Horoscopes for Feb. 3, 2013

Lao Tzu, the founder of philosophical Taoism, once dreamt he was a butterfly. When he awakened, he wondered whether he was a man who dreamt of a butterfly or a sleeping butterfly dreaming he was a man. You may question reality in a similar way under this mysterious Scorpio moon. Tomorrow’s Mars/Neptune conjunction will continue the theme.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Someone seems to be falling in love with the words that flutter from your mind. Or could it be that they are affected by your particular chemical composition? It’s likely a little of both. Enjoy!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You may be out of school, but you’re still being graded in many ways. Try to do what you need to do because you enjoy it and not because someone will evaluate the end result.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Creative adults and playful children will be more interested in you than they have been in the past. They sense that you’re up to some delicious bit of fun, and they are right.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You can’t help the chemical reactions you have with people, but you can help your reaction to them. Whether you come across someone you instantly like or instantly dislike, it behooves you to try to treat everyone the same.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You extend a degree of attention that others either don’t think is necessary or aren’t willing to give. Because of this, people feel that you respect them, and they respect you right back.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). At times like these, you are so busy carrying out the mission you signed up for long ago that there is little time to pursue other interests. In the end, the glory will go to you because you made good on your original intention.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You are an integral part of the system. At times, it seems out of your control, but the fact is that your influence is stronger than you know. Act as though you believe this to be true, and you’ll get the evidence of its truth.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The moon in your sign gives you a surge of emotional intensity, and you know just what to do with it. Artistic expression will be the best outlet imaginable.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You trust that Earth will be solid under your feet even though it’s spinning upward of 700 mph in most places. Likewise, assume people are trustworthy, even though you know the full range of what humans are capable of.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your sign mate Dr. Albert Schweitzer said, “Each patient carries his own doctor inside of him.” Your cells knew what they were doing when they knitted you from scratch, and they will heal you again.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It sometimes feels as though you are living in two different worlds. You may find yourself saying the things you know others will relate to, and yet you do not totally believe the words.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Give a nod to the brave who have fought for freedom and equality. Because of them, you get to follow through with today’s plan without putting your life on the line like those before you had to do.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY. When the lyrics to the song “Good Morning to All” were changed to “Happy Birthday to You,” a hit was born. This year you’ll make a simple adjustment that starts a wave of popularity and success. The next 10 weeks are for experimenting. March partnerships are brilliant. July brings creative accomplishment. Gemini and Leo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 40, 29, 11, 15 and 6.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Once upon a Greek legend, Mercury, the god of trade, messages and daily dealings, was in a generous mood brought on by his kinship and admiration of the heroic young god Perseus. Perseus was enlisted to battle the Gorgons. Wanting Perseus to have every advantage in the fight, he gifted Perseus with winged sandals, a cap and an invisibility helmet. Exchange a few of the details, and one might say that this sounds a bit like the first Harry Potter book. That’s only because the ancient theme never gets old. Someone has to fight evil, and it just wouldn’t be a fair fight if not for the special tools – magic rings, swords, armor and the like – afforded by friends and allies.

The reason I bring it up is that this week’s conjunction of Mercury, Mars and Neptune highlights the power of numbers, as well as useful exchanges. Mercury enters Pisces, urging us to fully but simply express our hearts and intentions. Mercury in Pisces needs few words, as people tend to read vibes clearly and sense where others are coming from. Given a confluence of interests mixed with genuine affection and the basic need to help others, evil very well may be defeated once more.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Before she was famous, at the ripe old age of 18, Isla Fisher had already reached some of her life’s ambitions: She was a well-known child actress and a writer with two published teen novels. This multitalented Aquarius was born when the moon was in Pisces – a common and excellent aspect for actors – and Venus was in brilliant, quick-witted Gemini.

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.