Libra Monthly Horoscope

MONTHLY OVERVIEW
Eureka! Your light-bulb moments pop off faster than a paparazzo stalking the Kardashians this month, as the Sun moves through Sagittarius, your third house of communications and original ideas. Keep your journal (or smartphone with voice recorder app) on hand to capture thoughts as they arrive. Be quick with that pen (or keypad) since your brilliant thoughts will come fast and furious. Perhaps you hear an inspiring story on the local news about a pair of siblings who lost their parents in a plane crash and have now established a foundation in their honor...and that gels with another conversation you had about philanthropy with a friend. Suddenly you’ve got a screenplay idea on your hands—and the perfect excuse to throw a benefit bash. Paging screen siren (and fellow Libra) Kate Winslet!

An excellent day for communicating your current inspirations arrives December 13, when a new moon in Sagittarius lights up your third house of messages and persuasion. Sing it from the rooftops, Libra. Perhaps an important friendship begins around this date, with someone who really “gets” what you’re all about, in a way that feels like magic. An epiphany that strikes or an inspiring conversation could be the seeds of something huge. This is not—we repeat, not—a day to curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn to watch The Voice. Get your social-butterfly self out the door. Watch as events that happen on or around this date unfold in exciting, surprising ways over the next six months.

That same day, revolutionary Uranus goes direct (forward) in Aries, your seventh house of relationships, where it has been retrograde (backward) since mid-July. During this time, you may have felt out-of-sync with your partner. Perhaps one of you had more work responsibilities than normal, and this led to an interruption of your regular date nights. Or perhaps old issues resurfaced in the most unseemly ways, i.e. at the rehearsal dinner of your honey’s ex, where you fled to the bathroom in tears, after overreacting to an innocent-enough comment about their history together. Maybe changes occurred out of the blue, and you were left feeling like a yo-yo. This stop-start quality has been unsettling, to say the least. Fortunately, Uranus’ return to direct (forward) motion should restore some evenness to the flow of your relationship...and not a nanosecond too soon.

As things on the partnership front settle, the Sun moves into Capricorn, your fourth house of domesticity, on December 21. It’s the perfect time to hunker down at home, getting cozy with your family for the rest of the year. Indulge your inner homebody, spending unstructured hours trying out new recipes (grilled balsamic skirt steak or tempeh “fillets,” anyone?), sprucing up your decor, and keeping an open-door policy for loved ones to come and join you in your domestic splendor.

The world won’t be ending (whew!), but the Mayan prophecies that have sparked such apocalyptic rumors are symbolic of a much deeper shift in humanity. The real story of 2012 is a call for people to band together in the name of peace, harmony, unity and cooperation. Any of these themes sound familiar, Libra? They should: since your sign is the zodiac’s ultimate collaborator. You’re well-versed in the virtues of people being kind, thoughtful and gentle—and may even have been mocked or belittled for upholding such “impractical” notions. Well, make way for the poets, dreamers and healers, because the post-2012 world belongs to you. Just heed the prophetic words of your fellow Libra John Lennon and “imagine all the people/sharing all the world.”

On December 28, the full moon in nurturing Cancer shines a torch on your tenth house of professional recognition. This potent moon forms an opposition to plumb-the-depths Pluto in Capricorn, your fourth house of roots and family. While this day may bring a peacock-grade feather in your career cap, you may not feel fully in celebration mode, due to old family conditioning or the nagging voice of a relative’s limiting beliefs. For example, you just scored your first five-figure sale on a painting, but can only think of your father saying, “Never mix your art with money because then it can’t be pure.” (Did you ever think that he was perhaps just too scared to pursue art the way you are?) Another way this work-vs.-home tug-of-war could play out? You could get a plum assignment, only to find that it prevents you from attending an all-important family gathering. Oh, dear. Your guilt-o-meter reading could be off the charts, Libra.

Since this moon also forms a challenging square to unpredictable Uranus in Aries, your partnership house, you might feel friction when you introduce your honey to the family (or when you’re being introduced to your S.O.’s clan). Maybe your family doesn’t approve of your relationship in some way and/or your sweetie adopts some unhelpful bravado in the face of this discord. (One Libra guy we know brought home his significantly older girlfriend, who decided to adopt a “yeah-I’m-screwing-your-son” attitude with her beau’s mother—who was also her peer. Ouch.) Or, perhaps you have an electrifying moment of insight, as you sit at the dinner table watching your mother ask your father to pass the salt, and suddenly realize that what worked for them in their marriage isn’t necessarily in line with the goals and relationships that suit you. Maybe you opted not to have three kids before you were 25 years old, unlike most of your high school classmates. Whatever the source of stress around this full moon, you have to put down the “people-pleasing” mantle. (No hesitating, now.) Your best bet is to shift the focus back to yourself. You are the all-important variable in this equation...don’t leave your own needs stranded on some desolate street corner.

A few days later, the month ends with a sparkling New Year’s Eve, as the moon in festive Leo, your eleventh house of socializing trines Venus in Sagittarius, your third house of local activity—creating the ideal party night. Perhaps a neighbor invites you to a fete on his rooftop, or you find a packed dance floor at a nearby loft. Don’t stay in one place, if you can help it. Party-hopping might be just the trick, since you could be in an extra-adventurous, meet-and-greet mood as 2013 beckons!

LOVE & ROMANCE
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, Libra...especially as magnetic Venus (your ruler) sashays through Scorpio, your second house of luxury. Venus nestles here—threatening to blow your budget—until December 15. During the first two weeks of the month, you’ll experience transcendent bliss when indulging in the most earthly and material of pleasures. Hey, just because the world is turning all spiritual post-2012, doesn’t mean our sensory and sensual human selves will stop feeling the joy of beautiful things. Think: a romantic night a deux at a five-star resort, curtains billowing as ocean air spills in through the windows; decadent, five course meals served by candlelight; getting decked out in clothes—not to mention silky undergarments—that feel good against your dewy skin. When it comes to reveling in your senses, spare nothing. Single Libras could have a few decadent dates in store. Since the second house rules work, you might even find yourself drawn to someone you meet on the job. Or, you could just enjoy some pleasurable, no-strings fun with a suitor of sophisticated tastes. Pass the Veuve!

After the 15th, when Venus flits into Sagittarius, your third house of local activity, you could find love at...the dog park? Just maybe, Libra. You could turn a buddy into a booty call now, since the third house also rules close friendships. If you’re one of those pajamas-wearing work-from-home folks, try dressing up a tad to pick up milk at the grocery store or make copies at the neighborhood print shop. You never know who you might catch your eye at the Xerox machine. Yeah, romance could strike just like in those holiday rom-coms, where the cute, pom-pom-hat-wearing neighbors fall for each other by accident, the second they realize they’re putting the same ugly reindeer sweater in the trash bin. (Aw...)

Midmonth, freedom-seeking Uranus moves direct (forward) in your seventh house of partnerships, effectively ending a very tense five-month stretch of being out out-of-step with your sweetheart. During this time, you may have felt irrepressible urges to be free, scope out your options, or shake up the status quo—perhaps to the chagrin of your partner. Or maybe you felt the deep, stirring need for a little more air in the relationship and then watched as your love took a short-term job in another city. Once you got your space, you realized (oops!) living separate lives wasn’t exactly what you had in mind. Or maybe you two settled into a couple groove, only to have it upended by seemingly intractable external circumstances, i.e. your needy ex returned to town and started calling at the most inopportune times, or a newborn baby turned your once-easy lifestyle on its head. Take whatever insights you’ve gleaned from this period and incorporate them into how you two move forward. Deep down, every relationship requires regular evolution. After this period, you’re more equipped to be proactive about owning your personal need for space within coupledom; in order to be in the “we,” sometimes you gotta be a little more about the “me.” Yes—even you, Libra.

If you need a distraction from the bumpy landing of your partnership, turn your home into the sexy lair you’ve always dreamed, as sultry Mars visits Capricorn, your fourth house of home, until December 25. Express your desires in your decor. Perhaps you want to renovate the old ceramic tub and replace it with a jet-streaming bath, one around which you light taper candles and pipe in the bossa nova. Or maybe the throw pillows on your sofa could be replaced with material that’s softer to the touch. If you’re single, you may want to use some of your excess energy to create a space, inviting your partner in, a la the sage advice of Calling in the One.

Since your domestic scene could be rife with stress, these efforts can help a create calm, loving space. Mars is the mythic god of war, and having it in your home quarters can make for tension in the nest. Family members could really test your patience, especially if you’re hosting for the holidays (quick—scan the Hotels.com specials before you offer the guest room). A female relative or friend could be especially difficult or demanding, cutting into your couple time with her crazy-making. Boundaries, Libra!

Your love mojo sees a sudden spike the last week of the month, when spicy Mars makes an unforgettable, stage-worthy entrance into Aquarius, your fifth house of romance and passion, where it will stay until February 1. If you’ve felt mousy and retiring for most of the month, watch out world! With Venus here, you don’t have to lift a finger to attract playful, charismatic suitors. They’ll just walk straight into your orbit (and probably fall all over themselves to get your attention). During this passionate end to your year, you’ll be sauntering all about town. Lipstick, blown out hair, your new duds...sure, you can pull out those stops if you like, but at the end of the day, when you’re hot, you’re hot. No trying required. Since the fifth house rules fertility, those amorous trysts you find yourself in could result in...yep, a bun in the oven. Perhaps you’ll be dialing up your nearest and dearest to share some baby news early next year?

The sweetness of Venus will offset the potential fireworks of the December 28 full moon in Cancer, your tenth house of public recognition. This full moon may cause you to feel like you’re pulled in multiple directions, between your romantic partner and...well, everything else. The demands of both work and family are bound to be obnoxiously loud around this time, making it hard to carve out quality time with your mate (or even just alone time, which is, too, necessary to the success of any intimate relationship). There could be discord with family or your partner, around how you mesh the person you’re connected to on a deep soul level with the people who kinda still remember you as that sweet cherub in cloth diapers. Perhaps you pull a James Dean and decide to tell your meddling family, once and for all, where they can put their strident ideas about how you should be living your life.

If the guy who prefers tuna salad on white bread for dinner is the one who makes your heart sing, then...who cares what your culinary snob of a mother thinks? Or, you and your honey might sit down one night (over a heaping pile of pasta, of course, since the moon in Cancer will demand comfort food) and discuss your respective long-term visions, only to discover that you’re not exactly on the same page. (Hint: If you say, “I want to live on the water, but you’re a die-hard city person” and your mate says, perhaps a little too eagerly, “Well, you can totally live on the water! Go ahead!”...you may have to some bigger issues to parse.)

If you’d hoped to take the leap to the next level without any hitches, that might not happen...but this doesn’t mean you have to dim your lights. If you get the job offer of a lifetime (you know, the one you’ve had on your vision board since you first learned what one was) but said dream offer requires a cross-country move and your honey isn’t ready to pack up the U-Haul with you...well, you should probably still take the job…or whatever path that will leave you with the fewest “what ifs” and regrets. Hard as it can be for your cardinal sign to live in the moment, getting comfortable with the unknown might be exactly what you need right now. Rather than fret or break up, perhaps you take your relationship one day at a time, revisiting the issue in six months or so. If you’re feeling terribly confused, rely on these words from fellow Libra T.S. Eliot, who wrote of uncertain times, “For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.” Or...as a Libra pal’s boyfriend replied when she said she wanted to get married, “Hang tough, babe!”

MONEY & CAREER
Will someone give you the microphone, already? And no, we’re not talking about you belting out the latest Nicki Minaj tune at karaoke. With the Sun and midmonth new moon in exuberant Sagittarius, your third house of communication, you’ve got the holiday gift of gab. So don’t waste your time being stingy or shy...use it! Make the rounds at parties, impressing new and old colleagues alike with your ability to draw fast connections and synthesize complicated situations. Got the urge to gush? Stock up on pretty letterpress cards and spend an evening penning heartfelt holiday messages of gratitude. During your hyper-articulate time, you might even want to pull out the big guns and compose a long, handwritten letter. Or, if you’re still feeling tech-oriented, you might post a lengthy blog about, say, feeling connected to your colleagues and how important it is to express such gratitude all year long, not just at the Hallmark moments. Also, take a closer look at your marketing materials and branding now. Is your message—both via the written and visual representation—on point? Use this time to get your communications in line with your reality. Clean up any miscommunications and make a fresh start. Weed out the clichés and make your social media sing with original wit and insight—rather than the same prosaic prose everyone else is posting. Don’t be lazy, Libra! Trim the fat with tips from William Zinsser’s classic guide, On Writing Well.

If you’re looking for that extra-awesome day to make an important presentation, the kind of day when people are hanging on your every quip, look no further than December 13, when the Sagittarius new moon lights up your house of persuasion. Schedule important pitches around this date, assured that your words will not fail you now. Since new moons represent page-turnings, this is an excellent time to launch a social media campaign or begin marketing yourself in a new, more self-assured way. If there were a business equivalent of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” (“Savvy and I Know It?”) we’d be inserting that here. This is also a grand day to jump-start your 2013 resolutions, especially as they pertain to your career objectives. With a discerning eye, take stock of all that went really, really well in 2012. Likewise, you should review the not-so-great moments, not to berate yourself, but to think in a generous fashion about what you can shift in the coming year. Finally, as you set your sights high, definitely talk out your plans with colleagues and pals. Any discussions on this date will have staying power...so be sure to tap the best and brightest for this all-important brainstorming sesh.

Make no mistake: You are the champion, Libra. The December 28 full moon in Cancer, your tenth house of recognition, could bring a year-end career triumph, promotion or opportunity more exciting than even your wildest dreams. But, when the accolades you’ve been striving for finally arrive, you may have to work through some personal demons or old, limiting beliefs. Kick them to the curb, Libra, and get your celebration on. However, we know that when you don’t feel you’ve earned something, it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. Or, perhaps the resistance comes from an external source, such as a difficult partner or another key player.

If the situation gets messy, keep your focus on what YOU want and what will serve the highest good of the situation. Your sign loves harmony, sometimes at the expense of justice (even though your sign loves that, too, in equal, if not greater, measure). If you feel like you’re scrambling to keep all parties happy, just stop. We mean it. Quit. Now. While you’re so busy wondering about the temperature in the boardroom, no one’s keeping an eye on your personal bottom line--or the bigger picture. What’s YOUR role here, both on this crazy planet AND in the situation itself? If folks try to ensnare you in the drama-rama, politely decline...and take up a grander, more generous view. Before long, others will want to see what you’re seeing and start climbing to the top of your mountain, where the landscape is breathtaking, as opposed to soul-sucking.

HEALTH: MIND, BODY & SOUL
Stretch it out, Libra. Yep, with stressful Mars transiting Capricorn, your fourth house of roots and self-care, you might just feel like you’re all twisted up like a pretzel, trying to accommodate someone’s unfair wishes or erratic moods. Mars here can spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E with family members, and it’s cranking up the conflict until December 25. Mix in a few overplayed Christmas carols and the pressure of the holidays, and, well, we have a recipe for dropping the F-bomb on a well-meaning, if irritating, family member. Relatives staying with you could push your buttons, but try to take any bumpy patches in stride. One great way to channel all this energy is to work out at home. Have your yoga mat (and some free weights) at the ready, so you can breathe your way to a kinder, gentler mood.

After gravy-laden family dinners, rally the troops to go for a walk at the nearest Audubon sanctuary. (If that seems like a hassle, remember: you’d rather yawn over a little bird-watching than cry over a some mega bird-flipping.) Depending on the tension level, you may want to drag your nitpicking female cousin to a Bikram yoga class, to sweat out any excess anxieties. If conflict between you and a female relative nears a boiling point, maybe suggest a walk, where the fresh air can (literally) diffuse potential arguments. Let the holiday be one to remember for good reasons, not explosions that could have been avoided or snarky one-liners that make you cringe for years after the fact.

On December 28, the full moon in Cancer lights up your career house, inspiring a breakthrough when it comes to stifling family dynamics. Perhaps you see just how at odds your early conditioning is with your current personal and professional ambitions, and the need to distance yourself from unhealthy influences is all too apparent (as much as you love the people who may have unconsciously transmitted said toxic beliefs). No disrespect to your roots, but if you’re feeling the “crabs in a barrel” pull-down effect, you need to be especially strong now. For inspiration, check out this potent reminder by poet Mary Oliver, about saving the one life you can save: http://www.panhala.net/archive/the_journey.html.