Horoscopes for Feb. 2, 2013

The mischievous Scorpio moon rules this Groundhog Day, suggesting that whichever way Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators goes this time, the Scorpio moon is likely to laugh and cast a vote in exactly the opposite direction.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Scientists have proved that each person has a fixed amount of willpower. You’re likely to use up quite a lot of yours in the first part of the day. Subsequently, it gets increasingly more difficult to keep yourself in line.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Is it possible to be selective and inclusive at the same time? Oddly enough, right now it is, and you’ll perfect this fine art as you focus your energy in a preferred direction and give your all to that focus.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A person’s common sense may depend on the environment he or she was brought up in. So be careful not to expect a person to know the things that seem painfully obvious to you. Patience, dear Gemini!

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Things will go swimmingly in your personal life, especially when you believe that you were more or less meant for a pleasant experience. It will be as though you are gliding through calm, peaceful, refreshing waters.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Those who don’t care where they are can never really be lost. But you care, and deeply at that. Feelings of being lost are par for the course, and they’ll have you scrambling for a road map today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The adage tells you to dream big. And yet there’s a point at which those big dreams can cause a kind of conceptual inertia. So accompany those big dreams with a small, doable plan. Take this one step at a time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There will be some pressure to conform – not because people don’t want you to be creative, but because they are not sure they will know what to do with the end result of all that creativity. Reassure them, and strike a compromise.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ll have the opportunity to cleanse yourself of negative feelings and self-doubt. Though you could simply decide to choose a fresh set of thoughts, a physical ritual would be the most powerful way to reset your mind.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). As much as you love a good plan, you’ll more likely be swept into the spontaneity of this whirlwind weekend. Mischief-makers abound, and you may find that you’re one of them.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your interaction with family and friends will have an element of the surreal. Sure, you’d like it all to make sense, but this is definitely more fun. If you keep a diary, today’s page will be a definite highlight.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll be tempted to sign up for a class or hire a trainer. Work a little longer on your own, though, and you’ll dip into deeper reserves of creativity and determination.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The work you do for yourself is truly inspired. When you work for someone else, you strive to tap into that same feeling. Giving at that level is what makes you one of the greats.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY. This month brings emotional rebirth and excellent financial stars, too. You can afford to play it loose in March, when you’ll keep getting better offers in your professional life. Productivity in April leads to a change of location. Invest conservatively in July. Exercises in trust help you establish a heart line in August. Gemini and Libra people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 12, 2, 19 and 28.

MARS IN PISCES FORECAST: Yesterday the warrior planet left the strategic, intellectual realm of Aquarius to spend time in an unfamiliar environment. The feminine realm of Pisces can be downright emasculating for this most virile of signs. Also, the watery sea of Pisces is a constant threat to Mars. Will it extinguish his fiery virility? Suffice it to say, Mars tends to find this part of the sky as uncomfortable as a football player in ballet class. And yet, just like the quarterback in tights and a tutu, there is much to learn about grace and effectiveness in this strange new land.

While Mars is in Pisces, a transit that will last until March 11 of this year, we just may learn that the best way to resolve conflict is to see things from the other person’s point of view. This is no easy task. It requires a loss of ego, the quieting of critical voices and an extended, selfless effort. Most people do not possess great wells of natural empathy. It’s a gift as rare as any special talent. But with a sincere effort, it is possible to cultivate the kind of emotional intelligence, including tolerance and empathy, that could one day heal the world.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: The dating life of Harry Styles has been known to cause almost as much excitement as his music, a trend that’s likely to continue in the colorful adventures of One Direction 2013. Styles was born under a creative Aquarius sun, with Venus and Mars in Aquarius, as well, suggesting a relatively lighthearted approach to love. It’s important for this boy-band member to be friends first with whatever girl he chooses.

If you would like to write to Holiday Mathis, please go to www.creators.com and click on “Write the Author” on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail.