by car to outlying cities near you.

You may also be launching a new communications project - a website, blog, advertising or publicity campaign, a telecommunications application or digital game, a new radio show, or starting a book project. There are lots of possibilities, but you get the ideas. If you hope to break into TV broadcasting, want to show a screenplay to an influential person, or hope to write a magazine column each month, as a few examples, send your query letter just after the new moon, October 18. This new moon will fall in Libra, so if you are collaborating on a project with another writer, for example, or have an agent who represents you, you will be quite a dynamite team this month. (Get your agent on the phone and let him know to make those phone calls soon, after October 18!)

If you are an actor, you may do well with documentaries, biographies, or another project that is based on factual information. Audition like mad after October 18, and include voice-over tryouts, too.

If you were born on August 17 plus or minus four days, you will see the effects of this new moon most strikingly in your own life.

No matter when you were born, you will likely find October 20 a sterling day, when incoming news should make you very happy. Again, the work of a partner, agent, expert, or other middleman seems to pay off.

You will come across as powerful and in control in any meeting you have on October 23, when the Sun and Pluto are so beautifully angled to one another. Because the Sun, your ruler, is involved, you will have a special advantage. (If your birthday falls in July, this will be even truer.)

One of your best career days of the month will take place on October 28 when Venus and Jupiter will work together to bring you a wonderful career victory. If you need a day to interview or discuss a new deal, this will be your four-star day! I know I sound like a broken record, but AGAIN a partner, agent, or middleman will be instrumental in your luck.

There is more good news! Saturn has been a big part of the problem in your chart because it gave you many financial woes since it entered your second house of income in September 2007. Saturn constricts and shrinks all that it touches, so you may have found it very hard to get a raise. If you tried to change jobs, you found new employers unusually tightfisted, and you may have even had to take a salary cut. It seemed hopeless, but all that is about to be over!

Saturn will move into an easier place for you to host Saturn, Libra, an air sign that blends well with your fire sign element. In fact, air signs make you burn all the more brightly. For once you will have Saturn helping you, not working at cross purposes to you. Saturn will leave on October 29, your day of liberation. It is true that Saturn will come back for a brief, 14-week period from April 7 to July 21, but once that phase is over you will be done with him for the coming nearly three decades. Your financial picture is becoming stronger and brighter by the minute.

Romantically and in business, you will start to see just how brilliant partnerships and collaborations of all kinds are starting to be for you. Jupiter is now in your seventh house of partners, but has been retrograde since June 16. On October 13, Jupiter will come alive again and start moving ahead, ending that frustrating period of delays. If, say, in your romantic life, you had put on hold the idea of getting engaged, or in your business life you’ve been frustrated because your agent or business partner hasn’t been able to deliver the goods, you may now feel much more confident about the future. You’ll see a big difference from now on.

With Venus moving through your third house in Libra from October 14 onward, a short trip taken with your sweetheart would help you cement your relationship. Actually travel will be so closely associated with romance that you might meet someone while in a nearby city, or on a public conveyance, such as a train or airplane. Remember, from October 16 on, you will have Mars, the sex appeal planet, in your sign, too. Need I say more? You’ve got it made!

Halloween should be a standout. The moon will be in daring, adventuresome Aries, so if you are invited to a party, go! Leo is a highly creative sign, so make a costume that’s really original. Not invited to a party? Consider giving one! Halloween will fall close to the full moon, November 2, in your house of home, so assuming you are not moving (you might be), give it there, not at a club or restaurant.

Would be fun!

Romance will be best October 4-5, 7-8, 12, 16-18, 20-21, 27, and 30-31.

Summary

You are coming into your own, dear Leo. Mars, the action planet, is about to enter Leo for the first time in two years. Each of us gets a turn at Mars for six weeks as Mars circles the Sun, but this visit of Mars to your sign will be very different from previous ones. This time Mars will remain in your sign nearly eight months, from October 29, 2009 until June 7, 2010.

Your Mars in Leo period will be the perfect time for you to launch a new endeavor on almost any front. Mars will make you courageous, energetic, and very determined to overcome obstacles. You will have impressive staying power and an aura of confidence and authority - all the right ingredients for success. Astrologic wisdom says that any endeavor or relationship started when Mars is in one’s own sign is likely to succeed. This may prove to be an exhausting time, however, so pace yourself and schedule frequent breaks. Others may become a bit intimidated by your confidence, so be sure to be diplomatic and caring as you go along.

Something else of enormous importance is happening this month, and that will be the move of Saturn out of Virgo on October 29 for the first time in two years. Since September 2007, Saturn has caused you a number of financial hardships as it tested your mettle and asked you to make difficult financial choices. You may have had to make do with less. March was a difficult month, and chances are, September was, too. Those dark days are practically over. While it is true that Saturn will move into your income house again from April 7 to July 21, 2010, for a brief appearance, after that, Saturn will be gone from this sector for years to come, until 2036. You’ve learned a lot from Saturn in these past two years concerning how to manage money and how to get more from what you have, and now you can put those lessons to good use.

Finally, travel seems very likely and could add just the right touch of lightness to this bright month. You may be coming back from a long trip at the full moon October 4, and later, just after the new moon October 18, you may take off on a shorter trip, one that’s still fun. The trip in the first week seems to be a personal vacation, and later, the trip appears to be done for work, but both will fulfill your purpose, so you’ll be glad you took to the road. In all, better days are head, dear Leo. Believe it!

Dates to Note for Leo:

Romance will be best October 4-5, 7-8, 12, 16-18, 20-21, 27, and 30-31.

Travel may occur at the full moon, October 4, plus or minus four days.

More travel may come up after the new moon October 18, and it may be work-related.

Financial news should be sudden and excellent October 4, due to Mars trine Uranus, and October 20, thanks to Venus trine Jupiter.

Your luckiest day of the month will be October 9, runner up, October 10, and also October 24, for any matter. You’ll feel the power.

When Saturn leaves your second house of earned income, your financial picture will improve immediately. It will be easier for you to get paid what you are worth, and to see raises: after October 29.

Learning to communicate in a new and very effective way will be your new challenge, thanks to Saturn in Libra. You’ll excel at this.

Halloween should be enormous fun because the moon will be in fellow fire sign Aries. Put your Leo creativity to good use: October 31.

Leo Forecast for September 2009

Mars is now in your twelfth house, indicating you are dealing with at least one situation from your past that will need to be addressed and finalized soon if you are ever to feel free and unfettered. The problem appears to be financial, and by the upcoming clashing of planets in September, it appears you will no longer be able to put things off. Good. The sooner you take this situation seriously and work toward finding a resourceful solution, the better.

When Mars enters Leo in the middle of October, you will begin an important new personal cycle, so aim to have things settled by then. With Mars behind you, you’ll have a rare opportunity to announce a bold new life plan, confident that finally the universe will support you in nearly every way. For now, however, financial considerations will require a number of tough decisions. You may even need to cut your losses and throw in the towel rather than continue to throw good money after bad.

There are any numbers of situations that may apply to you. You may have been waiting patiently for a business deal to become profitable or for someone to repay a loan. You may be hoping for a raise or waiting on an appeal to an insurance company. Whatever it is, it seems to have kept you on edge.

None of September’s turbulence will be obvious as you begin the month. In fact, everything will seem fairly calm and commonplace. The full moon September 4 in Pisces will fall in your eighth house, ruling credit, loans and taxes, inheritance, insurance, investor relations, venture capital, and so forth. It appears you may get a chunk of cash at this time or you may write a large check to settle a bill.

Your eighth house, to be activated by the full moon of September 4, is also associated with surgery, both medical and dental. If you need to have a procedure done, you may either finalize plans or actually have your surgery within four days of this full moon. A full moon brings things to a crest, so if you are having a medical concern (and only if you are), this should mark the end of it, at least for now. The accent on money I see in your chart at the full moon could be funds you’ll receive from an insurance company if you are insured.

The really strong, positive angle that Mars will make to the full moon on September 4 tells me that your doctor or dentist will likely understand your condition and choose the right treatment for you. If you’ve done your research and feel good about your medical practitioner, go into this procedure feeling confident that you are in good hands. It’s always wise to have a well-positioned Mars when having surgery, as you do now, for Mars rules sharp instruments. In this case the surgeon’s tools will help you, not hurt you. Of course, I cannot give you a guarantee because I cannot see everything in your chart - but from what I CAN see, things look really positive for you to have that procedure.

Let’s get back to the subject of money, which again will come up once you get to the week of September 14. This is the week I spoke about last month when I said in my headline in the PS, “Buckle up for a rough ride in September.” Everyone of every sign will feel the fallout from a series of very difficult aspects that will be coming at us from September 15 to 23.

The first salvo to go off will happen on September 15, when Saturn and Uranus will have their monumental opposition. This aspect, which only comes by once every 40 years, is an aspect that will ask you to study your present financial situation and make adjustments. Uranus, the planet of change, will be challenging Saturn, the planet of the status quo, and since Uranus is the slower moving planet, he has the right of way and will dominate.

You first saw this aspect in action on November 4, then on February 5, and now on September 15. When big planets meet toe-to-toe like this, it often takes weeks to feel their messages. Next year, Saturn will oppose Uranus again on April 26 and July 26, 2010. After that, these two planets will tip their hats to one another, say adieu, and then go their separate ways. They will not meet again in opposition until 2056. With both heavy-duty planets in financial houses, and at harsh angles, you are being urged to be very realistic and practical when it comes to how you handle all money matters.

The next day you need to watch will be September 17, the epicenter of the earthquake, so to speak. Not only will Uranus (unexpected developments) conjoin the Sun, but also Saturn will oppose the Sun, all on the very same day. I can’t ever remember this happening on one day.

The result is that September 17 will bring financial news that is at once jarring and depressing. Your focus will be money, but this time your own income, not loans or credit, will be your focus. Something is sure to shock you within four days of this date, but it will be hard to prepare. When Uranus is involved, weird things come out of left field that you would never expect to occur. Of course, I suppose it might be something good, like, you win the lottery, and then invest it all (thanks to Saturn’s influence) so that you will have the money for your old age. It’s possible, but not very likely. I think what’s coming will be emotionally trying.

It seems more likely that someone you trust with your finances, or a person with whom you earn or share money, has led you to believe that everything is fine just to keep you in the dark. Now, however, the truth will come out, and when it breaks you may be quite shocked.

It will be as if you were sitting in a lovely, romantic setting, perhaps a pretty cocktail lounge in a beautiful hotel. Suddenly someone switched on all the bright, greenish fluorescent lights in the room - the kind they use to light up evening baseball games - making the glare to your eyes quite painful. You will see every detail and every flaw in the financials you are looking at. Planets in Virgo will ask you to study all the details you see, down to the tiniest pennies. You may be poring over a number of financial records this month.

If you run into a tight spot financially, there won’t be much room for negotiation. You will need a Plan B to respond to what you hear.

The following day, September 18, Saturn and Uranus will go gunning for the gentle new moon in Virgo, appearing in your earned income house. This time Saturn and Uranus will attack the moon, making things more emotional, even though it’s a new moon, which is known to be more rational, objective, and analytical than a full moon. The moon rules the domestic condition, so you may see sudden changes there.

At this new moon, Pluto will be in hard angle to Mercury, so there may be changes in your work schedule or in regard to a job. Pluto sometimes gives problems with the government, so be sure to make the taxman happy in any way you can - they will work with you if you need a payment plan.

If you are self-employed and feel a certain client may be unstable, do your best to find new clients beginning at the very start of the month, or ask that present client to give you a hefty advance to protect your interests. Protect your health too, as you may have to turn away work that you need if you get a bad cold or flu.

In the days to follow this new moon, September 18, if someone has made decisions that adversely affect your financial wellbeing or that work to threaten your security, this would be when you will find out. All new moons open a new path, but this one is quirky. You may have quite a bit of news hurled at you in the days surrounding September 18 - with so much unexpected information coming at you, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to craft a Plan B quickly.

There are reasons that stating a major new plan would not be advisable this month. Mercury will be retrograde throughout the whole month of September, making information unclear and unreliable. Technically Mercury will be out of phase from September 7 to 29, but we always feel the effects of this planet in retrograde sooner and a little after it goes direct. I suggest you leave a space of a few days near start and end of the Mercury retrograde dates.

Mercury will be retrograde in your financial second house, causing possible errors on statements (yours, the bank’s, and your clients’). Checks may be delayed. Do not buy anything expensive this month - and certainly not any electronic items or appliances - for when Mercury retrogrades, we are never satisfied with the purchase later. Mercury rules moving parts, transportation, shipping, and commerce. I suggest you not buy expensive jewelry or furniture either. You may discover your item to be faulty in some way, or it will arrive damaged. Or, you may like the new features of a product that comes out later, when it’s too late to return the first one.

Our judgment is off during Mercury retrograde periods, simply because the very fact that Mercury is out of phase means the landscape and environment you are working in is rapidly changing. Mercury is called “quicksilver” for a reason - as an element it responds rapidly to its environment. It will be hard to know precisely what has changed while the changes are happening, so wait until after the dust settles.

During Mercury retrograde we become forgetful too, so be sure to collect all your things before you leave a public conveyance like a taxi or train. You may want to tape your business card to the back of your smart phone and to the bottom of your laptop so that if you lose your favorite electronic, the kind person who later finds it can easily return it to you.

Also on September 18-19, Mars will directly oppose the position of the July 7 eclipse, bringing up discussions and sudden news related to a work project, client, or a health issue. This is very, very important, so you must watch those dates carefully.

Speaking of health, this month’s stresses from September 15 to 23 will be draining for everyone. You are ruled by the Sun, so with Saturn conjoining the Sun and Uranus opposing it, you have to be extra careful to protect your health. Watch in particular your digestive system, circulatory system and heart, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, hemoglobin levels, and also (and I realize this may sound odd), the condition of your feet. You are likely to be fine, but when stress levels elevate, more is demanded of your constitution. It’s always a good idea to take better care of yourself during these periods.

The last difficult aspect of the month will arrive on September 23, when Mercury will oppose Uranus. Again you will need to brace for adverse financial news, perhaps in regard to money you anticipated getting from a client, investor, and banker, or having to do with an inheritance.

Alternatively, sudden or unexpected news may emanate from a financial aid office or mortgage broker, or be related to a commission, licensing fee, or other earnings. If you are discussing the division of property in a divorce and the talks have been difficult, they will become much more so from September 15 to 23.

The bright spot in your life is that Jupiter is standing in your seventh house, and is ready to defend you in every way. If you have a lawyer to represent you, it appears your lawyer is a substantial and distinguished professional who will put your interests first. Your lawyer is ruled by the seventh house, where Jupiter is based. Middlemen and experts of all kinds will be worth their weight in gold.

Although the person who gives you grief this month may be your spouse, it is not at all clear. It could easily be a business partner, client, boss, or someone you are dealing with in a financial institution or government who is the thorn in your side. In that case, if you are happily attached, Jupiter’s position points to help from your partner. Your spouse or business partner may have a really good idea, or even a check to help you cover the financial things that come up.

Thankfully, Venus will visit Leo from the beginning of the month until September 22 and favor you in so many ways. Venus is associated with financial prosperity, along with matters related to fun, love, and romance. Using charm will get you very far, dear Leo. Don’t underestimate the winning power of your smile.

In your overall life, you’ll soon see that others will want to help you, so consider that possibility and don’t be afraid to speak up. When Venus moves into Virgo on September 22, it will begin to help your finances in a more powerful way because Virgo is the “landlord” of your house of earned income.

Romantically, the first three weeks of September will be your best. Venus in Leo will be a wonderful protection, and despite problems that will be stirring up, you seem to be able to rise above them.

Sometimes when a financial problem arises, a close relationship suffers, especially if you are married or live together. Yet your chart seems to hint at the fact that your partner is more likely to form part of the solution than the problem, so try not to let tensions hurt a great relationship. I am not sure who this person is, but clearly there is someone close who cares a great deal about you.

Summary

Financial news that comes up on the full moon, September 4, will represent an ending, but it seems to be an upbeat moment. You may be ready to finalize a divorce after weeks of talks, or find out that your insurance company is going to give you the right payout after all. You may receive a commission check, or you may pay a big bill, as two examples. If you have a court case pending that concerns money, you are likely to hear the result within three days of this date. Final decisions are made at full moons.

At this juncture, the full moon September 4 seems fine. With Mars in good angle to that moon, you may be saying to yourself, “So far, so good.”

Yet this will not be an easy month for money matters. September 15 to 18 and 23 could bring you sudden information that could make you feel emotionally drained, or very angry. Separations of all kinds will be in the air and splits over money may happen spontaneously.

Don’t inject yourself into other’s financial talks if you’re not invited to join, for if you do, you may find yourself in quicksand and you could unintentionally make matters worse. Use your energy productively and also don’t spend too much time wondering how this situation arose in the first place - you’ll have time for that later. The events of this month will require that you stay on your toes, get as much information as you can, and start to sort things out so that you can make a plan in early October about what to do about what you learn.

After the new moon September 18, if you owe money you will need to draw up a realistic plan to deal with that obligation. If you are a lender, you will have to face reality and stop believing that a certain struggling client will find the money he owes you. You may be able to make a compromise or extended payment options.

Leos who keep a pragmatic attitude - rather than panic - will do best in this most difficult month for monetary matters. The plan you develop this month, although possibly painful to enact, will work beautifully and put you on stronger footing. Actually, the process toward financial security may turn out to be easier than you think. There will be a happy ending if you have the courage to do what is necessary. Assigning blame would be unproductive. You may find yourself in a situation that was not of your making, but spending time thinking about how unfairly you’ve been treated will only slow you down. October will be a good strong month, and so will November, so think about how best to use them.

Romantically, Venus in Leo all month will help you find small pleasures in unexpected places. Overall, you will find your popularity is high.

Mercury will be retrograde from September 7 to 29, so September will not be the right time to launch new endeavors. For that, wait until October. (You can announce a new financial plan for personal saving and spending, for example, because your plan will likely correct any past mistakes, but accepting a new career position will not bring the results you anticipate.)

On the flip side, with Mercury retrograde, there’s a good chance that you will hear from friends and casual contacts from your past. Doing so will make you very happy and you’ll want to catch up. In fact, you may even get a career tip from an old friend this month - one that nets you a nice wad of cash.

View this month as one where you have to reset your course to avoid or shore yourself up against any future cosmic storms. You can enjoy greater financial stability and it all will start with the decisions you make now.

Pluto will move direct on September 11 after having been retrograde since April 4. You should see an immediate improvement to your health and fitness in the days surrounding this date. Still, when it comes to health, protect your feet, ankles, and toes on your toughest day for health, September 17. Watch where you are going!

When it comes to love and romance, you might feel the fallout from clashing planets in this area too, and if you argue, it’s likely to be about money. In this hot month, treat talks gently and with diplomacy, lest you set off a meltdown, especially near September 15 to 23.

On the TV news, the days spanning September 17 to 23 will be very eventful and even shocking. If you are a news director, plan to have all hands on deck to cover what comes up. Also, Mother Nature is apt to act up in the most extreme way somewhere, whether through an earthquake, violent hurricane, mud slide, or tsunamis. Indeed, weather forecasters may need to stay very alert as something seems to be coming up.

If you have long harbored doubts about your financial compatibility with the person with whom you are romantically involved, this may be the month to face facts and go your separate ways. I realize this is an extreme statement, so only you would know if it applies to you. Of course, the power of love is a mighty one, so if you feel you can work things out, it’s worth a try, of course. As said at the start, you are moving into a very improved period for financials in October, and things will improve even more by early 2010.

Dear Leo, let go of any parts of your past that may be holding you back. It doesn’t matter if your difficulties this month were self-inflicted or brought on by others - you will now have the opportunity to set things right. You are steering the ship in the right direction. Have faith that you can survive and even flourish under these circumstances. You will be given truth now, and what you decide to do about it will be up to you.

Dates to note

Romance will be best this month: September 2, 5, 10, and 11.

Venus in Leo will be a protection to you: September 1 to 20.

If you need medical or dental surgery, it may come up at the full moon, September 4.

Protect your health closely near September 15 to 23. Keep an eye on your digestive system, heart, circulatory system, blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels.

Health and fitness should get a big boost in a noticeable way after Pluto turns direct, September 11. Watch the days that surround this date.

On September 15, protect your feet, toes and ankles. Don’t wear very high heels near this date, plus or minus four days.

At the full moon on September 4, plus or minus five days, you will have an opportunity to close the chapter on a financial situation. You may send a hefty check, or receive one, or both.

From September 18 onward, you can set forth a new realistic plan for earning money, as well as for spending and saving. Old formulas have not worked. Try a new approach.

Mercury will be retrograde from September 7 to 29, so lock up your credit cards and refuse to spend money. You’ll not enjoy your purchases if you shop in September anyway. Instead, shop your closet, and make room for things you will buy in October and November.

Leo Horoscope for August 2009 My Birthday!

This year has been a crazy rollercoaster year when one moment things looked quite wonderful, and the next moment, quite dreadful - a point that may have made you contemplate the idea of disappearing into thin air. That was probably followed by a positive development, only to be followed by an event that was spiraling down again. So it went up and down and up again. It’s enough to make you lose your mind.

Happily, August will be a solid, productive month, but you will need to act quickly before the cosmic storms come to blow in September. September will demand a practical approach and more than a few adjustments, but once made - you guessed it - October will find you on the way up again!

Mercury will be retrograde the whole month of September, a configuration that will cause one delay and frustration after another. Nothing you do will stick in September and you will feel as though you are walking through glue. If Mercury were the only problem with September, the month would be fairly easy to navigate, but that won’t be the case at all. Next month Saturn will argue with Uranus and both planets will give the mighty Sun and gracious new moon a very hard time from September 14-23, with September 17 being the worst day.

By the time September is done, your outlook for the balance of the year will actually be quite bright, but, alas, you’ll have to make it through September. The whole month will be challenging from start to finish, with Mercury creating an environment of smoke and mirrors. Knowing this, you will need to clear the decks in August. Do not schedule any vital meetings from September 14-23. I am trying to tell you now so you have time to get ready.

Now that you know what’s due next month, let’s turn our attention back to August. After all, this is your birthday month, and I know you will be eager to celebrate. This month will be a big one because there’ll be another eclipse, this time in Aquarius. Last month brought two eclipses, July 7 and 21, and it is unusual to see three eclipses in a row. Let’s see what’s in store for you.

A major eclipse will arrive on August 5 in the form of a full moon, and this one should affect you more than the other two that occurred in July. This eclipse will be related to other eclipses in the Leo-Aquarius family that came by this year on January 26 and February 9, 2009, and to those that arrived last year, on August 1 and 16 of 2008.

This one, arriving August 5, will be a lunar eclipse, a full moon, in your house of partnership and marriage. Eclipses stir up our emotions, but they also bring truth to light, often quite suddenly. The outcome of what you learn will be up to you, but there is indication that there will be a surprise or two to give this full moon a twist.

Uranus, the planet ruling Aquarius, and therefore ruling the eclipse AND your house of committed relationships, is currently retrograde. This suggests you will need to look back to an earlier problem and find a solution. Alternatively, you may need to compare what you learn now to what you assumed to be true when the relationship started, and then reconcile the two.

If you feel this alliance has future potential, you will want to talk things over to find a solution. This, being an eclipse, suggests that the process won’t necessarily be easy, but still possible. Uranus is not due to go direct until December 1, so it could take that long to unravel the issue at hand. Still, there’s nothing that says anything will come up. If you have a strong relationship, you will know it, and it would be the right time to bring it to the next level.

If you have been very unhappy in a relationship but not sure what to do, things may get a bit worse now, but enough to show you the path out. If things are beyond repair, this eclipse could mark the end of the relationship. If anyone walks out, it will be the woman in the equation - this is an eclipse of the moon, and moon is female, so she will be the one to “eclipse” out of the alliance. (Of course, in a relationship between two women, it would be unclear which one would leave.) This need not be a romantic relationship but rather could be a business one.

At the time of the eclipse, Mars will be beautifully angled, showing that friends will be an amazing source of strength and comfort to you. Groups and clubs will also be a very positive influence - let that be a clue to you, and see how it fits.

Still, I feel this full moon eclipse could prove to be very positive for you, for Jupiter is in the same house of close committed relationships and marriage, protecting it. I wish Jupiter were closer - he will be at 23 degrees Aquarius, and the eclipse will be at 14 degrees Aquarius - a little far away but still “in the vicinity.” I always give big planets leeway of 10 degrees. While other astrologers may disagree, my research shows that plus or minus 10 degrees is the right amount of tolerance.

If your birthday falls on August 5, or within five days of this date, you will feel this eclipse more powerfully than other Leos. This year will be one that you see a culmination to an important chapter of your life. Even if your relationship is strong, it’s possible a woman who is prominent in your life will leave. This could be just about anyone, perhaps a friend or relative or a female boss.

Eclipses are a kind of acid test. Their job is to evolve us to a new level, and to give us missing pieces of information to a puzzle (even if you didn’t think you had a “puzzling” situation before the eclipse came - the eclipse will decide that!) Everything will become clearer afterward. For that reason, so much depends on how things have been going all along.

If your relationship is strong and pure, this eclipse will only underscore its strength. You may get engaged or married, or make plans for the future together. In a business sense, you may make plans to sign papers. I prefer to sign papers after an eclipse is over. Try to leave a few days space in between the date of the eclipse and the date of the signing.

In your case, when it comes to signing papers, I would suggest you do so on the very best day, August 12 or 13, when Mars, the planet of action, now based in your house of hopes and wishes, will send a beautiful, shimmering beam to Jupiter, the planet of happiness, now based in your house of partnerships.

Whatever you do, do not sign any papers on August 10, 17, 18, or 21. Keep a few days clear around these belligerent days when Mercury, Mars, and Uranus will be in very bad shape.

The new moon this month will fall in Leo at 28 degrees on August 20, so that’s your big day to make announcements. If the full moon on August 5 was a time to listen, this one will give you your turn to speak. While the other eclipse will help you see your partner in a new light, this one will allow you to show others what you want to happen next.

This new moon will be in very fine angle to Pluto, the planet of transformations. Pluto will be operating at an extra strong level because it is at the critical zero degree of a cardinal sign, Capricorn.

The Sun and new moon will represent sublime “out of sign” harmony that may help your health and vitality. Your home situation is also due to improve. None of these things will happen without your involvement, of course, as you will have to show your intent to the universe to get the help, but it is there for you if you want it.

Mars will also be Mr. Friendly at this eclipse, and that means again you will see that your friends are the very best part of life these days. You can count on them to sing your praises and to go out of their way to help you. Bless them, they will clearly be the salt of the earth.

This new moon of August 20 in Leo 28 degrees would be a superb time to launch new projects and relationships. Put a star on this date - it really is your big green light to proceed ahead. When you see 28 degrees, it tells you that it is a degree of completion, so it looks like you are ready to set the wheels in motion now.

If your birthday falls on August 20 or within five days of this date, your whole year ahead will be filled with fresh starts. You are tired of the same old things, and you’re ready to forge ahead into the future.

There will be a lot going on this month, so when Mars enters Cancer on August 25, it will be a signal to wind down and rest. In this position Mars will fill your twelfth house of reflection, considered an ideal place for quiet contemplation or research that requires solitude to finish. Mars will remain in this area of your chart from August 25 to October 15. During that time, particularly in September, it would be a perfect time to take a vacation, but not the active kind - plan a trip that would allow you to sleep late, read, take walks, swim or do other sports for fun, but that would not tax you that much.

Romantically, as said, August 5 plus or minus one week will tell the tale, but that will only be the case if you are attached. See it as a litmus test for your relationship. If nothing comes up, congratulations - you will know you have a strong tie.

If you are single, friends hold the keys to a richer, more satisfying social life. Let them make introductions, too. Once Venus moves through Leo from August 26 through September 20, your love life should show signs of life. Having said that, however, there will be so much stress for every sign in mid-September that I wouldn’t count on anything being upbeat then - make use of Venus in your sign in August, while the other planets will be behaving more nicely.

Your very best romantic days will be August 1, 4-6 (wild card, due to the eclipse August 5, so things could go either way), 12, 13, 14, 15, 22-23, and 28. If you can slip away for a fun weekend at a friend’s house, do it over August 22, my favorite day of the month for socializing.

Financially, things will be very volatile and could bring on disastrous results from any plan made on August 10, 17, 18, 21, and 26. Don’t sign anything, don’t have presentations, and simply, well, hide! As I mentioned earlier, September will be a workout for finances.

With Jupiter, a financial planet, in retrograde since June 15 and not due to correct its orbit until October 13, this would be a better time to look back to correct areas that have been unproductive, or to leave an arrangement you had made that never panned out as well as you had expected.

I do like the financial days of August 22-23, but admittedly, those days are weekend days. See if you can make those days work for you. Over that weekend the Sun will be in perfect angle to Pluto, and because you are ruled by the Sun, you will have access to some awesome power here to make changes and to also generate profit-making opportunities. If you can’t make a financial decision on August 22 or 23, you can’t use August 21 because on that day Mercury will oppose Uranus. In that case, focus on August 28 instead, a good runner-up day.

Here is a day that could be stressful. Mars in hard angle to Pluto on August 26 could possibly bring a tense altercation with a co-worker or underling at the office. This is brute force meeting brute force, so be careful in what you say and how you say it, especially to team mates or anyone who reports to you. The person could take offense and trigger a complete meltdown. This, again, will be one of those aspects that will put everyone, of every sign, on edge.

Creatively, Leo is often quite gifted. Two days when you’re likely to find coming up with innovative ideas to be easy as pie will be August 16 and 17, when Neptune will partner with the Sun, and Mars will beam radiant vibes to Neptune and the Sun. At the very least you should feel quite energized to apply those innate talents! Hooray! We all want to see what you come up with, Leo!

Remember, dear Leo - THIS is your special month, not September. If you can’t get things done now, table them for October. It’s a rare month that will be as tough as September, but that’s the picture that is shaping up. September 1 will be the hardest.

Summary

This will be a huge month for the future of one key relationship. There’ll be no way to put off a decision, as the full moon lunar eclipse, August 5, will force you to state your intentions. If you are dating in earnest and in love, you will likely make a commitment and make plans to wed, a perfect time to do so. If you see no future together, you’ll leave, perhaps quite unexpectedly. If you’re already married, your partner may bring big news that will affect you both.

The closer your birthday falls to August 5, the more likely it is that this eclipse will affect you. Many Leos work in the entertainment, design, or other creative fields, so the upcoming eclipse may alternatively concern a creative collaboration. Jupiter’s position shows that teaming up could be quite lucrative and productive.

Eclipses speed timetables, so no matter what your original plan was prior to this month, it will change. Many happy group events will dot your schedule in August too, so you’ll have plenty of time to kick back, socialize, and have fun. Watch finances, however - next month could bring an untoward surprise - so you may want to create a little stash of cash.

Leo Dates to Note

A major change in your relationship will take your full attention over the full moon lunar eclipse August 5, plus or minus four days. If you are not attached, it may be a business alliance rather than a romantic one that captures your thinking.

You will have a chance to set your compass for a new future at the new moon in Leo on August 20 and in the days to follow. If your birthday falls on or near this date, you will see a year filled with new experiences.

Venus in Leo from August 27 to September 20 will make your charm much more visible. In September, Mercury will be retrograde, so before that happens, use August 27-31 for buying flattering new clothes for fall and, for women readers, to choose some new makeup. Men or woman readers: You may want to have your hair styled for a new, fresh look.

Financially this could prove to be a tricky month. Pay particular attention to money matters on August 18 and 21 when adverse news could rock you. Avoid August 10, 17, and 26, too. Do use instead the days of August 22 and 23, or if you can’t, then the runner-up day, August 28.

Creatively, August 16 and 17 should be the best days to generate fresh ideas.

On August 26, co-workers and subordinates are likely to be super-sensitive and quick to take offense.

Your very best romantic days will be August 1, 4-6 (wild card, due to the eclipse August 5, so things could go either way), 12, 13, 14, 15, 22-23, and 28.

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Leo Horoscope for July 2009

It’s the time of the year that the eclipses are due, and this time we will see an unusual set of circumstances. Instead of the typical two eclipses, for they always come in pairs, there will be three. The first will arrive as a full moon lunar eclipse on July 7 in Capricorn. The second will be a new moon solar eclipse on July 21 in Cancer, and the third, a second full moon lunar eclipse, will fall on August 5 in your opposite sign of Aquarius.

That last one, due next month, will be the one to watch. The only exception to that rule would be if you have Cancer or Capricorn rising, or if you have those planets very prominent in your natal chart. In that case, the others will be important, too. No reason to wonder - just sit back. You will find out soon enough.

Eclipses are the most powerful tool that the universe uses to create massive, dramatic change. Leos and Aquarians are at the end of a period where eclipses came by in those signs every six months since 2007. After this, you will be able to rest.

Eclipses test the strength of our resolve and of our relationships. They question our motivations, courage, determination, and goals. The interesting part of life is that it is not the set of circumstances that you are given that matters, but your response to them. Give the same pressures and same type of opportunities to ten people and you will get ten different reactions. The pressures and opportunities may be identical, but the responses will differ, and in that sense, by living life, you learn quite a bit about yourself. After next month’s eclipse is over, you will not have any more eclipses in Leo or Aquarius for the coming nine years.

Next month’s eclipse will fall on August 5 in your house of partnership, and that’s where you may see a dramatic development. You may get engaged or married within days of this date, or you may decide to break up. You may sign a business partner, manager, or agent, or develop an existing business partnership into something new and more sophisticated.

I feel the eclipse will be positive and encouraging - not at all like some of the monster eclipses you’ve felt over the past years - so I see no reason for you to be anxious.

If you were born on or near August 5, your whole life will have a very different feel in the coming year. We will talk about that eclipse in detail next month as I continue your Eclipse Watch series, but we have plenty to look at this month too, so let’s get to that.

I said that you would not feel this month’s eclipses much at all, but there is one additional exception to that general rule. If you were born at the very start of Leo, say, near July 22-26, you will feel the July 21 eclipse because of what astrologers call an “out of sign conjunction to your Sun.” That solar eclipse is at 29 degrees of Cancer, the very last degree before the Sun moves into the next sign. Therefore, this eclipse will be within the standard five-degree tolerance for an eclipse to be felt. If your birthday was named, circle July 21, plus or minus five days, on your calendar. That will be a solar eclipse, opening a brand new path. It’s all for good.

I will come back to July 21 later in your report here, but first, let’s start at the top of the month and see how the month begins and builds. We never experience an eclipse (or any other aspect for that matter) in a vacuum. We come to it with a package of experiences, relationships, dreams, goals, accomplishments, and maybe one or two past disappointments. We need to factor those experiences into the mix too, as we approach each eclipse.

On July 1, Uranus will go retrograde, not to regulate its orbit until December 1. It is common for the big planets, the ones that spin on the outer edge of our solar system, to retrograde for five months at a time. It does this every year. Uranus rules your partnership sector, so you or your partner may change your mind about staying together, or change the timetable for a plan you had made for the future. Because the seventh house, ruling partnership, rules not only marriage and established relationships but also contractual business agreements, you may see a change in either type of relationship.

Watch the days that surround July 1 to see if you hear anything from your partner, or feel any different yourself. If you do change your mind regarding your romantic or business partner, I feel that financial considerations may be the reason. I say that because Uranus is currently touring your eighth house of shared financial resources and is opposed to Saturn, also in a financial house. Saturn may be forcing you to be very realistic.

If you are thinking of getting engaged or are about to sign a contract, you may want to do a credit and background check on your proposed partner as a precaution. I find it interesting that there will be a full moon lunar eclipse next month in the very area of your chart that Uranus rules, your seventh house of partnership. Eclipses bring illumination, so just stay open to any news that the eclipse may deliver.

A full moon eclipse (August 5) brings things to a final conclusion. You may still be going ahead with plans, but you may change some of the details. For example, you may be planning to marry next month, but if you get a new prestigious job this month, you may need to scale back on your honeymoon so you can start your new job when the company needs you to begin.

I can think of other instances. You may have planned to marry and your fiance says he’d like to go to graduate school immediately, putting off an entry into the job market. With income about to be reduced, this change may force you to delay plans to wed. Things could work other ways. A pregnancy may speed up a wedding date. Or, news that your partner has been unfaithful to you could force a breakup. There are all sorts of possibilities.

The same is true in business, too - things come up. If you are already married or in a close business partnership, and are happy, you may simply change your mind about moving ahead now on a goal you had discussed together.

Keep in mind that the August 5 eclipse is there to protect you, so trust in the wisdom of the universe. I don’t really see any evidence of the more unhappy possible outcomes, but I am duty bound to report them, because I cannot see everything going on in your chart.

Now let’s turn to the eclipses this month. The full moon lunar eclipse on July 7 will bring a work-related matter to fullness. A woman co-worker or subordinate may leave, and if so, you will likely be completely surprised by her announcement to depart. I say “she” because a lunar eclipse always points to the women in your life, and this one will fall in your sixth house of work projects. Alas, when this person goes - and it may be immediately or in time - you will need to do more work to fill in.

If you are self-employed, you may find a silver lining to this situation. Saturn will be friendly, so it appears this person’s departure may help you cut back on expenses, which may come in handy now. Or, after this person leaves, you may see this person was not doing the work you assumed she was, and that there was a lot to be desired by this person’s performance, much to your chagrin.

If you work for an employer, you may be able to see an upside, too. You may qualify for overtime pay, or a raise, for after all, you’ll be doing the work of two for a while, until another person can be hired. Saturn will be supportive to the full moon, and since Saturn is in your earned income house, you may be paid more as a result of this person’s exit.

You must watch your health this month, as the full moon lunar eclipse July 7 could bring up a chronic or latent health concern if there are is one to address. Keep in mind that eclipses look for weak links - if it finds none, you will not notice any problem whatsoever. Pay special attention to teeth, bones, and skin (making it a good time to see the dermatologist). The parts of the body that will be highlighted with special emphasis will be your ears, eyes, and especially the knees.

You seem to be surrounded with medical personnel this month, although I am not sure if that is because you’ll consult a doctor or because you will help a relative or friend with their medical questions. You may find yourself in a hospital, rehab center, physical therapy center, or nursing home this month, possibly as a visitor or caregiver.

The twelfth house, where the emphasis will be with this eclipse, is technically the place in the horoscope that rules confinement. That’s why I mention hospitals and other medical facilities. I should mention that the twelfth house also rules prisons, so your conversations may not be with medical people but with law enforcement professionals.

I doubt that you would have any interactions with these types of people this month, either for yourself or others, but you never know. Judging by the weekly tabloid magazines that chronicle celebrities that I see, a visit to the jailhouse is more commonplace than anyone would assume. Anyway, I thought I should mention it. Perhaps you will do a documentary on the prison system, or work on a charity that helps to rehabilitate inmates when released, which would be a very worthy cause. That might explain the possible interactions with prisons. Stay with me, as there are two other possible manifestations.

Alternatively, you may decide in July that it’s time to go to the dentist. (Compared with jail, the dentist sounds quite welcome, right?) If you cannot afford to see a dentist, find out if there is a university dental school in your city or a nearby city. Often the rates charged by such schools for cleaning, fillings, and more sophisticated treatments are much lower, and yet the care is still excellent. Keep in mind that this is the start of two years of eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer, so the emphasis on your teeth and bones will not be going away anytime soon. If you’ve been going to the dentist regularly, you should be fine. If you haven’t, then you can start now, and that would be a good protection.

The sixth house, where you have a great deal of emphasis on July 7, also rules pets, so if you have a pet, you must keep a watchful eye on your little creature’s health and well-being, too. If you have not taken your little dog or cat to the veterinarian for a check up or have forgotten to get your pet necessary shots, do so immediately. The medical people I see in your life might be related to your pet.

Now let’s turn to the solar eclipse, July 21, which will actually be quite wonderful. As a Leo, you are ruled by the Sun, so you always feel solar eclipses more personally than lunar eclipses. (The July 7 eclipse will be lunar). I love solar eclipses - they are usually harbingers of very good news and open up a whole long road of opportunity that lasts for months, and possibly years!

As said earlier, if you were born near July 21, you will feel this eclipse, and you will see your entire lifestyle begin to change dramatically, even though it is technically falling in Cancer at 29 degrees, the last degree of the sign.

I should mention that if you were born July 22-26 you might see a prominent man leave your immediate environment in the days, weeks, or months to come. That may be your husband, father, or male boss, as three examples. This person may move away or in the case of a boss, change jobs. A solar “eclipse” usually “eclipses out” a male figure, but only if you were born very near that eclipse.

If you are a Leo but not born anywhere near the dates mentioned, then you will have a slightly different forecast. For you, the emphasis will be on internal development. You may find ways to sooth yourself through exercise or yoga, or you may begin to meditate. You may also become more interested in participating in your religion or investigate the tenants of another religion. You may consult a therapist for a certain psychological concern you have wrestled with, or to find out how to end a bad habit. A new moon sets up a new chapter, so if you do decide to do work on improving your mind, body, and spirit this month, chances are that you’ll stick to your new plan.

There will be other important and very upbeat influences this month, and so before I go, I would like to address those.

First of all, lucky you, you still have Mars zooming through your tenth house of fame. This is a holdover from last month, but you will still have from July 1 to 10 to make tracks. On July 11, Mars will move on, so you’ll have to work fast.

If you have not contacted all the VIPs on your list to apply for a job or to present an important idea to a higher up, you still have time to do so. Any job you aim for while Mars is in your tenth house almost always represents an impressive increase in power, responsibility, and status. Mars will not be back in this house for two years, so use this energy while you have it! By November 2, the full moon, you may win the prize career position you are aiming toward!

Your best day for career will happen on or very close to July 7. On that day, unrelated to the eclipse, Mars will send a golden beam to Uranus.

Uranus is now moving through your eighth house of shared financial resources, so if you are in a field where you work on commission, royalty licensing fees, or other performance based method, you’ll be perfectly positioned to clean up. If you don’t work in one of those types of jobs, you can always investigate upgrading the perks being offered (better health insurance, key to the executive gym, extra vacation days, a four-day workweek, or other benefits that may be valuable to you.)

From July 12 to August 25, your social life will move into full swing. This will come thanks to Mars in Gemini - and Venus in Gemini orbiting not far from Mars shows just how much fun the coming social season will be. For many hearing this, mid-July through August will be summer, so if you live in the northern hemisphere, you should be set!

Career pressures will fade, and you’ll be able to devote yourself fully to friends, fun, and romantic possibilities. See dear Leo? The very best is yet to come!

Specifically, your best days for fun and love include: July 14, 18-19, 20, 27-28, and 31.

Summary

During the first ten days of July, push hard in your career. You’ll find it easy to impress VIPs with your qualifications and experience at that time. Later, once Mars moves into Gemini from July 11 through August 26, you’ll have time to relax and let all you’ve done “cook” a while. During that phase, let go and enjoy the joys of friendship. Consider getting involved with a charity or a club you belong to now, for you have the power to make a big contribution. Collaborations of all kinds will be inspirational, highly exciting, and lucrative from July 9-11.

Changes in the workplace in July may surprise you or even annoy you near July 7, but welcome them rather than resist them. Over the long road ahead, you will see that changes in the way you approach your projects or interact with co-workers were necessary. If you see a favorite co-worker or subordinate depart or hear about a major shift in assignments, take the news in stride. You wouldn’t want things to remain the same, for that would stagnate you. Health and fitness will get a big boost from July 22, if you make an effort.

Dates to note:

This is a great month to improve your mind, body, and spirit. If anything has been troubling you, seek help from a psychoanalyst or other therapist near the full moon July 7.

Your career will go beautifully from July 1 to 10 - that’s your time to pull ahead of the pack.

The solar eclipse of July 21 will bring many exciting changes in assignments, people, projects, and methods of getting your work done.

Creative collaborations are downright inspirational on July 10.

Marriage, engagement, and sharing a vision of the future will make you feel radiant July 9-11.

Money news will be good news July 2, 7, and 16. (Or, you may get gifts at that time!)

When the Sun moves into Leo, you’ll be ready to move out of planning mode into implementation mode. Good! It will be your time to shine: July 22-31.

Romantically, your best days will occur after Mars enters Gemini, from July 12 onward. Friends will plan a flurry of activities for you from July 11-August 25. You’ve got a relaxing, fun spell ahead.

Specifically, your best days for fun and love include: July 14, 18-19, 20, 27-28, and 31.

Leo Horoscope for June 2009

June holds enormous promise for a big step up to a far better position in your career. Last month, Mercury was retrograde throughout May, and that condition of Mercury made it hard for you to make progress. Mercury is the planet of communication, negotiation, and all commercial transactions, and all these areas either brought a propensity for miscommunication or delay. If you felt like you were stagnating, you now know why. It would have been difficult to see the right people, get straight answers, and present yourself in the best light.

All that has changed now, for Mercury regulated its orbit in your tenth house of honors, awards, achievement, and fame on May 30. It is time to see things move forward, dear Leo! Finally, all conditions will be right for you to move ahead assertively on professional matters.

More importantly, on June 1, Mars, the planet of energy, drive, and determination, will enter this same lofty career sector of your chart and will remain there until July 11. This will make June and early July the most important time of 2009 for you to find a new job, one that reflects a true step up the ladder of success. Indeed with such emphasis on the very top of your chart, any new position you take would not be a trade of one job for another but something much better. Mars’ appearance there is enough to make you really excited, but there’s MORE to celebrate when it comes to your career.

Venus, the natural ruler of your solar tenth house of career success, will be traveling in this very same house, giving Venus what astrologers call “special dignity” while there. Having Venus move thorough the sign it rules trumpets Venus’ appearance in a special way and allows Venus to work hard for you! On top of this, Venus also rules Taurus, the place she will tour, so this month Venus can express her gifts more easily. You are getting one advantage layered right on top of the other! With Venus in your tenth house all month, orbiting within a few tiny degrees of Mars, you will be able to create quite a buzz about yourself in your industry. Higher-ups will be enthusiastic about what you have to offer and will want to schedule an appointment to hear more about you!

What a dream team! Mars will give you resilience and drive, and Venus will give you charm and polish. Together they will help you persuade VIPs that they need to have you on their side. At the start of June, Pluto will get into the act too, beaming rejuvenating, powerful energy to Venus and Mars at once because Venus and Mars are orbiting so very closely, shoulder-to-shoulder. Mercury, newly strengthened by moving direct in this same career house, will give you the right words and the ability to negotiate a fair deal. Dear Leo, go for the gold while conditions are so perfect for you to find advancement.

Your romantic life will be your full focus at the full moon in Sagittarius, June 7, plus or minus four days. While this might be a difficult full moon for many signs, you may just find ways to deal with things and actually turn things to your advantage. I say this because Sagittarius is a fellow fire sign like yours, so this full moon is in graceful angle to your Sun sign, and doubly so if you were born on August 9, plus or minus four days.

There are several possible manifestations. You may have a disagreement with your sweetheart, and find that he or she is too frank or harsh in his or her criticism of you, and not caring enough of your feelings. Or, it may be that a friend meddles in your romantic affairs, and you find this to be completely off-putting and unacceptable. Money seems to enter the equation too, because Saturn will be in hard angle to the Sun and moon, and Saturn is in your house of income, possessions, and financial reserves. It appears that money will be either a bone of contention with a friend or lover, or a source of worry, perhaps because you are planning to participate in a social event that will prove quite costly.

Alternatively, if you have a child, you may be very focused on your son or daughter and want to care for your child in a special way, but in doing so will be stressed to draw on your financial reserves. You will do so anyway, but it won’t make writing the check any easier.

If you are not dating, not a parent, and not going to a luxury or costly social event over the weekend of June 7 (or shortly thereafter), then it may be that you will be wrapping up a creative project that needs to be delivered in the first ten days of June.

If this is how the full moon asserts itself, it seems that as you race to complete your deadline, your creative endeavor may run over budget or you may encounter a disagreement over a financial aspect of the project. If it is about a creative project, Jupiter, the planet that rules Sagittarius (where the full moon will be on June 7), will be cuddled up with Neptune, the planet of inspiration and also confusion. There is a possibility that you will discover that your agent didn’t express your wishes, or you will learn that you’ll come away with less profit than you anticipated. Go the extra mile to make sure lines of communication stay open and accurate.

Jupiter will retrograde on June 15, so I am wondering if you will change your mind about working with a certain agent, or about a partnership agreement, plan, or deal. This could concern an impending engagement or marriage, too - sometimes changes of direction happen when a major planet like Jupiter retrogrades. You may stage a temporary halt or call off plans altogether, but if this were to happen it would be in the days that circle around June 15, not at some later date. You are under good aspects for marriage and partnership issues, so perhaps you’ll simply need time to think. This will only apply to a small percentage of Leos - not all!

The new moon in Cancer on July 21 may make you more determined than ever to end a bad habit or to talk over feelings that you need to sort out with a professional therapist. Your timing would be excellent, too. This new moon will be in the most energetic degree of a cardinal sign, 1 degree. (The other cardinal signs are Aries, Libra, and Capricorn). Whenever you see a cardinal planet or aspect at zero or 1 degree, that aspect or planet will have unusual force and power. This suggests to me that you can overcome anything if you put your mind to it once this new moon arrives!

Next month there will be a second new moon July 22 in Cancer, at 29 degrees, which is considered the degree of completion. That new moon will also be a friendly solar eclipse and help you in ways that will be quite wonderful. The twelfth house rules the subconscious mind and it always works in tandem with your opposite house, the sixth house of physical health. Together they will encourage you to create a radiant, vibrant condition of your mind, body, and spirit. If there were ever a time to plan a healthy course of action, it’s in the coming two months.

It doesn’t matter if you need to see a therapist or talk over a problem with a friend, or if you need to go to physical therapy or a rehab center, or check into a hospital for a procedure or operation. This is your time to concentrate on your needs and to make sure your health and your mind are working as one strong unit.

This month’s new moon, June 22, (the first, as I said, in a two-step process) will receive an opposition by Pluto. This suggests that someone may say something that makes you realize that you can’t quite ignore a psychological or physical concern any longer. If you have a habit you know is destructive, this is your moment to try to turn over a new leaf. You don’t have to do so by yourself - you will have help from experts around you if you like. While this month’s pressure from Pluto may feel a little harsh, it may be a blessing if it awakens you to the need to change or to seek help.

These new moons in Cancer, the first coming June 22, and the second one an eclipse arriving next month on July 21, suggest you will experience changes on the job. You may get one or two new assignments or if you are self-employed, a new client, or you may see co-workers change, with some going and some arriving. It’s alternatively possible that management will set up new procedures or offer you a new computer or upgraded software. There seems to be lots to think about at the office, but all the changes will be upbeat.

This month’s new moon challenge to Pluto suggests that as you get closer to month’s end, the new moon, June 22, a co-worker or rogue subordinate may challenge your authority. Few things are more upsetting to Leo than insurrection from those within, of course, so you won’t take this sitting down. If you feel that the behavior of this person is unfair, annoying, or outrageous, you’ll have to send a clear message to this person that his or her behavior is unacceptable. Can you win? Does the Sun rise in the east? Of course! Anyone who willingly engages the lion in combat needs to have his or her head examined! Ha, ha, don’t you agree?

Summary

Summer may be holiday time for those you know, but you’d be wise to stay home and keep your mind focused squarely on your career. Rarely have you had such powerful vibrations to help you get ahead. Start to strategize a plan so that you can make the most of the sterling cosmic help that will come your way in June. Specifically, you have a crown of three stars shining in your tenth house of fame: Mars (which will give you an aura of authority and increase your determination to make progress), Venus (to make you popular with VIPs and even underlings), and Mercury (to give you the words to communicate your assets while being interviewed or while making presentations.)

It appears you will have someone to help you bring your professional qualifications to the attention of at least one, if not more, high-level executives. That person may be a broker, agent, or even a friend who is willing to speak up for you. Make sure that you and this middle person are on the same page. There is some indication that you both may have very varying impressions of a career situation from different, and conflicting, angles, so spend a little time getting your strategy in sync. If you don’t, this month you could become quite upset when you hear about a deal your agent, lawyer, or broker made for you because it bore no resemblance to what you had in mind.

A shortfall of cash may trigger concerns about how to continue to support the lifestyle to which you feel you’re entitled. This may, in turn, cause you to need to shuffle your priorities.

You seem a bit frustrated about money near the full moon June 7, but fortunately, this full moon will fall in fellow fire sign Sagittarius, a sign that blends beautifully with yours. This suggests that you should be able to find a mid-course that suits you. If a social event is not the problem, you may be centered on a check you need to write on behalf of a child.

It is also possible that a creative project will need to be delivered at the time of the full moon, June 7, plus or minus four days. While the project itself may be going well, you may be stressed out over having had to go over budget or the news that you will be paid less than you had thought for your involvement in the endeavor.

The new moon in Cancer on June 22 will have you thinking about your health and well-being. The area being highlighted will be your twelfth house, which will put emphasis on psychological thoughts and behavior - so if you feel there’s a habit you’d be better off changing or deleting altogether, you will have a solid chance to do so now. With a challenge to Pluto, you may find that someone - a medical practitioner or even a friend or sweetheart - will say something to you that gets you thinking about the urgency that you change.

Next month’s new moon solar eclipse on July 21 will have no problems with Pluto, only help from Mars and Uranus, and the eclipse will center on the very same part of your chart. If you want to feel more lively and healthy, these twin new moons will give you every opportunity. Grab it!

At work this month, sometime after June 21, you may have a problem with a subordinate or co-worker who seems disrespectful or who is acting in a politically unfair way toward you. You’ll have to take things in hand to put a stop to this and clear the air, and although this person will be difficult to deal with, if you feel passionate about this matter, you will find a way to prevail.

The plus side of your office experiences is that a new client may come in, or a juicy new assignment, new personnel, software, or shiny new computers, and other hardware. When it comes to work, you are golden, and just about everything that is evolving is going in the right direction.

Dates to note:

Romance, or a friendship, may turn rocky: June 5-10. Handle things with care!

Best romantic evenings: June 1-2, 13, 16-17, 20-21, 24-25, and 29.

Financial news has you dancing on the tables: June 9.

Find a way to end a bad habit: June 22-27.

Handle a touchy situation with a subordinate or co-worker: after June 22.

Leo Horoscope for May 2009

This could be a big month for two important parts of your life, those involving your home / residence / family or other real estate, and your career. You’ll have to be patient, however, because in the background, Mercury, the planet of communication, negotiation, and commerce, will be retrograde all month, from May 7 to 30.

There is no use trying to outrun Mercury retrograde, for you began to feel the slowdowns as soon as late April. Mercury will regulate its orb in early June, so don’t jump on the end date too early, on May 31. You need to leave a few days’ space on either end of a Mercury retrograde period. You want to stay as far away from those dates as possible, from five to seven days.

Let’s look at your first big day, May 9, when you may have a big breakthrough with a home-related matter. This full moon will be unusually friendly, so you’ll find lots to cheer about at this time. You may find a new apartment or decide to call in the painters or repair men. Whatever occurs seems to delight you, as Uranus will be in friendly angle to this moon, suggesting you will get news that comes as a complete surprise, and it’s the kind of surprise you’ll like. Saturn will also add a note of longevity, so for example, if you planned to move over this weekend of May 9-10, that would be a great way to use this full moon. With Saturn so friendly, you are likely to stay in your new place a long time.

If your Mom or Dad needs help, the same part of the chart that is so brilliantly lit rules your parents too, so you are likely to find some great answers to questions you’ve sought.

If you need a piece of furniture or electronic item, like a flat screen TV, this would not be the time to buy it. Mercury retrograde periods make us hasty and you may buy something that you later regret. There may be a new model coming out soon that you’ll like better, or the price is about to be dropped, but you will only discover these facts later. There are literally dozens of reasons you should not shop now, so be patient and look in mid-June for best results.

You can move house, as long as you signed the paperwork in April and you are careful to label all the boxes carefully. Take all your jewelry and valuables to a friend, along with your sealed tax boxes, for you would be in danger if those were ever lost while Mercury is retrograde.

Alternatively, you can call in the painters, fix things that have broken down at home, reorganize closets, and clean carpets, windows, and upholstery for the coming season - those are all very “Mercury retrograde” types of activities. When it comes to hiring contractors, again I will ask you to wait. Contracting is notorious about overruns to budgets, and during Mercury retrograde, changes in costs are common. If you have not hired the contractors, do so in mid-June. If you already hired them last month, then just keep a close eye on them.

Not only is your home life popping, but it appears your work life will be, too. Last month, on April 24, you hosted a new moon in your house of honors, career status, and promotion. The end of April was a superb time to open talks on an important new position, and as you move into May, you may find that you are making strides. Good positions take weeks to get, but keep talking. You won’t want to get an offer just yet, not with Mercury retrograde. There’s too much cosmic static right now, so be patient.

Saturn, the ruler of your workaday sector (sixth house) has been retrograde since December 31, 2008, so the fact that Saturn will turn direct on May 16 is news. This should help your job-hunting prospects, for you will be able to get a side job if you need one or develop more business for your company, with better fees, too.

The sixth house also rules your house of health and fitness, so if you’ve not felt well, or have been trying to get strong but have not seen much improvement, you should see a nice difference after May 16. Watch the dates that surround May 16.

After you’ve taken care of your home situation and have settled any professional goals, you might want to take a trip. Distant journeys are due to be adventuresome fun, for both Mars and Venus are traveling arm in arm in your house of discovery, fun, and learning. You have the ideal month to go away, and if you can leave for fun and love, so much the better.

The last week of the month brings lots of sweet developments. First, the new moon May 24 will appear in your house of friendship. It’s time to begin circulating more and to be open to new friends. If you have been thinking of joining a club or volunteering for a charity, do so just after the new moon appears.

You’ll find benefits from being part of a group that may not be obvious at the start. While you may perceive part of the reason to join, you will see more once you’re part of the group. It’s actually the best time of the year to bond with communities and groups. If you like, you can also get active by running for club office or by volunteering to lead an important committee. On a smaller scale, you may join a power walk or run for the cure, or attend a trade show or conference in the last week of May, with great results.

On May 26, Mars, now in your international / higher education learning sector, will reach out to Jupiter, and you’ll have a lovely day to travel or visit a college campus. Any meetings involving publishing or broadcasting should shine on this day, too. New should be excellent.

At month’s end, on May 27, Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, will meet with the planet of creativity, imagination, and inspiration, Neptune. Both will meet in your seventh house of partnerships, so to unlock your good fortune, you need to collaborate with a partner. Leo is a highly creative sign, so this seems to be especially fitting advice for you, as you have probably had a co-collaborator before this. If you don’t want to collaborate, you may then need to have an agent or someone represent you. Find a way to make this work for your life. Your partner will be quite special to you - adding all the right enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and contacts that you need.

The reason you should take this trend seriously is that the meeting of Jupiter and Neptune in the futuristic sign of Aquarius is rare, and this event is considered one of the major features of 2009. Two more meetings are due, July 10 and December 21, before these two sign off and go their separate ways, not to meet again until 2022. By the end of this year, you should see that this twosome deal has created quite a bit of impressive results.

Even in your personal life, there appears to be someone close who cares very much about you. Open your eyes, for this person is standing so close you may not even see this generous, caring person. If you are attached, it may be your sweetheart, spouse, or best friend. It could even be your business partner, agent, broker, publicist, lawyer, or other person near you. This person has ideas, dear Leo, and those ideas seem to work to your benefit.

Summary

You have a great deal of positive career developments possible in May, and you might also settle a home-related matter, too. It looks like you have a lot on your plate, so you’ll have to be organized to make sure you don’t let important details slip through the cracks.

The full moon, May 9, will bring an unexpected breakthrough in regard to an impending move or other home-related plan. Your plans will fall into place quite rapidly with a lovely beam from Uranus. Saturn will also bring gifts of stability, so you’ll have quite a good environment for making a decision or for finalizing a deal that makes you excited.

The new moon that appeared in late April started the ball rolling in your career, so you should continue following up on any career offers that surface. The only problem is that no deal is a good deal if your needs change later or if the job you are offered is about to change so much you hardly recognize it, making you feel trapped in a job you would have never taken. That seems likely if you sign on the dotted line now or give a verbal “yes” to the offer in May. Mercury will be retrograde from May 7 to 30, making May a bad time to sign a contract or accept a new job or assignment.

If you were working on a home-related project, it would be an equally bad time to sign a lease, buy a house or condo, or acquire new furniture, kitchen appliances, electronics like a computer or flat screen TV, or any other expensive items. If on the other hand, you already made your decisions and signed on the dotted line in April, this full moon would be a fine time to see the final implementation of that decision or commitment.

In matters of health, things should improve once Saturn goes direct on May 16. Saturn has been retrograde since December 31 of last year, so if you feel you’ve not made big strides lately, you may see a big improvement on or near this date. Actually, you may see a nice up tick in health on May 5 too, as the Sun, your ruler, will be in perfect angle to Saturn on that day. If you have been working on a fitness goal, you may also see an upbeat change on or near these dates this month as well.

Throughout May you will have ample opportunities to travel, and with Venus following Mars, it would be a divine time to take a vacation. Make it adventurous - a safari in Africa, white water rafting in Colorado, or exploring temples in India. This month, no location would be too far or too exotic to visit. If you can travel, go to a place you’ve never been, for you need the freshness of discovering something truly new. Look for bargain travel deals that will allow you to pack and go now, for you are likely to find one in May.

A truly soft influence will breeze in the window at month’s end, thanks to the new moon May 24. From that point on, you will see that your friends are beginning to play a more prominent role in your life. They will take you to the kind of events that will help you meet more people, some of whom you’d like to cultivate as friends. You may decide to do volunteer work for a community, charity, or humanitarian cause in weeks and months ahead as a result of this new moon, and that would be one of the best ways to direct your energies in this incoming phase. The area of the chart where this new moon will fall is the eleventh house of groups, and also the part of the chart that helps us reveal compassion for others and to do something tangible to help them.

In your personal life, your romantic partner seems to truly understand the real you and will celebrate your individuality as well. You seem to be deeply inspired by your partner now, and if so, give in to this feeling and revel in it. You have the capability of enormous depth of feeling this month and in weeks and months to come. With Jupiter (happiness and good fortune) linking to Neptune (imagination), if you are not inspired by a romantic partner, then you may decide to do a creative collaboration that turns out to be quite wondrous and that would be given critical reviews that you used to only dream about.

You would have to work collaboratively to trigger this luck, so keep this in mind. One plus one equals twenty these days. Watch what happens on the first of three conjunctions in 2009, the first being May 27. The next two will occur July 10 and December 21. After that, these powerful planets will say adieu and not meet again until 2022. This is rare and special - make it work for you.

Dates to Note:

You can see a finish to an important home or family matter on May 9, plus or minus four days. Avoid making any big commitments, however, in writing or even verbally, or shopping for anything expensive, due to Mercury in retrograde: May 7 to 30 (operative longer, all month).

Your heath will show an upswing on May 5 but even more so after May 16, thanks to a stronger, more positive orbit of Saturn.

Consider taking an adventurous vacation to a place you’ve never been this month - Mars and Venus will cook up something amazing and memorable.

A sweet social influence will crank up on May 24 and bring you in contact with many new people. Some will become new friends, and those will lead you into fresh new places of the heart and mind.

On May 26, expect good news regarding travel, international relationships, publishing, broadcasting, or higher education.

Your personal or creative partner will add a great deal to your life all through 2009, but especially so near May 27 when Jupiter and Neptune make their first of three gorgeous, rare, and highly inspirational conjunctions. Watch what happens.

Your happiest days this month will be May 5, 9, 16, 21, 24, 26 and 27.

Leo Horoscope for April 2009

Finances are again on the agenda, and this month you’ll want to stay on your toes to keep up with fast-moving developments. April will be one of those high contrast months, where things might start looking dim one moment but then become very bright the next. Let’s talk about one possibly troubling day, April 15, and get it out of the way so we can then focus on the happier ones.

First, I need to give you some background. Last month, on March 15, Mars entered Pisces and your eighth house of joint resources. Mars will continue to zoom through this sector until April 22. It is never easy to host Mars in this house, because Mars has an inflammatory effect and tends to force expenses up. The problem is that on this very day Mars will catch up with Uranus and meet in conjunction on precisely April 15 in this same eighth house of financial obligations and resources.

To complicate matters a little more, on the same day that Mars will meet Uranus, Saturn will be in direct 180-degree opposition to both Mars and Uranus, from your second house of personal earned income. You need to brace for a completely unexpected financial development that might leave you shaken. It looks like it’s a “take it or leave it, and face it head on” kind of a day. Said another way, I am not sure if you have much room to maneuver. See how it goes - you might.

In America, this is tax day, so the most obvious manifestation is that you may get bad news about how much you owe. However, may people pay their taxes early, and even rate a refund, so there are other possible outcomes. If you are in the process of a divorce, talks may now turn very contentious. It is alternatively possible that you may have problems with a business partner, agent or someone you represent, a tax man, a venture capitalist, an insurance company adjuster, or the courts concerning an inheritance. Or, news may concern a financial aid letter you receive from college, or it may be that you have a conflict or untoward news about a sum of money that you anticipated soon or that you are told you owe.

Whatever financial news you receive, you will likely be quite shocked. Now at this point I should mention that you might hear some very positive news - you never know what to expect when you are dealing with Uranus - but it does seem clear what you hear will be about money. You don’t have to plan for uplifting news (that’s easy to take), but you might have to brace for any possible difficult financial news. I will say that Saturn’s position makes me concerned that this day won’t be one of your favorites. Saturn will remind you of legal promises you made previously and won’t give you any room to be off the hook. It may help to know that many people of various zodiac signs will be having problems with April 15, so you won’t be alone.

As you start out the month, think of all the possible ways this financial news may play out. Try to avoid big meetings with your accountant, your investors, the courts, an ex (or a soon-to-be-ex), government people, or anyone else in your financial life on or near April 15.

Things will calm down considerably once you reach April 22, when Mars moves out of Pisces and into a far better place for you. Thankfully, Mars will not create this type of aspect ever again in your lifetime. By the time Mars comes back to Pisces in two years (the place it is now), Uranus and Saturn will have moved into other, more gentle placements. It is unusual to have all these planets clustered on the head of a pin, as they are now. This tells me that if you are determined to never see this type of situation repeated, the steps you will take in the near future will be successful and will ensure greater financial stability.

During the first three weeks of April, your expenses will continue to run high. I am so sorry to have to say that, because I know by doing so, I am adding salt to the wound. I thought about not telling you, but I think it is better you know so that you could put off any unnecessary outlays of cash, if that’s possible. Later, in June, you will have more cash coming in, so put off getting things you want but don’t absolutely need right now.

Mercury will retrograde next month from May 7 to 30, and you will feel the delays, forgetfulness, and errors in judgment that Mercury retrograde is famous for bringing a week or more before the date of the retrograde - in this case, on May 7. While I will explain Mercury in retrograde in more detail next month, let’s suffice to say that Mercury retrograde is not a time to buy anything expensive. Don’t buy a piece of furniture or pricy rug, a car, or any electronic items. If you need a new computer badly, then it will be important to get it early in April, staying clear of this possibly upsetting, wild card day, April 15. Actually, not being able to buy things until June could work in your favor, for you’ll be able to get ahead financially. By June you’ll be feeling quite good about the way your ledger is balancing. Let’s go back to April, however.

On the heels of this possibly jarring day of April 15 will be quite a lovely day.

On April 21, Venus and Mars will meet in this same area of your chart, your eighth house of other people’s money, and remarkably, you may hear some really good financial news that helps you feel a little better. It may mitigate whatever happens on April 15.

I had said that that there would be lots of other good news this month, and there is, so let’s look at that now.

Opportunities for travel will be written all over your chart. You may have been trying to plan a long, important trip, possibly abroad. Last month, when Venus went retrograde on March 6, you may have found that plans were hard to pin down. Or, if you did travel while Venus was retrograde, you might have found your trip not very productive. Venus will turn direct this month from April 17 onward.

Before I continue down this line, you may be saying to yourself, “But I am worried about money! How can I travel?” It’s possible your trips may be for work, or that you will use frequent flier miles, or that kind relatives will send you a ticket to come visit them.

Not only will Venus be more helpful to you in all these matters, but also Mars, the great energizer, will rev up your travel sector, starting April 22 through May 30. This suggests to me that no matter what you’ve been trying to accomplish that involves foreign people and places, or travel, you are about to see big progress. If you can’t leave home, its very possible people from afar will come to visit you. Or, it may be that you are on the phone and email so much with people at a distance that you feel that you actually did leave home - and you might have found it a lot easier if you actually had left home for a face-to-face!

Other areas of gain, thanks to the new moves of Mars into your ninth house, include publishing, broadcasting, the Internet and new media, as well as matters related to academia and goals to achieve higher education - all of these shine, too.

The full moon, April 9, is almost certain to bring a trip - possibly a short, quick one - and if so, you should be quite excited about how things work out. It looks like if you do hit the road at this time of the month (plus or minus four days), you’d go with a partner, your steady lover or mate, or with a business partner. This would be a good idea, as this person would account for the success of the trip, for the Sun and fortunate Jupiter, now in your partnership house, will be so beautifully angled. With this friendly full moon, and the placement of Mars after April 22, there is much evidence that you can get so much accomplished this month by reaching outside your usual base.

Alternatively, you may get some very happy news in the mail, by courier, fax, or email on this day. This will be one of your very favorite points of the month. Projects involving writing, editing, public speaking, publicity, marketing, sales, and advertising should go very well, too.

If your birthday falls on August 12, or within five days of this date, you will benefit most from this lovely full moon, April 9.

Now let’s turn to the subject of your career, which should bring sensational developments at month’s end. Watch for opportunities that come up just after the new moon of April 24 arrives. In the days and weeks that follow this new moon, you could score a major professional breakthrough. All new moons bring a window of about two weeks, but this one brings your most interesting opportunities during the first week, April 24-30.

To be clear, top jobs take weeks and months to win. What matters is that you begin to interview for the right job now. Opportunities should start to emerge at this new moon, and that’s what will be new.

If you are looking for a new job, this new moon will usher in one of your best moments of the year to find the right position to make use of your talents. Have your bio and resume written and ready to send out when the right VIP asks for it at the end of April. Actually, when Pluto and the Sun line up on April 23, you may have a very encouraging meeting with a VIP.

The timing of this new moon will be superb because Mars will come in to help raise your profile in your industry once it moves through your tenth house of career success from June 1 through July 11. This shows me you can now start to build good momentum, and you’ll find that with each initiation you will be building speed and getting closer to your goal.

It’s ironic and VERY helpful that Mars is due to help you in your career directly after Mercury will be done retrograding in May - great. While you wait for Mars to enter your tenth house of fame, honors, and achievement during May, contact anyone you used to work with for tips and possible references.

Also, and quite coincidentally, along with the new moon in your career sector April 24, you will also have help from a very sparkling aspect involving Mercury in friendly angle to Uranus. Mercury (news) will be, by then, in your house of career success, and Uranus (surprises), will be based in your house of other people’s money. On this day, April 24, career and money come together to bring outstanding news and it would be news you’d never expect.

There is another interesting twist that brings more reasons for you to be excited by your career prospects. Your fame and honors career sector (tenth house) is ruled by Taurus, which is in turn ruled by Venus. Venus, as I detailed earlier, has been retrograde for the past month. It is very possible that since early March you could have been frustrated by how hard it’s been to make any sort of progress. Now you will, in spades!

Forget those past disappointments, dear Leo. You are looking at a whole new picture, and it’s a brighter, happier one than you had in your head. Learn from past interviews and experiences in your job search, of course, but be optimistic, too. Rarely have you had such a perfect time to claim your rightful place in the industry you work within.

Romantically, your chart of the moment clearly gives the edge to Leos who are currently attached, or to those dating and hoping to become seriously attached soon. You may have weathered many storms together, but the sky has become bright blue and clear, and together you can build a lovely future. Jupiter, the planet of gifts and luck, is traveling in your marriage and commitment house for the first time in 12 years, so if you feel ready to tie the knot, then make plans soon, for Jupiter is now the best place possible for making a long and lasting commitment. Early to mid-August could be a key month for engagement or marriage, just in time for your birthday.

If you are single, this month travel will refresh and relax you and put you in the perfect frame of mind to meet someone new. So if you are single, think of a place you can visit not far from home near the full moon, April 9 and the coming weekend. If possible, see if you can take a four-day weekend. On Friday, April 10, we have Good Friday, and Easter will occur that Sunday, April 12. For our Jewish friends, the start of Passover will occur on the full moon, April 9. Perhaps you can get away for a little break. With the Sun and Jupiter sending a signal on April 10, that’s your best day of all.

One last word: April 22 should be highly affectionate - you’ll feel treasured and smothered with kisses if you have someone dear to you in the most romantic sense. If you don’t, your appeal will be reaching all-time highs, for sure!

Best days for love: April 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17-19, and 22.

Summary

The financial emphasis of the month continues, but as you see, you have but one day that you need to keep your antenna up, and that’s April 15. Stay away from financial meetings of importance on that date.

You may have a hard time holding the line on expenses from April 1 to 22, but after that, things should simmer down quite a bit, much to your relief. Just before Mars leaves, however, he will meet with Venus on April 22, one of the sweetest days of the month, for it should bring good news about money, and it might come just in the nick of time to keep your spirits up.

Put off any big purchases until June if you can. If you can’t, because say, you need a computer, buy that in early April. You want to stay as far away as you can from Mercury retrograde - due in May. May will be messy, so view April as your far more productive month. May will be best used to see people from your past, for in May, those people will help you the most. Good to know, yes?

Your career is about to get an enormous boost from the new moon, April 24. Now it often takes weeks or months to win a top job, but the point is, from April 24 onward, you should be able to find the right opportunities, ones you would be really enthusiastic about and that will use your talents well. Get things moving, for in June, Mars will come in to push your name to the top of the list from June 1 to July 11. Make sure you are not on vacation in June or early July, because if you are, you may miss your very best career opportunities to move ahead.

Lots of chances to travel will happen this month, too. The full moon, April 9, seems like a perfect time to go a short distance. Even though you may be concerned about money, you seem to find a way to pack and go anyway, perhaps thanks to someone else who will cover costs. Getting into a new setting will be good for you. Romance will be lovely on trips, too - for you love and travel are definitely linked!

Dates to Note

Brace for a shock about money when Mars conjoins Uranus on April 15. When you discover that you owe money, it may suddenly put you in a panic, or you may discover that money you had anticipated won’t be coming. You’ll likely need Plan B.

As difficult as news may be April 15, bright and happy financial new is due April 21.

Travel over the full moon, April 9, should be successful and fun. Try to stay away during April 9-12 if you can get the days off.

When Mars leaves your financial sector on April 22, you will start to see your expenses drop.

Have a meeting with a VIP on April 23 - it should go well, thanks to the interplay of the Sun and Pluto.

Venus will go direct at long last on April 17, allowing progress with travel, international relationships and deals, matters related to colleges and universities, and publishing and broadcasting. Mars will enter the same sector on April 22 and push interests in this area even more.

Be ready to assertively look for a better job after the new moon April 24. Now that Venus, the ruler of your house of honors and career success, is going at full speed, you have an excellent chance at getting that prized spot!

Coincidentally, on the same day as the sensational new moon, April 24, you will have a stunningly positive aspect involving Mercury and Uranus, linking your houses of career and money in a very sudden and unexpected way. Be ready to roll when opportunity comes your way.

Romance and travel will be linked all month. You can jumpstart a tired relationship or find new love while out and about.

Best days for love: April 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17-19, and 22.