Aries (Born March 21 to April 19) 2017 starts with you struggling to find your footing during the challenging Mars-Saturn square in mid-january. But fear not, the beginning of April is a positive time of transformation thanks to the gentle Mars-Pluto trine, at which point you can replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. If you re willing to put in the effort, that is. You aren t one to back away from a challenge, so keep your head down and do your homework. In almost complete contrast to the mental labour and emotional exertion you put in earlier in the year, getting what you want comes easily in late December thanks to a favorable Mars and Neptune; in fact, getting your way might be a bit too effortless (because you love a challenge). Good things seem to land in your lap, and although you re in a fateful place where you can count on some good luck, Aries, it s important not to take good fortune for granted. Taurus (Born April 20 to May 20) Venus is your ruler, and she starts the year out in compassionate Pisces, so right away in January you have the proverbial shoulder that everyone wants to cry on. Venus loves to be in the Fish s imaginative and sensitive sign, which is obvious from the optimistic energy emanating all around you. The Sun moves into your determined sign in late April, escorting in a month s worth of methodical stability and gritty determination. And as a side benefit, Taurus, the projects and plans that take root at this time are sure to grow into successes. October brings a Venus-Pluto conflict that results in a pretty extreme abundance of feelings, and depending on how you deal with them, it can be extremely transformative or kind of dark. On the negative side, there are feelings of revenge, and jealousy, but if you can harness that powerful Pluto energy, you can turn it around and experience some very healing, regenerative moments. Gemini (Born May 21 to June 20) Your ruling planet, the communicative Mercury, starts out the year direct and then immediately goes retrograde (back into Sagittarius) in the first week of January. You may want to immediately revoke some words or actions you let slip in a heated moment, but right now take-backs and do-overs aren t likely. Let bygones be bygones. The Sun moves into your sign in late May, throwing you into a social whirlwind. You re a master of small talk, and you can strike up a conversation with anyone no matter how diverse your backgrounds. The focus is off the physical world and on the mental one, where you re super comfortable. You gladly accept any and all mental challenges, and feel very much yourself for the coming month. Mid-November brings an unfortunate Mercury-Neptune square that puts your judgment in question, leaving you to wonder if you can really trust yourself to make decent decisions. If someone insists that you aren t seeing the whole picture, believe them. Or at least don t dismiss them right away. 1/4
Cancer (Born June 21 to July 22) It s true that the Moon, your ruling planet, shifts often in the sky, but it s still worth noting that it s Full in your own sensitive sign at the beginning of January. This Moon is part of a four-point configuration and indicates a key time to regroup and refocus your energy. If you re going through a tough time, stop everything as you regather your thoughts. The vibrant Sun moves into your sign in late June, which puts a spotlight on your true personality. Family relationships are highlighted for the next month, Cancer, so work on strengthening those bonds with your relatives. The start of October sees Jupiter enter your fellow Water Sign Scorpio s orbit, which signals very powerful change on the horizon. You re extremely interested in life s mysteries right now, and you feel a big pull toward figuring out the unknown. This could apply to many specific areas of your own life and you re excellent at then taking that knowledge and applying it toward a satisfying outcome. Leo (Born July 23 to August 22) An early February Lunar Eclipse in your sign hints that no major changes should be made around then, any major mistakes you make now could be far-reaching and long-lasting. The powerful Sun travels into your sign in late July, and your classic Leo traits will be emphasized for the coming month. You have ambition, but your ego could get in the way of making any real progress in certain areas of your life. Take on the role of leader or organizer to make sure you stay content in situations where you struggle for control. The end of November brings a Sun-Moon Fire trine, which propels you into the holiday spirit in style. There is a real emphasis on enthusiasm and courage at that time, and anything you do, you do with 100 percent of your being. Your fiery nature takes over, and you often act impulsively yet with the best of intentions. As far as you see it, where there s a will, there s a definite way! Virgo (Born August 23 to September 22) Your year begins slowly with your guiding planet, Mercury, in retrograde at the beginning of January, so your resolutions may be put on hold. Remember all of the old stuff that hadn t been decided at the end of last year? Well, Virgo, it s still hanging around, begging to be dealt with. Handle what s already on your plate before getting involved in other projects, work or relationships. The Mercury (retrograde)-uranus conjunction at the end of April is a very busy, chaotic time, and you ll have to get used to dealing with a lack of structure. Look for major distractions in areas of transportation and communication to disrupt the order you ve worked so hard to create. Things get back on track soon. The Sun moves into your practical, analytical sign at the end of August, and you feel more at ease and comfortable in your own skin. Focus on your well-being in the month ahead, especially matters of the body. The emphasis now is on analysis, logic, and planning. Do what you have to do to make those things priorities. 2/4
Libra (Born September 23 to October 22) A Venus-Neptune conjunction in mid-january gets your year off to a compassionate start. There is a softness about you that others may try to take advantage of, so be sure to note the difference between being helpful and doing favours for people versus letting others walk all over you. Loving Venus has a difficult trip into aggressive Aries at the end of April, and the next four months may present challenges in areas of finance and relationships. Hastily-made decisions regarding love and money affect your overall well-being, so avoid hurrying yourself if possible. The lesson here is to slow down, take your time, and not rush into anything. If the timing isn t right, maybe what you re chasing just isn t meant to be. The Sun leaves practical Virgo for your sign at the end of September, which offers a perfect environment for you to take stock of your life. What are your goals and dreams? Where do you see yourself in five years? These are all excellent questions, and answering them can help you reach the balance you strive for in life. Scorpio (Born October 23 to November 21) Your year gets off to an unbalanced start thanks to a conflicting Mars-Saturn square in the middle of January. Mars is one of the powerful, forceful planets that guides you, and getting into it with controlled Saturn causes some turbulence. You want nothing more than to drive ahead at full speed, but there s also something urging you to keep your foot on the brake. You won t get far with these conflicting signals in your head, so try to be patient as you navigate through the frustration. Your intuition takes over at the end of June, when you get permission to relax and let your inner voice guide you through life s difficult terrain. You also have a natural sense of sympathy now, and are helpful to others who may need some gentle guidance. Just remember not to get so entangled that you lose yourself and forget what s important to you. Late October brings the Sun into your sign, and the depth of your emotions intensifies. You have an abundance of willpower that helps see you through most of life s crisis situations. Sagittarius (Born November 22 to December 21) You get to set the reset button with Jupiter (your ruling planet) retrograde at the beginning of February. Think re as much as possible: rewind, rethink, restart, review, return. It isn t often you get a chance to do it all over again, but now is the time. If you want to make revisions - especially when it comes to morals, ethics or religion - you get that chance. A Mercury-Jupiter trine in the middle of June causes your confidence levels to soar, and this is the perfect time to move ahead with pet projects. You bore easily, so your excess energy is best spent on getting the job done. You have a lot of resources at your disposal, so you don t have to go it alone, but since you obviously do have all of the tools to see it through to fruition, don t try to make any excuses about why you can t finish. The Sun drifts into your sign at the end of November, when the general focus will be on relationships and travel. You are definitely interested in all things far from home. 3/4
Capricorn (Born December 22 to January 19) Your year begins with a difficult Mars-Saturn square to deal with toward the middle of January, so despite wanting to go full speed ahead with those New Year s resolutions, something is holding you back. Frustration can set in when you attempt to try anything new right now, so it s best to sit tight and be patient. You have a very good idea of where you re going during a Saturn-Uranus trine in the middle of May, and even if you don t have a certain way to get there, you re pretty sure that you ll find it. Think of this aspect in terms of taking the long way home. It might not be entirely your decision, but you re glad you got to experience it, because you never would have otherwise. The Sun moves into your sign at the end of December, and this is your time to truly shine. Your level of ambition tops the charts, and you have the self-discipline, responsibility, and practicality to see things through to their completion. When you have a job to do, you approach it with laser focus, and when you apply this to your personal life, nothing can stop you. Aquarius (Born January 20 to February 18) The Sun takes up residence in your sign toward the end of January, so the focus shifts from the hard bottom line of Capricorn into a more eccentric, progressive way of thinking that you can readily identify with. This is the time of the year to see that there are possibilities everywhere and that you can be more than just a cog in the all-important wheel of change. You also have big humanitarian tendencies, Aquarius, so helping others will be a major focus of the coming month. The end of May brings a Saturn-Uranus trine, which highlights your originality and has far-reaching ramifications. You re obviously destined to do great things for the world, and this aspect reminds you to go big or go home. Don t think local, think global. Your home planet turns retrograde at the start of August, so your power to disrupt the status quo and flip things over on their sides diminishes just a bit. From then until the end of the year is a good time for you to rethink your old beliefs and free yourself from those that aren t really working for you any longer. Pisces (Born February 19 to March 20) Something to be aware of as you start 2017 is that Neptune, your dreamy ruler, is in your sign and will be until 2025. This is a very long transit, and helps you pass through the barriers of materialism in order to tap into a more ethereal plane. The Sun leaves logical Aquarius and drifts into your sign at the end of February, making you even more intuitive and sensitive than you already are. Your creativity is at its peak for the next month, so be sure to start or complete projects where creative blocks have been a problem. You re happiest alone or with close friends, doing something creative/artistic. The lines between reality and fantasy get blurred during the Sun-Neptune opposition in early September, at which point you may struggle to make final decisions and logical choices. One of the main things on your mind is not living up to people s image of you, so you may choose to do nothing at all rather than disappoint. The main lesson here is to strive for that middle ground. Sometimes a well thought-out compromise is the answer. 4/4
Teacher s notes 1 student pages 4 week of 09.01.17 intermediate+ (B1+) Suggested use of horoscopes Get the students to read each other s horoscopes and then tell each other what the predictions are. Then have them make three lists of key words from the horoscopes - positive, negative and neutral words that are important to describe the astrological predictions.