Just a day after the New Moon and moods still continue to be tense and anxious with heightened nervous restlessness. In addition we are in the midst of a strong alignment featuring the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mercury and Earth. As a result this will add still further to the overall tension of this period with bouts of anxiety and apprehension in which problems may appear magnified.

Of particular interest is the alignment of Mercury with both the Sun and the Moon. This is likely to create an extremely heightened mood atmosphere with alert and sharpened awareness that for some will be just a little too intense for comfort.

In some respects this will be a highly assimilative mood period with intuitive thoughts and perception that will border on the psychic. In addition it is likely to result in unsettled or uneasy feelings and sensations with over sensitive emotions that will be easily disturbed or prone to swiftly changeable moods and feelings. In turn this may lead to a worrying, indecisive, or emotionally frustrating disposition with poor concentration and memory. Consequently it may not be easy to focus on the task in hand and there may be an intense desire for change - possibly through travel - which will not be easy to resist. Similarly ones daily routine may be subject to distractions of an escapist nature as other more instantly rewarding alternatives assert their attraction, and a strict schedule may prove difficult to adhere to.

Under these circumstances physical tasks may be preferred to those requiring high mental dexterity as increased restlessness will make it hard to concentrate or even sit still for too long. Thoughts of a strong or disturbing nature may also cause problems and emotions will be subject to powerful waves of influence.

The alignment between the Sun and Venus is now slowly coming to a peak and this will accentuate its various traits which once again centre around very powerful thoughts and emotions. Predominantly these concern feelings of increased affection or the need for sympathetic understanding with an emphasis on intimacy or the love of pleasure. They may also lead to a strong sense of values with an attraction towards the finer things in life or an interest in artistic or creative pursuits, particularly the visual or acoustic arts.

The effects of Saturn - still in opposition to Neptune - may induce some feelings of pessimism with lack of confidence or else insecurities that may be hard to shake off and ignore. For some this may result in flattened or depressive thoughts and emotions, or an unduly bleak view of the future.

It should be warned that the effects of alcohol will be magnified at this time and since there will also be a temptation to drink more than usual then this harbours the risk of volatile or even violent outbursts. In addition it may give rise to unpleasant or disturbing thoughts and alcohol consumption should currently be treated with the utmost caution.

There is no doubt that this represents a highly complex period of often challenging moods and feelings. Some of these may be pleasant and rewarding but equally there is an atmosphere of undoubted frustration that may cause problems that for some may become intense.

Alert is 8. Moon 1% illuminated.