You're bound to be thrown off balance between your ME and your WE when there's a Solar Eclipse in Libra on October 2nd. If there's too much ME in your life, then that means you've shut people out. You're convinced that only you can fix a problem and that everyone must do things your way or be sidelined. This isn't good because Libra is a zodiac sign that values others' input – even if they're people you don't agree with. You need to open your heart and your mind or risk running things into the ditch. And if there's too much WE? You may be so invested in trying to do right by people that you risk not doing right by yourself. Decisions are risky business – as any Libra knows – however, not making a decision is worse. The French Existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre once said, “ne pas choisir, c'est encore choisir,” which means “not choosing is still a choice.” Don’t get so caught up in not wanting to disappoint or hurt someone that you make matters worse by keeping them hanging. All decisions have consequences, including the ones we dodge. Put yourself back behind the wheel and you'll know at least one person who knows where they're going – you.

Venus in Scorpio is a film noir Venus – dark, nefarious, and saddled with a mysterious past. It's important to remember that Venus rules over the power of attraction in astrology; it describes the kind of energy that you draw into your life. Subsequently, Venus here means that you will be attracting people who are going through some kind of crisis, are on the run from something they can't face, or are under the thumb of some kind of malevolent figure. There's a fated quality to these kinds of encounters. If you're already in a relationship, then this is the time when confessions are made, secrets are divulged, or hidden matters come to the surface. Thankfully, Venus in this Pluto-ruled sign means you will be willing and able to make the descent down into the Underworld alongside your loved one. The experience will be cathartic and transformative. It will also be the sort of thing you won't want to repeat anytime soon. Venus will be in Scorpio from September 22nd – October 17th.

It will feel like your world is unraveling this week, thanks to the lunar eclipse in Pisces on September 17th. Things tend to fall apart when the Full Moon disappears from the nighttime sky, and the fact that it's taking place in Pisces – the last sign of the zodiac – makes it seem all the more apocalyptic. But there's a very simple rule of thumb with Lunar Eclipses, and it's this: anything that’s weak or standing on iffy ground will surely collapse. This pertains to relationships and careers as much as it does to health matters and mental states. You may think it was solid, but it wasn't. Now the key to surviving this occultation is to get Zen about it because whatever's passing out of your life actually left a long time ago. This could be worrisome or liberating depending on your state of mind and how honest you're being with yourself. Whatever the outcome, you need to know that the purpose of the lunar eclipse is to clear away the deadwood in order to make room for new growth.

Every square brings a challenge, and the Sun/Jupiter square on September 12th is no different. This conflict in planetary energies is often portrayed as gushing Pollyannaism, an inflated sense of self-importance, or even hubris, but your problem will be simpler than that – too much of a good thing. Now, people will say that there’s no such thing, but there is. Jupiter is as much a planet of tests as its counterpart, Saturn. Indeed, these planets are two sides of the same coin. Saturn withholds, Jupiter bestows, and when the planet of good fortune forms a square to the Sun, it goes overboard. It’s not the flood of opportunities that will be the problem; it will be keeping up with them. Now, you can run yourself into the ground chasing after the next golden apple, or you can try to regain control of the wheel – which means slowing down or even putting some things on hold. Good fortune is not as fleeting as you fear, which is why it’s important to pace yourself and to prioritize. This is how you transform a lucky break into something long-lasting and sustainable while delivering on all those promises you made.

On September 4th, Mars enters Cancer. Cancer is the zodiac sign most associated with hearth, home, and family. Many people equate it with an idealized past, giving it the rumpled folksiness of a Norman Rockwell painting, but not all families are the Waltons. Sometimes they're the Sopranos, and Mars traveling through this sign is bound to bring up conflicts with the outside world. Cancer is tribal by nature. Blood ties will always supersede social ones, so don't be surprised if you find yourself torn between family and friends, tradition and love, or facing some kind of upset in your personal life. This may fly in the face of what feels comfortable and familiar, but we don't live in a world of white picket fences and manicured lawns anymore. “Family” has evolved in both meaning and reality. It may feel strange having to make certain adjustments and sacrifices over the next few weeks, but it's meant to expand your understanding of family and not diminish it. Mars will be in Cancer from September 4th to November 3rd.

Uranus retrogrades are famous for pendulum swings. They're not as abrupt in their about-faces as a typical Uranus transit, but they can be just as absolute and uncompromising. Let's say you've spent months rallying against a cause, refusing to yield an inch on a hotly contested point or even considering seeing things from a different perspective. Well, when that pendulum swings – like it will on September 1st – you may find yourself waking up on a different side of the brain. You may start to embrace (if not exactly champion) the very things you once found objectionable. But instead of it hitting you suddenly like a bolt out of the blue, this realization will gradually dawn on you over the next few months so that the changes you elect to make are more gradual and long-lasting. Uranus will be retrograde until January 30th.

There's an extraordinary cluster of planetary squares all taking place on August 19th. It begins with a T-square comprised of Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn followed by a Full Moon/Uranus square and then concludes with an extremely rare Jupiter/Saturn square. This is a raucous combination and you can expect things to get dicey. That's because squares are combative energies in Astrology which means that none of these planets are in the mood to cooperate, much less back down. Think of a barroom brawl from one of those old Western movies where chairs go flying as cowboys tumble over tables or smash bottles over each other's heads. It's absolute mayhem which means it would be a good idea to find a quiet spot to wait things out. In the end there will be a return to calm and peace, but only after the planets have exhausted themselves which should be some time around August 29th.

There's no denying that there's a rambunctious quality to the Mars/Jupiter conjunction on August 14th. That's because Jupiter is exuberant by nature and can't help but enliven the energies of any planet it's near. One becomes more daring, loud, and boisterous when Jupiter is next to Mars, and given that they are both traveling through the zodiac sign of Gemini, baiting. This is all right as long as it's in the spirit of fun, but Mars, when aroused, has a tendency to take things too far. It's not unlike a child in a classroom who—emboldened by a prank—tries to outdo himself. Whatever the joke, stunt, or escapade, things look like they'll get out of hand, which will result in a slapdown courtesy of the Mars/Saturn square on August 16th. How severe this will be all depends on taking responsibility. Come clean with what happened, and you'll get off with a light reprimand; pin the blame on somebody else, and things will only get harder.

Mercury retrogrades are famous for sowing the seeds of confusion, sprinkling flies in the ointment, and making you look left when you should have been looking right. They're not exactly deal breakers, but they can certainly throw a cosmic monkey wrench into the smooth workings of your day-to-day life. That's why it's always a good idea to add two weeks to any deadline that you're working with and to go over any contract or agreement with a fine-tooth comb.

You don't want to get snagged on a hidden technicality or brought up short by an overlooked addendum. You might also postpone purchasing any big-ticket items during this time because chances are you'll find some kind of fault in the merchandise or discover that the price was inflated or the property over-valued. Mercury will be retrograde from August 5th to August 28th.

Unexpected turnarounds and surprise about-faces abound when Venus in Leo forms a square to Uranus in Taurus on August 2nd. And in the most public way! You'll be discovering sides of people you thought you knew (but now realize you didn't) while finding yourself left high and dry by those who promised to be there for you.

It's both eye-opening and jaw-dropping because this planetary square impacts those relationships that have always appeared fixed and solid. But it's not all bad. You could also see the welcome return of friends you haven't seen in years as well as old bosses, ex-clients, and secret crushes who are now ready to confess that they had feelings for you all along. It's a wild and crazy week so eat lightly, remember to breathe, and keep your sense of humor handy.