The Gemini moon has people talking. Whether they are saying much is a different matter. The important part is that they are sharing. With each exchange, we get the sense that we're not alone and that what we do has an effect on others. So, mindfulness can be the result of seemingly mindless chatter.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Romance is in the air, but revealing too much and going too fast might just spoil it. Be sure to go slow and steady, no matter how thrilling and heart-fluttering you find your potential partner.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). While trying to make a job easier, you risk inadvertently making it more difficult. Take time to organize your efforts before you act, and you will avoid this phenomenon.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There will be those people who can't appreciate your efforts. It's not their fault. They have never made similar efforts, so they have no comparison. Continue undaunted.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). By keeping up with basic self-care and maintenance, you can manage stress before it comes. Getting enough rest and exercise, as well as proper nutrition, will keep you strong.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're in a strong position now. People sense that you don't really need to push forward, and that you couldn't care less either way. Because you are willing to stand back or bow out gracefully, you are offered more.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Looking for beauty in your environment is not a shallow pursuit. There is great power in beauty. Witnessing it could be just the thing that causes a breakthrough in spiritual awareness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Sensitive issues come into the open. Should they be explored? Unless you can do so without coming across as judgmental, probably not. Tolerance is an oft-underrated virtue.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). A sweet mental breeze comes to sweep the air. Clouds lift. You can see what you're dealing with. What was once foggy becomes completely clear.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You are usually mindful not to talk about what doesn't pertain to the people around you. But you could break this rule to excellent effect today, as you'd be surprised what people find relevant.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You do not wish to passively respond to whatever life throws your way. You take control of matters, realizing that what you give will strongly influence what you get.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You live on a spinning rock. At any given time, your closest neighboring planet is at least 25 million miles away. Given the precarious balance of life, you proceed with every intention of being as self-reliant as possible.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You won't gamble with what's precious to you, but you may take a calculated risk. Calculated risk-taking includes a plan for what will happen if the first endeavor doesn't work out.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 12). You have an audience. Your clever ways will attract interest, including that of a romantic nature. There's a happy break in your professional or financial scene in the next three weeks. Yours is the most exciting story in September. You'll be the champion of a loved one's pursuit in October. Help comes from a distant sector in November. Aquarius and Libra people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 19, 24, 17 and 23.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Have you ever tried to discern the expression of the Man in the Moon? It's something to do when the moon is full, and the next full moon will be in Pisces on August 31. Though I'd like to see the moon as a smiling gent, to me he seems more like a man on the verge of a sneeze, or someone who accidentally walked into the lady's dressing room. Either way, the dark spots that form these shapes are actually basins filled with the mineral "basalt," which has an effect on the moon's gravitational pull. The reason I bring it up is because it very well may be that the expressions we put across our faces affect the gravitational pull around us, as well, especially during this opposition of Venus and Pluto. Even though the projection we make to the world isn't exactly how we are feeling inside, it says something about how we want to be feeling, how we think the world is, and how we think it should be. Our hopes and dreams are hidden inside these expressions and are communicated in subtle ways throughout the week. The playful Leo sun lends some additional levity, so dare to wear a gravity-defying expression and see if it doesn't buoy your spirits.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Born of noble birth on this day in 1831 was one of the founders of theosophy — and the Theosophical Society, whose aim was to create a brotherhood of humanity "without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color." Helena Blavatsky traveled to study the religions of the world seeking their common thread of truth. She was born when the moon and Venus were in peace-loving Libra.

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