PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY July 18 2011 to July 24 2011 Monday July 18 Balancing Act I recently answered a letter about introverts and extroverts and explained that you could not tell which a person was by their Sun sign alone. Then Adrienne wrote to ask, 'Wouldn't the planet in one's Moon sign, be more indicative of introversion or extroversion?' Actually, Adrienne, it would, but you'd still only have part of the picture. The Moon, in a horoscope, reveals your 'introverted side'. But if your Moon is in an extroverted sign you may hide your shyness behind an outgoing facade. Really, an astrologer must consider the balance between someone's Sun sign and their Moon sign. Tuesday July 19 Inside Out Hi Jonathan, I am supposedly in the introverted category, AND with a triple whammy, Taurus Sun, Capricorn Moon, and Pisces Ascendant. Yet, get me in a room full of strangers and I'm the extrovert breaking the icy air... Diane Hi Diane, I was oversimplifying when I said it all depends on the balance of your Sun and Moon. There is, as you rightly point out, the ascendant (or rising sign) to consider too. And the angles that other planets form to those key indicators. Also, there's the fact that shy, inward looking people sometimes hide behind an outgoing 'front'. Wednesday July 20 I'm Your Venus Sky-watchers may have noticed lately how Venus is conspicuous by her absence. Often, she's the first beacon of the dusk. Sometimes, she's a morning 1900 950 020.star, rising as a herald of the dawn. Never do we see her in the middle of the night, for the view through the window of Spaceship Earth always places Venus fairly close to the Sun. Often, though she's up all day, we simply can't see her. The Sun's light drowns out even her bright beam. With other planets, out of sight can mean out of mind. But Venus is the planet of love... Thursday July 21 Know Your Rights Hi Jonathan, Lately, your forecasts have been so right for me, I'm wondering if they ALWAYS were and I just didn't see it. It's hard to clear your mind and absorb a message, especially when it contains something you don't want to see or know. Deb Hi Deb, I'm tempted to reply, 'Ah yes, that's always the case. I'm never wrong but sometimes you can't see how right I am.' And it's true that astrologers often have to beware of truths that other people simply aren't ready to hear. But it's also true that sometimes, I am just plain wrong! Friday July 22 The Real Thing Hello Jonathan, Why do so many astrologers have different forecasts for the same sign? Tomi Hello Tomi, Astrology is a highly-structured subject. There are strict rules about how to interpret planetary alignments. Astrologers, properly trained in conventional techniques, read full date of birth horoscopes in much the same way. The creation of a forecast for a whole sign may involve one of several looser, simpler techniques. We 'Sun sign astrologers' may work in different ways, but our predictions usually match in spirit, if not language. Sadly, though, some forecasts, in some publications, are not written by actual astrologers. Saturday July 23 Your Weekly Forecast If, on Wednesday night this week, you happen to find yourself on a boat in the middle of the Pacific, not too far from French Polynesia, keep an eye on the Moon. There isn't much of it left but the sliver you can see will slowly move in front of Mars. We call this an 'occultation'. The symbolism is sweet. There's Mars, (anger, determination, aggression, passion) being overwhelmed by the Moon (nurture, empathy, protection and compassion.) It suggests that even those of us who don't witness the phenomenon can all now hope soon, to experience tension turn to forgiveness! Sunday July 24 Amy Winehouse Amy Winehouse mattered to me. I loved her music. I felt for her pain and I shed a tear when I heard the news. Was Amy Winehouse really that good? She was. Is her death truly so tragic? It is. I have looked at Amy's horoscope many times. Read what I have to say about her here. Click the signs above for your Week Ahead (Love Focus) Forecasts Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts