The last days of summer are slipping away — and the languid, playful energy of heat is replaced with a need for structure, strategy and a sure thing.
“Summer dating is about chemistry and fun. Fall dating is about compatibility and depth. Most people don’t realize their zodiac element determines what they’re really looking for in a lasting relationship,” Echo, astrology expert and professional tarot reader at Tarotap, told The Post.
In terms of relationships and owing to the influence of the sun and other planets in Virgo — flings and flights of fancy are prone to transform during this threshold period into something more stable or slow fade like a September tan line.
According to Echo, each zodiac sign can successfully navigate this seasonal transition by asking themselves and their partners a key question and/or offering the inquiry to their tarot deck for guidance.
“Unlike summer’s ‘let’s see what happens’ energy, fall brings urgency. People want to know where things are heading before the holidays hit. That’s why each zodiac sign needs different conversation starters and self-reflection questions.”
Read for your sun and rising sign.
KEY QUESTION: “Am I looking for someone who can keep up, or someone who can slow me down?”
As a Mars-ruled sign, Aries folks are prone to mistake momentum for progress.
“Their blind spot is leaping into relationships that feel exciting but lack balance. Asking whether a partner steadies or accelerates them helps determine if the connection can last,” said Echo.
Focus on how your nervous system responds to being in the presence of your partner. There’s a difference between attraction and activation, magnetism and mania.
KEY QUESTION: “What does emotional security actually feel like with this person?”
“Taurus may hold onto comfort without checking if it brings genuine security,” shared Echo. “Their blind spot is mistaking routine for stability. Reflecting on what safety feels like in a relationship helps them see if the bond is nourishing.”
Hot tip: stagnation is not stability.
KEY QUESTION: “Do our conversations energize me or exhaust me?”
“Geminis thrive on variety and conversation, yet they sometimes mistake endless chatter for true connection,” shared Echo. “Their blind spot is ignoring how drained they can feel after constant interaction. Checking whether a partner’s words uplift or deplete their energy can help provide clarity,” explained Echo.
KEY QUESTION: “Am I nurturing this person or just trying to fix them?”
“Cancers are natural caregivers, but they can slip into fixing rather than loving. Their blind spot is giving more than they receive. Asking whether they are truly supported as well as supportive helps keep things balanced,” the expert explained.
No matter how great your capacity for giving may be, the absence of reciprocity will ever and always be a recipe for resentment.
KEY QUESTION: “Do they celebrate my wins or compete with them?”
As Echo shared, and as anyone who has ever known a Leo can attest, big cats feel best when their light is celebrated — and their wins are acknowledged.
However, it is not straight glory hogging that they are after, as these folks give as good as they get, happy to serve as hypemen for their partners — so long as the goodwill is received and given back to them.
“Their blind spot is overlooking subtle competition in a partner. Asking if someone honors and celebrates their victories makes sure that admiration is mutual,” Echo said.
KEY QUESTION: “Am I trying to improve them or accept them?”
It is the blessing and curse of Virgo to see the potential in all things, even and especially their partners. This ilk cannot help but want to implement a self-improvement strategy to help them reach those heights, whether or not they are asked to do so.
“Their blind spot is confusing helpfulness with criticism. Asking whether they are practicing acceptance instead of constant refinement makes space for intimacy,” said Echo.
KEY QUESTION: “Am I avoiding conflict or actually building harmony?”
“Libras value peace but can avoid conflict to the point of self-silencing,” said Echo. “Their blind spot is confusing surface-level calm with genuine harmony. Asking whether balance is being built or discomfort is being buried helps them see the truth.”
KEY QUESTION: “Can I trust them with my real thoughts, not just my polished ones?”
According to Echo, Scorpios crave depth yet often protect their soft underbellies under the veneer of a polished exterior.
“Their blind spot is mistaking intensity for vulnerability. Asking whether they are sharing unfiltered thoughts helps test real trust,” said Echo.
You can’t go deep unless you’re willing to be bare.
KEY QUESTION: “Do they expand my world or shrink it?”
Ruled as they are by expansive planet Jupiter, Sagittarius folk thrive when they feel like all things are possible, available and probable.
“Their blind spot is missing how a partner may slowly limit that sense of adventure. Asking if someone broadens or narrows their world reveals if the connection is aligned,” the expert said.
In accordance with your spirit, you can entertain a realist but never a naysayer.
KEY QUESTION: “Are we building something together or just passing time?”
Ruled by stern Saturn and represented by the ambitious sea goat, Capricorns are built to build, but as Echo shared, they sometimes invest in relationships that lack clear, mutual goals.
“Their blind spot is equating productivity with partnership. Asking whether something lasting is being created together keeps intentions clear.”
KEY QUESTION: “Do they appreciate my uniqueness or try to normalize me?”
“Aquarius treasures individuality but can downplay it when a partner tries to mold them into something more conventional,” said Echo. “Their blind spot is assuming independence alone protects their uniqueness. Asking if their quirks are accepted or suppressed keeps authenticity intact.”
Detachment is not a pathway to fellowship.
KEY QUESTION: “Am I feeling their emotions or projecting my own?”
According to Echo, because Pisces people feel deeply, they can blur the line between empathy and emotional projection.
“Their blind spot is believing another person’s emotions are their own. Asking whether what they feel belongs to them or to the partner keeps them grounded,” Echo explained.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.