Oracle of Ybor: The co-workers I moved down here with just quit, and I’m feeling alone

Dear Oracle, my work has been absolutely insane. I’m a veterinarian, and at my practice, we had three doctors leave recently, and it’s been really rough. Two of those docs were classmates that went to vet school with me, and we all moved up here, and they were the only other people I knew, and now I’m like, “Well, shit, I’m kind of alone.” I’m a Virgo, so my question is, what will work be like for the rest of this Virgo season?—The Virgo Vet

Cards: King of Cups (reversed), Knight of Pentacles (reversed), Two of Pentacles, New Moon

Dear Virgo Vet, happy (belated or early) birthday, and I’m sorry that your celestial season is dampened by your friend-colleagues leaving.
Virgo gets a bad rap among casual astrology fans because they’re “known” for being analytical, hyper-organized, and know-it-alls. Nerds, basically. What’s often left off is why Virgos try to make order out of chaos; it’s to take care of others, often at the sacrifice of the self.

I have no doubt that you’re empathetic—you take care of animals all day!—though the King of Cups reversed shows how heavy that empathy can feel. The King of Cups is someone who feels everything very profoundly but who uses their emotions to cultivate wisdom. And while it’s admirable to transform a broken heart into some higher calling, it still sucks to have a broken heart.

You might be keeping your emotions at bay to get through this tough time at work, but it’s important that you feel them. Talking to a therapist or journaling might be helpful, especially because I think work is going to kick up.

The Knight of Pentacles is a calm, steady dude riding a wild horse which feels like the perfect Virgo metaphor. At work, you’ll take the lead, guiding these messy-ass coworkers to salvation, and you’re going to feel like you’re the only one around here doing their goddamn job, and with that Two of Pentacles, you’ll probably be multi-tasking and picking up everyone’s slack, too.

But the Two of Pentacles is also a card of balance, particularly work-life, so just as you may push aside your emotions to take care of things, you may push aside self-care. Don’t.

You need to take care of yourself, so you have the mental space to deeply contemplate your career and life. The New Moon is a cleansing, healing time; as one cycle ends, another begins. It’s a card that suggests you think about your future and what you want to see in it. If you allowed yourself to really be honest, what would you want to see in your future? Is it working at a different practice? Moving to another city (again?) Don’t just dismiss ideas even if they’re “impractical.”

It might be scary, and it might require a lot of planning, but in this birthday season, take time to figure out what you want this next year to look like.
Best of luck, my dear.

Dear Oracle, I go to a certain bakery all the time for over a year and everyone working there knows me (including the owner), and we talk while I’m there. Well, the other week, one of the workers delivered this slice of cake to me at work and said, “It’s not from me, and there’s a note. I check the note and it’s from the owner’s brother, who works there, asking me on a date and giving me his number. (SUPER SLICK, right???) Anywho, we've really clicked well so far, but it’s early. I’m wondering if this is just the “honeymoon” phase of dating or if we’re, like, soulmates. Any thoughts?—Sweetheart

Cards: Ten of Cups, Four of Wands (reversed), Justice

Dear Sweetheart, my immediate gut reaction to this question was, “You should marry him; his sister can bake the wedding cake.” As a craver of confectionery, I, too, would swoon if a guy asked me out via baked good back in my single days.

With the cards, it definitely seems like you two are hitting it off right now. The Cups are a suite of love, and the Ten is the celebration at the end. You’re spot on with calling it the “honeymoon” phase because this is some smitten-kitten energy. Everything feels like it clicks into place with the Ten of Cups, which can raise the question, “Is this dude actually my soulmate?”

The Four of Wands is also some wedding energy, with this sense of security and comfort attached. Being reversed, I’m going to guess that you’ve imagined a future with this dude somewhere down the line, even if that thought wasn’t “serious.”
With these two cards, I can’t say if this is temporary or if you really found the one, but old Justice is here to remind us to keep a level head. Justice represents both balance and truth, which are two good things to keep in mind during a new relationship. Lots of conversation can help you get to the truth, as well as time.

While it can be tempting to spend every moment with someone we’re really into, a balanced approach is often helpful for longevity. Getting to know someone can be such a pleasure, especially as it unfolds over time. Much like proper puff pastry, relationships shouldn’t be rushed. To get a superior product, you need time—so enjoy the process.

If this guy is your soulmate, then you have plenty of time. And even if he’s not, even if he turns out to be a schmuck, then at least you would have found out before you had his sister break out the buttercream on your behalf.

Regardless of the final outcome, if you enjoy spending time with this guy, keep enjoying it. New relationships are exciting! Take your time, relish in the newness, and have fun with your bakery bro. (And enjoy the literal sweet perks, too.)