GEMINI HOROSCOPE

Born under Mercury, the planet of shortcuts, you’ll often choose the swiftest means to an end. Usually, this works perfectly except for when Mercury is retrograde. For the past 3 ½ weeks, you have been dogged by some kind of overlooked technicality or bureaucratic error. Although blameless, your brusque handling of the situation made matters worse. Mercury coming out of retrograde on April 25th won’t solve your problems overnight, but it will put you back at square one again and that’s a good thing. This is your chance to do things right the second time which winds up taking less effort in the long run.

Retrograde Mercury conjunct Venus on April 19 presents a do-over if you want it. The first time Mercury was here (March 20th), the exchange between you and a certain someone wasn’t a good one. Their message was unexpected, and it touched a raw nerve. Your reaction – like anyone’s under similar circumstances – was hurt and angry. The wonderful thing about Mercury retrogrades is that they allow us to revisit things that didn’t go well the first time, and now that you’ve had some time to absorb what was said, you’re sure to find a better way to address a situation that still needs to be settled.

Mercury’s retrograde motion combined with a Mars/Saturn conjunction at the top of your solar chart warns against jumping the gun. The whole point of perfect timing is in being able to read what’s going on and choosing the right moment to act. Needless to say, this week is not the right moment. There is such a confluence of contrary energies at work that nothing sustainable can come of this cosmic admixture. Wait until Mercury comes out of retrograde on April 25th. That may seem crazy given what’s going down but many minds will change and those in the lead will have lost it by then.

Beware false starts and premature endings when Ruling Planet Mercury turns retrograde in the last degrees of Aries on April 1st. You may think you’re out of the woods but that’s wishful thinking. Mercury retrogrades are famous for tossing monkey wrenches into best-laid plans, but they can also bring unforeseen opportunities if you keep an eye out for them. Traveling back over recently covered terrain may reveal something you overlooked before or being forced to shoulder an obligation again may prove to be the very bane that turns into a boon. Who knows? You will when Mercury comes out of retrograde on April 25th.

Are you on the verge of doing something you’ll regret? If you’re asking, then the answer’s yes. As a Gemini, you suffer from this unfortunate tendency to undo all the good you’ve done. You will work hard to build the perfect situation and then when you’re on the verge of getting what you want you’ll do something to mess it up. It’s not unlike a child who, being told not to put her hand on the stovetop burner when it’s on, will go ahead and do it anyway. It can’t be helped. That said, you may want to rethink that irrepressible impulse on March 30th.

It’s only human nature to brace for the worst when being called out on something you did, but you may be misreading the situation. The reason why a superior or potential client wants to talk to you about a certain episode is that they want to get your version of events. This is all part of a vetting process where they will decide if you’ll get the job, assignment, or promotion. Be forthright and transparent. You’ve nothing to hide, explain, or apologize for. In fact, your play-by-play telling of how things unfolded will quickly smooth out the inconsistencies and quell any doubts they might have.

Venus, the planet of love and beauty, rises to the top of your solar chart on March 11th. This makes you someone people can’t live without through April 5th. If there was ever a time to pitch an idea, promote your wares, or say yes, then this is it. But the trick with Venus is to let others do the talking. You want to become the empty screen that they project their hopes and wishes on. This isn’t easy for a Gemini, but if you do what the silent screen stars did (look into the camera and think of nothing), then you’ll command the adoration of thousands.

Mercury, the planet of the mind, enters Aries on March 9th, and you’ll feel the difference right away. After weeks of wandering in a fog, you’ll be bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to forage for opportunities. But Mercury in Aries makes you more than alert and perky; it’s also extremely intuitive which means you’ll want to follow your hunches. You should pursue that far-fetched lead, speak up and say you’re willing when others claim they’re unable, and make that cold call that looks like a long shot. We live in surprising times, and the Mercury/Pluto sextile on March 10 shows someone who typically would not have answered responding.

One avenue may be closed, but that doesn’t mean you’ve been locked out entirely. Your Ruling Planet Mercury was named after the patron god of prestidigitators and escape artists, so if anyone can devise another approach, it’s you. The problem is the only person who can help is someone you’re not on the best of terms with. What you’ll need to offer is more than just a gift or an apology. The past harm is too great for that. Identify something that will benefit you both mutually and then give the larger share to this person. The steeper the sacrifice, the more help you’ll get.

Saying “yes” doesn’t mean you’re making a final commitment. It’s a Gemini thing to use a sliding scale for determining how in or out you truly are. Although the Venus/Mars conjunction on February 22nd shows you’re serious about wanting to partner with someone romantically, professionally, or creatively; you still like to keep your options open. It allows you to relax and to think straight. That said, you’ll want to be sure that your fence-sitting isn’t sending the wrong message. You may be spooking the other party without meaning to, which could lead them to go with somebody else. You don’t want to wind up empty-handed.