Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

Associations with the word "stress" are often negative. But stress can force us toward wonderful creations and powerful states of mind. Today's heavenly oppositions create a good kind of tension. Look to the future with hope and share positive feelings as the sun and the moon oppose each other to beautiful effect — a full Aquarius moon.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Something is weighing you down. Tell someone and you'll feel a lot better. You know just the person to tell. Spill your guts, and enjoy the feeling of a burden lifted.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). In the past, you traveled, but it's been a while since you've visited someplace completely new. Look into that now. A trip in the distant future will invigorate your life in the present.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There will be an unmistakable stirring of restlessness in your soul. You might try to ignore it, but it isn't going to go away. You may as well listen and see where it's urging you to go.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). An oversight made in the past suddenly wreaks havoc with your present. Who's to blame isn't clear, but that is of small import. What matters is that the wrong be righted as quickly as possible.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are a retinal magnet, pulling eyes toward you wherever you go. You walk with confidence, smile with intrigue, relate with friendly humility. Strangers will say hello — even the shy ones.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You'll succeed by being straightforward. Don't make people guess how to treat you, what you want or how to move in the world with you in it. Tell people what to do with you, and they'll do it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your preferences fortify you. So settle into the comfort of familiar things: sitting in your favorite chair, sipping your favorite drink, watching your favorite TV show.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). An inappropriate comment ruffles your feathers. The question is how involved you should get in righting a wrong. This may not have been directed at you, but still you feel a responsibility here.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Shooting for the stars is something you learned to do a long time ago. As with any skill, you have to exercise it to keep it. Today you'll have the perfect opportunity to aim high.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You are like the Charlie who got Willy Wonka's golden ticket. Of all the candy bars, you picked the right one, and now you get to do something most people only dream of.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Approval doesn't always come directly and openly. A compliment can be wrapped in a reprimand, to save face or just to be coy. You have been behaving like a champion, and someone is trying to praise you for that, tacitly.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You can't win every time. Or can you? Even if you swing and miss once in a while, it's no reason not to try to bat a thousand. No one has done it yet, but that doesn't mean no one will.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (July 25). You know you are loved, and this year it will be easy to appreciate how others show affection and respect. Narrow down your choices in August. Focusing on one or two priorities will ensure your success. Loved ones make you proud in September. You'll develop a unique talent in November. Finances improve in January. Taurus and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 25, 10, 33 and 15.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: It's when the moon and the sun are in opposition that the moon appears most glorious. The sun reflects on every visible surface, and there's a rush of excitement with this reveal. As the sun traverses Leo, he puts the moon on a stage and invites her free expression. The moon is in Aquarius and is sure to present in unexpected ways. Aquarius is known to produce thinking that is not only outside the box, but outside the room around the box and the building around the room and the town around the building. Aquarius delights in overturning our ideas about what is "normal." Aquarian energy can be awe inspiring or momentarily stunning. A shock to the system could set everything right. The extremes of a situation will have something to teach us about the middle ground. The theme is further carried out in a conjunction of Mars, the planet of action, and Saturn, the planet of limits. They line up in Libra on July 31, and the effects are felt all week. The realm of Libra handles relationships and group dynamics. There will be those who feel it's their duty to stretch rules, push buttons and generally prevent anyone from getting too comfortable. It keeps us all on our toes.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Movie star and pop star Jennifer Lopez was born under the hot Leo sun, and she has Mercury, the communication planet, in Leo, as well. She's a natural in the spotlight and has likely felt that she was born to use her talents to entertain. However, she's learned from her practical Virgo husband, Marc Anthony, that sometimes it's better to keep your private life out of the media.

If you would like to write to Holiday Mathis, 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.

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