Horoscopes: Mercurial temperaments By Imhotep Half-formed thoughts race through the minds of people born under the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries (21 Mar-21 Apr) towards the end of August. Arians, or Rams as they are sometimes called, will find themselves riveted with half-baked ideas and emotions. Alas, nothing solid to hold on to. Ruled by Mars, Rams usually exhibit a fighting spirit. But towards the end of August, they will be hard pressed to contain their anger which if not properly controlled might explode into violent outbursts. Mercury went into retrograde last week, and will bring many changes and Rams might suffer from uncharacteristic feelings of losing control over their lives. They might lose control over their feelings and emotions. When under pressure, Rams charge. Make sure you aim right. You are born to lead the parade. That's what you should do, dear Rams, when your whole life goes haywire, when everything goes wrong. But remember, this is just a fleeting phase in your life. From 9 August to 2 September, Mercury will be in retrograde, and that might prove to be a puzzling period for Arians. Difficult choices are on the cards. As Mercury goes into retrograde, Rams might have a hard time acclimatising to changes. But patience is the most important virtue that Arians need in the days ahead. For some time, my dear Arians, you've been trying to convince someone to see things your way, and it has not worked just yet. Try harder. Be patient. Headstrong friends and family will test your patience. Try to take it easy. Try to quiet your mind. Still your fears and doubts. Trust in yourselves, my dear Arians. Organise your thoughts. Arians are not the most diplomatic of people, but they must learn how to win friends this August. My dear Rams try meditation, you'll need to control the flow of your thoughts in the weeks ahead. Arians are also usually very lucky people. And luck will be on your side once again in August especially when it comes to matters material. But don't count on it as far as the affairs of the heart are concerned. August ushers in joy for people born under the Fixed Earth sign of Taurus (22 Apr-22 May). The month will treat you kindly, dear Taureans. Your desired stream of thoughts, my dear Bulls -- as Taureans are sometimes called -- is for expressions of love and affection. Taureans have big dreams, but their interpretations of these dreams are subject to considerable variations. Taureans like to talk, preferably cozy chats. But they also understand that sometimes silence reveals more than the most intimate of conversations. Taureans are ordinarily the souls of diligence and thoroughness. And they pay attention to detail. Nothing usually escapes them. But in August they are liable to overlook an important aspect of a perplexing question. My dear Taureans, you shall not pay dearly for the oversight, but the entire episode might leave a distinctly bitter aftertaste in your mouths. August is an ideal month for Taureans to catch up with old friends. Take out your address and phone books. This is the time to dig up some hair-raising facts about an old acquaintance. So what are you waiting for? People born under the Mutable Air sign of Gemini (23 May-22 Jun) are liable to sink into a tetchy state of mind in August. Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini, the sign of the Twins. The Wolf is the animal most commonly associated with Gemini. Romulus and Remus, after all, were rescued and mothered by a She-Wolf. And for Geminians, it's time to bond -- even with the most unlikely and dangerous of creatures. The Twins, however, are renowned for their cunning evasiveness. They also have a tendency to turn into unscrupulous liars when cornered. In August, my dear Geminians, you will again be trying to escape the blame by trying to put it on other people. Mercury rules communications and travel. But with Mercury in retrograde, misunderstandings and delays in travel schedules might crop up. Look out next week for Imhotep's reading of Cancer, Leo and Virgo
