From Celebrating the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, See Where the Stars Will Take You
Israeli postage stamp from 1961 designed by I. Blaushild. (Karen Horton)
This horoscope is for February 2015.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Kuala Lumpur becomes a stunning vision this month as the temples combine with streets covered in red lanterns for Chinese New Year. (pjfncs27/Flickr)
The month starts off with the Sun and Mercury retrograde in your sign, Aquarius, making you (and the rest of the world) feel a little more introspective and reflective. Use this time before the New Moon in your sign on the 18th as it is intended: as an opportunity to let go of whatever is unnecessary from the last year. It’s perfect timing to make room for any luck and prosperity that comes as you celebrate Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the streets are lined with red lanterns all month, awaiting the festivities. Enjoy the food, the fireworks, and the fun as the world ushers in the Year of the Goat, and let any challenges of the last year dissolve into the ethers. It’s time to start anew!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Celebrate Chinese New Year with a bang in Hong Kong! (s tsui/Flickr)
Well, Pisces, you certainly have a jam-packed month! Neptune, Venus, and Mars are all in your sign this month, and the Sun shifts into your sign on the 19th and brings with it the most celebrated Moon of the year. It’s the perfect energetic combo as you head off to vibrant Hong Kong to take part in the excitement of Chinese New Year! Welcome in the Year of the Goat on Feb. 19 as the parade lights up the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui district (TST for short), with jugglers, music, dancing, and yes, a few goats on parade. Marvel at the fireworks in Victoria Harbour on Feb. 20, and cheer the horses along at the Chinese New Year Cup races the following day. You are loaded with vigor this month, so you might as well be right in the center of it all!
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Feel the wonder of being surrounded by the giant 700 year-old Redwoods in California. (Marc Soller/Flickr)
The Moon, Venus, and Mars move into your sign around Feb. 20, setting the stage for you to open your heart to new possibilities and offering you a chance to connect more deeply with loved ones. This is the perfect time to journey to the fabled Redwood Forest in Northern California. These giants could tell stories from the last 700 years, back to the early days of the Renaissance in Italy and to the start of the Ming Dynasty in China. Some may even be 2,000 years old! So how do they do it? Their roots extend outward for up to 100 feet, intertwining with the roots of other trees, essentially creating one massive, living, breathing organism, with a phenomenally strong base. Think about it. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Connecting with others, joining hands, and being together on this journey? You are part of it, Aries, and the planets are supporting you this Valentine’s month to take the time now to make those loving connections. They will only make you stronger.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
The white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and famous Divi Divi trees of Aruba are calling your name, Taurus! (Getty Images)
Your job this month, Taurus, is to see everything through the eyes of happiness and love. As Valentine’s Day approaches and as you lead up to Chinese New Year, let go of the previous year so you can start with a clean slate. The Moon in your sign on Feb. 22 and 23 will help open you up to a more loving and receiving space. With all of this in mind, pop on down to Aruba, rightfully known as the “Happy Island.” The weather is always perfect, the sun is always shining, and the water is always calm and inviting. Snooze under an umbrella on the white sands of Eagle Beach, or snorkel the turquoise waters of Malmok Beach, where the water is so clear you can actually see the shipwreck offshore. Being there will help you to see the world anew with those big, beautiful eyes of yours.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
The rather appropriately-named Elephant Rock in the Valley of Fire just outside Las Vegas. (Thinkstock)
Ah… You finally get a little respite from all the planetary chaos that’s been swirling about. Just kidding! It never really stops, right Gemini? Might as well embrace life’s excitement and insanity — in Vegas! From swimming in a fabulous rooftop pool to people-watching along the bling bling Strip to the natural wonders of the Valley of Fire nearby — Las Vegas has it all. Vegas always puts on a show, and Chinese New Year is no different. It goes all out and is one of the top spots for the Lunar festivities on Feb. 19, so get yourself right to the middle of it, Elvises and all (He was Year of the Dog, by the way.). Then the Moon in your sign from Feb. 24 through Feb. 26 is making you just about the most fun person on the planet! Viva Las Vegas!
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Soak in the sun and cool blue Caribbean waters of Cozumel, Mexico. (Corbis)
You are the bookend for February, Cancer, as we start and end this heart-centric month with the Moon in your sign. It’s fitting since under that tough outer shell, you’re a real softy who just wants love and cuddles (even if you may have your crab claws out at times). This month, let the planets support you in letting down your guard and allowing you to show that sweet side as you find yourself in Cozumel, Mexico, where you can join in a traditional Mayan steam lodge. Yes, you will get hot — very hot. And yes, you will sweat — like crazy. But in all the heat and the sweating, some of those old barriers will come down, leaving you lighter, freer… simply more open. When you’re done, you can celebrate by floating in the soothing waters of the Caribbean, making it all so worth it.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Surf’s up! Grab your board and hit the waves in Nosara, Costa Rica. (Corbis)
It’s an intense month, Leo. The Full Moon in your sign on the 3rd, Mercury and Jupiter retrograde, and Venus’ and Mars’ recent movements are making you peer more deeply into love this month. The planets at times may even be causing you to question yourself and your affections. It’s ok; go there, work through it, and then come out the other end feeling stronger in your heart space. Ride the waves (physically and emotionally) in the laidback beach town of Nosara, Costa Rica, as you kick back and do the inner work at hand. This is all part of the process of getting closer to your own truth, and this love-infused month is the perfect time to do it.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than relaxing on the heart-shaped Tupai Island in French Polynesia? (Corbis)
The Moon in your sign on the 5th and 6th and other planets this heart-centered month are making you all about sweet sweet love, Virgo! Being typically reserved when it comes to expressing emotions, you may feel extra vulnerable this month. It’s ok! In fact, it’s a good thing! It just means you are opening yourself up more to the love around you. Dive into these emotions this Valentine’s Day as you swim around the incredible blue lagoon of Tupai Island, a stunning heart-shaped island in French Polynesia near Bora Bora, accessible by helicopter or yacht. Enjoy this exclusive island’s white sand beaches and the shade given from the coconut trees that cover the island. Let the beauty of this most romantic spot in the South Pacific open your heart, shed your insecurities and fall deeper in love.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
San Francisco certainly doesn’t skimp out on its Chinese New Year festivities! (Mark/Flickr)
Chinese New Year festivities begin early in the month with ceremonies of letting go of the past year in order to start anew. It all occurs around the time when the Moon is in your sign from the 7th-9th, giving you a chance to personally peek inside and see what needs to be released. Take advantage of this introspective time, as the planets are urging you to cultivate healthy boundaries and practice being present in love on a daily basis. Come the 19th, it’s time to celebrate the fresh start with the firecrackers and world-famous parade in San Francisco’s Chinatown, which is said to be the best spot in the Western Hemisphere to celebrate the start of the Year of the Goat. Enjoy the amazing costumes, acrobats, musicians and of course the crowd favorite: “Gum Lung,” the golden dragon who dances through the streets with the help of 100 martial artists. Finish it all up with fireworks in San Francisco Bay, and you have a wonderful start to the new Lunar Year 4713, Libra!
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Not your average snow fort: the large, colorful snow sculptures at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido are sure to dazzle and impress! (Corbis)
You, dear Scorpio, are all about having fun this month! Good old fashion winter fun. Happily, Mars’ new movement and the Moon in your sign on February 10th and 11th are lining up perfectly for you to go take part in the Sapporo Snow Festival on Hokkaido, the most northern island of Japan. There, you can zip down an ice-slide at lightening speed, check out the ice sculptures that look like dragons or Japanime, or ice skate in front of a huge ice palace, colorfully lit up from within. Then enjoy an evening stroll through Sapporo, where you can crack open a huge snow crab claw (a local specialty) and wash it down with a can of the locally brewed beer, called by the same name. And while you’re at it, the powder on the nearby slopes is some of the best you will find in the world. This month, it’s all about cutting loose and feeling free.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Head to New Orleans to enjoy the floats, food, and crazy atmosphere of Mardi Gras. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The Moon in your sign on the 12th through the afternoon of the 14th will join forces with Saturn, making serious about having fun. Where else to be than Mardi Gras in New Orleans! Grab your feathered mask and join in the “krewe” parades, Mardi Gras balls and other festivities which have been city traditions evolving since the 1730s. The events begin early in the month, and culminate in a grand Bacchus-loving, beaded necklace-throwing party in the popular French Quarter on the 17th, on “Fat Tuesday” itself. Be sure to indulge in the colorful “king cakes,” beignets and other treats NOLA is known for. Sagittarius, your Mardi Gras-inspired motto this month is most definitely: Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll!
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Head to Rio de Janeiro for the larger-than-life party that is Carniva and soak in all the samba music and feathery costumes! (Shutterstock)
The mobile Moon jumps into your sign from the 14th through the 17th of the month, as the rest of the planets are lining up making you want to dance and move! Lucky for you, this is all in perfect timing with the biggest party on the planet: Carnival in Rio de Janeiro! This party begins once King Momo, the jolly king of all Carnivals, is given the keys to the city. Then it’s an all night every night event ending just before sunrise from the 13th through the 17th. Learn to swivel your hips along with the beat that takes over the streets as you watch the colorful parade of samba school floats go by, full of elaborate costumes and masks, with dancers bejeweled, sequined and feathered. They say everyone should experience Carnival once in their lives. Your time is now, Capricorn!
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