One of your great gifts is showing people how to do something when their mental wheels freeze up. Whether it's walking them through a software problem, a do-it-yourself repair, or a bureaucratic maze, you have a way of putting things simply without making anyone feel condescended to. It's a great talent and you should never underestimate it. This week you'll have an opportunity to show it off to your advantage. Be humble in your approach and patient when asked to explain things again and again. Don't give up until you see the lightbulb go off and you will win a new fan, and possibly more.

You don’t like it when things take forever to come together. You’re a bottom-line, let’s-seal-the-deal-ASAP personality. It’s why the current back-and-forth negotiation is driving you crazy. Every minute detail is being analyzed and examined while the clock is ticking and precious time is running out. However, the Stars show that this is exactly the way you want things to proceed. Not only are all the wrinkles being ironed out, but you stand to gain something new every time you and a prospective buyer, seller, or employer sit down to meet. Don’t hurry a process that promises to deliver so handsomely.

Don't accept an agency's word as final when they say that you failed to qualify for certain rights or that you will be denied promised benefits. This week's Sun/Pluto square shows that there's more going on than meets the eye and that you could turn the tables by doing some in-depth research. Not only will you unearth oversights and expose inconsistencies, but this evidence will provide you with the proof you need to build support and even win opponents over to your side. This battle won't be won overnight and may even last through mid-November, but rest assured that you will prevail in the end.

You have something someone wants. It may be a prized property, a lucrative job, or simply good looks. In any case, you're going to want to keep a watchful eye on things when Ruling Planet Venus squares Pluto on October 20th and then conjoins the Sun (i.e., turns cazimi) on the 23rd. Covetousness is such an egregious sin that it's listed twice in the Ten Commandments, and since you and yours are what others are eyeing so hungrily this week, it might be a good idea to keep a low profile. Not only will you avoid trouble, you'll also hold on to what you have.

Right now you're stuck between a rock and a hard place at work. Either you have to shore up your boundaries with a manager who keeps overstepping them or put together an exit strategy at a time when resources are stretched to the limit and prospects look underwhelming. But before you put yourself through all that, you might want to check in with a superior to see if this is all still pertinent. Pluto coming out of retrograde on October 15th indicates an upcoming change in the higher ranks. A major player will soon be leaving, thereby rendering your woes and worries null and void.

Haven't you been here before? It will certainly feel that way as Venus retrogrades past Mercury on October 6th, but don't assume that familiar means the same. Terms can be dressed up to sound the way they did before just as particulars can resemble but not replicate what was originally on offer. That's why you need to be especially vigilant about this second round of talks. You need to do the extra research, ask the tough questions, and drive as hard a bargain as you can because the fact that a client is approaching you again means that they need you more than you need them.

Beware girlfriends in need. The same goes for sisters, neighbors, and in-laws for as long as Venus is retrograding through Scorpio and Libra. You have some potentially treacherous planetary aspects over the next few weeks and you don't want to take the fall for somebody else's folly. Maybe this person wants you to tell her husband that she was at your house (when she wasn't), or she might come to you for a loan on top of the one you already gave her. Just say no. This way you will avoid any fiascos where your good intentions might pave the way to a hellish situation.

Mars, planet of strife, moves into that part of your solar chart that pertains to house and home on September 27th. Life with family members has been strained and this could transform what's left of your peaceful sanctuary into an occupied territory. Since you know you can't win, you might as well let loved ones know where you stand. Tell them you don't appreciate their bitchy quips, the free-floating anger, and the way you're made to feel like you have to walk around on eggshells. Yes, they'll be upset, but at least you'll get tensions out in the open where they can be addressed.

Nothing guarantees success like working with like-minded people. Whether it's a professional venture or a neighborhood project, the Sun/Mars sextile on September 14th will bring together a group of individuals who wouldn't have typically sought each other out. Not only will this experience make you proud of your own contribution, it will also generate a strong sense of community, not unlike a modern-day barn raising. This feeling of fellowship is important given today's tendency for siloing. Although this project may be completed almost as fast as it begins, there's no saying you can't get together to work again, and on a more regular basis.

Venus in Scorpio for the next few months (it turns retrograde on October 3rd) means that you'll be attracting more Sturm und Drang than you'll know what to do with. Loved ones will be battling inner demons, friends will be wrestling with high-stakes issues, and even co-workers will be feeling overwhelmed by their personal existential crises. You'll want to be there for them, but honestly you've been through some heavy stuff lately and could use a break. That may be easier said than done as you try to negotiate this psychic minefield, but if you politely change the subject, then hopefully they'll follow suit.