This week is for finishing up old business, taking another look at unresolved problems, and reflecting deeply on what we really want.

With Pluto turning retrograde, Saturn going back to Virgo, and Mercury in pre-retrograde shadow, it’s not time yet to make a push forward. That will come soon enough.

We’re also in the aftermath of a Full Moon, and she’s traversing the last three signs of the zodiac, indicating that one major cycle is winding down in preparation for what’s next.

On Monday, Mercury in Taurus squares Mars in Leo — a testy, stubborn pair. Expect an increase in arguments, standoffs, traffic jams, and other conflicts. Taurus isn’t the most vocal sign, so watch for body language and other nonverbal cues that someone is having a bad day, and don’t get on their case. It will help if you can distinguish between who someone is and what they have.

Mercury trines Pluto on Tuesday, just as the planet of hidden motives and animal urges turns retrograde. If nothing else, Mercury in Taurus is very matter-of-fact and can calmly deal with unspeakable things. Is there something that causes you panic and anxiety? Or something you desire deeply and are ashamed of? Repression gives power to these dark impulses, and extreme repression can lead to obsession and worse. Sometimes admitting the truth is liberating, and there is no better time to do it, since you are more consciously aware of what’s going on in your deep psyche. Do make sure you can trust the person you’re sharing your deepest, darkest secrets with.

Less than 24 hours after Pluto shfits gears, retrograde Saturn returns to Virgo and begins to move away from a close square with Pluto. This will take some of the intensity out of the cardinal T-square for now and allow change to take place at a slower, more manageable rate for the next few months.

However, Saturn will return to an opposition with Uranus in Pisces, exact on April 26, and this is where we’re going to see a lot of revisiting controversial issues. The fight over healthcare in the United States will continue. Just because the legislation passed Congress, doesn’t mean that’s the end of it. Regulations implementing the law have to be written, and that’s a long, laborious process that can be held up at any step of the way.

Other political and financial situations that developed during peak Saturn-Uranus opposition periods also may come back for another round. The opposition was exact on Nov. 4, 2008 (Election day in the United States), Feb. 5, 2009, and Sept. 15, 2009. There will be one more exact opposition, on July 26, with Saturn in Libra and Uranus in Aries. I’ll have more on that as the date approaches.

In our individual lives, this opposition is having an unnerving effect, like flooring the gas pedal with one foot and slamming on the brakes with the other. So, for example, you might be going through radical personal changes while trying to stay committed to a long-term relationship. Or, you may have an opportunity to relocate for a great new job, but family obligations are keeping you tied down. It depends on where these two are transiting your natal chart.

The rest of this week is fairly uneventful. Mars makes a third and last inconjunct with Pluto on Saturday, which we may feel not as any specific event but a vague sense of heaviness or a “disturbance in the Force.” If possible, observe your impulses, but refrain from acting on them until you know more about what they signify.

Next week is the New Moon in Aries, and our lives get busier once again, so rest while you can. Also, wrap up all your paperwork this week. Absolutely do not wait until next week to file your tax returns! The lines the post office will be interminably long, and filing online could be filled with glitches. I’ll have more on the New Moon later in the week, so check back.

Until then, wishing you much love and courage —
Pat