Horoscopes for Jan. 31, 2013

The Libra moon is a lover, a poet and an artist. Her aesthetic is flawless; her communication style, honey glazed. As she positions herself to the Aquarius sun in an air trine that augments the good fortune of Jupiter’s newly direct status, the sky adopts an optimistic shade, and the light dances playfully over the landscape.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Why do the actions of your loved ones affect your self-image? Because your identity is entangled in your various roles. But who you are is really bigger than how they see you – food for thought.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are fortunate, and you know that. Now, if you could only stop yourself from being so critical of all the bounty around you. Well, someone has to be the minister of quality control.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A secret burns on your tongue, and your social environment provides just the lightness and comfort level that may inspire you to spill it, no big deal. But tomorrow, the skies will change. So resist telling with all your might!

CANCER (June 22-July 22). When you didn’t know the rules, you did whatever you wanted, and it all worked out fine, more or less. Now you know the rules, and things seem suddenly difficult. Chill out. Don’t think about it so much. Take a break.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your loved ones may not seem to appreciate you, but the contribution you make to their lives matters more than you know. Do a private accounting of it, because that will make you feel good about yourself.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes you fall in love with someone. The recipe for romance is as complex as a chocolate souffle, and all of the elements have to work together for the thing to take delicious form.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There is whimsy even in the most conservative aspects of your life. With the moon highlighting your artistic influence on others, you’ll be surprised at how some people act to impress you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Carried by the conviction of your dreams, you’ll be tempted to take on huge endeavors with only a few crude tools. Truly, you can do better. Put the word out. You need a team!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You used to have playtime every day when you were a child. Now it seems rather limited, but it’s every bit as important. Fight for your right to recreate.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Venus will leave your sign tomorrow, taking someone’s expectations with her. Focused on your own desire to succeed, succeed you will, regardless of what anyone wants from you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The moon in your fellow air sign poses a question about your personal life: Should you seize the day and the love it offers, or hold out for the love you really want?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You may feel lost in a sea of options. You usually prefer to feel your way through difficult problems instead of weighing your opportunities on the scale of intellect. Tomorrow brings clarity.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY. When you know why you are doing something, the rest is a no-brainer. This year you answer the “why” question in many areas of your life, starting with your central relationships. You’ll seal a deal in February. There’s family healing and collective victory in the spring. Someone rich helps you take a professional leap in May. Aries and Sagittarius people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 16, 1, 13, 5 and 9.

VENUS IN CAPRICORN WRAP-UP: This is the last day of the current Venus transit in Capricorn. The love planet entered the realm of the seagoat on January 8, promising to enlighten us as to the power structures in our personal lives. Is there someone you continually give your power to, often unknowingly? Chances are, you have a better awareness of that now, though you may have no idea how to stop it. Maybe there’s even some secret benefit you get from your submission to this person, and that’s not necessarily a negative thing. For instance, you may be learning from this person, and learning always requires some degree of submission. You can’t, after all, believe your own way and be open to another person’s way at the same time. Also, you can’t stand in ignorance and be curious at the same time. The student must surrender to some degree to the teacher.

These are the types of relationship dynamics that Venus has been helping us sort out over the past month. With tomorrow’s transit into Aquarius, she offers a cool objectivity to matters. Her intellectual approach may not yield passionate interaction, but it has value. Like an arranged marriage, the reasonable factors imposed on the union often do add up to a truly brilliant match.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Newlywed Justin Timberlake threw a posh yet rustic Italian wedding to the tune of millions of dollars to celebrate his union with Pisces Jessica Biel. Aquarius and Pisces people are zodiac neighbors who can get as comfy as siblings if they are not careful. But with Aquarius’ intelligent imagination and Pisces’ craving for magic and ethereal truth, the bond can be sublimely creative and exciting, too.

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