23
Over 50 and Commitment-Phobic: Taurus Sun, Aquarius Moon Baby Boomer
Dear Elsa,
Two months ago, I met a man at a local open mic night. We hit it off from the beginning, going for coffee the first night we met. He got my number and gave me his. We went out on our first date a few days later and became much more intimate more quickly than either of us planned. Apparently, we have both been without a relationship for an extended time (13 years for me - 8 for him).
We are still seeing each other at the open mic and we go out (or stay in) every Saturday - but he doesn’t seem to want to see me more often than that. When we are together we don’t just have sex, we talk for hours about everything - except for us. He is gentle and kind, an old fashioned gentleman. He’s open and honest and seems to really enjoy being with me, and I with him. He calls me when he says he will and seemed genuinely happy when I sent a thank you card after our first date and an encouragement card when he went for a job interview.
He warned me early on not to be building expectations, but then he talks about things we’ll do next summer. I don’t think he is seeing anyone else romantically, and I am not either. After a 22 year marriage to a man who was extremely controlling and verbally abusive, I don’t want someone who will want to own me, but I think I would like to see him more. I guess I’m afraid if I push for more, he’ll run. He’s been engaged six times in his life and married three times, so his track record with women isn’t great. But I’ve been married twice myself, so I know people can make bad choices.
So here we are two people who are very attracted to each other but both very hesitant to commit. So here’s my question. How can I make this man really happy? How can I make him feel more secure with me? I don’t necessarily want a commitment. I don’t need that. But I don’t want to be just the Saturday night lay either. I’ve been out of the dating scene so long I just don’t know what to expect. Any advice on romance for the over 50 commitment phobes?
On The Fence
Dear Fence,
Yep, you have a profoundly commitment-phobic chart here (so does he) and I don’t know there is any way you are going to be completely content and satisfied. And I don’t meant this in a critical way. It’s just you want something that does not exist. You want someone you can count on, you want to be special to someone but you do not want any baggage with that. It’s as if you do not want a commitment, but you do, but you don’t and I don’t think there is a cure.
Say this guy commits. Next thing you know you’re moving into his place or he yours. You’re going to merge your lives and it’s going to him, him, him and him. Are you panicked yet?
Continue reading Over 50 and Commitment-Phobic: Taurus Sun, Aquarius Moon Baby Boomer
6
Commitment Phobic In Her 40’s: What Now? Astrology-Based Advice
(note - Originally published, November, 2006)
Elsa,
I feel like I’m in the midst of yet another transition or maybe still transitioning, having not yet found my place in the world, not yet found my love/life partner in this world, not yet found my livelihood in this world and desperate for all (and secretly wishing they are all intertwined with each other). It’s not for lack of opportunity or interested companions -I’ve had & have numerous wonderful men profess their love & desire to be married or build a life together. Ok, so maybe I’m a commitment-phobe aka having to have everything right & perfect before I can completely trust and commit.
Where is this ridiculous fear coming from? I know… it’s coming from me. I suppose the real question is, how do I bust it?…will I bust it?…so I might fully engage in life like I know is possible!!
Many thanks Elsa for your insight!!
Looking For My Captain’s Hat
Dear Hat,
I have no idea what your signature means but I left it intact for others to puzzle over while I try to crack your problem, which I feel is far more common than the people realize or care to admit. And the cause, and the specifics from person to person are endlessly varied. But what you have in common is this: You have cracked 40 years old and you are alone. And I’ll tell you exactly why I think this is.
Continue reading Commitment Phobic In Her 40’s: What Now? Astrology-Based Advice

22
Her Boyfriend Says Something Is Missing In Their Relationship - Astrology-Based Advice
Hey Elsa!
My boyfriend and I have dated on and off for the past 9 months, we’ve been very comfy and I was for the first time, completely ready for nesting and maybe someday, babies. The sex is great, the energy calm, but he seems so skittish about the future. He finally told me he can’t stay committed to me b/c he says there’s “something missing.” He’s said this about EVERY relationship. Is there any hope for him coming around or should I just hit the road running?
Signed,
Grand Cross in My Chart
Dear Grand Cross,
You should probably hit the road running if you’ve discovered you want to nest and have children, because he’s told you he doesn’t. But what bothers me more is this guy’s attitude - “something is missing”. It suggests something is missing with you, and though I appreciate he’s always has this problem and apparently has copped to same…well he must like it that way. He must like running through women, because otherwise he’d be trying to figure it out and fix this.
What it sounds like what he’s figured out, is that he likes to be non-committed and this is his story. “Something is missing,” he tells the women. Well hell. I’d say this guarantees the woman will walk at some point which I think is exactly what he wants and ultimately, exactly what he’s going to get.
Sorry and good luck.
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14
The Gazebo In Sound Of Music - Uh Oh, Reality Intrudes On Neptune
Astrology in real life
Yesterday I brought up the gazebo conversation to the soldier…
“Yeah, because I’m not a… not a… what word was that I used last night? People think I’m a… did I say hyena?
He snorted. “Hyena?”
“Yeah, is that the word I used?”
“No it was like shrew or something. Oh yeah. Banshee. People think you’re a banshee.”
Continue reading The Gazebo In Sound Of Music - Uh Oh, Reality Intrudes On Neptune
10
She’s Known Him A Month And He’d Like To Marry: Astrology-Based Advice
Dear Elsa,
I met someone about a month ago, and he is a nice guy. At first I thought, there’s no way I’d date this guy. Well, we seem to be dating. But now I feel totally smothered and almost to the point of flying off the handle. I don’t know if this is a short or long term influence or if it just points out something that is part of the relationship. He nearly seems to be scared to disagree with me and nothing could be more annoying! I very easily see this man proposing to me and I think that’s what he has in mind.
Libra Moon
United States
Dear Libra,
It sounds to me as if you don’t like this guy’s passivity and neediness - plain and simple. Never mind he is so badly wanting to partner that he is ready to propose marriage to someone he has known for a month. But you may also hate your own passivity, since you are dating someone you decidedly did not want to date and I think the latter may be as much a problem as the former, as this type conflict is vividly shown in your chart.
You have an Aries rising so are not going to take very kindly to wimps; however you also have a Libra moon in the seventh house which wants to partner just as bad as this guy does. This may be why you started dating him in the first place. Hate to be mean to people.
The situation is further complicated by Uranus in the seventh conjunct your Moon suggesting a healthy dose of commitment-phobia and understanding all of this if you go back up and read your mail to me, you can see this guy is more a prop in your movie rather than someone who is driving anything. Basically you want to detach (Uranus) from anyone who is nice and wants to partner (Libra), even though you are nice and want to partner.
Good luck.
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9
Aries Lesbian Contemplates Moving In With Cancer Woman And Her Three Kids: Astrology-Based Advice
Dear Elsa,
My girlfriend is an early Cancer. We’ve been dating off and on for about 2 years. We’re thinking of living together in 4 months or so. I have no kids but she has 3 boys and currently going through a new separation with her husband of 16 years.
I am very protective of my belongings, some being very personal and expensive. I also need my space especially with 3 kids and a dog to contend with. I told her I would need to have my own room out of the 4 rooms in the house. She is moving next weekend. I need a room to store my expensive things and for my private “get away” space to assure a more tranquil living environment and prevent issues with her very busy touchy feely kids. She already promised her kids they would each have their own room unfortunately and this may be a deal breaker for me. The garage is not an option as a safe space for me and my things.
If I move in I would be paying half the rent in the house. I don’t wanna be selfish but this may prevent me from being interested in living with her as, as you have read, this is an already tricky situation being that we both are women and this is her first same sex relationship. I know this is a loaded situation here but is requiring my own room or space silly? Should I by default, allow my things to get broken and tampered with by her kids to prove I love her and capable to make this commitment? Her kids are 18, 10, and 7. OMG!
Aries In Love
United States
Dear Love,
It is not unreasonable or selfish to want your own space but it probably is completely unrealistic to think you are going be able to have this while living with a woman, three children and a dog unless you can afford a house with a separate wing… which it sounds like you cannot.
I think you will probably be miserable if you move in with your girlfriend and also that you will make others miserable… so the fact you are looking at this in a harsh light is good. Because she has a responsibility to her kids and if she is counting on your to pay half the rent and you are ready to balk… well I think you should tell her right away that you are having your doubts.
And don’t think I don’t see your side! I have Libra you know. And it sounds like when she promised her kids they would each have their own bedroom… knowing your conditions, well as far as I am concerned, she sold you out right there.
So no. I would not recommend you move. You are too independent and kids are fixtures, you can take my word on that. Your girlfriend is also telling you one thing (you will be accommodated) but taking opposite action, so you know. Looks like you’d be jumping into a fire to me.
Good luck.
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26
30 Year Old Pisces Man Feels Pressured To Get His Personal Life Together: Neptune in the 7th House, Venus Trine Neptune
Dear Elsa,
I turned 30 this year and I feel pressure to get my personal life together.
There is a girl in my life that I am attracted to. She gets along with my friends and we have fun together. I know she is interested in something more serious. But I still find myself hesitating. I’m afraid I’ll lose her and then regret it later, yet I feel like I need more time to figure this out - a lot of other things have been in flux with my career and we are both finishing grad school in the fall, so location is open-ended too.
Is this normal or does my hesitation mean she isn’t the right one?
Pisces Man
India
Dear Pisces
What you describe is normal for you. I don’t know that you are ever going to ground for long - you are simply not built for it. So what will help most is redefine what “getting your personal life together” means.
To me, “personal life” means exactly that. It is personal to the individual. And it sounds to me as you are trying to cram your foot into a traditional shoe that really has nothing in common with the shape of your foot. Coming to terms with this seems the task at hand and your fear of loss and regret is also part of your nature.
To be in a state of “divine discontent” is uniquely Piscean and I don’t see how you are going to avoid these feelings. For example, marry this girl, and pine about what might have been. Don’t marry this girl and pine for what might have been. The fact is, there is no perfect solution or panacea. You can only flow and have faith that what is (ultimately) best for all involved will be exactly what happens… because invariably this turns out to be the case.
Good luck.
~~
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16
Double Capricorn Woman Broke Her Engagement With Angry Fiance: Commitment-Phobia?
Dear Elsa,
I just turned 35 and broke things off with my fiance. I feel like I made the right decisions, since he was an angry person and I didn’t see him changing. Also, I have a history of being in relationships with men who are angry, abusive (mostly verbally), controlling, and selfish (!). So after this last relationship, I decided to break free.
But now I am single, and I’m worried. Will I ever find a nice man? Can I love someone who is good for me? My friends thinks I have commitment issues since I spent so long in crappy relationships, but I think I was just finding my father - also an angry man - all over again.
Now I long for a loving and intimate relationship that can lead to marriage and kids. But I’ll admit, I’m kind of hard to nail down. I love to travel, I’m a writer, and I want to make a film. So I’m having trouble committing myself to my creative projects and worried about finding the one. I think it’s my age. I’m a little panicky.
Broken Engagement
United States
Dear Broken,
I am sorry but I agree with your friends. And I would go even further to say you are not “meeting your father”, you are your father… and you are projecting these negative qualities onto your partner, at least to some extent.
Now I have no doubt your fiance and your father were angry men, but with your Mars in Aries in hard aspect to your Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Uranus and Pluto, it is clear you have copious amounts of anger yourself.
And being a double Capricorn, I am sure you like to see yourself as the mature, responsible one. And having your Moon in Libra, it is you who is nice - however, this is a myth. And reading this may come as a shock, but you are going to blink and be 40 years old. If you want to resolve your relationship issues and be able to partner, you are going to have to come to terms with reality.
For example: you can’t have a loving intimate relationship while being hard to nail down! Does that sound feasible to you? Does it sound reasonable?
You are nearing 40 and all the problems can be chocked up to the fact you keep “meeting your father” and this is what? An accident you are not responsible for? Are you a victim here?
Look. Your chart is enormously challenging and at this point, it doesn’t have one thing to do with your father, your fiance or your other various father replacements. What are you going to do about your restless anger? Because you have it like Green Eggs and Ham. You have it here and there and everywhere. You have it on a train or in a plane. On a boat and on a goat you have this rage!
And commitment issues? Control issues? Yep, you have those too. And that’s fine as long as you own them and that sounds like this:
“I don’t want to marry you because I don’t want to be married! It is just too damned hard for me to maintain a relationship.”
And not like this:
“I don’t want to marry you because you are broken and I am not…”
What you need most of all is a mirror. Everything you say about your partner is true of you and I mean everything. If you want to fix this, you are going to have to scrap everything you’ve got and start from a completely new foundation and somewhere inside you know this is true.
Good luck.
~~
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30
Her Boyfriend Plays Mind Games: Pisces Woman, Virgo Man, Saturn Transit 7th House… Saturn Return in the 8th
Dear Elsa,
I have been seeing a guy for 2 months. We clicked instantly (we had been talking online for a few weeks before). A week after we met, he had to leave the country in work and we didn’t know when he would be coming back, whether it would be for 2 weeks or up to 3 months, and I wanted to know where we would stand as far as being faithful to each other. So we became committed very fast, a week after we met in person. The commitment was my suggestion and he seemed very happy to go with it.
He returned 2 weeks after and things have been great half of the time. The problem is he likes to play mind games, and leaving me wondering about whether he is really into me or not. I noticed the inconsistency in his behavior and asked him about this; he said he acts like this because he thinks it is essential to keep a relationship alive and not boring, though he swears he hasn’t been bored yet. But he says he is afraid to lose me, and so I guess this is why he acts like this, not giving me enough attention.
I’ve explained to him that I don’t function like that. I gave myself totally to him and if he doesn’t seem interested enough, I will start to back off because I figure I’ve given all I have - and if that is not enough, I will automatically start preparing for the end instead of becoming more interested like he is expecting me to.
I thought he had understood this. But today I needed him with me, and he knew it, and he didn’t change his plans which weren’t important. I feel he is not making any effort. I didn’t ask him explicitly to change his plans. I gave him hints and he didn’t seem to care enough to notice them. I have been feeling intensely sad and asked him to leave me alone for a few days, because I don’t think he will stop being egocentric and I’m not sure I can be happy this way.
I love him, and I’m afraid I’m being too needy and maybe unfair. Maybe I shouldn’t ask this much of him and be happy with what he is willing to give me, either because he doesn’t love me enough or because he really can’t let go of his stupid mind games. I don’t know what to do. Can you give me some insight on this?
Girlfriend
United States
Dear Girlfriend,
Insight? Yes I have some. You committed prematurely to a man you didn’t really know and don’t even seem to like, most likely because you think this is all you deserve.
Further - rather than recognize the error and cut your losses, you’re spending your time scrutinizing yourself wondering if there is something wrong with you or if there is something you could do differently to make your relationship with this man tolerable. Tolerable?
At best: if you bust your butt, turn inside out and cut off an arm, you might be able to stand this guy. But why, tell me, why would you do that?
I am sorry but I don’t think your relationship is viable. It is a mistake pure and simple and with Saturn transiting your 7th house, it begs you learn from this. And hurry… and I mean that.
I am sorry to hit you so hard but the best thing that could happen is this blog cause you a crisis that ultimately forces you to take a serious look at your behavior in relationships. Because Saturn is at the end of your 7th house not the beginning and if you don’t get hip…. well it will be like graduating from high school illiterate. So here is a crash course:
You met a guy… finally met a guy. Feeling desperate and lonely you pressed for a commitment and if you read through the rest of your post, the whole thing is a bid to control to avoid the doom you are sure is coming! And I ask you, is this any way to live?
Now he is hopeless as far as an honest relationship goes and there is nothing you can do about that, but you can work on yourself and this is what I would do. Get a therapist! And please don’t be insulted by that. I had to get a therapist! And thank God I did, it was the best money I ever spent!
I’ll apologize one more time, but I can’t stress this enough. Forget the guy and get some help. You’re heading into your Saturn return, in the 8th house no less and this stuff needs to be addressed. When? Now. Just get yourself to a therapist and tell them what you just told me and you’ll be on your way.
I know you’re scared but do it anyway - because your life and happiness are at stake and you are worth it. And for the record, you can totally and absolutely heal and pull out of this. You just need the right associations and this guy is not one of them.
Good luck.
~~
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4
Her Boyfriend Has Stopped Begging Her To Stay: Saturn Transit to Sun in Leo
Dear Elsa,
I am afraid of my boyfriend getting tired of me and leaving. Before I would always initiate the break up, because I felt like we were both unhappy. We would fight and I would always resort to breaking up, and he’d always tell me not to.
Then one day, he had this strange look on his face and I asked him what was bothering him. He said that he thinks that we are not the same couple that we used to be. We had been dating for a year and a half. He said that he feels like he’s unfair to me, because he used to be jealous and he would have horrible anger issues (he never hit me or abused me in any way).
I feel like I have lost him. I live in his home and as I was packing my clothes up, he did not once try to stop me. We both cried and cried, and he asked why are we so hurt if we love each other so much. I felt like he was giving up on our love. He would always convince me that our relationship is strong and we would get through our little fights. But this time, it seemed as though he was letting me go.
Right now we are fine. But I can’t let this jittery feeling go. I feel like he’s just trying to be happy with me instead of just leaving me, like he wanted to do in the first place. I always told him that he can express his feelings, and once he did, I felt as if I was punishing him and putting him in a corner. But he was going to leave me if I hadn’t made the decision to stop packing my clothes.
He also works with this female coworker who just broke up with her boyfriend. I’m scared that he and her will end up together since they both confide in each other about their problems. I am so scared. I feel like each day he might just tell me that he doesn’t want to be with me. I feel so sad. I know that I took him for granted. He was a good guy but I was a needy person. Now, I know that I regret things that I’ve done. It’s so sad to know that he was a wonderful person, and I was just selfish. I always thought that he would be there for me, but then the other day, I guess it struck me. He was willing to let me go because he felt as if we were both not happy. Please help.
Girlfriend
United States
Dear Girlfriend,
Saturn is transiting your Sun in Leo and are you humbled yet? I don’t think so. It sounds to me like you have given this man a very hard time and I am pretty sure your fears are justified. He probably does want out. He probably does want the other woman. Do you blame him?
And I don’t say this to hurt you. I say it because if you want to have a shred of hope of keeping this man, you’re going to have to apologize and be a hell of a lot more humble than you sound in your mail when you do. And I am pretty sure if you can’t manage this, you will lose this man if you have not lost him already. So do you want to keep him? Or not?
If you don’t want to keep him, just do as is. Sit there and think of yourself. Hope and pray he doesn’t leave you because of what it will do to you. Meantime, this other woman will treat him like a human being and I am sure he will find the door here pretty quick.
On the other hand: if you want to keep him, you best get down on your knees and start apologizing and you better mean everything you say. Grow up, as in yesterday and deal with this man in a way that is responsible. Cop to what you did, and why you did it. Tell him how you are not going to do it anymore and what steps you are going to take to insure this is the case so that you might possibly regain his trust.
Are you up to this? I don’t think you are. I think you’re going to sit there and wait for him to fix it for you, rather than clutch it up yourself. But feel free to get mad as hell and prove me wrong.
Good luck.
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