Meet Lesley Francis

Lesley is a full-time practicing astrologer, intuitive, professional writer, teacher/facilitator, and speaker. She began her study of astrology in early 1974 while working as a journalist for Canada’s fourth-largest newspaper and quickly found a lifelong passion, one that ultimately took her down a completely different path in the late 1990s after she left behind her 25-year career in journalism. This shift led to still more changes as Lesley developed both her psychic gifts and her very own intuitive tool, a deck of cards based in astrology.

Her monthly predictions graced Llewellyn’s Astrological Calendar, the largest-selling calendar of its kind worldwide, for seven years, from 2012 to 2018, and she is a past contributor to other Llewellyn publications. Lesley has spoken at numerous astrological conferences, including NORWAC, SOTA, and the inaugural Canadian Astrology Conference in 2015.

Lesley can be reached through her website at www.lesleyfrancis.com.

How to Use This Book

by Kim Rogers-Gallagher

Hi there! Welcome to the 2019 edition of Llewellyn’s Sun Sign Book. This book centers on Sun sign astrology—that is, the set of general attributes and characteristics that those of us born under each of the twelve particular Sun signs share. You’ll find descriptions of your sign’s qualities tucked into your sign’s chapter, along with the type of behavior you tend to exhibit in different life situations—with regard to relationships, work situations, and the handling of money and possessions, for example. Oh, and there’s a section that’s dedicated to good old-fashioned fun, too, including what will bring you joy and how to make it happen.

There’s a lot to be said for Sun sign astrology. First off, the Sun’s sign at the time of your birth describes the qualities, talents, and traits you’re here to study this time around. If you believe in reincarnation, think of it as declaring a celestial major for this lifetime. Sure, you’ll learn other things along the way, but you’ve announced to one and all that you’re primarily interested in mastering this one particular sign. Then, too, on a day when fiery, impulsive energies are making astrological headlines, if you’re a fiery and/or impulsive sign yourself—like Aries or Aquarius, for example—it’s easy to imagine how you’ll take to the astrological weather a lot more easily than a practical, steady-handed sign like Taurus or Virgo.

Obviously, astrology comes in handy, for a variety of reasons. Getting to know your “natal” Sun sign (the sign the Sun was in when you were born) can most certainly give you the edge you need to ace the final and move on to the next celestial course level—or basically to succeed in life, and maybe even earn a few bonus points toward next semester. Using astrology on a daily basis nicely accelerates the process.

Now, there are eight other planets and one lovely Moon in our neck of the celestial woods, all of which also play into our personalities. The sign that was on the eastern horizon at the moment of your birth—otherwise known as your Ascendant, or rising sign—is another indicator of your personality traits. Honestly, there are all kinds of cosmic factors, so if it’s an in-depth, personal analysis you’re after, a professional astrologer is the only way to go—especially if you’re curious about relationships, past lives, future trends, or even the right time to schedule an important life event. Professional astrologers calculate your birth chart—again, the “natal” chart—based on the date, place, and exact time of your birth—which allows for a far more personal and specific reading. In the meantime, however, in addition to reading up on your Sun sign, you can use the tables on pages 8 and 9 to find the sign of your Ascendant. (These tables, however, are approximate and tailored to those of us born in North America, so if the traits of your Ascendant don’t sound familiar, check out the sign directly before or after.)

There are three sections to each sign chapter in this book. As I already mentioned, the first section describes personality traits, and while it’s fun to read your own, don’t forget to check out the other Sun signs. (Oh, and do feel free to mention any rather striking behavioral similarities to skeptics. It’s great fun to watch a Scorpio’s reaction when you tell them they’re astrologically known as “the sexy sign,” or a Gemini when you thank them for creating the concept of multitasking.)

The second section is entitled “The Year Ahead” for each sign. Through considering the movements of the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto), the eclipses, and any other outstanding celestial movements, this segment will provide you with the big picture of the year—or basically the broad strokes of what to expect, no matter who you are or where you are, collectively speaking.

The third section includes monthly forecasts, along with rewarding days and challenging days, basically a heads-up designed to alert you to potentially easy times as well as potentially tricky times.

At the end of every chapter you’ll find an Action Table, providing general information about the best time to indulge in certain activities. Please note that these are only suggestions. Don’t hold yourself back or rush into anything your intuition doesn’t wholeheartedly agree with—and again, when in doubt, find yourself a professional.

Well, that’s it. I hope that you enjoy this book, and that being aware of the astrological energies of 2019 helps you create a year full of fabulous memories!

Kim Rogers-Gallagher has written hundreds of articles and columns for magazines and online publications and has two books of her own, Astrology for the Light Side of the Brain and Astrology for the Light Side of the Future. She’s a well-known speaker who’s been part of the UAC faculty since 1996. Kim can be contacted at KRGPhoenix313@yahoo.com for fees regarding readings, classes, and lectures.

Ascendant Table

Your Time of Birth
Your Sun Sign	6–8 am	8–10 am	10 am– Noon	Noon– 2 pm	2–4 pm	4–6 pm
Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra
Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio
Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius
Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn
Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius
Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces
Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries
Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus
Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini
Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer
Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo
Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo

Your Time of Birth
Your Sun Sign	6–8 pm	8–10 pm	10 pm– Midnight	Midnight– 2 am	2–4 am	4–6 am
Aries	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries
Taurus	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus
Gemini	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini
Cancer	Aquarius	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer
Leo	Pisces	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo
Virgo	Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo
Libra	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra
Scorpio	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio
Sagittarius	Cancer	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius
Capricorn	Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn
Aquarius	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius
Pisces	Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces

How to use this table: 1. Find your Sun sign in the left column.

2. Find your approximate birth time in a vertical column.

3. Line up your Sun sign and birth time to find your Ascendant.

This table will give you an approximation of your Ascendant. If you feel that the sign listed as your ­Ascendant is incorrect, try the one either before or after the listed sign. It is difficult to determine your exact Ascendant without a complete natal chart.

Astrology Basics

Natal astrology is done by freeze-framing the solar system at the moment of your birth, from the perspective of your birth place. This creates a circular map that looks like a pie sliced into twelve pieces. It shows where every heavenly body we’re capable of seeing was located when you arrived. Basically, it’s your astrological tool kit, and it can’t be replicated more than once in thousands of years. This is why we astrologers are so darn insistent about the need for you to either dig your birth certificate out of that box of ancient paperwork in the back of your closet or get a copy of it from the county clerk’s office where you were born. Natal astrology, as interpreted by a professional astrologer, is done exactly and precisely for you and no one else. It shows your inherent traits, talents, and challenges. Comparing the planets’ current positions to their positions in your birth chart allows astrologers to help you understand the celestial trends at work in your life—and most importantly, how you can put each astrological energy to a positive, productive use.

Let’s take a look at the four main components of every astrology chart.

Planets

The planets represent the needs or urges we all experience once we hop off the Evolutionary Express and take up residence inside a human body. For example, the Sun is your urge to shine and be creative, the Moon is your need to express emotions, Mercury is in charge of how you communicate and navigate, and Venus is all about who and what you love—and more importantly, how you love.

Signs

The sign a planet occupies is like a costume or uniform. It describes how you’ll go about acting on your needs and urges. If you have Venus in fiery, impulsive Aries, for example, and you’re attracted to a complete stranger across the room, you won’t wait for them to come to you. You’ll walk over and introduce yourself the second the urge strikes you. Venus in intense, sexy Scorpio, however? Well, that’s a different story. In this case, you’ll keep looking at a prospective beloved until they finally give in, cross the room, and beg you to explain why you’ve been staring at them for the past couple of hours.

Houses

The houses represent the different sides of our personalities that emerge in different life situations. For example, think of how very different you act when you’re with an authority figure as opposed to how you act with a lover or when you’re with your BFF.

Aspects

The aspects describe the distance from one planet to another in a geometric angle. If you were born when Mercury was 90 degrees from Jupiter, for example, this aspect is called a square. Each unique angular relationship causes the planets involved to interact differently.

Meet the Planets

The planets represent energy sources. The Sun is our source of creativity, the Moon is our emotional warehouse, and Venus describes who and what we love and are attracted to—not to mention why and how we go about getting it and keeping it.

Sun

The Sun is the head honcho in your chart. It represents your life’s mission—what will give you joy, keep you young, and never fail to arouse your curiosity. Oddly enough, you weren’t born knowing the qualities of the sign the Sun was in when you were born. You’re here to learn the traits, talents, and characteristics of the sign you chose—and rest assured, each of the twelve is its own marvelous adventure! Since the Sun is the Big Boss, all of the other planets, including the Moon, are the Sun’s staff, all there to help the boss by helping you master your particular area of expertise. Back in the day, the words from a song in a recruitment commercial struck me as a perfect way to describe our Sun’s quest: “Be all that you can be. Keep on reaching. Keep on growing. Find your future.” The accompanying music was energizing, robust, and exciting, full of anticipation and eagerness. When you feel enthused, motivated, and stimulated, that’s your Sun letting you know you’re on the right path.

Moon

If you want to understand this lovely silver orb, go outside when the Moon is nice and full, find yourself a comfy perch, sit still, and have a nice, long look at her. The Moon inspires us to dream, wish, and sigh, to reminisce, ruminate, and remember. She’s the Queen of Emotions, the astrological purveyor of feelings and reactions. In your natal chart, the condition of the Moon—that is, the sign and house she’s in and the connections she makes with your other planets—shows how you’ll deal with whatever life tosses your way—how you’ll respond, how you’ll cope, and how you’ll pull it all together to move on after a crisis. She’s where your instincts and hunches come from, and the source of every gut feeling and premonition. The Moon describes your childhood home, your relationship with your mother, your attitude toward childbearing and children in general, and what you’re looking for in a home. She shows what makes you feel safe, warm, comfy, and loved. On a daily basis, the Moon describes the collective mood.

Mercury

Next time you pass by a flower shop, take a look at the FTD logo by the door. That fellow with the wings on his head and his feet is Mercury, the ancient Messenger of the Gods. He’s always been a very busy guy. Back in the day, his job was to shuttle messages back and forth between the gods and goddesses and we mere mortals—obviously, no easy feat. Nowadays, however, Mercury is even busier. With computers, cell phones, social media, and perhaps even the occasional human-to-human interaction to keep track of—well, he must be just exhausted. In a nutshell, he’s the astrological energy in charge of communication, navigation, and travel, so he’s still nicely represented by that winged image. He’s also the guy in charge of the five senses, so no matter what you’re aware of right now, be it taste, touch, sound, smell, or sight—well, that’s because Mercury is bringing it to you, live. At any rate, you’ll hear about him most when someone mentions that Mercury is retrograde, but even though these periods have come to be blamed for all sorts of problems, there’s really no cause for alarm. Mercury turns retrograde (or, basically, appears to move backwards from our perspective here on Earth) every three months for three weeks, giving us all a chance for a do-over—and who among us has never needed one of those?

Venus

So, if it’s Mercury that makes you aware of your environment, who allows you to experience all kinds of sensory sensations via the five senses? Who’s in charge of your preferences in each department? That delightful task falls under the jurisdiction of the lovely lady Venus, who describes the physical experiences that are the absolute best—in your book, anyway. That goes for the music and art you find most pleasing, the food and beverages you can’t get enough of, and the scents you consider the sweetest of all—including the collar of the shirt your loved one recently wore. Touch, of course, is also a sense that can be quite delightful to experience. Think of how happy your fingers are when you’re stroking your pet’s fur, or the delicious feel of cool bed sheets when you slip between them after an especially tough day. Venus brings all those sensations together in one wonderful package, working her magic through love of the romantic kind, most memorably experienced through intimate physical interaction with an “other.” Still, your preferences in any relationship also fall under Venus’s job description.

Mars

Mars turns up the heat, amps up the energy, and gets your show on the road. Whenever you hear yourself grunt, growl, or grumble—or just make any old “rrrrr” sound in general—your natal Mars has just made an appearance. Adrenaline is his business and passion is his specialty. He’s the ancient God of War—a hot-headed guy who’s famous for having at it with his sword first and asking questions later. In the extreme, Mars is often in the neighborhood when violent events occur, and accidents, too. He’s in charge of self-assertion, aggression, and pursuit, and one glance at his heavenly appearance explains why. He’s The Red Planet, after all—and just think of all the expressions about anger and passion that include references to the color red or the element of fire: “Grrr!” “Seeing red.” “Hot under the collar.” “All fired up.” “Hot and heavy.” You get the idea. Mars is your own personal warrior. He describes how you’ll react when you’re threatened, excited, or angry.

Jupiter

Santa Claus. Luciano Pavarotti with a great big smile on his face as he belts out an amazing aria. Your favorite uncle who drinks too much, eats too much, and laughs far too loud—yet never fails to go well above and beyond the call of duty for you when you need him. They’re all perfect examples of Jupiter, the King of the Gods, the giver of all things good, and the source of extravagance, generosity, excess, and benevolence in our little corner of the Universe. He and Venus are the heavens’ two most popular planets—for obvious reasons. Venus makes us feel good. Jupiter makes us feel absolutely over-the-top excellent. In Jupiter’s book, if one is good, it only stands to reason that two would be better, and following that logic, ten would be just outstanding. His favorite words are “too,” “many,” and “much.” Expansions, increases, and enlargements—or basically, just the whole concept of growth—are all his doing. Now, unbeknownst to this merry old fellow, there really is such a thing as too much of a good thing—but let’s not pop his goodhearted bubble. Wherever Jupiter is in your chart, you’ll be prone to go overboard, take it to the limit, and push the envelope as far as you possibly can. Sure, you might get a bit out of control every now and then, but if envelopes weren’t ever pushed, we’d never know the joys of optimism, generosity, or sudden, contagious bursts of laughter.

Saturn

Jupiter expands. Saturn contracts. Jupiter encourages growth. Saturn, on the other hand, uses those rings he’s so famous for to restrict growth. His favorite word is “no,” but he’s also very fond of “wait,” “stop,” and “don’t even think about it.” He’s ultra-realistic and quite pessimistic, a cautious, careful curmudgeon who guards and protects you by not allowing you to move too quickly or act too recklessly. He insists on preparation and doesn’t take kindly when we blow off responsibilities and duties. As you can imagine, Saturn is not nearly as popular as Venus and Jupiter, mainly because none of us like to be told we can’t do what we want to do when we want to do it. Still, without someone who acted out his part when you were too young to know better, you might have dashed across the street without stopping to check for traffic first, and—well, you get the point. Saturn encourages frugality, moderation, thoughtfulness, and self-restraint, all necessary habits to learn if you want to play nice with the other grown-ups. He’s also quite fond of building things, which necessarily starts with solid foundations and structures that are built to last.

Uranus

Say hello to Mr. Unpredictable himself, the heavens’ wild card—to say the very least. He’s the kind of guy who claims responsibility for lightning strikes, be they literal or symbolic. Winning the lottery, love at first sight, accidents, and anything seemingly coincidental that strikes you as oddly well-timed are all examples of Uranus’s handiwork. He’s a rebellious, headstrong energy, so wherever he is in your chart, you’ll be defiant, headstrong, and quite unwilling to play by the rules, which he thinks of as merely annoying suggestions that far too many humans adhere to. Uranus is here to inspire you to be yourself—exactly as you are, with no explanations and no apologies whatsoever. He motivates you to develop qualities such as independence, ingenuity, and individuality—and with this guy in the neighborhood, if anyone or anything gets in the way, you’ll 86 them. Period. Buh-bye now. The good news is that when you allow this freedom-loving energy to guide you, you discover something new and exciting about yourself on a daily basis—at least. The tough but entirely doable part is keeping him reined in tightly enough to earn your daily bread and form lasting relationships with like-minded others.

Neptune

Neptune is the uncontested Mistress of Disguise and Illusion in the solar system, beautifully evidenced by the fact that this ultra-feminine energy has been masquerading as a male god for as long as gods and goddesses have been around. Just take a look at the qualities she bestows: compassion, spirituality, intuition, wistfulness, and nostalgia. Basically, whenever your subconscious whispers, it’s in Neptune’s voice. She activates your antennae and sends you subtle, invisible, and yet highly powerful messages about everyone you cross paths with, no matter how fleeting the encounter. I often picture her as Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz, who rode around in a pink bubble, singing happy little songs and casting wonderful, helpful spells. Think “enchantment”—oh, and “glamour,” too, which, by the way, was the old-time term for a magical spell cast upon someone to change their appearance. Nowadays, glamour is often thought of as a rather idealized and often artificial type of beauty brought about by cosmetics and airbrushing, but Neptune is still in charge, and her magic still works. When this energy is wrongfully used, deceptions, delusions and fraud can result—and since she’s so fond of ditching reality, it’s easy to become a bit too fond of escape hatches like drugs and alcohol. Still, Neptune inspires romance, nostalgia, and sentimentality, and she’s quite fond of dreams and fantasies, too—and what would life be like without all of that?

Pluto

Picture all the gods and goddesses in the heavens above us living happily in a huge mansion in the clouds. Then imagine that Pluto’s place is at the bottom of the cellar stairs, and on the cellar door (which is in the kitchen, of course) a sign reads “Keep out. Working on Darwin Awards.” That’s where Pluto would live—and that’s the attitude he’d have. He’s in charge of unseen cycles—life, death, and rebirth. Obviously, he’s not an emotional kind of guy. Whatever Pluto initiates really has to happen. He’s dark, deep, and mysterious—and inevitable. So yes, Darth Vader does come to mind, if for no other reason than because of James Earl Jones’s amazing, compelling voice. Still, this intense, penetrating, and oh-so-thorough energy has a lot more to offer. Pluto’s in charge of all those categories we humans aren’t fond of—like death and decay, for example—but on the less drastic side, he also inspires recycling, repurposing, and reusing. In your chart, Pluto represents a place where you’ll be ready to go big or go home, where investing all or nothing is a given. When a crisis comes up—when you need to be totally committed and totally authentic to who you really are to get through it—that’s when you’ll meet your Pluto. Power struggles and mind games, however—well, you can also expect those pesky types of things wherever Pluto is located.

A Word about Retrogrades

“Retrograde” sounds like a bad thing, but I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. In a nutshell, retrograde means that from our perspective here on Earth, a planet appears to be moving in reverse. Of course, planets don’t ever actually back up, but the energy of retrograde planets is often held back, delayed, or hindered in some way. For example, when Mercury—the ruler of communication and navigation—appears to be retrograde, it’s tough to get from point A to point B without a snafu, and it’s equally hard to get a straight answer. Things just don’t seem to go as planned. But it only makes sense. Since Mercury is the planet in charge of conversation and movement, when he’s moving backward—well, imagine driving a car that only had reverse. Yep. It wouldn’t be easy. Still, if that’s all you had to work with, you’d eventually find a way to get where you wanted to go. That’s how all retrograde energies work. If you have retrograde planets in your natal chart, don’t rush them. These energies may need a bit more time to function well for you than other natal planets, but if you’re patient, talk about having an edge! You’ll know these planets inside and out. On a collective basis, think of the time when a planet moves retrograde as a chance for a celestial do-over.

Signs of the Zodiac

The sign a planet is “wearing” really says it all. It’s the costume an actor wears that helps them act out the role they’re playing. It’s the style, manner, or approach you’ll use in each life department—whether you’re being creative on a canvas, gushing over a new lover, or applying for a management position. Each of the signs belongs to an element, a quality, and a gender, as follows.

Elements

The four elements—fire, earth, air, and water—describe a sign’s aims. Fire signs are spiritual, impulsive energies. Earth signs are tightly connected to the material plane. Air signs are cerebral, intellectual creatures, and water signs rule the emotional side of life.

Qualities

The three qualities—cardinal, fixed, and mutable—describe a sign’s energy. Cardinal signs are tailor-made for beginnings. Fixed energies are solid, just as they sound, and are quite determined to finish what they start. Mutable energies are flexible and accommodating but can also be scattered or unstable.

Genders

The genders—masculine and feminine—describe whether the energy attracts (feminine) or pursues (masculine) what it wants.

The Twelve Signs

Here’s a quick rundown of the twelve zodiac signs.

Aries

Aries planets are hotheads. They’re built from go-getter cardinal energy and fast-acting fire. Needless to say, Aries energy is impatient, energetic, and oh-so-willing to try anything once.

Taurus

Taurus planets are aptly represented by the symbol of the bull. They’re earth creatures, very tightly connected to the material plane, and fixed—which means they’re pretty much immovable when they don’t want to act.

Sequence	Sign	Glyph	Ruling Planet	Symbol
1	Aries		Mars	Ram
2	Taurus		Venus	Bull
3	Gemini		Mercury	Twins
4	Cancer		Moon	Crab
5	Leo		Sun	Lion
6	Virgo		Mercury	Virgin
7	Libra		Venus	Scales
8	Scorpio		Pluto	Scorpion
9	Sagittarius		Jupiter	Archer
10	Capricorn		Saturn	Goat
11	Aquarius		Uranus	Water Bearer
12	Pisces		Neptune	Fish

Gemini

As an intellectual air sign that’s mutable and interested in anything new, Gemini energy is eternally curious—and quite easily distracted. Gemini planets live in the moment and are expert multitaskers.

Cancer

Cancer is a water sign that runs on its emotions, and since it’s also part of the cardinal family, it’s packed with the kind of start-up energy that’s perfect for raising a family and building a home.

Leo

This determined, fixed sign is part of the fire family. As fires go, think of Leo planets as bonfires of energy—and just try to tear your eyes away. Leo’s symbol is the lion, and it’s no accident. Leo planets care very much about their familial pride—and about their personal pride.

Virgo

Virgo is mutable and therefore easily able to switch channels when necessary. It’s part of the earth family and connected to the material world (like Taurus). Virgo energy loves to work, organize, and sort, but most of all, to fix what’s broken.

Libra

This communicative air sign runs on high. It’s cardinal, so when it comes to making connections, Libra is second to none. Libra planets are people pleasers and the honorary cruise directors of the zodiac, and are as charming and accommodating as the day is long.

Scorpio

Scorpio is of the water element and a highly emotional creature. Scorpio energy is fixed, too, so feelings are tough to shake and obsessions are easy to come by. Planets in this sign are devoted and determined and can be absolutely relentless.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius has all the fire of Aries and Leo but, due to its mutable nature, tends to be distracted, spreading its energy among projects and interests. Think of Sagittarius energy as a series of red-hot brushfires, firing up and dying down and firing up again in a new location.

Capricorn

As the third earth sign, Capricorn is concerned with reality and practicality, complete with all the rules and regulations it takes to build and maintain a life here on Planet Number Three. Capricorn energy takes charge and assumes responsibility quite easily.

Aquarius

The last of the three communicative air signs, Aquarius prefers mingling and interacting with a group via friendships. Freedom-loving Aquarius energy won’t be restricted—not for long, anyway—and is willing to return the favor, in any and all relationships.

Pisces

Watery Pisces runs on its emotions—and even more so on its intuition, which is second to none. This mutable, flexible sign is aptly represented by the constant fluctuating movements of its symbol, the two fish.

Aspects

Astrological aspects describe the relationships between planets and important points in a horoscope chart. Basically, they’re the mathematical angles that measure the distance between two or more planets. Planets in square aspect are 90 degrees apart, planets in opposition are 180 degrees apart, and so forth. Each of these aspect relationships seems to link energies in a very different way. For example, if two planets are in square aspect, think of what you know about “squaring off,” and you’ll understand exactly how they’re interacting. Think of aspects as a way of describing the type of conversation going on between celestial bodies.

Here’s a brief description of the five major aspects.

Conjunction

When two planets are within a few degrees of each other, they’re joined at the hip. The conjunction is often called the aspect of “fusion,” since the energies involved always act together.

Sextile

Planets in sextile are linked by a 60-degree angle, creating an exciting, stimulating astrological “conversation.” These planets encourage, arouse, and excite each other.

Square

The square aspect is created by linking energies in a 90-degree angle—which tends to be testy and sometimes irritating but always action-oriented.

Trine

The trine is the “lazy” aspect. When planets are in this 120-degree angle, they get along so well that they often aren’t motivated to do much. Trines make things easy—too easy, at times—but they’re also known for being quite lucky.

Opposition

Oppositions exist between planets that are literally opposite one another. Think about seesaws and playing tug-of-war, and you’ll understand how these energies get along. Sure, it can be a power struggle at times, but balance is the key.

2019 at a Glance

The major theme in 2019 involves Saturn and Pluto. For the second consecutive year, they continue to inhabit the sign of Capricorn, inching ever closer to full-on contact next year. This is definitely not a union made in heaven. Each planet seeks personal empowerment, but for very different reasons. Saturn, especially in his very own Sun sign of Capricorn, is driven to manage and direct and even control what is going on so that he can put his personal stamp on things and feel the satisfaction that comes from that accomplishment. This means he is deeply committed to maintaining the status quo. After all, what benefit is there in building something and then letting it fall to wreck and ruin? This, of course, leads to direct conflict with the forces of nature and the constant reminder that nothing is permanent. Pluto, on the other hand, represents the complete opposite approach, that the only way to personal empowerment is through a total willingness to turn inward, dig deep, take everything you find, break it down, and transform it, and in doing so, reveal the true stuff of which you are made. That’s the source of power—what lies within.

For more than twelve months, Saturn and Pluto have been eyeing each other, wondering who is going to emerge victorious. Because make no mistake, these two planets, who seek to express power in different ways, are on something of a collision course in your life unless you find a way to initiate a dialogue that honors the intention of each one. The first step is to understand that Saturn’s nature is to shut down anything he doesn’t find useful, while Pluto resents any attempt to control his efforts to get to the bottom of things. The next step to resolving this potential conflict is to find personal value in what each of them is initiating in your life. Then you can see how to use Saturn to harness and focus all the energy released by Pluto stripping away any inner detritus and transforming it. This is not just a desirable approach but a necessary one if you are to make the best possible use of their up-close-and-personal meeting in 2020.

While you are doing that, don’t overlook the other big news of 2019: Uranus finally moves into Taurus on March 6 for his next seven-year cycle. Yes, you got a hint of what that might mean last year, but now it’s time for the full story—and what a story it’s likely to be. Uranus is a catalyst, always primed to remove anything from your life that no longer serves a purpose, while Taurus is a fixed earth sign whose innate nature is to preserve things, hold on to things, and nail things to the floor—not exactly a meeting of minds. It really is a case of the immovable object meets the irresistible force. So initially this is likely to be uncomfortable, to put it mildly. Since there is no way to predict with any certainty the exact details of how Uranus is going to turn things upside down, the best way to prepare is to accept that things are going to change in the area of your life you believe is the most safe and secure. There’s no way of avoiding it, because change is inevitable. The gift in this is the opportunity to grow.

Finally, there is a very powerful trend toward working with the tangible and the feeling worlds. Saturn and Pluto are in Capricorn, Uranus is moving into Taurus, and Neptune is in Pisces, giving you an opportunity to access what they have to offer with a little more ease than usual because there is an essential harmony to how they interact. This leads to an abundance of opportunities, especially if you are an earth or water sign. If you are a fire or air sign, you need to work harder to tap into the benefits of this setup.

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