What does 2012 have in store?
by Lilly Roddy | Illustrations by David Eduardo Flores Perez
Photo of Lilly Roddy by John Conroy
Aries • Taurus • Gemini • Cancer • Leo • Virgo • Libra • Scorpio • Sagittarius • Capricorn • Aquarius • Pisces
And lecture January 11: Lilly Roddy’s Annual Journey Through the Signs
The year 2012 promises to be a very busy astrological year. Peppered with retrogrades (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), the first half of the year will be a start/stop period. If you are planning to start new projects, have elective surgery, or meet new people to date, the best months for that will be between August and November—or during some of the shorter periods during the first half of the year.
Mercury retrogrades three times each year. During these periods, it is important to take care of projects that you have started and review your recent past. It is never good to start a project under a Mercury retrograde. This year, Mercury will be retrograde March 8 through April 8, July 11 through August 12, and November 2 through November 29. Mark that on your calendar!
Mars will be retrograde this year from January 20 through April 18. When Mars is retrograde, it is a good time to retreat and consider new plans. This is the time to focus on your needs, do what makes you feel safe, and make plans for initiating future action. You may feel challenged or threatened during this time.
The U.S. chart is highly activated by this Mars retrograde, so the nation will be feeling the urge to defend itself in mid-January and again in mid-June.
Venus will also be retrograde this year between May 8 and July 1. A Venus retrograde makes us think about value, money, beauty, and the things we love and desire—a good time to get your finances in better shape and to work on existing relationships. This is not the best time to date a new person, buy artwork, have your hair colored, or buy furniture.
This year, May and June will be more difficult months. Try to be especially flexible during that time, since relationships could be tense. Watch your spending in those months. After August, you can generally expect things to get smoother.
- Aries
March 21–April 19
Change is certainly in the air for you this year, and especially for those of you born in the first 10 days of the sign. You are going through both a clean-out phase and a reinvention phase. You are pushing your independence and freedom this year as you go through a time of downsizing your career. Many of you are going to consider doing something on your own, or finding a smaller company that makes you feel valued as an individual. Expect to find some dissatisfaction with your job, even if you are generally happy with it. This is a time of growth, and you are pushing beyond the things that created security in the past—things that you now realize were limitations. Don’t let your frustrations build here; take some action.
Personally, you are more open and less concerned about what others think of you. This is a great time to give yourself a makeover, both inside and out. You are looking to dress more individually and make a statement about yourself. You may shock the people who expect the same old you. You are going through a rebellious phase, and it’s mostly rebelling against yourself. Some of you may experience this as a sense of restlessness, difficulty sleeping, or just having an overactive mind. Try to channel this restlessness into something productive.
Relationships are also in for a change this year. This is the time to have a business meeting with your partner at a bed-and-breakfast. You are looking for new goals that enable both of you to have more closeness and intimacy, and you are not going back to the same old ways. So if your partner doesn’t want to change, you may be looking elsewhere. For those of you who are single, this is a great time to express your uniqueness and put yourself out there. You are certainly more magnetic this year.
In the first half of the year, your finances are doing well. This can be a good time for you to invest. In the second half of the year, you are going to be extra busy. This can be a good time for you totravel, go to school, teach, or even write. You have a lot to say, and you will want to say it. Embrace the changes around you. You will have more control over what’s going on.
Taurus
April 20–May 20
“Opportunity” is your key word for 2012, and there will be plenty of opportunities around you. For some of you, there could be too many choices. Health is also very important this year. You will spend some time on that, but you’re generally in a fairly healthy phase. This is a good year for you to act on the prospects that will present themselves throughout the year.
Relationships are really working for you this year. Your natural charm and magnetism are working in your favor. If you are involved, this will be a time when your relationship seems to go smoothly. You and your partner will see more things eye-to-eye. If you are single, you will draw people to you. Your sensuality is showing, and it’s a good year to meet new people just for friendships. You are more outgoing this year, and you could be looking to find some community organizations to get involved with.
You will be drawn to like-minded people. By the end of the year, you will want your partnership to go to the next level. You will need a plan.
Career energies are also strong this year. This can be a great time to seek a promotion or to shift to a different company with better opportunities. During the first half of the year you are more relaxed about your career, but after the end of June you will want to take a more serious look at what you are doing. You are looking for a career with opportunities for growth and promotion, and you will want to be a part of it.
Continue to pay attention to your health. You have some chronic conditions that need to be addressed. Any kind of exercise, or a better eating program, can be very beneficial now. This becomes less of a concern in the fall, and you will have developed a good fitness routine by then.
You are more open this year to new friends. You have been in a place of isolation for the last couple of years, and now you are ready to connect with people—but not just anyone. You are really interested in finding people who share similar life philosophies. You are more cause-oriented, especially in the latter part of the year.
Gemini
May 21–June 21
Geminis are moving into a more creative period in their lives. This will particularly affect those of you born in the early days of the sign. But ultimately, all of you are beginning to look for work and life that has more meaning. Relationships are tense this year in May and June, and you may be looking for a whole new set of friends.
Your feelings about your career are changing. You want to be more connected to what you do, rather than just having the security associated with a job. This should push you to question choices that you have made for security over fulfillment. This is the time for you to look at the deeper aspects of life. That’s a lot of pressure to put on your career, but you want a fuller life that includes all the pieces, not just some. There is a strong push to express your creativity, and you need to find an outlet for it, either at work or through some avocation.
During May and June, Venus will be retrograde in your sign, and relationships become your focus. This will cause you to look at your relationship patterns very closely. If you are involved, you will be looking for ways to create greater closeness and intimacy. For relationships that are having trouble, this could be the end if things don’t get better.
Relationships improve after June. If you are single, this is a great time to get out and meet someone new.
You are more active this year, especially during the first seven months of 2012. You are more likely to act and less likely to think things through clearly. You are more conscious of your body, and that may lead to better eating or exercise. This time can also create more tension in your family, and family problems could boil to the surface, especially from mid-January through April. Your patience will be at an all-time low.
July through the end of the year is an upbeat time for you. You are ready to take risks, meet new people, and expand your horizons. This is a much better time to look for work, friends, or potential partners. Consider taking some classes to expand your knowledge and your circle of acquaintances.
Cancer
June 22–July 22
There are certainly plenty of changes in store for the Moon Kids. What is that irritating urge that you keep feeling? That is the universe urging you to clean up, change the things around you, and reinvent yourself—all in the same process. That is why you are feeling overwhelmed. You just need a plan, and you are currently getting one.
You are making hard decisions about the emotional foundations of your life. You are separating from the role that you played as a child in your family, taking on more responsibilities as an older person. You are looking at what really creates emotional and financial security in your life. This can be a time when you are separating from your family, or they from you. You are also working on making your nest more comfortable. Many of you are considering moving, remodeling, or redecorating.
Relationship energies are in flux as well, and those who have outlived their usefulness will be eliminated from your life. On a personal level, it is more about changing your own relationship template, rather than thinking something is wrong with your partner. You want a new understanding, a new set of goals, and a new feeling of being appreciated by your partner—otherwise, the two of you will be moving in different directions. If you are single, you are not interested in attracting the same type of person. You want someone who is more open and participatory. This is just a major year of rebuilding.
Your career is due for an update, redo, overhaul, job switch, reinvention, or retirement. If you are feeling bored or trapped by your current career, you are ripe for change. If you take some action on this, Mr. and Ms. Crab, you won’t have to stew in your own juices as long. If you like what you do, then this is a time when you are looking for a new project or something to really stimulate you. You could be a lot more open and public in your work over the next couple of years.
This is a year of change for you. The first half of the year is “two steps forward and one step back.”After midyear, you are going full speed ahead. Have a fun ride!
Leo
July 23–August 22
This year, your confusion around relationships clears up after
February. This will help that feeling of loneliness that has been ever present for the last couple of years. And after midyear, you are much more organized and goal-oriented. That should help to give you more control over your daily activities and put some structure back into your life. Keep a handle on your spending this year. You will be more impulsive through the first seven months of the year.
You are getting your thoughts, ideas, and long-term goals into some sort of plan as the year opens. This is going to be a time when you examine what you have, determine whether they have value in your life, and make the decision to keep them or throw them away. This is the evaluation phase. The action phase will come after July and continue to get stronger through the end of the year. This is a good time to look at your career objectives and to make sure that they still fit you. You are ready to start a new project.
Career opportunities really open up after the beginning of the year. Be careful that you don’t take on too much responsibility right out of the gate. This could mean that your company is moving or relocating, or that you are moving.
You are more socially active than you have been in several years. This is a great time to reconnect with others and to really look into new friendships or groups that you can belong to. Your attitude is more upbeat, and you seem to have found some of the hope you lost.
Overall, you are paying more attention to your health and the people you allow into your life. You are going through a complete detoxification with your health regimes. Relationship energies are better, but you are still very cautious, and you may shy away from them, even though you are more social in the latter half of the year. As the year progresses, you are more and more social and feeling like your oldhappy self.
Virgo
August 23–September 22
The first seven months of the year are busy ones, with Mars, planet of action and courage, visiting your sign. You are feeling energetic and ready to tackle any situation. Mars is retrograde from mid-January through mid-April. During this time, you are reconsidering the actions you have taken since last November. After mid-April, you are back out there blazing new paths.
You continue to have to keep a close watch on your finances this year. This is the year for you to get those finances in order, and you’re really working hard to fix old debts or other financial problems. You are also judging your self-worth, and you may feel that your skills are undervalued. This stays with you through early October. This may cause some problems at work, and you may feel like looking elsewhere for employment, especially after the spring.
Career opportunities really open up for you this year. After June, you could be ready to expand what you do or look for new employment. Conditions are good for work and career. Connecting with international companies that have a global reach would be very good for you this year, as you look for change in your schedule and agenda. Travel could play a big role for you after August.
Relationships are taking on a deeper tone in your life. You want them to be more emotionally intimate than ever before. You are ready to be more open, and you expect the same thing from your partner. For those of you who are single and want to change that, relationship opportunities improve after June.
Your creative energies are going to be very active over the next 14 years or so. You are in an expansive time, and you should be exploring different and imaginative outlets in your life. You have a natural tendency to take your hobbies and turn them into a vocation. This could be a very beneficial thing for you, both financially and emotionally.
Libra
September 23–October 23
Life in the fast lane! So much is going on for you, I’m sure you’re feeling overwhelmed by having to juggle so many things. Certainly, one of the lessons you have been working on is having better boundaries and learning how to tell people no. Everything is in flux and it’s hard to have to constantly balance, so put some things down.
You have been in a serious and future-oriented mood for a while now. You are looking at everything that comes across your desk with an eye of suspicion. You are in the mood to wait and see, rather than jumping to hasty judgments. You are looking for long-term solutions to your problems, and you are ready to go the distance to make that happen.
Career decisions are coming up, and you’ll have to make some choices. Are you going to stay and recommit yourself to where you are, or are you going to start out on a new venture? You need to have a sense of passion in your work, or you will be out looking for something new to really satisfy you.
Relationships are in a big state of reinvention this year, and that’s having a very strong impact on those of you born in the first 10 days of your sign. The relationship you are in has to be upgraded, or you will be looking for something new. You can use this time to revitalize your relationship and inject the passion and intimacy that is missing. You want to keep what you have rather than go out and look for something new, so you’ll be ready to compromise with your partner.
For those of you who are single, you’ll be looking for someone outside of your usual interests. You won’t be repeating too many bad relationship patterns this year. I know you want more freedom of expression and the desire to be your real self in relationships. So keep your eyes—and your heart—open!
Home and family are other areas where enormous change is going on. Barriers and walls are coming down.There is an honesty there that you can almost taste. This is a time of clearing the air. Embrace this and get your house clean.
Scorpio
October 24–November 21
The first half of the year is one of opportunity and expanding your resource base. This can be a good year to promote yourself for new job opportunities, in your current business, or to improve your relationships. You are drawn more to writing down your personal thoughts and ideas. It could be a great year for an autobiography.
Relationships are certainly improving for you this year. If you are involved, this is a keen time to improve what you have by changing your relationship patterns and doing something outside the box. You will be more adventuresome anyway, so you are only too ready. Travel is a great thing to do this year with your partner. If you are single, this is an excellent time to put yourself out there. You are much more magnetic now, and others will be drawn to your compelling nature.
Friendships are really opening up for you this year. You are meeting all sorts of new people. You can also use this same energy to get involved in some community organizations or cause-based groups. You are looking for some active and fiery new friends. You will be more candid about your views than usual, and it’s a good year to be passionate about something. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a leadership role.
Finances open up for you after mid-year. If you are looking to invest or to borrow money for a new home, you are able to attract that money this year. If you are in a relationship, your partner could be the one getting a raise.
Health and diet have raised their heads out of the muck, and you are ready to try again. You are inspired and intrigued by new approaches to health and exercise. And with your new need for groups and friends, you could find some excellent ways to achieve both goals. You are looking for unconventional ways to spark some changes in your health regime.
By October, you take on a much more serious and future-oriented tone as Saturn enters your sign for the next two years. You are beginning a massive reevaluation cycle with your career and your relationships. It’s your time for renewal. Choices and decisions carry greater weight. Go slow—you don’t have to fixeverything in October.
Sagittarius
November 22–December 21
You have been very active in your social groups and organizations, and you will be reassessing your role and participation in them. You may be called to step up and take on a leadership role. Your views about money and finances are changing, and this aspect of your life is not driving you as much as before. For those of you born in the very earliest days of the sign, you are beginning to have an interest in a more relaxed and peaceful life. You want more balance among all the aspects of your life. Some of you are considering retirement, or at least seeking a career that is much more internally satisfying.
Your career sector is highly charged as the year begins with Mars, planet of action and confrontation, spending the first seven months there. You may want to start your own business or try something new in your current job. You are definitely looking for something that stimulates and challenges you. Watch your temper with your clients, coworkers, and bosses. You are not very patient through July. Don’t try to push your views on those around you—that could backfire from mid-January through mid-April. Try to find others to champion your cause, rather than going at it alone.
You are trying to develop talents that may have been lying dormant. This is the part of you that is breaking out and looking for more creative expression in your daily life. Some of you may feel that you’ve done as much as you can with your old skill set, and you need to get some training or education to help you expand and grow.
School becomes a very viable option as the year opens, and the desire for more education will be even stronger after mid-year. You may want to begin doing something totally different. During this very same time, relationship opportunities really open up for you. You will be more social, at the very least. This can be a great time for any existing partnerships in your life—business or personal. If you are single, people will be drawn to you. Just making yourself slightly more available will open doors for you.
And lastly, consider some travel this year. You need a break from your routines. This will be very evident as October rolls around. You don’t have to go to Europe—just take some time and get away for afew days.
Capricorn
December 22–January 19
Capricorns are involved in some major life changes. Every part of your life is under examination. What should you keep and what should be thrown out? It is a mixed time of feeling both a resurgence of your own power and your need to detox. Expect your attitudes to change about most everything—beginning with the expectations that you place on yourself.
Career choices are under close scrutiny this year. First question: Are you being appreciated where you are and for what you do? If you aren’t, you will find yourself pulling back and beginning to contemplate alternative actions. Capricorns are not really designed to have a “job.” They need to have a career connection to whatever they are doing, from bank CEO to stay-at-home mom. Capricorns take their jobs seriously, so a lack of appreciation is sure to drive them away. This could be a time for some of you to look at doing something on your own. Keep your options open.
You are cutting the umbilical cord on your past this year. This is especially strong for those born in the first 10 days of the sign. You are doing major house-cleaning, both in your home and with your family. You are going to be more yourself with your family than you have ever been. It is your time to rebel. This can mean that some of you are moving or doing some major remodeling.
By October, some of your focus shifts to friends and social networking. You are looking at how to add that to your resource base. You are reviewing some of your friendships and letting some go—even the ones you have had for a long time. You need more supportive friends in your life, and you will have them. Social and business networking could really pay off for you. You will want to take an active or even a leadership role.
Relationships are not on the main menu for you this year. You are much more focused on yourself, and relationships may actually get in the way for you. It doesn’t mean you don’t want to be in a partnership; it means that you want plenty of space for yourself, so that your sense of obligationdoesn’t create resentment for you. This is a “me” time.
Aquarius
January 20–February 18
Aquarians have been away for a while. You have not been as visible as you usually are. We are finally seeing you awaken from your slumber. You have a glint in your eye and are looking for some brand-new life experiences. You will begin to get more organized after the spring when you are feeling more productive.
You are getting more and more vocal about your views. This is a great time for you to do social networking. Your views may be revolutionary to some, but to you they are just your normal everyday thoughts. Your creativity is definitely looking for a place to express itself, and that will make a stronger impact on you over the next couple of years. You want to capitalize on some of the talents that have lain dormant in you. You need to be driven by personal motives, rather than simply the need for security.
You are really trying to make your home a much more comfortable place. You are in a nesting time, and you are trying to add richness to your life. Some of you may move, but that is associated with work or job relocation.
You want to try your hand at writing this year as you discover that you have a real niche in this area. You have a lot to say, but the last couple of years have made it difficult to remain focused and get your goals accomplished.
After June, your ability to set goals and focus on results will be very strong. You are doing a major review of where you are and where you aren’t, and trying to focus your energies and talents in areas that seem to have the most benefit for you. Career activities are very stimulating as you look for new areas to excel in. Set your goals high this year.
During this time, you want everyone around you to grow up. You don’t have the tolerance for people and situations that you did in the past. Relationships have to be renewed, too. This fall is a good time for you and your partner to go to a bed-and-breakfast for a personal business meeting. As the yearprogresses, you will feel more and more in control of your life.
Pisces
February 19–March 20
This is an impactful year for Pisces. Your ruling planet, Neptune, planet of the artist, your spiritual center and escape from stress, enters her own sign for the first time since 1847. So if you are a Pisces, consider how fortunate you are to have this experience. You had to be born at this time in history for this to happen to you. Neptune will be in Pisces for several years as it moves along. This will have the most impact on those born in the earliest days of the sign, but all the Mermaids and Mermen are feeling it now.
Those being impacted directly by Neptune are having their psychic powers increased by about 300 percent. You are not finding it as easy to ignore the negative energies around you. This is often a time of internal meditation or contemplation. It could easily last 18 to 20 months.
Consider taking a sabbatical during this time. You need to do only those things that are good for you. You shouldn’t be doing things out of a sense of duty or obligation. That sense isn’t working. Keep drama queens and stress away from you.
Relationships are also very important since you want a much greater connection to your partner than ever before. You want them to share in what you are doing. Your individual energies are very active, and you aren’t as flexible as you have been in the past to indulge others in their unconscious emotional demands.
New adventures will be very good for your partnership this year. And with Mars, planet of action and adventure, moving into your partnership sector, this theme is repeated. Without some healthy outlets, this can cause some fighting and arguing. Don’t let your relationship routines make you or your partner feel trapped.
With friends, you may be cleaning house. You are clearing out old abuse patterns that started with your family and continue to show up in your friends. As you disconnect from the past, you won’t tolerate that abuse from others, even if they don’t know they are doing it.
After the summer, you are going to be putting some structure into your creative energies. This could a great time for writing, and even for taking what you have written and looking for a publisher. You are especially full of ideas about new themes.
Watch that you don’t overcommit yourself in the first half of the year. Lots of things will look good. In October, you narrow down that list.
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Lilly Roddy’s Annual Journey Through the Signs
In her annual lecture, Lilly Roddy covers what is going on for each astrology sign in 2012. How will the planets affect you and your loved ones? Will your mate’s love life improve? How is your career doing? These questions and others will be answered.
When: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.
Location: Lilly’s Little Lecture Hall
Cost: $25 with reservations before January 9, $30 at the door (cash, cc, or cks).
Can’t attend? Order a CD of the lecture for $30.
For reservations, questions, and/or to order a CD of the lecture, contact Lilly Roddy at 713/529-5842 or [email protected].
