What is the afternoon slump, and how does it affect you?

The afternoon slump refers to that period in the afternoon when you feel especially tired, typically after lunch. Thank your circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that lets the body know when it should be awake and asleep. Each person’s is unique, and it’s influenced by different factors that can contribute to how awake and alert you are throughout the day, such as your habits.

“In that 24-hour cycle, there is a known slight dip in the level of alertness in the mid-afternoon, commonly known as the mid-afternoon or post-prandial slump,” sleep specialist Angela Holliday-Bell, MD previously told Well+Good. “Alertness subsequently increases and then dips more significantly as the late evening comes around.” You may feel it especially acutely after lunch, especially if you eat a carb-heavy meal and/or are an early morning riser, according to research.

While everyone’s antidote for the afternoon slump will likely be different, there are certain activities that are supportive of kickstarting your energy, such as exercise or a targeted nap. But your zodiac sign, aka your sun sign, can shine some light on the best way for you to beat the afternoon slump because it takes into account the particular mannerisms, habits, and traits you possess. When you’re looking for ideas to beat the afternoon slump, why not turn to the cosmos for inspiration?

How your zodiac sign affects your work and rest needs

According to Alexandria Lettman, astrologer and founder of spiritual-wellness platform Jupiter Jewel, the sun sign gives particularly helpful insights into how you work and rest because it represents your “conscious self and your identity, and how you approach and engage with life,” she says.

Because your sun sign colors your personality, the characteristics associated with your sign impact your habits and tendencies, for example how you tackle productivity and rest. “Using your sun sign, you can see what you need when your energy is lacking and what influences your energy to lack,” Lettman says.

“Using your sun sign, you can see what you need when your energy is lacking and what influences your energy to lack.”—astrologer Alexandria Lettman

Each zodiac sign is imbued with certain traits as a result of the various components that contribute to what they’re like, such as the modality and element of each. For example, Capricorn’s status as a cardinal sign means it kicks off its season and has major self-starting energy, plus its earth sign association means it’s grounded and unwavering—these characteristics feed Capricorn’s reputation as an ambitious, hard-working sign that can sometimes struggle to let loose. Its ruling planet, Saturn, is associated with tenacity, productivity, and ambition, which makes sense when you consider the overall traits associated with Capricorn.

Read on for star-sanctioned insights from Lettman and astrologer Celeste Brooks about the best way for each zodiac sign to keep their energy levels up post-lunch.

The best way for each zodiac sign to beat the afternoon slump

Aries

Aries, your cardinal fire sign energy means you burn brightly and intensely all day long, so Brooks suggests moving your body with a quick and fun workout to get the wheels turning again if you feel a dip. “Moving fire is a great way to reignite that spark,” she says. Try a quick midday workout that’ll get your blood pumping and heart racing. Your ruling planet Mars, which is associated with action and drive, would approve.

Taurus

Taurus, you’re an earth sign known for your steadfastness and your ability to plow ahead and work steadily. However, that same element and your ruling planet Venus, which is associated with beauty and pleasure, means you’re deeply in touch with all of your senses. Let yourself experience all the sights, smells, and sensations beyond your door by taking yourself on a walk, suggests Lettman. The benefits of walking are numerous, so it’s an activity that’ll help best the midday slump and then some. “You’re very diligent and hardworking, but you work quite slowly, so a change of scenery will really boost your energy,” says Lettman.

Gemini

Gemini, being an air sign and having communication-focused Mercury as your planetary ruler means you “spend a lot of time in your head,” says Brooks. You’re deeply curious, but this can sometimes dip into overthinking, so plan to calm your mind with a midday mindfulness moment. “Take a break and do something to get out of your head and into your body, like a five minute meditation or breathwork exercise,” she says. Try a micro-meditation for a quick burst of calm and to re-center.

Cancer

Cancer, you’re a deeply emotional water sign (the moon is your ruling planet, after all) who loves to care for everyone before yourself. Eating in the afternoon is a good way to power through the midday slump. Make sure you’re accounted for and nourished by treating yourself with a little self-care in the form of a your favorite treat, suggests Lettman. If you’re away from home during the day, make time to pick up something nice from your go-to spot. If you spend your afternoons at home, consider whipping up a batch of beautiful ube brownies or protein cookie dough to satisfy a sweet tooth. If salty is more your style, top tortilla chips with easy air fryer salsa or make a two-ingredient yogurt bread.

Leo

Leo, with the sun as your ruler and your status as a fire sign, it’s no wonder you like to be in the spotlight. When you feel your energy lag at midday, Brooks recommends calling a friend for a pep talk. Building and maintaining social bonds and friendships is important for overall health and wellness, and quality conversations with friends are part of this. Share your wins and frustrations from the day. “You have this desire to be admired and validated, so check in with someone who’s going to appreciate you and all you’ve done,” says Brooks.

Virgo

Virgo, you’re known to be extremely meticulous and organized and have a keen eye for details. Thank your earth element, which is responsible for your attentiveness, and your planetary ruler Mercury imbues you with your super star-level ability to plan. Mess and disorganization stress you out and you relish bringing order to chaos, so both Lettman and Brooks recommend you beat the afternoon slump with a small tidying or organizing project.

“You’ll get overwhelmed if it gets to the afternoon and your desk is a mess or dishes are piled up in the sink,” says Lettman. “Tidying up and cleaning your space will make sure there are no distractions that cause you stress.” Pick one task that will save you from a headache later on, like organizing your kitchen or tackling household chores, and make a project of it.

Libra

Libra, having Venus as your ruling planet makes you especially well-suited to socializing. You typically gain energy from your interactions with others, but you have a tough time taking a stand for fear of causing conflict or disappointment. For this reason, Lettman recommends you beat the afternoon slump by taking some time to be alone with your thoughts and journaling. “As a creative and intellectual air sign, journaling could be a valuable tool to break up their day and help them explore their thoughts and feelings,” she says.

Scorpio

Scorpio, having outer Pluto, the planet of transformations, sex, and death, plus your emotional water sign energy means you’re singularly devoted to those you love—once you open up. You bring this intensity to your work and your playtime, so Lettman recommends you find time for a restorative nap to recharge from the afternoon slump. “You’re naturally ambitious, passionate, and energized at work so you should take a nap to restore your energy,” she says. Make your space dark and cool, and set a timer for 30 minutes to allow yourself some time to nod off and catch some zzzs.

Sagittarius

You’re the zodiac’s adventurer, Sagittarius, and your outgoing and spontaneous fire element energy lends itself to your pursuit of experiences—it doesn’t hurt that Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance, is your planetary ruler. You get bored when you don’t have activities or some fascinating excursion in the works, so Lettman recommends you beat the afternoon slump by making plans for when you’re off the clock—whether that’s tonight, or in the future for a vacation. “If you’ve got somewhere you’re going at the end of the day or after work, it’ll keep you motivated and inspired to work toward something,” she says. Book a dinner or happy hour reservation, round up some friends to see a movie, or even take time to ideate an itinerary for some R&R.

Capricorn

Capricorn, it’s no secret you work really hard—that’s the combination of your go-getter cardinal modality, determined earth element, and ruling planet Saturn at play. To give yourself a lift to deal with the afternoon slump, both Lettman and Brooks advise you find a way to check out and unwind. “You need to switch off your mind and distract yourself from fixating on your responsibilities,” says Lettman. Make time to do something totally unrelated to productivity that’s just pure fun, for example listening to your favorite song or harnessing the physical and mental benefits of dancing it out.

Aquarius

As an intellectually driven air sign ruled by Uranus, the planet of innovation, Aquarius, you care a lot about others and the world around you. Beat the afternoon slump by carving out time to read about something new and interesting to you, says Brooks. You’re fascinated by innovation and what’s good for the collective, so pick up a book, magazine, or newspaper and see what’s happening in the world. “Take a break to investigate something you’re interested in,” she says.

Pisces

Pisces, you get your dreaminess and creativity from your ruling planet Neptune, which has to do with illusions and dreams, and your emotional depths from being a water sign. Beat the afternoon slump and nourish your mind and heart by indulging in your creative pursuit of choice, suggests Brooks. “You’re a dreamer, so if you’re being so focused at work you really need to bring some creative energy to the midday, like a little drawing or doodling,” she says. Carve out time to do whatever creative activity nourishes you, whether it’s writing, crochet, painting, using a drawing journal—pick whichever activity gets those creative juices flowing.

Though Venus doesn’t technically retrograde until near the end of the month, it’s been moving through it’s pre-retrograde shadow (aka when the planet crosses the same degrees of a sign that it’ll eventually retrograde back over) since June 19—which means its energy is already potent. And this is a particularly significant retrograde both because it only happens once every 18 months, and because it’s happening in the heart-centered and highly personal sign of Leo.

While any Venus retrograde invites us to re-evaluate what we value—whether in terms of our relationships, our purchases, our aesthetic, or our pathways to pleasure—this Venus retrograde in Leo will revolve around the Leo-like themes of pride and dignity, artistry and creativity, and celebrity and royalty. Whatever comes up for you could change your conception of love, including the ways you love both yourself and others.

As a way to gain more access into what may arise for you during Venus retrograde, think back to summer 2015. The reason? During that time, Venus was also retrograde in Leo and thus had influence over the same sector of your birth chart. You may now find yourself facing similar terrain and reflecting upon related realms of life. And you could also observe that whatever occurred then is now reaching another phase in its evolution.

With the lunar nodes shifting into Aries and Libra, we’ll have our attention turned to our closest relationships—an emphasis that feels especially resonant amid Venus retrograde.

As we move through the month, love and relationships remains a prominent cosmic theme, as the lunar nodes (points in the sky associated with fate and destiny) switch into Aries (north node) and Libra (south node)—opposite signs that comprise the relationships axis in astrology. While Aries is the sign of the individual and the self, Libra is associated with partnerships and connections with others. And with the nodes highlighting these signs, there’s no doubt we’ll have our attention turned to our closest relationships—an emphasis that feels especially resonant amid Venus retrograde.

How these and other celestial events in July will affect you, in particular, is connected to your personal astrology. Read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs to discover your July 2023 wellness horoscope, and pick up insights to help you navigate it with clarity and confidence.

July 2023 wellness horoscope for every star sign

Aries

Accessing a greater sense of well-being is a major theme this month for you, Aries. The reason? Your planetary ruler Mars enters Virgo and your sixth house of health and wellness on July 10. And then, just a week later, the destiny-oriented north node enters your sign—aka your first house of identity and physical body—where it will reside for the next year and a half. Which is all to say, fiercely dedicating yourself to feeling your very best will become an especially captivating goal.

Wellness tip: Create a list of three health goals focused on the way you want to feel. Choose one that really speaks to you, and then commit to taking one action to reach that aim.

Taurus

Ever since January 2022, you’ve likely been honing exactly what makes you you, Taurus. The reason being, the purpose-driven north node has been roaming through your sign since then. As it prepares to leave your sign and move into Aries on July 17, it seems that the first two-plus weeks of the month could provide you with powerful opportunities to compare and contrast where you were then to where you are now, and then revel in how far you’ve come.

Wellness tip: Take time to journal about any personal evolution you’ve experienced over the last eighteen months.

Gemini

If you like riddles, consider this one, Gemini: What supposedly talks, makes the world go around, and doesn’t grow on trees? Yes, it’s money. And for a potpourri of reasons—your planetary ruler Mercury aligns with the sun in your second house of finances on July 1, and then forms an opposition to intense Pluto on July 10—currency, capital, and coin will likely captivate your conversations and thoughts this month. Remember that while there is (much) more to life than money, having a conscious and positive relationship with your finances can make you more empowered and less stressed.

Wellness tip: Focus on your financial self-care this month, whether by reflecting upon your relationship with money or enhancing your financial literacy.

Cancer

You could really find your voice this month, Cancer. The radiant sun unites with communicative Mercury in your sign on July 1, making it easier to access and speak your truth out loud. This can help you feel more confident navigating any relationship conversations that may arise on the full moon in Capricorn on July 3.

With the new moon in your sign on July 17, you could feel inspired to turn the page on something that you know is now complete. Given that’s also the day that the north node shifts into Aries, highlighting your 10th house of work and reputation, you’d be wise to stay open to a blossoming of new career aspirations.

Wellness tip: If you need some energetic support in speaking your truth and projecting it confidently, consider putting a few drops of Trumpet Vine flower essence in your water bottle each day this month.

Leo

You could crave the spotlight this month, Leo. As ideas-focused Mercury enters your sign on July 11, you may find that you’re drawn to being generative and generous and to accessing even more of your potential for personal pizzazz. That vibe gets even stronger on July 22, when the sun enters Leo (kicking off your season) and love planet Venus stations retrograde in your sign—aka your first house of self and identity.

Wellness tip: If you’re looking to more consciously connect with your sense of inner radiance and more proudly shine your light, consider popping a few drops of Sunflower flower essence on your tongue each day this month.

Virgo

Don’t be surprised if you feel extra feisty on July 10 as warrior Mars enters your sign, Virgo. Consider channeling your instinct for assertion and strong will into a cause about which you feel passionate. As you do, just know that your detective skills (and meter for B.S.) will likely be operating at full capacity given that on the same day, your planetary ruler Mercury opposes intense Pluto.

Speaking of Mercury, it also unites with pleasure-focused Venus on July 27, the day before it moves into your sign, on July 28; mark these days on your calendar as ones on which you’ll discover a new definition of beauty and delight.

Wellness tip: Don’t be afraid to sweat; it’s a great way to release the fiery Mars energy you may be feeling, reducing your stress and helping you avert sweating the small stuff.

Libra

Life is about to shift gears this month for you, Libra. Since January of last year, you’ve been learning a lot about how to get things done, when to collaborate, and when to do things on your own. But on July 17, as the north node moves into your opposite sign of Aries, highlighting your seventh house of relationships, you enter an eighteen-month period during which partnerships of all kinds take on new prominence.

With your planetary ruler Venus also stationing retrograde on July 22, the third week of the month will show you the power of community and how you can gain support through aligning yourself with people who share your values.

Wellness tip: Journal about the ways in which you’d like to show up more powerfully in your relationships and how doing so might prove rewarding.

Scorpio

During the first half of the month, you could have great clarity on the next step you want to take in life and what you need to do—and avoid doing—to get there, Scorpio. That’s because, until July 17, the south node is in your sign (where it’s been for the past year and a half), giving you powerful insights into how to navigate your life.

Things could take a tougher turn mid-way through the month; on July 21, your planetary ruler Pluto opposes the sun, which could leave you facing off with someone whose need to be acknowledged irks you. Before you go too far down the rabbit hole of irritation, see if there’s something about their desire for appreciation that triggers you because it’s actually reflecting an unacknowledged need of your own.

Wellness tip: It’s a great month for decluttering and getting rid of things in your home that no longer serve you.

Sagittarius

Your month could start on a high note, Sagittarius. As July kicks off, your planetary ruler Jupiter forms a supportive sextile to the radiant sun and communication-oriented Mercury. Take advantage of this auspicious alignment by seeing how language can guide you to a deeper understanding of yourself and others. Additionally, you may be able to uncover information that can help you feel more empowered at work.

Just be aware of the potential for conversations to be a bit tense on July 17—given that’s the day that Jupiter makes a tough square with Mercury; even though you may want to quickly move on to the next subject, marshaling some patience to work through any conflicts and find alignment with loved ones will pay off in spades.

Wellness tip: Learning a few key words or phrases from a foreign language could help you connect to new experiences this month.

Capricorn

Given that the July 3 full moon is in your sign, Capricorn, you could feel an extra boost of energy early in the month. Around the time of this lunation, prioritize what you need and how you want to nurture yourself. Not only will this enhance your sense of well-being, but also, it can help you navigate and negotiate an agreement with a friend or partner.

With your planetary ruler Saturn opposing warrior Mars on July 20, watch out for a bit of friction; in particular, someone asserting themselves could rub you the wrong way. But take note: It’s possible that the feelings they stir within you could help point you toward actions you want to take or movements you want to make.

Wellness tip: Movement will do wonders for your spirit and well-being this month. Whether it’s dancing, taking a fitness class, or even just walking around your neighborhood, make sure to regularly be on the move.

Aquarius

As the month begins, let yourself be surprised by a friend, Aquarius. What they say or do may seem out of character—and yet it may be quite reflective of a new stage of growth that they’re moving through.

Later in the month, your traditional planetary ruler, Saturn, makes a tense opposition to action-oriented Mars on July 20. Given that both planets will reside in the sector of your chart that rules over money, take extra care to avoid making impulsive financial decisions. Instead, see how playing the long game can bring you great reward.

Wellness tip: Spend some time reflecting on your personal budget; sure, it’s not the most glamorous activity, but the long-term return from paying just a little more attention to your spending can work wonders for your stress levels.

Pisces

Your creativity could be off the charts this month, Pisces. Both Mercury and the radiant sun make a harmonious trine to Neptune in Pisces (on July 9 and July 20, respectively), inspiring your inner artist. Whether it’s watercolors, photography, decorating, or another activity, dedicate at least part of July to being as artistic as you possibly can.

You might similarly find that your penchant for romance is dialed up this month. Honor any desires you have to weave more romance into your own life, knowing that you can shower yourself with experiences of beauty and pleasure.

Wellness tip: Take yourself on a date. Being able to uncover or cultivate your own interests (whether you’re partnered or not) is a simple way to add more joy into your life.

Properties of the July birthstone: the energetic and exuberant ruby

• Birthstone color: Red
• Element: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Chakra: Heart and root chakra
• Origin: Varied

Rubies are made of the mineral corundum, and they are a close relative of September’s birthstone, the sapphire. Both are formed under high pressures and temperatures deep below the earth’s surface, but the ruby’s red hue, which they get from the mineral chromium, sets it apart from sapphire, which comes in all but the color red. Given their dazzling beauty, rubies are among the most sought-after gemstones, alongside sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. Not only are they beautiful, they are also hardy, with a Mohs hardness score just a point below the diamond, which tops the charts. Rubies are found in various parts of the world, including Vietnam, Thailand, Africa, and the United States, and “the best rubies are from India and Burma [or Myanmar],” says integrative medicine and crystal expert Elizabeth Trattner, AP, DOM, the owner of wellness center The Helia House.

Birthstone meaning and symbolism of ruby

Rubies have long been associated with protection and prosperity. In ancient China and Burma, warriors wore it as a means of protection, says crystal expert and Reiki master Laura Ellis, while in Hindu culture, it is regarded as the “king of gemstones” and it was thought that those who offered rubies to the god Krishna would be born as emperors in their next life. Rubies have also been linked to passion and vitality, in part because of its supposed color resemblance to our blood and beating hearts.

“The red color signifies life force, and so [ruby] helps people tune into their own spaces of creation—be that creative projects or new ways of being in the world,” says Reiki master and crystal healer Mariah K. Lyons, founder of ASTARA. “It also activates the life force within to help you move forward.” Ellis echoes this sentiment, and calls ruby a “revitalizing stone.” When you’re feeling uninspired and lack motivation, it can help you move forward with a renewed sense of perspective or follow through on your actions. And, if you’re experiencing an energy lull, rubies can help you reignite passion and drive. They are useful for escaping a rut too, helping to release stagnant energy so you can think up new solutions to get yourself unstuck.

In astrology, ruby relates to July-born Cancers and Leos, making it particularly useful for the zodiac signs, albeit in different ways. Rubies can encourage Cancerians to lean into their “queen essence,” says Lyons, allowing the mother of the zodiac to hone their maternal instincts that are key among Cancer traits. The stone can also serve as a grounding reminder for Cancer to take care of themselves, because while they are naturally giving, compassionate, and nurturing to others, they have an inclination to give too much at times. “As for the lion, [ruby] brings a very creative and passionate energy,” says Lyon, helping channel their inner fire purposefully, allow for the full expression of their truth, and enhance their shine. In other words, ruby will help bring out the very best Leo traits. All that said, anyone can harness the energizing powers of the July birthstone regardless of their zodiac and the month they were born.

Lyons, Ellis, and Dr. Trattner also mention that ruby is connected with the root chakra, which is associated with stability and security, and the heart chakra, which, as its name implies, is linked to matters of the heart. The ruby can activate the root chakra to help one feel grounded in the energy and simultaneously remove energetic blocks. When it comes to the heart chakra, it helps wake up and inspire one’s passion, while also removing any blockages that may cause stagnation.

Does July have more than one birthstone?

Rubies might be considered as the primary birthstone for July, but traditionally, the stone onyx was associated with the month. According to Ellis, onyx is a grounding stone, helping one to stay present in their body and senses and hone their focus. She also says that it can also safeguard against negative energy and help one create or maintain healthy boundaries.

What are birthstones?

Birthstones are gemstones that represent a person’s birth month or zodiac sign. Their origins are believed to trace back to biblical times, and the first-century historian Flavius Josephus associated the 12 gemstones on Aaron’s breastplate in the Book of Exodus with the months of the year and the 12 zodiac signs. However, the custom of wearing an individual gem per month didn’t begin until around the 15th or 16th century in Germany or Poland. Birthstones are also found to have origins in Eastern Culture. The Ratna Pariksha, a fifth-century Hindu text, linked specific gems to deities, celestial bodies, and days of the week, while Vedic astrologers recommend certain gems to individuals based on their astrological birth chart.

In 1912, the American Council Association of Jewelers (which is currently known as the Jewelers of America) created a standardized list of birthstones in the United States. This list was updated by the Jewelry Industry Council of America and later by The American Gem Trade Association to include new types of birthstones for certain months of the year.

An overview of the birthstones for every month of the year

Want to pick a crystal that corresponds to your birth month? Here’s a quick overview of the birthstones for every month of the year:

• January Birthstone: Garnet
• February Birthstone: Amethyst
• March Birthstone: Aquamarine and Bloodstone
• April Birthstone: Diamond
• May Birthstone: Emerald
• June Birthstone: Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone
• July Birthstone: Ruby
• August Birthstone: Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx
• September Birthstone: Sapphire
• October Birthstone: Opal and Tourmaline
• November Birthstone: Topaz and Citrine
• December Birthstone: Tanzanite, Turquoise, and Zircon

Frequently asked questions about the July birthstone

What is July’s birthstone and flower?

July’s birthstone is the red ruby or, traditionally, onyx, and the birth flower of July is the larkspur, or delphinium, which is thought to symbolize positivity.

What are the two birthstones for July?

The red ruby is currently the “primary” July birthstone, but the traditional birthstone of the month is the black onyx.

What are the characteristics of the birthstone of July?

The red ruby is an energetic stone that is thought to inspire energy, action, and passion, while the traditional July birthstone—the onyx—is a grounding stone that can also help safeguard against negative energy.

Generally speaking, when planets retrograde, we have the opportunity to slow down, review the recent past, and assess whether we’re on an aligned path. With Neptune retrograde, specifically, that slow-down energy is more collective in nature—meaning you shouldn’t expect jarring personal snafus like you might with a Mercury or Venus retrograde. Neptune is an outer planet, moving very slowly (it takes about 165 years to completely orbit the sun) and affecting entire generations in its wake, so Neptune retrogrades tend to have a similar society-wide impact.

The pairing of Neptune with Pisces is a rich, positive combination; this placement is referred to as its domicile by astrologers (meaning its home base) and is where its energy is best able to thrive. Both the planet and the sign are associated with dreamy vibes that inspire beautiful illusions, fantasies, and creativity.

But the flip side, or shadow side, of that Neptune and Pisces energy, is a lack of knowing where reality ends and fantasy begins. In turn, Neptune’s retrograde in Pisces is an opportunity to examine where we might be toeing that line—and might need to remove our rose-colored glasses.

Overall vibes of Neptune retrograde in Pisces in 2023

According to astrologer Alexandria Lettman, Neptune retrograde is an opportunity to see things as they really are—to pull up the cosmic hood, if you will, of our dreams and delusions, and find clarity. “[Neptune] is a naturally introspective planet, so when it’s retrograde and our focus is turned within, we actually begin to see reality for what it is rather than what we want it to be,” says Lettman. Thankfully, that means this transit won’t create any more confusion, she adds: “It’s more like turning our focus within and seeing things in a different way than before.”

“When Neptune is retrograde and our focus is turned within, we actually begin to see reality for what it is rather than what we want it to be.” —Alexandria Lettman, astrologer

This work is an important check on the planet of escapism. With Neptune, in general, “what you see may not be what you get,” says astrologer Celeste Brooks. While, on the positive side, “Neptune energy is beautiful in a lot of ways because you can create your own reality,” she says, “the shadow sides of that energy are deception and confusion.” Again, Neptune’s mystery can have an obfuscating effect on reality.

Brooks’s best advice for this transit? Constant vigilance and striving to be as realistic as possible; if something seems too good to be true, it likely is, she says. In particular, the Neptunian mist will clear within the emotional Piscean realms of life—like the illusions you may have around your beliefs, your faith, and your world perspective, says Lettman.

Brooks warns that peeling back those illusions could unearth some difficult or even upsetting truths, and it may be tempting to lean into escapist tendencies rather than confront them. Be sure to check in with yourself and seek support from others whom you trust if you find that you’re veering into that territory, she says.

As for what those truths may be? That depends on which astrological house, or area of your life, the planet occupies for your zodiac sign. Read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs to get the full picture of what you can expect from this Neptune retrograde in Pisces and gather star-sanctioned advice to weather the storm.

How Neptune retrograde in Pisces will affect every zodiac sign

Aries

Is your tendency toward escapism holding you back from your goals and dreams, Aries? Neptune retrograde in Pisces hits your 12th house, which symbolizes the subconscious and the psyche, and could turn your attention toward a personal truth you’ve been avoiding. Brooks recommends being kind to yourself because you’re contending with deep work here. Aim to take advantage of the calming and healing effects of nature this summer, and make time for solitude.

Taurus

Neptune is in your 11th house of groups, friends, hopes, and dreams, Taurus. According to Lettman, you’ll be invited to revisit your goals and assess whether they align with your efforts. “You’re considering whether you’ve been realistic with your goal-setting and expectations, or if you’ve been unfair to yourself,” she says.

Brooks recommends creating space for creativity and exploring new dreams and hopes that might align better with what you truly want—for example, by drawing on a blank whiteboard and finding ways to connect with others.

Gemini

The focus of this transit will revolve around your work, Gemini, because Neptune transits your 10th house of career, prestige, and public persona. During this retrograde, you’ll take a look at how your career goals are shaping up and whether they still feel realistic, says Lettman.

“Perhaps you’ve experienced an overwhelming longing for fulfillment and that’s caused you to be naïve about what efforts are actually necessary for you to achieve your ambitions,” says Lettman. You may need to make plans to redirect your efforts or step up your investment of time or energy to get what you want.

Cancer

Neptune lands in your ninth house of higher learning and exploration, Cancer. This area of your life also encompasses your beliefs and morals—and according to Lettman, you could realize you’ve looked too often to others for guidance and reassurance in your decision-making without creating your own sense of morality. “It’s possible that what you thought was your intuition may have actually just been you projecting your feelings onto a situation,” she says, “so this moment of truth is coming to terms with the fact that you need to start taking more responsibility for your actions.”

The ninth house also governs long-distance travel, says Brooks, so a supportive way to realign and clarify your personal philosophy could be planning a trip that’ll help you get back to your sense of self.

Leo

Neptune transits your eighth house of deep psychological processes, Leo. During this retrograde, Brooks says you may need to examine some of your less-desirable traits, and that you should be gentle with yourself as you do so. “Try to have compassion for yourself and be more accepting of your flaws and of not being perfect,” she says.

Embracing self-care practices will be essential during this time, says Lettman; just be sure you aren’t leaning on self-indulgence as a means of avoiding tough truths about yourself.

Virgo

Are your long-term partnerships—platonic, romantic, or business—really serving you, Virgo? Neptune retrogrades in your seventh house of partnerships, which could have you taking a critical eye to those relationships, says Brooks.

If you have a romantic partner, “you may be a little disillusioned with them, or something negative about them may be exposed,” says Brooks. Single? She advises not getting lost in any fantasies about people you’ve just met, and taking the time to really get to know them before finding them a more permanent place in your life.

Libra

Neptune moves through your sixth house of health and routines, Libra. In turn, you might find that daydreaming and escapism have caused you to shirk some of your key daily responsibilities to yourself and your well-being, says Lettman.

Maybe you’ve been pushing yourself too hard—for example, not resting sufficiently and charging ahead with work and fun when you’re not feeling 100 percent. “If you’ve put off taking care of yourself physically, and you’re overlooking what your body is telling you, it’s going to be harder to overlook those things during this retrograde,” she says. Listen to your body and brain, especially when you’re not feeling well, and devote time to recovery, so you’re back in balance.

Scorpio

It’s time to look at things as they really are in your relationships, Scorpio, and peel back any layers of fantasy you’ve created for yourself. Neptune retrogrades in your fifth house of pleasure, love, and fun, clearing away any delusion in those realms of your life.

Have you, perhaps, put yourself aside to accommodate someone else, or are you giving too much of yourself away to a partner? “You could find yourself reviewing where you’ve been hypersensitive in your relationships and where you’ve over-sacrificed yourself and your needs,” says Lettman.

Sagittarius

As the zodiac’s archetypal adventurer, you’re often in a faraway place, Sagittarius, whether physically or mentally. But with Neptune transiting your fourth house of home and family, Lettman says it’s time to come back down to Earth—and to your roots—and examine how you can form deeper connections with your loved ones.

Given your explorative nature, your mind tends to run a mile a minute—so it’s worth taking extra care to be fully present with your loved ones when you’re together. Brooks also advises mustering up a little extra sympathy and compassion for your family members over these next few months and “leading with love.”

Capricorn

Neptune retrograde in Pisces highlights your third house of communication and intellect, Capricorn. Given that this house has a lot to do with how you tackle and analyze problems, you may uncover ways in which you’ve allowed fantasy to warp your decision-making.

“You’re beginning to see where you may have contradicted yourself and how your emotions or judgment have clouded your common sense,” says Lettman. Showing kindness to yourself will help you find more clarity, she adds. Brooks also advises reaching out to siblings, if you have them, and leaving time for creative pursuits that center communication, particularly writing, as a means to problem-solve.

Aquarius

Neptune retrogrades in your second house of possessions, material items, and money, Aquarius. This is the time to really examine your financial decisions, says Lettman.

You could find that you regret buying certain items that don’t live up to your expectations—perhaps items you bought just because someone else had them. Take time to explore what, exactly, may have motivated these purchasing decisions. “This is generally a good time for you to review your budgeting and spending with a clearer head,” says Lettman.

Pisces

This is a biggie for you, Pisces, as Neptune is transiting in your sign (aka your first house of self and identity). You tend to feel more like yourself when Neptune is in Pisces and may have felt more creative or thoughtful over the past several years as a result—but with each year’s retrograde, you have a chance to get real about the progress you’ve made and where you’d like to be in life, says Lettman.

She advises looking at the expectations you’ve set for yourself, and examining whether they come from your wants and needs or from somewhere else. “You may realize that you’ve absorbed too many of the feelings, emotions, and ideas of the people around you, and you’re coming to terms with that,” says Lettman.

Since the first house is also the house of vitality, it’s a great idea to take extra good care of yourself over the next few months by prioritizing adequate, restful sleep, too, says Brooks.

When a planet retrogrades, it seems to slow down and backtrack from our perspective on Earth. Energetically, that process is thought to stymy our progress in the areas of life over which it rules, pushing us to reassess our actions in these realms. In the case of Venus retrograde, that means “taking a closer look at how we love ourselves and others, our value systems, and what allows us to feel confident, sexy, and worthy,” says astrologer Valerie Mesa.

“This Venus retrograde, we’ll be taking a closer look at how we love ourselves and others, our value systems, and what allows us to feel confident, sexy, and worthy.” —Valerie Mesa, astrologer

What makes Venus retrograde (which only happens about every 18 months) especially impactful is the fact that Venus rules over relationships, says astrologer Kirah Tabourn in the most recent episode of The Well+Good Podcast. “We can definitely expect to see a lot of high-profile romance and relationship drama,” she says, adding that this is an essential time for review when it comes to partnerships in general and how we act within them.

While it may be tempting to throw blame at a partner for relationship issues, the energy of Venus retrograde in Leo—a sign of self-confidence and pride—makes this transit a personal one. “It’s so self-love oriented,” says Tabourn, referencing the power of self-dates and being in a good relationship with yourself. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that the way we treat others is a reflection of how we treat ourselves, so it’s important to treat ourselves well.

To hear Tabourn’s detailed breakdown of this year’s Venus retrograde in Leo and learn more about what to do (and avoid doing) throughout, listen to the full podcast episode here:

What to expect from Venus retrograde in Leo in 2023

The fact that Venus is retrograding in fire sign Leo gives this transit a particularly dynamic energy (let’s not forget, Leo’s symbol is the lion) and also doubles down on the love themes at play. “Leo rules over matters of the heart,” says astrologer Ryan Marquardt, “so, Venus in Leo always tends to mark a romantic time.” Add in the retrograde, and you get the reverse: a higher potential for relationship issues and even heartbreak, he says.

Because Leo also rules over our passion, our authenticity, and how we show up in the world, we could additionally find ourselves reassessing these themes, says Mesa. In a way, that means examining our egos.

“One shadow side of Leo is becoming too consumed with being recognized or getting a certain amount of attention,” says Mesa. Paired with Venus, which also rules over beauty and appearances, Leo energy can veer toward egotistical performance, she cautions. Avoiding that tendency in favor of genuine self-expression will be part of the work of this transit. In other words? “If you’re wearing a mask, it’s time to take it off,” says Mesa.

Given that Venus is also the planet of money and resources, Venus transits can spark the urge to overspend. “It may feel hard to save money this summer, but that’s really what we want to lean into,” says Mesa. Where spending freely can easily feed into superficiality, being more measured with your purchases can push you to explore what it is that you truly want and value—and that’s the kind of authentic expression that Venus in Leo is all about.

How this Venus retrograde may affect your relationships, whether you’re single or partnered

Venus retrograde tends to bring a reckoning for relationships—a rediscovery of what you really want or don’t want in a partner, says Mesa. In turn, you could come to a new understanding of how a relationship (current or prospective) can support you in being the most genuine version of yourself, she adds.

With this retrograde happening in Leo, there’s an extra emphasis on what the heart desires and how those desires might have evolved or be in the process of evolving. “Throughout this retrograde, you might realize that a particular relationship or thing in your life isn’t evoking the fire within you anymore or isn’t allowing you to thrive in the way it once was,” says Mesa.

That doesn’t mean this is the time to start a new relationship, though. As with any retrograde, Venus retrograde is a time for reviewing, reassessing, and reimagining what has happened in the recent past and processing lessons, and not for charging forward into something new, says Marquardt, be it a relationship or something else.

“It’s one of those rare instances where [a former relationship] could work the second time around.” —Ryan Marquardt, astrologer

Quite the opposite, it’s also possible that an old flame could come back into your life this Venus retrograde, and “it’s one of those rare instances where that relationship could work the second time around,” says Marquardt, perhaps because that person has done the internal work to grow or process their mistakes.

But even if it doesn’t or can’t for whatever reason, entertaining a reconnection with a person who returns from your past could be worth your while, he adds. They might teach you something about yourself, offer you a healing kind of closure, or open your eyes to the ways in which you’ve grown since your partnership with them.

While reckoning with your current relationship or reconnecting with someone from the past may feel messy or painful in the moment, Marquardt says it’s ultimately going to kick off a process of self-love. “Leo is a sign that always shines in the end,” he says, “so there’s this energy of remembering that you are lovable, and you are worthy, and you are special as an independent person.” And when you enter any relationship with that mindset (again, ideally post-retrograde), you’re in a better position to give and receive love to someone else, too.

How each zodiac sign can expect to feel this summer’s Venus retrograde in Leo

Aries

Relational rumblings could be especially loud for you, Aries. Venus backspins in your fifth house of romance, passion, and your intrinsic creativity—which could turn your attention toward the nature of your love life and whether you feel fulfilled within it, according to Marquardt.

If you’re partnered and you feel like the spark has dimmed, use this retrograde to consider re-upping something you once did with your partner for fun. “For example, if you always used to go to a certain pizza place or had these drive-in movie nights, and you haven’t done so in a while, make a point of doing that thing again,” says Marquardt. And if you’re single, use this time to think about what it really is that would light you up romantically.

Taurus

What does home mean to you, Taurus? As this retrograde occurs in your fourth house of familial roots, you could find yourself piecing together the ways in which your childhood experiences relate to your current life.

“There’s this serious reassessment of the inner child happening for you in the sense of, ‘Did that kid get what they needed from the people who raised them?’” says Marquardt. He adds that the question for you to consider going forward is: How are you creating a space that nurtures both that inner child and who you are now, as an adult?

Gemini

You don’t typically stumble over your words, Gemini. But as this Venus retrograde arrives, it’s hitting your third house of communication—also the house associated with your planetary ruler Mercury—which could leave you feeling like you can’t really click with anyone. “You might struggle to have any meaningful conversation or just sense a creative block in your brain where you just cannot come up with a single good idea,” says Marquardt.

To manage, it’s important to slow down, much like our good friend Venus appears to be doing in the sky. Take a moment to investigate patterns in your relationships in order to assess whether you might be the one limiting effective communication. And consider going back to someone from your past for advice—someone whom you haven’t talked to in a while, but whom you can always count on to understand you.

Cancer

You could find yourself second-guessing what it is you have to offer, Cancer. As an emotions-driven water sign, this state of self-doubt isn’t necessarily foreign to you, but Venus retrograde in your second house of values and resources dials it up this summer.

Perhaps you’re applying for a job and wondering whether you’re overshooting, or maybe you’re tiptoeing through the early stages of a relationship and questioning whether you’re worthy of this person’s full attention and affection, says Marquardt.

In any case, it’s a time to surround yourself with people who uplift you and show you what you bring to the table. And it’s also a time to be wary of overspending; the second house rules over money, which could have you looking to validate your worth through material items that you won’t find valuable down the line, adds Marquardt.

Leo

Hold on tight, Leo. This retrograde is in your sign—aka your first house of identity and the self—which means it could affect any element of how you present yourself in the world, says Marquardt. In turn, you’re bound to feel self-conscious about how you appear to others.

“You could find yourself looking in the mirror a little longer than usual before you leave the house and feeling not totally satisfied with the person looking back,” says Marquardt. After all, Venus does rule over all things beauty and aesthetics, which could hit especially close to home for you, as it moves backward through your sign.

As a result, you could feel the urge to seek out an appearance update. Marquardt’s advice? In a word: don’t. Typically, beauty changes made during Venus retrogrades aren’t ones you’ll appreciate in the future. Instead, stay the course, and seek solace in the inner beauty you’re known to radiate.

Virgo

As a grounded Earth sign, you tend to fare well with alone time—and perhaps even crave it sometimes, Virgo. But as this retrograde hits, you could be feeling a stronger-than-usual desire for aloneness. That’s because it occurs in your 12th house, which is the house of exile, says Marquardt. “There’s this inherent feeling of being on this island on your own and learning how to be your own best friend and give yourself the love that you need.”

In this way, the aloneness that you seek or find this summer isn’t a lonely one; it’s what Marquardt considers “the higher vibe of isolation, which is solitude.” Just be wary of the shadow side of that solitude, which could include escapist tendencies or unhealthy detachment. Rather than avoiding certain realities, you want to use this time to find peace with your entire self and to give love to the parts of yourself that aren’t your favorite ones, he adds.

Libra

It’s about to be your summer of “no fake friends,” Libra, as Venus retrogrades in your 11th house of social networks. This transit could open your eyes to friendship issues that have long lurked beneath the surface. “It’s the feeling where you find yourself having a night out with friends at a bar, but inside, you just feel mostly alone,” says Marquardt.

This disjointedness could arise from either your friends saying or doing something that rubs you the wrong way, or, on the other hand, from you doing or saying something that distances your friends. And in the latter case, it’s possible that you could be called out for being disingenuous or otherwise manipulating your words or actions, says Marquardt.

The result could have you reassessing the nature of your friendships overall. Marquardt suggests asking yourself: “Am I surrounding myself with people who are actually uplifting or inspiring me?” And if the answer is “no,” how can you make a change?

Scorpio

Your workplace reputation could be up for review, Scorpio. With Venus retrograding in your 10th house of career, you may be pushed to consider whether others at work see and value your potential, and at a higher level, whether your public image has garnered you respect, says Marquardt.

Prepare for workplace conflicts that challenge your stature or connections and to find yourself in the position of defending what it is that you do and how you contribute meaningfully to your team or even the world at large. “This is a very big reassessment of the values you hold around your life path,” says Marquardt. “The question you could be grappling with is, ‘Will I leave a legacy that anybody really cares about?’”

Ultimately, what’s most important to remember is that no person’s legacy unfolds in isolation. “The success of others around you is a direct reflection of your own success,” says Marquardt, “so this transit is also about learning how to be more generous with your role at work or in life and to show others that they matter, too.”

Sagittarius

As the zodiac’s archetypal adventurer, you can’t be put into a psychological box, Sagittarius. But as Venus retrograde hits your ninth house of learning, travel, and education, you may begin to question whether you’ve been living a little too complacently.

“You might feel like the things you used to get a thrill out of—like, for instance, a spontaneous weekend trip—are now suddenly boring or uninteresting,” says Marquardt. And that realization could spark a reassessment of what’s really giving you a sense of adventure in life and how you can find more of it.

It’s possible that you feel a little lost on that front due to changes in a relationship with a mentor figure or teacher, both of which also fall in the realm of the ninth house, adds Marquardt. “Perhaps your favorite colleague leaves your workplace or someone in your support network becomes unreachable,” he says. “This could prompt the hard feeling of needing to break off on your own now.”

Capricorn

To whom or what are you indebted, Capricorn? This Venus retrograde will turn your attention toward said person or thing, as the planet moves through your eighth house of karma. Sure, this might have to do with monetary or financial debts, but it could also surface emotional or relational ones, too, says Marquardt. And taking steps to address what you owe on any and all fronts will serve you well during this time, he adds.

In that realm, you may also feel as if a close friend or partner owes you something or isn’t fulfilling the spoken or unspoken obligations of your relationship with them. According to Marquardt, the question for you to consider throughout this transit is: How am I willing to invest in my relationships, and what investment do I need from other people?

Aquarius

If anyone is going to have an ex come back into their life this summer, it’s you, Aquarius, given that Venus retrograde occurs in your seventh house of partnerships. And as noted above, Marquardt actually suggests re-engaging to some extent if this does happen to you. They’re coming back for a reason, he says, and while it could be because they were the one that got away, it could also just be for emotional closure. (But in any case, exploring a past relationship during Venus retrograde could offer key lessons.)

To that end, Marquardt reiterates that this is not the time to date anybody brand new to you, and it’s also not the time to break up with someone whom you were happily dating before the retrograde began (unless, of course, the relationship is toxic or the person does something unforgivable).

If you’re partnered, stay the course and devote time to a meaningful check-in where you discuss how your relationship is proceeding, and how you can spice it up or invest in it further, says Marquardt. And if you’re single, he suggests investing in yourself and self-love and reassessing what relationship means for you, so that you feel ready to give and receive love upon the retrograde’s end.

Pisces

It’s possible to find joy and pleasure in everyday moments if you look for it, Pisces. And that’s what this Venus retrograde in your sixth house of daily rituals and routines will push you to do. “You can get easily frazzled by daily life and are very resistant to feeling under pressure in any way,” says Marquardt. “So, this is really about accepting and finding some beauty in the chaos.”

Given that the sixth house also includes the realms of physical well-being and health, you might consider using wellness-boosting activities as a path to more joy. As an example, take fitness: You might normally work out at a gym, but perhaps, instead, you choose to dance around your apartment or go on a long walk with a friend this summer.

Overall, Venus retrograde in Leo is here to show you where you may be falling into the everyday doldrums—and to inspire feel-good ways you might lift yourself out.

Half birthdays occur in the sign opposite to our sun sign, says astrologer and tarot reader Clarisse Monahan. For example, if you’re an Aquarius sun, your half birthday is during Leo season. Energetically speaking, Monahan says our solar opposite sign can be great at helping us create more balance and harmony in our lives because it highlights what we don’t yet have. (It’s part of why the saying “opposites attract” may have some credence.) So, the astrology of your half birthday can bring awareness to the energy that might be beneficial in your life.

Read on to learn the astrology of your half birthday. Using your sun sign, learn the zodiac sign in which your half birthday lands, and then get tips on the best way to celebrate having made it to the halfway point of your solar return.

How to celebrate your half birthday, according to your zodiac sign

Aries: Honor other people in your life

Aries folks are, by nature, self-oriented. And since their half birthday takes place in Libra season (aka the sign of the scales), Monahan says their celebration should hinge on bringing balance to self-focused tendencies. One way Aries can do this is by honoring and celebrating other people in their life, such as by taking a friend out to a nice meal. “Put the focus on them, not you,” she says.

Taurus: Do something outside of your comfort zone

Taurus folks often enjoy taking a path of ease, and being a fixed Earth sign, they are also known to sometimes get stuck, Monahan says. With that in mind, their half birthday in Scorpio season is an opportunity to break out of that pattern. “As Scorpio is a sign ruled by Mars, their half birthday is about taking action to break a habit or initiate a change that is important for them,” she says. “Time to go beyond your comfort zone.”

Gemini: Book a trip

Gemini’s half birthday happens in Sagittarius season, a sign that Monahan notes as being particularly highbrow. Sag is all about adventure, traveling, and education. So, she suggests Gemini folks celebrate their half birthday by sticking to that theme with plans like booking a trip or going to the theater.

Cancer: Think about your legacy

“Ruled by the emotional moon, Cancer is always up in its emotions,” Monahan says. “Its half birthday falls in earthy and ever-practical Capricorn season.” For this reason, she says Cancer’s half birthday is a great opportunity to block off some time and think about their work, legacy, and what they want to leave behind.

Leo: Volunteer for a cause you care about

Monahan says Leo is known as having a healthy sized ego, so it’s no coincidence that their half birthday occurs in egoless Aquarius season. “Aquarians prefer the altruistic pursuits of humanitarianism,” she says. Volunteering for a cause close to their heart is an excellent way for Leos to celebrate their half birthday.

Virgo: Make plans to have no plans

Pisces, in which Virgo’s half birthday takes place, teaches “Virgo to open up, trespass on the side of fun and love, and forgo the overly practical in favor of the boundless, slightly messy nature of love,” Monahan says. In other words, their half birthday is about letting loose. One way to do this is? Schedule a night out with no agenda other than having fun.

Libra: Go on a solo date

Monahan says that Libra naturally approaches life with harmony and balance, so their half birthday in “rash and brash Aries season” means getting a little wild. “It’s a reminder for these natives to practice being more decisive, direct, and self-orientated at this time,” she says. “A nice way to celebrate is to take yourself out on a solo date [and] pamper your needs and your demands.”

Scorpio: Celebrate the love in your life

Scorpio’s half birthday falls in Venus-ruled Taurus season. “Your half birthday is more about making love, not war,” Monahan says. “This is a really nice time to focus on relationships and celebrating love in your life. If single, it’s an excellent time to check in on your goals with love.”

Sagittarius: Throw a party for your neighbors

Sagittarius celebrates its half birthday during the Gemini season. “While Sagittarius gets associated with foreign lands and adventures, Gemini enjoys staying closer to home,” Monahan says. “It’s associated with our neighborhood and community.” One way she suggests celebrating is by doing something for your community, such as throwing a soiree for your neighbors or getting involved in a neighborhood cause.

Capricorn: Show love to your loved ones

Emotional displays of affection are not typically Capricorn’s thing, Monahan says. But, since their half birthday lands in the season of Cancer, known to be among most emotional and caring signs, she says the half birthday marks an opportunity to be in their feeling. Tell those close to you how much you mean to them.

Aquarius: Put yourself in the spotlight

Monahan notes that Aquarius is associated with group energy and doing what’s best for the collective. So for this sign’s half birthday, in Leo season, she suggests instead embracing Leo’s selfless energy. Aquarius can do this by throwing a big party to celebrate themselves or doing something else that puts them in the spotlight in a big way.

Pisces: declutter and get organized

As a mutable water sign, Pisces loves to go with the flow, Monahan says. But when their half birthday rolls around during orderly Virgo season, it’s a great time to bring some of that organizational energy into their lives by spending the day decluttering and tidying up. Even if on face value it’s not the most fun and exciting way to celebrate a half birthday, she says Pisces folks will feel amazing afterward.

Below, professional tarot readers tell us exactly what the sun tarot card means—and how it might translate in a reading.

What does the sun tarot card mean?

For starters, the sun card is part of the major arcana, one of the two subsets of the tarot deck, with the other being the minor arcana.

There are a total of 22 cards in the major arcana, and each card represents a different stage of the fool’s journey or “the journey of the soul,” Dante Sabatino, an NYC-based tarot reader with 40-plus years of experience, tells Well+Good. When you pull the sun card—or any card from the major arcana—they are often indicative of an important event or influence in your life or a crucial message or lesson. The sun is the 19th card, appearing before the judgment tarot card and after the moon tarot card, and when pulled in a reading, you can think of it as a dawning of a new day, according to tarot reader and astrologer Maria Sofia Marmanides.“There’s a brightness, positivity, and optimism that comes forth when you draw the sun card,” she says.

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone were to figure out the sun card’s meaning just by looking at its imagery, though—it is undeniably happy. In the Rider-Waite tarot deck, the card depicts the sun shining down upon a smiling child, with arms outstretched, on a white steed. Generally speaking, the child can symbolize unrestrained joy, says Marmanides, while the horse may symbolize victory, whether over a challenge or in celebration of a success, reinforcing the sun tarot card’s positive message. Sabatino calls attention to the direction the child and the horse are facing, too. “The horse is moving away from the wall [pictured in the card], so it could be that the child is boldly moving forward and away from a situation that was not going in their favor,” he says.

Sabatino and Marmanides also associate the sun card with the zodiac sign Leo, who is ruled by the sun. The sun card radiates what Marmanides refers to as “ Leo energy” in terms of its confident and heartfelt expression. Whether you were born under Leo (or you regard the sun card as your tarot birth card), the sun card can pertain to you being in your element, in the same way your sun sign might reflect your essence as an individual. When viewed in this light, it can represent the happiness that comes from living in alignment with one’s true self. She adds that since Leo is also ruled by the fifth house of creativity and pleasure, one can also associate the sun card with the pursuit and expression of creative endeavors and, of course, pleasure.

Even the sun’s numerological meaning is a positive one. The sun, as the 19th card in the major arcana, equates to 10 and 1 in numerology. According to Marmanides, this relates it to the wheel of fortune and the magician tarot cards. “The wheel of fortune is all about abundance, and the magician is all about manifestation and being able to actualize and realize your dreams,” she says.

Overall, “it is usually one of the most favorable cards in the deck,” says Sabatino. With this in mind, it’s important to remember that—as with all tarot cards—there are many ways to construe the sun tarot card meaning, and each reader will likely have their own interpretation on what it means in relation to the tarot spread, be it a Celtic cross tarot spread or a one-card pull, whether it appears in an upright or reversed position, and the context of the question you ask in your reading.

The sun upright meaning

Generally, when the sun tarot card appears upright in a tarot reading, then the more straightforward interpretation might apply. As mentioned, it is often seen as a good thing. You can take it as a sign that the universe is on your side, which may be encouragement enough to embody—or continue to embody—its positivity and embrace it with open arms. You might even take it as an invitation to let your inner self or child come out to play or pursue your heart’s passion, whatever that may be. The sun card assures you that only joy can come of it.

The sun could also suggest that you look at things in a new light, whether that means expressing gratitude for what you have or looking to the future with excitement. “Even if some of the other cards present more challenges or things are looking or feeling a little bleak or hopeless, when you pull the sun card, it usually indicates that things will take a turn for the better,” says Marmanides. So if you’re experiencing hard times, consider the sun as a sign that brighter days are coming. Anyone looking for guidance can also find solace in the sun card, which assure that you will receive the shining clarity needed to move ahead or that you are on the right path.

And if your inquiry involves a yes or no question? More often than not, “it’s a bold yes,” says Sabatino.

The sun reversed meaning

If you choose to use reversals in your tarot reading or practice, it generally indicates the inversion of its meaning. In the case of the sun tarot card, says Marmanides, it could mean a variety of things, depending on the context of the question. “For example, it could indicate that somebody is not able to fully see or access their sun qualities, or they see the glass as half-empty rather than half-full,” she says, and if this resonates with you, it may require some introspection. “‘What’s dimming your shine?’ is a question I would ask somebody if I were to pull the sun [in a reversed position] for them.”

The sun reversed, Marmanides adds, could also indicate that the seeker is embodying too much of the sun qualities. “Maybe somebody is being boastful, which is the underbelly of Leo as a zodiac sign,” she says. “It could also be someone who is maybe leaning too far into ego.”

Relationship meaning

If the sun card comes up in a relationship reading, says Marmanides, it can denote that you are content in your current relationship or that any challenges in your relationships will come to light, so you can come to a resolution. It can also mean that you are ready to take your relationship to the next level in a relationship, she says, which might involve a serious commitment. If you are single, it can also mean that you are happy to be in your own company, or if you are looking to enter into a partnership, that it will bring you joy.

Career meaning

“In a career reading, if someone were to pull the sun card, it likely indicates an increase in terms of visibility [or] responsibility in a positive way,” says Marmanides, adding that from a predictive perspective, it could pertain to a promotion, a celebration of an achievement, or a reward coming your way. Conversely, if you are looking for a new job, the sun is your biggest cheerleader, and so long as it aligns with your joy and simultaneously allows you to do what you are passionate about, why not take the chance?

Health meaning

“In terms of a health reading, [the sun card] would indicate a period of vitality, a period of strengthening, or if there was perhaps an illness or sickness, it would indicate that the situation would be healed or alleviated or improved in some way,” says Marmanides. This could also pertain to your mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and the sun card denotes that you may experience a renewed sense of vigor, if you aren’t already experiencing it.

Money meaning

When the sun card comes up during a money-related inquiry, it can denote abundance or good luck, says Marmanides, adding that it might indicate an influx of money coming in. It can also suggest happiness and gratitude for one’s current monetary position, and if there have been any financial-related factors that have left you in the dark, the sun card can also imply that these will be brought to light—if not right away, then in good time.

How to intuitively read the sun tarot card

Whether you are new to tarot or know the traditional tarot card meanings by heart, a lot of wisdom can be taken from professional tarot readers. That said, there is no right or wrong way to interpret tarot cards—and if the above sun tarot card meaning doesn’t resonate with you, that’s okay. Your intuition is enough to glean the information you seek. After all, what are tarot cards if not vehicles for receiving and interpreting messages from our inner selves?

To perform an intuitive tarot reading, it’s important to set a clear intention and keep it top of mind as you shuffle the tarot cards. When you pull a card, take a look at the imagery and pay attention to the story it tells you, listening closely to what comes up for you. Using this process will help you draw your own meaning.

Frequently asked questions

What does the sun tarot card mean?

Traditionally, the sun tarot card can denote vitality, happiness, positivity, and optimism, though every reader’s interpretation will vary according to the tarot card spread, whether it appears in an upright or reversed position, and the context of the seeker’s inquiry.

What does the sun symbolize?

According to Marmanides, the sun is the source of our life force, radiating light, warmth, and positivity. From an astrological perspective, she also correlates the sun with one’s sun sign, which represents a person in their truest essence. As such, the sun card can also symbolize a person living as their truest self.

Is the sun and moon a tarot card?

The sun and the moon tarot cards are two separate cards in the tarot deck, and each has a unique meaning. Both, however, belong to the major arcana to tell the story of the fool’s journey, which is a metaphor of one’s individual life quest.

In a sense, Cancer energy packs a double dose of emotional juice. Not only is Cancer ruled by the moon—which is associated with private emotional experiences, nostalgia, and our needs for safety and security, says Farella—but also, Cancer is a water sign, “and water is the element of emotional force, tapping us into the energies that run beneath the surface of things,” she says.

“Cancer season shines a spotlight in the realm of our tender hearts.” —Cristina Farella, astrologer

As the sun moves into Cancer, it highlights all of the above themes, “shining a spotlight in the realm of our tender hearts,” says Farella. In other words, from now until July 22, all things tied to our inner emotions, deep ancestral stories, or needs for nourishment and love will be on full display, astrologically speaking. And that could spark some big feelings or even tears where you might not normally expect them to flow.

Because the sun in Cancer highlights a different astrological house for every zodiac sign, the emotions of Cancer season tend to show up differently for each sign, too. Below, Farella shares tailored advice for coping with Cancer energy based on how it’ll likely hit each sign.

Here’s how to cope with the emotions of Cancer season, based on your zodiac sign

Aries

New revelations or hidden feelings related to your home life could be drudged up during this time, Aries. The sun in Cancer hits your fourth house of familial roots, shining a light on old memories or unresolved inner challenges, says Farella, who suggests working to redefine what safety and security really mean to you. “What are you looking for at home that you can instead give to yourself right now?” she recommends asking yourself. “Aim to secure your foundation this Cancer season, in whatever way possible.”

Taurus

You may feel drawn toward folks in your neighborhood or good friends during this time, Taurus, as your third house of community is activated. Perhaps, there’s a local fundraiser, yard sale, or block party you could join in order to sate your desire to connect. Or, maybe you just spend some time taking soothing walks around the block and reconnecting with people as you go, suggests Farella. Because the third house is also the house of skill-building, another cosmically aligned idea is to put some energy into learning a new hobby that brings you joy, she adds.

Gemini

Because Cancer season, for you, touches on your second house of money and resources, you’d be wise to keep a careful eye on spending and cultivate a practice of gratitude for what you have, says Farella. “This could also be a lovely time to clean out closets and part ways with whatever no longer adds value to your life by donating to a local charity,” she says. Not to mention, she adds, donating to support those in need is a very Cancerian practice.

Cancer

Take a deep breath, Cancer. Certainly, this season brings a burst of good energy for you as the sun takes its annual spin through your sign, illuminating your first house of identity and the self. But, at the same time, the extra Cancerian energy in the air could stir strong feelings around your self-image and ego, says Farella. “I wholeheartedly recommend pursuing any self-love practice that is accessible to you right now,” she says. “Take things slow, nourish yourself with beautiful meals, celebrate yourself, and remember the care and love you bring to the rest of the world.”

Leo

Your internal world could feel a-stir, Leo. Cancer season activates “a very private house in your chart, the 12th house of the unconscious,” says Farella. And that could mean you feel the need to process personal or collective events with some alone time—a bit of a departure from your typically gregarious vibe. “Take this time to rest up before your season starts in a few weeks,” says Farella, who also suggests tuning into your dreams, as they may be particularly rich or vivid.

Virgo

Similar to Taurus, you could feel emotions bubble up within or surrounding your friends and communities, Virgo. In your case, the sun in Cancer highlights your 11th house of friendship, groups, and your relationship to the collective. “Turning to people who share your values, your vision for the future, and your special interests can help bring a sense of uplift,” says Farella.

Libra

The emotional tug of Cancer season nags at your public image, Libra, as your 10th house of career and public perception is activated. “It might feel intense to be pulled into the wider world at this time,” says Farella. To manage that feeling, use this time, instead, to slow down and reflect on how you really want to be perceived and the legacy you’d like to leave behind—even if it would require a change of direction from the path you’ve been pursuing.

Scorpio

As a fellow water sign to Cancer, you know a thing or two about feeling and processing emotions, Scorpio. And that natural knack makes Cancer season less turbulent for you—as does the fact that it highlights your exploratory ninth house of travel and education. In your case, embracing new artistic or cultural pursuits could shuttle you through this Cancerian period with joy, says Farella: “Go to museums, watch foreign films, or visit a new location in your neighborhood or beyond.”

Sagittarius

Prepare for some emotional tension, Sagittarius. Cancer season hits a “very tender part of your chart,” says Farella, referencing the eighth house of psychological depths and power dynamics. As a result, you could find yourself dealing with big questions surrounding your relationship with yourself and how your past has shaped your present. “To help you process whatever may be weighing on your heart, connect with trusted loved ones,” suggests Farella, who also recommends turning to inner child work to manage any childhood trauma that resurfaces.

Capricorn

Expect feelings to be on the rise in your close relationships, Capricorn. With your seventh house of partnerships highlighted throughout Cancer season, you could face a host of “important realizations or challenges in your romantic or platonic relationships,” says Farella. Taking care to think before speaking and communicate as effectively as possible will be crucial to avoid unnecessary arguments. In particular, Farella suggests turning to relationship resources from the Gottman Institute, including intel on how to best give and receive “bids” or emotional asks within a partnership.

Aquarius

Because Cancer season lights up your sixth house of wellness and routines, you could find yourself physically (and emotionally) exhausted if you don’t tend to your health, Aquarius. “You should avoid over-scheduling yourself, if you can help it,” says Farella. “Instead, use this season to connect with a favorite embodiment practice—like breathwork, EFT tapping, or trauma-sensitive yoga or massage—and strive to find balance, above all else, in the daily rhythms of your life.”

Pisces

Like Scorpio, you’re in your natural habitat amid the emotional waters of Cancer season, as a water sign yourself. Plus, Cancer season touches on your fifth house of creativity and self-expression, making it a prime time for you to experience high-vibe emotions of excitement, curiosity, and fun, says Farella. “Reach for your favorite creative outlet as a way to find comfort, and try not to judge yourself in the process of creating,” she says. After all, you’re supporting your inner child by embracing whatever just-for-fun activity feels right, she adds.

The role your zodiac sign’s shadow side plays into your romantic relationships

First introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, the shadow self refers to those aspects of ourselves we’re not keen to have others know about and would rather turn away from or hide—or keep in the shadows, if you will. As clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD, author of Joy From Fear, previously told Well+Good, “the shadow aspect tends to be the part we are not familiar with that we tend to repress.”

She says “it often holds the pieces of the self that are filled with shame, guilt, inferiority, and unlovability—all of those critical pieces that we like to keep away from the persona that is very ego-driven.” These traits can be largely positive, but may turn into negatives in the right circumstances or if taken to the extreme.

“Relationships can serve as a mirror, and if we are in a romantic relationship that’s allowing us to be our full selves, it’ll include the stellar parts of ourselves and the parts that you don’t really want to look at.”—astrologer Stephanie Gailing

Astrology allows us to dig a bit deeper into our personalities, and learning how your personality traits can affect your romantic relationships is part of that. “Relationships can serve as a mirror, and if we are in a romantic relationship that’s allowing us to be our full selves, it’ll include the stellar parts of ourselves and the parts that you don’t really want to look at,” says Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of Astrology: A Guide to Understanding Yourself Through the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

It’s key to remember that these traits themselves aren’t necessarily negative, but that they can come across as negatives. For example, think about how Capricorn’s meticulous planning and perfectionism can help them climb the corporate ladder, but how that same trait could also prevent them from actually getting into romantic relationships unless that person checks every one of their boxes, or how Libra’s desire for fairness and compromise can help them maintain relationships, but may leave their own needs unaddressed in a romantic partnership.

Read on for intel from Gailing and Alexandria Lettman, astrologer and founder of spiritual wellness platform Jupiter Jewel, about how each zodiac sign’s shadow side manifests in their romantic relationships.

How each zodiac sign’s shadow side impacts their romantic relationships, according to astrologers

Aries

It’s no secret that you act before you think sometimes, Aries. In many cases, your boldness is a plus, but to some this impetuousness and impulsiveness may come off as less than thoughtful. “You can be impulsive and self-focused, so you may rush to form relationships and may seem inconsiderate of others’ needs but only because you’re so in touch with your own needs,” says Lettman. To make sure your behaviors aren’t misinterpreted by your partner, Aries, slow down and consider your words and actions and how they’ll be received.

Taurus

Taurus, there’s a reason your sign is symbolized by the bull. Your determination can be read as being difficult, says Gailing. “You can come across as stubborn and overly slow to change,” she says. Try to let up a little, because compromise can be a great thing in relationships.

Gemini

It can be tough to hold your attention, Gemini, so you may be prone to losing interest in a romance if you feel bored or overlooked, says Lettman. This can be a great mechanism to make sure you’re getting what you want, but it could cause you to seem fickle. “Your instinct when a spark kind of fizzles is not to revive it but to move on, so this can make people think you’re just not serious about commitment,” she says. Instead of moving on so quickly, take stock and decide if there’s something worth working on and if there is, take steps to get back on track.

Cancer

Caring for and protecting those you love is part of how you show your affection, Cancer, but sometimes it may come off as smothering or overly guarding, says Gailing. “It can come across as ‘at all costs I will protect those people,’ and it may lose rationality,” she adds. As much as you want to nurture and protect, remember that you can’t do it always—Lettman adds that it’s key to allow your S.O. to do things on their own so your loving actions are better appreciated instead of resented.

Leo

Leo, it’s no secret you love the limelight, but while in many ways that showmanship is welcome, your penchant for drama can sometimes come across as too much. “You are prone to dramatics, especially when you’re bored, and this can come across as picking a fight,” says Lettman. Don’t start disagreements just to keep things interesting, and be sure to read the room and tone it down if necessary.

Virgo

Ever the perfectionist, Virgo, your meticulousness and attention for detail may come from a good place, but your notes can come across as criticism.”You may think you’re being supportive and helpful, but in actuality it’ll come across as critical and nit-picky,” says Lettman. Work on softening your approach and delivering feedback gently instead, she advises.

Libra

You always strive for balance and fairness, Libra, but sometimes you lose yourself in your diplomacy, which can lead to your needs and feelings not being considered. “The thing Libras have to watch out for is being too apt to compromise, and then feeling angry at the end of the day because nobody thought of them,” says Gailing. Your need to make everything fair and not taking a side can also come off as superficial, she adds. Set and maintain healthy boundaries to be sure your needs and desires are met, and watch that your constant compromising doesn’t lead you to harbor resentments toward your partner, advises Lettman.

Scorpio

Your deeply rooted desire for control feeds your need for concealment and mystery, Scorpio, but be sure to watch that you don’t push your partner away because of it, says Gailing. “It’s very all or nothing, and the main wound of Scorpio is the fear of abandonment, so it’s ‘I’m going to cut you before you cut me,’ so that secretiveness could cut somebody out,” she says. As tough as it can be, try to let your guard down, and don’t always go on the defensive.

Sagittarius

You’re the zodiac’s free spirit, Sagittarius, and you don’t let anyone get in your way of wandering and exploring—not even your S.O. But your need to always be independent and on the move may mean you leave your partner out, and can come across as inconsiderate or indifferent. “Because you’re so free-spirited, your significant other may think you’re just not thinking about others when you’re making plans,” says Lettman. Be sure to loop people in on what you’re up to.

Capricorn

Your caution and knack for planning may serve you well in many realms of life, Capricorn, but that same trait can hinder your romantic efforts. Because it takes a while for you to open up to someone, you may find that you’re so cautious that you don’t allow for spontaneity or opening up, says Lettman. “You’re quite emotionally reserved and unwilling to go deeper with someone, but it could take a long time for you to be ready for that, and by that time you could’ve missed the boat,” she says. Try to be a bit more spontaneous and put your planning pad down every once in a while.

Aquarius

You root your actions in logic, Aquarius, and care deeply about facts. Sometimes you may rely too much on thinking and not enough on feeling, so it could appear that you’re discounting your S.O.’s feelings; you may be prone to intellectualize others’ feelings, says Gailing, which creates emotional distance. “You could come across cold, rational, and detached,” says Gailing. Remember that love and affection involve both the head and the heart.

Pisces

You’re ever the romantic, Pisces, and your expansive imagination and ability to dream feeds that. You’re prone to escapism, so you need to watch that you don’t get so enamored of someone that you harbor delusions about the true nature of the relationship, says Gailing. “It could be wanting love so badly that you see it where it maybe doesn’t exist,” says Gailing. Keep your head and heart in the clouds, Pisces, but come down to earth for a reality check often enough to make sure your affections aren’t misplaced and are reciprocated in the way you deserve.

How your Venus sign influences romantic relationships

When considering what you need in a romantic relationship, it’s important to consider all the placements in your birth chart to account for all the facets of your personality, but your Venus sign, which refers to where Venus was in the sky when you were born, is key here because it’s all about your personality when it comes to love and pleasure. “Venus symbolizes your understanding of love in general because it’s literally the planet that represents what you need and value in a relationship, like how you love other people and how you need to be loved back,” says Alexandria Lettman, astrologer and founder of spiritual-wellness platform Jupiter Jewel.

“Venus symbolizes your understanding of love in general…how you love other people, and how you need to be loved back.”—Alexandria Lettman, astrologer

Depending on your birth chart, you’ll have one of the twelve zodiac signs as your Venus placement. Of course, each zodiac sign is imbued with particular traits due to its element and modality. Depending on a sign’s placement in your birth chart, its mannerisms will appear in that facet of your life. The same case is true here: your Venus placement is defined by the personality of its sign, which mean your habits, desires, and needs in love echo these characteristics.

For example, Scorpio Venuses take on the deep, passionate energy of that sign when it applies to love and lust, while an Aries Venus embodies that trademark fiery spark. Someone with a Venus placement in Cancer will be nurturing in their romantic relationships, while someone with a Venus in Pisces is likely a dreamy romantic eager to give their heart away.

Reading for your Venus sign can help you pinpoint exactly what you need in a romantic relationship. To find your Venus placement, enter your birth details—date, time, and location—into a free natal chart generator. Once you know your Venus placement, read on for star-sanctioned guidance from Lettman and Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of Astrology: An In Focus Workbook: A Guide to Understanding Yourself Through the Sun, Moon, and Stars about what you need in a romantic relationship.

What you need in a romantic relationship, according to your Venus sign

Aries

Because of your zest for life and cardinal fire sign energy, Aries,  you need someone who will keep you activated and on your toes, someone with whom you share a passionate spark and who will keep life exciting and engaging for the long haul. “Aries want partners who will throw themselves headfirst into something and who cares about keeping [the relationship] fresh and adventurous,” says Gailing.

Taurus

Taurus, your status as an earth sign means you’re deeply sensual and grounded, and your determination in all things you do means you put this energy into every facet of your life, including your romances. You need a partner who can be the other half of a strong team, and who will return your romance and affection in a way that doesn’t coddle or limit you, says Lettman. Your partner needs to show how much they care for you by “adding structure and value to your life,” she says. “Taurus wants someone who makes them feel really well-rounded and supported, and who will support you loudly and really hold them down,” she says.

Gemini

As the social butterfly of the zodiac, Gemini, you’re enthusiastic and personable. An ever curious air sign, you need a romantic partner who will hold your focus and attention, says Lettman. You need someone who is equally curious and adaptable, and will chat with you. “You want the butterflies to stay around for the duration of the relationship, and you need someone who is going to keep your attention,” she says.

Cancer

Cancer, part of how you express your love and affection is through caring for others, so Gailing says you need someone who will readily receive that. However, all this nurturing could have you pouring from an empty cup, so you need a romantic relationship where your other half is equally willing to do the same for you, she says. As the consummate host of the zodiac, it’s not to say you never leave the house, Cancer, or that you don’t like a great time out, but you love a cozy home, and someone who is down to spend the night in hosting a dinner party or curling up on the couch for TV and takeout will go a long way with you. You also require someone who is in tune with their own feelings, and who can handle yours—as a water sign, you’re deeply empathetic and caring, so a partner who can appreciates that and can balance it would be great.

Leo

Leo, you love when the spotlight is on you, and that’s no different in your needs for a romantic partner. According to Gailing, what you need in a romantic relationship is someone who will make you feel special and cared for. Think: sweet love notes, flower deliveries when you least expect them, and being wined and dined. But while you do love gifts and grand romantic gestures, what really matters is that your partner recognizes your singular charms—and doesn’t let you forget it. “You’re really poised toward joy and really interested in expressing yourself, so you want to feel really special in your partner’s eyes,” says Gailing. “You want to be in a relationship where the heart is really pronounced.”

Virgo

Virgo, your status as an earth sign means you’re quite grounded in love and life in general. Because of your high level of meticulousness and attention to detail, Gailing says a partner who shares a bit of this with you—but is a little more relaxed—can help you let loose in a good way. “Someone who will add a bit of dreaminess so you’re not so focused on the practical every day would be very sweet,” she says. Bonus points if they share your affinity for nature and can join you on romantic walks and nature outings.

Libra

You’re social and relationship-oriented, Libra, and you’re curious about others. In terms of what you need in a romantic partnership, says Gailing, you need someone who is willing to engage with you and others and indulge in your curiosities. “A partner who is closed in on themselves will likely be a no-go,” she says. It’s no secret that you do appreciate beauty and the finer things in life, and a partner who will shares in that joy is key for you, too, she says.

Scorpio

Scorpio, you have a reputation for being brooding and guarded, but also deeply sensual, passionate, and devoted once you deem your partner worthy—blame the emotional depths imparted to you as a water sign. For these reasons, what you need in a romantic relationship is a partner who will be deeply emotional and honest with you, someone who will willingly dive in and match your intense energy. You want a ride or die who will help you come into your full power—very all or nothing energy.

Additionally, you require a romantic partner who can fulfill your need for total intimacy, connection, and depth. You need someone who you actually want to reveal yourself and your secrets to, says Lettman. “You value someone who is able to open up without lies and secrecy,” she says. “You need someone who really understands the importance of un-distracted quality time to pick each others’ minds and really deepen that connection.”

Sagittarius

You’re the zodiac’s adventurer, Sagittarius, so it makes sense that you need a romantic partner who shares that same sense of gusto and lust for life. You have a knack for finding excitement and intrigue in the world around you, and Lettman says you need a partner who is capable of matching that energy. “You need a playful relationship, something that makes you feel lifted and on top of the world like you could go anywhere and do anything with this person,” she says. Anyone who will limit you or dampen your enthusiasm and expansion won’t do.

Another key piece of your appetite for adventure has to do with your wisdom and ability to think deeply, so Lettman says you need a partner who can match you there and is willing to ponder all the biggest, thorniest questions alongside you—sometimes for hours on end. “You need someone who you can talk to for ages and just not get bored with,” she adds.

Capricorn

You work so hard in all realms of your life, Capricorn, so you need a romantic partner who can allow you to show the softer side of yourself without judgement or fear. According to Lettman, you need someone who is authentic and who can fill in the blanks in the areas you need extra support with, like being emotionally vulnerable. “Capricorn Venus approaches love in a very grounded and practical sense because they’re so strong in themselves, so they need someone who can come into their life and offer support in the areas where they aren’t so strong like opening up emotionally,” she says. Loyalty and fidelity are also paramount to you, and your reputation for practicality is well-earned, so Galiing says you need a partner who ticks these boxes at the same time.

Aquarius

You can sometimes feel like a bit of a puzzle, Aquarius, because you care deeply about others, but also greatly value your independence. You adore your friendships and desire a relationship, according to Lettman and Gailing, but your worst nightmare would be a romantic relationship where your independence is taken away or diminished, so you need a partner who respects your need to pull away and follow your own drumbeat when you need to. “You want freedom to work on your important project or to be with your friend, so that space is really important,” says Gailing. An air sign that’s altruistic and humanitarian, you need a partner who can match you intellectually and who supports your visions and desire to work toward a better world—even if you don’t necessarily agree on everything.

Pisces

You’re the zodiac’s dreamer, Pisces, and you wear your heart and your many feelings on your sleeve. You love nothing more than being in love. According to Gailing and Lettman, people with this Venus sign want a romantic relationship that resembles what you’d see in a cinema—you want to be part of a grand romance. But while your head and heart are up in the clouds, you need a partner with some grounding who can make sure you keep at least some connection to reality, says Gailing. “There’s a romantic spirit to Pisces because they’re dreamy, passionate, artistic, compassionate, and really sensitive where they want to be, on some level, swept away,” she says. “But you need to be careful you’re not carried away by fantasy.” A practical partner who can lend support without entirely diminishing or discounting your dreams would mesh well with your energy.

Just as retrogrades reflect times of cosmic slowdown and reversal, so, too, are their energetic effects on us: When planets appear to move backward from our perspective, we’re also encouraged to look to the past, and review, reassess, and reconsider. As a result, retrogrades tend to slow our forward progress—but that’s most apparent when they happen for personal planets (aka the ones whose orbs are closer to our own, like Mercury and Venus). With outer planets, like Saturn, the effects are often less personal and immediate; rather than feeling like you’re likely to, say, miss a flight or miscommunicate, you’re more likely to sense that your (or your community’s) broader goals are being impeded.

Given Saturn and Pisces are pretty much polar opposites in terms of vibes—the former being the structure-oriented taskmaster of the zodiac and the latter, associated with the boundless abyss of our feelings and dreams—Saturn moving through Pisces has been a jarring transit thus far. It’s been imposing order in areas of life where you might’ve otherwise run wild, bringing people with strong Pisces placements, in particular, out of the clouds and back down to reality.

But as the planet heads into retrograde motion, we’ll all be forced to slow down or even press pause for a moment to get a better understanding of the harsh realities or difficult lessons that Saturn in Pisces aims to impart.

Overall vibes of Saturn retrograde in Pisces

Since Saturn’s shift into Pisces in March, the planet’s vibe has infused Piscean topics—emotions, thoughts, dreams, goals, and hopes—with a more rigid sense of structure and limitations, according to astrologer Celeste Brooks. For many, this shift has meant addressing hard but necessary truths.

“Saturn can be a wet blanket in some ways, but it also brings reality right into your face, so that means some people are going to come up against some boundaries, restrictions, and reversals,” says Brooks. If you’re used to letting your imagination and escapist tendencies run free, you may feel as if you’ve been brought back down to Earth lately or have faced more challenges, especially in the realm of life over which Saturn rules for you, based on your zodiac sign.

Because Pisces themes are of a deeply personal and internal nature, Saturn’s signature rigidity can really hit hard, says astrologer Maria Sofia Marmanides. “Pisces is a dreamer, so when Saturn comes in there [with its rules and restrictions], there can be a little bit of hopelessness and melancholy,” she says. (If you’ve been all up in your feelings—and not in a good-feeling way—Saturn’s Pisces transit may be to blame.)

“Saturn always gives a lesson, so it’s like you were in class, and now you have to do the homework.”—Maria Sofia Marmanides, astrologer

As the planet grinds to an apparent halt for its upcoming retrograde cycle, we may actually get a bit of a reprieve. After all, retrogrades are a time to pause and take stock—and in this case, that could mean we get a break from Saturn’s lessons and an opportunity to digest whatever we’ve been confronting internally over the past couple months, says Marmanides. “Saturn always gives a lesson, so it’s like you were in class, and now you have to do the homework.”

Chances are, that work is in figuring out how to apply some Saturnian structure to your otherwise nebulous or untethered dreams or visions. “Having dreams is great, but Saturn’s reality check pushes you to ask yourself, ‘How am I going to make them real?'” says Marmanides.

Exactly how you sense this energy will depend on your zodiac sign, given that Saturn falls in a different astrological house (aka realm of life) for each one. Read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs to learn where you can expect to get a reality check as Saturn retrogrades in Pisces, and pick up star-sanctioned advice for weathering this transit.

How Saturn retrograde in Pisces will affect every zodiac sign

Aries

Because Saturn falls in your twelfth house of the subconscious, you could feel these transit in a deep way, Aries. This is a time to think about whether you’re caring for and nurturing yourself in a manner that supports your bigger goals, says Brooks. In that realm, it’s also helpful to “get real about your fears and any escapist tendencies,” she adds. For example, if you’re prone to self-sabotage, Saturn’s retrograde in Pisces is a great time to take steps to address those behaviors.

Taurus

This transit hits on your 11th house of groups and friends, Taurus. Perhaps you realize you’ve outgrown a friendship or that absorbing all your social circle’s activities via Instagram isn’t serving you, and it’s time for a social media fast.

In any case, you can use Saturn’s no-nonsense energy to assess whether your relationships—and methods of growing and maintaining them—are replenishing or draining you.“It’s an opportunity to review and reevaluate where you’re investing your energy wherever you’re connecting with people, whether it’s in real life or online,” says Marmanides.

Gemini

Work stressing you out, Gemini? Your 10th house of career and reputation is affected by this Saturn retrograde in Pisces, leaving you to grapple with changes at work. “A Saturnian figure could show up in the form of an overbearing boss, or maybe you’ve felt like, in the last couple of months, your workload has increased or things have just been feeling really overbearing or oppressive,” say Marmanides.

Saturn’s retrograde provides an opportunity to examine your relationship to your career amidst this onslaught, and to do some internal searching to “find new headway with those challenges,” adds Marmanides. Perhaps you’ve uncovered something new that you enjoy doing among a new set tasks, and you’d like to pursue that direction or maybe you realize that it’s about time to set new work-life boundaries.

Cancer

Given this retrograde touches your ninth house of beliefs, thoughts, and learning, you may feel encouraged to think critically about your perspective of the world, Cancer. “If you’re feeling rather dogmatic and not open-minded about things, almost like you’re entrenched or digging into your beliefs, this is an opportunity to give yourself and other people a little bit of a break and allow a different perspective to emerge,” says Marmanides.

Separately, the ninth house also encompasses long-distance travel, so this retrograde could be a great time to ideate and research a trip or two that’ll help expand your belief system and open your mind.

Leo

It’s time to settle those debts, Leo. Saturn will head backward through your eighth house of possessions and karma, which could surface new monetary expenses—Brooks says to be on the lookout for unexpected money happenings, like a hefty bill or loan—but is also associated more generally with what you owe to and exchange with others on a deeper level. Consider how much you let others in, and how much of yourself you allow others to see and know.

According to Marmanides, Saturn’s presence in this house is typically a signal to examine issues related to trust. “For Leos, this [retrograde] is really about vulnerability and how comfortable we are allowing others to see us,” she says.

Virgo

Prepare for relational shakeups, Virgo. Saturn’s retrograde in Pisces hits your seventh house of partnerships—and because Saturn is associated with long-term commitment, this retrograde is a chance to think about whether you want to stick with the people to whom you’re committed, romantic or otherwise… or choose to part ways.

If you’re in a romantic relationship, set aside solo time to assess how it’s going and consider whether it feels reciprocal and mutually beneficial—and if it doesn’t, whether the imbalance might be temporary. You may find that “you have to pick up more slack in a relationship around now because your partner is overwhelmed in some way,” says Brooks. Open communication is key to figure out whether you can work out a fairer balance down the line.

Libra

As Saturn retrogrades, it moves through your sixth house of routines, Libra. This house corresponds to your daily functioning, says Marmanides, which touches on things like self care, work, and your general wellbeing. As a result, your Saturnian reality check could come in the form of realizing that your daily rituals aren’t serving you—or perhaps, that you need to implement a few routines to complete your to-do list more effectively and feet better overall.

That might look like setting and sticking to a bedtime routine to ensure more restful shut-eye, or setting a goal of taking a daily walk to incorporate more movement and an opportunity for a mental rest into each day. In any case, it’s about making an active decision to take better care of your well-being, says Brooks.

Scorpio

Are your leisure pursuits actually a good time for you, Scorpio? With task-oriented Saturn in your fifth house of pleasure, enjoyment, and love, you could find yourself reevaluating or critiquing the things you say that you do for fun. Consider whether “you feel like you’re in a productive phase in terms of creative ideas and adding more joy into your life,” says Marmanides. If the answer is a resounding “no,” plot a way to change that.

Sagittarius

Changes could await you on the home front, Sagittarius. Saturn moves through your fourth house of family and foundations, potentially surfacing issues with your physical home, like a renovation, or with your actual family members. Something might need to be mended in this realm, or you may find that you need to take on additional responsibilities.

Spend this retrograde considering how you’ll address these needs to bolster your home foundations—including those of the mental and emotional kind. “Perhaps there’s certain generational trauma that you could work through with a trusted friend or therapist, or maybe it’s about exploring how you can better relate to family members,” says Marmanides.

Capricorn

Saturn is your planetary ruler, Capricorn, so you’re likely to feel this retrograde especially deeply. In particular, it’s moving through your third house of communication, calling you to examine how you relate to others and express yourself, says Marmanides. This is a time to figure out how to “better articulate your hopes, dreams, and the things that really matter to you,” she adds, suggesting that it may be helpful to put your thoughts to paper by journaling.

Aquarius

Money could be on your mind this retrograde, Aquarius. Saturn will move through your second house of finances, pushing you to consider how money can help you structure the life you want to live. “This could be a good time to put a plan together in terms of where you are spending money and how you could better allocate your resources,” says Marmanides You can take control of your finances by setting realistic savings goals and developing a plan for paying down debts, suggests Brooks.

Pisces

If you’ve been having a tough time as of late, Saturn may be to blame, Pisces. After all, the taskmaster has been moving through your sign—aka your first house self and identity—since March, applying its rules and rigidity to your free-flowing persona. This is a time to get real about how you want to move through and be perceived in the world, says Marmanides.

Your task during this retrograde is to take steps to figure out “what is important to you as you create the next version of yourself,” says Marmanides. Because the first house is also associated with the physical self, adds Brooks, it’s an auspicious time to prioritize your image and vitality, too.

This new moon invites us to follow our curiosity, reclaim a beginner’s mindset, and remain flexible. Gemini’s youthful nature is playful, and it knows the brilliance and strength that accompanies trying something new and being open to exploring the unknown. This new moon is also an aligned time to reconnect with your voice, leveraging your own lived experience to share your wisdom with others. Gemini is quite social, too, and we may feel called to connect with friends, sign up for a new class, or finally tackle the books on our nightstand.

The energy of the new moon may feel hard to grasp and even otherworldly thanks to Neptune, the planet of illusion, dreams, and spirituality. The new moon will be forming a connection with the elusive planet, making this a fertile time to set intentions around creative projects and our dreams for the future. Neptune’s influence can easily encourage us to get lost in our fantasies, so while some creative or spiritual exploration is an aligned use of this energy, it’s important to try and keep one foot on the ground. It’s easy to over-idealize a person or situation under these moonbeams. Misunderstandings can also occur, and Neptune’s compassionate nature can also kick up our sensitivities. On the positive side, this new moon offers us a beautiful portal for making progress on our own healing journey.

Our words are more charming than normal under this new moon in Gemini, so put yourself out there and ask for what you desire.

It’s also important to consider that Gemini is ruled by the communication planet Mercury and, at the time of the new moon, Mercury in Gemini will be forming a gentle and lucky connection with Venus in Leo. This is auspicious for a few reasons: Mercury feels at home when it moves through Gemini, so it’s better able to help us achieve our desires, think clearly, and make effective progress. Venus is one of the most fortunate planets in the sky, and with Mercury blending its energy with Venus, we can expect ease and grace in our communications with others and important relationships.

Our words are more charming than normal under this new moon in Gemini, so put yourself out there and ask for what you desire. It’s also possible to receive exciting news today that brings you closer to an accomplishment you’ve been working toward. At the same time, Saturn, the planet of responsibility, limits, and dedication, stations retrograde in the sky. Whatever plans we dream up today will require some rethinking and adjustments over the next six months. Luckily, that’s nothing we can’t handle thanks to Gemini’s clever and versatile nature.

To get a better picture of how this expansive energy will affect you, read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs. Then, pick up a unique self-care practice to help you move through this lunation with a little more ease.

What the new moon in Gemini means for your sign

Aries

Let your curiosity guide you, Aries. The new moon in Gemini moves through your third house of communication, learning, and self-expression. This marks a new chapter for your personal mindset and the way you speak to yourself, as well as how you choose to use your voice. Exciting invitations, possible contracts, or intriguing news may arrive under this new moon. Pay attention to the ideas or opportunities that light you up—it’s likely that they are worth following.

Your new moon self-care practice: Pick up a journaling practice. Whether it’s daily journaling or a weekly gratitude practice, using the written word can help you sharpen your ideas and bring about more clarity.

Taurus

Security is top of mind for you, Taurus. The new moon lands in your second house of income, resources, and comfort. Practically speaking, news about your job or other potential work contracts may arrive. This is also an aligned time to tend to your budget and recommit to a savings goal. Emotionally, you’re invited to explore your own self-worth and relationship with how you nurture yourself. Now is a powerful time to witness and recognize your own talents and gifts. You’re valuable and deserve to embody the success of your achievements.

Your new moon self-care practice: Book a massage, add some lemon to your water, take the time to stretch in the morning right when you wake up. Tending to your physical being will improve your relationship with yourself. You’re worth it.

Gemini

You’re redirecting your attention to yourself, Gemini. The new moon illuminates your first house of self, identity, and personal ambitions. A new moon in your sign only happens once a year—this is your invitation to reinvent yourself. Now is an aligned time to play around with your wardrobe and appearance, as well as redefine who you are and how you show up in the world. It’s easy to release and strip away past versions of yourself. This is your butterfly-leaving-the-cocoon moment. If you have any major goals you’d like to achieve over the next six months, be bold in asking for what you desire today. Luck is on your side.

Your new moon self-care practice: Write a letter to yourself from the future version of you. Talk about the life you desire (how you feel, who you spend time with, what you’ve achieved) in the present tense as if you’ve already accomplished it.

Cancer

Time to turn inward, Cancer. The new moon activates your 12th house of closure, healing, and spirituality. Now is an aligned time to focus on rest and solitude. You may be processing some grief or wrapping up a major cycle in your life. This is also an opportunity to gain access to your subconscious and limiting beliefs and behaviors. You can kick old habits and extend forgiveness to yourself. Your intuition is incredibly loud today, so pay attention to what comes through. You may learn about a secret or have an aha moment. Take the time you need to focus on recharging before your season begins.

Your new moon self-care practice: Explore your relationship with your intuition. Try some automatic writing, guided meditations or breathwork. Committing to “flexing” your psychic muscles on a regular basis will expand your intuitive awareness over time.

Leo

You’re feeling more expansive than normal, Leo. The new moon lands in your 11th house of wishes for the future, allies, friendship, and support. What recent dream or goal has captivated your attention? It’s time to pour your energy and effort into making it a reality. Collaborative efforts will also be rewarded under this new moon—working with others can lead to exciting ideas, intriguing connections, and inspiring opportunities. You may also begin deepening a new friendship around this time or receive some welcomed support from someone in your circle.

Your new moon self-care practice: Your job is to think as far-fetched as possible. Try a timeline jumping meditation. Visualize everything going right that possibly could. See where that leads you and decide to embody that version of yourself now.

Virgo

Recognition is on its way, Virgo. The new moon moves through your 10th house of accomplishments, public reputation, and career milestones. You may learn news about a raise or promotion, or perhaps you’re starting a new chapter at a new job or in a new position. This is also an important time to reflect on how far you’ve come and what goals you’d like to set for yourself in the future. This marks a new beginning for you regarding your relationship with the public and your life path.

Your new moon self-care practice: Who helped you get to where you are now? As you reflect on your achievements, send out a thank you letter to a mentor or friend who helped you get to where you are now.

Libra

You’re considering other perspectives, Libra. The new moon activates your ninth house of travel, expansion, and beliefs. You may be feeling more philosophical under this moon and find yourself contemplating some of life’s greater mysteries. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop an intentional relationship with your intuition. Intriguing and promising conversations and discussions can take place today. Information you learn today has the potential to shift your perspective.

Your new moon self-care practice: Try something new! Visit a new grocery store, go on a different hike, or take a different commute route to work. Switching up your daily routine with new vistas can help expand your mind, as well.

Scorpio

You’re turning inward, Scorpio. The new moon in Gemini illuminates your eighth house of shared resources, expectations, and your psyche. This marks a new beginning and relationship with your past, as well as any residual guilt, fear, or shame you’ve picked up in the past year. This is an invitation to explore what lingers in your shadow and to surrender and make peace with it. Important relationships in your life may also experience a wave of vulnerability and the potential for deepening bonds. Practically speaking, this may coincide with settling some debt, or a new contract arriving.

Your new moon self-care practice: Make a list of all of your fears. Pick one to focus on. Dissect it. What about it elicits this response? In what ways can you work your way toward conquering it?

Sagittarius

Your important connections receive an energetic reset, Sagittarius. The new moon lands in your seventh house of one-on-one relationships and collaborations. Singles may find someone serious to start a new chapter with, and couples may find themselves making their relationship a priority once again. New and exciting business partnerships can also crop up. You’re thinking more about the way you relate to others in general. Are you giving too much or not enough? You’re ready to find a sustainable balance in your connections.

Your new moon self-care practice: Plan a date with an important person in your life. Whether it’s family, a lover, or a BFF, take the time to try something new together and deepen your bond.

Capricorn

Something new has captured your attention and your time, Capricorn. The new moon illuminates your sixth house of day-to-day routine, habits, and health. You may be starting an important new project or taking on a new and important responsibility around this time. If you’ve been overworking (let’s be real, that’s a yes), this is an opportunity to establish a healthier work-life balance. Honoring your boundaries and saying no is key. You can also streamline your routine and edit out old habits and behaviors that no longer feel aligned.

Your new moon self-care practice: Focus on your self-care. How can you tend to your needs and nurture yourself? The busier your schedule gets, the more important it is for you to tune in to your body and what it’s asking of you. And don’t be afraid to rest!

Aquarius

A wave of optimism returns, Aquarius! The new moon activates your fifth house of pleasure, play, creativity, and romance. You’re feeling more rooted in the present moment and in flow with the universe. This is a beautiful time to start new creative projects or to date (no matter your current relationship status). Couples may be exploring their passions and desires together in new ways. Your job is to have fun, so engage in hobbies and activities that light you up, and let your inner child call the shots.

Your new moon self-care practice: Dress up like your teenage self and reflect on all the dreams you had then and how much you’ve accomplished since. What was something you wanted to wear in high school, but didn’t out of fear or insecurity? Bring your inner teen’s dreams to life.

Pisces

The new moon moves through your fourth house of home, family, and the past. This may mark the beginning of a new living situation or perhaps a fresh start in one of your important relationships. It can also coincide with you renewing your relationship to your comfort. You’re also gifted the chance to release your past. As you find yourself moving through some nostalgic waves, tune in to the wisdom of what worked and what you’re ready to let go of.

Your new moon self-care practice: Get in one final spring cleaning in before the summer aolstice! Purge, clean, and organize your home or living space. Clearing out clutter can feel restorative and creates space for your next chapter.

This year, the day and the season to follow will put our relationships into the limelight—and not just because the sun enters nurturing Cancer that day. A few coinciding transits on and around the summer solstice will have us all re-evaluating our connections with others (and ourselves), in different ways for folks of varying zodiac signs.

What is the astrological significance of the summer solstice?

The symbolism of the summer solstice, in general, makes it a vibrant day for all zodiac signs. As it reflects our entrance into summer, the sun is more present on the solstice than on any other day (for people in the northern hemisphere). And just as it supplies us with life-giving energy, we’re encouraged, on the solstice, to “tend to all that has or will ripen in our own lives,” says Nicholas. “It’s a time of renewal, connection, and centering all that brings light and life.”

What can we expect from the astrology of the summer solstice this year?

The celestial forecast in play when the sun shifts into Cancer this year will offer an early preview of the biggest transit of the summer: Venus retrograde in Leo (beginning July 22). Just as the sun makes its move into the cardinal water sign, it forms a tough semi-square with Venus in fiery Leo—a clash between the “planet of self” (aka the sun) and the “planet of love and pleasure” (aka Venus), says astrologer Narayana Montúfar. As a result, “we’ll likely begin feeling the need to review and rethink how we approach relationships,” she says.

“We’ll likely begin feeling the need to review and rethink how we approach relationships.” —Narayana Montúfar, astrologer

It’s important to tune into conversations and conflict—both internal and external—as the solstice arrives, adds Montúfar. Themes that arise on the day of the solstice could reflect the deep work you can expect to do in your relationships when Venus heads retrograde later this summer.

Adding a dramatic tinge to the emotional undertone of the solstice is the movement of the moon and intense Mars, both of which are also in heart-centered Leo. “This means we will experience the full spectrum of emotions, perhaps to an extreme,” says Montúfar. Naturally, that vibe could filter through to your relationships, generating tiffs or perhaps even bigger conflicts of values or priorities. In short? “This Mars energy can be amazing for standing up for ourselves, but it will also be explosive and highly rebellious,” says Montúfar.

Though potentially tough in the moment, the relationship upheaval will prove beneficial in the long run, she adds. Certain conflicts and even breakups have to happen to make space for “more authentic connection to be born down the road,” says Montúfar.

A piece of good news: Mercury, the planet of communication, also forms a supportive sextile with Mars on the day of the solstice, “helping us to get vocal about a cherished goal,” says Nicholas. Which is to say, you may feel more confident and comfortable expressing what it is that you want from a partnership and beyond, allowing you to turn intentions into action.

Exactly how these energetic shifts will affect you depends on your birth chart. Below, Montúfar shares more details on what all of the zodiac signs can expect from the summer solstice, plus how to harness its energy accordingly.

How the astrology of the summer solstice will affect each of the zodiac signs

Aries

The emotional tinge of Cancer season’s beginning may be tough for you to reckon with, Aries. “At some moments this summer, you might feel like your creative juices are dried up,” says Montúfar, “but that’s the furthest from the truth.” Instead, consider that you might be on the cusp of a personal change. To get your mojo back, you might find that you need to “try new things, new flavors, new vistas… and most importantly, a new approach to the relationship you have with yourself,” she says.

Taurus

You could find that the connections you’re pushed to reexamine this summer are familial ones, Taurus. “Diving into your roots and family dynamics will bring you an incredible amount of healing if you decide to shed light on the stories that need re-writing,” says Montúfar. After all, making peace with your past can be a valuable part of living mindfully in the present.

Gemini

You’re rarely short on words to share with others, Gemini. But these next few days are all about finding the right ones when it comes to your internal dialogue. “Instead of putting yourself down, try loving yourself more,” says Montúfar. With radical self-love comes an opportunity to create the reality that you desire.

Cancer

What’s truly valuable for you, Cancer? That’s the question that Montúfar suggests asking yourself as the solstice arrives and the sun shifts into your sign. Its energy activates your first house of self and identity, illuminating the need to change your overall priorities, she says. Be careful of investing too much energy and resources into people and things outside of yourself.

Leo

This day is giving serious Leo energy, and there’s no doubt you’re bound to benefit. “With so many planets activating your sign, the season ahead portends major transformation,” says Montúfar. “This will be a season to change the way you carry yourself, how you assert yourself, and how you relate to others.” No biggie, but… by the time fall rolls around, you could have an entirely changed self-perception.

Virgo

The summer is a balancing act for you, Virgo, between socializing with others, on the one hand, and embracing solo time, on the other. It’ll be important to make decisions on connecting with others versus self based on your intuition, says Montúfar. To better tap into it, consider beginning or deepening a meditation practice, she suggests.

Libra

It may come as little surprise to you, Libra—as the Venus-ruled sign of relationships—that the relational undertones of this summer will affect you deeply. “As hard as it might sound, the connections that are no longer truly aligned with your life path could dissolve,” says Montúfar. “It might be time to consider whether those whom you root for actually root back for you in the same passionate way.”

Scorpio

The relationship-related tension—and opportunity—of this year’s solstice connects to the realms of your larger beliefs and purpose in life, Scorpio. Perhaps it’s a relationship that’ll move you to make changes in your career, or maybe a current partnership has to give way for you to focus your energy on the projects that feel genuinely meaningful. In any case, moving with the flow when it comes to your larger life goals this summer will serve you well, says Montúfar.

Sagittarius

Buckle down for a perspective shift… or perhaps a reality check this summer, Sagittarius. By the time Leo season rolls around, “the cosmos might bring you an identity crisis or two in an effort to get you to shift your entire mindset and the way you see the world around you,” says Montúfar. So, before that happens, you’d be wise to use the renewal energy of the summer solstice to practice self care, and like the other zodiac signs, lean into the relationships that really matter.

Capricorn

Emotional Cancer season could push you into situations that feel vulnerable, Capricorn… and perhaps uncomfortably so for a force of nature like you, says Montúfar. But remember: The only way to get comfortable with intimacy is to embrace it more often, so when you’re in the company of people whom you love and trust, you’d be wise to open up, says Montúfar, in service of the richer bonds you’ll create.

Aquarius

Connecting deeply with others may not come naturally to you, Aquarius. But with the sun in nurturing Cancer, you may feel encouraged to see relationships in a new light. “Consider that relationships are often mirrors,” says Montúfar. “Whatever you don’t like or appreciate about others can teach you something important about yourself—so pay attention to your interactions.”

Pisces

You have an opportunity to care for your relationship with yourself this season, Pisces. With both Saturn and Neptune stationing retrograde in your sign on either side of the solstice, you may feel as though the universe is pushing you to review, reassess, or even reimagine what it looks like for you to live your truth. That means going back to basics: Focus on making changes to your daily routine to directly support your mental and physical health, and the rest will follow, says Montúfar.

To clear the air about Gemini traits, we tapped several astrologers who understand Gemini’s natural duality as a positive. “We make people feel less alone because we are twins,” astrologer and real-life Gemini twin (along with his sister Courtney) Colin Bedell, author of Zodiac Signs: Gemini, says. “We mirror other people’s experiences and understand the emotion that underpins that experience, which is what inspires people to feel less disengaged.”

Below, Bedell along with other astrologers lay out the real deal about Gemini traits. So get ready, because there’s so much to love about Geminis.

10 Gemini personality traits that describe the twin sign of the zodiac

1. Geminis are clear communicators

Geminis are exceptionally curious and very adept at verbal communication, which makes sense, as the planet that rules Gemini is Mercury, the planet associated with communication. You can see Mercury’s influence in Gemini when it comes to their strong communication skills. “They know how to say what they need to say, and they mean what they say,” says Bedell.

“They may change their mind afterward, but they’re very clear communicators. I find they have a really great sense of humor, and they don’t take themselves too seriously.”

2. Geminis are very lucky

It always seems like Geminis almost fall into their success—and this is largely because they are so adaptable. “They find themselves in right-place, right-time situations, because they’re light on their feet and really adaptable, and the universe responds well to that,” says Bedell. This is inherent to their nature, as Gemini is one of the mutable signs. They can adapt easily to change, rather than letting it throw them off course.

3. Geminis are fast learners

If you throw a Gemini into a new situation, they will take it as a welcome challenge. They thrive on stimulation and are quick to pick up a new skill, with the caveat that the activity has to invigorate both their mind and hands. “They enjoy keeping busy but [they] need the practical and applied learning to keep their interest,” says astrologer Noush Joon from Girl and Her Moon.

It should also come as no surprise that Gemini’s element in astrology is air, given their curiosity and intellectual openness.

4. Geminis love going with the flow

Due to their mutable nature, flexibility comes easy to Gemini who is happy to go wherever the wind takes them. “They are not going to get upset if plans change on a whim,” says Joon. “Spontaneity is part of Gemini’s life force. They allow life to unfold before their eyes without needing a solid plan to follow.”

5. Geminis are quick-witted

Geminis aren’t just quick on their feet, they’re also quick thinkers who are always ready with an idea or witty remark. “They enjoy playful banter and are not afraid to ruffle some feathers,” says Joon. She adds that because they think and speak quickly, Geminis often don’t allow enough time to properly think through what they’re going to say, which can sometimes get them in trouble.

6. Geminis are often quick to answer

Gemini can speak with a lot of authority on topics that encompass a lot of ambiguity, uncertainty, and risk. In that scenario, Geminis have a tough time hitting pause to say, “You know what? I don’t have an answer for you right now. But I will tell you when I get there.” Without taking the time to synthesize thoughts and provide measured answers, Gemini can overcommit and underdeliver.

7. Geminis change their mind often, too

A Gemini’s go-with-the-flow attitude can be a good and bad thing. “They’ll change a value or a plan or an idea without also considering the fact that there are people who are a little bit more committed [and] a little bit more attached to results,” Bedell says. “And if they’re not communicating the evolution of the change, then they’re going to show a lack of integrity. That’s a really hard scarlet letter to scrub off.”

8. Geminis tend to overthink things

Geminis are quick to speak, but they can struggle to think things through and make a decision. “Gemini can have a strong mind. However, there is a lot going on in there,” Joon says. “If we were to metaphorically dissect their brains, it might reveal a chaotic circus of thoughts spiraling into one another.”

9. Geminis are not the most honest sign

“Gemini has such a knack for storytelling and feels such a joy in self-expression, that at times they can stretch out parts of a story in order to negate telling the complete and concise series of events,” Joon says. This, as you can imagine, can make things confusing when talking to a Gemini because they likely have many versions of the same story.

10. Geminis can get wrapped up in drama

Each zodiac sign has their version of toxic traits. For Gemini, in particular, one of them is that they can thrive on drama. “Gemini can enjoy constant stimulation, so there is a part of them that enjoys the chaos of drama as it unfolds before them,” Joon says. “They can also often be the ones creating the drama to keep things interesting.”

How to get along with a Gemini

These lavishly verbal folks will light up if you communicate with them on their level or even close to their level (remember, Geminis are very charismatic wordsmiths). To make sure you’re successful in this way, Bedell recommends using a method based on the research of psychologists John Gottman, PhD, and Julie Gottman, PhD: Make 50 percent of the dialogue with the Gemini an open-ended question.

Giving a verbal prompt versus statements that sound like wooden PR releases will delight a Gemini. Instead of “So, what do you do for a living?” try more free-flowing lines like, “Hey, so I was curious—how did you get into that? Because I thought that you like this thing more.” And then just keep it going. Pulling your weight in a conversation will make a Gemini very, very happy, according to Bedell.

“And also, who doesn’t love somebody who has a good sense of humor and who takes things lightly? Energizing rich dialogue with questions, hilarity and a little bit of adventure would really make any Gemini very happy,” Bedell says.

What Gemini needs to be happy

In short, lots of freedom, exploration and intellect, space to explore and ask questions. Remember, Geminis are Alice in Wonderland–level curious, which can be dangerous and isn’t always celebrated. But they can handle the curiosity. They can survive and thrive while searching for something meaningful, scratching an itch of intellectual stimulation while they’re at it, and have a great story to tell as a result.

“What Gemini needs to be happy is to use the power of communication, to wrap language around the truth, and to make other people feel less alone,” says Bedell.

Gemini in love and friendship

In romantic relationships, Geminis can be very thoughtful and enjoy surprising their partners. “Gemini is always listening and while it doesn’t often seem like they are retaining much, you would be surprised how much they have paid attention to your likes and dislikes,” Joon says. They’re also lighthearted and playful in relationships, she adds.

So how do you attract a Gemini? Joon notes that they love a partner who is as open as they are to experience and enjoy the world. They’re also drawn to people who have a sharp sense of humor, express curiosity (such as by asking questions), and aren’t too clingy.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to break up with a Gemini there are a few things to keep in mind. “Absolutely do not ghost your Gemini or you will send them in an endless thought spiral of insanity,” Joon says. “Being very clear, very direct, and showing respect for their future without you, encouraging them, and ending on friendly terms is the best way to go.”

As friends, Geminis know how to keep things interesting and entertaining. “You never know what your Gemini friend is up to, but when you meet up with them there can be all kinds of stories they unravel about themselves that you had not come prepared to hear,” Joon says. With their family, they’re also loyal, loving, and committed. “They always have love to give to their family, including their siblings, cousins, and distant relatives. Gemini enjoys connecting to their roots and having fun with what they might discover.”

These traits can help determine Gemini compatibility—or rather which of the fellow zodiac signs Gemini are most and least compatible with.

The zodiac signs Gemini is most compatible with

Gemini has mutable, go-with-the-flow air sign energy that can help them get along with everyone. According to Joon, the signs Geminis have the most compatibility with include fellow air sign Aquarius and fire signs Aries, Leo, and Saggitarius. “These signs enjoy the freedom and space in relationships to be who they are and can offer the mental stimulation or the physical activity and passion that Gemini craves out of life,” she says.

The zodiac signs Gemini is least compatible with

As for Gemini incompatibility, Joon points to water signs Cancer and Pisces and earth signs Taurus and Capricorn. “There is something about how these signs view life that is very different to the values of a Gemini,” she says. “If there are no other harmonious aspects in their comparative charts, there can be some major clashes between these signs and a Gemini.”

That said, Bedell is of the belief that there’s no such thing as bad compatibility and thinks more in terms of personality traits. A Gemini is best matched with someone who can keep them mentally stimulated while being a grounding force, but not in a ball-and-chain type of way. “They appreciate the freedom of it all [and] the comfortable distance,” Bedells says.

So give your Gemini friend or lover some breathing room, because distance is necessary for this star sign to keep a spark. If you want to keep a Gemini engaged, you need to keep that room for uncertainty—otherwise they’re going to bounce.

Gemini at work

Although Geminis may be a bit flighty in other areas, when it comes to their careers, they’re hard workers. As long as their mind is stimulated and they have space to move around and be themselves in their work environment, Joon says they’ll thrive and will be eager to learn and grow their skills.

In particular, Geminis can best use their gifts in psychology, communication, and the relational sciences. Finding a job that plays up Geminis interpersonal skills is crucial. So Bedell says to think about writing, research, academic storytelling, media, “anything where they can put their gift of articulation and analysis to use in service to others.” Joon adds that they also enjoy roles that involve movement, travel, networking, and teaching. And if they don’t find the work exciting and engaging, they won’t be afraid to pivot and start over.

Gemini’s likes and dislikes

Geminis have an insatiable sense of curiosity, and they love learning new insights and thinking up new ideas. They like anything that will stimulate their mind, says astrologer Rachel Lang, such as books, podcasts, news, and social media. Their natural curiosity extends to others, too. “Gemini is a natural journalist, and they love asking questions to get to the heart of the subject,” she says. “They can make small talk like no other sign.”

On the flip side, “they don’t like when others hold back information—they feel shut out when their friends or lovers don’t communicate,” Lang says. “They need a healthy flow of communication. They may forget to text you back, but they take it hard when you don’t get right back to them.”

Moreover, Geminis hate being bored. They need activity, stimulation, movement, and people around them, Joon says. Stagnancy is also a big fear for them. “Not growing, not learning, not having new experiences or meeting new people is a fast lane to an unhappy Gemini,” she adds. “This sign is not about buckling down and moving slowly towards one goal, they need multiple goals and thrive in a changing or evolving environment that challenges their mind and keeps them from spiraling into a whirlwind of thoughts.”

Gemini’s challenges and growth opportunities

“Staying focused is one of the biggest challenges for Gemini because they get bored quickly,” says Emily Newman, psychic reader, spiritual healer, counselor, and astrologer at Best of Psychic Reader. Because of this, they can also often come across as noncommittal. “Geminis don’t necessarily enjoy being locked down to one place, one person, [or] one idea, they enjoy the dualities and triplicities and then some,” Joon says. “They enjoy being constantly challenged with new stimulation, so committing to just one thing can be tricky for a Gemini.” This isn’t necessarily a bad Gemini trait in and of itself, but it can be if they leave people hanging in the process.

With Mercury as their planetary ruler, Geminis have a tendency to overthink. “Gemini’s analytical tendency may often lead to overthinking and becoming caught in analysis paralysis, in which they struggle to make decisions or take action due to excessive thinking,” says Newman, which is probably why they earned the reputation of being fickle.

While Gemini can talk about everything and anything under the sun—they tend to avoid the topic of emotions. “Geminis can be so good at small talk, they stay on the surface, resisting the deep, emotional parts of themselves,” says Lang. Newman echoes this sentiment, adding, “They may need to work harder to build emotional awareness and connect with their feelings.”

Frequently asked questions

What is the personality of a Gemini?

Geminis, aka the twin sign of the zodiac, are multifaceted. They are master communicators with an insatiable curiosity for knowledge. Their strong communication skills and quick wit allows them to talk to just about anyone. While they thrive on stimulation, they tend to get bored easily. Their intrinsic duality has earned them the reputation of being two-faced or unreliable—but it’s only because Geminis are so flexible and open-minded.

What are Gemini’s good traits?

Geminis are great communicators and quick learners with a go-with-the-flow attitude that allows them to easily adapt to change. They are also very social creatures that like meeting new people. Their open-mindedness and strong social skills allows them to get along with just about anybody—and the twin sign isn’t one to take themselves too seriously, either; along with wit, they also have a great sense of humor.

What are Gemini’s weaknesses?

One of Gemini’s biggest weaknesses is that they tend to lose interest quickly, be it in a hobby or a relationship. Because it takes a lot to keep their attention, they can come off as noncommittal. They can also be indecisive due to overthinking and hold off on making decisions of their own. Geminis also have a difficult time getting in touch with their deep, emotional side, as they prefer to keep things on the surface level.

Let’s say that you have a deadline coming up, or a project that you’ve been wanting to complete, and your motivation is lacking. By understanding the distinct characteristics of your zodiac sign, you can unlock that hidden potential and unleash the productivity that was seemingly nowhere to be found before. Read on below for your sun, rising, and Mars (the planet of physical energy) placements for tips on how to help you stay productive.

The best productivity tip for your zodiac sign to help you work smarter, not harder

Aries

As natural-born leaders and the first member of the zodiac, Aries can boost their productivity by setting clear goals and deadlines. Breaking down big goals into smaller tasks with manageable steps and deadlines will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and ultimately put you back in control—a position where you like to be.

Taurus

Taureans need a calm and stable environment in order to thrive, and as one of the most loyal and reliable signs in the zodiac, you need structure and routine to feel your best. So buying a planner or writing out a list of steps on how to complete your tasks will increase your productivity.

Being ruled by the planet Venus, the best productivity tip for this zodiac sign is to surround themselves by beauty and create eye-catching final products. Something as simple as using a nice pen, decorating your work space, or getting yourself primped before working are all highly motivating practices for Tauruses.

Gemini

Geminis need to feel mentally stimulated and excited by their work, so if your productivity is nowhere to be found, it’s probably because you don’t feel challenged. Shortening your deadline or playing background music can create a sense of competition and multi-tasking, which are things on which Geminis thrive.

You can also optimize your productivity by working on multiple tasks or projects at once, so if you have to throw in a couple personal to-do items to get the ball rolling, so be it Gemini. To avoid spreading your attention too thin, try to implement the “20-20-20 Rule” if you are working on a computer or phone, which is simply taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Cancer

Being one of the most intuitive members of the zodiac, Cancers will feel best in a nurturing and comfortable working environment. These folks benefit from adding in self care to tasks at hand.

Keeping lotions and serums at your work desk to bring a little bit of your personal life with you to work is a great way to help you relax into your productivity. Cancers do not like to be pushed too hard, though, so make sure that you are taking breaks to recalibrate your emotions. As one of the more sensitive members of the zodiac, this will help you stay focused and ultimately get you to your end goal more quickly.

Leo

Leos are ruled by the sun, and they do best when they spend time moving their bodies and getting fresh air throughout the day. One of the best productivity tips for this zodiac sign is as simple as walking to work (or taking a break from work to take a walk) will help you get your engine “roaring” as you commit to your projects and deadlines.

As someone with Leo placements, you also do well when you shine in front of others, so collaborating is always a helpful tool for you to stay productive. The presence of others and knowing that all eyes are on you will motivate you to finish what you started and to have that final product be the absolute “best” around.

Virgo

Virgos are analytical and tend toward perfectionism, and they can enhance their productivity by getting messy and allowing themselves to create for the sake of creating. That said, they would do well to organize their tasks into a to-do list and ask others for assistance (or delegate tasks to other team members in group projects) in order to avoid burnout and have a sustainable stream of productivity instead.

Libra

Libras are represented by the scales, which are symbolic of their natural state of harmony and balance. When they are out of alignment, they tend to be indecisive and get caught up on making others happy. This can lead to decision paralysis, which is in opposition of productivity.

In order to get back on track, the best productivity tip for this zodiac sign is to choose one or two trusted collaborators or confidants to bounce ideas off who can hold them accountable. Seeking trusted advice and opinions will help Libras make informed decisions and quicken the pace on their projects. They are also ruled by Venus, and decorating their workspace, having visual reminders of their goals, getting themselves ready when they work, or tracking their progress in an aesthetically pleasing planner can be great motivators. They are creative by nature, so taking breaks to doodle, sing, or dance can also be helpful for keeping the vibes high and the productivity levels even higher.

Scorpio

As the natural ruler of the eighth house of shared resources and inheritances, Scorpios are highly motivated by combining forces with other powerful people. In order to keep their productivity high, they might do best to have a financial backing or find investors for their projects. They thrive off of being adored and admired by others, even if they don’t outwardly express it.

Passionate and secretive creatures by nature, they aren’t the type to boast and brag about their projects before they’re complete, so to keep productivity high, they work best in solitude. Having a private space to work and allow their creativity to flow is key for Scorpios as they harness their concentration and determination and turn it into something powerful. Meditation is another great tip for these folks. As deeply psychic water signs, whatever Scorpios envision with clarity eventually comes to life.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius folks stay productive when they know what they will eventually be rewarded with at the end of their efforts. If they buy themselves a plane ticket or book a staycation with the stipulation that they cannot enjoy it until their work is done, it will be easier for them to stay motivated.

Productivity is a measure of efficiency, and  Sagittarius is skilled at working smarter and not harder. They love to seek new challenges and opportunities, so they don’t allow themselves to get hung up on the same project for too long. Finishing one goal in order to start another is the name of the game. They don’t want to be too bogged down with to-do lists and would much rather fly by the seat of their pants when finishing projects and tasks.

Capricorn

Capricorns are cardinal earth signs, meaning that they are both determined and rooted in leadership qualities. They do best when they stay disciplined on their path, with many boundaries and stipulations in place. Using timers, blocking off their calendar for working or creative time, and delegating tasks to others to assist them in reaching their final product all work well for Capricorns. Their long-term success is always the driving force behind whatever they are doing, so productivity is not typically hiding too far away from these folks.

Aquarius

As fixed air signs, Aquarian people are always at odds with themselves (and much of society). They are walking enigmas, and when they aren’t feeling productive, it is typically due to their energy being out of alignment with their racing thoughts. These folks do best to stay productive by addressing the hardest thing first and then having a trickle-down effect over their remaining tasks.

When they sit with the one aspect of a project or task that feels truly daunting, then face that thing first, everything else will feel like a breeze, ultimately motivating them to move forward. They are also highly curious folks and working with other like-minded or out-of-the-box characters helps to ignite their creativity and move the needle forward for them.

Pisces

As mutable water signs, Pisces people tend to have a hard time putting their head down and focus on getting things done. They are dreamers and do much better as the “idea people” in group projects. Collaborating with more structure, partners, and co-creators is the best productivity tip for this zodiac sign.

Incorporating artistic elements into their workspace (think adding an easel to your office, or keeping a sketchbook in your work bag) can help them to create a healthy work-life balance and nurture their emotional health, which is the ruling force for the rest of their life. Once this is in tact, productivity will flow more easily for them.

Full moons in Sagittarius invite us to reflect on our personal perspective, our own expertise and wisdom, and our relationship with adventure. Sagittarius is an over-the-top type of zodiac sign, and full moons can often coincide with a moment of celebration or indulgence. To learn more about the energy of this full moon, we look to Jupiter, Sagittarius’s ruling planet. During the full moon, Jupiter will be in Taurus, forming a connection with the north node of destiny. We may feel called to learn something new or begin a new journey in some form. This energy can feel electric and fated.

This full moon in Sagittarius is free of any connections with Mars and Saturn, two of the more challenging planets in the sky, which should make for a more enjoyable atmosphere.

As a fire sign, Sagittarius moves through the world with an optimistic lens, reminding us to return to the present moment and reconnect with our gratitude. With the sun in Gemini and the moon in Sagittarius, information or news we learn today can lead to a turning point. This full moon in Sagittarius is free of any connections with Mars and Saturn, two of the more challenging planets in the sky, which should make for a more enjoyable atmosphere. The full moon will be angling toward Neptune, a planet of creativity, compassion, glamour, spirituality, and romance—but also idealization, sensitivity, and paranoia.

Engaging in a spiritual practice or creative hobby are both productive ways to channel the energy of this full moon. Neptune’s influence can bring a wave of fog and illusion—it’s likely we aren’t seeing the full picture right now. If you can avoid making any major decisions and put it off for a few days, that would be ideal. Grounding exercises under this full moon can help you tap into the positive and inspiring qualities of these planetary connections.

There will be some other planetary influences of note during the full moon in Sagittarius: Mercury, the planet of the mind, will be approaching Uranus, the planet of disruption, shock, and surprise. Sagittarius is the sign of the broadcaster, and conversations we have may take interesting and unexpected turns. At the same time, we are presented with an opportunity to break free from any limiting beliefs or patterns that feel stagnant. New ideas and innovative solutions may arrive. Venus, the planet of love and harmony, will be inching toward a stare-down with power-planet Pluto. This may add an extra flair of dramatics to our connections, as we find ourselves ruminating on our relationship with control, power, and our fixations.

To know exactly how this fated full moon in Sagittarius may affect you, read on for your rising, sun, and moon signs. Then, get a bespoke self-care tip to channel its energy most effectively.

Aries

Your understanding of a certain topic or situation deepens, with this full moon in Sagittarius, Aries. It moves through your ninth house of knowledge, expansion, and travel. Important conversations reach a turning point, or news arrives that may shift your perspective in a profound way. This may also coincide with you sharing your own wisdom or expertise, like with a public -speaking venture, or wrapping up a class or subject of study. The full moon may also reignite your desire to travel and soak up new experiences.

Your full moon self-care practice: Shoot your shot! Where are you playing small in life? If there’s someone you’re hoping to connect with, a new hobby you want to try out, or a place you want to visit, go for it. Opening yourself up to new experiences can lead to new heights.

Taurus

You are focusing on the unspoken agreements that accompany some of your closest bonds, Taurus. The full moon in Sagittarius moves through your eighth house of shared resources, investments, vulnerabilities, and your psyche. Practically speaking, you may reach a turning point in your finances or have an important conversation with a partner about your shared resources. You’re reflecting on how you invest your own energy and finances, as well. You may also reach a personal turning point with any fears, anxieties, or memories from the past that feel like they’ve held you back. Today, you can set yourself free and reclaim your power.

Your full moon self-care practice: Write a list of some of your ruminations that replay in your mind. Then, burn the list as a symbolic way of clearing them from your mind and energetic field.

Gemini

The foundation in some of your important relationships is shifting, Gemini. The full moon in Sagittarius activates your seventh house of one-on-one partnerships and collaborations. This could signal a turning point with a romantic partner—perhaps you’re ready to discuss the future or take a next step. For singles, this could also coincide with an interesting person with lasting potential entering your sphere–whether that’s romantic, platonic, or business-related.

Your full moon self-care practice: Have heart-to-heart conversations with important people in your life. It’s time to address any elephants in the room head on. This will clear out any building resentment and create a more sustainable dynamic moving forward.

Cancer

You’re more in tune with your daily life than normal, Cancer. The full moon in Sagittarius lands in your sixth house of habits, daily routine, and health. Setting yourself up for success each day becomes more and more important. This is an aligned time to swap out habits and behaviors to create a more solid foundation and healthier lifestyle. This may also coincide with wrapping up a big project you’ve been working on, signaling a shift of focus in your daily life. If you’ve been overdoing it, this full moon reminds you that your rest is key for your continued success.

Your full moon self-care practice: Set a timer for five minutes, and choose to engage in a habit you want to commit to. Start small, but stay committed to this new practice every day for a week. Over time, it will begin to feel more seamless and natural.

Leo

You’re invited to double down on your pleasure, Leo. The full moon in Sagittarius activates your fifth house of joy, creativity, romance, and celebration. This can coincide with a “pinch-me” moment that’s more than worth celebrating. You may be wrapping up a big creative project or experience a shift in a romantic connection. This full moon reminds you that your inner child often holds the answers your adult mind continues to seek out. Turn inward and create space for more time to play and return to the present moment.

Your full moon self-care practice: Plan out some time to explore your body and your physical desires, either solo or with a lover. Cultivating more pleasure in a physical way can help you feel more embodied, and as you reconnect with the present moment in the process, can also unlock some of the manifestations you hope to call in.

Virgo

You’re entering a reflective era, Virgo. The full moon in Sagittarius moves through your fourth house of family dynamics, living situation, and the past. This is a powerful time to turn inward and ask yourself how your environment growing up has affected who you are today. Which memories and narratives are you ready to release? You may also reach a turning point regarding your living situations—perhaps you’re moving or redecorating your room. You may also receive important news in your personal life, or experience a shift in an important relationship in your life.

Your full moon self-care practice: Spend an evening looking back through old photos. Feed your nostalgia, and tune into the memories or feelings that come up for you. Which are worth nurturing, and which are you ready to release?

Libra

You’re reconnecting with your voice, Libra. The full moon in Sagittarius lands in your third house of communication and learning. You may be reflecting on your relationship with your voice—how can you use it to spark change and help? What stories do you have that are worth sharing with a wider audience? This full moon may also bring important conversations to a climax or deliver important news your way. If you’ve been learning a new skill or taking a class, it may also arrive with a new wave of confidence and proficiency.

Your full moon self-care practice: Look back in your photos, texts, emails and journals to November 2022 (when we had the new moon in Sagittarius). What were the major themes were happening in your life? Write down the ways in which you’ve manifested some of your goals and transformed since then.

Scorpio

You’re experiencing a shift in your relationship with your own security and comfort, Scorpio. The full moon in Sagittarius illuminates your second house of income and resources. You may learn about a new financial opportunity or decide to make a big purchase. This can be a wonderful time to reacquaint yourself with your budget and set new financial goals for yourself. This is also an aligned time to reconnect with your sensual side, engage in self care, and tend to your physical being.

Your full moon self-care practice: Tend to one of your senses today. Listen to music that uplifts you; eat something delicious; wrap yourself in a cozy blanket. Today embodiment and self-care are your priorities.

Sagittarius

Full moon, new you, Sagittarius. The full moon moves through your first house of identity and personal ambitions. This is your yearly cosmic shedding of skins and release. You’re invited to step into a new sense of self and embody a new appearance, style, or important designation in the world. This is your opportunity to redefine yourself and recommit to your personal goals and dreams. Shifts in important relationships can also occur, asking you to center yourself and your needs.

Your full moon self-care practice: Play dress up! Who do you want to be and how do you wish to be perceived by others? Don’t waste your time worrying what others will think—anyone who will judge your authenticity is likely afraid of their own. Choose to be that version of yourself now.

Capricorn

You’re feeling more private than normal, Capricorn. The full moon in Sagittarius encourages you to spend time with your subconscious as it moves through your 12th house of closure, healing, and spirituality. This is an important time to close out cycles and honor any grief that may be lingering within your body. Tend to your physical body and prioritize rest. Major breakthroughs can also show up in your dreams or through your intuition. If you’re eager to cut out a self-destructive pattern or behavior, this is an aligned time, too.

Your full moon self-care practice: Try out a guided meditation or some breathing exercises. Spending time nurturing the body-mind connection can lead to breakthroughs.

Aquarius

You’re ready to make some important changes to your friendship circle, Aquarius. The full moon in Sagittarius lands in your 11th house of community, networking, as well as your hopes and dreams for the future. You may be drifting away from some friends or deepening other connections. This can also coincide with you taking a step closer toward a major goal you have, or perhaps someone in your network connects you with someone who can help you achieve a meaningful desire.

Your full moon self-care practice: Reflect on your inner circle. Who shows up to support you and who leaves you feeling depleted? Your energy is a limited resource–choose to share it with those who fill your cup.

Pisces

You’re always flexible, Pisces, but it feels like many major life milestones are unfolding before your very eyes. The full moon illuminates your 10th house of career, public reputation and ambitions. You may learn about a new job opportunity, reach a personal milestone or, hell, maybe you went viral on the internet! This full moon can also arrive at a time when both your personal and professional lives are busier than ever. Others are noticing you under this moon and ready to recognize your inherent value, gifts, and talents.

Your full moon self-care practice: Throw yourself a party. Even if it’s just you and that means ordering your favorite takeout, choose a recent milestone or achievement and actively choose to celebrate it.

What is an opposite zodiac sign pair and how are they connected?

First, a bit of background on what defines an opposite zodiac pair: because there are 12 signs of the zodiac, there are six pairs of opposite zodiac signs. If you think about the zodiac as a wheel, “each sign is opposite, or 180 degrees from another sign,” explains Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of Astrology: An In Focus Workbook: A Guide to Understanding Yourself Through the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Because these signs sit opposite from each other on the astrological axis, they share certain commonalities and traits that mean they align well, even if they are different in other ways. “On some level these opposite signs experience the same things differently,” she explains. Think about Taurus and Scorpio, one pair of astrological opposites: both signs place a high value on security in general, but Taurus sees this more as amassing material security while Scorpio views it more through the lens of emotional safety. It’s these similarities that spark that attraction between opposite sign pairings and lend themselves to tight bonds, but the differences in approach and temperament can cause friction.

Key factors that explain why opposite zodiac sign pairs attract

Quadruplicity and elements

One reason these zodiac sign opposites share a connection, says Gailing, is because each of these pairs share a quadruplicity (one of the key zodiac terms to learn), which describes generally how each sign moves through the world and expresses itself; for example, cardinal signs are self-starters who initiate actions, while mutable signs are flexible. It makes sense then that Capricorn and Cancer, which are six signs away from each other and are therefore astrological opposites, are both cardinal signs, as are Libra and Aries. Additionally, opposite zodiac signs have elements that “are simpatico with each other,” explains Gailing; earth and water signs are known to mesh well, while air and fire are seen as good pairings—this is why Virgo (earth) and Pisces (water), plus Leo (fire) and Aquarius (air) all share a kinship.

Ascendant and descendant sign pairs

One key metric to look for that explains why astrological opposites attract is the relationship between the ascendant and descendant signs. The ascendant sign, or rising sign, is a key part of your birth chart that represents your self-identity and how others see you, says Gailing; it’s opposite a point called the descendant, which is the relationship point. These two are always opposite zodiac signs—for example, someone who is a Sagittarius rising always has a Gemini descendant, while a Libra ascendant will always have an Aries descendant. In terms of the houses in astrology, the descendant is associated with the 7th astrological house, which represents attraction and alliances. We’re naturally drawn to whatever sign is opposite ours for this reason. “It’s thought that we are pulled to the qualities of others who represent the descendant sign because those qualities are parts of ourselves that we need to integrate, or that we may have covered up, or those parts often described as our shadow,” explains Gailing. “They show up in other people as they are just a mirror of qualities that are within us, but which we need a reflection of to see.”

Can opposites be compatible?

Yes, at least astrologically, opposites do in fact attract both platonically and romantically, according to the astrologers. “How I look at it is almost like two sides of the same coin,” says Gailing. Because they share the same astrological axis, these opposite sign pairs “understand more where the other person is coming from,” says Gailing, but their distance from each other on that same plane highlights their differences, too. In romantic partnerships, this can translate to one sign possessing a quality their partner lacks, while in friendships “the opposite sign can teach you about something that is inherent to you, but that you may not necessarily understand or appreciate on the surface,” says Gailing.

With all that said, it’s tough to say exactly which signs will be compatible because many factors affect it—zodiac sign compatibility isn’t just a matter of matching sun signs. “Astrologers often say that the remedy for any sign’s neurosis is the enlightened qualities of the opposite sign,” astrologer Juliana McCarthy previously told Well+Good, caveating that opposite sun signs only work well together if other parts of your zodiac chart flow. This is exactly why it’s impossible to use just this metric alone to consider whether opposite zodiac signs are soulmates—there are just too many other factors to consider to answer that question. However, opposite sign pairings do have some traits in common and motivations, so that’s why these opposites make more sense together than signs that are much more different and therefore less compatible. For example, even though Cancer and Capricorn are opposites they do in fact have a lot in common, while Gemini and Capricorn have very little in common and not many overlapping and harmonious traits that would make them a congruous pair.

Astrologically speaking, there are so many personalized nuances of a natal chart factor into whether you’re a good romantic match for someone, let alone their astrological soulmate, so there’s value in running both of your charts (using an online generator or app, or via a reading from an astrologer) to check out all the components for a clearer idea of who is most compatible with you specifically.

That said, knowing your opposite zodiac sign may explain certain surface-level dynamics that are worth exploring and probing further. Below, Gailing and astrologer Rachel Lang break down the dynamics between opposite zodiac signs, what they can learn from each other, and suggest how each pairing can get along harmoniously.

6 opposite zodiac sign pairings, and how they are similar and different

1. Aries (March 21 to April 19) and Libra (September 23 to October 22)

As the most incendiary of the fire signs (and one of the luckiest zodiac signs this year), Aries acts on impulse, is headstrong, and is known to jump into action with intensity. Meanwhile, Libra benefits from taking time to ponder, considering both sides of the story, and seeking balance. When these opposite zodiac signs meet, the spark is instantaneous in both love and friendship.

“Aries presents as being very confident, and Libra finds that attractive,” says Lang. “This is the axis line of independence versus interdependence—the line between the self and other. While Libra is the sign of relationships, they lean toward being a little codependent. But their sign is all about balance, so they often do their own thing, as well.”

In terms of friendship between Aries and Libra, they make a well-balanced pair. According to Gailing, Aries can teach the more airy and passive Libra to put their desire for balance aside when it’s necessary by being more assertive and putting themselves first more often. In turn, Libra can teach Aries how to not be so one-track minded, and to take more time to consider all sides before acting rather than jumping right in. “There’s a really beautiful synthesis that can come out of [this pair] where both of them can learn to have relationships that are of great value, but where they don’t get lost in those relationships,” says Gailing.

For Aries and Libra to be a successful match: They need to figure out how to love each other and give space, respect, and affection. “With an Aries, Libra needs to assert themselves and learn from their partner how to prioritize their needs and desires,” says Lang. “With a Libra, Aries needs to show adoration.”

2. Taurus (April 20 to May 20) and Scorpio (October 23 to November 21)

Passion underscores the Taurus and Scorpio dynamic. Since sensuality is paramount to both, they can’t keep their hands off each other, and their fixed-sign energy forms an almost mystical (and often sexual) bond. “For Taurus, it’s in pure physical pleasure: good food, soft linens, and sex,” says Lang. “For Scorpio, physical pleasure is a transcendent experience, especially sex. They feel intensely, even if they don’t always show their partner what they’re feeling.”

In terms of friendship, because these strong-willed and tenacious signs both share a desire for success and achievement, says Gailing, which can cement their bond. Their shared sensuality means they like the finer things in life, and can translate to these two getting up to all sorts of fun and deep experiences together even if they’re just friends and not lovers. “I can imagine them going on a weekend trip together out to some sort of incredibly transformative retreat, or some event where there’s delicious food for the Taurus but also some really deep experience for the Scorpio,” she adds.

For Taurus and Scorpio to be a successful match: The potential problem at play is that Scorpio refuses to reveal what’s happening behind the curtain, and neither brutally stubborn sign is keen to compromise. To make the dynamic work, though, Taurus needs to learn how to read between the lines, and Scorpio can appeal to the Taurus appreciation for beautiful things and emotional security. “This can be a true power couple, too, as Taurus and Scorpio both need to have a sense of material success,” says Lang.

3. Gemini (May 21 to June 20) and Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21)

These opposite zodiac signs share a love of exploration: Curious Gemini explores intellectually, socially, and sexually, while Sagittarius energy is a more relaxed and agreeable type of adventurousness that runs on wanderlust. As such, this pair’s biggest challenge is often commitment issues. “Even happily married Gemini-Sagittarius couples need individual space,” says Lang. “Both signs crave freedom and can become bored if they feel stagnant. It’s important for them to find ways to maintain mutual interests.” While conversation between these opposite zodiac signs is sharp and free-flowing, Sagittarius tends to think bigger-picture, while Gemini is much more meticulous and concerned about details.

These signs are tied together by their desire for freedom and discovery. “They both love learning and having the freedom to move about in the world collecting insights, information and experience,” says Gailing. “It’s fun, it’s active, and it’s exploratory—they’ll broaden each others’ worlds, and they both want to have different experiences so they enrich their lives so they have a greater capacity for understanding the meaning of life.”

In terms of what they can learn from each other? Gemini can be hyper-focused on details, says Gailing, so Sagittarius can help them see beyond what’s directly in front of them and consider the broader picture. Deep thinkers, Sagittarius approaches knowledge acquisition by wanting to go deep—another trait they can impart to Gemini, which is more about learning a surface level amount about lots of different things.

In turn, Gemini can teach Sagittarius not to get lost in the big picture and to pause and consider the small details before going for it. “For Sagittarius’ who are quick to develop and stand firmly in what they believe and what they think is true based upon their inspiration, Geminis can help point them towards accessing the information from others that helps them fortify their vision and construct meanings in a more objective way,” says Gailing.

For Gemini and Sagittarius to be a successful match: This dynamic can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on other variables at play. “Sagittarius may feel bogged down by the details, and Gemini may feel like the administrative assistant in the relationship if Sagittarius doesn’t care about those details—such as schedules, social calendars, and who’s cleaning the bathrooms this week,” says Lang. So, as long as Gemini and Sagittarius can recognize how important to them freedom is, they may be able to make it work well.

4. Cancer (June 21 to July 22) and Capricorn (December 22 to January 19)

Two initiating cardinal signs, Cancer and Capricorn matchup screams “power couple,” because they’re seemingly two halves of having it all—blending needs for domesticity and professional accomplishment. “Cancer wants to build a nest for their family and wants security—financially and emotionally,” says Lang. “Capricorn needs to feel as if they’re reaching a goal. They have ambition, and they also appreciate providing a secure environment for themselves and their family. They are upwardly mobile, and they tend to reach their goals through diligent work.” Both signs have a deep sense of duty and responsibility to provide for those they love and care about.

Both Capricorn and Cancer have a deep sense of duty and responsibility and are intensely loyal to those they love, although they go about doing this in different ways. “There’s that responsibility and duty to home and to family, like protecting and feeding the family, whether the family is your biological family or your best friends,” says Gailing. In terms of what these two signs can learn from each other, Gailing says Cancer can encourage Capricorn not to focus so much on external validation for their achievements and to turn inward and focus on how they’re feeling and taking care of themselves, while Capricorn can bring Cancer out of their shell a bit more and help them go after what they want. “I think that’s a really nice pairing,” she adds.

For Cancer and Capricorn to be a successful match: The dilemma with a Capricorn and Cancer union is when the division of labor doesn’t feel equitable. Cancer might feel as if they’re doing all the work at home, for example, and that can breed resentment. “Capricorn in this relationship needs to watch that they don’t put all their focus on work and their own independent activities and take Cancer for granted,” says Lang. “Cancer will need to assert themselves in this duo because Capricorn may not notice if Cancer’s in a bad mood or upset.”  For this dynamic to thrive for the long-term, Capricorns would be wise to be mindful of Cancer’s sensitivities and to reassure that they are emotionally available to them.

5. Leo (July 23 to August 22) and Aquarius (January 20 to February 18)

Leo and Aquarius are fixed signs, which means they have plenty of staying power—a bond that, for better or for worse, is hard to break. “For Leo, passion is extremely important. For Aquarius, intellectual stimulation is important,” says Lang. “Both signs tend to value their friendships and community, which is certainly where they can shine as a couple.” One notable difference, though, is that Leo needs to be worshipped and adored, whereas Aquarius just needs to be accepted for their creative genius; Leo is more focused on themselves, whereas Aquarius is more concerned with the collective.

According to Gailing, despite their differences, “Aquarius and Leo make a really beautiful pairing” whether in love or friendship. Both signs can lend the other their strengths: Leo can teach Aquarius to generate creativity from themselves instead of always turning outward and to “not always be so in their head and to sort of warm up the buoyancy of their heart,” while Aquarius can help Leo be more open to lending their own talents and skills to the world at large without isolating, while still respecting its need for independence (both signs greatly value their independence).

For Leo and Aquarius to be a successful match: Since both have a strong, independent sense of self and want the freedom to do their own thing, they need to set aside their ego and focus on keeping things fresh, fun, and light. “For Leo, remember that Aquarius needs to feel as if you have a strong basis of friendship,” says Lang. “For Aquarius, remember that Leo needs to feel really seen. The pair works well when they play together.”

6. Virgo (August 23 to September 22) and Pisces (February 19 to March 20)

Virgo and Pisces, both mutable zodiac signs, have wildly different worldviews, but the all-knowingness of Pisces is an asset to Virgos, who don’t simply want to learn, but want to learn well. Their minds meld with a spark of passion, and they level each other off. “I’ve seen a number of happy Virgo-Pisces couples, because Virgo can be a real grounding presence for Pisces, and Pisces can help Virgo break the habit of overanalyzing,” says Lang. “Pisces inspires Virgo’s creativity, and vice versa. One of Pisces’ challenges is materializing dreams and goals. Virgo has the solution for this because they can offer practical suggestions and outline a detailed plan.”

While on paper Virgo and Pisces may seem like true opposites, Gailing says both signs care deeply about “helping and healing, but from two different perspectives because Pisces is more idealistic and Virgo is more perfectionistic.” This comes out in their actions: Virgo is great at assessing a grander scheme and has an excellent “ability to see pieces of the whole and how the pieces work together, and wants things to refine things to be better,” while Pisces helps by lending its deep empathy and compassion to an issue. They can play off each others’ strengths, and each have something to learn from the other: Virgo can teach Pisces to separate the larger picture into smaller pieces to avoid overwhelm and confusion, says Gailing, while Pisces can help Virgo be a little bit less perfectionist and more forgiving of flaws—both theirs and those of others.

For Virgo and Pisces to be a successful match: Of course, the rigidness of Virgo can leave them hung up on all the details and frustrated when Pisces changes their mind about plans. Virgos will go out of their way to meticulously plan an elaborate event, for example, while Pisces may be more apt to send a text an hour before this slate of events commences, saying, “I can’t!!! It’s a lunar eclipse!” In sum, Virgo, be patient with your Pisces partner or friend. And Pisces, be respectful of your Virgo partner’s Google Calendar. If you can crack that dynamic, you’re set for success.

Most imminent on that list is the entrance of love planet Venus into fire-sign Leo, on June 5. Usually, the planet stays in a sign for just a few weeks. Yet, given its upcoming retrograde (beginning July 22), Venus will linger in Leo through early October, giving us ample opportunity to explore what it means to feel creative and treasured in love.

On a more collective level, we’ll also feel the influence of change agent Pluto this month, owing to its volleying between Capricorn and Aquarius this year. On June 11, the planet shifts back into Capricorn, where it will remain through mid-January 2024. In turn, we could face Pluto’s destructive energy in Capricorn-ruled areas of life—like government, business, and economic institutions—alerting us to the need for change or evolution.

We can expect to further understand what it means to be compassionate and infused with love.

Later in the month, a couple cosmic shifts turn our attention, once again, to our relationships. Both Saturn and Neptune begin their retrograde cycles (on June 17 and June 30, respectively), slowing to apparent reverse-motion in the soulful sign of Pisces. As a result, we can expect to receive numerous opportunities to understand what it means to be compassionate and infused with love while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Exactly how these and other of June’s cosmic occurrences will affect you, however, depends on your birth chart. Read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs to uncover your personal June 2023 wellness horoscope, and pick up star-sanctioned suggestions to help you feel your very best this month.

June 2023 wellness horoscope for every star sign

Aries

It’s about time to embrace some self-reflection, Aries. Saturn and Neptune stationing retrograde in Pisces will activate your 12th house of the inner psyche and soul, making it a good month to find spaces of quietude and spend time seeking the wisdom that lies within you. There, you may find reservoirs of compassion that you can shower upon yourself and others who may need it at the moment.

Wellness tip: Practice a lovingkindness meditation, in which you invoke and then direct these positive thoughts first toward others and then toward yourself.

Taurus

Your family relationships could be up for cosmic review this month, Taurus. As your planetary ruler Venus parades into Leo on June 5, it shifts into your fourth house of familial roots, where it will take up its extended four-month residence. During this time, you could find yourself unearthing hidden dynamics in your home or family relationships and exploring how you might derive more value from them.

Wellness tip: Cook a dish—or two—from the cuisine of your ancestors, and invite your family (whether of origin or choice) to share the meal with you.

Gemini

This month offers you a renaissance of sorts, Gemini—especially on June 11 when your ruling planet, communication-focused Mercury, joins the sun in your sign. You’ll have access to a greater abundance of energy, as well as clarity of mind. That same day, as provocative Pluto moves into your eighth house of intimacy (where it will be for the next seven months), you may feel inspired to deeply share yourself with another.

Wellness tip: To help release tendrils of guilt or unworthiness that may keep you from being emotionally transparent, consider mixing a couple drops of Pink Monkeyflower essence in your water bottle each day this month.

Cancer

June is typically a powerful month for you, Cancer. It’s when the summer solstice occurs (on June 21), which is the day that the sun moves into your sign, beginning your season. On this day that is marked by festivities, rituals, and traditions, make sure to celebrate yourself, too.

Another astro event of note for you is the new moon on June 18. It’s a moment in which you can access a fresh burst of inspiration, especially if you tune into your intuition and imagination.

Wellness tip: As the veil between your conscious and subconscious minds may feel more thin, you may be better able to remember your dreams. Try keeping a pen and paper by your bedside and recording them when you wake up; your dreams can yield valuable insight into the workings of your psyche.

Leo

You live to be loved, Leo. And in the month of June, you’ll learn to love yourself all the same, as love planet Venus begins its extended reign in your sign on June 5. During this time, you’ll expand your understanding of what you value and the value that you hold. Let yourself explore what it means to take pride in yourself and embrace every side of the unique star that is you.

Wellness tip: You’ll feel more yourself this month if you rev up your confidence. Some exercises to do just that include smiling more often, celebrating small (and big) wins, and reflecting on recently received compliments.

Virgo

Although partnerships with others underscore every sign’s June 2023 wellness horoscope in one way or another, that’s especially true for you, Virgo. When Saturn and Neptune station retrograde in Pisces, the action falls in your seventh house of relationships. Take stock of what’s working in your partnerships—and what’s not. And corral some compassion (for yourself and others) as you look to make changes.

Wellness tip: Discover new ways to set healthy boundaries in relationships. This will not only grant you a greater sense of agency but will also fortify your alliances.

Libra

“Strength in numbers” isn’t just an idiom to you this month but a lived experience, Libra. When your planetary ruler Venus sashays into Leo, it begins a four-month process of energizing your 11th house of community. Whether you find yourself more drawn to large group hangouts than intimate gatherings, or you experience a pronounced motivation to join a collective that does social good, it’s likely that coteries or covens could become your new thing.

Wellness tip: Get involved in a group activity that supports a cause near and dear to your heart.

Scorpio

Are your work connections as strong as they could be, Scorpio? On June 5, when your planetary ruler Pluto opposes relationship-centric Venus, it does so in your 10th house of career, pushing you to deepen your professional alliances while also calling into question the trustworthiness of a colleague.

Speaking of Pluto, the planet doesn’t shift signs often—but when it does, it’s a big deal for you. On June 11, when it plunges back into Capricorn, it returns to your third house of communication. And with that, don’t be surprised if you find yourself called to have some provocative conversations that you’ve recently shelved.

Wellness tip: If you’re looking for an elixir to help you put your thoughts more clearly into words, consider mixing a few drops of Cosmos flower essence into your water bottle each day this month.

Sagittarius

You’re bound to start the month on a high note, Sagittarius, given that the full moon on June 3 is in your sign. Following your heart when it comes to an important relationship will help it to shine more brightly.

On June 19, your planetary ruler Jupiter makes a sweet sextile with structured Saturn, boosting your ability to be disciplined when it comes to working toward a goal. Given that Jupiter is in your sixth house of health and wellness during this alignment, you may find that it enhances your dedication to your fitness, specifically, increasing your motivation to care for your body.

Wellness tip: Carve out a small fitness break during each workday this month. Whether you do a few yin yoga poses, take a short walk, or practice some simple isometric exercises, small investments can lead to large wellness gains.

Capricorn

You can plan for some personal transformation this month, Capricorn. On June 11, Pluto retrogrades back into your sign—aka your astrological first house and the sector of your chart that represents your body and self-image. In turn, you might reconsider some of your recent health objectives.

Choose one—whether it’s enhancing your mindfulness, learning to eat intuitively, or boosting your physical fitness—and craft a realistic goal that you can reach in a couple months. After you do, engage a friend to help you flesh out action steps and ensure you stay accountable.

Wellness tip: To strengthen your health commitment, envision in detail all the ways your life may feel different as you approach and reach your wellness goal.

Aquarius

Ever since Pluto entered your sign (for the first time in hundreds of years) in March, things have likely felt chaotic for you, Aquarius. While, in the coming years, the planet will take up long-term residence there, helping you to further define and achieve your big-picture goals, on June 11, it swings back into Capricorn for a bit, offering you a brief reprieve from the transformative energy.

Nevertheless, the energy in the first part of the month could leave you eager to identify what in your life no longer serves you—and to find a way to let it go.

Wellness tip: Do a mud mask or otherwise exfoliate your skin during the first week and a half of this month. After all, Pluto’s vibe is all about extinguishing that which is outworn or outdated.

Pisces

It’s time to level up, Pisces. This month, not just one but two planets station retrograde in your sign, encouraging you to do some inner work. Mid-month, as Saturn slows its roll, it’s important to move slowly and diligently. As you do, consider whether the way you are projecting yourself in the world is truly aligned with the person you know yourself to be. As the month ends, and your planetary ruler Neptune shifts retrograde, too, allow yourself the time to daydream, practice art, or otherwise express yourself.

Wellness tip: As these two planets appear to be retracing their steps this month, so should you: Look to the recent past to discover a couple self-care strategies that you used to love, and consider reimplementing them.

According to multiplayer modality healing practitioner and Reiki master Laura Ellis, a crystal expert with more than 15 years of experience, it can also help ease the transition from Gemini to Cancer season. “Incorporating this gem during the month of June will help while moving through erratic heady Gemini season and the start of emotionally sensitive Cancer season,” which astrologer Cristina Farella previously told Well+Good can “prompt a lot of looking within.”

Properties of the June birthstone: the pure, wise, and elegant pearl

• Birthstone color: Varied
• Element: Metal
• Planet: Moon
• Chakra: Crown chakra
• Origin: Varied

Most gems form in the earth’s interior realms by way of intense pressure and blistering heat. Pearls, however, are produced by mollusks, and they are essentially a byproduct that occurs when an irritant, like a grain of sand or a parasite, enters a mollusk’s mantle. As a means of protection, the mollusk will secrete calcium carbonate called nacre or mother of pearl—the same iridescent substance that forms its shell. It encases the intruder in layer upon layer of nacre, and over the course of several years, this can yield a lustrous pearl.

As natural pearls are typically hard to come by, people have taken to creating cultured pearls, which involves methods that mimic the process that happens in nature. According to the Gemological Institute of America, there are four common types of cultured pearls, which are all sourced from various parts of the world, including China, Japan, Australia, Tahiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Pearls can also come in a range of colors, though they are commonly associated with white or cream hues—in any case, they will always be marked by an iridescent sheen.

Birthstone meaning and symbolism of pearl

Pearls have been thought to have energetic properties since ancient times. Greek mythology believed that pearls were shed by Aphrodite, symbolizing love and femininity. In Chinese tradition, pearls were associated with wisdom, spiritual energy, and power, while Western cultures have long regarded pearls as a symbol of modesty and purity.

“A pearl reminds us that beautiful things can come out of discomfort.” —Laura Ellis, multiplayer modality healing practitioner, and Reiki master

Today, pearls continue to retain their ineffable allure—if not for their iridescent beauty, then for what they’ve come to symbolize. “A pearl reminds us that beautiful things can come out of discomfort,” says Ellis, calling to mind the years-long process it takes for a mollusk to create a pearl. She says they are also helpful for calming the stress and negativity that might arise, providing you with a “nurturing, loving energy” to buoy you in times of strife. According to Mariah K. Lyons, founder of ASTARA, Reiki master, and crystal healer, the gem also serves as an energetic reminder that “pearls of wisdom” can be gleaned from experience.

June-born Geminis can harness the energetic powers of the pearl, says Lyons, who just so happens to be a Gemini herself. Quick, charismatic, and clever, “they are intuitive communicators who can translate higher-concept ideas into tangible concepts,” she says, a notable skill that is key among Gemini’s traits. “The pearl helps Gemini translate, communicate, and emanate the wisdom they have gleaned from their life experiences and to share that with others, and it also helps Gemini process information that they are receiving intuitively and in their own intellectual pursuits.”

“Pearls also have an association with the moon and the different phases of the feminine that women go through different phases that women go through in their life, but also biologically in their life,” says Lyons. In astrology, the moon is Cancer’s ruling planet. A feminine force that emanates emotional, introspective, and empathetic energy, the moon is reflective of many of Cancer’s personality traits. “We often think of Cancer as the sign of the mother. It is very nurturing and sensitive, and as a water sign, it is highly intuitive,” says Lyons, and the pearl can bring out Cancer’s full feminine and intuitive abilities. “It helps to enhance their healing, nurturing, and mothering abilities, whether they are mothering a business, mothering plants, mothering children, helping birth forth different creations in the world,” she says.

Since pearls can help one glean information and tap into their intuitive knowing, they are also typically associated with the crown chakra, says Lyons. Known in Sanskrit as the Sahasrara or the “thousand petals lotus chakra,” it is the center of enlightenment, “connecting you to your soul, higher self, purpose, the universe, source, and the divine,” Reiki practitioner Serena Poon previously told Well+Good.

Another thing that sets pearls apart from other birthstones are their healing properties. “In Chinese medicine, they’ve been used for thousands of years,” says integrative medicine and crystal expert, Elizabeth Trattner, AP, DOM, a licensed acupuncturist trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and the owner of wellness center The Helia House. “They can be taken orally for their mineral and amino acid profile, and they can be used topically to reduce scarring,” she says, citing one study conducted in 2021 that confirms the gem’s benefits.

Does June have more than one birthstone?

According to the Jewelers of America’s standardized birthstone list, alexandrite and moonstone are also listed as June birthstones, but pearl is thought of as the “main” one. “Alexandrite is a very rare stone—much rarer than diamonds—found in Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Africa,” says Ellis, adding that “it’s dichroic, which means it changes colors depending on the light source; it is green in natural light and turns red in artificial light.” According to Ellis, it’s said to promote physical and spiritual balance, bring joy and lucky, and help one to accept and embrace change.

Moonstone is a feldspar mineral that comes in a range of hues, from clear to colorless and white streaked with a metallic blue, silver, or white iridescence that resemble moonbeams. It serves an energetic reminder of purposefulness. “From more mindful decisions day-to-day to bigger life changes, this crystal offers you support and guidance to help you live a purposeful life,” crystal expert Heather Askinosie, the co-founder of Energy Muse, previously told Well+Good. People born under Gemini and Cancer in particular can benefit from moonstone, she says, as “both Gemini and Cancer signs tend to have a strong drive to connect with their purpose.”

What are birthstones?

Birthstones are gemstones that represent a person’s birth month or zodiac sign. Their origins are believed to trace back to biblical times, and the first-century historian Flavius Josephus associated the 12 gemstones on Aaron’s breastplate in the Book of Exodus with the months of the year and the 12 zodiac signs. However, the custom of wearing an individual gem per month didn’t begin until around the 15th or 16th century in Germany or Poland. Birthstones are also found to have origins in Eastern Culture. The Ratna Pariksha, a fifth-century Hindu text, linked specific gems to deities, celestial bodies, and days of the week, while Vedic astrologers recommend certain gems to individuals based on their astrological birth chart.

In 1912, the American Council Association of Jewelers (which is currently known as the Jewelers of America) created a standardized list of birthstones in the United States. This list was updated by the Jewelry Industry Council of America and later by The American Gem Trade Association to include new types of birthstones for certain months of the year.

An overview of the birthstones for every month of the year

Want to pick a crystal that corresponds to your birth month? Here’s a quick overview of the birthstones for every month of the year:

• January Birthstone: Garnet
• February Birthstone: Amethyst
• March Birthstone: Aquamarine and Bloodstone
• April Birthstone: Diamond
• May Birthstone: Emerald
• June Birthstone: Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone
• July Birthstone: Ruby
• August Birthstone: Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx
• September Birthstone: Sapphire
• October Birthstone: Opal and Tourmaline
• November Birthstone: Topaz and Citrine
• December Birthstone: Tanzanite, Turquoise, and Zircon

Frequently asked questions about the June birthstone

What is the true birthstone for June?

There are three June birthstones—pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone—but pearl is considered as the traditional birthstone of the month.

What does the June birthstone represent?

Pearl can represent several things. In Chinese tradition, they were symbolic of wisdom, spiritual energy, and power, while they were associated with purity and modesty in Western cultures. Pearls have also been associated with the moon, which in astrology, is considered a feminine force with a nurturing energy.

What are Gemini’s birthstones?

June-born Geminis have three birthstones—namely, pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone. Geminis born in May have emerald as their birthstone.

Typically, finding your aura involves getting a professional reading or a special aura photograph taken by an aura reader. And while both will offer you the most detailed picture of your aura’s makeup (and all the energetic traits associated with it), you can also find the main color(s) of your aura with an online aura color quiz—like this one created by aura expert Pamala Oslie or this one, by aura reader Megan Firester, who goes by Mystic Michaela.

How to use an aura color quiz

Taking an online aura quiz involves answering questions that assess your personality traits, temperament, and general outlook on life. The result is the aura color (or colors) with which your answers most closely correspond and the energetic qualities that those colors reflect (more on what each color means below).

“You need to honor who you really are deep inside, instead of answering with what you think people would want you to put.”—Pamala Oslie, aura expert

To get the most use out of any aura color quiz, it’s key to be honest with yourself while answering the questions, says Oslie, author of Life Colors: What the Colors in Your Aura Reveal. “You need to honor who you really are deep inside, instead of answering with what you think people would want you to put,” she says. This way, the result will reflect your true, well, colors and not the colors of someone whom you’d like to be (or whom you assume others want you to be).

Once you have your color result, you can use it as a starting point for self-exploration, says Oslie. Because your aura reflects your true nature, she says, understanding its makeup can offer valuable insights into how you perceive yourself and others, plus your demeanor, desires, and motivations. And to be clear, there are no bad or less desirable aura colors, says Firester, who’s the host of the “Know Your Aura” podcast and author of the forthcoming book What’s My Aura?. The qualities associated with different colors just reflect unique strengths and weaknesses.

According to Firester, you may also get different aura color results from each quiz you take—and that’s totally okay. Different quizzes may just include slightly different sets of colors (for example, Oslie’s quiz includes 14 compared to the usual 10), and the specific color identification is less important than the characteristics described in the result, anyway.

“Don’t get so stuck on the color, and pay attention to the words that come after,” says Firester. As you read through the description, she recommends asking yourself questions about how the characteristics described might show up in different aspects of your life. “The introspection and the spiritual journey that exploration takes you on is the point,” she says.

For example, if you take a quiz and your aura color is revealed to be blue, you’d find that the associated characteristics are, among others, being empathetic and striving to be of service to others. You might then ask yourself how these traits resonate with your identity and your approach to your life path, career, or relationships, suggests Firester. Perhaps you find that you often embody other peoples’ feelings as your own, and that this causes you to sideline your own emotions—or maybe you take pride in the fact that you can readily anticipate others’ needs. The idea is to do some self-reflection using your result, and see what comes up.

What each aura color means

• Red: People with red auras, according to Firester, are naturally assertive and excel in leadership roles where they can take charge.
• Orange: Focused and energetic, orange auras are “people who enjoy inspiring others by taking the most innovative road they can,” says Firester.
• Yellow: Yellow auras are curious, honest, and energetic, says Firester. “They love direct and clear communication.”
• Green: Green auras are organized, efficient, and logical thinkers, says Oslie.
• Blue: People with a blue aura, says Oslie, are naturally empathetic, thoughtful, and nurturing with a constant drive to help others.
• Indigo: Indigo auras are deeply empathetic and can read others extremely well, says Firester.
• Turquoise: Firester calls those with turquoise auras “old soul and quiet healers who mirror others to their own selves.”
• Pink: “Pinks are really fun,” says Firester, adding that they’re optimistic, loving romantics.
• Violet: “Purples are creative, intuitive, rebellious people who crave change and artistic outlets,” says Firester.
• Lavender: According to Oslie, lavender auras are visionary daydreamers who have the gift of a child-like imagination.

According to dream analysts, however, the meaning of pregnancy dreams doesn’t typically have to do with actual pregnancy or wanting to get or avoid getting pregnant (though that’s a possibility). In scenarios where pregnancy isn’t currently a relevant factor in your life, it’s likely that a pregnancy dream is more about bringing something into the world, metaphorically speaking. Indeed, these dreams often reflect growth, development, opportunity, and ripe possibility. 

Common meanings of pregnancy dreams

Experiencing pregnancy is an extremely common dream, typically signifying that something is about to change (or be born) in your world, says dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg, author of Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life. “There’s something in your life that is currently in the works, and what’s going on right now will eventually feel like a new life once it reaches what it’s supposed to reach,” she says, of a person experiencing pregnancy dreams.

Perhaps you’re a student working on a degree that will create life-changing career opportunities or shuttle you into a new phase of life (and the degree is the thing that you’re figuratively birthing in the dream), or maybe you’re nourishing a passion, and it’s about to sprout into a full-blown project. In any case, a pregnancy dream can speak to a work-in-progress, or, similarly, the potential for rebirth; perhaps the self-work you’re doing is helping you become a new version of yourself.

“A pregnancy dream could mean there’s something in your life that is currently in the works.” —Lauri Loewenberg, dream analyst

If, in the dream, you actually give birth, you might be arriving at the end of such a transformation, or of a lengthy project or event in your waking life, according to Loewenberg. “The difference between the pregnancy dream and giving birth in a dream is the process because [in the latter], the work is already done,” she says.

On the flip side, if you don’t actually dream of being pregnant but instead of receiving a positive pregnancy test result, the meaning might be slightly different. In this case, says Loewenberg, the dream could indicate that a new endeavor you’re taking on—whether a relationship or a work project or something else entirely—will have a positive outcome.

Separately, however, if you’re currently trying to conceive and then dream of receiving a positive pregnancy test, it’s worth taking a real pregnancy test, adds Loewenberg, “because dreams can often serve as messengers between the body and our conscious awareness.” In other words? Your dream might be subconsciously telling you that you’re pregnant before you’ve confirmed as much.

How to determine the meaning of your pregnancy dreams

While it’s certainly helpful to know the broad contours of dream meanings, these interpretations are just one part of the whole picture, says astrologer and dream interpreter Stephanie Gailing, author of The Complete Book of Dreams.“We can look at what a dream means symbolically, but it’s also really important to look at the additional content of our views, feelings, and attitudes because [any given] dream doesn’t mean the same thing for everybody,” she says.

“It’s important to look at the additional content of our views, feelings, and attitudes because [any given] dream doesn’t mean the same thing for everybody.”—Stephanie Gailing, dream analyst

To gather that personal context, it’s important to sit with any dream, and consider how you feel about it and whether it elicits any strong emotions. “It’s not productive to think, That was weird [about a particular dream], and move on because that’s like ignoring an important phone call,” says Loewenberg. “You’ve got to pick it up and say, ‘What’s the message?'” After all, it’s your life experience that colors your dreams, including pregnancy dreams, and ultimately gives them unique meaning.

For pregnancy dreams, specifically, Gailing suggests considering how you feel about pregnancy in your waking life to better understand the message being conveyed by the dream. Does the prospect of pregnancy excite you, or is it something that you don’t want to experience or that you’re afraid of? Are you surprised to be pregnant in the dream? Is pregnancy something you’re capable of experiencing, or do you not know the answer to that question? The emotional contour of your reflections on pregnancy will certainly have bearing on the meaning of your pregnancy dreams.

For example, for someone who wanted to have children but can’t, “a pregnancy dream could be an experience where they’re processing their grief,” says Gailing. But for someone who’s excited about and capable of pregnancy, the meaning of pregnancy dreams could reflect a more positive development brewing in their life.

For additional context, consider what else happened in the dream surrounding your pregnancy, says Loewenberg: What were you thinking and doing in the dream, and if you told anyone about your pregnancy in your dream, how did they react? These other happenings can help you pinpoint how you actually feel about the dream, which, again, will help you unpack its meaning.

The same thing goes for the outcome of the dream pregnancy, too. If the pregnancy you experienced in a dream seemed to go well, that’s auspicious for whatever you may be undertaking in your waking hours, says Loewenberg, because your dream emotions are connected to similar emotions in real life. Which is also to say, a difficult dream pregnancy or one that filled you with worry or fear could indicate that those feelings may be at play in your waking life, too.

What to do if you dream of being pregnant

Once you’ve determined what your pregnancy dream might mean, it’s helpful to think about what aspects of your waking life may be growing and changing, says Loewenberg, whether they’re internal (perhaps a new attitude or mindset) or external (say, a new job or relationship). Then, consider whether you might feel some of the same emotions around these real-life happenings as you did surrounding your dream pregnancy.

From there, you can use these insights to take action. For example, if you determine that the pregnancy in your dream may be a symbol of a developing work project you’re spearheading, and you felt anxious in response to it, perhaps you might consider seeking some extra support for the project to quell similar fears you may have been suppressing in real life. Or, if you connect your dream pregnancy to an internal shift you’re working toward, and you felt optimistic within the dream, maybe you just need to stay the course and steel yourself for your real-life growth journey ahead.

In any case, it’s helpful to view a pregnancy dream as a harbinger of change afoot and your emotional response to it as an indicator of how you might feel about that change—which can help you act with greater alignment.

Reading is one wellness practice that’s well worth fitting into that “me-time” because of the slew of benefits it offers, like mindfulness and helping to regulate emotions. The only conundrum that plagues bookworms everywhere is deciding what to read next. With so many great books available, you need a way to narrow your TBR (to be read) list—try picking a summer book to read based on your zodiac sign.

Each zodiac sign has defining personality traits that can inform all sorts of interests, including reading. For example, ambitious and meticulous Capricorns revere the past, so that means they might enjoy a historical fiction novel. Similarly, Sagittarians love adventure and exploring the world—getting whisked away into adventure novel can help hold them over until their next trip.

To narrow down our great expanse of literary options, we’re highlighting classic books to add to your reading list. But we’re not necessarily talking The Iliad or Shakespeare here, though you certainly could check those out; instead, these are all books I consider to be modern classics. Some are more modern than others, and they range in publish dates (200 years ago to several years ago) and subject matter, but all are exemplary fiction reads that I thoroughly enjoyed—some of them in the summertime, on a beach chair. Combined with genre suggestions from astrologers Alexandria Lettman and Stephanie Gailing, these are the star-sanctioned book recommendations you should read this summer, based on your zodiac sign.

The best ‘classic’ book each zodiac sign should add to their summer reading list

Aries

"The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories," by Angela Carter — $11.00

You move fast, Aries, so you don’t want to spend time on one book necessarily. A short story collection gives your brain lots of ponder and enjoy, plus the chance to experience many stories in one sitting. “You’d like something where you can get a lot off your reading list at once,” says Lettman.

Who’s to say that a summer read can’t be scary, disturbing, or thought-provoking? In this collection of short stories, British writer Angela Carter reimagines classic fairytales through a macabre, and female-identifying lens—no damsels in distress here. Each tale spins a classic story, like “Bluebeard” and “Beauty and the Beast” into something more carnal and complicated. Carter’s sharp writing in this short story collection has been cited by many fantasy and science fiction authors like Neil Gaiman as inspiration, and this classic has been studied for years in college courses on feminism and literature.

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Taurus

"Emma" by Jane Austen — $9.00

Taurus: You love to plot and plan, and you wish you could know the final outcome of all your machinations. Give yourself that break during this summer reading period and pick something that’ll allow you to enjoy the journey and the destination, like a love story that you know has a happy ending, Lettman suggests.

If you’ve never read the original source material for famous 90s romcom Clueless, it’s better late than never—Austen’s beloved novel still hits, even nearly 200 years after its publication in 1815. Described by the author as “handsome, clever, and rich,” Emma Woodhouse eventually gets her happy ending, but you’ll have a great time parsing through her ill-fated attempts to make matches and wriggle away from potential suitors in Georgian-Regency era England.

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Gemini

"Wind, Sand, and Stars" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery — $12.00

Boredom is your enemy, Gemini—you crave adventure and excitement. Lettman recommends keeping your mind engaged and focused by diving into a book that’ll take you on a winding journey. If you took French class at any point in school, you probably recognize Antoine de Saint-Exupery as the author of The Little Prince. Turns out, he was also an accomplished pilot who wrote about his aviation adventures, which included a crash in the Sahara Desert (early aviation wasn’t easy or safe business in the 1920s and 1930s).  Come for the adventurous account of a life in the sky, stay for the deep philosophical musings that laid the foundation for The Little Prince.

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Cancer

"Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir," by Dolly Alderton — $15.00

Cancer, you love a comforting, cozy vibe, even in the summertime. According to Lettman, a book that offers both comfort and purpose is the right pick for you this summer. Look for a book that combines humor and wit and offers insights you can apply to your own life.

British journalist Dolly Alderton’s memoir, Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir, goes down easy like a glass of rose, and reads like the diary of a cool older sister who has experienced everything and lived to tell the tale. The vignettes are funny, moving, and brimming with lessons—this book feels like a hug from your wise and hilarious friend.

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Leo

"The Million Dollar Mermaid: An Autobiography," by Esther Williams with Digby Diehl — $17.00

Leo, as the zodiac’s performer you love the spotlight. For this reason, Gailing says you may enjoy a book about show business. And luckily for you, Leo, there are plenty of dishy and well-written books in this genre.

With Disney’s live action version of “The Little Mermaid” out in theaters, it’s looking like it’s going to be a mermaid summer. Keep the theme going by picking up this autobiography by Esther Williams, the actress and competitive swimmer who leant her skill to films like “Million Dollar Mermaid.” A fascinating star who came up in the studio system of old Hollywood and was known for performing mesmerizing and choreographed pool sequences in her films, Williams was also a gifted athlete who earned a place on the United States Olympic team but wasn’t able to compete because of the outbreak of World War II. So, she brought her glamour and swimming talents to the cinema. Williams details her rise and quest to carve out a niche for herself at Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), plus shares lots of gossip and behind the scenes details about the other colorful characters who populated the ecosystem of filmmaking.

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Virgo

"Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery," by Agatha Christie — $7.00

Virgo, your attention to detail and meticulousness make you perfectly suited to follow the intricate plot of a murder mystery. You’ll have fun following a winding plot—and picking it apart for clues. “You’re super analytical and investigative, and you spot key details that others don’t,” says Lettman.

The queen of the whodunnit, Agatha Christie’s books are perfect page-turners for those looking to get lost in an intricate plot. Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery, was written in 1937 and recently adapted into a much-memed film (“enough champagne to fill the Nile,” anyone?), follows Christie’s beloved French detective as he embarks on a cruise up the Nile River that turns into an engrossing murder mystery after a young and beautiful socialite is found dead. A master of the genre, Christie’s engaging and suspenseful pacing is a summer treat.

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Libra

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," by Betty Smith — $10.00

Libra, your curiosity means you crave the chance to understand someone else’s POV, so pick up a book that follows a character’s journey of discovery. You’ll enjoy a story that sees a character grow and change. “You have a natural curiosity for things that are unique from your own life experiences,” says Lettman.

A classic that’s still relevant even 75 years after it was written, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows Francie Nolan, an 11-year-old girl growing up in Brooklyn in a tenement with her Irish immigrant family at the turn of the century. The poignant story follows Francie’s growth from a child into an independent young woman in a society set against her. Smith weaves an evocative journey of someone determined to break free of her family’s struggles and to find her own American dream. It’s a classic for a reason.

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Scorpio

"Becoming" by Michelle Obama — $9.00

You probably guessed that the astrologers would recommend a mystery for you, Scorpio, but you contain multitudes. Another trait of yours that is often overlooked is your ambition. “Take some inspiration from your summer reading list with a book written by someone successful who you admire,” says Lettman.

The first Black first lady of the United States maps out her life’s journey in her clear and interesting memoir, Becoming. The story follows Obama (nee Robinson) from her childhood in Chicago to the halls of Princeton University to adjusting to life in the professional world where she eventually meets the man who would become her husband, and the president. There’s also plenty of intrigue and advice in here about navigating changing, rocky waters—the book gives an unvarnished look into what it was like when Obama was thrust into the spotlight as a political spouse and life in the White House and beyond. I finished this book in about six hours when I first read it, and it contains lots of life lessons about how to find—and remain—yourself as you navigate the curves and diversions in your path.

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Sagittarius

"Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood," by Marjane Satrapi — $10.00

You’re the zodiac’s traveler, Sagittarius, so your capacity and interest for the experiences of others from different cultures and lands means you should seek out a book that’ll transport you to those places, says Lettman. You also care deeply about others’ experiences, so your summer reading pick should appeal to your curiosity and desire to learn about other cultures.

Persepolis is a powerful coming of age memoir and account of life in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution that saw the monarchy toppled to make way for the authoritarian Islamic Regime that still rules today. Using black-and-white comics and words, Satrapi paints a rich portrait of a spirited and modern young girl coming of age in a country sliding into authoritarianism and all the heartbreak, determination, and rebellion that requires. This is the first installment in a two-volume story.

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Capricorn

"My Brilliant Friend," by Elena Ferrante — $11.00

You work so hard all year, Capricorn, so give yourself some time off (whether you’re on vacation or not) this summer to dive into another world. You love the past and tradition, so Gailing recommends marrying those interests by diving into historical fiction this summer.

My favorite book ever and the first of a four-part series called the Neapolitan Novels, My Brilliant Friend depicts the start of a lifelong friendship that’s forged in the slums of Naples and strengthens and fractures as the two characters crash in and out of each other’s lives. The series, which is translated from its original Italian, begins in the present day and takes Lila and Elena, our heroines, through every life stage over the course of about 60 years; this first volume depicts their search to carve out rich, full lives for themselves during their childhood and young adulthood in 1950s Italy. This is one of the best depictions of the complexities of friendship, especially among women-identifying folks, ever put to the page.

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Aquarius

"Parable of the Sower," by Octavia E. Butler — $13.00

Visionary Aquarians care deeply about the world around them, and worry about the future of it. Gailing recommends picking up a book that will transport you but also make you think about the other possibilities—try sci-fi or visionary fiction. All the better if you choose a series with several installments so you can get attached to the characters, says Lettman.

In Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, a young woman named Lauren watches as the world and society she knows collapses. Armed with the ability to hyper empathize with others and feel their pleasure and pain, she tries to chart what she thinks is a better path forward for the future. The first in a series, Parable of the Sower is a novel about the darkness and cruelty humans are capable of, but it’s also about hope and creating a better future for your community—a message worth pondering in current times.

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Pisces

"The Seas," by Samantha Hunt — $12.00

Pisces, we all know you’re deeply in tune with your feelings and love a beautifully told story. This summer, you should add a book that depicts a sweeping love story to your reading list, both Gailing and Lettman say. A story that involves fantastical fantasy elements is right up your alley.

This slim book is as haunting as a siren’s song. Filled with lush, watery imagery, The Seas is about a young woman who believes she is a mermaid, but it’s not your typical romance novel. Trapped in her barren town and largely abandoned by her family, our main character is consumed and overwhelmed by the overflowing love she holds for people who are just out of her reach. Author Samantha Hunt has since built a name for herself writing haunting literary fiction, and her debut novel is deeply dark and beautiful in equal measures. Hunt’s gift for magical realism makes every beautiful sentence of this engrossing and weird little story swim off the page.

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We can learn a lot about our ourselves through our zodiac sun signs, including how the traits associated with each sign reflect our personalities. These traits are informed by all the pieces that determine what each sign of the zodiac is like, including each sign’s element, modality, and ruling planet. All of these factors determine how each sign moves through and interacts with the world around them. Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of Astrology: An In Focus Workbook: A Guide to Understanding Yourself Through the Sun, Moon, and Stars, says all of these components are helpful to assess “who [each zodiac sign is], how they see the world, and what they want out of life, which includes what they bring to their friendships.”

“Who [each zodiac sign is], how they see the world, and what they want out of life includes what they bring to their friendships.”—Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author

Zeroing in on these traits paints a fuller picture of each zodiac sign’s personality, which can then be used to find their friendship strength. There are lots of ways to be a good friend, and each sign brings something different that helps them form and keep tight platonic bonds. Read on for insights about each zodiac sign’s friendship strength from Gailing, astrologer Celeste Brooks, and Maria Sofia Marmanides, astrologer and author of The One Card Tarot Journal: 150 Prompts for Single Card Tarot Wisdom.

The strength each zodiac sign brings to their friendships, according to astrologers

Aries: directness

Because your ruling planet is Mars, Aries, you’re known for your assertive and fiery energy. As a result of this, your directness allows you to be extremely clear in your communication. According to Marmanides, your friends can expect you to tell it like it is because you never obscure your meaning—but you cut your vinegar with honey, so your bluntness is paired with humor. “You are the kind of friend who will deliver [your] point of view with a joke or a spot-on impersonation and try to make [your friends] see the funny side of [their] situation,” says Marmanides.

Your directness extends to your conflict resolution, Aries, because Marmanides says your friends will never be left wondering how you really feel. You may be blunt, but you’re not cruel, and your propensity to not hold grudges means you’ll tell your friends when issues arise and will be able to move on when they’re resolved.

Taurus: dependability

Taurus, you’re highly in touch with all five senses because of your earth sign element, so you know how to have a good time. This is a great quality for a friend to have, but Gailing says your key strength comes from another trait the earth element bestows on you—dependability. This quality allows you to show up for your friends when they need you. “[You] are very steadfast and dependable, so if someone needs practical advice they’d go to a Taurus,” she says.

Gemini: curiosity

Gemini, you’re chatty and quick-witted, which makes you a riot to converse with. Ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, your liveliness puts others at ease and makes them want to socialize with you. It’s this natural curiosity and desire to know about others through chatting that is your key friendship strength, says Gailing. “[Geminis] may ask you questions about yourself, which for a lot of people is really nice, and they’re always curious and interested,” she says.

Cancer: caretaking

Your water element means you’re deeply in touch with your own feelings, Cancer, so you have a great ability to extend that care to others. According to Brooks, nothing brings you more satisfaction than taking care of the ones you love because you’re very nurturing. “Cancer energy is very caretaking and intuitive, so if you need a heart-to-heart or a hug, [they] can really just make you feel better,” she says.

Whether it’s through giving a hug when a friend needs it or providing a cozy and safe space to crash if they need it, you’ll go out of your way to make your friends feel loved and safe—making people feel at home, wherever they may be, is the strength you bring to your friendships. “If you’re feeling emotional, a Cancer friend is a really warm place to fall,” says Brooks.

Leo: fun

Ruled by the sun, you have a natural ability to grab attention and keep it, Leo. Your fire element lends to this dynamism, and contributes to what Brooks says is your friendship strength—your ability to facilitate a good time. “[Leos] can gather attention and draw people to them, so they bring this fun and dynamism,” says Brooks. Your unwavering loyalty to those you love is a bonus, too, she says.

Virgo: clarity

Virgo, you are known to be meticulous and organized, and your earth sign status grants you a high level of sensibility and balance. Your gift for lucidity in your endeavors is easily extended to others with Mercury as your planetary ruler, so Gailing says your friendship strength is your clarity. You can apply that focus and clarity to be a sounding board and reality check for friend, whether they’re working through their own decisions, feeling down, or even doubting themselves. “Virgos can really help in terms of saying, ‘let’s look at what is really going on here,'” she says. If a friend is upset or feeling lost, “[a Virgo] can help ground them and say, ‘look at this thing you achieved or this good thing in your life that you have,’ says Gailing.

Libra

Libra, you strive for balance in all your endeavors. You place a high value on fairness, and your air sign element makes you an objective thinker who is open to hearing lots of perspectives—sometimes you’re called the diplomat of the zodiac, after all. For these reasons, Marmanides says your open-mindedness is your friendship strong suit. Your desire for people to get along “makes [you] open-minded and not prone to being judgmental or dogmatic,” says Marmanides. “[Libras] like to see all sides of a situation, and they’re great at compromise and conflict mediation and have big hearts.”

Scorpio: loyalty

You don’t give your love and affection easily, Scorpio, but when you do, you give your whole heart. An emotional water sign that’s ruled by far-off Pluto, your capacity to feel everything and bring those emotions to the surface extends to the love you feel for your friends. It’s your unwavering loyalty that makes you such a great friend, say Gailing, Brooks, and Marmanides—when someone earns your trust and love, you’re ride or die. “If your Scorpio friend is committed to you, they will go to the ends of the earth to fight for you,” says Gailing. “If you want someone to help bury a body, you want to call a Scorpio,” Brooks adds.

Sagittarius: adventure

It’s no surprise that as the zodiac’s traveler, you are the friend others turn to for an adventure, Sagittarius. All the astrologers named your knack for adventure as your top friendship strength. An expressive fire sign that’s ruled by Jupiter, the planet of abundance, you’re confident and optimistic, and those qualities are contagious when you’re around.  According to Gailing, you’re the first person a friend would call if they’re embarking on an impromptu trip, or if they want help pushing—or jumping—out of their comfort zone. “You may be having a rainy day, then it’s like the sun has come out in your mind and heart because [Sagittarius] is so enthusiastic and optimistic,” she says. “There’s just a spark of joie de vivre.” But these adventures don’t always have to involve passports, and can be even closer to home: Gailing says your wisdom and capacity for deep thought and philosophical exploration could unlock adventures, too.

Capricorn: encouragement

Capricorn, sometimes you catch a bad rap for being hyper focused on achieving your own goals. As a cardinal earth sign ruled by orderly Saturn, you have the alchemy of a determined go-getter. However, you’re not selfish at all in your close friendships and you want your loved ones achieve their goals, too—according to Marmanides, your friendship strength is your ability to encourage others. “Capricorns can be super encouraging and because of their wise-beyond-their-years maturity, will often have helpful or insightful advice and perspective to share,” she says. If you can help your friends in any way, you absolutely will. “They believe that actions speak louder than words so even if they don’t always have the perfect words to say, they’ll show up for their friends whenever they’re needed, often without needing to be asked.”

Aquarius: inspiration

Aquarius, despite your deeply seated need for independence, you have a reputation for being incredibly friendly, says Marmanides. You care a lot about collective issues that impact others, and think constantly about how to best solve these issues—Uranus, your ruling planet, is associated with innovation, after all. It’s this combination of traits that lends you your friendship strength, which according to Gailing is your ability to inspire. You impart your desires and obsessions onto your friends, which could lead them to explore their own interests or to take up their own causes. “If your world seems small, Aquarius may be able to really connect you to other things in the wider world that will inspire you,” says Gailing. For example, you’re the one who is most likely to rally your friend group to volunteer or participate in a demonstration for some important cause.

Pisces: empathy

You wear your big heart on your sleeve, Pisces. Governed by Neptune, the planet of creativity and dreams, you’re an inventive spirit who cares deeply about the feelings of those you love, including your friends. The water element that allows you to connect and embody your emotions so deeply also contributes to what Gailing calls your friendship strength: your empathy. “Pisces really cares about you and just wants to help,” says Gailing. “They want to be there to help you heal, or discover more joy, or release your suffering.” Your ability to understand and share others’ feelings also makes you an attentive and active listener.

Though the specific origin of birth flowers is unknown, people in various cultures have assigned meanings to plants and flowers since ancient times. In more recent history, Shakespeare frequently tapped the symbolism of flowers and plants to express particular meaning in his works; according to the Royal Horticultural Society, he mentioned more than 50 different types. For instance, in Hamlet, the play’s heroine Ophelia expresses her grief and distress by distributing specific flowers and herbs, like rosemary, which is associated with remembrance of the dead, and rue, with regret and sorrow.

Floriography, or the language of flowers, especially took off during the Victorian era, when various books and primers outlined all the ways to communicate discreetly through blooms using their associated meanings—for instance, conveying an expression of friendship by way of zinnias or even showing disdain with a bouquet of yellow carnations.

And even today, the symbolic associations of flowers help us express certain feelings, and dictate why some types and colors feel more appropriate for certain occasions than others; for example, you might send a bouquet of red roses to express your love for your S.O. on Valentine’s Day, but you probably wouldn’t send them to someone grieving a loss.

“Flowers [represent] the blossoming potential of [both] the plant and the season.”—Isha Lerner, flower essence expert

By the same token, every birth flower is also linked to a particular meaning, with each pairing reflecting the qualities of the flower and its accompanying season. For example, January’s birth flower is the carnation because this flower is connected with rebirth, and January reflects the start of a new year.

“The beautiful thing about the flowering world is that it reflects the evolution of the seasons, and flowers [represent] the blossoming potential of [both] the plant and the season,” says astrologer and flower essence expert Isha Lerner, author of The Power of Flowers: Healing Body and Soul Through the Art and Mysticism of Nature. Similarly, the meaning of your birth flower is thought to represent both the blossoming potential of your birth month and your soul, says Lerner.

Below, you’ll find detailed insights into each birth flower’s meaning from Lerner and Valerie Ghitelman, vice president of product development, design, and sourcing at flower company 1-800-Flowers.com. Read for your birth month to get a symbolic peak into your roots and your personal growth trajectory.

The meaning of each month’s birth flower, according to flower experts

January: Carnation

While January’s carnation is generally associated with joy, this popular cut flower can come in many colors, each of which also carry different meanings, says Ghitelman. For example, dark red symbolizes love, and white is for good luck and purity.

A hardy plant that can survive and thrive in winter months (like January, naturally), the carnation is also connected to the idea of death and rebirth; in fact, it’s quite a common flower to see at funerals, says Lerner. “It’s a rebirth flower that connects to the dying and the release of the old, and taking on new color and new potential.”

February: Violet

The delicate violet is February’s birth flower, which Ghitelman says symbolizes “faithfulness, truth, and affection.” Thought to be the symbol of ancient Athens and associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, violets thrive in the shade and like to grow in clusters. Paired with their heart-shaped leaves and sweet smell, these qualities support their ties with love and affection, says Lerner. And that’s fitting for a birth flower connected to the month of Valentine’s Day.

March: Daffodil

According to Ghitelman, March’s daffodil birth flower aptly represents the changing of the seasons and new beginnings. Grown from a bulb, daffodils are dormant in the winter and are known to push up through the cold ground in early spring—even if there’s snow on the ground. This tendency toward perseverance symbolizes a “radiant sign of hope” even on tough days, just as the flower’s joyful yellow hue represents, in nature, “one of the first signs of spring,” says Lerner.

April: Daisy

Fitting for the month that is perhaps most strongly associated with spring, April’s birth flower is the vibrant daisy. A flower that symbolizes pure happiness and joy, Ghitelman calls it a “flower that smiles.” The daisy’s large, defined center structure connecting its radiating petals also symbolizes focus, says Lerner, which may be essential to retain before the full-blown freedom of summer kicks in.

May: Lily of the valley

May’s flower is the lily of the valley, a perennial with white bell-shaped petals. It symbolizes purity and virtue, says Ghitelman. A common ground cover, lily of the valley’s pronounced scent is sweet and lively—which makes sense for the month that follows April showers with, well, May flowers. “Its [decorative] leaves and powerful rooted energy allow it to grow in big, dense clumps, so it brings this grounded kind of sweetness,” adds Lerner.

June: Rose

June’s birth flower is the rose, the perennial known for its stunning petals and sharp thorns. While roses come in numerous varieties and colors, many of which have their own specific meanings (for example, red roses are thought to symbolize passion), according to Ghitelman, roses generally reflect love and beauty of the deepest magnitude.

After all, there’s a reason you might reserve the gift of roses for just your closest loved ones. “The essence of the rose is really about building a strong foundation of love,” says Lerner, largely because these plants are notoriously tough to uproot once planted.

July: Larkspur

As bright and vivacious as the heat of summer itself, July’s birth flower is the larkspur. The colorful flower’s spiked petals grow on vertical stalks, pointing up and out toward the sun, and as a result, it’s thought to symbolize positivity, says Ghitelman. Also called delphinium, “larkspur is just pure happiness,” says Lerner.

August: Gladiolus

August’s birth flower is the gladiolus, which Ghitelman says symbolizes honor, remembrance, and strength of character—all qualities necessary to tide us over from carefree summer into the more austere autumn to come. Also known as the sword lily, the gladiolus stands tall and firm like the strength it embodies. Each shade in its rainbow of varieties also carries an additional meaning, adds Ghitelman; for example, red classically represents love, while yellow signifies compassion.

September: Aster

September’s birth flower is the aster, a purple flower in the daisy family whose petals signify daintiness, luck, and love, says Ghitelman. Named after the Greek word for “star,” the aster blooms in the fall and is connected with a shifting of the seasons. Alongside its celestial name, its star-like pattern of petals makes it “feel cosmic, like it’s connecting us to a higher faith and potential,” says Lerner—much like the fresh, back-to-school feeling of September.

October: Calendula

October’s birth flower is the calendula (aka pot marigold), which symbolizes unconditional love, personal strength, and tenacity, says Ghitelman. It blooms in yellow, orange, and gold—seasonal hues for October—and has edible petals. Native to the Mediterranean, the calendula also has a long history of medicinal use and is often used topically to treat wounds, which speaks to its symbolic connection with healing and resilience.

November: Chrysanthemum

November’s birth flower is the chrysanthemum, which symbolizes hope, longevity, and optimism, says Ghitelman. These are also the qualities necessary to power through the long winter ahead of this month.

Alternatively called the mum, the chrysanthemum is aptly a symbol of fall and is often displayed in large bunches or in pots to mark the season. Given its centuries-old use in healing and herbal medicine (particularly in its native Asia), the chrysanthemum is also traditionally associated with wisdom and nobility.

December: Narcissus

December’s birth flower is the paperwhite narcissus (which is part of the same Narcissus genus as the daffodil). The annual bulb typically flowers for a short time in late winter and early spring and produces white, fragrant flowers that “symbolize honor, kindness, and prosperity,” says Ghitelman, all qualities “we wish for friends and family as they enter a new year.”

The name and meaning of the plant can be traced to the Greek myth about Narcissus, a son of the gods who met his end as a result of his obsession with his own reflection in a pool of water; it’s said that a flower grew where he died, which would later spawn what we know as the Narcissus genus of florals. In turn, Lerner says the paperwhite narcissus also symbolizes reflection, given both its ties to the myth and assignment as the birth flower for the final month of the year.

Because of the ways we naturally tend to repress—rather than acknowledge—our shadow selves, the traits they encompass can hold us back from achieving our full potential. That’s where self-reflection and shadow work comes into play, as a means to cultivate a better understanding of your dark side and learn to integrate and even embrace it. Though you can do this work for any shadow side you might identify within yourself, the most common dark side of your zodiac sign can be a helpful jumping-off point for a foray into shadow work.

What, exactly, is a shadow self or shadow side?

Duality has been mythologized: light and darkness, good versus evil. Clearly, humanity loves a good polarity. Are you the friend that tends to project their perfectionism á la criticism toward others? Or, maybe you tend to fight for control, and it typically ends in a whole lot of drama. If you were to ask psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who originally developed the idea of the shadow self in the 1940s, he’d probably call these pesky quirks your shadow qualities.

“The shadow self represents the part of our personal psyche that often remains just outside of our consciousness, especially without intentional work,” says therapist Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC, author of The Shadow Work Workbook. “If the persona represents the face that we like to show to the world—aka our outward personality—then the shadow represents the parts that we hide and repress from others and even ourselves.”

“The shadow self represents the part of our personal psyche that often remains just outside of our consciousness, especially without intentional work.” —Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC, therapist

In astrology, the shadow concept is no different. Each zodiac archetype is accompanied by both strengths (light qualities) and weaknesses (dark or shadow qualities)—and typically, the former can actually become the latter when they’re taken too far or misconstrued. For example, Leo’s self-assuredness, while great in scenarios demanding of confidence, can easily turn into a war over their ego when expressed in excess. And Aquarius, though a humanitarian and community-builder at heart, tends to struggle with emotional awareness in close relationships.

What is shadow work?

Because we’re all naturally complex and contain a multitude of traits that often mask our shadows, mental-health experts like Caraballo suggest unearthing your dark side via shadow work, which is basically bringing your shadow self into the light. “Jung believed that working to accept the shadow parts [of ourselves] allows us the ability to integrate them and live alongside the shadow, reducing psychological tension and conflict,” says Caraballo.

Typically, shadow work can look like journaling, mirror work, or even dream journaling to identify and confront your shadow self and learn about the less-desirable tendencies that accompany it. But working with your energy centers, or chakras, can also help establish a sense of equilibrium between your light and dark traits.

“Within our chakras, experiences we [have] in our life and lifetimes before accumulate,” says medium and past-lives progression therapist Gaia Chinniah. And over time, these formative experiences layer onto each other, trapping beneath them our shadow selves, she says: “These oppositional forces cause us to act, behave, emote, react, respond, and even recreate past experiences.”

Unpacking the layers of previous experience that create and inform your shadow sides is the only way to fully understand the reason behind your behaviors in the present. Even so, the goal of shadow work isn’t to completely strip away these lesser-loved traits, as much as it is to become aware of them. “Doing shadow work can help us learn to accept ourselves more fully and make choices that help us self-actualize and live with more self-compassion,” says Caraballo.

Understanding the shadows that are typical for your zodiac sign can help you confront the dark sides that may be especially inherent to your personality. Below, astrologers break down the shadow side of each zodiac sign and how to practice shadow work accordingly.

How every zodiac sign can practice shadow work, according to astrologers

Aries

Fast-paced Aries is known for taking leaps without necessarily thinking things through ahead of time. They could benefit from acknowledging their shadow tendency toward haste through mindfulness meditation. “Setting the intention to examine the shadow part of the self without judgment and ego can be a powerful counter to their naturally impulsive side,” says astrologer Angel Dawn.

Taurus

The stubbornness of a Taurus isn’t to be underestimated—they’re unwavering in their beliefs and won’t back down on something that truly matters to them. Addressing and combating these bullish ways may require them to practice active-listening and empathy exercises. “By opening themselves up to different perspectives, they can learn to be more adaptable and understanding,” says astrologer Pix Wilder.

Gemini

Let’s be honest: Chatty Gemini always has something to say—and that’s just one of their strong suits. But these curious air signs tend to rank logic over emotions (sometimes to a fault), which is why Wilder and Dawn suggest journaling as a route to shadow work for this zodiac sign. “Gemini can benefit from journaling to more deeply explore their thoughts and feelings, helping them to understand and integrate their various aspects,” says Wilder.

Cancer

Sure, Cancer has a reputation for being compassionate and loving, but being everyone’s caretaker can take a toll on their mental health and self-image. “Your dependable nature requires occasionally turning some attention toward yourself,” says Chinniah, of Cancer.

The best way to integrate your people-pleasing tendency, according to Dawn? Primal screaming. “Becoming more aware of repressed feelings and releasing them can be profoundly helpful,” she says.

Leo

Leo holds their head high and thrives in any performance with an audience. But sometimes, Dawn says, their pride can stand in the way of the success they might achieve by yielding to others every now and then. Wilder says that volunteering or doing acts of service for others are great humility exercises to keep Leo’s ego in check. “By focusing on the needs of others, they can gain a more balanced perspective on their ego and self-worth,” she says.

Virgo

Virgo can use shadow work to unpack their tendency to lament about what could have been or should be, says Chinniah. There’s no perfect life path or outcome, and it’s important for Virgo to remember that harping on perfection is only bound to leave them feeling worse. “Through mindfulness and self-compassion exercises, they can learn to let go of their self-critical tendencies,” says Wilder.

Libra

Libra strives for balance, but their agreeable nature can sometimes prompt them to over-compromise or sacrifice in the name of someone else. Wilder says it’ll do the air sign good to explore their own desires. “By journaling or engaging in deep self-reflection, they can gain a better understanding of their motivations and develop a stronger sense of self,” she says. Libra sometimes needs the reminder that being diplomatic includes addressing their needs, too.

Scorpio

There are few things spicier than a Scorpio’s passion, which can easily turn volatile when jealousy or over-competitiveness comes into play. That’s why Chinniah says shadow work for a Scorpio will involve the recognition that their own success doesn’t rely on the failure of others.

In turn, practicing vulnerability and openness with others will be essential for Scorpio, says Wilder, who adds that honest communication will help them deepen connections with others.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius doesn’t like to be held back, and their hyper-independence, according to Dawn, might just be the shadow self that they need to uncover. Spending time outdoors with other like-minded individuals or joining talk circles can be rejuvenating and liberating for this sign, says Dawn. Learning how to empathize and collaborate with others is a great way for them to foster a better sense of community while tamping down on their typical desire to go it alone.

Capricorn

External validation (like status and prestige) can often hold Capricorn back from nourishing their inner world. “Cultivate your ability to recognize yourself for who you are and what you want,” says Chiannah of the zodiac’s goats. Re-upping a self-care ritual is one way for Capricorn to do just that. Wilder suggests they focus on practicing self-compassion and making it a habit to rest and recharge.

Aquarius

Aquarius is a natural at psychoanalyzing everything—including their feelings. So, it’s no surprise that their shadow work should center around healing their emotional aloofness.

“Group therapeutic circles or retreats, both in-person or online, can be a way for Aquarius to find support with other like-minded individuals,” says Dawn. These programs typically encourage participants to tune into their emotions, which is a route for Aquarius to cultivate emotional awareness and better serve those around them.

Pisces

Pisces has an untamed sense of wonder and imagination, which can occasionally lead them astray from their goals. In order to get back in touch with their intuition and purpose, it may be helpful for them to practice dream work. “Writing down dreams and their symbolism after waking up and intuitively working with the potential meanings can be a way to explore the darker subconscious while strengthening the intuition,” says Dawn.

Key Virgo traits

Virgo is ruled by the element of earth and communication and logic-oriented planet Mercury, which are reflective of many of Virgo’s key characteristics. According to Emily Newman, physic reader, spiritual healer, counselor, and astrologer at The Best of Psychic Reader, Virgo is practical and adept at critical thinking and problem-solving. The Mercury-ruled mutable sign can thrive in the midst of chaos—and, more impressively still—without seeming to break a sweat.

As they are associated with the sixth house of astrology, which represents things like routine and daily responsibilities, Virgo places a lot of value on structure. “Virgos are concerned with rituals and routines, and will working diligently toward a goal with a level of dedication and organization often tied to perfectionism,” Alex Caiola, astrologer, psychic, and founder of spiritual wellness platform High Priestess of Brooklyn, previously told Well+Good.

True to their reputation as the zodiac’s perfectionist, Virgo takes great care to do things correctly, down to the very last detail. However, their penchant for perfectionism can be a weakness, too. “Virgo is a perfectionist and is well-organized by nature, but they can be critical over-thinkers who expect excellence from everyone,” says Newman. Their resolve to improve everything—and everyone—around them can make them come off as nit-picky or hypercritical.

However, astrologer Stefanie Iris Weiss previously told Well+Good that they often mean well. Virgo is a service-oriented sign who is keen on helping others, and they might offer advice or a hand to show their love.

Virgo compatibility in relationships

Virgo will typically be most compatible with a partner who shares the same values, or can appreciate and understand the virgin sign’s grounded, analytical, and observant nature—and there are some zodiac signs who will naturally appeal to a Virgo. Typically, fellow earth signs Taurus and Capricorn are compatible with Virgo, as they will inherently understand one another and value the same things, like practicality and honest work.

Virgo is also compatible with water signs Cancer and Scorpio, as earth and water are considered as complementary astrological elements. While Virgo might differ from the water signs in terms of how they express their emotions and energy, they can appreciate Virgo’s observant and thoughtful qualities, and vice versa. Pisces is another compatible match for Virgo, and though they are opposite zodiac signs, Weiss told Well+Good that they can balance each other out.

Ahead, learn more about which zodiac signs are the most (and least) compatible with Virgo.

Virgo and Aries compatibility

Aries is quincunx, or five signs apart from Virgo, and zodiac signs that form a quincunx aspect typically have trouble relating to one another. “Aries is instinctive and fiery,” astrologer Stephanie Gailing previously told Well+Good. “Virgo is methodical, detail-oriented, and has more patience.” What they have in common is their ambition, though they will typically move towards a goal in different ways.

Virgo is meticulous and zeros in on the details, whereas Aries isn’t one to waste any time and charges in headfirst—and likes to take charge. Their different approaches to situations, and life in general, can make this a challenging relationship for both signs. However, if the two learn how to appreciate what the other brings to the table, they have the potential to make things work.

Virgo and Taurus compatibility

Taurus and Virgo are earth signs who implicitly understand each other and share similar values. They place a lot of value on stability and security, Newman told Well+Good. Plus, Virgo can appreciate how Taurus can keep them calm when they begin to worry or overthink, and Taurus won’t ever feel rushed by Virgo, who also prefers a slow and steady approach to love.

One caveat: Taurus and Virgo are both stubborn and set in their opinions. If a conflict arises, the two can get caught up in a tug of war because neither will want to admit they are wrong or apologize first. However, for the most part, Taurus and Virgo will have no problem being on the same page. “Both are emotional people who seek a spouse who understands them,” says Newman, and they can each play that role for the other.

Virgo and Gemini compatibility

Gemini and Virgo are mutable signs that share the same ruling planet, Mercury, which gives the two common ground. “Both are very intelligent and intellectual, as well as open-minded,” astrologer Tenae Stewart, author of The Modern Witch’s Guide to Magickal Self-Care, previously told Well+Good. Plus, both signs prefer to examine their feelings from a logical perspective, so they can communicate without getting too emotional.

However, their differences can cause conflict in the relationship. “Although Virgo is open to change, they are still an earth sign and have high expectations around their partner being reliable, which may sometimes be challenging for Gemini,” says Newman. Conversely, Gemini may be put off by Virgo’s insistence on structure and routine. If they want to make things work, they have to accept and appreciate each other for who they are.

Virgo and Cancer compatibility

Cancer is a cardinal water sign, and though different from Virgo, they are both inherently caring, so each can give the other what they need in a relationship. The water and earth sign pair also balance each other out in the best of ways. Virgo can offer the security and stability that Cancer craves, while Cancer can help Virgo channel their emotions.

However, Virgo may come off as harsh or insensitive at times, which can upset Cancer who is known for their sensitivity, and on the opposite side of the spectrum, Virgo may think Cancer takes things too personally. A little compassion and understanding is all they need to work out this issue, though, and neither sign will give up when things get rough, so they have the potential to last a long time.

Virgo and Leo compatibility

Leo and Virgo are on the cusp of and next to each other on the zodiac calendar, and the neighboring signs have very different personalities that bring tension to the relationship. “Leo is a fire sign who craves attention and praise, whereas Virgo prefers to keep things low-key and modest,” says Newman. She also told Well+Good that “Leos want to live in the current moment,” which may not sit well with forward-thinking and analytical Virgo.

Their differences give Leo and Virgo the opportunity to learn from the other. For instance, Leo can teach Virgo to loosen up, while Virgo can teach Leo how to approach things with more patience. However, this won’t be the easiest task as both can be stubborn, arrogant, and autocratic. If neither sign is willing to push their ego to the side, a relationship with one another may end up being more trouble than it’s worth.

Virgo and Virgo compatibility

If there is one zodiac sign who can truly understand Virgo, it’s another Virgo. “They will be very organized and adept at making decisions together, whether that’s making decisions about little everyday things or long-term plans for their relationship,” says Stewart. They will understand one another from the offset, and continue to push the other to be their best self.

However, “Virgo can be very critical,” says Stewart, and when two Virgos come together, they can fall into what she calls “a cycle of criticism.” If they let their perfectionistic tendencies take over, it can push them apart. With this in mind, “they have to be conscious of whether they are being critical towards each other and themselves,” she says.

Virgo and Libra compatibility

Virgo and Libra are on the cusp of and next to each other on the zodiac calendar, and the neighboring signs don’t seem like a compatible match on the surface. Virgo is practical and organized to the point of perfectionism, while airy Libra is an idealist who can be indecisive. However, the two have potential to make it work if they look past their differences and find commonality.

For one, “both are intellectual,” Stewart told Well+Good, and neither sign is too emotional, so they can relate to each other in this way. Stewart also says that while Virgo has the reputation for being reserved, they are actually a “very sensual and sexual sign,” which will appeal to Venus-ruled Libra. “When they connect on an intellectual and physical level, I think they will find that they can really support one another,” she says.

Virgo and Scorpio compatibility

Scorpio is a fixed water sign, who shares a similar outlook on life to Virgo. “Both signs are clever and intelligent, and they like to be well-planned,” says Newman. The two will make a productive pair, and if they choose to be in a committed partnership, it’s likely that they will create and outline their goals to ensure that their future together is going to be successful.

If, at times, Scorpio can’t meet Virgo’s high standards, this may cause tension in the relationship. Being a water sign, Scorpio can be sensitive, and Virgo may come off as critical, which can hurt their partner and cause them to lash out or become withdrawn. Virgo needs to be mindful of how they communicate to Scorpio while Scorpio has to understand that, sometimes, Virgo means well.

Virgo and Sagittarius compatibility

Sagittarius is a fire sign who craves freedom in all aspects of life. They like their independence, and while Virgo can respect their partner’s need for autonomy, they also want someone who can offer them security—and Sagittarius may struggle with this if they aren’t committed to the relationship. If they aren’t on the same page, this can prevent them from moving forward.

Personality-wise, they can also clash. “Sagittarius may become frustrated by Virgo’s need for perfection, while Virgo believes Sagittarius may be negligent and careless in their management of things,” says Newman. This may cause them to struggle to make plans, both in their day-to-day lives and as partners. Virgo may also be critical, while Sagittarius may not understand, causing communication to suffer and issues over time.

Virgo and Capricorn compatibility

Capricorn is an earth sign that is career-oriented, ambitious, and responsible, which will appeal to Virgo who likes a partner who knows what they want. They both love structure and routine, but they may approach these in their own way. “Virgo is detail-oriented, whereas Capricorn is more concerned with the larger picture,” says Newman. “Yet, they can do anything if they work together.”

What’s more, Capricorn and Virgo are similarly intellectual and self-driven. “Both zodiac signs are wise, and for each other, they are both dependable and trustworthy,” says Newman. This inherent reliability can extend to their relationship should they decide to commit to one another—and if they do, “the emotional connection between the two will be amazing and strong,” she says.

Virgo and Aquarius compatibility

Aquarius is an air sign who marches to the beat of their own drum and likes to go with the flow, while Virgo is grounded, stable, and adheres to structure. Virgo is also very realistic, and Aquarius likes to think outside the box in imaginative and innovative ways, which won’t come naturally to Virgo. On the other hand, Aquarius might find Virgo to be boring if they aren’t willing to open their minds to new ways of thinking.

“Despite their differences, these signs may cognitively appreciate one another,” says Newman, with the caveat: “They will not be particularly romantic.” Virgo and Aquarius are more logical than emotional, and committing to a relationship will often take time for the two. If neither sign can communicate honestly about the relationship, it won’t be able to move forward.

Virgo and Pisces compatibility

Pisces and Virgo are opposite zodiac signs, and in a relationship, they can balance each other out. Virgo can ground their Pisces partner and provide them with the love and attention they crave, while Pisces can help Virgo tune into their emotions. What’s more, they will match on an intellectual level as both enjoy exceptional conversation, Newman told Well+Good.

Generally, they have excellent rapport. If anything, Pisces tends to look at big-picture matters, while Virgo is one to give equal, if not more, importance to details. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, and it could work to their advantage if they work together. “When they combine their strengths, they balance each other out and as a result, they complement each other well,” says Newman.

Frequently asked questions

Who are Virgos attracted to?

Virgos are attracted to a partner who knows what they want. They often need stability and security from a partner to commit to a relationship, and with this in mind, they will appreciate an individual who shares—or understands—these same values.

Who is Virgo not compatible with?

Typically, Virgo is incompatible with air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius, who may come off as fickle or flighty for Virgo, who values security and stability. Virgo, who is very particular about things, may also clash with fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, who can also be passionate, and, at times, unyielding, in their approach to all aspects of life.

When is Gemini season in 2023?

Gemini season begins in 2023 when the sun moves into Gemini on May 21, and it lasts until June 21, when the sun shifts into Cancer. Throughout this time, the traits of the twin sign may feel especially dominant in our moods, whims, and actions. And because Gemini is a go-with-the-flow mutable sign, all of the above may be in for some change.

Thankfully, that change will likely feel good; Gemini is a fun, light-hearted, and outgoing sign—and we can expect all of these qualities to infuse its spring-into-summer season.

Overall mood and energy of Gemini season 2023

Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, so it’s no surprise that the sign is witty and chatty. An air sign, Gemini is also brainy and curious, which colors the overall mood of its season: ready for adventure, action, and spontaneity, even just for the sake of the plot.

“[This season’s energy] is like, ‘I’m ready to do something, even if I have no idea what I’m doing because something is better than nothing.'”—Alexandria Lettman, astrologer

After a weeks-long retrograde, Gemini season 2023 brings every zodiac sign a welcome opportunity for movement—but it just might not all be in a forward direction. Different from the energy of Aries season, which is defined by action, initiation, and forward momentum, this Gemini-inspired movement may be a bit less focused and more haphazard.

“It’s like, ‘I’m ready to do something, even if I have no idea what I’m doing because something is better than nothing,’” says astrologer Alexandria Lettman. Though that might feel chaotic at times, there are also bound to be opportunities for learning, growth, and fun along the way.

Key transits affecting every zodiac sign during Gemini season 2023

Planetary movements

As we enter Gemini season, various planetary transits and aspects are well-aligned for good vibes. Beginning on June 1, expansive Jupiter (the planet of luck and abundance) meets up with the north node (a point in the sky associated with fate and destiny) in Taurus, marking what astrologers named as one of the most major astrological transits of the year.

This fortuitous conjunction could give every sign a boost, lending us all the desire to create our own adventures through travel and learning. “The north node is our destiny and sense of purpose, so there’s this strong calling in terms of seeing how you might make your world larger in order to make it better,” says astrologer Stephanie Gailing, author of The Complete Guide to Living By the Moon.

Sparks could fly in your romantic life, too, this season: Love planet Venus enters confident and fiery Leo on June 5 and remains there for the rest of the season. This transit brings playful, fun, dramatic, and even “steamy” energy to romance, according to Gailing. However, Venus also makes an opposition to Pluto during this transit, which has the potential to stir up once-buried relationship drama, too. “To work with that energy, dig deep, rather than just accepting things on the surface,” she says. Be sure to re-establish trust in existing relationships to tamp down on envy and jealousy.

You might get some help with that come June 11, when Gemini’s planetary ruler, Mercury, enters Gemini (aka the location where it feels most at ease), bringing on what Lettman calls “the best energy of the season.” Conversations will be light, easy, and flowing—a welcome change after the vibe over these past few weeks of Mercury retrograde.

Also on June 11, Pluto slips backward into Capricorn after stationing retrograde in Aquarius, releasing us from its tough opposition with Venus. Its return to Capricorn, though, will also remind us that our work during Pluto’s Capricorn transit of the past 10-plus years is not yet done. Pluto is all about society-wide transformation and reconstruction, and Capricorn has to do with systems and governance, so we’ll likely find ourselves examining how we might rethink or reform the organizations that govern our world, especially in key sectors like education and technology. (No biggie.)

Not long after, beginning June 17, taskmaster Saturn also retrogrades in Pisces, turning its tough-love energy toward the Piscean realm of emotions and feelings. The nebulous water sign is already a difficult location for the planet of structure, responsibilities, and boundaries, and when you throw in the retrograde motion, the energy is primed for internal friction.

“This transit is about looking within yourself for how you can develop emotional maturity, but it can also bring a lot of karmic lessons, like learning from your mistakes,” says Lettman. The Piscean influence, in this case, could lead you toward a greater understanding of how fear and insecurities may have held you back, she adds.

Lunar transits

New moons mean new beginnings, and the new moon in Taurus on May 19 brings an opportunity for a boost of creativity. This new moon aspects Neptune, which Gailing says lends it a dreamy quality that could stoke our imaginations. You can take advantage of this lunar sparkle by really getting in touch with your feelings, and “bathing in your dreams and romance,” she says. Just be wary of getting carried away, she warns; Neptunian energy has a way of bringing us to abstract or even surreal places.

You could uncover answers to big questions along with closure when the full moon arrives in Sagittarius on June 5. Full moons symbolize culminations, and the influence of Sagittarian energy during this one could give you the confidence to make clean breaks with things (or people) in your life that no longer serve your goals. “We’re likely going to feel very enlightened under this full moon, and we’ll have the clarity we need to bring something to a close,” says Lettman.

Which signs are most affected by Gemini season in 2023?

Although Gemini season means something a bit different for every zodiac sign in 2023, certain signs will feel its energy more acutely than others. Because the sun is shining on Gemini during their own season, they’ll feel the most at ease and like themselves. Additionally, the other mutable signs—Sagittarius and Pisces—tend to resonate deeply with Gemini season, and are likely to feel more free to express themselves, says Lettman.

Because Virgo shares its ruling planet of Mercury with Gemini, and that planet is in a position of strength this season, Virgo is also likely to get a boost of clarity and insight, adds Lettman. And Gemini’s fellow air signs, Libra and Aquarius, can also breathe a sigh of relief as they’re bound to revel in the curious, communicative, and logical mood of the season.

Gemini season 2023 horoscopes for every zodiac sign

Aries

The past few weeks of Taurus season may have felt a little heavy for you, Aries. The steadfast energy of the sun in Taurus resided in your second house of personal values and money, likely pushing you toward some serious self-reflection and growth.

But now, this Gemini season finally lends you a break, says Lettman, as the sun highlights your third house of communication and information, offering you more flowing conversations. If you’re dating, that realm of your life could get a boost, too, as a result. Just don’t forget what you’ve learned from all that previous introspection; after all, understanding your value is an important lesson to integrate.

Taurus

After your season was shrouded by a lengthy Mercury retrograde, you’re due for some relief, Taurus. You’ve done the careful plotting and planning, and now it’s time to see what all of that can yield, says Lettman. It’s also a good time to consider whether your meticulous mapping may have held you back from following any of your dreams, she adds. Being cautious can be a positive quality, but if it goes too far, it’s merely restrictive.

Gemini

You have a little extra sparkle because it’s your birthday season, Gemini. The sun in your first house of self and identity will make it that much easier to be yourself right about now. Take advantage of that energy by just keeping it moving, says Lettman. You don’t necessarily have to know exactly where you’re headed, but putting yourself out there and trying new things is a better route for you than staying stagnant. Ideally, the clarity you want will come later.

Cancer

The beginning of summer is all about self-love for you, Cancer. Given the sun in Gemini highlights your 12th house of the inner psyche, you may feel more introspective or find yourself pondering how to best integrate all the life lessons you’ve been learning, says Lettman. To bolster your self-esteem, remember to speak to yourself with kindness and compassion—nip any buds of negative self-talk so they don’t fester or interfere with your self-affirming energy.

Leo

You don’t typically shy away from a social situation, Leo, but that’ll be particularly true during Gemini season. The sun in Gemini activates your 11th house of networks and communities, breathing new energy into this realm of your life. “You’re going to be the life of the party,” says Lettman, “and you could find that you’re increasingly motivating and inspiring other people.”

Virgo

This is a great time to turn your focus and energy toward your career, Virgo, as the sun in Gemini touches your 10th house of work and reputation. You may find that you’re motivated to get everything done and to do so to the best of your ability, says Lettman, but try not to let your detail-oriented nature slip into perfectionism. Remember that complete is better than perfect.

Libra

This season is about expanding your belief systems, Libra. Be sure to leave room for lighthearted explorations, says Lettman—especially because you’ve likely been hard at work focusing on your career over the past few weeks. You could find additional opportunity for growth from networking or chatting with friends or mentors. “Try to take what you’ve learned about your career aspirations, and find the kind of people who can help you move toward those,” says Gailing.

Scorpio

You may find yourself battling some deep internal anxieties and worries this season, Scorpio, as the sun in Gemini traverses your eighth house of taboos, death, resurrection, and other people’s possessions. But even so, Lettman says there are some wins you can notch: For one, if you’ve been putting in the work in your career, you could reap some rewards thanks to the support of a close connection.

In any case, while it may be your tendency to get deep (you’re perhaps the deepest of the emotions-driven water signs), it’s important to avoid rumination this season. Focusing on what you can control—and letting go of what you can’t—can keep you from getting mired in worry.

Sagittarius

It’s the season of your relationships, Sagittarius. As the sun in Gemini highlights your seventh house of partnerships, consider your platonic, romantic, or business-related relationships, and how you might tend to or strengthen them. If you’re currently un-partnered, devote some time to thinking about what you might want in a partner (if you desire one), and how they might slot into your life, suggests Lettman.

Separately, around the time that your ruling planet Jupiter conjuncts the north node in Taurus, you may also feel motivated to re-up your health and wellness routines, as this aspect happens in your sixth house of daily rituals.

Capricorn

You’re on your hustle and grind these days, Capricorn, as you emerge from the grounded season of fellow Earth-sign Taurus. But now, it’s also time to catch up on anything personal that fell by the wayside during this period of hard work, says Lettman. The sun in Gemini resides in your sixth house of health, wellness, and routines, pushing you to examine how you might reprioritize yourself in order to tend to your mental and physical well-being.

Aquarius

The season of your fellow air sign Gemini is always a time of creative exploration for you, Aquarius, and this year is no different. The sun shines in your fifth house of pleasure and play, which could bring you some new artistic interests or romantic partners—or reinvigorate your passion for preexisting ones. Your north star this season is to remember not to take things too seriously, and to act out of interest and curiosity rather than obligation or to check a particular box.

Pisces

This season is all about home for you, Pisces, as the sun highlights your fourth house of familial roots. Your attention could turn toward your family members, your physical nest, or even just a general feeling of belonging in your world. Though it may sound out of character for you, you could find some reprieve from all the focus on family matters by turning toward your work, says Gailing—so, if you get that urge, take it.

When taskmaster Saturn retrogrades in your sign beginning on June 17, Gailing says you may feel pushed to re-evaluate how you appear to others around you. Are you showing up as your authentic self, or is there some aspect of your identity that you haven’t brought forth into the light?

The Temazcal is a ritual sweat lodge historically used by indigenous people in mesoamerica. It was meant to facilitate moments of change; connect with underworld, water, and fertility spirits; cleanse after sickness; recuperate after battle; and socialize, Casey Walsh, author of Virtuous Water: Mineral Springs, Bathing, and Infrastructure in Mexico, tells Atlas Obscura. Today, it’s become a popular wellness attraction in Mexico, which means it’s lately become subject to many of the same claims spas make about saunas around the world: That they are purifying and detoxifying for the body and mind.

My experience in the Temazcal, and hungry appreciation for dry saunas, steam rooms, hot yoga, and the transcendental sweat lodges I did at summer camp as a teen got me wondering: What was up with my—or rather, society’s—love of sweat?

Why we sweat (and why it feels so good)

While sweating at inopportune moments can be the worst, it feels really good to sweat on purpose—and that’s not a biological accident. Sarah Everts, a science journalist and the author of The Joy of Sweat, has delved deep into the mechanisms, purpose, effects, and cultural significance of sweating. She explains that sweating is the way our bodies cool us down. When our body temperature rises, our blood becomes hot, so sweating moves the watery parts of blood out onto the surface of the skin via our sweat glands, which then evaporates when it touches the air, thus cooling us from the outside in.

“Evaporative cooling is humanity’s evolutionary superpower,” Everts says. “It’s a physical process that effectively whisks the heat from our body up and away, and it helps keep our body temperature stable. We need that because we have to exist in a very tight window [of] body temperature, otherwise we die of heat exposure.”

Becoming hot, and subsequently sweating in high volumes, causes your heart to race in order to pump more blood throughout your body. That extra blood flow is one reason why heat can feel so good on your muscles. But the cardiovascular overdrive also prompts the brain to release “happy hormones” like endorphins and adrenaline. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why, but some posit that it’s because a heart workout is good for you from an evolutionary standpoint: A healthier heart equals a better ability to run from predators.

“As a result of that cardiovascular workout where your heart is beating fast in order to move the blood that’s really hot in your core to the exterior of your skin, you’re getting cardiovascular benefits,” Everts says. “Our evolutionary biology is such that we luck out, we get happy hormones, when that happens.”

Bottom line: that feeling of gooey euphoria you get in a sauna? That’s very real, on the level of your brain chemistry’s reaction to your body dealing with the heat. Given this biological advantage, it’s no surprise that versions of saunas (originally a Finnish word) exist around the world, in places as disparate as Mexico, Korea, Russia, and beyond.

“There is this social catharsis that we get from sweating,” Everts says. “That’s a really universal human thing.”

What saunas and sweat lodges do not do is “detox” or “purify” your body, at least physiologically. That’s what your kidney is for. If you have a “toxin” in your blood, like the remnants of last night’s margarita, a negligible amount of it might come out when you sweat. But so do all the beneficial things in the watery parts of your blood, like electrolytes, and incidental stuff, like hormones. Everts points out that if you were going to trulypurify your body through sweat, you would die, because it means that you’d be draining your body of all of its liquid, and dehydrating your blood. Instead, your kidneys and livers filter out the bad stuff, and your body gets rid of it when you go to the bathroom.

“It’s easy for a lot of people to conflate the emotional euphoria, which is definitely a real thing that you experience in a sauna or another hot place, with actual detoxing,” Everts says. “It’s really not a chemical detox.”

That doesn’t mean a hot yoga class, a sit in the schvitz, or, yes, a ceremony in a Temazcal, doesn’t have its benefits. That heart workout is no joke—one 20-year study of Finnish men found that taking multiple saunas per week was associated with longevity and heart health. There’s the muscle relaxation, and the stress-reducing, happiness-boosting brain chemical effect. And on a community level, there’s the experience of going through an ecstasy-inducing ritual with a group all together that fosters closeness and community.

Which takes us back to the Temazcal tucked away by the cenote.

My experience in the Temazcal

The first morning of my trip, I woke up in the Rosewood Mayakoba wellness suite—which came complete with a reflexology pool, essential oils linked to the phases of the moon, aromatherapy pods in the shower, and a beautiful view of the lagoon—and walked down to the Temazcal to meet the resort’s resident shaman. Rosewood Mayakoba director of wellness Emmanuel Arroyo says the shaman comes from a family of shamans, which is one of the ways that Arroyo says Rosewood Mayakoba distinguishes its Temazcal experience from others. The resort also constructed the Temazacal using the orientation of the cardinal directions, which was how the Mayans constructed their famed pyramids and other important structures. Lastly, the domed shape is meant to evoke the feeling of being inside a womb, to stress the Rosewood Mayakoba’s Temazcal experience as one focused on “rebirth.”

“Guests tell me that it’s a place that, just by walking in, inspires them to want to breathe again,” Arroyo says.

So many aspects of the Temazcal were new to me, and to my relationship. As we crawled on our hands and knees into the domed space, we were told to say “For me and for all of my relationships,” which surprised me since I’d previously thought of sweat lodge experiences as about personal discovery.

The ceremony focused on four stages of life: Being a baby and young child, being an adolescent and young adult, growing into maturity, and accepting death. We were supposed to think about and embody those phases, and the people who were part of those phases, while enduring the heat, feeling the herb-scented steam rise, and even listening to instruments that resembled the sounds of jungle animals.

“Mayans associate fire as a process that transforms things,” Arroyo says. “It is a place where you enter with the idea of going through this process of transformation and evolution.”

Getting to tap into my inner child, and envision my future with my husband sitting next to me, deepened the experience in that I knew I wasn’t going through it alone. My husband told me before we entered the Temazcal that he was nervous, because he doesn’t handle heat well. But the heat, the chanting, the doing something wildly out of our comfort zone, and mutually approaching a new experience with respect and openness, made us feel like we had been through something together—which the power of intentional sweating in a ritualized setting facilitated.

“You get social cohesion when, as a group, you experience a challenge and you overcome it,” Everts says. “There is this not just euphoria, but you [also] feel closer to the people around you. There’s something about that that leads to sweating being partly a universal hobby.”

Whether my Temazcal experience at all resembled the practices of indigenous mesoamericans, or whether it was a tourist attraction made palatable for western consumption, I can’t say; Everts notes that indigenous sweat lodge rituals are often so sacred that they are not widely spoken about. Aiming for authenticity in a resort setting is its own form of appropriation, since it suggests that a sacred ritual can and should be replicated for the benefit of white tourists. But my Temazacal ceremony was its own experience—and I feel grateful that I got to partake in the ritual as it was.

At the end of the hour, we were told to exit and say “I am reborn.” Dripping with both the condensation built up by steam in the dome and my own sweat, I knew that I was not physically “purifying” myself. However, the refrain we repeated many times—for me and for my relationships—echoed in the dome, and continues to reverberate when my blood pumps, and my temperature rises, today.

Taurus is a fixed sign, known for its dependability, commitment, and predictability. During this new moon, we have the bull’s stubbornness on our side, trusting us to stay the course despite any setbacks, and dedicating ourselves to reaching a desired goal or milestone. New moons in Taurus reconnect us with our physical temple and the simple pleasures in life. This is an aligned time to set intentions regarding your relationship with your own pleasure and desires, embodiment, creativity, personal values, as well as finances.

This new moon will also make harmonious aspects with other planets in the sky that may add extra flavor. This will be the first new moon in Taurus that’s taking place alongside Jupiter in Taurus since April 21, 2012. The sun, moon, and Jupiter, the planet of expansion and abundance, will all be able to witness and influence one another in the sky, making this moon more bountiful and able to deliver some added blessings.

New moons in Taurus reconnect us with our physical temple and the simple pleasures in life. Set intentions regarding your relationship with pleasure and desires, embodiment, creativity, personal values, and finances.

The new moon in Taurus will also be aspecting Neptune in Pisces, which can stir up a compassionate, creative, healing, and romantic energy to the day. Our imagination is an asset today, and we’re better able to push beyond the limits of our rational mind. The new moon will also be forming a supportive connection with Mars in Cancer, lending us the drive to assert ourselves and take action on matters close to the heart. Breakthroughs and sudden insight may also arrive as the new moon is taking place near Uranus in Taurus, stirring up unexpected ideas and opportunities.

To get a better picture of how this emotional energy will affect you, read on for your sun, moon, and rising signs. Then, pick up a unique self-care practice to help you move through this lunation with a little more ease.

What the new moon in Taurus has in store for your sign

Aries

An abundant future is on the horizon, Aries. The new moon in Taurus moves through your second house of income, livelihood, and comfort, bringing your focus to your possessions and the way you earn a living. This moon may coincide with making an exciting purchase, or learning news about a possible promotion, raise, or another work opportunity. This is a wonderful day to apply for a job or let others know all about your unique talents and skills. Work aside, you may also be reflecting on your relationship with your personal security and starting a fresh chapter around how you define comfort and pleasure in your life.

Your new moon self-care practice: Clean out your wallet and purses, as clearing out any clutter that you’ve been carrying around with you will help you cultivate a more abundant mindset. Set an intention that your newly organized wallet or purse marks the start of a fresh financial beginning.

Taurus

You’ve been granted a clean slate, Taurus. The new moon in your sign highlights your first house of self, identity, and personal ambitions—who do you want to be and how do you want to get there? Now is an aligned time to pour your energy into your desires, self-expression, and physical being. Are you ready for a dramatic makeover? You have the opportunity to begin again in any area of life you choose. Dare to be bold and take up space. You may feel ready to reinvent and reintroduce yourself to the world.

Your new moon self-care practice: Take inspired action toward a personal goal or ambition. You deserve to invest your energy in yourself and focus on yourself. Doing so will remind you of the agency you have over your own life.

Gemini

It’s time to slow down and reacquaint yourself with rest, Gemini. The new moon in Taurus illuminates your 12th house of closure, healing, solitude, spirituality, and rest. You’re been calling to tend to your inner world, and if you’ve been overdoing it at work and in your personal life, this is an opportunity to rebalance the scales and listen to your body. Engaging in a daily spiritual practice can also lead to heightened intuitive experiences and insight.

Your new moon self-care practice: Start a dream journal. Your psychic world is more active than normal under this moon. Signs, symbols, and synchronicities in your dreams may offer solutions and insight you’ve been waiting for.

Cancer

Dare to dream big, Cancer. The new moon travels through your 11th house of hopes and wishes for the future, your network, and social circle. Pay attention to people entering your life around this time—you may be making a new friend with long-term potential or have the opportunity to be connected with an influential person in your network. This is one of the most magical moons of the year under which you can manifest. Set intentions around any goals or dreams you hope to achieve.

Your new moon self-care practice: Make a vision board focused on a specific desire. Include images, colors, and words that inspire you and the life you hope to create in the future. Witnessing it in a physical form will make it more real in your mind’s eye.

Leo

The spotlight is on you, Leo. Your attention turns to your reputation and legacy as the new moon moves through your 10th house of career and accomplishments. What legacy do you want to leave behind and what do you wish to be known for? This new moon in Taurus may mark the beginning of a new important career shift, adopting a new title or promotion, or the beginning of a major life milestone like getting married, expanding your family, meeting a special someone, or moving. Others are taking notice of your abilities—use your charm to your advantage.

Your new moon self-care practice: Shoot your shot! Update your résumé, draft a cover letter, or send an email to someone with whom you hope to work with or collaborate. This moon is here to remind you of your worthiness to shine bright and of your inherent talent and value. Don’t sell yourself short.

Virgo

The future feels more optimistic and full of potential than it has in a while, Virgo. The new moon lands in your ninth house of expansion, travel, perspective, education, and spirituality. Important conversation and discussions about goals you have for your future may kick off today. News or information that is revealed may shift your personal perspective in some way. This is also a beautiful moon to plan a future trip under or to take a risk and try something new. If you’re feeling more curious than normal, sign up for a class or course of interest!

Your new moon self-care practice: Zoom out and reflect back on goals you had 10 years ago. What were they, and have you achieved any of them? Looking back on where we came from and how much we’ve accomplished along the way can shift our perspective and cultivate more gratitude in our present lives.

Libra

You’re feeling more introspective than you normally do, Libra. Now is the time to turn inward as the new moon activates your eighth house of shared resources, hidden desires, fears, and vulnerability. On a practical level, you may be settling debt or tidying up your finances with a partner. This new moon may also signal the beginning of a new contract or bond. Emotionally, you have an opportunity to become reacquainted with the power of your vulnerability. Inviting more intimacy into your life and into your relationships can help you release old ties to the past and any lingering fears or resentment you’ve carried with you.

Your new moon self-care practice: Make a list of your fears. Are there any on the list that you can commit to confronting in some way? For example, if you have a fear of using your voice and speaking up, can you start journaling or recording voice memos to listen back to? Taking a baby step toward your fears lessens the grip they hold over you. Usually, there are blessings waiting on the other side.

Scorpio

You’ve got partnerships on your mind, Scorpio. The new moon illuminates your seventh house of one-on-one relationships and collaborations. Single folks may find someone with long-term potential, and couples may be discussing plans for the future or starting a new chapter together like moving in with one another, getting engaged, or married. This can also bring exciting connections into your business life and opportunities your way. Collaborative efforts will lead to success.

Your new moon self-care practice: Tell an important person in your life a few reasons you are grateful for them. Slowing down to acknowledge what may feel obvious to us, can mean the world to those we care about most.

Sagittarius

You may feel busier than normal, Sagittarius. The new moon in Taurus moves through your sixth house of day-to-day routine, habits, and health. If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, this new moon invites you to dream up a daily schedule and habits that support your responsibilities. There is enough time in the day for you to both work and play, but you must consciously make that choice. You may also be beginning a new project at work or receive news about a new contract. If you’re looking to incorporate healthier habits into your life, this new moon brings the dedication required and can leave lasting results.

Your new moon self-care practice: Make a list of the habits you know you’d like to incorporate into your daily life, but keep putting off or avoiding. Choose to commit to one of them.

Capricorn

The universe is inviting you to reconnect with your pleasure, Capricorn. You’re ready to ditch your typical serious and focused demeanor behind as the new moon activates your fifth house of romance, creativity, joy, and playfulness. This new moon could coincide with a new romantic interest entering your life, or perhaps couples decide to reignite the passion in their relationship by exploring their sensuality and sexuality in a new way. If you’ve been hoping to work on a creative project, this moon is fertile for inspiration to arrive. Having fun is your responsibility and job under these moonbeams.

Your new moon self-care practice: Time to get creative! Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic, tap into your childhood joy and playfulness by using watercolors, chalk, or finger painting. Some insight or wisdom may come through when you least expect it as you relax and let your inner child take over and take the wheel.

Aquarius

It’s time to tend to your inner world and sense of security, Aquarius. The new moon in Taurus illuminates your fourth house of home, family, foundations, and the past. This can be a sensitive and nostalgic time for you as you move through memories from the past. You may be feeling more reflective on the patterns that exist within your family and feel called to release old generational habits that no longer feel aligned and start fresh. This new moon may also coincide with a fresh chapter in your family life or living situation.

Your new moon self-care practice: Purge and release old belongings in your home. Getting organized and tidying up your space will cultivate a more inviting environment for new opportunities to find you.

Pisces

You’re engaging in some exciting conversations, Pisces. New opportunities and contracts may be on the horizon as the new moon moves through your third house of communication, information, learning, and surrounding environments. Discussions that take place today could kick-start a promising project or lead to an idea worth pursuing. You may also feel called to sign up for a class or teach yourself a new skill. This moon asks you to reflect on the way you speak to yourself—can you be kinder? You have the chance to shift your mindset for the better.

Your new moon self-care practice: Write a list of the mean things you say to yourself in your mind on a regular basis. Cross out each and then rewrite and reframe in a positive way. Record these updated beliefs as a voice memo and listen as you wake up first thing in the morning and practice saying them out loud to yourself in front of the mirror to shift your mindset.

According to this technique, each age corresponds with a certain area of life that’s meant to be nourished for it to grow and blossom. Ahead, Rose Theodora, an astrologer and spiritual teacher specializing in the annual profections technique, explains how it works and how to use it.

What is the annual profections technique?

The annual profections technique is not a part of modern psychological astrology, Theodora says, which may explain why even those who speak fluent astrology aren’t familiar with it. That said, it’s not a new technique. “The annual profections technique is an ancient Hellenistic timing technique that was developed in the second century BCE,” Theodora explains. She adds that it is a highly technical and detailed predictive astrology technique specific to birthdays, which is very accurate when used correctly.

An annual profections chart, or wheel, looks similar to a natal chart in that it’s divided into the same 12 astrological houses that each pertain to an area of life. Within each house, you’ll see a bunch of numbers. Theodora explains these are called “profection years,” which correspond with ages, moving counter-clockwise starting with age 0 in the first house, age one in the second house, age two in the third house, and so on. So whatever house your age lands on, that year will focus on themes related to that astrological house.

Theodora notes that a “profection year” is not to be interpreted as “perfect.” Profection means the act of progressing and moving forward. To help understand this, she describes the 12 houses as development stages of growing up. So, each year of life focuses on developing one area at a time. “Like moving through a progressive wheel of life, honing in on one area at a time to cultivate, nourish, and tend to it,” she explains.

How to interpret the annual profections wheel to learn your age’s life theme

As mentioned, the annual profections wheel is a great tool to reference around each birthday. It’s different from a solar return reading which looks at upcoming transits, though Theodora recommends doing both to preview what’s to come and what to focus on from one birthday to the next. That said, even if your birthday has passed or is still months away, knowing your annual profection year can still be helpful.

To learn yours, find your age in the annual profections chart and note what house it’s in.

For instance, if you’re 37 years old, that is a second house profection year, which means there’s a focus on finances and value. Or if you’re 26 years old, that’s a third house profection year, which focuses on communicating what you know and have learned. Learning about what each of the 12 houses means can also be helpful to decode the theme for your age.

The most impactful years of your life, Theodora says, will be the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th house profection years, so pay special attention to those. “First house profection years (ages 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60) are the most expansive, life-changing years when opportunities are plentiful,” Theodora says, which can look like new jobs, relationships, or makeovers.

Fourth house profection years (ages 3, 15, 27, 39, 51, and 63) “are the years of deep internal restructuring, when we deal with family ‘stuff,’ purchase homes, etc.,” Theodora explains. “Seventh house profection years (ages 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, and 66) are all about starting and ending the most important relationships, whether business or marriage.”

And lastly, the tenth house profection years (ages 9, 21, 33, 45, 57, and 69) are focused on 10th house-related things such as career growth, with a special focus on age 33. “We call this the Jesus year, or Buddha year, when we really step out into the world as we are, as the world needs us,” Theodora says.

The annual profections technique also goes deeper by looking at the signs ruling planets, their dignities, and transits to provide a micro view of your year with more specifics; however, because this is more complex, Theodora recommends working with a professional astrologer with a Hellenistic background or taking a workshop on annual profections 101 to learn more about it.

So now that you know what life area will be magnified at your age, what do you do with that information? Rather than setting general New Year’s resolutions each year, Theodora recommends using your birthday as your “new year” marker and setting not just general goals and intentions, but ones that will support you in the areas of your annual profections year’s theme.