The Wadi Course by Faldo

It’s been a long wait but for golfers in the UAE the opening of new Wadi Golf Course by Nick Faldo last October 2006 at the Emirates Golf Club’s new and improved Wadi Course – now officially named ‘Wadi by Faldo’ – will add a formidable new challenge to what is an exciting portfolio of world class golfing venues.
The re-opening of the 7,328-yard Wadi by Faldo will also be a red letter day for Dubai Golf, owner and operator of the Dubai government’s golf courses.
A remit means that the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis and Wadi by Faldo courses, the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and the well-established Nad Al Sheba Club all fall under the supervision of Dubai Golf.
The past few years have been busy times for the organisation and its managing director Rod Bogg with the signing off of the Wadi project the latest chapter in an ongoing success story.
“Dubai Golf has had several internal projects underway at the same time,” says Bogg, a man who next year will celebrate 20 years at the forefront of golf’s development in the UAE.
“The Park Hyatt hotel project at the Creek, the clubhouse and golf course renovation at Nad Al Sheba, and the Wadi re-design and real estate developments at Emirates Golf Club have kept us fully focused on improving Dubai’s reputation as a leading international golfing destination.”
There’s little doubt that the Wadi by Faldo will once again raise the bar in terms of the variety and quality of the courses available to both Dubai resident and visitor alike. After all, anything bearing the stamp of approval of Nick Faldo – widely considered to be Europe’s greatest-ever golfer – will undoubtedly prove a magnet for golfers keen to get to grips with the latest creation from the golfing genius-turned-designer.
The winner of 43 tournaments worldwide – including six Majors – and a veteran of a record eleven Ryder Cups, Faldo is gaining an international reputation as one of the world’s most talented player-designers. It’s a reputation that comes from his instinctive appreciation for the varying demands of any given course.
By applying these very same principals to the golf course design process, over the past 15 years Faldo has built up a portfolio of more than 30 projects in every corner of the globe reflecting the adaptability and passion by which he made his name on the golf course.
Aesthetics and playability are key words in the Faldo Design dictionary – attributes that are obvious when first encountering this latest addition to his collection of courses worldwide and his first in the Middle East.
“We’d been considering for some time the idea of consolidating the aesthetics and playability of both nines on the Wadi Course and integrating new residential golf development as part of the programme,” adds Bogg.
“We put a splendid plan in place, Faldo Design was commissioned to redesign the Wadi Course and now, after 18 months, we believe we have what is essentially a brand new golf course.”
First impressions of the new Wadi by Faldo course underline just that – this is no cosmetic re-working but a complete rethink of a course many will now consider equal if not better than its big brother and spiritual home of the Dubai Desert Classic, the Majlis Course – a course also voted by Golf Digest USA as one of the top 100 outside the US.
The front nine may have the same routing as the old Wadi Course but each hole is completely different from its previous set up. Add the introduction of SeaIsle Paspalum grass – which gives the course a greener, ‘lusher’ appearance – to the innovations from the Faldo Design team and it’s easy to see why Dubai Golf has such high hopes for the new-look venue.
“This type of grass is totally different with only a handful of people working with it in the emirates,” says Emirates Golf Course Superintendent Jeff Julich. “There are a lot of advantages to using Paspalum and after extensive research into the regrassing of the Wadi; we felt it offered the best way forward in our aim to take the course to another level.”
There are a number of key elements to the new Wadi by Faldo that will undoubtedly make it a ‘must play’ on the itinerary of any visiting golfer.
Typical are the well-protected greens – “a Faldo Design trademark,” according to Julich – which boast of a lot of movement and will prove a real test without being exaggerated, while the landing areas are particularly generous although this is far from a “let it rip” golf track.
“I think we can safely say this is a ‘risk and reward’ course that will be appreciated by golfers who think their way round the 18 holes and are on their game,” adds Julich. “There’s no point in just reaching for the driver and letting it rip – it’s just not that type of course and will certainly catch you out.”
If the front nine sees a familiar route with reworked holes, the back nine will delight those with memories of the old Wadi.
This is an inward nine pulled up by the laces of its Footjoys and reviltalised as one of the most rewarding stretches in UAE golf.
The old par five tenth hole remains the same length but is down on the score card as a par four, the 12th is a completely different par three challenge, the 14th and 15th holes have switched direction (indeed the new 14th hole brings into play an imposing Subka rock face that was take a neglected feature before), while the redesign has brought into play different wind directions that will flirt with both the golfer and his club selection. Add three demanding closing holes and it’s little wonder that the Wadi by Faldo is being talked about as a new jewel in the Dubai Golf crown.
There’s no doubt the combination of the Dubai Golf team and Faldo Design has produced a winner. As the residential properties take shape alongside the front nine to join the Emaar Hattan 1 and Hattan 2 dwellings that punctuate the course, the character of the Wadi by Faldo will undoubtedly develop.
“The Emirates Golf Club’s second championship golf course was originally opened in 1996 and was named ‘The Wadi’, from the Arabic for ‘valley’,” explains Bogg. “Our aim was to take what already existed and develop a unique and invigorating course that would provide a challenge to all levels of golfer.”
Of course, the Wadi by Faldo wouldn’t be the same without the ‘Wadi waste’ areas, which meander through the entire course and these have been further developed to give the course that little bit of extra character.
Another of the main themes of the redesigned course is dramatic bunkering. Golden flashes of sand from tee to green show the golfer exactly where to hit the tee shot, while Faldo – ever the perfectionist and creative thinker – has built and strategically placed a multitude of sand traps to reward the good shots and penalize those that don’t quite make the mark. For the golfing legend, it was definitely a hands-on project.
“Nick made three site visits over the past 18 months and was a delight to work with,” adds Julich. “He had his own ideas but wasn’t closed to the suggestions of others and was happy to listen to what we had to say which made him very easy and professional to work with.
“I think together with Faldo Design, Dubai Golf has produced a golf course that is better in terms of playability, aesthetically and design – I know we have built a quality golf course that will be enjoyed both by the members and anyone else who visits.”
In terms of location, there can be few courses in the region as stunning as the new Wadi by Faldo. Watched over by towering skyscrapers, the Dubai Marina provides a jaw-dropping backdrop and it is fair to say that when all the building and residential work is complete there will be few settings to rival this new kid on the golfing block.
To officially launch the new course, 24 leading amateur golfers will compete in the Faldo Series UAE championship under the watchful eye of Faldo himself when the Faldo Series Asia heads to Emirates Golf Club on October 12. The 2008 Ryder Cup skipper will watch the talented 11-21 year-olds compete during his official visit to open the Wadi by Faldo, venue for the event.
Off the course, Faldo will spend time with the players in a bid to pass on his experience and advice, while he will also spend time with pupils from local schools and encourage them to watch the action in a bid to use the Faldo Series Asia as a vehicle for providing access to the sport for younger children.
Faldo himself admits that bringing the series to the UAE is a natural progression to the work at the Wadi. “I’m delighted the Faldo Series UAE championship will be the very first tournament to be played over the redesigned Wadi Course and I’d like to thank the UAE Golf Association and Emirates Golf Club for their support. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the competitors negotiate the new strategic challenges that my design team and I have incorporated into this new incarnation of the Wadi Course.”
Despite the progress of the Wadi by Faldo and the overall positive feedback to the new developments, Dubai Golf won’t be resting on its laurels.
“Our management and consultancy company, IGLS (International Golf and Leisure Services) will continue to grow as more projects come on line in the region,” says Bogg.
“Our widest reaching and perhaps our most important objective is to realise our long-held vision of working together with the UGA and the other clubs and management companies to promote Dubai as a golfing destination. I believe that this will come to fruition sooner than we ever thought possible.
If all this happens, and Dubai continues to develop at such an incredible rate, then twenty years from now, Dubai will be the greatest and most popular golfing destination in the world, bar none.”
These may seem ambitious words but Dubai’s portfolio of golfing venues is literally stunning. And with four of them falling under the supervision of Dubai Golf – presided over by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline and President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation – these are obviously busy times for the well-oiled operator.
However, it’s not just about golf. Despite its name, Dubai Golf also provides a vast array of dynamic holiday ideas and packages in some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations, while the organisation’s hard-working and professional team provides a range of golf related services and marketing initiatives through IGLS.
“Dubai Golf was originally the name that we devised for the international marketing of Dubai as a golfing destination,” explains Bogg. “Under that title, and with the support of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, we carried out the first active marketing of Dubai to the international market.
“We opened the Dubai Golf office in 1999 to combine the management of the three clubs – Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and Nad Al Sheba Club - and adopted the name for the new entity. Since then we have continued to advise private developers on the construction of some of the newer courses in Dubai; we’ve hosted the Dubai Desert Classic, supported the UGA Junior Development Programme, and generally worked towards the further development of golf in the country.”
It’s a co-ordinated approach that was highlighted in 2001 when Dubai Golf accepted on behalf of the emirate the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) award as the Emerging Golf Destination of the Year 2001.
Today, Dubai Golf is a thriving organisation and the parent company for International Golf and Leisure Services (IGLS), Dubai Golf Holidays + Events (DXBG H+E) - the only dedicated golf inbound and outbound tour operator in Dubai – and Dubai Golf Central Reservations, while it also operates a real estate enterprise managing 92, four-bedroom luxury villas located in the heart of the recently-redesigned Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club resort.
IGLS was established to satisfy the demand on the leisure and golf industry in the Middle East and further afield. Utilising the talents, knowledge and expertise of staff with extensive local knowledge as well as years of involvement in the design, construction and management of golf and leisure clubs in the UAE, IGLS has a unique understanding of the challenges of the industry.
Available on a consultancy basis, IGLS can provide everything from a complete turnkey package to bespoke individual management services ranging from administration, budgets and legal to staffing, marketing and quality control.
For those looking for a tailor-made golfing holiday, DXBG H+E has few equals. Representing some of world travel’s most prestigious brands, DXBG H+E is also a member of IAGTO meaning ultimate peace of mind for those looking for a vacation combining professionalism, quality and value for money.
Among the destinations known intimately by the DXBG H+E team of travel experts are golfing hot beds such as Scotland, South Africa, Thailand and Portugal, while for those looking for an exotic adventure that does not necessarily involves tees and clubs DXBG H+E can provide an extensive selection of holidays including safaris, trekking and sailing.
With new golf courses boasting the signatures of the world’s greatest names and other courses going from blue prints to green grass in near-record time, these are busy times for an industry that’s booming in Dubai as much as a Tiger Woods drive. But it’s also a time for Dubai Golf to keep pushing on.
“Believe it or not we don’t see fellow developers as competition, but as an extension to the product that Dubai has to offer to the local and the international golfer,” says Bogg.
“Of course we have an element of healthy rivalry between us for members and corporate business, but all that does is keep us on our toes, and make us continually strive to improve our facilities and our service. We have learnt a lot from the other management teams, and I hope that they have from us.”
If the new Wadi by Faldo is anything to go by, Dubai Golf looks certain to stay ahead of that competition for quite some time to come.-Katrina J. Ang, Dubai Golf

My Golf Club - The Desert Miracle

That was the name given to Emirates Golf Club when it became the first all-grass championship golf course in the Gulf region, way back in 1988.And so it remains to this day, even though many have followed in its footsteps. His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s brainchild still inspires awe amongst all who play its verdant green golf courses, as well as those who simply visit its unique and ageless clubhouse.The Club sports two championship golf courses, extensive recreational facilities and fine dining - enough to satisfy the most discerning of visitors.
HISTORY1988-The Desert MiracleThat was the name given to Emirates Golf Club when it became the first championship all-grass golf course in the Gulf region, way back in 1988.The brainchild of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Club was built as an attraction to the growing corporate sector and the then burgeoning tourist industry. Within a month of opening the most important regional golf tournament - the Pan-Arab - was taking place on the newly named Majlis course.Designed by Florida-based course architect Karl Litten, the original 18 holes were built in and around the dunes of a beautiful site on the edge of the city of Dubai, donated by Sheikh Mohammed, on whose instructions, the desert flora was maintained, as it is to this day, in its natural state.1989The club's international recognition was confirmed in 1989 with the Club's first European Tour event - the Dubai Desert Classic. Fourteen years later the tournament reaches hundreds of millions of TV screens around the world every year, and most of the world's top players, including Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, have taken part in what is now one of the European PGA Tour's top events.1995In 1995 the club was voted the Favourite of the Year by the players of the European Tour, and in 1996 the second eighteen holes - the Wadi Course - were completed, bringing Emirates Golf Club to its current 36-holes.2003
Today, Emirates Golf Club maintains its position as the leading golf club in the region and continues to meet international standards in every aspect of its operation.As the original "desert course" in the Middle East, the Majlis remains in many peoples' minds a miracle - The Desert Miracle.Emirates Golf Club has managed to retain the traditional Arabic warmth of welcome and quality of service, not just for golfers, but also for all members and visitors. And the facilities are not restricted to golf. With superb tennis and squash courts, an extensive gymnasium, a beautiful swimming pool, spectacular outlets and shops, the Club is a haven for sports minded people and casual visitors alike.

Walking the Spiritual Path

This is where it begins: The really satisfying, and really challenging, task of making the concepts something real and useful in your life. To gain your soul and spirit, you will have to bring lofty spiritual ideas and inspiration down into the world of your ordinary experience.
Gaining an understanding of the reality of spiritual life and its relevance to our day-to-day concerns is a vital and necessary first step. But the second, more consuming and embracing step is to bring this wisdom into the world through action. Words, and even noble emotion, will not suffice. It is in the labour of the body--its engagement with the world--that spiritual life will gradually find a way to blossom and vitalise us and all around.
Now this task truly is monumental, and as for most other significant undertakings, needs to be approached in a pragmatic way. So, much of ordinary commonsense can be applied to the process of inner unfoldment. These pages on practical spirituality will offer you a broad coverage of what needs to be done in general--from lifestyle to nutrition to friends. And at the same time they will deeply focus on the single most important key to success. That key, is, freeing the mind from unconscious blocks and distortions.
To begin with, consider the following metaphor which provides a useful image that can help place these tasks in perspective. In this image, the wind, or breeze, stands for the useful and good habits that we need to garden and cultivate. For instance, finding regular time for meditation and living a reasonably balanced lifestyle with not too many "wicked" vices. And in the image, unconscious blocks are characterised by anchors--heavy weights that slow, or halt, progress.
Wind and Anchor
Picture a sailboat just off the coast of an island. It is just outside dangerous reefs and aiming to sail out to sea toward other lands. However, the skipper has a little problem. Although she's got a strong steady following breeze that should be scooting her craft along out and away from the reefs, her boat is barely inching forward. And more alarmingly, the tide has turned and is starting to take the boat back toward the reef! What's wrong?
Well, on closer inspection the skipper finds that, unbeknownst to her, the anchors have all been dropped. No wonder the boat is going nowhere.
Now in this image, the nearby island represents this life that we live in while the boat and skipper are our body and heartmind. The coral reefs stand for the difficulties that are inherent in this level of existence and the changing tide bodes the passage of time--with old age, death and disease akin to being dragged back to the reefs. In the context of all this, the boat's following breeze is much like spiritual practice. Meditation, yoga, service, energy work and right living are all good and proper means to build up a head of psychic and psychological breeze towards spirit--the BREEZE. But, the anchors! Well, you probably have the idea by now, the anchors represent our unconscious mind and all the psychological gunk that gets in the way of our smooth sailing. And that gunk applies to smooth sailing toward the regular needs and desires of this life as well as the goal and wish for spiritual development.
In the metaphysical Kahuna system of the ancient Hawaiians, it was taught that human consciousness consisted of three parts--conscious, unconscious and superconscious. And most importantly, those wise sages said that the unconscious is the gatekeeper to, and guardian of, the superconscious. That is, to reach spirit, we necessarily have to plough through the forest of the unconscious.
So, back to the sailboat. The skipper being a wise lady, has her crew pull in the anchors, and, hoorah, the boat, thanks to its strong following trade wind, easily and smoothly glides forth out from the reefs and into the ocean on its way. The boat and crew are in harmony with their island home, the weather, the islands they may visit and the spirit of the sea.
This simple picture is really very powerful. It turns out that this metaphor appears to be the best model for how to actually progress spiritually. That is, although one can simply work at spiritual practices, the anchors of past conditioning ( early age, birth, pre-birth and even past life [if you believe in that] ) will inevitably distort the purest intents. A more reliable way forward is to include personal psychotherapy along with spiritual practice.
Classically all major spiritual disciplines tried to address this need to meet and align with the unconscious mind. For instance, in the raja yoga tradition, the first two steps of an eight-step formula to achieve spiritual realisation, consist of personal and social ethics. However, a major contribution of western civilisation to the great spiritual and metaphysical traditions is its insight into the unconscious mind. And more importantly, its understanding of how to support and evolve this level of mind through psychotherapy.
So, although the traditional approaches have much in their favour, it now appears that a more certain, powerful and direct way to work with this unconscious aspect of spiritual practice is through psychotherapy. From, many decades of experience, it is well established that years of solid effort are needed before a person can truly and adequately re-experience and develop her or his unconscious processes. Even the very best therapy can take five or more years of steady, methodical work to achieve useful results.
Thus, working with both traditional spiritual practices, such as meditation, and psychotherapy in parallel seems to be the best and steadiest way to proceed along the spiritual path. There are several contemporary traditions that generally embrace this understanding. For instance, the works of A. H. Almaas and much of current transpersonal psychology.

A Synthesis of the World Spiritual Teachings

Universal Structure

Existence, what we call life or the universe, is multi-dimensional. It is enormous in scope and is perceived in many different ways. Two chief dimensions, or levels, are relevant to human experience. First, the surface level, what we know as the day-to-day world, has a basically fixed logical structure. That is, there are rules or laws that govern or guide the flow of experience. The scientific endeavour strives to model such laws with logic and thereby utilise these forces. Second, at a very deep level, the universe is open-ended and has very little structure that can be understood in terms of logic. It is full of possibility and can be considered as infinite. The deep level does have structure though. The best model for it, at present, is associative rather than logical. Human experience navigates the whole range of levels from surface to very deep. The dimension that threads these varying levels together is measured in terms of coherence. Several examples may help to illumine what coherence means. First as a metaphor, consider all of reality as a television set. Now sometimes the picture is good and sometimes not so good. Most of us pass our days on earth watching a picture that has a lot of snow, or noise, on it. That is, the picture is not clear, there may be wavy sections or lots of unwanted dots flickering on the screen along with the desired program. Such noise corresponds to the pain, grief, and unfulfilled needs that we all must contend with throughout our lives. As the level of reality deepens so that coherence improves, the picture on the tube gets better and better. There is less and less distortion and confusion. Eventually, the picture becomes ok and is as it should be. This corresponds to the conventional religious notion of a heaven. A second example is a car. A car that is badly in need of a tune-up, one that sputters and smokes and makes a racket and stalls now and then, would be like existence as we know it here on earth. A smooth sailing noise-free, pollution-free car would correspond to a much deeper level of existence. How does this apply to humans? Fixing the television or the car, corresponds to fine-tuning the mind. That is, as consciousness becomes more refined, it has access to these other levels of being. The most important way presently known to do this is through meditation. This multi-dimensional characteristic of nature does not contradict the physical laws as expressed through science. Instead, it extends them in a manner very similar to the way the notion of relativity extended scientific models to account for effects as motion approaches the speed of light. In this case, the laws of science will be extended to account of increasing levels of coherence. At the surface levels, the laws will follow logical principles, and at deeper levels, the laws will follow associative principles. The ages-old concept of correspondence can help to clarify these ideas somewhat more. A fundamental expression from the mystery school traditions states that, "As above, so below." This means that circumstances are not that much different at the various levels of experience. According to this ancient understanding, life in the heavenly realms follows rules and principles that are much the same as those we meet with in daily life. To comprehend the interworkings of life here on earth is comparable to a good, basic understanding of the laws at other levels of being. Nowadays, science has developed chaos theory which includes this idea as part of its model. However, the model's present scope is restricted to phenomena that are easily accessible, so that the spiritual dimension of life has not yet been fully considered.
Individual Structure First of all, what is the self? Human beings have three basic parts: a body, a mind, and a soul. According to most spiritual traditions, the soul is basically dormant in the average person. However, it can be enlivened through various means. The traditional notion of self encompasses the body and the mind. It does not include the soul. When the word "Self" is used, it indicates people who have fully contacted their soul and managed to integrate it with their mind and body. They experience life somewhat differently than most of us. It is as if they are wearing the mind and body. No longer do they feel that they are only the little self of mind and body. They are more. They are grounded in the soul and know that it is their real home. Yet they still also experience the little self in much the same way as we do. It is just that they have added another dimension to their experience of living. Second, what is this life all about? The two main life forces that we as humans experience, are, a need for self-actualisation and a need to belong to something greater than ourselves. These are forces that are transpersonal. They go beyond our individual desires for fulfilment. We as humans feel them, but so too do these forces drive the whole of universal experience. The universe started as a Big Bang into a multitude of celestial bits and pieces. Ever since, a self-organising principle has seen creation begin to build itself back up into higher and more complex life-forms. For, example, on earth, we have evolved from a simple chemical soup through to dinosaurs and onwards to our modern day form and pace of life. We express this desire to grow along many levels. For instance, safety, food, companionship, community, meaning, actualisation and fulfilment. The culmination of these levels is the need to transcend the self. That is, the highest motivation we can have is to become more than we are. There are two very distinct ways that we can achieve this. Both of them are very appropriate. Both are in harmony with the flow of nature. They derive from the universal impulses of differentiation and integration. The following metaphor provides a setting for understanding them. Imagine that the entire sphere of existence has taken the form of a music box. The box is the context for the music, and the music is the content of the box. The box represents the deepest level of being that is knowable in our universe, and the music represents the endless parade of experience that we and all beings share in. The marchers in this celestial parade are the musical notes. So for instance, each one of us is a note in some song within this box. Differentiation refers to the natural movement of the notes to assemble themselves into more and more complex forms--notes become phrases, phrases become songs, songs become symphonies, and so on. On a human level this equates to our growth as individuals. We strive and wish to become healthier, happier, and wiser. This is entirely in accord with nature at all levels of being. Metaphysically, this leads to higher levels of consciousness which still possess a clear sense of identity as being different than, yet contained within, the box ( the Divine ). The end of this journey of gradual harmonisation occurs when an individual song is so beautifully crafted that it naturally transforms itself back into the box. Integration refers to the intimate link between the box and its notes. Because the box created the notes, it has established a resonance ( harmony ) between itself and the notes. So even before a note transforms itself back into the box, the note has an innate connection with it. Because the box itself speaks in a language that includes, but is more than, music, it can only be partially understood by the notes. So a note's subjective experience of its immediate connection with the box is one of melting into the supporting but somewhat mysterious and unknowable box. Metaphysically this integration leads to the transcendence of identity. A note, for example, would experience a sense of personal emptiness but transpersonal fullness. The level of integration back towards the deepest level of being ( the box ) depends on the purity of surrender ( self-transcendence ). For instance, a note would most likely first "dissolve" back into directly adjacent levels of being ( such as a phrase or song ) rather than immediately integrating back into the box ( the Divine song ). The end of this journey, just as for differentiation, is dissolution into, and identity with, the box. The only difference between the subjective experience of differentiation and integration is the locus of awareness for the note. The structure of the box and its various musical levels is consistent and independent of the music's subjective experience. As an example, if a note progressed along the lines of differentiation, it would have a strong sense of its own identity when it reached the next level as, say, a phrase. On the other hand, if the note primarily advanced through integration, it would reach the level of a phrase, just as it did for differentiation, but its subjective experience would instead be that it, as a note, was empty, and that what remained beyond such an emptiness was something not altogether communicable. In both cases the note reached the level of the phrase. In one case it could articulate the event but no longer existed--so to speak--at the level of a note, and in the other case it could but intuit having reached the level of a phrase but still existed at the level of a note. For humans, these two cosmic streams are entered by developing mental coherence for the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The various forms of meditation and prayer that are used throughout all the world's mystical traditions address either one or both of these developmental areas. Left Brain Metaphor The first way that the self can be transcended is to transform the self into a Self. The mental part of the self consists of two parts: a thinking part that includes memory, and what psychology calls the ego. To grow beyond the little self, we have to deal with the ego. Fortunately, it is a mental construct ( idea ) itself! It is a by-product of the machinery of the brain. The soul is the important part. The mind with its ego came into being along with the body and it will go away again when the body ceases to function. Subjectively though, the ego is very real indeed. We all know what a very strong feeling we have of being alive! So the ego is neither a fiction nor something eternal. It is simply the bundle of feelings and thoughts that arises when you think about yourself. Through practice, it is possible to differentiate awareness from this sense of self. When developed appropriately, such an awareness gradually transforms into the soul. Many of the main spiritual practices are aimed at this. In particular, the development of morality along with a deepening ability to concentrate through either prayer or meditation, forms the essence of most spiritual systems. Right Brain Metaphor The second way to move beyond the self to something more wholesome is through surrender to the universal aspects of life. In this way we can really come to know and belong to that which is larger than ourselves. One way to begin such a journey is just to remember the obvious: that life is utterly miraculous and despite all our accumulated knowledge, very mysterious. Many meditation practices are geared toward this result. In particular, mindfulness meditation, which forms the core of all Buddhist traditions and many other western esoteric ones as well, is directly aimed at this way of transcending the self. Spiritual Maturity The chief point to understand about the spiritual dimension of life is that it is real. More real, in fact, than what we call life here on this earth. Spirit ( another name would be subtle energy ) is the unifying principle that knits together all experience. We, as humans, can access this dimension of life. It is our right and destiny. Doing so accords with the natural flow of universal forces. Not every human can be expected to immediately achieve such wonderful insight and wisdom as spiritual masters have done. But the very existence of such accomplished souls points to a great human potential. To even begin that journey is a mature and good step, and is helpful for the whole of humanity as well. So our responsibility as basically rational and decent beings is to pull together as a group to understand, explore, and develop the rich harvest of well-being for all that spirituality brings. At a personal level, this means taking up some spiritual practice to improve our own condition--any tradition that appeals will do. Having such a practice need in no way contradict any religious beliefs that we may have. All religions have mystically oriented sides to them, so one can remain in one's chosen faith if desired. At a social level, this means honouring and respecting others, regardless of their beliefs, and trying to help out others, even if it is in very small ways. Indeed, having the desire to help others and then serving them in small ways is one of the very best means to develop spiritually--and the opportunities are endless, we don't need to go to the forest to find chances to practise! Finally, at a spiritual level, this means accepting life the way it is, regardless of how much it might hurt. And yet it is still our spiritual responsibility to believe in something better and more than just the confusion and sorrow of this life. The precious gift of devotion to something larger than oneself is the royal road to this attitude.

Pisces

The Fishes
Febuary 20 to March 20

Traditional Pisces Traits
Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic

On the dark side
Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and vague
Weak-willed and easily led

Pisces! About Your Sign...
Pisces,Pisceans possess a gentle, patient, malleable nature. They have many generous qualities and are friendly, good natured, kind and compassionate, sensitive to the feelings of those around them, and respond with the utmost sympathy and tact to any suffering they encounter. They are deservedly popular with all kinds of people, partly because their easygoing, affectionate, submissive natures offer no threat or challenge to stronger and more exuberant characters. They accept the people around them and the circumstances in which they find themselves rather than trying to adapt them to suit themselves, and they patiently wait for problems to sort themselves out rather than take the initiative in solving them. They are more readily concerned with the problems of others than with their own.
Their natures tend to be too otherworldly for the practical purposes of living in this world as it is. They sometimes exist emotionally rather than rationally, instinctively more than intellectually (depending on how they are aspected). They long to be recognized as greatly creative. They also dislike disciple and confinement. The nine-to-five life is not for them. Any rebellion they make against convention is personal, however, as they often times do not have the energy or motivation to battle against the Establishment.
Pisceans tend to withdraw into a dream world where their qualities can bring mental satisfaction and sometimes, fame and financial reward for they are extremely gifted artistically. They are also versatile and intuitive, have quick understanding, observe and listen well, and are receptive to new ideas and atmospheres. All these factors can combine to produce remarkable creativity in literature, music and art. They may count among their gifts mediumistic qualities which can give them a feeling that their best work comes from outside themselves, "Whispered beyond the misted curtains, screening this world from that." Even when they cannot express themselves creatively they have a greater than average instinct for, and love of, beauty in art and nature, a catlike appreciation of luxury and pleasure, and a yearning for new sensations and travel to remote, exotic places.
They are never egotistical in their personal relationships and give more than they ask from their friends. They are sexually delicate, in the extreme almost asexual, and most Pisceans would want a relationship in which the partner's mind and spirit rather than the body resonated with their own. Unfortunately they can be easily misled by a lover who courts them delicately and in marriage makes them unhappy by a coarser sexuality than they expected. They are nevertheless intensely loyal and home-loving and will remain faithful.
In their employment they are better working either by themselves or in subordinate positions. Their talents are individual in a commercial business or similar undertaking. They would be afraid to manage more than a small department, worrying always that they would fail in a crisis. They can make fair secretaries and bookkeepers.
Their sympathy equips them for work in charities catering for the needy, as nurses looking after the sick and as veterinary surgeons caring for animals. As librarians or astronomers they can satisfy their mental wanderlust, and their fondness for "faraway places with strange-sounding names" may turn them into sailors or travellers. Many architects and lawyers are Pisceans, and when the creative abilities are combined with gifts of imitation and the ability to enter into the feelings of others, Pisceans find their fulfillment on the stage. Their psychic and spiritual qualities can lead them into careers in the church or as mediums and mystics. They may find an outlet for their creativity as caterers, and are said to make good detectives because they can imagine themselves in the place of criminals and understand how their minds would work. In technical occupations they are well employed in dealing with anaesthetics, fluids, gases and plastics. Because of their lively versatility and inability to concentrate overmuch on any one project, Pisceans often simultaneously follow more than one occupation.Possible Health Concerns...
Pisces governs the feet, liver and lymphatics, and its subjects can be threatened by anaemia, boils, ulcers and other skin diseases, especially inflammation of the eyelids, gout, inflammation, heavy periods and foot disorders and lameness.
Testing
LIKES
Solitude to dream in
Mystery in all its guises
Anything discarded to stay discarded
The ridiculous
like to get 'lost'
DISLIKES
the obvious
being criticized
feeling all at sea about something
know-it-alls
pedantry

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a pisces you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.
Problem: You find yourself being walked on or over in all manner of ways.


Solution: Try to reorient your thinking and assert yourself in a quiet, reserved manner that is more impressive than blustering.


Problem: Never seeming to have enough money to round out the week with much less the month even though your salary is on a par with everyone else'.


Solution: You are prone to act as if you have more than you actually do and tend to spend that which you do not have or need for other things. Forego some of the parties and make a strict budget to put yourself on.

Problem: A strong sense of despair not shared by family and friends, thus leaving you with that all alone feeling.


Solution: You must come out of yourself and open up to those around you, you have the power to inspire others making you an important part of the human race; take your rightful place.


Problem: Causing others to be quarrelsome or to walk out on you all together.


Solution: The upstream fish may be pushing too hard for someone to meet your ideals and could wind up pushing people right out of your life. Try lightning up.



Your ruling planet is NEPTUNE.
Mean Distance from the Sun(AU) 30.109Sidereal period of orbit(years) 164.79 Equatorial Radius(km) 24764 Polar Radius(km) 24340 Body rotation period(hours) 16.11 Tilt of equator to orbit(degrees) 28.8 Number of observed satellites 8



Some more interesting facts about your sign:
The animal associated with your sign is the fish,(actually two fish swimming in different directions). Fish have long been a food staple and it is also associated with Christianity as a symbol, the two fishes swimming in opposite directions points up the inner tensions of the sign of pisces.



The color of choice for Pisces is Soft Seagreen
Your starstone is the precious Moonstone. They are not brilliant stones, in fact, all of the specimens, from the peach and grays to the gem-quality blue and rainbow-colored pieces, are soft and translucent. The physical appearance of a stone often suggests its spiritual qualities, and moonstone's most important attribute is the ability to assist us in calming and soothing the emotions. When one has achieved a state of emotional calmness, this stone may be used to open a path to an intuitive understanding of spirituality.

Aquarius

The Water Carrier

January 21 to February 19

Traditional Aquarian Traits
Friendly and humanitarian

Honest and loyal

Original and inventive

Independent and intellectual

On the dark side

Intractable and contrary

Perverse and unpredictable

Unemotional and detached

Aquarius About Your Sign...
Aquarians basically possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity. Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as they seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. They have a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shilly-shallying as to which side to take. Consequently they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because they can see the validity of the argument, even if they do not accept it themselves. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone.
Both types are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor.
They are nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical. Many are strongly imaginative and psychically intuitive, so that the Age of Aquarius, which is about to begin, is much anticipated by psychic circles as an age in which mankind will experience a great spiritual awakening. The Aquarian philosophical and spiritual bent may be dangerous in that it can drive the subjects into an ivory-tower existence where they meditate on abstractions that bear little relevance to life. On the other hand it can help the many who have scientific leanings to combine these with the Aquarian yearning for the universal recognition of the brotherhood of man, and to embark on scientific research to fulfill their philanthropic ideals of benefiting mankind. When some cause or work of this nature inspires them, they are capable of such devotion to it that they may drive themselves to the point of exhaustion and even risk injuring their health.
Both types need to retire from the world at times and to become temporary loners. They appreciate opportunities for meditation or, if they are religious, of retreats. Even in company they are fiercely independent, refusing to follow the crowd. They dislike interference by others, however helpfully intended, and will accept it only on their own terms. Normally they have good taste in drama, music and art, and are also gifted in the arts, especially drama.
In spite of the often intensely magnetic, forthcoming and open personality of the more extrovert kind of Aquarian, and of their desire to help humanity, neither type makes friends easily. They sometimes appear to condescend to others and take too little trouble to cultivate the acquaintance of people who do not particularly appeal to them.
They do not give themselves easily - perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive.
Aquarians work best in group projects, provided that they are recognized as having a leading part in them. They have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries - aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick.
Among the faults to which they are liable are fanatical eccentricity, wayward egotism, excessive detachment and an inclination to retreat from life and society, and a tendency to be extremely dogmatic in their opinions. Aquarians can be a threat to all they survey or a great boon for humanity in general. Circumstances - for example, continuous opposition to a cause they hold dear - may cause the atrophy of the openness of mind that is one of the Aquarian's most attractive traits. They may express a lack of integrity in broken promises, secretiveness or cunning. Simmering anger and resentment, rudeness or, worse, a tense, threatening silence which may suddenly burst out in eruptions of extreme temper, these are all part of the negative side of the Aquarian. This can also reveal itself in a sustained hatred for enemies that is capable of enlarging itself into a misanthropy toward the whole of mankind.Possible Health Concerns...As Aquarius is said to govern the legs from knees to ankles and the circulation of blood, its natives are susceptible to ailments particularly in the legs and ankles, such as cramps, and are also liable to spasmodic and nervous complaints, as well as wind, catarrh, diarrhea, dropsy, goiter and delirium tremens - so that the avoidance of alcohol is important for those Aquarians who have a taste for it.

LIKES
Fighting for Causes
Dreaming and Planning for the Future
Thinking of the Past
Good Companions
Having Fun
DISLIKES
Full of Air Promises
Excessive Loneliness
The Ordinary
Imitations
Idealistic

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As an Aquarius you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.
Problem: Being left all alone while others enjoy the companionship you long for.

Solution: You should practice expressing your humanity by accepting people the way they are and not find too much fault in them.
Problem: You always seem to miss the boat when it comes to love.

Solution: Try letting down the mental guard that you keep on your emotions that stops you from being the self you long to be.
Problem: You always seem to miss out on the better jobs or big promotions at work.

Solution: Learn to use your positive side in teamwork and group effort, the lone wolf approach will get you nowhere.
Problem: You seem to become physically ill more than you should.

Solution: By repressing your emotions you drive the unrest deep inside where it can cost you in terms of health. Express your feelings but do it with tact.

Your ruling planet is URANUS.
Mean distance from the Sun(AU) 19.218Sidereal period of orbit(years) 84.01Equatorial radius(km) 25559Polar radius(km) 24973Body rotation period(hours) 17.24Tilt of equator to orbit(degrees) 97.92Number of observed satellites 15

Some more interesting facts about your sign:
The symbol associated with your sign is the water bearer, it is symbolic of the Gods nourishing the earth with life giving energies. One of the first to be called the water bearer was the Greek God Zeus in mythology.

The color of choice for Aquarius is TURQUOISE
TURQUOISE the beautiful Turquoise is your starstone. The name comes from the French "turquoise", which means "Turkey" as in the original localities in Persia (today Iran). Since before 4000 BC Turquoise has been used and coveted. It can be pure in color or may contain secondary minerals. If the matrix forms a pattern of interlocking polygons it is called "spider-web" turquoise.

Capricorn

The Goat

December 22 to January 20

Traditional Capricorn Traits

Practical and prudent

Ambitious and disciplined

Patient and careful

Humorous and reserved

On the dark side

Pessimistic and fatalistic

Miserly and grudging

Capricorn! About Your Sign...
Capricorn is one of the most stable and (mostly) serious of the zodiacal types. These independent, rocklike characters have many sterling qualities. They are normally confident, strong willed and calm. These hardworking, unemotional, shrewd, practical, responsible, persevering, and cautious to the extreme persons, are capable of persisting for as long as is necessary to accomplish a goal they have set for themselves. They are reliable workers in almost any profession they undertake. They are the major finishers of most projects started by the 'pioneering' signs; with firm stick-to-it-ness they quickly become the backbone of any company they work for.
Capricornians make of themselves, resourceful, determined managers; setting high standards for themselves and others. They strive always for honesty in their criticism of self, they respect discipline from above and demand it from those beneath them. In their methodical, tough, stubborn, unyielding way, they persist against personal hardship, putting their families and/or their work before their own needs and welfare to reach their objectives long after others have given up and fallen by the wayside. In fact when practical ability allied with the drive of ambition are required in employees to make a project succeed, Capricornians are the people to hire. They plan carefully to fulfill their ambitions (which often include becoming wealthy), they are economical without meanness, and able to achieve great results with minimum effort and expense. Because of their organizing ability they are able to work on several projects simultaneously.
They have a great respect for authority but may not, if they reach high rank, be willing to listen to other opinions on things they are directly responsible for. As the ranking authority figure in a given situation they expect their underlings to be as self disciplined as they themselves are, and to perform every task undertaken to the highest standard.
They are, nevertheless, fair as well as demanding. Among their equals they are not always the most pleasant of work fellows for they are reserved and too conservative, valuing tradition more than innovation, however valuable the latter, and they are often humorless. There is also a tendency to pessimism, melancholy and even unhappiness which many Capricornians are unable to keep to themselves, especially if they fail personally. In the extreme this trait can make them a very depressed individual; ecstatic happiness alternating with the most wretched kind of misery which is so subconsciously buried that he or she should seek help if such emotions become frequent. For the above reason, capable Capricorn should spend many hours in meditation, gathering the strength to control such inner emotions.
The swings in mood are not the only reason some Capricornians deserve the adjective based on their name - capricious. They can be surprisingly and suddenly witty and subtle for the quiet, reserved individuals they seem to be, and they also have a tendency to ruin things by unexpected and utterly irresponsible bouts of flippancy. In certain individuals in whom the characteristic is strong, the temptation to do this has to be resisted with iron self-control. Another unexpected quality in some Capricornians is an interest in the occult which persists in spite of their naturally skeptical turn of mind.
Their intellects are sometimes very subtle. They think profoundly and deeply, throughly exploring all possibilities before deciding on a 'safe' alternative. They have good memories and an insatiable yet methodical desire for knowledge. They are rational, logical and clearheaded, have good concentration, delight in debate in which they can show off their cleverness by luring their adversaries into traps and confounding them with logic.
In their personal relationships they are often ill-at-ease, if not downright unhappy. They are somewhat self-centered but not excessively so, wary and cautious around people they do not know very well, preferring not to meddle with others and in turn not to allow interference with themselves, thus they tend to attract people who do not understand them. Casual acquaintances they will treat with diplomacy, tact and, above all, reticence. They make few good friends but are intensely loyal to those they do make, and they can become bitter, and powerful enemies. They sometimes dislike the opposite sex and test the waters of affection gingerly before judging the temperature right for marriage. Once married, however, they are faithful, though inclined to jealousy. Most Capricornians marry for life.
Their occupations can include most professions that have to do with math or money and they are strongly attracted to music. They can be economists, financiers, bankers, speculators, contractors, managers and real estate brokers. They excel as bureaucrats, especially where projects demanding long-term planning and working are concerned, and their skill in debate and love of dialectic make them good politicians. They are excellent teachers, especially as principals of educational establishments where they have the authority to manage and organize without too much intimacy with the staff members. If working with their hands, they can become practical scientists, engineers, farmers and builders. The wit and flippancy which is characteristic of certain Capricornians may make some turn to entertainment as a career.Possible Health Concerns...
Capricorn governs the knees, bones and skin, so its subjects may be liable to fractures and strains of the knees and other defects of the legs. Skin diseases from rashes and boils to leprosy (in countries where that disease is prevalent) are dangers, and digestive upsets may be caused by the tendency of Capricorns to worry or suppress emotions. Anemia, Bright's disease, catarrh, deafness, rheumatism and rickets are also said to threaten the natives of this sign.

LIKES
Reliability
Professionalism
Knowing what you discuss
Firm Foundations
Purpose
DISLIKES
Wild Schemes
Fantasies
Go-nowhere jobs
Ignominy
Ridicule

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Capricornian, you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.
PROBLEM: Having people take advantage of you and your good nature.

SOLUTION: Try being more careful with your favors, and putting number one first for a change.
PROBLEM: Having people getting "turned off" of you.

SOLUTION: Examine the kind of causes that you have been defending or pushing lately; make wiser choices.
PROBLEM: Coworkers not liking to work along side of you, sharing projects.

SOLUTION: While you make a good authority figure try not to act like it when working in tandem with another as an equal.
PROBLEM: Getting too tired out and not finishing projects that you have in the works.

SOLUTION: Try not to make too many plans and have them scheduled too close together. Try pacing yourself and you will clear this problem up.

Your ruling planet is SATURN.
Mean Distance from the Sun(AU) 9.555Sidereal period of orbit(years) 29.46Equatorial radius(km) 60268Polar radius(km) 54360Body rotation period(hours) 10.66Tilt of equator to orbit(degrees) 26.73Number of observed satellites 18

Some more interesting facts about your sign:
The animal associated with your sign is this beautiful Goat, it is a surefooted animal that weighs in at an average of 150-300 pounds and reaching heights of 35-45 inches. Due to its hooves, with cushioned skid-proof pads for grip, the goat is very agile. This animal has a narrow head with slender, black horns that rise in a backward curve to a length of 10-12 inches. The coat is white and on the chin is a double beard of long hair.

The color of choice for Capricorn isBROWNand most dark colors BLACK ONYX

The beautiful Onyx is your starstone. Onyx is a type of agate (cryptocrystaline Quartz) that is recognized by the alternating, parallel bands of black and white. It is used for the carving of cameos, (a figure carved in the white layer which stands in relief against the black layer). If the white layer alternates with a different color then the agate is given different names: if red it's carnelian-onyx, if brown it is sardonyx, and if the second layer is of the pale shades that characterizes common chalcedony it is called chalcedony-onyx. A solid piece of pure black Onyx is dyed. Agates are not always dyed black unless it is called Onyx, (Agate is frequently dyed red, green, blue, etc.)

Sagittarius

The Archer

November 23 to December 21

Traditional Sagittarius Traits
Optimistic and freedom-loving

Jovial and good-humored

Honest and straightforward

Intellectual and philosophical

On the dark side

Blindly optimistic and careless

Irresponsible and superficial

Tactless and restless

Sagittarius About Your Sign...
Sagittarians have a positive outlook on life, are full of enterprise, energy, versatility, adventurousness and eagerness to extend experience beyond the physically familiar. They enjoy travelling and exploration, the more so because their minds are constantly open to new dimensions of thought. They are basically ambitious and optimistic, and continue to be so even when their hopes are dashed. Their strongly idealistic natures can also suffer many disappointments without being affected. They are honorable, honest, trustworthy, truthful, generous and sincere, with a passion for justice. They are usually on the side of the underdog in society they will fight for any cause they believe to be just, and are prepared to be rebellious. They balance loyalty with independence.
Sagittarians are usually modest and are often religious, with a strong sense of morality, though they tend to overemphasize the ethical codes they follow and worship beliefs about God rather than God Himself. This means that, negatively, they regard rigid, unloving, intolerant adherence to ritual and conventional codes as more important than the truths they symbolize or embody. They sometimes pay lip service to religions and political parties in which they have ceased to believe because the outward forms satisfy them, yet they may not hesitate to switch allegiance in politics or change their system of belief if they see personal advantage to themselves in doing so.
They have both profound and widely ranging minds, equipped with foresight and good judgement, and they can be witty conversationalists. They love to initiate new projects (they make excellent researchers) and have an urge to understand conceptions that are new to them. they think rapidly, are intuitive and often original, but are better at adapting than inventing and are at their best when working with colleagues of other types of character that compliment their own. They are strong-willed and good at organizing, a combination that gives them the ability to bring any project they undertake to a successful conclusion. Their generosity can be balanced by their extreme care at handling their resources.
Sagittarians are ardent, sincere and straightforward in love, normally conventional and in control of their sexual natures. Yet if thwarted, they may easily allow their failure to embitter their whole lives or they may revenge themselves upon the opposite sex by becoming cynically promiscuous. They are more apt then the average to make an uncongenial alliance.
If their marriages are successful, they will be faithful spouses and indulgent parents; but their innate restlessness will inspire them to use even the most satisfying ménage as a base from which to set out on their travels. They need to fell free and are often faced with the choice of allowing their careers to take over their lives at the expense of the love of their spouse and family. Sagittarian women are the counterparts of their men; even if they have no career to rival their love, they find it difficult to express affection and may run the risk of being thought frigid.
In other personal relationships they are reliable, seldom betraying any trust given to them. They can, however, be impulsively angry and both male and female Sagittarians know how to be outspoken and exactly what expressions will hurt their adversaries most. On the other hand they are magnanimous in forgiving offenses and are responsible when looking after the elderly in the family.
Their gifts fit Sagittarians for a number of widely differing professions. They are natural teachers and philosophers with a talent for expounding the moral principles and laws which seem to explain the universe. This gift enables them to be successful churchmen on the one hand and scientists on the other. The law and politics also suit them, as does public service, social administration, public relations and advertising. Travel and exploration naturally appeal to such restless souls and, if their opportunities are limited, they may find something of travel and change of scene in the armed forces or through working as a travelling salesman. Others may make fine musicians and, in the days before automobiles, they were said to be successful at horse trading and all activities, including sporting ones, concerning horses. This has been translated in modern terms into an interest in cars and aircraft - and again with emphasis on the sporting side racing, rallying etc. They are said to make good sports coaches, but their tastes in this direction may lead them into imprudent gambling, though the gambling instinct may be sublimated by carrying it out professionally as a bookmaker.
The vices to which Sagittarians are prone are anger they tend to flare up over trifles; impatience - they want to rush every new project through immediately and demand too much of colleagues who cannot work at the pace they require; and scorn of the inadequacies of others while expecting fulsome recognition of their own efforts. They may in one sense deserve recognition, because in completing a major project they will sacrifice their health and family relationships; in their family's eyes they may merit condemnation.
They can be exacting, domineering and inconsiderate in the work place; and boastful, vulgar and extravagant in their private lives. Their restlessness, if excessive, can jeopardize more than their own stability. some Sagittarians risk becoming playboys, wasting their lives away in frivolous pursuits. Others can develop a moralizing, religious fanaticism or else turn into hypocrites, their inner prudishness disguised by an outward appearance of joviality. Another side of the religiosity which is a danger in Sagittarians is superstition.Possible Health Concerns...
Sagittarius governs the hips, thighs and sacral area; subjects suffer from ailments of the hips and thighs and are liable to sciatica and rheumatism. An alleged deficiency of silicon in their physiques can give them poor skin, nails and hair.
As they are often sportsmen indulging in dangerous pursuits, they are prone to accidents which arise from these. The ancient astrologers mention falls from horses and hurts from them and other four-footed beasts. The taking of risks in other sports is a danger to the modern Sagittarian, and he is also liable to accidents with fire and heat.
LIKES
Traveling
getting to the heart of the matter
Freedom
Laws and meanings
the general 'feel' of things
DISLIKES
Off the wall theories
being tied down domestically
Being constrained
cooling your heels
bothered with details

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Sagittarius you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.

PROBLEM: Others have no time for you as you are apt to have too many irons in the fire at any given time.

SOLUTION: Be sure that you have a 'product' to match all the 'advertising' you do. Is it fact or is it fiction?
PROBLEM: Others cease to confide in you or to take you seriously.

SOLUTION: Try not to exaggerate or be contentious with others as this could be embarrassing if they feel you are not trustworthy.
PROBLEM: Feeling lost and disillusioned.

SOLUTION: Focus upon one thing that will satisfy you and work toward that point.
PROBLEM: You seem anchored in one spot, unable to move forward.

SOLUTION: You should try to think more positive thoughts and set some short term goals that you can reach, then set more. In this way you will move ahead in your endeavors.
Your ruling planet is JUPITER.

Mean distance from the Sun (AU) 5.202Sidereal period of orbit (years) 11.86Equatorial radius (km) 71,492Polar radius (km) 66,854Body rotation period (hours) 9.92Tilt of equator to orbit (degrees) 3.08Number of observed satellites 16

Some more interesting facts about your sign:
The animal associated with you sign is the centaur.
The Greek love for the horse led to the ennoblement of the centaur in myth and legend. The Centaur Chiron was known for his wisdom and healing abilities. Nessus was killed by Hercules for trying to rape a woman under his charge, and other centaurs were renowned for their weakness for drink. The centaur symbolizes mankinds dual nature as an intellectual creature (the human half) which was also a physical animal (the horse half).

The color of choice for Sagittarius is RICH PURPLE

Your Starstone is the TOPAZ

Topaz, the gem comes in many different colors and is a member of the quartz group. It aids in bringing forth your leadership qualities and enables you to grasp control of any situation you confront in life. Topaz makes you feel more in control of yourself or the situations you encounter and helps you deal with them in a competent fashion. It helps you take the lead and handle things in a competent fashion. Tradition has it that Topaz helped foretell the future, enhance sexual energy, and promote harmony.

Scorpio

The Scorpion

October 24 to November 22

Traditional Scorpio Traits
Determined and forceful

Emotional and intuitive

Powerful and passionate

Exciting and magnetic

On the dark side

Jealous and resentful

Compulsive and obsessive

Secretive and obstinate

Scorpio! About Your Sign...
Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. They are like the volcano not far under the surface of a calm sea, it may burst into eruption at any moment. But those of us who are particularly perceptive will be aware of the harnessed aggression, the immense forcefulness, magnetic intensity, and often strangely hypnotic personality under the tranquil, but watchful composure of Scorpio. In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them.
In their everyday behavior they give the appearance of being withdrawn from the center of activity, yet those who know them will recognize the watchfulness that is part of their character. They need great self-discipline, because they are able to recognize the qualities in themselves that make them different from other humans, and to know their utterly conventional natures can be used for great good, or great evil. Their tenacity and willpower are immense, their depth of character and passionate conviction overwhelming, yet they are deeply sensitive and easily moved by their emotions. Their sensitivity, together with a propensity for extreme likes and dislikes make them easily hurt, quick to detect insult or injury to themselves (often when none is intended) and easily aroused to ferocious anger. This may express itself in such destructive speech or action that they make lifelong enemies by their outspokenness, for they find it difficult not to be overly critical of anything or anyone to whom they take a dislike.
They can harness their abundant energy constructively, tempering their self-confidence with shrewdness and their ambition with magnanimity toward others provided they like them. They relate to fellow workers only as leaders and can be blunt to those they dislike to the point of cruelty. In fact they are not above expressing vindictiveness in deliberate cruelty. They are too demanding, too unforgiving of faults in others, perhaps because they are not aware of the shortcomings within themselves, and extravagantly express their self-disgust in unreasonable resentment against their fellows. They do, however, make excellent friends, provided that their companions do nothing to impugn the honor of which Scorpios are very jealous. Part of the negative side of the Scorpio nature is a tendency to discard friends once they cease to be useful, but the decent native is aware of, and fights this tendency.
They are fortunate in that their strong reasoning powers are tempered with imagination and intuition, and these gifts, together with critical perception and analytical capacity, can enable the Scorpions to penetrate to profundities beyond the average. They have a better chance of becoming geniuses than the natives of any other sign.But charismatic "twice-born" characters such as they can sink into the extremes of depravity if they take the wrong path, and the intensity of their nature exaggerates their harmful tendencies into vices far greater than the normal.

Rebelliousness against all conventions, political extremism to the point where hatred of the Establishment makes them utterly unscrupulous terrorists. Brooding resentment, aggressive and sadistic brutality, total arrogance, morbid jealousy, extreme volatility of temperament, these are some of their vices. At the other extreme is the procrastinator, the man or woman who is capable of so much that they do nothing and become indolent and self-indulgent, requiring extravagant praise and flattery from those whom they make their cronies.
Being so gifted, they can find fulfillment in many employments. Their inner intensity can result in the ice-cold self-control and detachment of the surgeon, the concentration of the research scientist, and the heroism of the soldier. Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research, dealing with practicalities, and the solving of mysteries are relevant, can appeal to them. So police and detective work, espionage and counterespionage, the law, physics or psychology may attract them, and they can become masters of the written and spoken word. They may be most persuasive orators and find fulfillment as diplomats or preachers and, if they make the Church their profession, their inner intensity can express itself in the spiritual fervor of the mystic or the thaumaturgy.
Scorpio is the symbol of sex and Scorpios are passionate lovers, the most sensually energetic of all the signs. For them, union with the beloved is a sacrament, an "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.". Their overriding urge in loving is to use their power to penetrate beyond themselves and to lose themselves sexually in their partners in an almost mystical ecstasy, thus discovering the meaning of that union which is greater than individuality, and is a marriage of the spirit as well as of flesh. They are thus capable of the greatest heights of passionate transport, but debauchery and perversion are always dangers, and Scorpios can become sadistic monsters of sensuality and eroticism. Their feelings are so intense that even when their love is of the highest, and most idealistic kind, they are nevertheless frequently protagonists in tragic, even violent romances, "star-crossed lovers".
Possible Health Concerns...Scorpio governs the pelvis and reproductive and urinary systems and its subjects are said to be prone to ailments of the liver and kidneys, stones and gravel in the bladder or genitals, and other genital ills such as priapism. Abscesses, boils, carbuncles, fistulas, piles, ruptures and ulcers may also affect the Scorpions.

LIKES
Truth
Hidden Causes
Being involved
Work That is Meaningful
Being Persuasive
DISLIKES
Being Given Only Surface data
Taken Advantage of
Demeaning Jobs
Shallow Relationships
Flattery and Flattering
PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Scorpio you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.
Problem: Suffering from an inferior complex where you feel self disgust and are disdainful of help from others.

Solution: You should try to admit that others, as well as yourself, have weakness and then practice forgiving those weaknesses until you notice them becoming less and less. Unbend and accept that you can be helped in your problems.
Problem: After you get everyone to agree with you and you get your own way, you are still not satisfied with the results.

Solution: Looking deeply within will show you that: having reached the point where you have nothing more to want for in a given situation you then realize just what you were really after. Look within first.
Problem: Disruptive marital relations or a breakup with a loved one.

Solution: You should try not to be scornful of what you perceive as a shortcoming in your partners personality and soften up your rigid, unbending attitude.
Problem: The peers in your group begin to avoid you, or drift away when you walk up.

Solution: If you feel persecuted and put upon you will express it in conversation, this causes people to be 'turned off' of you so try to change your attitude or, guard what you say.

Your ruling planet is PLUTO.
Mean Distance from the Sun (AU) 39.4 Sidereal period of orbit (years) 247.68 Equatorial Radius(km) 1,140 Body rotation period (days) 6.4 Tilt of equator to orbit (degrees) 96 Number of observed satellites 1 Mean Radius Distance from Planet (km) (km) Satellite: Charon 600 20,000

Some more interesting facts about your sign:

Bark Scorpion
"Bark Scorpion" - Centruroides Sculptaurus [Straw- pale yellow in color]is very venomous, it is nocturnal and will be found in areas around moisture or outside lights where food sources are known to gather such as beetles, cockroaches, crickets, moths, or other insects.

The color of choice for Scorpio is DARK RED TO MAROON


Your Starstone is OPAL
Mysterious Opals contain the wonders of the skies - sparkling rainbows, fireworks, and lightning, shifting and moving in their depths. Opal has been treasured throughout history all around the world. Archaeologist Louis Leakey found six-thousand year old Opal artifacts in a cave in Kenya! It is an old myth that anyone who does not have the opal as a starstone will be the receivers of bad luck should they choose to wear it.
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RE: STARSTONE CONTROVERSY
There is, and always have been, a controversy over "starstones". Starstones are NOT birthstones. I give you here in these pages the stones that are called your starstones, (planet stones), which viberates the strongest to your planet or sign, NOT to the month that you were born. I would also like it if those who think they know precisely what their stone is to go to the library and reference some good Astrology books such as 'Parkers Astrology'. Sorry for the confusion, but confusion over this topic has raged for hundreds of years.

Libra

The Scales

September 24 to October 23

Traditional Libra Traits
Diplomaitic and urbane

Romantic and charming

Easygoing and sociable

Idealistic and peaceable

On the dark side

Indecisive and changeable

Gullible and easily infuenced

Flirtatious and self-indulgent

Libra! About Your Sign...
Libra is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac, all the others representing either humans or animals. Many modern astrologers regard it as the most desirable of zodiacal types because it represents the zenith of the year, the high point of the seasons, when the harvest of all the hard work of the spring is reaped. There is a mellowness and sense of relaxation in the air as mankind enjoys the last of the summer sun and the fruits of his toil. Librans too are among the most civilized of the twelve zodiacal characters and are often good looking. They have elegance, charm and good taste, are naturally kind, very gentle, and lovers of beauty, harmony (both in music and social living) and the pleasures that these bring.
They have good critical faculty and are able to stand back and look impartially at matters which call for an impartial judgment to be made on them. But they do not tolerate argument from anyone who challenges their opinions, for once they have reached a conclusion, its truth seems to them self-evident; and among their faults is an impatience of criticism and a greed for approval. But their characters are on the whole balanced, diplomatic and even tempered.
Librans are sensitive to the needs of others and have the gift, sometimes to an almost psychic extent, of understanding the emotional needs of their companions and meeting them with their own innate optimism - they are the kind of people of whom it is said, "They always make you feel better for having been with them." They are very social human beings. They loathe cruelty, viciousness and vulgarity and detest conflict between people, so they do their best to cooperate and compromise with everyone around them, and their ideal for their own circle and for society as a whole is unity.
Their cast of mind is artistic rather than intellectual, though they are usually too moderate and well balanced to be avant garde in any artistic endeavor. They have good perception and observation and their critical ability, with which they are able to view their own efforts as well as those of others, gives their work integrity.
In their personal relationships they show understanding of the other person's point of view, trying to resolve any differences by compromise, and are often willing to allow claims against themselves to be settled to their own disadvantage rather than spoil a relationship. They like the opposite sex to the extent of promiscuity sometimes, and may indulge in romanticism bordering on sentimentality.
Their marriages, however, stand a good chance of success because they are frequently the union of "true minds". The Libran's continuing kindness toward his or her partner mollifies any hurt the latter may feel if the two have had a tiff. Nor can the Libran's spouse often complain that he or she is not understood, for the Libran is usually the most empathetic of all the zodiacal types and the most ready to tolerate the beloved's failings.
The negative Libran character may show frivolity, flirtatiousness and shallowness. It can be changeable and indecisive, impatient of routine, colorlessly conventional and timid, easygoing to the point of inertia, seldom angry when circumstances demand a show of annoyance at least; and yet Librans can shock everyone around them with sudden storms of rage. Their love of pleasure may lead them into extravagance; Libran men can degenerate into reckless gamblers, and Libran women extravagant, jealous and careless about money sometimes squander their wealth and talents in their overenthusiasm for causes which they espouse. Both sexes can become great gossipers. A characteristic of the type is an insatiable curiosity that tempts them to enquire into every social scandal in their circle.
In their work the description "lazy Libra" which is sometimes given is actually more alliterative than true. Librans can be surprisingly energetic, though it is true that they dislike coarse, dirty work. Although some are modestly content, others are extremely ambitious. With their dislike of extremes they make good diplomats but perhaps poor party politicians, for they are moderate in their opinions and able to see other points of view. They can succeed as administrators, lawyers (they have a strong sense of justice, which cynics might say could handicap them in a legal career), antique dealers, civil servants and bankers, for they are trustworthy in handling other people's money. Some Librans are gifted in fashion designing or in devising new cosmetics; others may find success as artists, composers, critics, writers, interior decorators, welfare workers or valuers, and they have an ability in the management of all sorts of public entertainment. Some work philanthropically for humanity with great self-disciple and significant results. Libran financiers sometimes make good speculators, for they have the optimism and ability to recover from financial crashes.Possible Health Concerns...
Libra governs the lumbar region, lower back and kidneys. Its subjects must beware of weaknesses in the back, and lumbago, and they are susceptible to troubles in the kidneys and bladder, especially gravel and stone. They need to avoid overindulgence in food and especially drink, for the latter can particularly harm the kidneys.
LIKES
The finer things in life
Sharing
conviviality
Gentleness
DISLIKES
Violence
Injustice
Brutishness
Being a slave to fashion

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Libran you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.
Problem: Finding yourself frequently trapped in situations that have no depth and little value to you or the other person.

Solution: Try not to pretend feelings you do not have and find a way to back gracefully out of a superficial relationship; look before you leap.
Problem: You find that you do not really like yourself and/or beating yourself up over not being able to please another.

Solution: If you learn how to please yourself without depriving others, then you will be able to please someone else.
Problem: The situations that make you ill at ease is only mildly irritating to another.

Solution: Try to cultivate inner security through spiritual strength and awareness.
Problem: Feeling like you are nothing: your actions being frustrating to others.

Solution: Developing your feelings of self worth by expressing the positive in your nature and not letting your elitist, class consciousness show.

Your ruling planet is VENUS.
Mean distance from the Sun (AU) 0.723Sidereal period of orbit (years) 0.62 Equatorial radius (km) 6,052Polar radius (km) 6,052Body rotation period (hours) 5823(Retrograde) Tilt of equator to orbit (degrees) 2.12

Number of observed satellites 0

Some more interesting facts about your sign:
The symbol associated with your sign is the scales of balance representing the balance that you continually seek in your self and your life. The scales were also adopted by our judicial system to symbolize a balance of fairness in the law which is emphasized by 'blind justice' holding them.

The color of choice for Libra is Blue
Your starstone is the precious Sapphire. The Sapphire is one of the most beautiful and sought after gems in the quartz family. It is considered good luck in many ways and one of the major healing stones.
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RE: STARSTONE CONTROVERSY
There is, and always have been, a controversy over "starstones". Starstones are NOT birthstones. I give you here in these pages the stones that are called your starstones, (planet stones), which viberates the strongest to your planet or sign, NOT to the month that you were born. I would also like it if those who think they know precisely what their stone is to go to the library and reference some good Astrology books such as 'Parkers Astrology'. Sorry for the confusion, but confusion over this topic has raged for hundreds of years.