Horoscope

ARIES: If Mars stirs up passionate reactions in your domestic sector don't, for heaven's sake, Rambo in with your usual upfront bluntness. Instead, step out of yourself for a moment and see the situation from the other person's point of view. Tread gently, because this week personal connections are delicate and easily damaged.

TAURUS: It's Cancer time, when people hang at home being cosy and eating up big - just the way you like it. Crabs equate nourishment with love and need heaps of affection to feel secure, so you won't mind at all doing a few of your favourite things: feeding, cuddling, viewing, doona aerobics and resting up after a month of Gemini brain strain.

GEMINI: A wee bit of self-censoring wouldn't go astray this week, Twins. As in monitoring those entertaining observations, keeping that hot gossip delicious rather than vicious and making sure your humour isn't malicious. Think witty yes, bitchy not - because right now someone might take spectacular offence just when you least expect it.

CANCER: With the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Saturn in Cancer it goes without saying you score a Princess-and-the-pea rating on the Richter sensitivity scale. So why not just expect 100% straight out emotional brutality from the whole human race this week? At least that leaves room for you to be pleasantly surprised...

LEO: Others could be clingy and need reassurance this week, but you know how to make them feel secure. Then you'll probably need a little extra attention yourself - and hey, wait a sec, aren't they supposed to be looking after you? So put the paws up and allow them to reward you with some luxury pampering and a right royal looking after.

VIRGO: As this week takes a wild dive from the realm of intellect and ideas into a seething sea of feelings - yours and everyone else's - logic and reason seem to disappear. You're in the ocean of emotion now, receiving information from the heart rather than the mind. Its messages mightn't be sensible, but they make their own kind of sense.

LIBRA: This week's rogue emotions could tip Libran scales every which way from sympathetic, tender and delightfully domestic to over-reactive and angsty. Not to mention coping with everyone else seesawing from caring to cranky, and adorable to appalling. You'll just have to morph it all into some kind of arty, waving-not-drowning dance form.

SCORPIO: Current Cancerian energy sets this week's most meaningful moments at home in the family arena - that perennial battlefield of great manipulations where love versus will is the agenda on the bill. You'll probably need to give some serious thought to what's more important to you, Scorps: being right or being loved?

SAGITTARIUS: This week we all start operating in the energy field of the Crab, who skitters sideways in alarm when approached directly. That's how your full frontal, forthright Sagittarian attitudes will be received this month - so less confrontational and more thoughtful, subtle, touchy feely tactics are required. Start thinking laterally, Archers.

CAPRICORN: Even cool Capricorns can get touchy and easily upset during the Time of the Crab. But rather than turning into an iceberg like you usually do, take a risk this week and tell people how you're really feeling. And give their ruffled feathers the kind of care and consideration you'd like yourself when you're hurt and huffy.

AQUARIUS: You won't be impressed by this week's sensitive, fragile types emoting all over the place. Just don't try cheering them up with those jokes Aquarians find killingly funny - it'll only cause more trauma. Play-act being supportive, if only to ensure a sympathetic ear when you turn to mush - which could be any day now.

PISCES: Family matters (that mixed bag of bittersweet blessings and exploding heart bombs), close connections and quality time in the home zone take precedence on this week's activity list. Throw in rocketing emotional highs and lows plus the many moods of Cancer and you know there's no way you'll be bored...