Leo

Like Aries, you eagerly embrace the idea of keeping a journal. Between its covers, you can rest assured that the focus is always on you. This is the one place where you can wallow in self-absorption without complaint. It is also a shelter where you can go to bounce back after a blow to the ego. Journal writing allows you to escape from others' criticism as well as to air private insecurities. And, there is no better environment in which to reveal your romantic nature in all its golden splendor. Your notebook pages are filled with love, chivalry, and storybook romance - real or hoped for. There are probably hearts and curliques scribbled in all the margins. You chose your journal for its style. In all likelihood, it has a shiny or glossy cover and/or glitter somewhere in or on it. You are the sign most likely to write with a pen that sports a fuzzy poof or feather plume on top.

Use your journal to help you develop empathy. If you are writing about a conflict with another person, describe the situation from his or her point of view. You might even try using a dialogue technique. Imagine and write down a conversation in which both parties, by having a chance to tell their side of the story, are able to understand each other and thereby resolve the conflict. Consider sharing your journaling passion with the children in your life. Get out the art supplies and have fun. Let them draw or write something in your notebook, and you do the same with theirs. If anyone can introduce them to the joy of creativity, it is you.

• Your key words are: generous, dramatic, egotistical, powerful, organized, extravagant, and creative.
• Your key karmic phrase is: I Will.
• What does it mean to be lionhearted? How does this apply to you?
• Brag about yourself. List 50 of your best accomplishments.
• What is your idea of fun?
• Freewrite on the following word: mercy.
• You have enormous capacity to give. Are you able to receive?
• What power games do you play?
• Describe a time when you took a risk and it paid off big time.
• Describe a time when blind optimism was your downfall.

Virgo

Although you may not necessarily keep a journal per se, you most definitely have a notebook of some kind. You were practically born with pencil and paper in hand. You've got to have some place to put those to do lists, and loose sheets of paper aren't really your thing. You favor a sturdy, no-nonsense book and plenty of pens. You prefer lined (recycled) paper, and your diary/notebook/journal tends to be neat and organized in traditional, chronological order. If you do enjoy journal keeping, you probably write regularly. You also write around the same time every day. Your journal pages are full of self-criticism or at the very least self-analysis. You are always looking for ways to improve or things that you need to do better. You tend to note changes in your health or digestion, probably without even noticing. If you draw or paint, you do it very well (even if you don't think so). Your pictures tend to be more representational than abstract. A tree looks like a tree, for example.

Your journal can be an invaluable companion to your life of service. It can help you avoid a tendancy toward self-sacrifice and martyrdom. Use it to figure out which things you do out of love and enjoyment and which things you just do. Service without love is nothing more than an ego trip. You are very adept at exploring ways in which to improve your Self and the world around you. However, if you find your journal entries getting just a little too critical of everything and everyone, try this technique: for every negative statement that you write, also write a positive. And then, when you are done, write one more. That way, not only do you prove to yourself that you can see the good as well as the bad, but you tip the psychic scales in favor of optimism. You enjoy reading and research, so I suggest that you keep a commonplace book. Fill it with your favorite passages from books, interesting newspaper articles, things you've learned, facts and figures. If you want to explore the idea of keeping a more creative journal, I suggest books like The Artist's Way or The Creativity Book - something with a structured program and specific exercises for unleashing the power of the right brain. One final suggestion: whenever possible, write outdoors.

• Your key words are: industrious, meticulous, selfless, humane, kindly, hypercritical, witty, methodical, and introspective.
• Your key karmic phrase is: I Analyze.
• How do you serve others? Your family? Society?
• List situations in which your meticulous nature comes in quite handy.
• How do you feel about waste? How does this tie into your feelings about extravagance?
• Describe a time when you felt totally and utterly relaxed.
• Do you believe that "neatness counts"? In school? At work? In life?
• Freewrite on the following word: purity
• Describe a situation in which you brought order out of chaos.
• Were you the teacher's pet? How did this effect your relationships with your classmates?

Libra

You love beautiful things, and that includes blank books, pens, papers, and other art supplies. You collect these things with enthusiasm, and you probably keep a journal merely as an excuse to use them. That is not to say that you don't love to write, because you do. You thoroughly enjoy making marks on paper, be it your rounded, slightly embellished handwriting, dabs of watercolor, or soothing pencil drawings. And though there may be long lapses between journal entries (when you've either lost interest or just didn't feel up to it), when you do sit down to write, you find that you have plenty to say. Plenty. There is a constant dialogue going on in your head, and you transfer it perfectly onto paper in a rambling, stream-of-consciousness style. Your journal provides a place to think on paper; a place to ponder decisions (but not to make any). You tend to write about your relationships with other people, and there is frequent mention of a partner of some sort: best friend, spouse, business partner, etc. There may be long rants about the unfairness of a given situation or about how someone is being mistreated. On a more personal level, a reading of your journal might uncover a wide range of emotions that never see the light of day anywhere else.

If you are experiencing a creative block of any sort, check your journaling supplies. Make sure that you have a book and a pen that you truly love; you psyche will not stand for anything else. If you still feel blocked, find a way to acquire at least one new art supply, even if it is something small. The task of finding a use for a new toy will usually kick your artistic side into overdrive. If by some chance you are not already incorporating the visual into your journal, start immediately. You, more than any other sign, need images as well as words. Don't let perfectionism keep you from this. If necessary, keep a separate, inexpensive notebook handy specifically for experimentation. Better still, learn to create art from your mistakes. This will help you overcome your perfectionistic nature and feed your love of beauty besides. And speaking of mistakes, the fear of making them is the real culprit behind your indecisiveness. When you find yourself making long lists of pros and cons in your journal, for each choice, ask yourself this question: "What's the worst that could happen?". Pick the lesser of two evils and move on.

• Your key words are: diplomatic, charming, gullible, indecisive, idealistic, refined, extravagant, fickle, and easy-going.
• Your key karmic phrase is: I Balance.
• How do you keep yourself centered?
• Do you have a tendancy to "smile and act nice"? Why? When is this philosophy a hinderance?
• Examine the role of beauty in your life.
• What is your idea of gracious living?
• Describe a time when someone was fooled by your easy-going appearance.
• Freewrite on the following word: justice.
• Consider the word serenity. What is it? What does it take to achieve it?
• What soothes your soul?

Scorpio

You hesitate to keep a journal. You have a natural desire for privacy and secrecy, and don't like the idea of someone finding your journal and reading it. Ironically, it is that very same desire that leads you to this art. You tend to be so careful when interacting with other people that you may turn to a journal as a place to unburden yourself. It becomes a safe place, almost a hiding place. Even the most cursory reading of it would reveal that there is much more to you than other people would ever imagine. Incidentally, if your diary is ever read, nine times out of ten, you meant for it to happen. You probably left it somewhere intending for a particular person to "discover" a particular passage. As for the journal itself, you favor a sophisticated style - one that is probably on the expensive end of the spectrum. Its pages may find you exploring religion or the nature of life and death. They may also bear witness to your secret loneliness, especially if you are a very successful and/or accomplished person (you usually are).

A journal is the perfect tool for exploring life's mysteries as well as your own. I highly recommend that you keep a dream journal. Dreams are the work of the subconscious. Listen to what yours tell you about the inner workings of your mind since, for you, the two are pretty much interwoven. On another note, a paper target can be a great place to aim that stinger when you are angry. Instead of lashing out at someone you love, unleash your fury on the inanimate page. List your grievances on separate pieces of paper, then burn them one by one.

• Your key words are: passionate, emotional, intuitive, jealous, secretive, determined, creative, independent, and violent.
• You have two key karmic phrases: I Desire and I Create.
• Your sign is so complex that it has three animal symbols: the scorpion, the gray lizard, and the eagle. Which one are you?
• Describe a time when you changed a situation through sheer force of will.
• What do you believe happens after death?
• Freewrite on the following word: passion.
• What are you willing to do that others will not?
• How would you (will you) change the world?
• Has your penchant for giving an honest opinion ever backfired?
• How does the issue of control manifest itself in your life?
• Consider the myth of the Phoenix. How does it apply to you?

Sagittarius

You have a restless nature; you may have a hard time sitting still long enough to keep a journal. You may not even see the point in doing so. You much more interested in living life - enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, savoring new experiences - than writing about it. If you do keep a journal, it is full of adventure tales and shrewd observations about the world around you. You tend to rebel against authority, and there may be frequent rants about conventional society. You also rail against unjust accusations. At your core, you are constantly striving for higher wisdom, and journal pages become repositories for newfound spiritual insight. Yours is a journal of exploration - both internal and external. Even if you don't have a regular journal, you probably do have a sketchbook, and its recurring motifs are sketches of horses and dogs. Regardless of which kind of notebook you keep, pictures of pets are prominently featured. Your trusty animal sidekicks get just as much pen time as everything else.

If you don't have one already, get a field sketchbook and a small set of watercolors that can travel with you at a moment's notice. Whether you are off on a weekend getaway or just enjoying a long walk in the park, taking the time to record what you see will be very rewarding for you. A book like Hannah Hinchman's A Trail Through Leaves will bring out the latent naturalist in you. Continue to use your journal to explore your spirituality and develop a higher understanding about the universe and its workings. If you have trouble motivating yourself to sit down and write, I recommend that you try journaling in list or phrase form. Also, make a decision as to how often you want to write, choose a specific time to do so, and then stick to this schedule religiously. This gives you both the structure and the freedom necessary to make it a habit. One last thing: try journal therapy for healing emotional or psychic wounds. There are many books on the subject that can aid you in this.

• Your key words are: free-spirited, restless, generous, ambitious, undisciplined, dependable, frank, and sincere.
• Your key karmic phrase is: I Perceive.
• How do you integrate your beliefs into your daily life?
• Describe a time when you have overindulged in something. How did you feel afterwards? Did you do it again?
• In what ways are you noncommittal?
• Socrates, a Sagittarian archetype, once said, "Give me what is good". What is good?
• Are you lucky? How so? Explore the role of luck in your life.
• Freewrite on the following word: faith.
• Describe a time when you stuck your foot in your mouth. Were you able to remove it?
• How does wanderlust manifest itself in your life?