2012 Horoscope: Leo (July 23-August 22)

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Should I get (or stay) married? Am I with the right person? Will I have a child? What's my best career move? When will I feel happy again?

"Getting my chart done was like the best therapy session of the year!"
—Pamela Madsen, fertility coach and author of bestselling book Shameless

2012 Challenges:
Communication. Learn the balance between being overly “nice” and bulldozing people. Work on getting your message across—and getting to the point faster.

2012 Opportunities:
Career. This could be one of your most successful years yet.

Love & Relationships

Much of your attention is focused on your career and ambitions this year, so finding time for love will require some savvy scheduling. As a passionate Leo, you can always squeeze a little romance in, though. You’ll definitely need to be with someone who supports your rising star, and can dress up for some of the high-profile events you’ll be attending. With lucky Jupiter in the long-term planning and visioning parts of your chart, committed Leos will want to set some goals, perhaps looking into investments, or saving up for the future. Do you have a common dream, like traveling the world, buying a beach house, or crossing a couple items off the bucket list? This would be a great year to start working toward those in earnest—or perhaps even to make one a reality.

Caring and affectionate as you may be, trust is another issue—one that you may need to do some emotional recovery work around. On February 3rd, healing Neptune settles into Pisces, your eighth house of intimacy and deep bonding, until 2026. Prepare to explore some of the more complex realms of trust and vulnerability. If you’re always the boss, you may finally learn what it’s like to let go and allow someone else to steer the ship. You may also do some “sexual healing” during this time, pursuing a deeper exploration of your desires. A pregnancy is possible. Caution: both Neptune and the eighth house can have obsessive or extreme tendencies. If you have a love addiction or suffer from codependence in your relationships, you may want to seek the help of a therapist to recover. Couples’ therapy can also be beneficial for some Leos.

Single Leos may find love near the Sagittarius lunar eclipse on June 4th, which falls in your passionate fifth house. A budding attraction, perhaps sparked as far back as last November (at the Sagittarius solar eclipse), could consummate into a real-deal romance. While you may be seeing fireworks, don’t let those explosions turn too dramatic. Love-planet Venus will be retrograde (backward) from May 15-June 27, which can disrupt the harmony of happy couples. Retrogrades can bring back people from our past, so you may hear from an ex, and possibly even consider a reunion. This could happen again when communication planet Mercury is retrograde in Sagittarius November 6-26. Make sure you suss out this person’s true intentions, and examine your own motives deeply. Loneliness is not a good enough reason to take somebody back.

Work & Money
Your career is the hottest spot in your chart for 2012, so you’ll want to take advantage of the opportunities headed your way. Lucky Jupiter is in Taurus, your tenth house of success, until June 11th. This is a cycle that only happens every 12 years, and you could be called into a position of high responsibility and leadership. You may be offered a job with a prestigious and well-established corporation, a huge industry, or even with the government. A promotion and a fancy new title are possible, and if you’ve outgrown your current position, this would be a great year to seek something new. Chances are, you’ll get it! Working with a headhunter or a recruiter can ensure the best possible placement. If you’re a business owner, this would be a great year to create a proper business plan, or to reassess your key priorities and put your energy into some focused, strategic efforts. Consider revamping your public image, launching a PR campaign or even rebranding your company with a sleek new logo and website.

Speaking of websites, on June 11th, Jupiter begins a yearlong visit to Gemini, your eleventh house of technology, groups and humanitarian causes. This is another prosperous cycle that will be bolstered by “who you know.” Get out there and network, attend industry events, and spread the word about what you’re up to far and wide. You’ll crave the opportunity to make a difference through your work, so look to ways you can connect your paycheck with a worthy cause. It’s all about how you spin the story—and as a fabulous storyteller, you should have no people inspiring people to take action and get involved in helping make the world a better place. With Jupiter in Gemini, you may also need more flexibility and autonomy—nobody breathing down your neck, thank you! You could begin working virtually, Skype-ing with long-distance client, or amping up your online and social media marketing.

Innovative Uranus (which also rules technology) is in Aries, your ninth house of global and long-distance connections, until 2018. All the more reason not to let geography limit your lofty ambitions, Leo. Perhaps you’ll be filming some online videos or even teaching a tele-class. Not feeling so tech-savvy? Take a class to brush up your skills. Leos love to learn, and you’ll only have more tools with which to express your creativity. A pair of Gemini eclipses on May 28th and November 28th will further push you into the virtual zone.

Ready to add a few more figures to your earnings? Go-getter Mars is in Virgo, your work and money house, until July 3rd. You’ll get back what you put in, so be as proactive as possible. Mars can add stress, so you may find yourself a bit short on funds at moments, especially when Mars is retrograde January 23-April 13. Cool your overspending during this time and be vigilant about sticking to your budget. Leos can be a bit too free with your “paper and plastic,” especially when you’ve got a shiny new credit card or a wad of cash in your wallet! Check out Ramit Sethi’s book I Will Teach You To Be Rich—which, contrary to how the title sounds, is a six-week primer on the basics of money management, written in a conversational tone.

On February 3rd, Neptune enters Pisces, your eighth house of wealth, staying until 2026. This is an important time to heal any emotional issues around your finances. Be careful about sharing your money with flaky people or making risky investments. A real estate property can become a money pit if you’re not careful; however, this could also be a great time to purchase a second home near water, as Neptune rules the sea. Neptune can make us overly trusting and prone to scams. You might want to take extra precautions against identity theft, and even work with a credit counselor if you need to rebuild your FICO score or get back in good standing.

Health & Wellness

You’re in year four of a long physical and health transformation. Alchemist Pluto is in Capricorn, your well-being sign, from 2008-2024. Since then, you may have started a new form of exercise, broken a bad habit (like smoking), or started to become more organized and fit overall. If not, well, you’ve got the whole year to go for it again. It’s not about how many times you fail or fall, it’s about how quickly you pick yourself up again. You may be dealing with old issues of perfectionism, even body image recovery. Fortunately, energizer Mars is in Virgo, your self-worth house, until July 3rd. This year, find the courage to love yourself enough! Make food, exercise and lifestyle choices that are self-affirming.

Oh yes, and how about a vacation, Leo? You’re going to be so busy that scheduling a break could be tough. Take a little time-out near your birthday if you can. Communication planet Mercury is retrograde in Leo from July 14-August 8, a time when you’re likely to be misunderstood. Personal ventures may stall, so this is a great opportunity to go back to the drawing board to revise.

On October 3rd, structured Saturn moves into Scorpio, your home and family sign, until 2015. For two years, you may be dealing with some challenges and changes in your personal life. A relationship with your mother, children, or a female relative may go through a growing-up process. While it can be tough at times, with the right boundaries and direct communication, you’ll both become closer in the end. Leo, you can be a softie with the ones you love, which can lead them to take advantage of your kindness. If you’ve been reluctant to push those baby birds out of the nest, maturing Saturn will help you find the right amount of tough love that will teach your young’ns self-sufficiency and independence.

On the other hand, you may be sorely missing quality time with your loved ones, and may decide to make lifestyle changes that allows you to spend more dedicated blocks of togetherness. Thinking of moving? On November 28th, a Scorpio solar eclipse could bring a relocation opportunity out of the blue. Eclipses have a six-month arc, so between now and spring 2013, a switching of zip codes is possible—as is a pregnancy or an addition to the family. This November eclipse would be a good time to try conceiving, as Saturn’s restrictive effect can make it a bit harder otherwise.

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