Weekly Horoscope: Jan. 2 - Jan. 8

Astrology 101: Did you know you have three signs (sun, moon, and rising), not just one? Most people only know their sun sign, which is determined by their birth day and month, but the most accurate horoscope is actually chosen by your rising (or sometimes called ascendant) sign. Don’t know your rising sign? Use this free calculator. Once you know your ascendant/rising sign, be sure to read that horoscope below!

Aries – Hold back on impulse spending on Monday. You are inspired by beautiful objects and may tempted to buy when you could simply appreciate. Midweek you get more depth out of casual conversations than usual. Thursday and Friday your feelings about home and family may lead you to excess, so be mindful and take care of yourself. The weekend brings you entertainment, fun, creativity and joy.

Taurus – On Monday, you are feeling warm and empathetic toward people and your generous spirit attracts people to you. Tuesday and Wednesday try to resist the urge to spend more than you can afford. Thursday and Friday you reach out to neighbors and extended family. If people seem a little off-kilter, be willing to let it go. Home sweet home is the place for you this weekend.

Gemini – Even Geminis need to isolate sometimes, and Monday is a good day to do that. Tuesday and Wednesday you are outgoing and friendly. Thursday and Friday be mindful of a tendency to over-identify with your possessions and opinions. Your ability to go with the flow will help you. Spend the weekend being a tourist in your own town and enjoy conversations with old friends and new.

Cancer – Monday is the time for showing your friends how much you care about them. You can go back into your Cancerian shell midweek to recharge your batteries. Thursday and Friday you’ll need to see people even if you are feeling a little awkward. Everything will be OK. The weekend is a good time for you to shop the after-holiday sales and get something for yourself.

Leo – Showing some sensitivity in the career arena on Monday can give you a humanness that endears you to people. Midweek you should consider your group associations. Join up or delete them as you see fit. Thursday and Friday be careful of who you reveal your insecurities to. On the weekend, pull out all the stops and treat yourself like the royalty that you know you are!

Virgo – On Monday your philosophy of life gracefully connects with your creative self-expression. Promote yourself midweek, but don’t overdo it. Examine your life goals this week to make sure you are doing what you want, rather than what you’ve been led to do by others. Over the weekend listen to inspiring music, write or read some poetry or see a film that you’ve been wanting to see.

Libra – You will benefit from understanding another person’s values early in the week. Midweek you can integrate this new knowledge into your own philosophy. Start planning a trip to a faraway place for the future. Thursday and Friday try to keep your cool in public, even if you feel like ranting. Spend the weekend with supportive friends and express your emotions with abandon. Female friends will be especially helpful.

Scorpio – Enjoy feelings of love and security with those closest to you on Monday. You are especially attracted to intense, emotionally expressive people now. Get away from your usual cultural constraints this week. Try food, art and music that you aren’t accustomed to and connect with people from different backgrounds. Saturday and Sunday you will be noticed, or recognized for something you’ve done, so brace yourself for the attention.

Sagittarius – Start the week with some self-care because after that you’ll be focused on others. Any effort you put in to improve your health will reap great rewards. Watch money and other resources that you share control of with someone else. Double check for errors so that feelings don’t get hurt. You are at your adventurous best over the weekend. Face your fears and follow your intuition.

Capricorn – Your self-confidence attracts admirers early in the week. “Don’t dream it, be it” applies to you now. Put in some work on what you believe in this week. You may have to make a decision about your own wants and needs versus a partner’s wants and needs. Consider letting the road less traveled be the path you take. Avoid power struggles by being optimistic and inclusive.

Aquarius – Spend a lazy day at home enjoying the finer things in life on Monday, if you can arrange it. You are ready to get busy and work on some of your creative projects midweek. Be mindful of the details so as not to undermine your investment for the long term. Close one-on-one relationships of all types will be more intense than usual this weekend.

Pisces – Communicate your true feelings to the people you see on a daily basis. By midweek you should take some time to retire from the pressures of the outside world. Think about which of your deeply ingrained habits are working for you and which are working to undermine your well-being. This weekend will be a great time to get a friend to help you reorganize your everyday surroundings.

We are introducing “Ask an Astrologer,” a weekly advice column where Baltimore residents send in their life questions and The Banner’s in-house Astrologer Cheryl Fair gives guidance based on their star chart. Interested? Send your question, birthdate, birth time and birth city to Cheryl at askcherylfair@gmail.com