Taurus Monthly Horoscope

MONTHLY OVERVIEW
It's time for your semi-annual review, Taurus. Not only are we midway through 2013, but the Sun is in in Gemini, your second house of work, money, habits and practical details. Taurus is the natural ruler of this zodiac house, so you're in your zone here. Consider this your astrological building and planting season. What would you like to harvest at the end of the year? Take stock of how you're spending your days—time, money, energy, resources—and see if those choices are giving you a life you really enjoy living. If not, now is the time to redirect your efforts in another direction…one that makes YOU happy, not just everybody else.

Fueling your fires, this is the last month of lucky Jupiter's yearlong visit to Gemini. Since June 11, 2012, expansive Jupiter has been here, bringing new work opportunities (possibly long-distance or with a relocation) or a wildly different day-to-day routine. For some Bulls, this was jackpot season, and you may have made more money than you have in years. (Not much can thrill you like a solidly padded bank account.) There could also have been big expenses to match—a new car or down payment on your dream home—so your pockets may not be quite as lined as you hoped. This past year was also a great time to try an entrepreneurial venture, since Jupiter the gambler increases our tolerance for risk. Benefic Jupiter is in Gemini until June 25, so take advantage of this final stretch, especially since go-getter Mars is also here throughout June. Choose your target and strike, Taurus.

On June 25, happy-go-lucky Jupiter will move into Cancer until July 16, 2014, activating your third house of communication, friends, siblings and neighborhoods. This should be a fun transit that brightens your social and intellectual life. You'll be in a learning and exploring mode, and might even decide to take a few classes, study a foreign language, or even write a book. If you've always hung with a tried-and-true crew, you might branch out and befriend people who are different from the rest of the herd. This is also a positive time for a move, or perhaps even renting a place in an area you've always considered living in. Spending time there, even for a week or two, could whet your appetite for a big relocation next year.

You could start exploring the options when the Sun moves into Cancer for a month on June 21. But pause before you book that plane ticket to Brazil or rent someone's "charming" (read: tiny) New York City studio on Airbnb. Mercury, ruler of travel, technology and communication, will be retrograde (backward) from June 26-July 19. This cycle happens 3-4 times a year and is notorious for miscommunications and travel mishaps. You might even want to save your vacation dates for later in July. If you've already made plans, just take extra precautions. Pay your AAA membership dues, make sure your passport is current and have a Plan B for accommodations if they don't suit your standards (or even your bare minimum requirements for cleanliness, because you should never have to request a new shower curtain upon check-in…hello!)

If you want to beat the retrograde, a sweet day to vacation is the June 23 Capricorn full moon, which is in your ninth house of long-distance travel. You might very well want to be sailing the Greek isles or sunning on a Bali beach under this expansive moon. Or, perhaps the adventures will be more cerebral—a class or workshop, something that broadens your view of life. In fact, this full moon could deliver a flash of vision or insight, helping you (finally!) see the big picture. Everything you've been working on this year could suddenly make perfect "a-ha!" sense, as you see all the pieces fitting together, forming something wonderful beyond the limits of your current imagination. Dare to dream, Taurus. Why not?

LOVE & ROMANCE
Friends with benefits, anyone? While your steady-loving sign isn't one for crossing platonic boundaries carelessly, you just might be in the mood for a little light-hearted fun with a pal, as magnetic Venus moves through Cancer, your third house of friendly connections, from June 2 to June 26. If the candlelit ambiance is right, you might just starting thinking about this person in a new way…or vice versa. Don't be surprised if you hear a suggestive "Hey, why didn't you and I ever get together?" comment, dropped casually over nachos and margaritas. After all, if you've been sharing intimate downloads about online dating gone awry, your bond may already be as tight as Fort Knox. You might just be tempted to give it a whirl!

If your relatives are always trying to set you up, you could be slightly more open now. One Taurus resisted his older sister's well-meaning matchmaking efforts for more than a year, thinking that, while he loved her, they weren't exactly simpatico in the social realm: she was into fashion, he into deep philosophy texts. But when he finally met the woman his sister had been trying to hook him up with, he was instantly smitten. Six months later, he proposed—and she said yes, Moral of the story: This could be a time to loosen up your notoriously stubborn ways, Taurus. Put a little love in your heart! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=647hE6n4Wzg

Coupled Bulls might invite some inspiration into their daily routines, listening to funny or thought-provoking podcasts or audio books. (May we recommend the hilarious and poignant stories from the Moth, a national storytelling organization: www.themoth.org.) If you've been staring across the same dinner table, having the same conversation for months—or, ahem, years—you might just need to infuse some current events, new ideas or even just a funny anecdote into the mix. A belly laugh will do you both good. Or, when was the last time you asked your sweetheart to listen to your latest and greatest brainstorm? Don't keep your genius to yourself this month, Taurus. Not only will your partner have great feedback, but this conversational opening will bring the two of you closer. Who knows? Maybe the endless dialogue will follow you into the boudoir, where your way with words helps to unearth a treasure trove of scintillating fantasies.

Despite all the cerebral action, you still want some real-deal, in-the-flesh lovin. All month, spicy Mars moves through Gemini, your sensual second house, making attractions grounded and visceral. Since this zone of your chart rules work and daily routines, temperatures in your office could hit the roof (even if the air conditioners are already at full blast). If a crush develops with your coworker, enjoy the chemistry. Sure, your colleagues might notice the extra care you're paying to your wardrobe and how you're smiling a bit more than usual…but who cares? Or, you might meet a new amour through a work event. Just when you thought you were going to snore your way through another ho-hum evening, that special someone could snap up the empty chair next to yours and all of a sudden, you end the fantasies about your early exit and start dreaming of how sweet it would be to have this hottie's lips touch your skin. You never know!

MONEY & CAREER
Not only is money is on your mind, but you're also minding your money (a la Flo Rida: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_5yiwMmfsU) in June. This month, expansive Jupiter ends its one-year tour of Gemini, your second house of work, security and money, helping you taking stock of your fiscal losses and gains. Perhaps you finally broke out of your shell and left a steady-seeming job that left you in a semi-depressed rut for years. Upon realizing that certain kinds of "security," e.g., a regular paycheck, can actually cost you spiritually and emotionally, you may have taken a larger-than-life leap, which is not so customary for play-it-safe Taurus. As this Jupiter cycle comes to a close, you might feel slightly disappointed that you aren't yet sailing down the French Riviera on a yacht (as you had no doubt been hoping). However, this year was a lesson in risk and busting out of your comfort zone, not in achieving your end goals overnight (as nice as it would be to sun yourself and sip mint limeade). If you don't try out new ways of doing things, there's no chance of reaping the rewards. Sometimes, Jupiter plants seeds that will be harvested in the years to come. So your newfound moxie could eventually lead to the acquisition of said yacht or the establishment of a new conglomeration. Chin up, Taurus. In this case, bravery begets bravery…which could easily translate into some unexpected boons down the line.

If you haven't made any daring moves, the June 8 new moon in Gemini is a five-star day to give a new financial idea a try. There's no way you're betting the heirloom tomato farm on a new, fly-by-night venture, but on this day, you are motivated to shift your thinking around money. A lucrative opportunity might cross your path at this new moon, sparking an exciting epiphany. With fortuitous Jupiter and motivator Mars both in Gemini, too, reach far and stretch waaaaay beyond your comfort zone. So the gig of your dreams is in Sydney or Rio? Don't shoot it down before you consider it. If a plum offer requires you to pen a monthly newsletter contribution, don't tell yourself it'll never work because you can't write. Or that you'll never get that coveted role in a musical because you can sing, but you can't dance. There's a reason this chance has come a-knocking, Taurus. Perhaps the heart of the matter is the growth required, and you're sensing the stress of adjusting to a new world order. Weigh the pros and cons, here. To aid in your contemplation, you may want to check out "Daring Greatly" by social researcher Brene Brown, who espouses the power of vulnerability: http://astore.amazon.com/astrostyle-20/detail/1592407331. Perhaps shedding your Taurus penchant for control will help you move to the next, more exciting level.

At the end of the month, happy-go-lucky Jupiter sashays into Cancer, your third house of communication, from June 2 until July 16, 2014. This yearlong transit puts you in learning mode, happy to ingest new thoughts and ideas. Bring on the classes and workshops! A steady diet of information helps to expand your horizons, so if there's a skill you've been meaning to polish, e.g., social media strategy or editorial design, don your learner's cap, stat. If you're behind the curve with your messaging, you may brush up on your marketing skills. Trust us, Taurus…promotion isn't as scary as it seems. Check out Laura Roeder's cutting-edge online social media marketing classes to get you in the 140-character frame of mind: http://lkrsocialmedia.com/small-business-social-media-marketing-strategy-training-courses. Since the third house rules neighborhoods, abundant Jupiter can also inspire you to seek new places to live, or even hop between two homes or 'hoods. If you're willing to shake up your work and personal life a bit, your bicoastal dreams could come true this year. Who doesn't want to trade chilly winters in favor of a climate that serves up fresh, local greens year-round? You and your bottom line will be all the healthier for it.

Enjoy spreading your butterfly wings, but be wary of the company you're keeping and all the people you allow into your inner circle, as foggy Neptune turns retrograde (backward) in Pisces, your eleventh house of groups and networking, from June 7 to November 12. As much as you love to have the camaraderie flowing, there could be an unsuspecting snake in the grass, with Neptune, planet of illusions, wreaking havoc in your tribe. Instead of dismissing a friend's lukewarm reaction to your good news, sit with the discomfort. Maybe your gut is trying to tell you that this person isn't actually on Team Taurus. Don't make assumptions, and when in doubt, clarify and clarify again. You can never be too sure. Since the eleventh house also rules technology, you may need to protect yourself against phishing, identity theft and the like, as boundary-blurring Neptune can make you susceptible to viruses and hacking. Yikes!

Heightening the need for data protection, communicator Mercury goes retrograde (backward) from June 26 to July 19 in Cancer, your third house of information-gathering. Be sure to back everything up, from your half-written notes to your archived e-files. A laissez-faire attitude—"I'll upload to the cloud next week"—could prove costly. Being extra cautious can't hurt, especially when sending sensitive emails. Check and double check that the address in the "To" line is accurate, so you don't accidentally spread some sensitive information to the wrong party.

June 23 brings a buoyant full moon in Capricorn, your ninth house of overseas travel, higher education and big-stakes enterprise. You might receive a thrilling opportunity to hop on an overseas flight, embark on a new course of study—perhaps even a degree program—or finally get that start-up off the ground. This day marks the culmination of a six-month period that began around the January 11 new moon in Capricorn. Flip back to this date in your calendar or email inbox for clues as to what is unfolding around this full moon. Then, break out your passport…one way or another, you're definitely journeying on to your next destination.

HEALTH: MIND, BODY & SOUL
Last call! No, Taurus, we don't mean for a late-night gin martini. This is your friendly reminder to revamp your everyday habits, as both motivator Mars and lucky Jupiter visit Gemini, your second house of routines. If you've longed to nix that outworn tobacco dependency, stop devouring those French fries or curb your destructive appetite for gossip, you now have plenty of fuel to catapult yourself to a healthier place. Before you spark up just one more Camel Light, ask yourself this: if today isn't quitting day, when is? You've had all year to tone down your unhealthy habits…and now you might feel some pressure to take better care of yourself. You have one body, Taurus. Act accordingly.

On June 25, fortunate Jupiter moves into Cancer, your third house of transportation, prompting some reevaluation of how you get around. If you're a "drive-thru only"-type of Taurus, active Jupiter could inspire you to get on a bike (and no, we're not talking about a Vespa) or even to start taking the stairs and (gasp!) walking a few blocks instead of always hunkering down in your four-door. To boost your motivation, you may want to purchase a fun app or pedometer, like this appealing FitBit Tracker: http://walking.about.com/od/prpedometer/fr/fitbit-review.htm.

Stress levels could rise after June 7, when illusory Neptune turns retrograde in Pisces, your eleventh house of friendships, until November 12, thanks to a potential rift with a pal. You like your clan, Taurus, and changes to key relationships are definitely not something you tend to take in stride. But, this situation could reveal that a certain connection has outgrown its use in your life. Or, someone in your circle may need to lean on you for extra support. You're all too happy to be there for them during this trying time, pulling out all the Kleenex you have, but if you're going the extra mile for your BFF, don't forget to log in extra time at the gym or take some solo moments to recharge your batteries. You will feel the moods of your friends more intensely, so opt for extra self-care whenever possible.

At the month's end, you're eager to get back in touch with old pals, as communicator Mercury turns retrograde (backward) in Cancer, from June 26 to July 19. This three-week stretch is an excellent time to reconnect with a sibling if you haven't scheduled QT lately. While reunions are favored, watch your words. Do you really need to bring up the time in second grade when your friend made fun of your bargain-bin sneakers? An age-old guilt trip just ain't worth it (or even remotely okay). If your ten-year high school reunion has passed, then so, too, has this so-called issue. Let it go, Taurus! Just let it go. If there's some friction with your close comrades, you may end up saying things you don't really mean in the heat of the moment. Stay with your feelings, but don't let things get so contentious that you have to plead forgiveness for the foreseeable future. Your best bet is to err on the side of caution, sidestepping the Louboutin-in-mouth moment altogether.