Horoscope, Sunday, July 8, 2012

However ordinary your task, fight the gallant fight. A fuzzy emotional haze settles over the day, blurring the edges and giving a fantasy glow to the main action. Though the events ahead may not roll out with fanfare, you can be sure that the challenges will seem as glorious as the battles faced by dragon slayers in days of yore.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’re in the mood to decide quickly what you want to do and then execute just as fast. This is good because you don’t want anyone waiting on you now. Vacillation and procrastination wear people out.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You lift up your community just by being the kind of person you are. People perform to their potential because you set an example of excellence. You may have no idea that this is occurring, but it is.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It’s never too late to set things straight. You’ll prove that today when you see an opportunity to address something that happened in the past, thereby adjusting a relationship and directing it onto a more positive course.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Today brings a case of shiny object syndrome, as things that catch the light beckon you nigh. This isn’t a bad thing unless you start reaching into your pockets to buy said objects.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). When the world gets hectic (and when is it not?), you feel an urgent need to disconnect from the information and drama barrage in favor of simple pleasures. A walk, for instance, will bring back your joy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Here’s a wonderfully refreshing way to clear your surroundings of bad energy: 1) Admit what went wrong. 2) Offer or ask for forgiveness. 3) Light a candle. 4) Begin the exciting new era.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Going the extra mile once will put you a mile ahead of the competition. Do it every day, and you’ll be seven miles ahead of the competition in a week. Soon the competition will be a small dot in the distance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The difference between external and internal wealth will be a main theme of the day. Real wealth is recognizing the gems of your soul and their priceless value.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). When your fire-sign energy mixes with a water sign’s emotional makeup, the result is steamy. As with a teakettle, unless you remove it from the burner, the whistle turns into a scream.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When things spin out of control, it’s a positive occurrence, an affirmation that your life is a co-creation with the universe at large. It’s beautiful that you can’t control it all. Why would you ever want to?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re not messing around today. There’s a kind of celestial fire inside you as you do what feels important and meaningful. That this action also happens to be extremely fun is a perk.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You may not be able to do everything, but you can always do something. This principle guides your day, and everywhere you go, you’ll see opportunities to improve your environment and relationships.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 8). You’ll use the lessons of last year to maximize your potential. Emotional mastery is a theme this month, and you handle and express your feelings better than ever. August features fascinating new company. A financial shift in September favors you. In December, the spotlight swings to showcase your talents. Capricorn and Pisces people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 10, 3, 1, 38 and 14.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Imagine how surprised you might be if the clock in your town center suddenly stopped and the hands changed direction for a few hours. It’s easy to see how it might be cause for concern and confusion. What is the real time? Should we meet by what the clock says or by what it should be saying? And what exactly is going on to make the clock do such a thing? Backward motion disturbs the human sense of order — and understandably so — which probably has something to do with our innate annoyance with retrograde planets. This week features not one but two planetary retrogrades. First, Uranus, the rebellious outer planet, stations for a retrograde stint in Aries that will last clear through December 13 of this year. That this happens on Friday the 13th makes it no less interesting. Given that Aries is the realm of the warrior, humanity as a whole will be backtracking through the karma of war and the cost of change.

But a few hours after Uranus turns around, Mercury follows suit, promising to test our patience on a more personal level through August 7. Keep in mind that retrogrades, like rainbows, are illusions. Your reaction to them will make all the difference.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: At the ripe old age of 14, Jaden Smith is already a Hollywood A-lister. With Mercury in Leo, his star quality shines through in even the most mundane daily situations. His Capricorn moon suggests powerful ambitions for Smith, but also says he’ll remain grounded. We’ll soon get to see this multitalented Cancer explore an alien planet with his father, Will Smith, in the new M. Night Shyamalan release, “After Earth.”

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