PISCES HOROSCOPE

Mercury retrograde in that part of your solar chart that pertains to work may feel like a backwards slide at first. You might be asked to return to a previous position temporarily or to take on additional responsibilities without extra pay. It makes sense that you’d feel exploited, but your willingness to pitch in could also win the gratitude of the person you're helping out or impress a superior who's been looking to work with someone like you. In any case this retrograde will result in an advance which only goes to show that sometimes you have to step back in order to leap forward.

It's going to feel like the rug's being pulled out from under you when Uranus enters Gemini on July 7th. Something you relied on – like a person, place, or thing – has suddenly been removed and you could find yourself at a loss as to what to do next. Most people would go back the way they came and try to recover what they had but that won't be happening with you. The best thing to do is move forward. It may look like everything's topsy-turvy now, but it won't for long. In fact you're entering one of the most emboldening periods of your life.

Ruling Planet Neptune retrograde on July 4th shows you experiencing a case of cold feet regarding a certain venture or progress. It's surprising given that weeks ago you were quite excited about moving forward, but now you're scrambling for the nearest exit. It may look like you're bailing on something without cause or reason, but being a Pisces you can usually tell when something's gone south. The difference this time is that you're not as confident following your instincts and that's because Neptune's reversing direction in a sign you're not used to. Rest assured you're making the right move even if others say you aren't.

The Mercury/Neptune trine on June 28th will feel quite different from the Mercury/Neptune trines of the past 13 years. Those trines occurred in water signs which are psychic in nature. Being a water sign you're used to perceiving feelings and images that make no sense to you but are deeply meaningful to others. A Mercury/Neptune trine in fire is more intuitive. It quickens the pulse of your extra sensory perception so that you respond immediately – like a game show champion during the lightning round who correctly answers one question after the next. It's more hurried than you're used to, but you'll grow to like it.

Bureaucracy is your friend. And you'll need to repeat this like a mantra for the next seven weeks while Mars is traveling through the zodiac sign of Virgo. It looks like someone is coming after you for something. Maybe it's for money owed, a settlement that favored you, or a property claim. In any case you'll need the help of a certain bureaucratic agency. That means long waits on the call bank, repeating your story endlessly, and filing things in duplicate and triplicate. It's a Pisces nightmare, but do as your told and you'll awake on August 7th to find that you're in the clear.

Pisces people often search for love in faraway lands and improbable circumstances. These are the things that make romance romantic because there's nothing more disappointing than to get what you want only to realize it doesn’t compare to what you longed for. Jupiter in Cancer for 12 months promises to deliver the love of your life or at least recognition that the love of your life is already here. It is the nature of Cancer to bond; to say that THIS love is more important than all the rest. What you lose in freedom, you gain in intimacy and that will make all the difference.

Mercury conjoins Ruling Planet Jupiter at the 29th degree of Gemini on June 8th. This is called the “anaretic” degree in Astrology and any conjunction here sums up everything that's come before in a flash. Mercury is the planet of the mind and messages so this could signal an extraordinary revelation, a critical decision, or something resolved by the sudden stroke of a pen. It may leave you feeling wobbly, but the good news is that Jupiter enters Cancer on June 9th which means that whatever's taking place is actually freeing you to move on to a more enriching and fulfilling chapter of your life.

What's the difference between fantasy and visualization? Fantasy is about conjuring up images and scenarios of what could be while visualization focuses the power of the imagination on a goal. It's one thing to have an aim or objective in mind; quite another to imagine yourself achieving it. Neptune is not a to-do list friendly planet – unfettered imaginations are rarely concerned with the means and methods of making a dream come true; however inventive Mercury is. Brought together by a sextile on May 26th, you'll see Mercury and Neptune pool their energies to help you find a way to create the life you envision for yourself.

People often confuse life with lifestyle. And they're fairly interchangeable until you hit a fork in the road and see them head off in different directions. This week you face some big questions regarding the kind of life you want to live. Are you happy where you are? Would you be more fulfilled doing something else? Are you taking care of your body and your soul? Normally these would be navel-gazing inquiries but the Sun in Taurus demands that you make some real and effective changes. You used to joke about not being practical but right now you're getting a crash course in pragmatism.

It will be hard for you to stay out of people's private affairs when there's a Full Moon in Scorpio on May 12th. You can always tell when something's off with a loved one but the Scorpio energy will turn you into a baying bloodhound that's on the scent. However this relentless pursuit of the truth could get you into trouble if you're not careful. You see, it doesn't matter if you think you've got the answer to somebody's problems because what's important is that you mind your own business and respect their personal boundaries. Trust that if they need help, they'll ask for it.