We are going into 2017 with communications planet Mercury in retrograde – and when Mercury goes backwards, mayhem often ensues.

Missed meetings and miscommunications often happen under this cycle, and maintaining your sense of humour is key. It has an upside, though: now’s the time to rethink, redo and revisit. So, if you find yourself taking a walk down memory lane as 2017 dawns, that’s Mercury. This cycle ends on 8 January.

The start of the year is also the ideal time to set out your intentions for the months ahead. What do you want to achieve? Whether you have plans for an adventure, to get in shape or anything else, it's not too late to make some last-minute New Year’s resolutions. The New Moon on 28 January makes it the perfect day to recommit to your plans for 2017, if you happen to fall off the wagon early!

CAPRICORN

22 Dec to 20 Janv

This month you have the power of communication, and there is no problem so big that you can't sort it out by rethinking your stance and talking things through. Note that Mercury will actually be reversing in your sign until 8 January. On the one hand this could be annoying, as it suggests there could be some mistimings. On the other, it means you have opportunities for second chances and celestial permission to change your mind. Maybe you might want to rethink your plans for 2017?

Power date:19 January – good for love and money

AQUARIUS

21 Jan to 19 Feb

The New Moon is in your sign this month, meaning that you have the chance to start all over again, in any part of your life. Take a moment to look dispassionately at yourself, the way a stranger would. What do you have to be grateful for? Appreciating the good things will bring more good. What needs changing? The New Moon on 28 January will bring you chances to make these changes, so draw up a list of your aims for 2017. Writing things down creates a certain magic.

Power date: 19 January – your energy levels go back to normal.

PISCES

20 Feb to 20 Mar

The love and money planet Venus is in your sign this month. If you would like some positive developments in either of those areas of your life, you could be in luck. Remember, we are all magnets – we attract with our thoughts. So what are you attracting? If you focus on the negative with moaning and complaints, you will simply attract more of that. Use this month to get back on track spiritually and emit good vibes.

Power date:3 January – Venus enters Pisces and your prospects for love and abundance

ARIES

21 Mar to 20 Apr

The middle of the month – around 10 January – is the time to decide how you want your year to pan out in terms of your ambitions. What do you want to achieve professionally? Or if you don't work, what do you want to be recognised for? By the end of the month, you will be well and truly raring to go as your planet Mars, full of vim and vigour, moves back into your sign for the first time in about two years. It’s time to make a wish on 28 January.

Power date:28 January – expect to feel fired up and able to accomplish more than ever.

TAURUS

21 Apr to 21 May

This month, your loving planet Venus meets dreamy Neptune. If you have a dream related to love or abundance for 2017 then use the middle of the month to visualise it – dreams can come true. Don’t underestimate how important friends are to your happiness, either, as it's potentially a really lovely month for you socially. At work, you have the New Moon boosting your career, so make a plan for what you want to achieve professionally in the year ahead.

Power date:12 January – could be confusing, but could also be super dreamy.

GEMINI

22 May to 22 Jun

Your planet Mercury started the year going backwards, so if 2017 has felt like it was dragging its heels, that’s why. However, this cycle finishes on 8 January, which means by the middle of the month you should be feeling up to speed. Every Mercury retrograde brings a chance to refocus on something. For you, this was about rethinking your finances or your sex life, and later in the month will be the time to take action. Love-wise there could be some dramas, but you are learning lessons via your relationships.

Power date:29 January – you have 'the power' today, so use it wisely!

CANCER

23 Jun to 23 Jul

If your love life or any of your important relationships have been a bit up and down lately, you can thank Mercury’s retrograde in your Seventh House of Love. It’s a time for change. For some of you that means an old lover back on the scene, for others there has been a lot of romantic confusion, or a chance to renegotiate the ‘rules’ of your relationship. Your love life will get better this month. If you've had some ideas about how to improve things for you and your partner, start to implement them now.

Power date:10 January – work hard to make changes with a VIP.

LEO

24 Jul to 23 Aug

The New Moon takes place in your Love Zone this month. This is a once-in-a-year occurrence and gives you the chance to make changes in all of your most important relationships, personal and professional. The issue you are facing now is that you have fun-restricting Saturn in your Fun Zone, which also relates to romance. Many of you have been feeling like it's not as easy as it should be to have a great time. For others, romance feels dead! That can change now. Make a decision to schedule in time for fun – it may not sound romantic, but it works.

Power date:6 January – a very powerful day for you, use it or lose it!

VIRGO

24 Aug to 23 Sep

If you have felt as though you've been treading water, you should start to feel you're moving forwards again. Mercury was reversing in the Fifth House of Fun, so hopefully you have rediscovered some old ways you used to enjoy yourself. If not, you have until 8 January, when your planet Mercury ends his retrograde cycle. What did you used to do that could make you happy again now? This is also potentially the most romantic month of the year for you.

Power date:29 January – even the meekest Virgos will remember their magnificence!

LIBRA

24 Sep to 23 Oct

There is romance in the air for you as your planet Venus meets soulmate planet Neptune and the New Moon fires up your Romance Zone. Put it all together and your daily life could be more romantic than it has been in a while. Perhaps there is someone you see daily who puts a smile on your face. To really make the most of the stars, you should also tap into your spiritual side with some meditation or yoga. This could really help your intuitive powers develop.

Power date:24 January – a very healing day.

SCORPIO

24 Oct to 22 Nov

There is a New Moon in your Fourth House, providing the chance for some kind of restart or a second chance in your personal life. It could be connected with moving house, or it could be to do with a new start with a family member or someone you live with. It’s up to you to decide which part of your personal or domestic life needs rebooting. By the time the Mercury retrograde ends on 8 January, you should find yourself feeling far less confused by life.

Power date:10 January – a very intense day, with potential for a radical turnaround.

SAGITTARIUS

23 Nov to 21 Dec

This might be a pretty intense month for you, but you could also end it feeling a bit wiser. The hard planet Saturn is still in your sign and will stay there all year, which means Sagittarians are most able to learn amazing life lessons in 2017. Not all of them are totally welcome, and sometimes you might wish for an easier ride. But if you can decide to really learn from any dramas this month, the rest of the year will be simpler. It’s also a great month to work on your communication skills and make sure you’re getting your message across.

Power date:11 January – don't go over the top!