PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY January 20 2014 to January 26 2014 Monday January 20 Chain Reaction Dear Jonathan, I received an email, saying August 2014 will have five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Apparently this only happens once every 823 years. In China, they call it 'Silver Pockets Full'. The letter suggested that if I passed it on to my friends, money would come into my life and, if I didn't, I'd become poorer. Is this true? Elise Dear Elise, A calendar month that contains five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays occurs nearly every year. There'll be another August like this in 2025. I can't tell you how much I dislike chain letters. Please just ignore it! Tuesday January 21 For Your Eyes Only Hi Jonathan, Sometimes my forecast totally differs from that of my lover. For example, my forecast might predict a difficult relationship day while his is full of love and passion or suggests his day will be easy-going. What could the explanation be? Marie Hi Marie, Though I know many people read one forecast for their own sign, then another for a friend or loved one, my predictions are intended only for the ears and eyes of the recipients. What your partner might read into his forecast may differ, surprisingly, from what you infer when you read it on his behalf. Wednesday January 22 Duwende Alert! Hi Jon, I live in Manila and often find things from my bathroom laid in a neat line outside the door when I wake. At first I was amazed. Subsequent inquiry produced a blase explanation. 'Oh, it's just the dwarves playing!' Apparently they live under a mango tree in my garden and come inside to play at night. I took this with a pinch of salt until I saw a pair one afternoon. One about 12 inches, another half that size. Nicholas Dear Nicholas, Even astrologers, wacky though folk think we are, daren't endorse such ideas. So, no comment! Thursday January 23 Willie Lilly Thirty-three years ago, I attended some fascinating lectures by the late Derek Appleby. He explained how to implement the techniques of the 17th-century astrologer, William Lilly, who lived when there were no birth certificates and few people even knew their sign. When approached with a question, Lilly would simply cast a chart for the place and time a client approached him. Then, following remarkably strict and complex rules, he'd reach most impressive answers. Such horoscopes are called 'Horaries' or questions of the hour. I became briefly tempted, to make them my own speciality. More on this tomorrow. Friday January 24 Horary Astrology A horary chart is cast in much the same way as a birth chart but interpreted rather differently. The traditional rules were perhaps most definitively reiterated in books by William Lilly (1602-1681). I studied these complex techniques in the eighties, with my friend, Maurice McCann, an avid student of Derek Appleby. Sadly both have since passed on and I have grown shamefully rusty in this area of my art. But when Isabel wrote about her mysteriously moving pot plant, I was keen to see what a horary astrologer might make of this. Next week, I will share the results. Saturday January 25 Your Week Ahead To see Venus this week, you'll have to get up early. It is currently a 'herald of the dawn', shining brightly, briefly in the east, just before the Sun rises up and drowns out its light. If you were to watch it day after day, at much the same hour for much the same length of time, you'd notice that it is holding much the same position relative to the surrounding stars. It is 'stationary'. That's auspicious, encouraging news for anyone who has a grand romantic hope, an artistic, creative vision or a plan to launch a successful business. Sunday January 26 Your Week Ahead - Love Focus Remember, your Love Forecast today doesn't just cover romance. A love forecast may also have something to say about your family life, your closest friendships and even some of your most important working relationships. Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts