Gemini, January 2017

Mercury retrograde isn't completely terrible. It's a wonderful time to pause and reflect—instead of starting new projects, pick up old ones, or simply take time to rest. Your ruling planet, Mercury, isn't always moving forward, so why should you, Gemini?

Take advantage of Mercury retrograde in materially minded Earth sign Capricorn by paying off old debts or confronting a financial situation you've been avoiding. Mercury will also be activating an intimate sector of your chart, so reflecting on emotional and physical closeness in your relationships is a good idea. Don't be surprised if you run into some people from your past, especially those who have had a deep emotional impact on you!

On January 4, Mercury will retrograde right out of Capricorn and reenter Fire sign Sagittarius. During this time, issues from early December 2016 will come up again for you to work out. All your partnerships, whether or not they are romantic (but let's be real, Gemini, you flirt with everyone), will be touched by Mercury's retrograde in Sagittarius.

This is an important time to reconsider conversations, commitments, and problems in your relationships. If Mercury retrograde is good for anything, it's for renegotiating agreements, so use this time to make adjustments to your partnerships.

Think about what you want—what you need from others—and realize: It's totally fine if what you want now is different than what you wanted in the past. What you want right now probably won't be what you need in the future, either! We're all constantly changing, depending on our environment, and growing, and that's a good thing. Mercury retrograde's here to help sort all that out.

Mercury will finally end its retrograde on January 8, and will reenter Capricorn on January 12, encouraging you to move forward after you have taken a chunk of time to reflect on your partnerships!

On January 3, Venus enters Water sign Pisces and lights up the fame and fortune sector of your chart: glamorous! January 12 will be a day to note—Venus will meet with Neptune in Pisces. You'll enjoy out-of-this-world star quality! Everyone, inspired by your creativity and imagination, will find you charming. Neptune is the planet of fantasy and illusion, so when it teams with seductive Venus in Pisces and activates the career and popularity sector of your chart, you can bet some whimsical shit will go down at work or in your public life.

The full moon in Cancer arrives on January 12, illuminating the financial sector of your chart. Full moons are always tiring and weepy, but in Water sign Cancer, the vibe will be ultra emotional. This full moon will illuminate issues concerning wealth, security, and your self-esteem. How much are you charging for your time, Gemini? Do you know your worth? Are you spending money like there's no tomorrow? These are all important issues to consider during the full moon in nurturing Water sign Cancer. It's time to take care of yourself.

The Sun enters fellow Air sign Aquarius on January 19, shining its light on the travel and learning sector of your chart. Fresh opportunities to learn and explore will come during the new moon in Aquarius on January 27. This is a great time to get out of town, or to focus on school.

Warrior planet Mars enters Aries on January 28, revving up the social sector of your chart! Action planet Mars feels at home in courageous Fire sign Aries, so expect a palpable boost in your energy. You'll feel motivated to socialize (not that you aren't always in the mood to meet new people, Gemini; you're one of the friendliest signs in the zodiac), but this will also be a time to get involved with new organizations.

The end of January brings some tension in the heavens; however, the stress you endure will bring you a deep sense of self-knowledge and help you let go of the past. Prepare ahead of time, Gemini, by booking a massage or a meeting with a counselor you trust—having someone to talk to will be helpful!

On January 29, your ruling planet, Mercury, will meet power planet Pluto in Capricorn, bringing up intimate issues—all the fun topics like sex, death, and taxes. During Mercury retrograde, you will have reflected on a lot of these issues, but now it's time to face the unavoidable.

One of the most remarkable products of Mercury and Pluto meeting together in the sky is the ability it gives us to see through bullshit—Mercury is the planet of the mind, and Pluto is the planet of hidden resources, secrets, and mysteries. When these two energies meet, we get the inside scoop—but sometimes, these planets can create an atmosphere that's overwhelming.

You're usually super chill and logical about things, Gemini, but during this time, it will be important for you to check yourself when it comes to being obsessive, possessive—or even manipulative! These are qualities you will want to watch for in others, too. While this sensitive, potent combination of planets can bring healing transformations, Pluto is also the lord of the underworld, so our dark sides will make an appearance!

January wraps up with Mercury clashing with Uranus in Aries on January 31. Uranus is the planet of surprise, and in impulsive Fire sign Aries, the vibe is explosive. When communication planet Mercury sets off Uranus on January 31, unexpected changes will take place. Some will be inconvenient, but shaking things up may bring much-needed change to a boring, lifeless situation.

Drama in your social life is likely to come up, and questions about how deeply you can trust people will also be on your mind. This isn't the best time to plan an important meeting, because the vibe will be jittery, and too many changes are in the air. Spontaneous plans are best—the vibe is hectic, but exciting stuff could go down, too! See you in February, Gemini!