Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

Venus is the love planet of the zodiac, though she also represents other kinds of attractions in life, such as the drive to create art and revel in aesthetics. Today, Venus enters Taurus, opening our senses and stimulating our appetites for beauty and pleasure. Investigate your likes and dislikes. What do your tastes and values say about you?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). It would be easy to give in to the group mind, as you'll be around very influential people today. However, you will remain strong. You are thinking for yourself, and that's why you'll come to a different conclusion than the rest.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There's a paradox in love. You want to know that you can depend on the other person. And the way this best happens is when you come from a position of independence and autonomy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You're ready to handle a problem on your own. It's the perfect-sized challenge for you. You once thought you needed a rescue for this, but you don't. You will come to your own rescue and realize your power.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). When you share your ambitions, you learn what kind of people you are dealing with. A true friend will be happy for you and maintain a hopeful and supportive attitude. Avoid those who react any other way.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The job is too big for one person. Manage the load. Find skilled support. Your leadership skills are in top form. You can motivate as big of a team as is necessary to get this done.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't need to be in the ideal situation in order to have fun, turn in stellar work or contribute to society in a meaningful way. You can live your life fully anywhere you are, a point you prove beautifully today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The idea that seems so logical to you is more innovative than you realize. The initiative you show will put you in a winning category. Start something up. Don't wait until it's offered to you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It will take a certain level of mastery over your thinking to do your job today. You will overlook the thing that irritates you for the sake of moving forward in as gracious a state as you can achieve.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your self-control is returning. Start small. Tell yourself one thing to do, and then do it. Then choose another thing. By the end of the day, you'll have accomplished a significant number of tasks.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). There is a person who has touched your life unknowingly.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You are brave. You'll tell the truth to anyone who asks for it. You will willingly put yourself in the hot seat. You sense correctly that the pressure will help to form you into the strong person you want to be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). As you work on being self-sufficient, you pave the way for great love to come into your life. Supportive, exciting and wonderful relationships will be created in the months to come.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (March 31). There will be many reasons to celebrate this year, including the run of good luck that begins now. You've never been too concerned with fitting in, and yet you'll enjoy the acceptance you feel in a group of kindred spirits in May. You'll connect with other talented folks to create something that can be enjoyed by many. Libra and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 10, 3, 15 and 41.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "Why is the 12th house so hard to understand?"

Because it's mysterious, that's why! The 12th house is the warehouse for your subconscious. Your dreams are here, your hidden motivations, your secret addictions, all the reasons for which you commit chocolate sabotage every time you start a new diet. Any trauma from your past — abuse, violence, fear — is all here, like a boogeyman hiding in your closet. The 12th house is the sum total of your shadow self, which Carl Jung described as the part of yourself that you don't like to acknowledge. The good news is that the 12th house is also the house of "endings," the implication being that by plumbing the depths of your psyche, you can put all your past baggage, defeatist attitudes and nasty habits behind you. Open those closets, shine a light under the bed, and flush out those ghosts that still haunt you. Talk to friends, or get professional counsel if you can't face them on your own. Even the scary and unpleasant stuff is rich material to draw upon for any kind of creative outlet. A horror writer I know has Neptune in Scorpio in his 12th house. Use what you have!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Ewan McGregor has joined with friends to form a film production company that focuses on nonconformist filmmaking. His balanced natal chart promises that this fiery Aries will continue to deliver popular entertainment, as well. Venus is in the sign of acting — Pisces. Mars in Capricorn shows a love of tradition, which McGregor, a devoted husband and father of three, displays in his family life.

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.

COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM