Leo, January 2017

On January 3, Venus enters Pisces and illuminates a sensitive, psychic sector of your chart. Venus is the planet of love and money, and it loves to be in the sign of limitlessness, Pisces. The vibe is ultra understanding and forgiving—this is a profound time for letting go of the past and moving on. Sex and intimacy will definitely be issues for you to focus on as seductive Venus spends time in emotional, sensitive Pisces. Depth in your relationships is going to be important to you, and you'll learn whether your partners are able to "go there" with you.

Venus isn't just about affection and intimacy; it's also the planet of cash, and while it's in the sign of the fish, issues concerning tricky financial situations—like debts, taxes, or inheritances—will also surface. Hopefully, Venus's sweet vibes will bring blessings to all these concerns!

Let's not forget, though, that the first week of 2017 will be complicated: Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn! Don't expect things to go as planned. You might be lost in love with Venus in Pisces, but a traffic jam or broken phone is likely to bring you back down to earth.

Mercury retrograde is famous for miscommunications and delays, and you will have to deal with a lot of rescheduling while it's retrograde in Capricorn. Mercury retrograde in Capricorn will also highlight troubles at your day job and with your health. Are you taking care of yourself, Leo?

Mercury reenters fellow Fire sign Sagittarius on January 4, during which time Mercury will ask you to slow down and reflect: Are you inspired? Are you having fun? Are you creating, loving, and partying as much as you should be?

Probably not, because the planet of fear and restriction, Saturn, has been in Sagittarius, being a total downer by hanging out in the fun and flirtation sector of your chart. But still, Mercury retrograde in Sag wants you to think about these things. You could run into someone from your past—someone you used to have fun with! Who are you now compared to when you knew them?

Try to avoid signing contracts or making important purchases until Mercury goes direct on January 8. Soon after, on January 12, Mercury will reenter Capricorn, and your schedule will finally start to even out again, save for an unexpected bump in the road on January 10, when the Sun in Capricorn will clash with erratic Uranus in impulsive Aries. (Mercury retrograde may be over, but unruly Uranus also knows how to throw plans off!)

But don't worry, my lovely lion, you won't be out of control all month. An especially powerful day will be January 7, when the Sun and Pluto meet in Capricorn. Pluto is the lord of the underworld, so when it meets your ruling planet, the Sun, the vibe will for sure be intense and transformative. Pluto reveals our dark side, but when the Sun—the center of our solar system and our source of life—meets this planet, we're able to integrate the darkness that we may have been denying. We're able to "own it," whatever "it" may be.

This will be an especially potent time for kicking bad habits, or for tackling something that's been on your to-do list for far too long. Pay attention to what happens at work, too; it should be important. The full moon in Cancer will bring to light issues at work or with your schedule.

An emotionally intense full moon in Cancer arrives on January 12. Cancer is the crybaby of the zodiac, and you, brave lion, will be crying like a baby today. Let the tears flow; this is a powerful full moon for processing your emotions. Feelings you have repressed will come up for healing. Full moons are always exhausting, but you're going to need more sleep during this one, so don't overbook yourself. Spending time alone would be wise—you're going to feel sensitive to other people's energies, plus your intuition will be super strong. Spending time alone, in meditation, will result in some interesting messages.

If it's hidden, secret, or mysterious, it will present itself to you during this full moon in Cancer. During the time the Sun has been in hardworking Capricorn, it's been hard for you to turn away from your responsibilities. But during this full moon in psychic, emotional Water sign Cancer, you will be pushed to escape the real world and engage in activities that take you away from your everyday life.

Will this mean a secret affair? A visit to a sacred temple at midnight? Turning your phone off and disappearing from the world while you binge-watch a TV show? Whatever "escape" means to you, you will have it this month during the full moon—you can't hold it in and pretend to be normal any longer!

Your focus shifts to your relationships on January 19, when the Sun enters cool Air sign Aquarius and illuminates the partnership sector of your chart. You like your partners to be people who aren't afraid to stand out from the crowd, who care about their community, and who value intelligence and innovation—all this sounds like Aquarius's vibe!

Now, I'm not saying that you should partner with Aquarians to find happiness—you can if you want to, but it's not necessary. It's just that this sign highlights many of the qualities that you look for in people, and during the time the Sun travels through the sign of the Water Bearer, your focus will be squarely on partnering. Both romantic and nonromantic relationships will gain your attention, and you'll learn more about what you're able to give (and take) as well as how to compromise.

A fresh start will come to your relationships on January 27 thanks to the new moon in Aquarius. Aquarius is the sign of the inventor, so a new moon in this sign is especially exciting and electric! Between the new moon in the partnership sector of your chart, and Venus lovesick in Pisces, this should be an intriguing month for your relationships, Leo.

The month wraps up with action planet Mars entering fellow Fire sign Aries on January 28, revving up the exploration and learning sector of your chart. You'll be motivated to travel or to pick up a new skill. This will definitely be a nice boost of energy if you're in school, or if you're working on any literary projects that you're hoping to have published!

2017 starts off on a shaky foot thanks to Mercury retrograde, but you won't be held back from going where you want to go by the end of the month. See you in February, Leo!