Mercury retrograde finally ends on Wednesday evening. If your plans this month have all gone sideways, or your relationships plagued by needless disagreements and avoidable misunderstandings, you’ll get relief as the planet of communication slowly rights itself and begins traveling forward again. Then, love planet Venus enters Libra on Thursday morning, where it’ll stay until late September. Relationships will be more important than ever, so put extra effort into ensuring that yours are balanced and mutually supportive. It’s possible for everyone to get what they need. You don’t have to settle for less. In the meantime, find the weekly horoscope for each zodiac sign, below.
Aries Weekly Horoscope
To you, compromise can be an ugly word: You see it as a sign that you’re being steamrolled, that your needs or values are being disregarded, that you’re letting yourself down by not fighting harder for what you want. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Relationship conflicts aren’t battles to be won or lost. Try to see them as opportunities to think creatively, to find a way forward together, to change the terms of the conversation so that everyone feels good about the result. Total balance isn’t always possible, but if you make it your goal, you’ll be surprised by how close you can get.
Taurus Weekly Horoscope
When you harness the power of your stubbornness, you can accomplish almost anything. You don’t tend to rely on others, because you rarely need to; you’ve got the strength and the drive to make your ambitions a reality all on your own. This week, though, you might find that it’s not enough: Maybe you simply need a boost from a friend, or maybe you’re dreaming of bigger things than any one person could accomplish. Collaboration is key now. Working as part of a team won’t only take you further, it’ll also feel exciting, rewarding, and fun.
Gemini Weekly Horoscope
More than most people, you recognize the value of play. You understand that it helps generate important ideas, that it functions like social glue, and that moments of silliness and fun are important parts of a full life. Sometimes, though, it feels like nobody else really gets it. You worry that others think you’re flighty or shallow, and wonder whether you need to hide your genuine personality in order to be taken seriously. But if you let your authentic self shine through, you’ll find that people (at least, the ones who really matter) will be on your wavelength.
Cancer Weekly Horoscope
If it were up to you, you might never venture outside of your comfort zone. You’re not afraid to try — you just don’t see the point in messing with what’s working. But this week, sticking too closely to the familiar will only end up stifling you. How can you know what you really want if you don’t know the extent of what’s possible? How can you experience the sweetness of returning home if you never leave it in the first place? Experiment a bit now, and you’ll be happier in the end, even if you choose to return to your old comfort zone later.
Leo Weekly Horoscope
When looking for beauty and inspiration, you tend to think big. You want relationships that feel written in the stars; you want a life that feels grand. There’s nothing wrong with this; you’re smart and driven enough to achieve real greatness, so why accept anything less? This week in particular, though, you risk missing out on the small moments because you’re so focused on the special ones. If you pay attention to the ordinary world and everyday people around you, you’ll find more to appreciate, and it’ll buoy you on your larger journey.
Virgo Weekly Horoscope
You care deeply about using your time well: You want to help others, to improve the world, to make yourself useful. But sometimes, this can get in the way of discovering your unique talents and gifts. If you’re always responding to other people’s needs, racing to fill gaps and put out fires, there’s no time left to discover what lights you up, what you’re best at, what you have to offer that nobody else does. Give yourself permission to be unproductive or unhelpful now, to simply do what feels good, and you’ll be surprised how much you can learn.
Libra Weekly Horoscope
Your social instincts are always good, but they’re sharper than ever this week. You can read most interactions accurately, and you know how to smooth over a weird moment, to de-escalate a heated one, to make yourself likable to virtually anyone. It’s a powerful skill, so make the most of it — but at the same time, remember that awkwardness or conflict aren’t the worst things in the world, and it isn’t your job to eliminate all friction from your social sphere. Disagreements can be generative, and discomfort can lead to growth, so leave some room for them.
Scorpio Weekly Horoscope
Some people don’t know how they feel about a situation until they’ve talked it through with a committee of friends, examining it from all angles and putting their own responses under the microscope together. Maybe that’s you — but this week, you’ll probably want a bit of privacy, at least at first. Don’t let anybody pressure you to share before you’re ready, or to tell you that you’re required to be totally open at all times. Processing your emotions internally isn’t the same as bottling them up, and performing them for an audience doesn’t make them any more valid or real.
Sagittarius Weekly Horoscope
You treasure your independence and hesitate to make any choices that might compromise it. It’s important to you to have the freedom to quit a bad job, to leave a stressful living situation, to end a relationship. If you’re unhappy, or just bored, you want to know you’ve got options. But always having one foot out the door isn’t the answer. Don’t be afraid to commit yourself fully this week. It doesn’t mean that you can’t change your mind down the road. It just means that, at least for now, you’re giving yourself a chance to go all in and experience a real sense of belonging.
Capricorn Weekly Horoscope
You understand that time and attention are limited resources, and you’re intentional about how you use yours. Instead of getting distracted by idle chitchat, or wandering around without a destination in mind, you keep your eye on the prize. But letting yourself get sidetracked can be useful, too. Taking the scenic route can end up being not just more pleasurable than the direct route, but quicker, too. Casual conversation can yield better results than hardball negotiations. Leave space in your schedule to enjoy yourself this week, and you’ll end up closer to your goals than you would have managed otherwise.
Aquarius Weekly Horoscope
You have an independent streak that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to force you to conform. When others pressure you to think or feel the same way they do, it only makes you more resistant. It’s a wonderful trait, one that helps you live with honesty and character. Still, remember that you’re still allowed to change your mind. Being swayed by new information, or by a conversation with someone you care about, can be a sign of genuine growth. Don’t let your integrity turn into rigidity. Stay open this week.
Pisces Weekly Horoscope
It’s possible to take casual relationships to a deeper place and to find new levels of intimacy and care this week. The key is that it only works if both of you open up. Don’t demand that others make themselves vulnerable if you’re not willing to do the same, and don’t show them your sensitive side if they’ve demonstrated that they’re unable or unwilling to make themselves soft in return. Connections can’t be forced or sped up — but if the timing is right, and you’re both willing to meet each other halfway, the results will feel like magic.
Read the weekly horoscopes for the week of August 18. The weekly horoscopes for the week of August 25 will be online next Sunday.
Buy Claire Comstock-Gay’s book, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, here.
