A work or health situation, expense, or difficult piece of news could challenge you as the year kicks into gear, but with the end of Mercury retrograde occurring on the same day as the Jan 14 solar eclipse, things can have a way of righting themselves or working out for the best. Mars in retrograde can elongate or delay your fresh start initiatives, but once past Mar 10, it's firing from all cylinders time. Outside of another Mercury retrograde cycle April 17 to May 11, the stars say you are good to go - and to keep going. Mercury retrograde can bring equipment or vehicle problems, or work or health related challenges. Work shortages or strikes are typical of Mercury retrograde. If the respect or pay is not enough, perhaps it is time to shop around, but of course wait until the retrograde cycle ends. The Saturn/Uranus cycle may have been draining (in a myriad of ways) over this past year or so, but June to Sept, Jupiter and Uranus into Aries can prove gifting for your sign, especially so if you are born July 23 - 28. Don't worry about letting go or losses, you next bests are already cooking.

You have more going on and going for you than you may realize. The solar eclipse on Jan 14 could put it front and center. Your love life, health, creativity, and entrepreneurial ambitions are impacted in a big way by this playing by high-stakes eclipse. It could be a time to say I do, or to take some other official step forward (have a child, accept an award, run for office, call yourself a professional, get landed, go for a Masters or PHD, buy a business.) Mercury retrograde in Capricorn can challenge your happiness, your security, or your career. You could have difficulty getting through to someone in particular. Your authority could be challenged, perhaps legal steps are necessary. Experience or age can be a block. Perhaps it is time to take a time out, or a sabbatical, or to revamp your ambitions, goals, overhead, budgets, or financial commitments. Mars retrograde shines an added spotlight on improving the foundations of your life, materially and emotionally. Of course, the first priority goes to your home and family life. It can be wise to renovate in order to increase your property value, to enhance your appearance your career prospects, or to supplement your own business in some significant way. Plan in the first quarter, launch in the early spring, tough it out in the summer, resume or regain in the fall. June to Sept, the stars can transform possibilities into tangible realities in fast track time. They will also cut away anything that does not serve your future, and lay new work pattern out for you too. Saturn's final dip back into Virgo April 7 to July 22 will sweep away residue debris or doubt. (Mid July may be especially draining for those born around Sept 22.)

Mercury retrograde can put you on a temporary backtrack with home, family, and financial matters. The solar eclipse on Jan 14 (especially influential for those born Oct 17 - 20) shines the spotlight on these issues, and on taking better control over your baselines (your business, legitimizing your needs, putting up better boundaries, budgeting more effectively, etc.) It calls for a significant commitment to be undertaken, starting with renewing a commitment to yourself first. The time for letting it slide or for slacking off is over. It has to be a quality effort and a worthy investment, or consider it game over. Time, health, and resources are too precious to waste; the people in your life are too. Mars in retrograde through Mar 10 suggests it's time to stop thinking about what others want and to put your interests and needs first. Now to April 7, Saturn's retrograde tour through Libra applies added pressure for you to get your act together better. Positively, this keeping-it-real reconciling influence brings your awareness and readiness to a ripening point that can result in a productive moving forward year. This first quarter of the year is best spent to enhance, improve, or augment. Mid March and mid May are times to thrust yourself into action and when you'll see life's circumstances advance at a quickened pace too. End of April, June through August, life will flick the switch for you. Watch for the lunar eclipse June 26 and solar eclipse on July 11, along with hot-wired Jupiter and Uranus, to speed relationship and financial circumstances along, especially so if you are born Sept 24 - 29. The summer eclipses can be catalysts for significant home, family, or career transition. (It is an appropriate time to uproot and relocate.) By August, Venus and Mars, the net-worth, self-worth and relationship duo, advance into Libra to bring you to a fresh start chapter. There can be some backtracking and more releasing to do when Venus turns retrograde (Oct 8 - Nov 18), but if you have made good use of the year's opportunity cycles, by the end of the year, you should feel excited to look around the corner.

In this first quarter, Mars prompts you to reassess your short-term goals with an eye turned toward extending your long-term "shelf life". Mercury's retrograde tour can put you in touch with friends or business associates you haven't seen for a long time. You could also find yourself more involved with a sibling or with family matters. You may have to reapply, redo tests or legal papers. Health or transportation issues can ding you too. The solar eclipse on Jan 14 could bring a rapid correction, or significant news - perhaps about a new method, right price, lucrative potential, a vacancy, a scholastic opportunity, or someone you care about deeply. Too, the eclipse could necessitate a legal step, an official stand, a sabbatical, or a short trip. On another note, there could be an opportune vacancy or the chance to fill another's shoes. Beginning of June, end of July, and mid September are times of major threshold crossings. Jupiter and Uranus can deliver an unexpected cut-loose or open an opportune window, mid to end of May. Summer could put you on a more rapid scramble or hustle. Uranus and Jupiter in Aries are also an inflaming influence re health issues, work, or other chronic problems, but if you opt for the surgery, quick resolution can be gained. Mesmerizing/magnetic Venus in Scorpio, Sept 8 - Jan 2011 greatly enhances your love, luck, and money draw. November 17 can be an especially auspicious date for financial and relationship matters.

Mercury retrograde could make you feel plagued, stuck, or out of options, but it appears you won't be for long. Watch for the solar eclipse Jan 14 to initiate a significant turnabout, especially re net worth and self worth. End of Jan, Saturn and Pluto will also deliver a critical turn the corner moment. Through mid March, Mars intensifies your ambition and takes you through an important gestational or heating up cycle. Mercury's next retrograde cycle can slow you down April 17 - May 4, but mid March to mid June is go for it time. In fact, the leap you make will be a significant one. Venus in Leo will extend your good luck, success, and opportunity through mid July. For all, Jupiter teamed with Uranus suggests the appearance of potentials of great magnitude and long reaching or long range benefit. Those born Dec 16 - 21 will feel the fullest effects of Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces in terms of letting go, clearing away, and of dissolving of structures, lifestyles, preconceived judgments, behaviour patterns, and previously cherished goals. Jupiter (June 7 - Sept 10), and Uranus (May 29 - Aug 4) in full-play Aries can set love life, creative or career bonfires to a red hot glow, especially so for those born Nov 22 - 26. The lunar eclipse on June 26 could start negotiations; the solar eclipse July 15 can seal the deal. The lunar eclipse could bring a significant departure, arrival, birth or wedding bells. Mid July through mid September could call for more effort and perseverance. The year finishes with a lunar eclipse on Dec 21 and is particularly significant for those born in the middle of Dec. This synchronistic eclipse can be one of positive growth, renewed hope, of merging of minds and hearts, and of finally relinquishing the past.

The solar eclipse Jan 14 may be the trick that finally kicks your delayed start into action. This will be especially true if your birthday falls mid month. Those born Dec 22 - 28 are in for a massive overhaul year. Not only do circumstances change greatly (a new career direction, business partnership, social, family or home life), your appearance can change dramatically too. You'll find less need to worry about the battle with diet and exercise, the year will keep you so busy, you can shape up naturally. This eclipse can launch a new status/sense of self, or income source, but while Saturn (Jan 14 - May 30) and Mars (to Mar 10) tour retrograde, you may not be in full throttle nor have the free reign or all's clear signal quite yet. While Saturn retrograde in Libra tests you through April (you may have to buckle down or double up on responsibilities), come May onward you should find yourself at a cut-loose point, especially so in the first 10 days of June when Jupiter and Uranus team up in Aries. (Of course, the advances of both Jupiter and Uranus into Aries can put you on edge, or find you at your breaking point.) The eclipses June 26, and July 11 can prompt the need for sudden redirection. By the time the Saturn/Uranus cycle ends in July, and Saturn surpasses the square to Pluto in August, you will have packed a lot of living into a short span of time. Heading into the fall, and past the Venus retrograde cycle in October/November, you will finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While it is a particularly outstanding and catalytic year for all, your sign in particular is one that is slated for a major life overhaul. Key dates: Jan 31, April 12, 26, May 23, July 26.

Mercury retrograde (to Jan 14) can make you more aware of your road blocks, limitations, or lost litres. Among the many potentials, Mercury retrograde can make you feel somewhat isolated (perhaps depressed too), find you confused over your best options, ready to give up, and it can also challenge you health wise. Remember Mercury retrograde challenges are temporary. Time out, retreats, or vacationing are good ways to circumvent the usual fallouts. Mars retrograde (through mid March) can see you pull back or thrust you back in on yourself; positively it can make you desire (or fight for) your freedom and independence even more than usual. Mars retrograde can produce a wonderfully fertile and creative staging cycle. It is time to be seen in a new light, especially by your significant other or business partner. In other words, it is high time to reinvent the you-out-there. The year-ahead will not only put you on a quest to re-establish validity, purpose, and meaning for your everyday get go, (includes relationship needs and re the spiritual side of life too), it will open the curtains and part the clouds so you can see the sky better. Potentials exist like never before, starting with the rich and ripe solar eclipse on Jan 14 - and they'll keep going strong through to fall and beyond. Saturn's advance into Libra (through April 7; July 22 onward) brings opportunity to study, travel (for business or pleasure), perform, be published, relocate, remarry or gain fame. Ambitions, partnerships, contracts, and legal matters will move along, more rapidly so from the end of May through mid September. The advances of both Jupiter and Uranus into Aries will bring a fresh boost to your life. There will be new opportunities, new ideas, and new people to get to know. Jupiter's exit out of Aquarius and into Pisces (to June 7) will help you to free whatever has been bottled up. You could discover new resources/a new spiritual or creative tap. Of course, with Saturn and Pluto in square, losses are mixed with the gains. Note the following key challenge or turn-the-corner intensification points: Jan 31/Feb 1; mid April through mid May, end of July to mid Sept, mid October to mid Nov.

Mercury retrograde (to Jan 14) could force you to rethink your strategies for success. You can have a sense that the ceilings are too low, that you have outgrown or surpassed your previous goals, or that your present circumstances are crowding you in. You could be bored with your status quo or social life. Mercury retrograde can put you back in touch with people you haven't seen for awhile. A tradeshow, conference or other official gathering could be worth your attendance. If you feel bored with your status quo or social life, perhaps you won't be for long. The breathe of fresh air solar eclipse on Jan 14 could open a new door and/or put someone special or influential in your path, be it business, friendship, or new love. Remember eclipses are more catalytic if they make a direct contact on your personal chart, and they also hold influence over a duration of time, so opportunity could now, or it could happen in due course. Jupiter's advance into Pisces (Jan 19 - June 7; Sept 8- Jan 22, 2011) can pump you full of fresh passion and positive get up and go. This is a year when radical change is not only possible, it's probable. Your future can take you by storm, especially from the end of May through mid Sept, when ready, set, go, Jupiter is sparked by synchronicity planet Uranus. (Note specifically, June 6 - 10, Sept 18 - 22) This brass ring duo can greatly enhance your intuition, creativity, ingenuity, fertility and financial prospects. Someone or something foreign could appear in a big way. Opportunity for travel, publishing, performing or relocation is also greatly enhanced. When in a stalemate quandary over risk-taking or decision-making, watch for circumstances to play themselves out/reveal what you need to know. Saturn and Pluto can bring difficult decisions, partings, financial and relationship strain, and critical turning points in late Jan/early Feb, late April, late July and late Aug. Jupiter's revisit to Pisces and Venus in Scorpio, mid Sept through Jan, reward you with opportunity, abundance, luck, and love once again.