ArcaMax

Mercury entering Leo shifts the style of thinking and communication. If Mercury in Cancer asks, "How are people going to feel when they hear this?" Mercury in Leo asks, "How can I make them laugh, cry or remember?" This Mercury transit favors boldness, prizes originality and rewards conviction.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). To be alive is different than to feel alive. The quickening that happens today when you're near the subject of your delight will once again help you remember the difference. Make a plan to put yourself in the path of this feeling very soon.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It's the practical fixes that improve things. For instance, just a few minutes in sunshine and nature will restore vitality. And being dehydrated by just two cups can cause a mood swing in a negative direction. So, stay hydrated and stay happy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Silence isn't necessarily golden today. Don't mistake neutrality or lack of resistance for active support. An unopened door isn't the same as an invitation. Learn where people truly stand before you count on them.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). If knowledge is the bread of life, then action is the meat of the sandwich. Oh, how you will enjoy taking a big bite today. But one bite is not enough to nourish you. Keep at it with consistent effort until it's finished.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There's always an upside, and you're the one who sees it. Like a toddler who enjoys the box more than the toy, so optimistic is your lens that you may experience a circumstance as "all up" even when others around you see something else.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It feels like pressing the crosswalk button to a sign that will light up the same whether it's touched it or not. Options designed to soothe the restless need for control can feel patronizing, but what matters is that you're in action.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It's OK to begin your mission for superficial reasons. Along the way, you'll discover deeper reasons to continue. In time, your internal motivation will become stronger than any external promise of reward.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). If the problem is likely to expand, you address it while it's small. But you don't hand every inconvenience a megaphone. Half the battle is refusing to make a five-minute problem into an all-day one.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). If they want to help, let them. If you give too much and don't let anyone give back, people will be robbed of the pleasure of completing the circle of reciprocity. Sometimes accepting help is the help.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You can benefit from relationships that are unbalanced, but if this is the norm, you're likely to get burned out by the constant work of replenishing what's been drained from you. If they don't reciprocate your gestures, stop gesturing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Talk about what's been on your mind, but be thoughtful about who you share with. Everyone has a bias. Those who love you are the most biased. A perfect stranger or experienced professional will have a helpful point of view.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You know you've forgiven someone when their name stops changing your mood. You know you're over the pain when your mind stops defaulting to what caused it. The future is new conversations, new thought patterns and new sources of joy.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 9). It's your Year of Your Own Constellation. The stars are dots you can connect in any way you please, so don't let conventionality dictate your path. You'll lead with heart, uniqueness and a spark of whimsy that brings scattered fragments of life together in a gorgeous picture. More highlights: Joy from a darling relationship, a legendary celebration of a milestone and a revamp of domestic life. Finances transform. Capricorn and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 11, 22, 34, 8 and 1.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Mattel is releasing a Barbie who wants to dance with somebody, inspired by the iconic Whitney Houston hit. Houston's mighty voice roars from the beyond with the multiple remixes and tributes to her lion-hearted talent. A passionate moon and Jupiter in Aries boasted Houston's warrior spirit. Venus in Leo lent abiding charisma and love of entertaining.

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