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Ox is the second sign in the Chinese Zodiac. Like the animal they are named after, Ox people tend to be powerful and steady. Oxen were traditional used to plow fields, and haul heavy loads. They make good work animals because of their dependable and patient attitudes. Ox people are considered the same.

Oxen are hardworking and logical, but they need an peaceful and quiet environment to sift through ideas and feelings in their own mind.

Not only are Ox people dependable, but they crave dependability and routine. Considered mostly uncreative, Oxen prefer logic and reasoning to emotional appeals.

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.
Ox people need peace and quiet to work through their ideas, and when they have set their mind on something it is hard for them to be convinced otherwise. An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, even without imagination. These people speak little but are extremely intelligent. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent.
The Ox is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes them nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the Ox sleepless nights.
Ox people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. They are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the Ox people are wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new.
It is important to remember that the Ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such people and they engage all the trials of the whole world and seek solutions for them.

The ancients considered the rat to be a protector. It was thought to bring material wealthy and prosperity. Aggression, charm, death, wealth, pestilence, order, war, and the occult were all ruled by the rat.

Those born under the sign of the rat are said to be leaders. The rat is the first sign of the Chinese Zodiac, through cunning and manipulation, it is said, the rat was the first animal to reach Buddha when he called the animals together.

Organized and intelligent, rat people are strong willed and ambitious. They tend to adapt easily to new situations and environments.

However, charming as they may be on the outside, Rat people are also known to be cold and calculating, even cruel if that is what is need to reach their goal or promote there personal agenda.

Intelligent, and passionate, Rats make friends easily and tend to chose friends carefully. They are practical and hardworking and have tight control over their emotions. Rats do not trust easily, but are fiercely loyal to those few who manage to win their trust. Sometimes, however that loyalty can get them in trouble. Rat people are usually quick tempered and vengeful. They will not thing twice about seeking revenge when they, or someone they love is wronged.

Rats tend to value money and power and will usually use any means at their disposal to acquire what they want.

Rats fair in business and become injured when others are not. A Rat who feels they have been deceived is a rat who will look for ways to get revenge.

Those born under the sign of the Rat will do well to learn patience, tolerance. They should be patient with themselves as well.

Rat people tend to be perfectionists and easily become obsessed with the minor, often unimportant details of daily life. In order to build their sense of self and worth, time spend in relaxation is important.

Cancer is symbolized by the Crab, because the Crab was believed to carry his house on his back.  And, like their namesake, the home is very important to Cancer. 
 
Those born under this sign are heavily focused on home life.  Cancers are the domestic experts of the Zodiac, and would be the first to know how to fix an appliance or which drapes match the sofa.  Unfortunately, they also have a reputation as packrats, because they attach emotions to their belongings.  Every old photo becomes a cherished heirloom because of the memories that go with it.
 
Cancers are sensitive and caring.  Only Pisces comes close to the sensitivity of Cancer.  Crabs are the truest and closest companions, always coming to the aid of their friends, ready to bail them out at a moment’s notice.
 
The crab’s defense is to curl up behind his shell.  Cancers have a reputation for being tough and unfeeling because they keep their emotions hidden—for their own protection, of course.  They can be frustrated that people can’t see through that shell to the deeply caring person hidden behind it.  They tend to dress down, not attracting attention to themselves.
 
Cancers have a tendency to be worried, moody, or even depressed, but this can be lightened with water-based activities like fishing or sailing.  Because of their affinity for the home, many cancers enjoy fixer-upper hobbies, like adding an extension to the house.
 
Because they care about people, Cancers are most at home in a career where they can help people in some way.  Pushing papers or operating machinery will make for a very crabby Crab.  Cancers, with their innate skills at knowing what people need and feel, tend to make very good managers.  However, they tend to build on existing ideas, rather than creating their own, so they don’t make good entrepreneurs.

Those born in years of the Chinese calendar ending in either zero or one, are said to have the element of Metal. Combined with the person’s animal zodiac symbol, this is used to define and give clues to the personality and future of the person.
The element metal is said to be associated with the Western culture, the season of autumn, the Planet Venus and the color white.
Those born under metal element may have an affinity for Western religion or yearn to break away from tradition. Being close to Venus means those with a metal element are typically romantic, sentimental and kind. A metal person will go out of their way to help you/
Metal governs the lungs. Those with the metal element may be more likely to suffer diseases of the lungs such as asthma.
Organization and stability are the ear marks of the metal element.
Metal people approach life with persistence, emotional strength, and unyielding determination. A metal person knows their goals and will not stop until those goals are met.
Self –reliant, sometimes to a fault, metal people can be viewed as aloof and unconcerned with others.
Metal people enjoy the finer things in life. Fine wine, rich chocolates, the sweetness of true love all spark the heart and imagination of those born to metal.
To help maintain internal and emotional balance, metal people should decorate their homes with things that are beautiful to them.
Metal people need to pay attention to the state of their emotions, as they are considered prone to depression and suicide. Taking care to bring happiness and friendship in their life will help decrease this.
Personal space and time for reflection are equally important to those with the metal element. Beautiful scents, flowers and scenery will ease the emotions and feed the soul’s need for the romantic.

If there was a “most likely to succeed” Zodiac sign, it would likely be Leo.

On the other hand, if there was a “most likely to put his foot in his mouth,” that would be Sagittarius.

He doesn’t mean to, of course. He does mean well. Sagittarius is the Archer, and every now and then, one of those arrows is totally off target. They are creatures of the extreme—either that arrow will hit perfectly, dead center, or it will rebound off the target directly back into the archer’s face.

Sagittarius thinks big. He doesn’t have time or patience for details, and that’s where his weakness lies—because such things as social graces and tact can fall into those “little details” sections. Likewise, a job that demands attention to detail, like assembly line work, would leave an Archer breaking his bow in impatience and frustration. Deep down, Sagittarius is the most insecure of all the signs.

The Archers are messy and scruffy, the “Oscar Madison” of the Zodiac. Ironing shirts and combing hair can easily become one of those little details, too. Don’t expect a neat and orderly house when there’s a Sagittarius living there.

Like the Centaur that the constellation Sagittarius represents, Archers love to travel. Even better is traveling in something as rough and ragged as they are, four wheel drive and covered in mud.

Archers do well in entertainment. They want to be liked, due to that deep insecurity, and they want an audience, because of their high level of pride.

Sagittarius generally leans one of two ways. One, they are intellectual, thinking big, well read, opinionated, and willing to debate for hours on end—though often having a problem admitting when they’re wrong. Or two, they thrive on athletic competition. If you want to spot the Sagittarius in the backyard football game, look for the muddiest member of the winning team.

Unlike the position of the Earth in our solar system, the element of earth lies dead center in the Chinese astrological charts. This is probably because ancients believed the Earth was the center of the universe and all celestial bodies circled our planet.

People born under the element of Earth seem to feel the universe revolves around them as well. Self –centered, ambitious and stubborn, earth people are used to getting what they want and achieving their goals. Failure is foreign to them.

Of course, being the center of the universe brings on responsibility to those who serve you. And, the earth element handles this charge with grace and ease. Earth people are patient, and thoughtful. They take the time to care for those around them, and they are skilled at looking at a situation and evaluating what is needed.

Goals are achieved through hard work and determination. Earth people know how to plan for the long term and they are stable enough to stick with the plan to its success.

The stubbornness of the earth element is a double-edged sword, giving those born under its rule the determination to follow through when things are tough, and the audacity to defend their point, even when they are wrong.

Earth people understand that when you rule the universe you have an obligation to serve it as well. Those under this element enjoy service work and are likely to take on jobs where they are helping others. Good earth element jobs include nurses, doctors, teachers and therapists.

Those with the earth element tend to have difficulties with the stomach and spleen. Careful attention to diet is very important, as is chewing food carefully. Anything an earth person can do to enhance digestion will be a great aid to maintaining optimal health.

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A Star Chart is a snapshot in time.

It’s a shorthand drawing, a two-dimensional representation of a four-dimensional subject. It has to take into account the location of the person on Earth, the location around the Ecliptic of each of the planets and the signs of the Zodiac, the “arc” or height above or below the horizon of each of the planets, and the time all of this occurred. It can be a very complex drawing.

The Chart has several different elements. First, the spoked circles, looking like a bicycle wheel, represent the Zodiac and the Houses.

The Zodiac are the constellations in the sky at the time the person was born. The Chart is an attempt to locate the position of the Zodiac in the sky. This is the backdrop against which the rest of the chart is mapped.

The Houses are a separate, concentric circle, like a wheel within a wheel. The Houses are based on the Zodiac, but separate. Think of the circle of houses as a second backdrop.

Next, each of the planets, the Sun, and the Moon, are all charted and their positions marked. This, finally, is our foreground.

The first “planet” to be charted isn’t a planet at all, it’s the Sun. The reason it comes first is because the location of the Sun determines the Sun Sign, or the overall sign of the Zodiac for this person.

Each planet (including Sun and Moon) will fall within a House. That planet is then said to rule that house. Each of the twelve Houses controls a different aspect of a person’s life. If a planet falls within a house, it’s a sure bet that that planet is going to have a major influence over that aspect—above and beyond whatever the general tendencies of the person born under that sign might be.

Shy, reserved, and sensitive, Virgo is complex, intellectual, and perfectionist.  Virgos tend to be punctual, organized, and disciplined, and these, on top of the shyness, all lead people to believe that Virgo is also cool and uncaring.  Nothing could be further from the truth, as Virgo is almost as sensitive as Cancer or Pisces.
 
Shyness tends to hurt the Virgo in relationships.  Some people will confuse shyness with coldness, and assume Virgo wants to be left alone, and keep their distance.  This isn’t necessarily true.  The Virgo wants company, but she’s picky about just who that company will be.  And even then, she will be more comfortable chatting about work or current events than anything personal.
 
Virgo is ruled by Mercury, which means Virgos are ruled by their head as opposed to their hearts.  They tend towards skills in logic and analysis, making them quite capable scientists, writers, and editors.  When they set out to do something, they set out to be the best.
 
Unfortunately, the perfectionist strength of Virgo is also her greatest weakness.  Virgos tend to be their own worst critics, beating themselves silly until either they achieve their goal of being the best…or they quit in frustration.  That same critical streak can interfere with relationships, as well, since many partners don’t appreciate the perfectionist criticisms that can come from their Virgo partner.  This means that the few people who manage to break through the Virgo’s shyness and cool exterior are often presented with someone who expects perfection from them, just like they expect from themselves.
 
Virgos tend to keep a neat and clean house, and are the sign most likely to have an alphabetized CD collection.
 
Virgos tend to dress in ways that compliment both their shy attitude and their perfectionist outlook.  They don’t wear colors that will draw attention to them, and their clothes will match.  They tend to blend into the crowd.
 
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Each Sign of the Zodiac has a date range attached. Scorpio, for example, is October 23d to November 21st of each year. For the vast majority of people, this date range is just fine, because they’ll fit somewhere between those dates.

What about the small number of people who aren’t so lucky? What about the handful of people who are born at midnight on the night of November 21st? Are they Scorpio or are they Sagittarius?

The answer to that question is “Yes.”

People born “on the Cusp”—that is, right on the dividing line between two signs—aren’t quite sure which of the signs they are. They will inherit tendencies from both.

For example, someone born on August 21 or 22 is right on the cusp between Leo and Virgo. This person could have Leo’s advantages, such as the natural leadership and the drive to conquer and succeed.

However, one of Leo’s weaknesses is in the details. When you’re destined for greatness, like Leo is, you don’t have much time or patience for little everyday details.

Virgo, on the other hand, is widely regarded as the most detail oriented of all the signs. Someone lucky enough to have been born on the cusp between Leo and Virgo might also be lucky enough to pick up traits from each sign that counter the weaknesses of the other.

By the same token, Cusp people need to be aware that they could inherit tendencies and weaknesses that can make the situation worse, not better. Combining the gloomy depression of the Capricorn with the fear of rejection and overall sensitivity of the Aquarius is a recipe for disaster.

Horoscopes generally give people a wide variety of traits and tendencies to think about. Those lucky few born on the cusp between signs have even more possibilities to think about.

Loyal to a fault, the dog is the eleventh sign of the Chinese Zodiac. Dog people will stand by their family and friends, even when they shouldn’t. Sensitive and compassionate, those with the dog sign empathize with the pain you feel. They take it as if it were their own. This can lead the dog to make excuses for those who are less than respectful toward them. Dogs will also meddle in your personal life, in the name of trying to help. They mean well and most dogs will understand when you suggest they back off.
Dog people are usually cool headed in a crisis. They are the ones you can count on during hectic, stressful times.
Honest, strong, intelligent, and practical, dogs will accept whatever fate throws at them and handle it with poise and grace. You can count on people of the dog to do their work thoroughly and well.
Of course, there is a negative side to the sign of the dog. To be born under dog influence is to be idealist. Dog people have a very clear idea of right and wrong, there is very little room in their heart for shades of grey. Oftentimes, this makes them intolerant of those who show weakness. Dogs do not accept weakness in themselves, either.
Dog people tend to come across to others as excessively critical, even picky. The dog will see every flaw, and their sense of propriety will not allow them to over look even the smallest flaws. They are perfectionists.
Dog people will do whatever it takes to protect their family and friends and they are unselfish, and only want the best for those they care about.
Those with the dog sign will do well for themselves if they choose friends carefully and remember that not everyone deserves their steadfast loyalty.