Horoscopes: Thursday, August 6, 2020

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Taking a thing a little too seriously squeezes all the potential for fun out of it. And taking a thing far too seriously leads to suffering. Err on the side of fun today.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Those feelings that are so much a part of who you are seem to be mostly completely out of your control. However, you can steer yourself toward environments, people and situations that are likely to tease out just the mood you want.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Because only one person can be inside a mind, an inner sense of reality is a hard thing to share. You have to use symbols like language, image and movement to convey a feeling, and you’ll do a brilliant job of it.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). If the risk is minimal and the upside is obvious, you would think it would be an easy yes. But that is not taking into account the complexities of mind, body and spirit. There are other forces at work here. Trust intuition.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Relationships that involve deception and manipulation are, by definition, toxic environments. If necessary for the sake of the bigger picture, with the proper protections in place, toxic environments can be tolerated.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It is better to learn lessons early on in a process while there’s still the excuse of being new and you’re likely in the proximity of teachers. Get in there and make mistakes as soon as possible. Lessons that come too late get embarrassing.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If this day were an ice cream stand, then it would not be the sidewalk vendor with three prepackaged options. This is the one with dozens of flavors and toppings -- overwhelming, unless, of course, you have a deep sense of who you are.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The number of people in a family, at a gathering or on a social media post won’t matter nearly as much as the feelings among those who are present.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Every ending is a new beginning. This hopeful assurance doesn’t address the fact that transitions require a great deal of energy. Rest up, take good care of yourself, and give yourself plenty of compassion right now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Lifting weights builds body strength. Processing information brings mental strength. Strength of character comes either through enduring hardship or via the endeavor of helping others.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It’s hard to learn without consistency. When one action consistently nets the same result, learning is reinforced. You’ll be teaching the people around you who you are. Keep this principle in mind.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). There are deals to be made and bargains to be struck, and you’ll make the most of this, all the while knowing that the best interactions of life are not transactional. You can only get so much from the world through negotiation.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (August 6). Exceptional powers of observation will help you navigate a tricky and competitive atmosphere and, eventually, win a gigantic prize. Even so, that is not the most important work you’ll do this year. You will teach someone to love by loving them. And you will lift your family by giving yourself all you need to succeed. Virgo and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 40, 3, 33, 12 and 6.