Horoscopes for Dec. 22, 2012

Yesterday’s solstice rang in a new season. Now the Capricorn sun issues a challenge: Can you keep old business separate from new business? Think of yourself as a doctor who must be careful not to spread germs from one patient to the next. The doctor uses the ritual of hand-washing to accomplish the aim. What will your ritual be?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Everything can be dangerous: drinking too much water, sitting too long in the same position, playing video games. It’s something to tell those who worry about the risk you’re taking.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You don’t look in the rearview mirror when you’re driving forward, and you don’t bring up childhood pain when you’re trying to make a grownup impression. Others will learn from your dignified approach.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ll enjoy listening to people talk about what’s going on in their lives and/or businesses. You’ll learn tips and gain insights that you can apply immediately.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). The future looks bright, but not so bright that you can’t make out the details. You’ll spend time in the vision of your tomorrows, working out a few details in the process.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You may be the cat of the zodiac, but some people will encounter you as more of an armadillo: highly armored. It’s appropriate that you ward off certain elements, and you’re better off for the selectively protective stance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You learned this long ago: If you find yourself wrestling the urge to change someone, the best thing to do is change yourself. Seek guidance and encouragement to reinforce the process.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ll take a step back and assess your energetic investments. If you give energy to a person or endeavor that doesn’t feed your soul in any way, you are stealing energy from yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’re not always the best judge of what will bring you pleasure. You’ll find yourself in an extremely pleasant scenario. You didn’t want or plan this, but it’s wonderful!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The change you want in a certain relationship is becoming clearer with each new development. A new aim is born out of a simple wish to be in a different spot one year from now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Set a tone for relationships. There will be something to nip in the bud. If you put up with someone’s bad behavior long enough, it will eventually get worse.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You wisely realize that the one who looks like a giant may feel like a little kid inside. You sense how people feel about themselves and strive to help them improve the feeling.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). “Get rich quick” schemes almost never work, because to have a successful venture, you absolutely must spend time on it. Passion is important to your success, but time is the most critical ingredient.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY. Because you want the person you love to be your best friend, you’ll strive to create a relationship that works on many levels and will find much success with this endeavor this year. January and May are your luckiest months financially. The professional success you’ll have in March is a dream come true. Aquarius and Libra people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 39, 41, 35 and 20.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: “I’d like to get my 8-year-old Libran daughter into music lessons. I took piano as a child and remember liking it. My husband would rather she did sports. We had her in soccer for a little while, and she hated it. I guess she just hasn’t shown us what she’s into. My husband, a Taurus, says it’s pointless to pay for piano lessons if she’s not even that into music, and he thinks my parents’ investment was a waste because I didn’t turn out to be a professional piano player. I told him he’s being ridiculous. But when I say Libra is the sign of harmony, he says I’m being ridiculous. Any suggestions?”

Many children don’t know what they are “into,” and providing an opportunity for them to try several different things (without the expectation that they will go pro!) is a wonderful gift for a parent to give.

Shinichi Suzuki, the Libra who created the Suzuki method of teaching music, had this to say: “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”

CELEBRITY PROFILES: She became an “American Idol” winner at age 17, and now Capricorn Jordin Sparks is living her dream through many expressions, including acting, fashion design and even fragrance development. The recent release of her third fragrance, “Ambition,” is perfectly aligned with the values of her Capricorn sun sign. Capricorns are typically highly driven and have an excellent head for business.

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