Aries Monthly Horoscope

MONTHLY OVERVIEW
Ignore your constantly buzzing phone, Aries. As much as you love your apps and customized ringtone, the only thing you’ll want to dial up this month is cozy-time with your nearest and dearest. For the first three weeks of November, the Sun tours Scorpio, your eighth house of deep bonding and privacy. You’re all about quality over quantity, skipping the raucous parties and opting for more personal time (think: quiet, candlelit dinners a deux, with sexy bossa nova in the background). Your inner circle is fist-pumping at the prospect of more substantive hang-time—and just time to unwind on your own. Hang that “do not disturb” sign and book a few intimate nights with your sweetie, too.

In fact, you may be getting so cozy with your honey that the “big” conversations are inevitable. While that’s some banner news—who doesn’t like progress?—just know that communicator Mercury is going retrograde (backward), first in Sagittarius, your ninth house of optimism, on November 6, and then in Scorpio, your eighth house of joint ventures. If you can press your own personal mute button, please do. This three week-period is not for charging ahead (as much as you feisty Rams might like to). Hold off on key dialogues and even financial or business pitches. Use this period to revisit, reevaluate and revise any ideas that you have in the hopper. Pop quiz: You may need to a) finesse your message; b) perform additional research; or c) have a no-holds-barred brainstorming session (or two). Correct answer? All of the above—and then you must slip on that silky eye mask and sleep on it. The commotion outside your door can wait.

Here’s another great reason not to force anything: This month marks the start of a three-year series of eclipses on the Taurus/Scorpio axis. From now until 2015, these eclipses will completely transform your approach to your finances, your priorities and your precious resources—and that also covers the “human” resources, possibly a partner on whom you rely for a financial or emotional boost. The beauty of eclipses (and the real-time events surrounding them) is that they catapult us toward our destinies, i.e., when the dust settles, you can’t help but utter, “Well, guess we’re not in Kansas anymore!” And that’s a good thing. Remind yourself of this as certain circumstances in your life are completely reshuffled. Instead of demanding to know who the heck ordered this cosmic reorganization (‘cause it wasn’t you), be humble and accept things as they are, chaos and all.

The first solar eclipse kicks off on November 13. It’s a new moon in Scorpio, your eighth house of intimacy and joint ventures, marking a bold, impossible-to-ignore new life chapter in the realms of intimacy and resources. Pull out your clipboard, because the following areas are up for review: your values, your approach to finances, your self-confidence, how you share resources and play well with others, and how your ego can be healthier, i.e., neither under-confident nor too big to fit in a palatial room. As you reevaluate your life through this lens, you’ll find yourself seeking out new ways to spend that precious energy of yours.

On this inaugural eclipse, you may feel called to strike a balance between your spiritual and material worlds. Or perhaps you’ll forge an important alliance and commit to this new venture, signing your name in ink (only it feels like blood, a la Angelina Jolie’s vial declaration of “forever” to Billy Bob Thornton). Despite any lingering nervousness, you’ll be thrilled to take this slightly scary leap into the unknown. You may find yourself suddenly pregnant, or presented with a sparkling engagement ring and an unexpected proposal. (What’s not to love about taking a romantic plunge?) Splitting up is also possible, but just know that anything that happens will ultimately reveal the true meaning of intimacy. Another possibility? Confirming a strategic business partnership. All of this could come out of the blue, so “expect the unexpected,” as the saying goes. You may see the potency of this development one week before or after the November 13 date. You’re planting important seeds over the next six months and will reap the rewards in April 2013, when matters launched now take a concluding bow.

This power-packed month closes with a full moon lunar eclipse on November 28 in Gemini, your third house of ideas, communications and sibling relations. Think back to May 20, when the corresponding Gemini solar eclipse planted the seeds for what happens at month’s end. Whatever seemed to be simmering under the surface comes to the fore now. With clever Mercury finally direct (forward) on the 26th, you may think you’ve got the green light to express all that you’ve been holding back (and yes, we acknowledge how hard this has been for your impulsive sign). However, lunar eclipses can make it seem like you’re in an emotional funhouse (think: heightened, distorted feelings). You might be a tad off-center, Aries, so be mindful not to launch into a diatribe or an impulsive life change without forethought. However, this communication-driven eclipse will make your words and thoughts vivid. Sit down and start writing your life story or a novel, perform your poetry at a local salon or put the finishing touches on a long-awaited web venture.

LOVE & ROMANCE
A side of sweetness, anyone? Love planet Venus softens the edges of an unpredictable month (with two eclipses serving up a heaping helping of change). Venus cruises through Libra, your seventh house of partnerships, until November 21, when it moves into Scorpio, your eighth house of soul merging. This is like healing balm for all your closest ties, especially romantic ones. In November, love is the best subplot you could ask for, offsetting the dramatic, windswept changes of intense transits. Take refuge with your love. Plan romantic dates, perhaps a visit to the symphony or some other refined event that would please your honey, who will be happily surprised by the focus on your partnership. (Need we remind you that your sign is all too often associated with an unstoppable me-me-me attitude?) Listening to your lover’s concerns, ambitions, needs and desires helps sate your appetite for connection. Yes, we know it will take an open heart for you to concede to watching that TV show (insert whatever program makes your skin crawl), but compromise is the name of the game.

Plus, with mature Saturn now firmly ensconced in intense Scorpio, you’re feeling super-secure in a commitment—perhaps a tad too much for your adventurous sign. (Yeah, we can practically hear the chorus from our Aries friends, “Wait—is this it?”) Or perhaps you’re feeling like you’re stuck in the mud of intimacy, spinning your wheels, wondering why this—sharing your innermost concerns and becoming a bona fide twosome—was what you’d been clamoring so hard for. (You do love a good hunt.) Fret not. Soon enough, your heart will be lit up like Christmas. Your excitement-loving self will have plenty of action to field on the November 13 solar eclipse in Scorpio, your eighth house of intimacy and joint ventures. Perhaps you’ll be surprised by a sudden proposal of marriage, baby-making or cohabitating. This could feel like a complete reversal of fortune—your commitment-phobe sweetheart has suddenly seen the light and can’t stand the thought of life without wonderful you. The urge to (permanently) merge may spring from within you—and in the sudden-yet-intense way that eclipses rush in, you might decide that it’s time to trade a touch of your cherished independence for the comfort of commitment.

Some of you Aries may open your eyes one sunny November morning and feel that a chill has permanently crept into your relationship, perhaps through that unsealed crack in your windowpane. Once you’re aware, there’s just no turning back, try as you might to go through the motions as you always have (ordering the same anchovy pizza for Monday night dinner, honoring your monthly agreement to have the critical in-laws over). Deep down, the urgency may be driven by the humbling realization that you’ve spent one (or three!) years too long in a dead-end relationship. You can’t endure another second, at least not in the relationship’s current incarnation. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

So take this brand spanking new start and run with it. Around this day, “the One” may even find his or her way into your orbit, when you least expect it. (Note: You’ve been forewarned to primp a little, perhaps blowing out your hair and dabbing a little sheen on your lips, even if you’re only returning a library book or walking your German shepherd ‘round the block). Ophira met her husband in 2006 on a solar eclipse, when they each went to lunch by themselves and “accidentally” met while seated next to each other. When it comes to eclipse agendas, don’t even begin to guess. Just expect the unexpected, and dream big. The universe has your back.

When it comes to sifting through any post-eclipse rubble, you may find yourself, well, a little confused. Clever Mercury is retrograde (backward) in your eighth house of joint ventures and intimacy, from November 14-26. Perhaps you find yourself needing to talk some dicey issues through with your partner, like the fact that you now realize that you leaped before looking and—hello!—suddenly you’re in bed with a card-carrying vegan when you make bacon or write about nose-to-tail pork recipes for a living. This could make the aftermath of the eclipse all the foggier, raising the level of doubt and regret that you might otherwise be able to brush off.

The antidote, of course, is to follow-up your Aries-style charging-in with some due diligence. Yes, you may be sure you just met the person you will marry while picking up dog food—and, um, have already announced this to all your relatives, including your second cousin twice removed—but what the heck? Can it really hurt to go on a few casual dates before you start picking out your china pattern? And if you’re feeling the chill of doubt, book a couple of therapy sessions before you pack your bags. Aries do have a tendency to overreact. Going with your gut is awesome in some situations, but before you pick up and leave, make sure you’re not having some sort of past-based reaction that has nothing to do with the other person. You may just have your own issues around intimacy and vulnerability to deal with. Let the eclipse be your guiding light to healing those.

MONEY & CAREER
Give those great plans and idea some polish before you share them with the world. From November 6-26, communicator Mercury is retrograde (backward), a smart time to edit, refine and even pause before you take the stage. Through the 14th, Mercury is in Sagittarius, your outspoken and grandiose ninth house. You should definitely watch the words that come flying out of your mouth (or keyboard). When it comes to business communications, check and double-check everything. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s. Proofread emails before sending, making sure that you’re writing to the person you, in fact, intend to be communicating with (instead of the person that you’re communicating about, like the assistant you have to let go because of budget issues). Something cringe-worthy along those lines could easily happen now.

The November 13 total solar eclipse in Scorpio, your eighth house of joint resources, could herald an exciting new partnership opportunity. The way you merge your financial and energetic resources is about to undergo an exciting transformation, Aries. A partnership opportunity could arrive out of the blue—one that’s the perfect melding of synergistic talents. Got a great idea for, say, a line of organic baby products? You could chat with a cool person at a party, only to find she’s a venture capitalist looking to invest in “green” startups. Serendipity! Eclipses can be magical like that.

Solar eclipses coincide with new moons, so events could take about six months to fully unfold, culminating at the April 2013 Scorpio full moon. Even if the “click” between you happens fast, take your time. In this powerful new alliance, you’ll want to make sure that your desires for more ownership and control in your work are met. At this eclipse, you could also turn the page on your financial future, possibly acquiring some attractive real estate over the next few years, such as a diamond-in-the-rough fixer-upper. This might come through an inheritance, or a relative looking for a tax break, since the eighth house rules money or assets acquired through outside sources. A hefty settlement or chunk of money could pad your bank account. Or, this day could mark a turning point in your career, as you see a myriad of ways you can become more soulful in your work. Imbued with new laser focus, you’ll want to deep-dive into a project, eliminating the countless distractions from your day. You’re all about the meaningful work, getting down to the marrow of your own life’s calling. What are you really here to do? Well, impatient Aries, once you start thinking in those terms, you’ll trim the time-wasting fat.

Though change and opportunities may arrive suddenly, remember that this eclipse cycle is in effect for three years, on the Taurus/Scorpio axis, so you get set to get schooled on your values and how your income, budgeting and financial habits reflect those. Maybe you’re a careerist, parent and spouse—in that order. Just ‘cause you’d never say that out loud doesn’t mean it’s not true. Your daily calendar could very well tell a different story. Well, get set for some reshuffling, since the eclipses may have something to say about what your real values are. Your lessons may be on working with others. An intimate involvement could spell out for you, in no uncertain terms, what you like and what you don’t like, as well as what drives you absolutely crazy. Aries, a strong mirror could be in effect, so before declaring that the other person is a total control freak, turn your lens inward. Maybe your own fears of surrender are the true culprit. Or the eccentric-but-difficult “genius” who’s impossible to work for? Yep, that could be your shadow talking right back to you. With a megaphone.

Retrograde Mercury backs from Sagittarius into Scorpio, your eighth house of joint ventures, from November 14-26, so you may find yourself at the negotiating table, hashing out the terms of a new partnership. With values on your mind, this could be a great time for a salary review—or at least to request an appointment for one. Before you set out on the Black Friday hunt for great deals on cashmere, review your budget. Secure your credit cards, with an eye on identity theft or mistakes on your credit card statement. Don’t get too intoxicated by the siren call of the sale rack.

Midmonth, you have a gleaming opportunity to get ahead. On November 16, motivator Mars enters Capricorn, your ambitious tenth house, where it will stay until December 25. New opportunities abound: projects, high-profile contacts and possibly even a new gig altogether. Though Mars can bring stress, tap into your stores of limitless energy, Aries, as you relish the late nights and Olympic-grade multitasking this transit can demand. You may find yourself gunning for a promotion or pursuing a new account you’d have previously thought was out of your league. Think big, and grab that brass ring. You might just get that Christmas bonus—which will more than compensate for the lack of time you’re going to have chilling out under the mistletoe this holiday season. Who has time for kissing when you’re neck-and-neck with Santa’s overworked elves?

Creating even more buzz, on November 28, a full moon (and lunar eclipse) in Gemini lights up your third house of ideas and communications. On this day, you may see a culmination of events that started at the May 20 Gemini solar eclipse. Perhaps your inner scribe makes a debut, as you see a scintillating writing project come together. Or, a dynamic teaching opportunity lands on your doorstep. You might end up shaking hands on a promising new venture, a partnership with a synergistic person who dazzles you (and everyone else) with wit, charm and smarts. This event may prompt some straight talk with a colleague, but be careful, especially if you’ve been suppressing so much that you end up saying way more than you’d intended. Before you raise that index finger and begin sentences with, “And another thing…,” get a mediator in the room, so that the conversation is productive and protects all parties.

HEALTH: MIND, BODY & SOUL
The first three weeks of the month, the energizing Sun transits Scorpio, your eighth house of detoxing and rejuvenation, making this a prime time to transform your physical, emotional and spiritual health from the inside out. The eighth house pushes you to dig deep, so if you think you can get away with a superficial, daylong juice cleanse and escape any of the down-and-dirty work that comes with taking out the metaphorical garbage, think again. This part of the zodiac rules internal and psychological heath, and really, when you’ve let toxins build (in the form of unhealthy relationships and self-destructive ties to soul-sucking people or things), you can expect that the expulsion of said crap might not be, uh, a walk in the park. Fortunately, these are mystical and spiritual endeavors, serving your own inner light, so whatever difficulties you encounter, contextualize them as an integral part of your soul’s evolution. Yep, it’s that serious.

The themes of mysticism and spirituality are highlighted over the next three years, coinciding with the eclipses on the Taurus/Scorpio axis and sober Saturn in Scorpio. If you’re feeling not-quite-right, the answer may require a change in your daily habits and priorities. Your best ounce of prevention is to start creating more time to unwind and go deeper within. Need help quieting your busy mind? Check out Aries psychotherapist and transformation coach Terri Cole’s great DVD Meditation Transformation (available at www.terricole.com).

Adding to the spiritual spotlight, dreamy Neptune goes direct (forward) in Pisces, your twelfth house of transcendent connections, on November 10. For the last five months, the planet of illusion has been doing backstrokes, casting a general fog over your path in life (which hasn’t pleased you, by the way). Now you have the motivation and will to get back on track with a creative project, perhaps a provocative dance show or otherworldly musical collaboration. Or, you’ll recommit to your yoga and meditation practice with renewed vigor.