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Horoscopes | Week of January 2-7, 2007

ARIES (March 21-April 19): It's another one of those weeks, Aries, when you'll fare better by sticking with the broader perspective or the group mindset. That's not to say you won't have your own ideas about things, complete with strong feelings and forceful beliefs. But for every urge to argue with a prevailing wisdom and assert your corrective 'I'm right'-ness, there's also a chance for you to sneak in shades of hints of intimations… smack on the heels of someone else's rightful indignation or ain't-gonna-take-it-no-more defiance. And then, in the most positive sense, you become 'another rallying voice in the crowd'—rather than the lone troublemaker, against whom public opinion is likelier to turn, simply because there's only one of you. By simply paying attention to the conversational tides in your week's social interactions, you can nimbly time your declarations so they fall on receptive—not antagonistic—ears. Think of this approach as a compromising balance… between (1) saying whatever the hell you want, whenever and however you please, and to anybody who doesn't like it, be damned, and (2) totally withholding your thoughts, in order to avoid the potential headaches of displeasing someone or having to engage in debate. This way, you fit what's authentically your position into a form and setting best suited to reaping you a favorable reaction. Some might call this smart marketing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Wherever in your life you currently find anger, discontent or traces of vindictiveness, Taurus… right there is your fount of divine motivation to improve the world, through actions seeking to address the injustices or wrongs that have you all worked up in the first place. I see outrage symbolized in Mars's transit through your 8th, which usually represents either (1) a passionate participation in some intense, complicated collaboration or (2) a really nasty conflict, where the stakes are high and the gloves are off. However it's playing out, you surely have some heightened feelings rattling around. You can productively channel them into devoted service work, thanks to the sextile to Neptune in the 10th, your ongoing call to contribute compassionately on the world stage. Don't overthink the grandiosity of giving invoked by phrases like 'improve the world' or 'devoted service work'—anything that puts selfish rewards second to a greater good qualifies. And now that lovely-lady Venus is also hitting your 10th, you've got a month of professional or public-realm fortune making it all the more pleasurable (and profitable) to aim for accomplishing something. If you use those potent reactions swirling around inside you toward such an aim, you're far likelier to find the 'passion' in them. If you do nothing but feel, feel, feel… well, you'll probably stay angry, discontent and maybe somewhat vindictive.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I expect you to open your new year with heroic proclamations… the type of words and tone that offer frisky, mischievous invitations to those in your life: to stay on their toes around you. Let everybody know you don't intend to adhere to the same pre-anticipated matrix of conduct you've become known for. Affectionately taunt them by dangling the knowledge you've still got a few tricks up your sleeve. Warn them not to underestimate you. Talk up an excitement-generating hype (whether or not you're already sure how you'll be playing tricks or bucking trends in '07), and you'll get the ball rolling fast and feverish. We all need a big-talker or ball-bearer to play off of… to amplify our energies with a couple extra puffs of oxygen (or hot air) and a provocative smirk. For this week at least, you're the one. At work, you can assume this role by daring to say what no one else will. There's a hulking pink elephant in the boardroom—go on, and point it out. As long as you're merely describing what everyone already knows is there (rather than wagering judgment or commentary), your brave acknowledgement will provide the much-needed icebreaker. In private-life relationships, it's a bit more volatile… though no less inertia-busting. If you really want to stoke the fire, try turning a personal disagreement into a philosophic discussion. Maybe you're just provoking to provoke. At least the makeup sex will bring both sides back together.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The full moon in your sign, Cancer, happens once (or, rarely, twice) a year around this time… and, being the moon-child that you are, this event is your annual occasion to let feelings come first in everything you do. Okay, isn't 'feelings first' an always-in-effect mantra for you Cancerian types? Of course it is. Yet, so often, this feels more like a burden than a blessing—especially when you're overwhelmed with sensitivity to others' emotions, and what they most need or want from you. The Cancer full moon, on the other hand, is your excuse to be emotionally self-centered. Don't feel like following through on dinner plans because you're still reeling from a hectic workday? Cancel. Want to cry, then laugh maniacally… and follow it with a midnight swim and a scary movie? Do it. Hungry to eat three bags of potato chips, and chase it with a fifth of bourbon? Well, that self-indulgence is less worthy of indulging, as the only emotional cravings not calling to be sated are those that can cause you physical discomfort or harm. Listen to what these feelings are saying, but don't take 'em out on your body. With a 6th-house Mars sextiling Neptune in the 8th, your health won't be happy when you pander to excessive consumption patterns… particularly when we know it's rooted in covering up troublesome confusion. Whine, stomp, run, wail, yell or giggle your wacky mood right out of your system all week. Just refrain from actions that come with physical consequences, which are ultimately your own creation of effects that'll drag your moodiness out past its logical expiration.

LEO (July 23-August 22): Why only dip a tentative toe into the pool of 2007, when you can leap right in and get the right people noticing you before their New Year's hangovers have even worn off? With the can't-miss mixture of Mars in your flirtatious 5th (keywords: vivacious, arousing extroversion) and Venus joining Neptune to romance up your relationship-oriented 7th, this is a fantastic week for come-ons, meet-ups, heat-ups and other get-togethers. More so than usual, Leo, you'll thrive as the aggressor (or at least the seductive suggester). Just turn on the charm, and allow it to work for you. All you've got to do is conjure a fully-formed desire… then set off to answer it. Your adoring devotees will do what they can to demonstrate their regard for you. Even folks who didn't know they found you appealing (in some way or another) will steal glances from the corners of their inquisitive eyes. As before, I'll suggest you keep your innately enticing bids-for-favor from delving too deeply into the serious nitty-gritty—for now, let things stay happy-go-lucky and fancy-free. And while I won't guarantee that every pursuit will be successful, your odds are certainly upped by these astro-influences. If you've got an appealing proposal to make, by all means, propose.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): When you're not tucked cozily away in your insulated hibernation hatch, you have no business staying quiet about what's parading through your mind. Yes, you still feel a certain drive toward peace-and-quiet isolation… a near-romantic fantasy that, should you only be left alone to your devices (with no nagging reminders of unfinished obligations or droning expanses of other people's tiresome trifles), every bit of angst or dissatisfaction will magically drain from your system like urine. (Fat chance of that perfect salvation—though there is something to be said for peace and quiet…) But whenever you're not alone and, consequently, off the hook, you simply must use the Sun-Mercury-Uranus commingling in your 5th and 7th to speak your unfiltered whimsies—no matter if the result is unsettling or disarming to the listener. Much of the albatrossish load you lug around, as frustration with how others' actions may adversely affect or limit you, is a direct result of what you haven't yet said. Don't waste mental effort on trying to predict the outcome of finally laying it on the line. Just lay it out. If you happen to shock them into a reaction you're further dissatisfied with, simply return to the seclusion chamber… and give both of you the time to settle into this latest disclosure.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): How lovely, Libra, to kick off another year with ruling-belle Venus entering your 5th house of love, fertility, imaginativeness and recreation. I want to write, 'You needn't have a worry in the world,' but that might be a little presumptuous. Still, if you possibly can postpone those vexing hanger-on worries for a couple weeks, you'll get much more out of life in the meantime. (And frankly, if they're only 'worries', not actual calls-to action, then you're unlikely to make progress by continuing to entertain 'em, anyhow.) Use your enhanced creative instincts to find new ways of saying the same things… reaching out to new people, refreshing your own interest in the faces and places you already know, and recrafting any important messages. If you've previously been put 'on hold' with a lingering question or a still-in-development brainchild, revisit it now. You may well find that the prior stumbling block is no longer an issue. If you recently 'failed' at making contact or reaching a mutual understanding, try an alternative mode of presenting yourself—through a back door or side window, in a different tone of voice, dressed more or less casually, or with a persuasive accomplice in tow. 'No' is often only a temporary answer, offered as a place-holder for the eventual 'yes' that hadn't been timed properly or earned yet. Why not ask again?

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): You're subject to the effect of two seemingly contrasting currents this week… though I believe, Scorpio, you can successfully curve to both influences and emerge unstirred by controversy. (1) The Sun and Mercury sextile Uranus from the 3rd, increasing your urge to voice the most rebellious or contrary notions possible, just to get a rise. There may be no substantive reason to blurt what comes across your tongue—other than the adolescent push to stir shit up—but still that may not be enough to stop you. (2) Meanwhile, Mars sextiles Neptune from the 2nd, tying your drive to guard your material interests up with old family-based reasons why you feel you must. You may find yourself peculiarly self-protective of what's yours, while simultaneously revved up to grab yourself a bigger chunk… motivated by an emotional thirst that goes beyond your immediate practical needs. How do you navigate both these drifts at once? First off, use a little discrimination, and reserve the contrariness for purely play-related social situations. You can be the biggest smart-ass around, as long as you're not dropping your bombs in investor meetings, performance reviews or promotional interviews. No mixing business with your rapscallion tendencies. And second, when you find yourself getting too serious or severe in personal matters of abundance-vs.-scarcity… take a step back, and crack a prank or antic on your own surly head. Things really aren't as grim or strained as they may feel. One way or another, find yourself a couple good guffaws to break up the me-first money fears. It turns out, humor really is the best medicine for what ails you.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): Make it clear to whomever comes in contact with you, Sagittarius, that you'll adamantly refuse to get bent out of shape about the little crap. If anything, it's the little crap itself that'll most hold your interest, keeping you busy and out of trouble. Whenever Mars is in one's sign—as it has been in yours since early December, and will be for another couple weeks—we come off with an amplified self-possession that others can (mistakenly or not) misinterpret as aggression or pushiness. It's not conscious or intentional, but automatic and instinctive on the energetic level. Therefore, by knowing this Mars-in-the-1st influence is apt to give your reflexes and responses a pointy quality that could poke people wrong, it's far better to channel that oomph toward doing, rather than reacting. And because Mars is sextiling Neptune in your 3rd, lots of smaller, less significant motions made on behalf of lots of smaller, less significant projects and ideas are your smarter attention-occupier. If everything is 'little crap', then no one item of said inanity should hold the power to tangle or torment you. Plus, no matter what you're focused on, there'll also be plenty of other stuff to distract you away from any momentary hiccups. Go full-force, Mars-style, into whatever comes your way—but at the faintest whiff of frustration, just switch to something else. There's always something else.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): : There isn't much you can do about it, Capricorn, but I think it's fair I should warn you: You'll find an irksome subtext trailing whatever you say that attempts to conceal an undisclosed something underneath, much as one can't shake the shadow that automatically stalks any erect body when the sun is shining just so. And worst of all, its shape is least visible to you… while everyone around you can see it, clear as day. With a 1st-house Sun and Mercury joining up with Uranus in the 3rd, you'll possess a certain carefree abandon in your speech and thought patterns this week. Makes it easier to stay present with your communications, even if they're a bit cruder and untamed compared with your usual manner. But add a wonky-and-wayward 12th-house Mars, sextiling Neptune the befuddler, and you wind up with an underlying aimlessness—or, more properly, an impinging lack of full consciousness—that may betray your in-the-moment declarations. In simpler terms, you might not know what you really want from a given interaction… though you may think you do. Your words may directly report one thing, while your behavior indirectly reveals another. And passing moods may rise in you, in blatant contradiction to the rational explanations your mind has come up with. Which are correct, then—the mental conclusions, or the emotional responses? You already know what I'm going to say, don't you? Of course. It's a complicated combination of the two. As such, be very suspicious of your simplest statements of 'fact'… especially when you catch a glimpse of somebody else's skeptical reaction to you.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Right off the bat, we must celebrate the entry of Venus into your sign, where she'll adorn your solar 1st-house with blessings and blooms through Jan 27. Venus's influence helps polish and refine all your edges, so folks will consistently come upon you as if your best foot is always forward. At the same time, though, the Sun and Mercury are hiding away in your 12th, making it difficult to sensibly gauge how exactly you're coming across. Didn't I just write you'd be coming across 'best foot forward', Aquarius? Yes, and it's absolutely true. But beyond that general Venus-inspired pleasantness you exude, you mustn't assume anything about the specific content you might inadvertently introduce into conversation. You don't have a reliable handle on your exchanges—only that you'll almost assuredly smell like a rose. Therefore, I must offer my favorite horoscopic advice to give, whenever a zodiac chum is faced with the mix of (1) a 1st-house benefactor like Venus and (2) key planetary players concealed in 12th-house obscurity. That is: Smile and wave, enjoy the winks and wags from well-wishers, and don't say or do much of anything else. Especially in light of Mars's 11th-house sextile to Neptune (a resident of Aquarius since '98), you can go far by hitching your car onto trains of trustworthy pals or colleagues, and letting them yank you along for the ride. As a discreet ego, disappear into the flow. All they should see from you is a sparkly, shiny glow.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Please don't squander this wonderful chance to rely on others' helping hands… for the boost they'll give, to lift you into a wholly reenergized place in your public-world life. Like I said last week, you're in a great position to find new career opportunities through already-established connections… simply by asking around. Concentrate more on the continual dialogue—and, especially, the act of sharing your thoughts and fears (which gets easier the more you do it)—rather than an immediate result. Since Venus is just now landing in your invisible-to-the-naked-eye 12th, the actual lucky break may not materialize for another 3 or 4 weeks. But that's not to say it isn't germinating, through tentative developments and emotional breakthroughs and many conversations, in advance of coming to light. Don't, therefore, allow your personal impatience or existential dissatisfaction to contaminate your interactions on the current professional scene. Unless you're trying semi-purposely to create an end-of-the-rope situation, blatantly acting out until there's no supervisory option but to cut you loose, then you have little to gain by attracting negative attention. Look outward, to your social network, for answers and alternatives—not into the eye of the developing storm.