The new moon in Scorpio on this eve of Halloween is the opening of a special effect. The lunar sliver does a disappearing act into darkness — a black sheet over our senses to disorient us, even as it builds anticipation, hovers in possibility and sets us up for any number of wonderful outcomes, tricks and illusions. This is the "abra" before the "cadabra."

ARIES (March 21-April 19). If a goal does not have an end date and a time frame to pin things on along the way, it's not really a goal. It's better to have one aim that's set to the music of time than 10 aims that are not.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There's the role you're in and the role you'll be in eventually. Think about and manage both simultaneously. This process of becoming will be seamless as you project yourself into the future of your making.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There will be an opportunity for a possibly uncomfortable, possibly liberating bit of honesty. Weigh this carefully. You can shear a sheep many times, but you can only skin it once.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). The third act: That's the one that's supposed to tie it all together and make sense of it. Well, it doesn't always happen so neatly, and that is what's going on today — a fun little mess that will all work out in the end.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're still unsure about how much to share in a relationship. If you keep it cordial and only talk about socially acceptable topics, you run the risk of being boring and also sadly unexpressed. You can afford to go deeper.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't have to travel far for your happiness today; nor do you need to look beyond your immediate environs for answers. Your best guess is as good as anyone's. Trust yourself, and use what you got.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Just as the oceans can't help but follow their master, the moon, people have their own natural attractions. To resist them is a futile waste of energy. How can you make your proclivities work for you?

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Kindness and acceptance are not only qualities that get you through life with a fair amount of grace; for you they are also deeply engrained daily habits. Expect no less from those in your inner circle.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). One way to make life better is to find satisfaction before fullness in all things. Get what you need and a little more, but don't allow yourself to have all that you can fit. Leave room.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Do talk of your achievements so others get a fuller picture of what you're about. A brief mention is all it takes. More than that and you'll seem insecure.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Keep working to establish habits. Cyclical forces will pull you along. It may not feel like you're doing too much, but these small daily efforts are important. They mean more than you think, and they'll change more, too.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). What is needed to polish your jewels to brilliance? Friction. This requires some muscle from you and maybe some technique, too. But without the uncomfortable rub, life will lack luster. Without friction there is no shine.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 30). Tune in. Your senses won't lie to you. Next month, you'll get that tingle of excitement that tells you you're about to get on a hot streak. Family and your fortunes are all wrapped up together. The end of the year is so romantic. December changes the game. March folds your plan into a bigger one. Adventure! Cancer and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 20, 22, 24 and 14.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: At this point, one can only speculate about what kind of Samhain party was thrown 2,000 years ago in Celtic lands. Some suggest it was a communal meeting to sort out and divvy up the harvest. It's likely that livestock were slaughtered and preparations were made for the cold months ahead. Perhaps these and other practicalities were the main event, or maybe they were overshadowed by mystical rituals to honor this darker moment of life's natural cycle. It was, after all, believed to be the time when the boundaries between worlds could be more easily crossed; creatures seeking passage to new realms could roam; the dead could communicate with the living; and fairies and nature spirits could find expression in the whispering forests and foggy hillsides. The transformational magic of Scorpio is very much alive in the sky for this Halloween, Samhain and All Saints' Day. The new moon on Sunday continues in Scorpios realm until early Tuesday, leaving with a magic trine to dreamy Neptune. If there's someone you would like to communicate with who happens to be a world away from you, this is the week to do it.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Look for Matthew Morrison to appear with Christina Aguilera and Hugh Jackman in "Broadway 4D." The triple-threat Broadway entertainer is a Scorpio who draws on all of his considerable talents to create such loveable characters as Will Schuester of the television series "Glee." Morrison was born when the sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Uranus were all in Scorpio. His natal Jupiter, the planet of luck, is in Leo.

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