Free People Horoscope by Tracy Allen, Week of August 27-September 2

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VIRGO

August 23–September 22

Nine long weeks of Mars retrograde are finally coming to an end, allowing you to gradually resume your pursuit of love and happiness on a straighter, smoother path. If you’ve managed to reconnect with a heartfelt desire in the last couple of weeks, you’re gearing up now to go after what you want. And for those of you who have recently rediscovered something you used to be passionate about, you’ll start to feel more interested in getting back into it. Mercury and Jupiter are finishing up their fight from July 9 and August 11, so if you’ve been tempted to say too much or get ahead of yourself before you have solid info, consider what you may have learned when this came up before. Balance optimism with facts and you’ll fare better this time around.

LIBRA

September 23–October 22

Once Mars starts his engine, you’ll begin to find better outlets for feelings you’ve been shoving down inside you. Your buttons have been pushed these last couple of weeks, and now you can get on top of your mood swings and direct your drive toward healthy aims. Home and family matters will start to sort themselves out with less commotion, and you’ll be able to deal with relatives and roomies more easily. We’ve all been off our game since the doer planet went retrograde in June, and everyone’s actions should be more to the point in the weeks to come. Mercury’s squabble with Jupiter is a carryover from July 9 and August 11, when you may have asked too much of people or sounded overconfident. But talking to your squad can help you clarify what’s most important to you.

SCORPIO

October 23-November 21

With your co-ruler, Mars, powering forward in your thinking-and-talking corner after a frustrating nine-week retrograde phase, your mindset will slowly shift and you’ll feel more empowered to act on your ideas. Soon you’ll find you can assert yourself in a more direct manner instead of ending up in arguments because you’re feeling agitated. Your motivation will grow and you’ll have the ability to think through a course of action. Since Mercury in your ambition angle and Jupiter in Scorpio are quarreling, as they did on July 9 and August 11, you might have an opportunity to walk back something you said on one of those dates. You’re not interested in deferring to anyone, but if you’ve crossed a line, remember you don’t have all the answers and will benefit from learning a thing or two from people above you.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22–December 21

Lucky for all of us, Mars is getting back into gear this week, and although you may still be susceptible to splurging on a whim, your money moves won’t miss the mark as much as they may have in the last couple of weeks. You can start to proceed with a fresh approach to finances and possessions and will feel like you have more control over your security. It’s easier to act on your priorities, and you’re better equipped to meet your own needs. With Mercury and your ruling planet going at it, as they did on July 9 and August 11, if you were thinking too abstractly back then, you may see what details you need to fill in now. You might have gotten carried away, but your judgment is more on point this time.

CAPRICORN

December 22–January 19

Mars is moving forward in Capricorn this week, indicating that it’s time to reengage your will and start to make much needed headway. Your frustration will gradually ease as your bottled-up energy finds a proper outlet and your passion fires back up. You won’t be as lethargic, and it will no longer feel as if you’re being thwarted at every turn. If you’ve tapped into dormant desires, now you can begin to act on them. As Mercury’s argument with Jupiter continues from July 9 and August 11, the temptation to spread gossip could pop up again. But if you overshared back then, you may have an opportunity to repair any damage. Merc’s discord with Pluto warns you to watch a controlling tone when speaking to someone close to you and to assimilate what you uncover when you dig deep.

AQUARIUS

January 20–February 18

Thanks to Mars going direct at the end of your chart, you’ll be less prone to self-sabotage and more able to work effectively. You’ll still need to operate behind the scenes for a while, but you won’t be as tempted to go against your own best interests. If you’ve slipped into an old behavior pattern, now’s the time to get a handle on your subconscious motives and confront any demons that lure you to regress. Tap into buried anger and channel it as productive aggression to reach worthwhile goals. Mercury and Jupiter are skirmishing, as they did on July 9 and August 11, so if you signed on to a lofty aim in order to please someone and let yourself get bossed around, you may see an opportunity to rebalance things. Were you encouraged — or strong-armed? Speak up!

PISCES

February 19–March 20

After traveling retrograde for nine long weeks, Mars is finally pivoting forward in your humanity zone, making group activities less problematic. Whether you want to team up on a worthwhile endeavor, do stuff with your squad or track down professional contacts, it won’t be as hard as it has been lately. In the next couple of weeks, you might opt to join a new group or switch up your role in one you already belong to. It’s also a good time to work through your differences with a friend or go after a goal you recently revised. It’s possible that you’ll cut ties with certain people if you’ve realized you’re not compatible. Mercury’s spat with Jupiter echoes their disagreements from July 9 and August 11. If your brain is fried, take a break and let it wander.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

Your ruling planet, Mars, gets back into gear this week, and fortunately, that means you can expect your mojo to gradually return. He’s been stuck in reverse in your ambition angle, making success seem out of reach. But soon you’ll feel up to the task of achieving your goals, and as your drive comes back, you should consider which aims truly deserve your passion. You’re regaining your footing and progress will no longer be such an uphill battle, so focus on those objectives you’re most motivated to accomplish. With Mercury and Jupiter tussling as they did back on July 9 and August 11, if you put heartfelt feelings into words, look for the good in whatever response you get. You might also glimpse a truth about yourself; remember to value your complicated human nature.

TAURUS

April 20–May 20

With Mars turning direct this week, differences of opinion, travel snafus, learning challenges and legal difficulties will begin to resolve. The big picture will start falling into place, with a slightly altered arrangement of puzzle pieces. You’ll gradually get a better idea of what you should believe in and advocate for. If the range of possibilities for your future has seemed limited, it will open up again in the coming weeks and you’ll feel increasingly driven to blaze a meaningful trail. Your risk assessment and sense of timing will also improve. Mercury and Jupiter are resuming a tiff they had on July 9 and August 11, pushing you to open up to someone who can offer their wisdom and encourage you. If you made emotional demands on one or both of those dates, you might settle the matter now.

GEMINI

May 21–June 20

As Mars does a course correction to wrap up his nine-week retrograde, any trouble that’s brewing in a close relationship should simmer down and your connection won’t feel so charged with tension. If anger, pain or mistrust have bubbled up in the last couple of weeks, you’ll have an easier time getting to the bottom of difficult emotions and working through them in a straightforward manner. It’s time to channel fiery feelings appropriately so you can get a relationship or passion project back on track. You’ll also be able to deal with shared resources more efficiently, and problems involving give-and-take will start to get ironed out. Your ruler is arguing with Jupiter, picking up where they left off on July 9 and August 11. Consider this your chance to rethink something you said yes to that’s stressing you out.

CANCER

June 21–July 22

With Mars shifting into forward gear in your interpersonal angle, you won’t feel as frustrated with others, and if you’ve been projecting resentment onto people, now’s the time to make a concerted effort to put things right. Maybe you dredged up an old fight in the last several weeks, and now you’ll find it isn’t so hard to get it sorted. If progress in a relationship stalled this summer, you can move ahead now, together or apart. The retrograde may have revealed whether a partnership was going to work or not, and now you can proceed accordingly. Mercury and Jupiter are resuming their conference from July 9 and August 11, so if you misestimated the true cost of something you hoped would give you great pleasure, this is a chance to recalculate what you’re willing to risk.

LEO

July 23–August 22

After Mars powers forward, you’ll feel much more capable of getting things done and soon you’ll find you’re going about your business efficiently and are on top of daily duties. If you’ve tweaked your routine, this is the phase for implementing changes that reflect how you want to spend your energy day in and day out. Maybe you’ve figured out a different M.O. that will streamline your efforts and improve productivity. You might take a fresh approach to your health or job or a particular problem or task. Mercury in Leo is sparring again with Jupiter — a continuation from their encounters on July 9 and August 11 — so your thoughts may turn to keeping a good thing going. If something you said had a domino effect at home, this might be the time to reel it in.

Follow @astrotherapist on Twitter and email tallennyc@gmail.com to schedule a reading over phone or Skype. Available in-person in NYC! $125 for 60 minutes, $150 for 90 minutes.