The Stars This Week - 01/09/06 - 01/15/06

The heavens are tossing a healthy portion of no-nonsense resolve your way on the 13th as Mercury trines Mars and sextiles Jupiter, and the Sun conjuncts Venus. Try to get a good head start on your goals, because the full Moon in Cancer on the 14th could leave you torn between home and work. On the 15th, Mars's opposition to Jupiter spells tension -- but it's nothing that a good old-fashioned heart-to-heart can't cure.

January 13: Mercury trine Mars, Mercury sextile Jupiter, Sun conjunct Venus

Today's astrological menu is sturdy, stubborn and steadfast in all departments. And that goes double for anything that falls under the heading of work, from career matters to all the mundane tasks you dutifully address to keep your little corner of the world running smoothly. You'll be working with a particularly dependable cast of planetary characters: steady, cerebral Mercury in Capricorn, determined yet energetic Mars in Taurus, and the Sun and Venus, who'll connect in grounded, responsible Capricorn.In short, the heavens are teeming with practical, no-nonsense energies that absolutely refuse to quit until their mission has been achieved. So if there's something you need to say or do, you won't have to force yourself to start, and you won't have to worry about finishing it up. (Eventually, however, you may need to be gently but firmly pried away from the computer by a loved one.)

January 14: Full Moon in Cancer

Once a year, the heavens spotlight a particular dilemma: whether to devote ourselves entirely to work or to home and family matters. It's called the Full Moon in Cancer, and it's set to arrive today. Now that you know what's coming, you can put together a schedule. You'll need to stick to it, of course, but staying on track now will be a piece of cake; the tough part will be the internal tug-of-war you'll be feeling.If you listen to that insistent voice of reason, however, and follow its instructions, you'll do just fine. Avoid trying to be all things to all people -- just take a few moments to draw up a solid battle plan, and you'll be able to pull this off.

January 15: Mars opposite Jupiter

Astrological oppositions act just the way they sound: The two energies involved are basically in a tug-of-war. The really fun part is that they tend to manifest in our one-on-one relationships, especially with those we love most. At the moment, fiery Mars in determined Taurus is on one side of the rope, pulling against Jupiter, the king of the gods, in equally determined Scorpio. Obviously, the only way to deal with this situation is to try to bring warring factions together on common ground -- but it might not be easy. A hint? Well, remember that opposites attract for a reason: because each party holds something the other needs to be whole. The remedy today starts with a brutally honest, no-holds-barred conversation, and there's no doubt that you'll feel terrific if you're the one who initiates it.

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