Horoscopes

ARIES: Due diligence, dutiful application, unrelenting effort and boring slog aren't necessarily the Aries way of doing things, and they certainly won't work this week. You'll accomplish far more through intuition, vision and sporadic flashes of inspired genius.

TAURUS: Taurans aren't likely to back down or give in once they've made their minds up. But don't let this week's challenging situations activate a desperate struggle to get on top. Despite what you think, winning isn't everything. There's more happening than you're aware of.

GEMINI: You usually get a certain feeling when you stray too far away from yourself, your purpose or your path. With your boss planet Merc the Messenger retrograde, this week's a good one to re-evaluate, review, rethink and even more importantly, rediscover a particular part of your life.

CANCER: The most important thing to be aware of this week is that when you're tense or anxious or worried or hurrying you lose around about 50 percent of your physical strength, concentration and ability to make lucid decisions. So relax a little, Crablings.

LEO: To make changes, first you have to acknowledge that there's room for improvement. Then investigate that room: Is it impressive but closed? Magnificent but static? Stunning but unchanging? This week's kingdom could benefit from some redecorating, Majesties.

VIRGO: A week of full on nattering and chattering in a world of speed and greed. For sanity's sake you'll definitely need to balance it through some kind of contact with nature - the restorative peace and tranquility of the non-verbal vegetal world.

LIBRA: A week of lengthy discussions and telephonic marathons as present planetary aspects have you expounding away on the state of just about everything. Balance those flapping lips by moving your hips at some of the hearty Sagittarian partying going on.

SCORPIO: Insisting on particular responses or behaviour from others is a no-no for two reasons: a) trying to manipulate peoples' feelings retards your own emotional growth, and b) others begin to mistrust and resent you. Ask yourself if it's really worth it.

SAGITTARIUS: Sagittarian Charles Ringling founded Ringling and Barnum & Bailey's old style, performing-animal circuses - which have now evolved into Cirque du Soleil's artistic mastery of the human potential. Your own potential will definitely benefit from a little artistic mastery this week.

CAPRICORN: Capricorns admire and respect strength, so naturally you like to align yourself with the winning side. But be careful of getting too impressed by what looks like success this week. Appearances, as you've no doubt figured out by now, can be strangely deceiving.

AQUARIUS: Though brilliant new concepts won't interest anyone this week unless they can be applied instantly with immediate practical results, still leave a quiet welcome space available in your consciousness for the life-changing ideas currently flying round in search of a landing pad...

PISCES: Pisceans tend to think of themselves as strangers in a strange land, and behave that way. But whatever peculiar talent, odd product, unusual service, mystic message or wild idea you're offering - this week's people are going to love it.