Virgo Monthly Horoscope

MONTHLY OVERVIEW
Stop the presses! You’re the biggest news in town this month, Virgo. The planets are cruising through the most outgoing and public parts of your chart for the next couple of months, turning you into a veritable fame machine. With go-getter Mars in Virgo until July 3, don’t let your supposed shy side stop you from self-promoting. Feel more librarian than Liberace? Oh, dahhling. Don a little bling, some movie-star sunglasses and just have fun being the It girl or guy for a minute.

On May 5, the Scorpio full moon could bring a party or event where you truly get to shine. Have your business cards and “elevator pitch” ready, because you could meet some influential people who will help you spread the word. Exciting news could arrive near this date, too.

Ready for adventure? Until May 19 the Sun is in Taurus, your ninth house of travel, expansion and study. Your inner hippie kicks off those sensible shoes and runs barefoot — and why not? With expansive Jupiter also in Taurus until June 11, this could be a huge month for taking chances, trying new things and opening your oft-skeptical mind. The ninth house rules publishing, so it’s a great time to write your memoir, start a blog or put a website together. Looking for a fresh perspective? Sign up for a motivational workshop or go hear an inspiring author speak. Listen to some TED talks and inspiring thinkers on audio while you clean the house or commute.

On May 20, the Sun enters Gemini, but the bigger news that day is the Gemini (new moon) solar eclipse. Solar eclipses bring bold new beginnings out of the blue. Gemini rules your 10th house of career, success and public image. You could get an unexpected job offer, promotion or insight about your true path. The mission of eclipses is to be no-b.s. change agents. If you’ve been languishing in the same dead-end gig, this eclipse will shake things up in the next six months. Welcome it, Virgo, even if your controlling side goes a little mad.

LOVE & ROMANCE
With sexy Mars now powering full steam ahead in Virgo, your mojo is fired up! The red-hot planet of passion is in your sign until July, so spring and early summer could be filled with some steamy nights. Ready or not, you’re turning heads, and you’ve got a sassy retort to match every flirtatious come-on. Bantering is fun, especially for a verbal sign like yours. Is your inner vixen a little bashful? Check out “The Mojo Makeover: Four Weeks to a Sexier You” by Booty Parlor owner Dana Braverman.

In less savory news, the whole world will have a bit of a love hangover from May 15 through June 27, when romantic Venus goes retrograde (backward). Venus is in Gemini, your 10th house of long-term goals and plans. During this time, you and a partner may have a hard time seeing eye-to-eye about the big picture. Do you want different things … or do you even know what you want?

An office romance is also possible now, but be careful about mixing business with pleasure. Venus retrograde indicates that a breach of company dating policies is not advised. Sexy as it might seem to reenact a corner-office love scene from the movies, that cherrywood desk could leave metaphorical splinters in your booty. Check the ring finger of anyone you flirt with now, too, as the people you attract could already be spoken for, Virgo. With Venus retrograde in your 10th house of integrity, you’re tempted to fudge the rules or minimize the importance of vows and commitments. Do you really want to get tangled up in that? If someone is really into you, he or she will want you when you’re both 100 percent available!

MONEY & CAREER
You’re at the high point of an eight-month cycle, Virgo. Ambitious, energetic Mars is taking an extended trip through Virgo from November 2011 through July 2012. During this rare window, you can put yourself out there in a big way. Virgo is the helper sign, and you’re a bit allergic to self-promotion. However, if you know that your work is truly serving other people or changing lives, it’s easier for you to share about it. Connect to the higher purpose of what you’re doing, and to how it can benefit others. If you’ve got your own business and need some marketing skills, check out Marie Forleo’s Rich Happy and Hot B-School (rhhbschool.com), a great virtual training for entrepreneurs.

The May 5 Scorpio full moon illuminates your communication house. This is a great time to look at the image you present to the world. What message are you sending, and is it the one you want to convey? You could also hear exciting news near this date, perhaps an answer or resolution you’ve anticipated for the past six months. Carry a notebook to jot down the “aha” insights that are sure to hit.

On May 20, a Gemini solar eclipse comes along to shake things up in your career. We mean this in a good way, as Virgo loyalty can keep you stuck in a thankless job far past its prime. Even if you love what you do, it may be time for some innovation and new experiences. Change is inevitable, and eclipses bring it. Allow yourself to explore intriguing options, even if that means changing your master plan.

This eclipse is the follow-up to a prior Gemini solar eclipse, which fell on June 1, 2011. Think back to last summer and what changed in your life then. Your own priorities may have shifted even more in the past year. It’s possible that what you thought you wanted doesn’t even turn you on anymore. Is it time for a whole new path? Stay tuned: This eclipse may reveal it.

The one tricky spot? From May 15 through June 27, harmonious Venus is retrograde (moving backward) in Gemini. Relationships with co-workers and clients could be dodgy now. A boss or authority figure may seem unsympathetic, if not downright oppressive. Venus rules aesthetics, and during the retrograde you might revamp your work wardrobe or public image. If you’re rebranding a business, consider rolling out your new image after the retrograde — or at least, do a “soft launch” before you make the big debut. This is a good time to do behind-the-scenes work, like getting new head shots taken or asking for LinkedIn testimonials. Retrogrades also bring back the past. An old colleague, mentor or boss could resurface, perhaps with a chance to collaborate!

HEALTH: MIND, BODY & SOUL
Get outside and play! With the Sun and worldly Jupiter in your ninth house of travel and wide-open spaces, you need some fresh air. Hop on a bicycle, lace up your hiking boots, make a day trip out of it … or longer. A weeklong yoga or wellness retreat could have your name written all over it.

Just make sure you’re back by the 20th, when the Sun enters Gemini, your 10th house of career. You’ll have work to do then. Some of that could be emotional work, particularly with your father, husband or an important man in your life (also ruled by the 10th house). At the May 20 Gemini solar eclipse, you could get a fresh start with this key male figure. Or, an important new man could enter your life, one who becomes a significant part of events in the next six months.

The 10th house also rules structure. While Virgos are usually great at sticking to a plan, you might be committed to things that don’t really inspire you. While Venus is retrograde here from May 15 through June 27, do a clean sweep. Gracefully bow out of things that no longer inspire you. Make more time to catch up with friends and old mentors, and to try activities that make you feel like you’re growing as a person.