Weekly Stars December 8th 2013

Mars starts its epic stay in Libra and Venus prepares to go retrograde.

More on Venus retro here

Sagittarius
Your ideas keep up with your ambitions and it's time to launch your brainchild. Either get initials after your name or enjoy a mental enrichment program that prove you are the Zodiac's deep thinker. Get a trusted friend's input on your ideas and a spark of originality on Tuesday sets you apart. Jupiter, your ruler, sits perfectly with stolid Saturn and you get the best of expansion and security. Speculate to accumulate, and an international adventure holds promise for the coming year. A lavish gift comes from the best of intentions, but keep your receipt. A change of heart comes later in the Yuletide season.

Capricorn 
Your love life is running smoothly, but a turnaround is coming. Decide what - and who - you value most and what you will do to keep them. Private thinking time rewards your efforts and a flash of insight comes on Wednesday. Competition hots up at work, as potent Mars makes you decide between muscle and diplomacy. 

Aquarius
Power to your elbow arrives and you are both fair and decisive. Search for meaning and academic kudos, and keeping an open-mind invites a good idea. Take heart from the boss's comments and offering good service turns the tables on a rival. Donate to a cause close to your heart, but make sure your gesture goes to the right source.
  

Pisces
Your week starts in escapist mode with Sunday's Moon-Neptune match in Pisces. Indulge your creativity and a duvet day works best when you have somebody close to rescue you. Let nobody underestimate your powers as a grand ambition comes together as if ordained. Think ahead and keep a diary of your smart ideas to refer back to.

Aries
You have a broad vision and a grasp of details. Thinking ahead saves time and trouble, and midweek brings a fellow escapist onside. Together you foment revolution. Target a romantic conquest, or prepare for somebody to make moves on you. Wednesday's Aries Moon lifts your chin and friendly rivalry keeps shared energy flowing.

Taurus
Your are used to a backs-to-the-wall feeling, but relief comes from an unexpected quarter. A friend supports your efforts and together you turn a profit. Friday's Taurus Moon gives you stamina and luck, and you bounce back quickly after a night out. Lay your travel plans carefully and a forgotten talent comes to the surface.

Gemini 
A hip friend shares knowledge and you take it in turn to make each other laugh. Mercury, your ruler, finds you in analytic mode, but it pays not to ask too many questions. Show your leadership credentials and raw intelligence takes you places when you know your own mind. A financial white knight takes a shine to your ideas. 

Cancer
A protective bubble surrounds you and everything seems possible. Big hearted Jupiter connects with sober Saturn and you add wordly wisdom to your glittering vision. Movement at last. A long-deferred reunion arrives by fate and you decide how far you want to reacquaint. Share your crazy career ideas with a soul mate on Tuesday.

Leo
A way out of your regular furrow appears and you try a different career. Thinking smart propels you forwards and technology comes to the rescue. Protective Jupiter gives you calm and you smoke the peace pipe with a strait-laced relative. Party season gives you lots to look forward to and the office social has romantic promise. 

Virgo
Sunday's escapist feeling hides a smart idea that bubbles up in private. What seems like a fantasy has rich promise in the real world. Your creative skills have a renaissance and you take steps towards an artistic career. Mars, planet of action, hits your financial sector and reviving an old item is even better than buying new. 

Libra
Prepare for a campaign of action and to do everything you have only talked about before. Boisterous Mars injects energy and your competitive streak lifts you out of the regular run. Pick your battles carefully and think how to win the peace. You strike gold when facing up to an old fear, and the bigwigs spot your talent. 

Scorpio
Relief comes after a long road travelling in the dark. Saturn, planet of ambition, backs up your claims and the hours of overtime pay off. The tide turns after you thought you missed your moment. Take it easy, as Saturday favours kicking back with someone who understands. A smart investment takes off when you go against the flow.