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The routines of daily life diverge from their normal rhythms this week, as several powerful celestial patterns continue to pull hearts, as well as minds, in diverse directions. This scattering of attention is sure to produce a peculiar psychic and/or emotional disequilibrium—but don't worry about the tilt. Life isn't wobbling completely out of control, even if there are moments when some of us are likely to feel overwhelmed by persistent situations that no matter how hard we try just won't seem to "straighten out." Truth is, the idea of getting anything "straight" is its own kind of challenge right now, given that we're also in the thrall of an astral time warp, straddling past, present, and future realities, all at the same time. Balance is key to handling this astral flux, and while that might sound like a simple solution, finding and maintaining a steady internal stance in the midst of so many potent shifts requires a deep, perhaps even new, level of concentration and skill.

Three significant configurations contribute to this week's wobble. First, Venus just began a retrograde phase on May 15 that lasts until June 27. Venus, the goddess of relationships, is retracing her recent path through Gemini, the sign of information, which means many of us are revisiting data about our relationships or our relationship habits. We've been in this Venus intensive since the beginning of May, when Venus began her trine to Saturn—a positive alliance that lasts until the end of the month. Saturn is in Libra, the sign of relating, and one of the signs Venus rules. Because Saturn represents the principle of learning, many of us have been experiencing profound lessons in intimacy.

At its core,  Libra is the sign where we attempt to embrace a process of learning how to relate to another human being as an equal without surrendering a sense of self or asking the other person to do the same. This is a difficult dynamic for many of us, especially when conditioning keeps us enslaved to unconscious patterns that often take the form of projections, making it nearly impossible to see the other person clearly. Staying conscious in the midst of old emotional patterns is among the most difficult personal work of all, and while the current relationship intensive may be exhausting, it is providing real opportunities for insight and growth.
 
A solar eclipse on May 20 exacerbates this intensity, as it reveals hidden patterns. During a solar eclipse, the New Moon overshadows the Sun, and from an astrological perspective, this "reversal" of light can be interpreted as the power of unconscious drives to overshadow conscious concerns, allowing previously withheld feelings, yours or others, to see the light of day. Eclipses distort time, so you or a partner may already be experiencing this heightened state.
The Uranus/Pluto square is also tightening its grip, and as we move closer to the first exact square, emotional reactions are sure to run high. So in addition to making "balance" your mantra, also try to choose kindness whenever possible. It will go a long way toward alleviating the tension of extreme reactions—yours or others'.

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