Eros was the god of erotic love. The position of the asteroid Eros in our charts points to our passion and erotic turnons. Mars shows us the style in which we go after what we want, including the ways in which we express our sexuality. Venus shows us some of the important “trappings” and foreplay that help us get in the mood for sex. While the positions of these planets and cosmic bodies in our natal charts remain static, their positions are always changing in the cosmos, activating houses and hotspots in our natal charts. The horoscopes presented here are necessarily general, as we are focusing on only the Sun sign or Ascendant, and how these sexual cosmic bodies are currently affecting the natal chart.

Please note: These horoscopes are more accurate for the Ascendant sign, so if you know it, read them for the sign of your Ascendant first, and the sign of your Sun second.

Aries in 2010

In 2010, you are learning more about your needs in partnership, dear Aries, while at the same time juggling career changes and discovering your own needs for freedom and self-expression. Particularly for those born early in the sign (March 21-24), the year ahead brings many ups and downs as well as push me/pull me energy. All of you are on the verge of some exciting changes, and 2010 is giving you a preview or taste of things to come.

The beginning of the year, however, starts off on the sluggish side, with Mars, your fiery sign ruler, in retrograde motion. The retrograde officially began on December 20th and officially ends on March 10th, but there is always a bit of a preamble and hangover for retrograde cycles. During this cycle, you are not as much your normal self. You don’t assert yourself or state what it is that you want as directly as you normally do, and you could be withdrawn and introspective, pulling back from life a little as you figure out what it is that you truly want from it. This retrograde occurs in your romance and pleasure sector, so it most definitely affects your love life. You could be re-assessing the ways in which you express yourself creatively, what it is you want from your leisure time, and what it is you want from romance.

Because of the retrograde, Mars spends an unusually long time in your romance sector, until June 7th. From March 10th forward, slowly but surely, you are regaining your confidence–in yourself, and possibly on a romantic level as well.

Another major influence on your love life is Saturn. Saturn entered your opposing sign, Libra, at the end of October 2009, and continues in the sign (and your partnership sector) in 2010, with the exception of April 7-July 21st when it backs up and takes care of unfinished business in your work and health sector. This transit will affect those born from March 21 to April 7 the most in 2010. This is a long-term cycle (about 2.5 years) in which commitment and responsibility to a partner becomes paramount. You may be feeling some pressure from outside sources or from a partner, and some soul-searching is in order. Existing partnerships undergo pressures. These are not random tests of a relationship. Rather, they are pressures that challenge partners to strengthen their bond if it is built on solid ground. Only unsound partnerships, or ones built on weak foundations, will crack under the stresses. Single people will also question their needs from an “other”. Some of you will be gravitating towards more mature, grounded, or practical (Saturn-like) people. Most of you will be looking for quality in your relationships. Who meets you halfway? Many of you will decided you’d rather be alone than settle for something that doesn’t fulfill you. Ultimately, you will learn exactly what a close partnership means to you.

This year, conflicts between your career efforts and partnership needs are likely to surface. Complicating matters this summer are your own intense needs for change and freedom.

Venus retrogrades from October 8-November 18. Venus retrogrades can be slow periods for all when it comes to love and money. People are a little more cautious and tight-fisted when it comes to their generosity, with their heart and their money! However, because Venus is your partnership sector ruler, this is a time when a partner could be hard to read, challenged, distant, or aloof. He or she could be turning to the past rather than looking ahead to the future. Past actions come back to visit you, and for some, past lovers reappear in person or in your thoughts to an unusual degree. Karmic circumstances are occurring now. It’s time to re-assess a relationship, and give anyone involved, including yourself, some space. Because this Venus retrograde occurs in your intimacy and partnership sectors, it’s more likely to impact your love life.

There are four Mercury retrograde periods in 2010, and none of them directly affect your love sectors this year.

As mentioned above, those of you born early in the sign of Aries are getting a taste this summer of some big personal changes to come. These changes will affect all Aries at some point, because both Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries this  summer, before retreating back into Pisces for some months. They will both re-enter Aries in 2011. Uranus will stay in the sign for many years to come, and Jupiter will stay in Aries for much of 2011.

Both Jupiter and Uranus are freedom planets. Both challenge us to break free from the ordinary, and to mix up our routines a little (or a lot in the case of Uranus!). Uranus can push you right out of your comfort zones, as it is a planet that is far from subtle. At the same time, you are dealing with a Pluto square that forces you to come face to face with your fears and allows you to tap into your darker side in the process. Pluto is also asking you if your career path represents you on a deep level. And then there is Saturn, reminding you of your responsibilities, as well as your need for a grounded, stable “other” in your life. Whether Saturn is reminding you that there is a serious lack in the relationship department of your life, or pushing you to take more responsibility for the relationship you already have, his presence is very much felt. So, many of you will be pulled in many different directions this year and the next few years, as you struggle with a need for freedom of expression, go through an identity crisis of sorts, and juggle your career, family, and relationships at the same time.

April and September, when Jupiter and Uranus align in your sign and in the sign right behind yours, there are likely to be opportunities that arise that are surprising and attractive, but that also require quite a bit of faith and bravery. Keep in mind that very little in 2010 is permanent–overall, it’s a year of sudden changes, but it looks to be more of a transitional year. While many will be tempted to take risks, and certainly much can be learned from doing so, the rewards will not always be of the permanent kind. It’s not that people shouldn’t take risks this year, but if they do, they should keep in mind that rewards may be temporary, or they might change their minds at a later date.

Eclipses this year don’t fall in signs or houses that are connected to your romance and partnership sectors, serving to direct your attention to family and career matters.

Eros, the god of erotic love, is in your sign from January 8-February 18, and harmonizes with your sign from your romance sector from May 29-July 2. Your powers of attraction run very high during these cycles, but more in terms of you going after what you want than waiting for things to come to you. Sexual activity may be more frequent than usual. An impassioned attitude in general is with you. However, while Eros occupies your sign in January and February, your ruler, Mars, is also retrograde, so you are likely to be giving off confusing or mixed signals at the same time! August 6-September 15, Eros is in your partnership sector and your partner is particularly fired up and passionate.

Venus and Mars both occupy the sign of Libra from August 7-September 8–coinciding with Eros’ travels through the same sign! Because Libra is the sign of your partnership sector, it’s a smoldering combination for love, sex, and romance in a close partnership! It’s also very strong for attracting a new long-term relationship. While you or a partner might change your minds when Venus turns retrograde from October 8-November 18, it could also mean a short period of cooling off as you figure out why things began so quickly in the first place!

Key Periods in 2010:

January 8-February 18 is a period in which your powers of attraction run very high, but more in terms of you going after what you want than waiting for things to come to you. Sexual activity may be more frequent than usual. An impassioned attitude in general is with you. However, because Mars is also retrograde during this period, you are likely to attract others but also give off an aloof air.

Mars is your ruler and is retrograde in your romance sector until March 10th. This means you are a little more introspective and your energy levels are not the same. Circumstances conspire to slow you down if you don’t do it yourself! It’s time to reassess your life in many areas including romance. You could be questioning your needs from a romance during this period. From March 10-May 17, you are coming back to a more confident and direct approach to getting what you want from life. May 17-June 7 is an excellent period for confidently going after what you want, as well as for a romance to pick up its pace and excite you.

Venus is in your sign from March 7-31. This is a time when the world seems to be speaking, or at least appreciating, your “love language”. It’s a period ripe with opportunity for attracting others, for turning on the charm, and for receiving positive feedback from partners or love interests. Love seems to come to you without the need for your pursuing it. You are certainly more coy than is typical of you, mainly because Mars is still only beginning to pick up speed. March 7 and 29-30 in particular are strong days for romance during this period.

Venus moves through your romance sector from June 14-July 10. This is a time when the world seems to speaking, or at least appreciating, your “love language”. Your charm is natural and playful, and love seems to come to you without the need for your pursuing it.

Note that both Venus and Mars will move through your partnership sector concurrently from August 7-September 8, at approximately the same time that Eros moves through this house! This points to a very sexy and romantic time for improving or attracting a partnership.

October 8-November 18 is the Venus retrograde period. Don’t make any major decisions about love (and finances) during this cycle. Love may appear to be at arm’s reach now.

From September 8-November 8 and November 30-December 31, you attract others like bee to honey with a mysterious, sensual aura that surrounds you. This is a period of the year that is most conducive to erotic pleasure and magnetism, with the possible exception of October 8-November 8, when Venus is retrograde.

Try our Love & Romance Forecast report for the upcoming year.

Monthly Horoscopes