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.

On your birthday, the Sun (symbolising your essential individuality) was placed in the masculine sign, Aquarius. The eleventh sign of the Zodiac, Aquarius is ruled by serious Saturn and outrageous Uranus. A fixed (strong and solid) sign, Aquarius governs intellect and originality. It is an air sign, which means Aquarians are intelligent, unorthodox and inventive, although you do tend to be eerily detached and personally uninvolved.

The Sun, ruler of our inner nature, is in the sign of its detriment here, for Saturn, the ruler of the outer darkness, is at home in Aquarius. The erratic energy of Uranus, planet of the unorthodox and eclectic, makes you unpredictable and subject to profound and unexpected deviations from the norm. Due to the restrictive influence of Saturn, you exhibit considerable personal stability and work well within a structured environment. These apparently contradictory influences work strangely well together in your Aquarian personality. When friends see you suddenly change course, or do something unpredictable, they probably do not realise you are acting on some quite practical, or advantageous course of considered action.

The astrological symbol for Aquarius is a man pouring water, the collective consciousness of mankind. As an idealist, you champion the highest principles, while at the same time being an independent thinker. When confronted with unreasonable authoritarian demands or dogmatic principles to which you do not subscribe, you rebel. You certainly resent being told to what to do, although you can be quite co-operative when properly approached. Aquarians are naturally sceptical; they like to test things for themselves, but, once convinced, become firm in their determination to see things through. Anyone who wants to get on side with you needs to see what must be done and share the load without being asked.

Determined Aquarius, a fixed sign, can be rather stubborn, offhand and resistant to imposed changes. You accept the substantial alterations in life as a challenge, but are quite averse to those small changes which can throw a spanner in the works.

You are somewhat prone to immersing yourself in unorthodox fields of study and can make significant discoveries off the beaten track. Astrology could become a passionate concern for you, as may other investigations of the limits of consciousness and human abilities. A lover of science and originality, you treasure the unique while immersing yourself in the traditional. You readily adopt life styles and ideas that run counter to the mainstream and you try to visualize any situation objectively, as a kind of mental exercise. In relationships, your intellectual approach makes you seem interested, but not particularly passionate or possessive. Of course you do not really lack passion, for when you focus your feelings, your passion is as intense as it is inspirational.

Most of you are less than fabulous cooks, although you'll eat just about anything! So far as sports are concerned, my dears, as long as you can participate in such activities with a partner, or as part of a team, you can get quite enthusiastic about it, so have little trouble keeping physically fit. You do have a tendency to laziness, however, so are reluctant to engage in any boring series of exercises on your own. Broad jumping, camping, ballooning, tennis, swimming, racquetball and baseball are cool for you. Science and engineering, international finance, writing, music, astrology, psychology or social work are all fields wherein you could find your niche.

Aquarian colors are silver, aqua, purple and electric pink and blue. Your birthstone is amethyst or turquoise. Flowers for Aquarians include the gladioli, tiger lily, trillium and bird of paradise.

Charming, exciting and unpredictable, yet somehow strangely detached from the proceedings, you are one of the zodiac's most eccentric personalities. You look for the unusual and challenging, while at the same time seeking romance, tenderness and understanding in your relationships.

Aquarius, a masculine sign, is adventurous and not averse to the thrill of risk-taking. No timidity for you! Your optimism and positivity, combined with idealism and the need to break new ground can lead you into quite unfamiliar territory - not that this bothers you, for you are willing to follow any new lead to its conclusion. Your sex-drive is not unduly strong, but your need to explore and be stimulated sometimes gives others the impression that your desires are rampant!

Be that as it may, you are open to all forms of experimentation (in the search for new knowledge) and the field of sexuality and relationships is no exception. Even though deep down you seek security, your love of originality and exploring unusual new fields of endeavour gives you an attraction for partners with interesting, unconventional minds (and bodies). I might add that if their sexuality is unconventional too, you'll more than play along

Your emblem is the Water Bearer, pouring the water of originality, idealism and consciousness onto the parched earth of materialism and dullness. You stand at the vanguard of original thinking and tolerance, so you are not averse to seeking partners from other cultures, or other races. Your freedom is extremely important and you hate to be tied down, although, because your mind may be absorbed in some challenging study, you may not notice infringements to this rule for some time. When you do notice, you may react explosively and head for the door.

Aquarius is a fixed sign, but you are not stuck in the mud. You can seem to be rather impersonal, but this is because you are immersed in painting the bigger picture. Your deepest needs are for a satisfying and complementary relationship, which gives you freedom and tolerance along with both mental and physical stimulation. With the right person you are a passionate, uninhibited and understanding lover and partner for life.