In the stars

Virgo Aug 24 - Sep 23 Libra Sep 24 - Oct 23

With September shifting from retail overreach to facing last month’s bills, celestial energetics unlock a Pandora’s box of fault-finding.

Little things mean a lot this month, including mischief if they’re not attended to. The upside? Making course corrections, lifestyle refinements and generally getting sorted before the seasonal balance of spring equinox. Then you’ll be beautifully set up to welcome the late-month arrival of September’s silver lining when the sun and new moonshine in your sign switch on their bling lights for this year’s charming carnival of Libran birthdays.

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22

September’s retrogrades are guaranteed to work everyone’s nerves. They require patience, and fortunately Scorpios are born players of the waiting game. While other signs are losing it, you can keep your cool (on the outside anyway) by insisting that constant complainers come up with solutions. With Mercury highlighting imbalances in current power structures, is there something you need to review and address in personal politics, like more equitable arrangements that take all parties into consideration? Ditch the cynicism, keep the common sense, and enjoy the unexpected assistance coming your way.

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21

With seven heavenly bodies retrograde in our solar system, including your boss planet, Jupiter, headstrong Sagittarians are astrologically constrained to hold your horses. To resist giving advice unless requested. To ask yourself before speaking: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? To slow down and bring life’s small cameo moments into close focus, because it’s details that make this month divine, disquieting or an interesting mix of both. If near enough just doesn’t seem good enough, September’s cosmic prompts help you access your own excellence rather than expecting it of others.

As Venus trades her Leo crown for a chic let’s-get-down-to-business suit in your sign of precision, practicality and productivity, why take care of absolutely everything yourself when you could accept a little help from your friends? Better still, a lot. Grant yourself some grace around the September 10 full moon, when listening to your inner guidance could show a difficult situation in a surprisingly different light. This month’s most useful words? Decongest. Downsize. On all levels. While repeating Virgo pro-organiser Andrew Mellen’s beautiful birthday mantra: More love and less stuff ...

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20

Despite the unsolicited opinions of September’s instant experts, most people are genuinely trying to Get It Right: unlike Capricorns, who know something’s right because you do it. Smartest response? Treat feedback as the irritating grain of sand from which your thought processes can produce a pearl of wisdom. And what rule book tells you to wear yourself out personally overseeing absolutely everything? Only your own. All work and no play makes a cranky Capricorn, so delete the ‘should’ word from your vocabulary and explore the elegant sensuality Venus beams into this month’s rational practicality.

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

While planetary reversals dish up some challenging lessons, they also bring significant rewards. The current Jupiter retrograde suggests reassessing and updating your beliefs. Saturn, the zodiac’s life coach, retrograde in Aquarius, delivers a healthy reality check. Your mentor planet, Uranus, retrograde alerts you to things that aren’t working so you can change them. If that’s a passé relationship, unsatisfying job, or spending time in a place that doesn’t feel right with people you’ve outgrown, Uranus sparks opportunities to make up, break up, do whatever you need to shake things up and move to new ground.

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20

Sensible, disciplined Virgo vibes are excellent medicine for you lovable bundles of extreme emotions. Which means that instead of just dreamweaving plans, you can set about getting them happening. Especially when September 10’s full moon in your sensitive, psychic sign downloads cues through dreams, synchronicities and serendipities that feel like divine timing. As to handling this month’s critics: they’ll be just so much putty in your Fish fingers, as you remind them you’re a living artwork in progress, contradict yourselves, drive them nuts, laugh charmingly and let them take you to dinner.

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 21

Every 12th year, this being one, Jupiter begins a new cycle in your sign. Now spring is sprung, your planetary driver, Mars, has you raring to renovate and reinvent major parts of your life. But a whopping seven planets retrograde, including two in Aries, are suspending the collective momentum in a holding pattern. Use this month as your personal pit stop to delete what’s no longer relevant, so you’re primed and ready to roll when Jupiter hits the astral accelerator in your sign for its upcoming smorgasbord of creative opportunities and visionary thinking.

Taurus Apr 22 - May 21

September is the zodiac’s annual transit for paying attention to small but important details because as Taureans know, out of little things big things grow. And could mushroom to mad proportions as this month people rush, fuss and take things way too seriously. Fortunately your earthy virtues will be in demand for getting others to kick back, relax and take it easy. With your leading lady, Venus, the celestial siren, in the sign of service, helping others is this month’s primary love language. The pay-off? You’re likely to find giving feels twice as good as receiving.

Gemini May 22 - Jun 22

This month invites you out of your head into your body, Twins. Away from screen and devices to refresh yourself in the natural world. To get physical with self-care, a pleasurable exercise routine, a spring clean and declutter in the home zone. All worthwhile activities during Mercury’s three-week reversal, when it’s also highly advisable to keep provocative opinions off social media and think again before pressing send. Motivational Mars in your sign energises you to find alternative ways forward through retrograde delays, until September’s last 10 days reignite the kind of socialising Geminis thrive on.

Cancer Jun 23 - Jul 23

September is clutter-culling month: not Cancerians’ favourite activity.

But if you’re ever going to get rid of that outfit, friendship or accumulation of stuff past its use-by date, the full moon on September 10 in the sign of closure helps loosen the grip of the past and release what’s no longer useful. Why? To free up available space when the new moon on September 26 demonstrates new interpersonal possibilities, refreshes the dialogue between yourself and others, and emphasises the necessity for equilibrium in ourselves, our relationships and the wider world around us.

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23

Everyone accessing their inner critic can be a testing time for Lions, who tend to get feisty under fire. No need. Simply respond to September’s lectures on etiquette, organisation, getting fit and the real meaning of commitment by reminding others that flaws can be adorable. And if this month seems penny-pinching or petty-minded, why get your royal whiskers in a snit when it makes you look grandly expansive and gloriously generous in comparison? Adopt the operating strategy recommended by Leo author Aldous Huxley:

Learn to do everything lightly.

Lightly, my darling.