LIBRA (September 23-October 22)

Origin/Representation
Libra is symbolized by scales, which represent balance. It's believed this idea originated because Libra begins on the autumnal equinox, at a time when the amount of daylight and darkness are exactly the same. In the old days, some societies made their convicted criminals wait until the autumnal equinox before executing them, so they could appease the gods of justice at the same time.
Libra is ruled by Venus, as is Taurus, but to a more obvious degree. Librans are clearly the most romantic, sentimental, and kindest of all the signs. The favored day is Friday (vendredi in French), and there is a fondness for the color blue for the same reason (you definitely do not favor red, the color of your opposite sign, Aries).
Positive Qualities
Everyone loves a Libran. You can't help it—it's your nature to be the friendliest, warmest, gentlest sign of all. You always find something to like in everyone, and you make them feel special as a result. You're the person that feels sorry for the lonely outcast at a party and engages him in a conversation so he won't feel left out; even if most people find him a bore, you smile and find the interesting, appealing side. For this quality, you will always have friends.
And you'll need them. That's why you do this. You simply can't function well without companionship. Others may interpret this as a sign of weakness, of "co-dependence" even, but it's just your Venus influence.
Because of this companionable nature, you hate conflict. You'll do anything to avoid an argument, or to stop one. It's not that you're so afraid of being hurt, it's that you're afraid of hurting someone else's feelings. You're a diplomat. When confronted with two opposing sides, you'll find a happy medium. You crave harmony, and like your symbol, balance.
You're also very intuitive—some would even say psychic. You're the natural judge of the zodiac, and this sense extends past reason into instinct. You may find something to like in everyone, but you'll also see the whole character of a person instantly. Others may be amazed at how correct your first impressions are when, later, they see the whole picture.
You have a hunger for knowledge, which befits your sign name—Libra is part of library. But mostly it's a surface curiosity of lots of things. Like another air sign, Gemini, you love variety, and would rather sample the essences of varied subjects than become an expert at one in particular.
Trouble Areas
Because of this sampling instinct, you tend to overlook—or not take interest in—the little details. In fact, you dislike the fussy little things in which a sign like Virgo takes so much pride. This can lead to a reputation for unpunctuality, of laziness or unwillingness to do menial chores, or a reluctance to partake in anything that just doesn't interest you. People might call you selfish and vain if you're not careful.
You are a daydreamer. You follow your soul, wherever it guides you, at any time of day. This is a wonderful attribute that can lead to great creative expression when applied with discipline, but discipline is a weak area for you.
You have a hard time making decisions. If s not that you're weak, it's that you're so balanced. You see both sides of an issue clearly, and would rather not take a side for fear of offending the other. This can result in lost opportunities and ineffectuality in all aspects of life.
Physical Qualities and Activities
Librans are generally regarded as the most attractive of all signs—not surprising, with Venus as a ruling planet. Some of the most famous Librans are blessed with stunningly good looks, including such men as Montgomery Clift, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charlton Heston, Michael Douglas, Christopher Reeve, Sting, Marcello Mastroianni, Armand Assante, and Johnny Mathis. The list of lovely women is even more impressive: Brigitte Bardot, Melina Mercouri, Heather Locklear, Cheryl Tiegs, Anita Ekberg, Angje Dickinson, Britt Ekland, Sigourney Weaver, Susan Anton, Marie Osmond, Suzanne Somers, Margot Kidder, Julie Andrews, and so on.
Libra rules the loins, kidneys, and back; all of those areas are therefore vulnerable, and there is a tendency towards diabetes. Watch for backaches especially.
You are not regarded as one of the more physically active signs. Having been born attractive, you don't feel any great need to work hard at it. But you do maintain it, mostly with social sports like golf and tennis. You're also blessed with poise and fluid movement, so dancing is common as well. Anything casual that can be done with companionship—that's what you want.
Preferences
You look good in virtually anything you wear, so that's not a concern. You do tend to match your clothes, though—it's a sign of that Libran balance. So even though you don't wear black often, you will balance it with white when you do. You're more attracted to bright colors—they fit your cheerful persona. Except for red—that's too aggressive.
Your home is like you—attractive, and with a sense of balance. There's lots of soft, rounded furniture—it's both welcoming and it promotes laziness. But there's just as much space to balance the feel.
When it comes to food, you are much like another air sign, Gemini: you eat for social reasons, and you enjoy variety. A little of this, a little of that—balance again. You're not a big eater; it's more important that you have company. Meals are excuses to socialize.
Occupations/Financial Profile
You have a tendency to be frivolous with money, even to take little interest in it, except to use it socially—you do like your nightlif e. But you must try to be more disciplined with money, to respect it more, to build a savings account; otherwise your social spending will continually consume your prospects of a sound financial future.
Occupationally, depending on your other astrological influences, you're likely to fall into one of two camps: you choose either a career that appeals to your sense of physical attractiveness or one that stresses balance.
In the first category are all those beautiful actors and models mentioned earlier, but also designers, decorators, beauticians, make-up artists, and painters. One advantage to these is that you generally get to work with someone, which is vital to you (painting is an exception).
In the second category are the law professions— attorney, judge, and legislator—as well as those that cater to tact, friendliness, and understanding: diplomat, counselor, concierge, and sales rep are a few examples.
Other famous Librans include Mahatma Gandhi (known for his supreme sense of right and wrong), John Lennon (whose life's work also demonstrated him to be an intuitive judge of character), Eleanor Roosevelt (a natural Libran hostess and diplomat), television host Bryant Gumbel (who is never confrontational), President Jimmy Carter (respected for his sense of fairness), comedian Dick Gregory (famous for his sense of justice in social issues), and designer Ralph Lauren.
Love and Relationships
You need people, and you certainly need love, and this can lead you into romantic trouble. Opportunities are everywhere for you, because you're so attractive, so friendly, so flirtatious, and so easily influenced by the opposite sex. Love, in fact, is the most important thing in your life, which is why it's so problematic for you. But don't worry—after being misled, cheated on, and underappreciated by several partners, you'll get it right.
Your ideal mate is likely to be Aries, your zodiacal opposite. It's a planetary balance of Mars and Venus, aggression and tenderness, leadership and acquiescence, practicality and creativity. You also fare well with Gemini (they appreciate your understanding of their complex character, and you're artistically harmonious) and Aquarius (you both love people and beauty, although they're a touch more unpredictable).
Although most everyone likes you, a close relationship with either Virgo (much too fussy for you) or Scorpio (much too dark for your warm, sunny outlook) is unadvisable.
SCORPIO (October 23-November 21)
Origin/Representation
Scorpio's origins are as interesting and as complex as the sign itself. Before the twelve-month calendar was created, ancient astrologers viewed Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio all as one sign. Once divided, they came to symbolize aspects of the creation story in the book of Genesis, as follows:
Leo is Adam; Virgo is Eve, the virgin (as well as the Garden of Eden itself—Virgo symbolizes harvest, and is an earth sign); Libra is the tree of knowledge, symbolizing justice and right and wrong; and Scorpio is of course the serpent. Since the apple hangs from the tree, the fall of Adam comes through Libra—hence, it is the first sign of the fall season. And since Scorpio rules the reproductive organs, a rebirth occurs through Scorpio that gives rise to the three intellectual, wise signs that follow.
Adding to the complexity of Scorpio is the fact that it is ruled by not one but two planets, Mars and Pluto. Of course, Pluto was not discovered until 1930, so this is a fairly recent interpretation. It is widely agreed that Pluto is the rightful ruler, but now debated whether Mars indeed has an influence or not. We'll assume that it does, until proven otherwise. Tuesday (mardi), then, is the best day of the week for you.
Positive Qualities
The dual aspect of Mars and Pluto working together creates an intriguing profile for you. You have all the passion and power of Mars, but the secrecy of Pluto (it was there from the beginning, exerting its energy, but we only just found out about it, and even now it's hidden way, way out there, and is the only planet that does not orbit the sun on an elliptical path, but a rather skewed one).
As a result, you exert your power in subtle ways. You're the person pulling the strings above the stage, where no one can see you, yet you're in complete control. You know you have a natural dominance—not leadership per se, but quiet control—and you take pride and pleasure in seeing its effect on others. You notice that the opposite sex is naturally attracted to you: You notice that other people find themselves acquiring your habits, or your points of view. Yes, you are a natural manipulator, very much like the serpent in Eden.
This does not, however, mean that you're evil. A few Scorpios have taken advantage of this power for dubious purposes—the infamous German World War I spy Mata Hari, for example— but for most of you it's just your nature. You've learned early on that you can't control everything—that's impossible—so you limit your scope to the few areas in which you can excel.
One such area is investigation. Secrecy and control go hand in hand here, so any problem that needs solving, any mystery that is begging to be unraveled, is your baby. You discover gossip, for instance, before everyone else (although you're hardly a blabbermouth). This is just because you're extremely curious. You'll take apart a radio just to see how it works, you'll explore a cave to see where it goes, or you'll follow a trail to get to its source.
The Mars influence also indicates purposeful energy. Hard work is second nature to you, and if you're the controlling force, watch it world, you'll blow it open. Even if you fail, you can still start over—that's Pluto, able to reach very deep into the system and retool it.
Trouble Areas
You are intense, and you know it. You have a deep well of passion and will, but if you don't get your way, you could explode like a volcano. A Scorpio rage is a rage that can blast everything in its path, including itself (when cornered, a scorpion will sting itself to death). This is why control is so important to you: it's for your own good, and everyone else's as well.
So you restrain yourself. You hold back your true emotions deep, deep in the well. Oh sure, you make the appropriate social response when needed, but it's either fabricated or just a hint of the real you, a drop or two from the well. People are attracted to you for that deep passion—it's often a challenge for them to get to know you so well they find the key that unlocks the floodgates.
Scorpios are also thought to be preoccupied with death. It is certainly a sign with a dark nature, but in real life no Scorpios have ever been found to be more depressed or suicidal than others. You enjoy life as much as everyone else, but you are somehow more aware of mortality. Most other signs spend their lives ignoring it, but you let it dictate your actions to a degree, and you respond to it with your self-restraint mechanism. Only you know the power of your temper.
You are instinctively suspicious, because once you place yourself in the control room, you have to defend it. And, curiously, your defense mechanism is just as secretive as the rest of you. You'll use your powers of manipulation and investigation to create an aura of fear and fascination— that always works.
By no means will you ever leave yourself open and vulnerable. You have to hold something back, or else you'd be giving up control, and that simply is unthinkable. You will therefore share the deepest part of yourself only with a select trustworthy few.
It's not appropriate, in this case, to suggest moderation here and there, as is customary with most other signs. You are not one to compromise, so there's little point. Perhaps the only caveat is to suggest care of yourself and others—i.e., don't misuse the immense passion and power with which you were blessed. You and those around you will lead happier lives if you channel it positively.
Physical Qualities and Activities
Scorpio rules the reproductive organs, so this area is particularly sensitive. Like the serpent in the Bible, it signifies both the fall of man and the fertility of man, the birth/death continuum. You know you're vulnerable there—it's the well of your passion—so you don't share it with just anybody, and that's also why you're so restrictive of your deepest secrets.
You're really not an athlete, or all that inclined towards recreation. But you do love a dare. Anything that pushes the limit of danger gets your blood flowing—and not just faux danger, like bungee jumping, but real danger—riding a motorcyle at 100 mph on a windy mountain road, for instance, or scuba diving into shark-infested waters.
Preferences
You are attracted to dark reds, due to your Mars influence, as well as black. Wearing both achieves your desired effect: they exude both power and allure. You dress to announce your power, so you wear dark suits with sharp cuts, or tight black leather, the better to communicate containment of power.
Your home is densely furnished, perhaps with a black leather couch, dark decor, and heavy doth, like a quilt on the bed. The feeling is a bit confining to others, even a little oppressive and dungeony.
As a water sign, you enjoy seafood and anything that is moist and texturally soft—even sensual—like pasta with creamy sauces, rice, or yogurt. You're also attracted to red sauces and curries, due to your Mars influence.
Occupations/Financial Profile
You are well-suited towards rising to the top of the corporate ladder because of your unique need to control. Your best path is by a combination of hard work, keen maneuvering, and working your subtle power magic. Your investigative abilities will tip you off to opportunities and strategies before everyone else, your suspicious nature will help you ward off the competition, your dark suits will demonstrate that you fit the bill, your powers of manipulation will get you in the right doors at the right times, and in between all this you'll work ceaselessly to prove you're the controller, not the controllee.
Outside the corporate structure, you are well-suited for a career in police work, detection, or intelligence (all of which make use of power, secrecy, curiosity, and danger) like Mata Hari, as well as medicine (particularly research). Examples of the latter include Jonas Salk and Marie Curie.
Perfect examples of powerful, mysterious Scor-pios who rose to the top of their fields include Ted Turner, Indira Gandhi, Robert Kennedy, George Patton, Roseanne Arnold, Charles Bronson, and filmmaker Mike Nichols.
The dark side of Scorpio is evident in writers such as Goethe, Milton (coincidentally, Milton's most famous work, Paradise Lost, is about the fall of man), Andre Malraux, and Dylan Thomas, as well as artist Pablo Picasso (his paintings are extremely confined and dark in color, containing immense power) and to a frightening extreme, Charles Manson.
Love and Relationships
Because you have an innate understanding of secrecy and power, you have to be careful of jealousy in your relationships. You can be quite trustworthy when you're happy, but when you suspect some wrongdoing, watch out. Pity the poor soul who makes you an enemy, and you yourself will agonize over such a state. Cultivate the traits that will make you more open and trusting, and just as importantly, choose the partner most suited to you.
And that would be Taurus, your zodiacal opposite. A Taurean mate is perfectly trustworthy, loyal, earthy, domestic, a great cook, and very loving—everything you need to open you up and enjoy life.
You also get along well with Cancer (you understand each other symbiotically—you both have deep emotional wells underneath that hard surface, and are both water signs), Virgo (you admire each other's work ethic, and the negative traits of both cancel each other out), and Pisces (although the attraction is immediate, it doesn't last long—the Piscean will become too possessive for you).
You must avoid partnerships with Aries (the other Mars sign—you'll constantly fight over control of everything), Gemini (you'll get jealous of their freedom), and Sagittarius (too flighty and untrustworthy—this match is liable to bring out your darkest qualities).