Your horoscope for the week ahead: An exceptionally feisty Leo Moon will spur you to do what you're meant to

The week kicks off with a feisty Moon in the indomitable sign of Leo. This will fire up your determination to get on with what you came into this world to do. Expect ideas and solutions to come out of nowhere. 

Patience and optimism are imperative as the forward movement of Mercury grinds to a halt on Tuesday. Say hello to a new three-week Mercury retrograde phase (they come once every four months). You can expect to encounter delays in schedules and glitches with technology, communications, and more. Toast will land on the ground butter side down. We tend to lose our focus at times like this and fumble or drop things, misplace or lose items. Slow down the pace to a safe and manageable level. Move fast but not in haste.

Mercury aka Hermes is essentially a good energy. Think of him as a shrewd and clever friend that can come up with ingenious solutions to intractable problems. He's your expert adviser, but he does have a puckish sense of humour — Hermes likes to laugh. Beware, you'll be in trouble if you can't laugh at yourself. A light-hearted and confident attitude will win the day.

Mars, Hercules of the solar system, is cresting in power. Look south from about 10 p.m. onward to see his orange glow. The Sun, or Apollo, and Mars will be at opposite ends of the sky on Tuesday, the same day as Mercury's change in direction. The Sun-Mars opposition will make this Aries Mars exceptionally bright and potent, similar to a Full Moon crescendo. 

Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are moving forward in a tight grouping in Capricorn. Ahead, Jupiter and Saturn will pick up speed and break loose from the pack, eventually meeting up in Aquarius on the Winter Solstice, December 21. It's going to be good.   

Here is your horoscope for the week of Monday, October 12, 2020.

Aries

Don't be in too much of a hurry to understand what's going on around you — just look for the possibility that there may be more to it than meets the eye. The hidden portion contains a positive promise for your future well-being. Someone you're close to is soon going to alter their attitude toward you. It doesn't follow from this that everything will improve overnight, but you should soon see the start of an inspiring change. There is new hope not only in your personal life, but also where business and financial matters are concerned. Mercury is moving you to take a significant step toward the more fulfilling lifestyle you desire. 

Taurus

Trivial aspects are causing too much angst, but you've long since learnt how to cope with difficulty. Do stay focused on a positive outcome. Mercury heralds the commencement of a long period of growth and expansion concerning certain plans you're working on. Something that has long needed to happen will happen, if you remain loyal to a big, heartfelt dream of yours. You yearn for peace, tranquillity, contentment and comfort, and it's within your reach. There is no reason to think that any of these are out of the question. Mercury will help you get what you want. All you need to know is what you want. 

Gemini

Mercury will guide you toward making a practical move that will extricate you from a challenging quandary. Feel free to look confidently ahead to the future — it can be engineered into something that is more to your liking. What has been uncertain and up in the air will settle down and stabilize. You are embarking on a new and exciting chapter in your life that will bring great achievements. It involves performing a bit of a balancing act. You'll find a way to deal with various delicate issues that need to be taken into account. You've already thought the matter through thoroughly. Now, you just have to have faith in your conclusion. 

Cancer

Something good in your world is starting to gain pace, but fear and insecurity are compelling you to emphasize what's wrong. Truth be told, some of the best things that come to pass usually transpire despite our seemingly built-in, self-destruct mechanism. Keep your anxiety in check and you'll find that a certain concern is on a course to a good resolution. Nourish the thoughts that inspire happiness. Mercury's influence will have dramas see their denouement, and negotiations find harmonious resolutions. You'll soon be sifting through a multitude of opportunities. There are more of these than you ever imagined.

Leo

Your emotions have been stirred up lately. Be careful to not indulge in a critical viewpoint of yourself. Your tendency to be harsh with your self-appraisal must be moderated. Intense encounters have caused you to question yourself and your old assumptions. Despite feeling a little vulnerable and exposed, there is an underlying layer of optimism and excitement in your heart. Mercury is casting a new light on a certain quandary, and as it does, the world will no longer seem quite so dark and threatening. Life will offer you a rare opportunity You'll be pleasantly surprised with what is to come. New magic will enter your life. 

Virgo

Many things in this world are in short supply — except, that is, issues to worry about. We are never likely to run out of those. Thinking about things you could have done, should have done or wish you hadn't done is a worthwhile exercise to engage in from time to time. However, beware not to overdo it, lest it lead to a mood of remorse and failure. Everything that has happened may have taught something that could not be taught in any other way. Thanks to Mercury, a wave of happiness will soon pour into your life and blow away the melancholy of the past. Don't indulge your anxieties; your overall outlook is undeniably auspicious.

Libra

Some risks are worth taking as long as they don't tread on the feelings of people who care about you. There's a point, now, past which you must not go. You have to be sensitive, but you also have to be bold. Mercury is guiding you through a process, and you'll make a wise decision. It involves pursuing a course of action that some might see as foolhardy. But since when have you allowed criticism to undermine your confidence. The truth you are about to discover is an inspiring one. The sky is offering the chance to commence a process that will bring happy results. 

Scorpio

You are an alchemist turning lead into gold. You have more power than you realize, more influence than you know. Through facing adversity, you've learned how to duck and dive from trouble. Mercury's influence will increase your determination to be brave. You need do far less than you think. There was a time when obstacles to progress would stymie your willpower, but not anymore. Now, there's nothing your resourceful nature can't handle. You've learned how to transmute negative energy into positive action. Triumph is clearly knocking on your door. 

Sagittarius

Do your best to not let fear dash your hopes for the future, since the stars indicate that your future is looking unmistakably auspicious. Steer your thoughts away from worry. You need to listen to other people's opinions less at this time and follow your own intuition. Mercury will show you how to vanquish your troubles and extricate yourself from whatever it is that's causing you concern. Whatever arguments against your entitlement to happiness you might be hearing, ignore them — they most certainly do not apply to you. 

Capricorn

Negative thought patterns lead to negative situations, as is the case with a difficult problem you're contending with. This is largely an unconscious process, but as you begin to recognize this pattern, you will start replacing it with a constructive and empowering train of thought. A little spark of astral magic will take place and lead to a positive shift in your fortunes. You don't yet know quite where your current journey is leading, but Mercury's influence will bring a delightful surprise. Worry less and trust the wilder side of your heart this week. 

Aquarius

People who are helpful, compassionate and considerate are often taken for granted. They go to great lengths to help others and put themselves in positions that most people would never accept. You know first-hand what it's like to have your kindness abused. You need, for your own good, to not allow this to happen. Mercury's influence will teach you that need to be valued, but before that can happen you yourself must come to the realization that you do indeed deserve it. The Universe will give you all the support you need if you are willing at last to place your needs at the top of your agenda.  

Pisces

You're looking for a way to escape an awkward situation that's devouring too much of your time and energy. It's even making you fear what the future holds. You mustn't, for wonderful developments are in store. A defining moment will come when you discover a certain path to deliverance. Something vital about your purpose in life will finally be understood. Mercury's influence makes you wiser; you'll soon know what needs to be done and what will happen if it's not done. Trust that understanding. It will put you on a liberating course of action. The future is in your capable hands.