Zeus, a.k.a. Jupiter, bore a daughter named Athena, who sprung from his head fully grown. She was shrewdly intelligent but occasionally suffered lapses in her otherwise stellar judgment, like turning her sister's hair into snakes. As Jupiter angles with the sun and Mars tussles with Mercury, there's wisdom in aligning mind and heart.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your ideas of how this day should go are different from what a loved one expects. Run down the highlights in a morning meeting of the minds. Good communication ensures the satisfaction of all.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The success or failure of a project is all in the definition. This is your moment to adjust the goal and give yourself a better chance of feeling fantastic about what you're doing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You can come up with bright ideas on your own, but bouncing off of another luminous mind produces the truly brilliant ones. Get together with the smartest person you know to start the ball rolling.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your excitement is building toward an upcoming special event. Although, in some moments, this intense energy feels more like dread. Breathe through it. Calm yourself. Hold the hand of a Taurus.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're drawn toward gaining deeper knowledge on topics that wouldn't normally appeal to you. Scenes that you would usually find off putting now hold strange attraction. Follow your interest and gain greater sophistication of thought.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (April 10). You heed your call to action this month. You do so quickly and correctly — once and for all. This insures that your next call to action, which comes in June, be different and even more exciting. Developments on the home front keep you hopping through the fall. There's a financial breakthrough in October. Love signs are Gemini and Aquarius. Your lucky numbers are: 2, 14, 22, 39 and 19.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You have definite ideas about how a moral and happy life should be conducted, all best kept to yourself. Your power to influence and inspire is only really tapped through the example you set.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Dramatic catharsis is a handy way to purge yourself of emotional conflict, or to sync up inner and outer realities that don't mesh. Going to extremes just might bring you back to balance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). In hard times, you wisely find an ally so you don't have to tough it out alone. The same goes for times like today, when your needs are pretty much taken care of.

Except this time, the ally finds you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). What comes easily to you also seems to have very little value to you. You give it away. What you may not realize is that just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it's easy for all. Don't give your rare talents away for free.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Power is just directed energy. When your ability to influence a situation is waning, you can get back the control by refocusing your energy. A moment of pause brings an unusual option to mind.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your dreams are not only for you. The whole world is better when you follow them. A nod and an encouraging word from someone you admire (maybe even idolize) will keep you excited about what you're about to accomplish.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Honor tradition. The simple act of sitting down to a meal with loved ones will be grounding, getting you psychologically ready to face what promises to be an action packed weekend.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I'm a Libra, and when my family needs anything, they call me. Yet, in trying to make everyone happy, I end up losing track of my self. Help!"

Your role as peacekeeper, diplomat and ambassador are so crucial to your family's health. Personally, I pity the Libra-less families. They're the ones who wind up on the evening news because nobody talked crazy Uncle Ned out of racing a truck through the backyard and into the living room. Yet, because your giving so often arises as an involuntary need-response impulse, I'd suggest a radical (but not too radical) turn of the tables: pre-empt them. Anticipate the empty spot you know they'll need you to fill, and put your artful stamp on it. Like organizing a family birthday, for instance. Volunteer to do the decorations (which you love), choose the play list, or create a smash-up evite. See, you're an expert in pulling it all together — whatever "it" may be. Your talents are manifold. And to honor the multilayered individual you are you, you can tip the scales in your favor by embodying your other passion (besides peacemaking) — pleasure. (Got family? Get my book, "Rock Your Stars.")

CELEBRITY PROFILES: We know Aries Steven Seagal as a tough and rugged action hero, but what's lesser known is his spiritual side. He's Buddhist, recognized by a Tibetan lama (teacher) as a reincarnated Tulku, or compassionate being, who chose to be reborn to alleviate the world of suffering. If he's "good," what does he think about playing the "bad" guy? In Buddhism, there's no good or bad — all is perception.

Holiday Mathis is the author of "Rock Your Stars." If you would like to write to her, please go to www.creators.com and click on "Write the Author" on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.