The planets are in a much more benign configuration than they were for the beginning of the year. The Sun will be out of aspect with its Opposition to retrograde Saturn within the first week of the month, which will perhaps remove some of the frustration instituted by delays. The delays will still be there, but you’ll handle them slightly better, in fact you may even find something good about things moving a bit slower. Saturn nearly always drags things on, but when its retrograde it’s particularly noticeable and this will be the case until May. Aquarius, Taurus, Leo and Scorpio are most affected.

Jupiter’s Opposition to Mars will lighten up around the 10^th if not before. It’s Square to Mercury will diminish around the 5^th improving communications but its Square to Neptune will continue for a while, meaning you need to keep a sharp eye out to make sure everything is truly as it appears. Thus, if you’ve been itching to get going on something but everything you try to convey verbally or in writing is largely misinterpreted, this should improve, but be extra careful that you have all your facts straight. These aspects would also have been particularly aggravating for Scorpios with Aquarius, Taurus and Leo probably noticing it also, but to a lesser degree.

Aquarians will have an interesting month. Besides going through your solar return period, both Mercury and Neptune are close enough to the Sun to make you even more talkative than usual and possibly more intuitive. But with Neptune squaring Jupiter you could also fall prey to deception so don’t believe everything you hear, especially if you were born around the first week of February. This will peak around the Full Moon on the 12^th but should improve by the end of the month. However, as long as Neptune is in Aquarius you’re likely to be a bit more dreamy than usual and need to make sure no one takes advantage of you because you weren’t paying attention.

Fish will continue to see changes as Uranus continues slinking through Pisces and you can expect something significant to happen around the New Moon on the 27^th. Retrograde Saturn and its delays are probably causing you to reevaluate some aspects of you life, but Mercury slipping into your sign on the 10^th should help you work things out. By the end of the month both the Moon and Mercury will be sextile Venus, helping money and relationship issues to some extent, especially since Venus comes out of retrograde on February 3rd.

It will be a relatively stable month for Aries. You may have some aggravations relative to money or relationships, but this shouldn’t be unusual for most Aries. Also, you may have had some problems lately with things breaking or needing repairs, especially around the house. Finding a decent repairman has been a challenge, too, though once you got someone there they usually took care of it in short order. But most of this comes under the heading of typical. You’ve never had a problem with working hard and lately you’ve been taking the lead and doing more than your share.

Bulls will start the month with Mars still strolling through Taurus. This probably fired up the usually laid-back bulls with either a burst of energy or a slow burn over something that usually doesn’t bother you. This should diminish by the 18^th, if not before, as well as the other aspects mentioned earlier. Your ruling planet, Venus, goes posigrade on February 3, and this should help get life moving in the right direction again.

The Twins have seen numerous changes, not all positive, and probably been doing some serious soul-searching for months now. I wish I could tell you that things were going to improve in the near-term, but with the Sun and Mercury moving into Pisces, it’s likely that whatever you’re dealing with will escalate this month. Just remember that whatever goes around comes around and this is particularly true of the planets. This, too, shall pass. Mars enters your sign on the 17^th, which will give you more energy, but watch your temper and keep that energy focused where it will do the most good.

Crabs may be experiencing some money problems or a relationship bump or two as Venus transits Capricorn. That new moon in Capricorn back in the end of December may have initiated a problem or two, also, that you’re still possibly dealing with. However, that cluster of planets in Pisces may throw some help your way as well as a bit more from Jupiter in Scorpio. Water signs need to stick together, you know.

Poor Lions are ready to roar due to their frustrations and remind the world that they’re king of beasts. They probably think things will never get out of the rut they’ve been in for the last few months. After all, Lions are not the most patients of beasts. Saturn isn’t a planet you throw the welcome mat out for, but it comes and goes as it pleases and it’s been trooping through your sign for a while now. Being retrograde is a double whammy in that it not only makes its affects more frustrating but also means it will be in your sign for even longer as it wanders back and forth. The Full Moon on the 12^th is also likely to be felt, especially for those of you born around August 15-25. It will be trining Pluto, however, which might be helpful if you’re involved in some kind of bureaucratic hassle. Having your solar opposition this month won’t help, either. Amid all this, make sure you watch out that you listen carefully and not allow your wishful thinking to set you up for even more complications as Neptune tends to blur your focus from its position in Aquarius.

Virgos have probably been having a few hassles lately with some kind of bureaucracy, whether it’s the government, a financial institution or maybe even school. As if that’s not aggravating enough, as Mars moves into fellow Mutable sign, Gemini, on the 18^th your patience is likely to wear mighty thin. Jupiter may lend you a bit of a hand, or possible Venus, particularly if these problems relate to your finances. Uranus in Pisces is probably at least partially responsible for some of the surprises you’ve seen lately and it won’t be moving on anytime soon. Mercury will be chugging through that territory, also, which could make you even more argumentative than you already are about some of this. The New Moon on the 27^th is also in Pisces and could really bring everything to a head, particularly for those born around the last week of August and first week of September, so brace yourselves. It might be a good time to take a vacation and just chill out for a while until the crisis has passed so you don’t make it worse with your reactions.

Life hasn’t been too bad for Libras lately. Your creative side has been enlightened and other than spending too much money Christmas shopping you’re probably doing fairly well. You may be doing some introspection lately and redefining some of your opinions of things, but generally you’ve had a fair amount of energy and you’re dealing well with any changes. Generally, you’re feeling pretty good about yourself and your confidence is relatively stable, especially as your ruling planet, Venus, comes out of retrograde February 3.

Scorpios are still enjoying Jupiter plodding through their sign and all the new horizons it’s been opening up to view. Venus has been favorable, too, with small windfalls possible or a possible improvement in your relationships. Nonetheless, retrograde Saturn has thrown some delays to your grandiose plans and you find it hard not to lose your temper more often than usual. The temper should cool down by the end of the month, but make sure you don’t get carried away too far with your plans and that your expectations are based on reality and not wishful thinking. Scorpions usually aren’t the most trusting lot, but don’t let your enthusiasm for what you want to do cloud your natural skepticism. Remember is something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be especially cautious around the 12^th at the time of the Full Moon.

Archers, I hate to tell you this, but Pluto is going to be camping out in your midst for quite a while longer. If your birthday is around December 16-20 you’re probably really feeling it while those born earlier have already been through it. When Pluto is grinding on your Sun or Ascendant, you feel as if someone has dropped you straight into Dante’s Inferno. This is probably more difficult for a Fire sign than most, since who and what you are is usually not a question you ask of the mirror every morning. Any mistakes or bad decisions you may have made, perhaps in your entire life, are haunting you now. This is not always a bad thing. Fire signs tend to expect the world to adjust to them a bit and this will give you an opportunity to perhaps see yourself as others do and provide you with the fodder you need to step up a notch in your character and wisdom. Just figure that 2006 will be a year of significant growth for you and use it to clean up any wreckage you may have caused in the past.

Goats still have Venus in their sign until the end of the month, helping you to get all your finances in order (not usually too difficult for all Earth signs), especially with Jupiter lending a bit of a hand. You’ve also felt relatively good about yourself lately and others have found you more charming than usual. You may have even worn something other than black recently. All those planets in Pisces could be enhancing your speaking or writing skills and making you a little more outspoken than usual and you may even find a change or two coming down the pike that is to your liking. The New Moon on the 27^th could throw a little extra your way for those born the last week of December or so.