Finally, a Guide to the Zodiac About Us and For Us!If you love following your sun sign but never seem to feel what you read is directed toward you, wait no more. Here's a guide to the zodiac that will make you say, "Wow, that's me!" From the fiery Arian to the charismatic Aquarian, you'll find examples of yourself, friends, loved ones, and even your children in this down-to-earth guide. No more cosmic adventures into your planets! Now here's a book that tells you the real deal about you and those special people in your life. You'll gain an insight into that practical Virgo brother who's always saving a penny for a rainy day or that energetic Sagittarian sister who just doesn't keep still for a minute.Black Sun Signsoffers light-hearted advice on romance, tips on money matters, discussions about health concerns, and more. You'll also find out what famous African American brothers and sisters share your sign. Whether you're a sexy Leo like Halle Berry or there's a reserved Capricorn like Denzel Washington in your life, you're sure to get the 411 on yourself and everyone you know inBlack Sun Signs.

Thelma Balfour is a free-lance writer and a stringer for Newsweek and USA Today. She contributed a piece on "sexy sun signs" to the anthology Erotique Noire. Thelma has studied and practiced astrology for the last twenty years. She lives with her husband and two sons in Memphis, Tennessee.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Primer
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces

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Chapter 1

PRIMER

Astrology Can Help You Find Love

"You've got the right one, baby" is the punch line in a very popular commercial and the words that singer Ray Charles echos over and over in the successful ad. Maybe there's an underlying reason for the ad's popularity. Really, the theme of the ad is what successful courtships are made of -- finding the right baby (if you'll pardon the pun).

Astrology can help you find that all-important person, that soul mate or that love of your life. I know some will say, "I don't care what the sign is, there are jerks in all twelve signs." So true. But before you write off this whole concept, read further. I was also once the skeptic. However, when I started to pay attention to the various signs, talked to people directly and discovered personality traits all on my own, I thought, hey, there may be something to this. And there was, for me, anyway.

For the purpose of this book, the Sun sign aspect of astrology, the most noted and popular portion of the zodiac, will be examined. The sun is the central most important celestial body; therefore, your Sun sign is the most important aspect of your birth chart. [The birth chart is determined by the position of all the planets, including the sun and moon (the two luminaries), at the time of your birth.]

The sun moves around the earth each year and travels through all twelve signs of the zodiac. The Sun sign is the astrological sign that the sun is moving through at the time of your birth. For instance, the sun will move into the sign of Libra on September 23 and exit on October 22, so anyone born between September 23 and October 22 is known as a Libra, the sign of the scales.

From an astrological standpoint, the Sun sign controls your personality, style, general demeanor and outward appearance. For example, if you're a Leo, you are usually likely to be impeccably dressed, outfitted in the most expensive clothing or the most provocative that the ol' checkbook can stand. Therefore, you may be attracted to members of the opposite sex who are well-dressed too, such as Virgos -- and they to you. Generally, however, Virgos and Leos are not compatible. The initial impression of being dressed to kill is what catches Virgo, but little else will hold these two together. Virgo is an earth sign and Leo is a fire sign, and earth and fire don't mix.

Here's how the mix works. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, and these signs are divided into the four elements of the universe: earth, fire, water and air. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. The water signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. And the air signs are Aquarius, Gemini and Libra. Each element, earth, fire, water, and air, reveals tidbits about the twelve Sun signs. We don't need a Ph.D. from the School of Astrology to pick up the juicy and illuminating clues that these elements provide.

Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.You're down-to-earth, practical and cautious. Basically, you're always the same -- predictable, reliable, grounded. (Ground-ed, ground, earth -- get it?)

Fire signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.Like the element of fire, you're unpredictable, feisty, aggressive, impulsive and hard to control. (To put it more bluntly, it's going to be your way or no way at all!)

Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.In reality, people generally love to be close to lakes, rivers, oceans and ponds. If you're a water sign, people love to be close to you because you're reassuring, emotional, intuitive, soothing and nonthreatening.

Air signs: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.If you're an air sign, you're independent, aloof, analytical, intriguing and very hard to keep up with. You must have freedom. Like air itself, air signs cannot be contained, harnessed or backed into a comer. If either happens, you'll simply disappear.

From a practical standpoint, earth and water signs make beautiful mud together. And fire and air make a bonfire that's hard to put out.

Here's the breakdown of the Sun signs:

* Aries(March 21-April 19)

* Taurus(April 20-May 20)

* Gemini(May 21-June 20)

* Cancer(June 21-July 22)

* Leo(July 23-August 22)

* Virgo(August 23-September 22)

* Libra(September 23-October 22)

* Scorpio(October 23-November 21)

* Sagittarius(November 22-December 21)

* Capricorn(December 22-January 19)

* Aquarius(January 20-February 18)

* Pisces(February 19-March 20).

Compatible mates:

* Aries works best with Sagittarius, Leo, Gemini and Aquarius.

* Taurus is compatible with Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer and Pisces.

* Gemini is more suited to Leo, Aries, Aquarius and Libra.

* Cancer is better with Pisces, Scorpio, Virgo and Taurus.

The four signs listed within each group are also compatible and interchangeable. For example, in addition to Cancers, Scorpios are also compatible with Virgo, Taurus and Pisces.

And please, please, please don't send those cards and letters declaring that you and your husband, your boyfriend, your man or your woman of twenty years are not listed here as being compatible. I didn't say all of this astrology business is foolproof. I'm simply saying this method will enable you to leap over some of the many frogs before you meet Prince or Princess Charming, as the case may be.

Your opposite sign is generally about six months from your birth date or directly across from your sign on the circular horoscope. The following signs are opposites:

* Aries -- Libra

* Taurus -- Scorpio

* Gemini -- Sagittarius

* Cancer -- Capricorn

* Leo -- Aquarius

* Virgo -- Pisces.

If you pay attention to astrology or know the birth date of your companion, you will probably realize that you're constantly meeting your opposite and the encounters are usually quite interesting. The conversations are stimulating; there's definitely chemistry. As you're trying to emphatically leave this courtship, exchange, date or whatever, you'll constantly get this "Wait a minute, baby" plea. The magnetic attraction is so deep that the two of you won't be able to accept that the relationship ain't working! And you'll spend most of your time making up. But on the real tip, you know that after the morning after, reality sets in. You need to give it up and you know it!

But understanding astrology may crystallize a few issues and help you bring closure to a relationship or help your relationship blossom. So chill out, and enjoy the book for what it is, an exercise in fun! Then when you're asked, "What's your sign?" you'll know what the question means. And after you find that lovely creature or that handsome devil through the stars, you may want to become a member of the "Uh, huh" chorus!

Excerpted from Black Sun Signs: An African-American Guide to the Zodiac by Thelma Balfour
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.