ARIES:Not surprisingly, then, if you are an Aries, you are a natural leader. Your energy and enthusiasm are boundless, as is your physical courage. Pioneers are rampant in this category, as are politicians. You care little about the past, preferring to seek new avenues into the future, so you will always throw yourself head and body into new projects, which makes you an ideal leader in business and community. You rarely allow yourself to be found in a subservient role, such as a secretary or laborer. Instead, you will go out of your way to head your own business, even if it's a small one.
You are also known for your directness. Issues are generally black and white to you, and once you decide on something, you stick to it, proclaiming the strength of your position in no uncertain terms. This straight-to-the-point approach can be quite effective in situations like strategy meetings, where much time is lost in idle discussion, but an Arian's bluntness can often be upsetting to others, or even offensive. Tact and diplomacy are not in your nature, so smoothing over someone's hurt feelings is awkward for you...
Taurus:You are a builder, restorer, and caretaker of those things you find important—primarily the earth, animals, and people. You are self-reliant, painstakingly patient, and stubborn—bullish, in other words. You take a great deal of pride and pleasure in fixing up and maintaining a home, or discovering a starving animal and nursing it back to health, or planting trees where there were none before.
Because of this open-armed kindness, people find you wonderfully comfortable to be with. You make a great friend—you're stable, loyal, and loving. Touch is essential to you—you love to hug and be hugged.
You appreciate beauty in all its forms, due to your close affinity with nature. You prefer to surround yourself with people who have highly attractive qualities—be they external or internal. You cannot tolerate ugliness, especially of the earth—this makes you a firm opponent of pollution in all its forms.
Since truth and beauty are so closely related, you also have a preoccupation with honesty, and a low tolerance for corruption. You are forthright in your conversation, and so look people straight in the eyes when you speak to them. In fact, you tend to distrust those who cannot meet your gaze. Although some Taureans have been successful political leaders (primarily as peacemakers, such as Harry Truman), most are quite content to be led (this fits with the chronology of the zodiac: Aries, the first sign, is a natural leader; Taurus tends to follow him). That is not to say you are subservient; your self-reliance allows you to be successful and to be entrusted with great responsibility. But it is usually within a larger context: in other words, you make a great executive within the framework of a corporation, but you are not a maverick. You don't need to be president. In fact, you tend to shun the spotlight. Large crowds can be intimidating to you, so you are much more effective in small groups. Many Taureans are teachers, an occupation that displays great patience, nurturing, and self-reliance within the larger framework of the educational system...
Gemini:First of all, you're a great thinker. Many of the world's intellectuals are Geminis. Your mind is insatiable—it's so quick on the uptake that you can't understand why everyone else is just now grasping what you got in a split second. In fact, by the time it takes them to catch up with you, your mind has become bored by the inactivity. You've already turned and twisted the knowledge around just to see what would happen, and to keep your mind active.
Some people mistake this playful brilliance as deception or dishonesty, because they can't keep up with you. But you're just trying to keep things interesting. Your mind needs to be fed with new ideas on a constant basis. Having recognized this at an early age, you've become remarkably adept at satisfying it. Wit is your forte. You love to laugh, because you're so good at sharp humor. You're particularly fond of puns and wordplay—Mercury rules writing, language, and a love of words—so you're quite the social charmer.
You're popular, and you know it. You enjoy people, and you love to watch them to keep your mind busy. You're at your best at parties, bars, the office water cooler—anywhere you can find people with whom you can laugh. You thrive on gossip and news—you need information constantly, more even than food.
You're an avid reader—again, because of your need for ideas and your love of words. In fact, you're one of the few people who can read a book, watch TV, and talk on the phone all at the same time—you relish thinking on several levels at once.
You have a natural affinity for word puzzles— you're unbeatable at Scrabble and a regular crossword solver—but you should consider using your language talents for more useful purposes. Learn a foreign language, or read more constructively for knowledge that will help you in the real world. You certainly have the aptitude for it—it's just a question of applying yourself.Many Geminis are multi-talented...
Cancer:You are extremely sensitive, a quality that has its good and bad sides. Speaking positively, no other sign except Pisces feels as deeply as you do. You've had a great deal of tears-in-your-beer nights, and these experiences have led you to a deeper understanding of life, and a strong commitment to care for others, because you know what they're going through in times of trouble. You comfort, you counsel, you console. This makes you an ideal friend. Once you make a friend, you're always there for them, to bail them out, to keep their secrets, to take their hysterical late-night phone calls. If anyone or anything threatens them, you're the first to defend them— not by erupting into attack mode, but by retreating into a bunker and lying in wait, like a crab retreats into his hole. Your first line of defense is your tough outer shell, which is hard enough to crack. If threatened further, you then attack with your pincers.
The outer shell metaphor extends to the fact that you're most comfortable in your own home— more than any other sign, you are the domestic expert. You know exactly which furniture goes with which decor, or how to hang blinds, even how to fix the faucet. Combined with your caring side, this makes you an ideal mother or father—no matter how busy your career may get, your family and home life will always come first...
Leo:You are a born leader, and you know it. You are blessed with many talents, and a destiny for greatness. The sun is a star; you, then, are the star of the zodiac. Because of this, you are eternally optimistic and cheerful. If something gets in your way, you conquer it, the way a lion will defeat virtually any foe in the jungle. And like a lion, you do so with dignity.
Your charm and generosity are unending, and people love you for it. You have a big heart—in fact, Leo rules the heart in the zodiacal body— and for this reason, you love buying a round of drinks, sharing colorful stories over a meal, and generally being the life of the party. Your many friends can always count on you for livening up their day. And best of all, they love you even more because you never ask for anything in return— you were born with gifts, so there's no need. You just love sharing them.
Like a cat, you are a hunter. You spot your prey, take aim, and pounce on your target. In human terms, this means your ambition is highly focused.
You know you will reach the top; it's just a question of when. Along the way, you are highly organized, frank, and outspoken—all qualities which focus on your target of being the leader...
Virgo:Ironically, most of your best qualities are often seen by other people as your worst. It wasn't always so: in ancient times, when priorities were different, yours was the most prized of the signs. Now, it is often the most disliked. Fear not, though—you're just misunderstood.
You're more complex than others give you credit for. As a Mercury sign, your head rules your heart, but this doesn't mean you're cold and unfeeling. On the contrary, your sensitivity is unmatched by any other sign except Pisces. It's often unseen, however, because you tend to be quite shy and reserved. This explains why Virgos are so generous—you want deeply to be loved, so you demonstrate this by going out of your way to be of service to others. You care for them, you do favors for them, you find just the right gift, and above all you give them your loyalty. Because of your shyness, you believe that once you've found someone special, you should do your best to keep them.
Mercury is a sign of intellect, so you're also quite smart. You're particulary adept at analysis and logic—many Virgos are scientists, doctors, and engineers for this reason. You also notice details more than any other sign—and this serves you well in a variety of careers: writer, editor (Mercury rules words), surgeon, even secretary.
You have a great work ethic—you're disciplined, highly organized, punctual, and tireless. (Much has been made of Virgos and neatness as well, but it's usually overstated.) Many Virgos find themselves at an economic disadvantage early in life, so they become extremely motivated to succeed as a result, and most achieve comfortable, if not lavish, means.
Finally, you're a perfectionist. When you tackle a project, you do it right, to the nth degree. You believe you have to be the best at it, so you study, you practice, you go the extra mile, you apply all your little advantages—smarts, hard work, and especially analysis—to get that edge. Once you've conquered it, you like to share it with people, but this often leads to your biggest fault...
Libra:Everyone loves a Libran. You can't help it—it's your nature to be the friendliest, warmest, gentlest sign of all. You always find something to like in everyone, and you make them feel special as a result. You're the person that feels sorry for the lonely outcast at a party and engages him in a conversation so he won't feel left out; even if most people find him a bore, you smile and find the interesting, appealing side. For this quality, you will always have friends.
And you'll need them. That's why you do this. You simply can't function well without companionship. Others may interpret this as a sign of weakness, of "co-dependence" even, but it's just your Venus influence.
Because of this companionable nature, you hate conflict. You'll do anything to avoid an argument, or to stop one. It's not that you're so afraid of being hurt, it's that you're afraid of hurting someone else's feelings. You're a diplomat. When confronted with two opposing sides, you'll find a happy medium. You crave harmony, and like your symbol, balance.
You're also very intuitive—some would even say psychic. You're the natural judge of the zodiac, and this sense extends past reason into instinct. You may find something to like in everyone, but you'll also see the whole character of a person instantly. Others may be amazed at how correct your first impressions are when, later, they see the whole picture.
You have a hunger for knowledge, which befits your sign name—Libra is part of library. But mostly it's a surface curiosity of lots of things. Like another air sign, Gemini, you love variety, and would rather sample the essences of varied subjects than become an expert at one in particular...
Scorpio:The dual aspect of Mars and Pluto working together creates an intriguing profile for you. You have all the passion and power of Mars, but the secrecy of Pluto (it was there from the beginning, exerting its energy, but we only just found out about it, and even now it's hidden way, way out there, and is the only planet that does not orbit the sun on an elliptical path, but a rather skewed one).
As a result, you exert your power in subtle ways. You're the person pulling the strings above the stage, where no one can see you, yet you're in complete control. You know you have a natural dominance—not leadership per se, but quiet control—and you take pride and pleasure in seeing its effect on others. You notice that the opposite sex is naturally attracted to you: You notice that other people find themselves acquiring your habits, or your points of view. Yes, you are a natural manipulator, very much like the serpent in Eden.
This does not, however, mean that you're evil. A few Scorpios have taken advantage of this power for dubious purposes—the infamous German World War I spy Mata Hari, for example— but for most of you it's just your nature. You've learned early on that you can't control everything—that's impossible—so you limit your scope to the few areas in which you can excel.
One such area is investigation. Secrecy and control go hand in hand here, so any problem that needs solving, any mystery that is begging to be unraveled, is your baby. You discover gossip, for instance, before everyone else (although you're hardly a blabbermouth). This is just because you're extremely curious. You'll take apart a radio just to see how it works, you'll explore a cave to see where it goes, or you'll follow a trail to get to its source.
The Mars influence also indicates purposeful energy. Hard work is second nature to you, and if you're the controlling force, watch it world, you'll blow it open. Even if you fail, you can still start over—that's Pluto, able to reach very deep into the system and retool it...
Sagittarius:When you think big, the whole world is your playground, and everyone is your friend. You have no time or interest in details—save that for Virgo—you see the big picture, and you think in bold strokes.
Much like the two other fire signs—Aries and Leo—you're dynamic and charismatic: You have friends in all areas of your life and a few very dose ones. Most people are attracted to you by your unbridled optimism and good-natured directness. In a room full of strangers, you'll be one of the first to break the ice with some silly gesture and get the party moving. You see no reason to be shy, or for that matter, delicate (more on this later).
There are two extremes of Sagittarians, so you are either one or the other. The first seeks to be a great intellectual. If this is you, you have grand ideas about philosophy, religion, the arts, history, and current events. You'll debate long into the wee hours about foreign policy or Plato, and you'll debate well. You think logically, and this makes you a convincing speaker. In fact, you debate for the love of it—you're both truly curious about getting to the profundity of the matter and you're big-headed about it, which means you will not accept being wrong (you'll benefit greatly from the presence of a diplomatic Libra if the argument gets too scalding). Yes, you are well-read and wise, but you must learn to be more tolerant and accepting of other views.
The other extreme is athletic. The centaur is a hunter, and so are you—you thrive on competition in all sports, and will usually be the one who gets dirtiest in the mud. Also, your natural association with horses makes you an excellent rider, trainer, and caretaker of these animals.
Both extremes lead to your other great love— travel. If you're intellectually curious, you will want to see as much of the world as possible, to say you were there and to know what makes it tick. If you're a sportsman, it's the man-on-horse-back influence, which makes you want to just go, go, go...
Capricorn:You are a tireless worker, to the point of self-martyrdom. You'll do any and all work assigned to you, so that you can impress your superiors and gradually move up the ladder. You will eventually gain more and more status and wealth, but it takes a long time. That's okay with you, though—you've always understood this.
Chances are, you come from a poor background—like the baby Jesus—and you decided early on that you would work as hard as you could to improve your standing for your family. In fact, you have an innate fear of poverty, so much so that once you've achieved a rank or two in the world you will fight to the death to keep it.
This is also in keeping with your far-thinking approach to life, as determined by the slow-moving Saturn. You plan, plan, plan. You save, save, save. One would think you a dour person for all this work, but you have your moments of joy— after all, the words saturnalia and bacchanalia apply to you, and both define wild abandon.
You probably already know a lot about sacrifice. You were the one who stayed up caring for a sick relative when you were a kid, instead of playing with your friends. You're the one who keeps the family together, in fact, when members drift off. You're the glue, the controlling force in this world. Without you, it would simply fall apart.
Similarly, you have a great sense of tradition. You respect what you've inherited, and you believe in cherishing it and handing it down in the same state or better. Be it a grandparent's locket or the oral history of the family, it's safe with you.
Like your neighboring signs, Sagittarius and Aquarius, you are proudly intellectual. But you're not as argumentative as a Sagittarius. Yours is a quieter wisdom—if you know you're right, you don't believe you have to get into an all-out war just for the show of it. The truth will win out.
For this reason, you make an excellent teacher. In fact, you see the world as very structured, and as you gain rank in the system, you believe in teaching those below you. If you are a teacher, you're probably very strict. It's not due to malevolence, just a strong sense of tradition, of wisdom, of right and wrong, of the merits of hard work...
Aquarius: You love people passionately, in large numbers. For this reason, you're always involved in areas where you can make a difference for the betterment of humankind. Local politics, especially, is where you feel you can make the most difference, and where you feel the problems are most real.
When you're not acting for social change, you're often discussing it. As an air sign, you are a person of great ideas, an idealist and a bit of a dreamer, and you love to engage people in your vision of an ideal society. As a thinker, you're quite logical, so your arguments are always compelling and believable. Combined with your humanitarian zeal, this makes you a popular choice for political or social leadership.
And once you decide what's right, you stick to it. You hate compromise. Unlike Sagittarians, however, whose pride will not allow them to give in to a more logical argument, you will admit you're wrong if someone else's argument is stronger. But you'll immediately turn it around and adopt it as part of your own agenda.
As a sign of the people, you refuse to be placed on a higher level than your friends, even though you may deserve it. You distrust and dislike hierarchies—you're a true democrat—so inequities of class and race fuel your ardor all the more.
Despite your social passions, you're actually very solitary and independent more than people realize. (Another aspect of the two serpents in your sign, which represent good and evil, is a coexistence of other opposities: sociability and aloofness, selflessness and independence, politeness and rudeness. Some astrologers even believe the sign itself is comprised of complete opposites: those people who are the best in the world, and those who are the worst.) In any case, you've learned several tricks to maintain your independence when you need to: you let the answering machine pick up the phone at home, or you're conveniently absent or late for appointments. Essentially, you make a point to interact with people when you choose to, not vice-versa. This is not a negative trait, if s just you being true to yourself first and foremost...
Pisces:Joie de vivre. Joy of life. You are the most free-spirited sign of all, and the most aware of experiencing all that life has to offer, right here right now. Those two fish in your hieroglyph are the only truly happy symbols in the zodiac, and so you too are naturally carefree and playful.
Your imagination is the most fertile of all the zodiac signs as well. The rest of us rely on you to dazzle us with your flights of fancy, either with words or visuals. There are more poets in your sign than in any other. You're the artists of the zodiac, and the list of famous Piscean creators proves it.
You also have an immense sense of sympathy for others. If someone near you is in pain, you feel it just as intensely. You simply have to lend your help and understanding because your world is not right until you help cure it. For this, you are prized as a friend.
As the twelfth sign of the zodiac, you are considered to be on the highest spiritual plane, and so you are naturally more intuitive than all other signs—perhaps even psychic. You're on a quest for spiritual peace—in your mind it's the ultimate calling of mankind, and you'll probably spend your life trying to attain it. You certainly have the best chance of finding it.
