If you’re keen to ramp up the sensuality factor in an existing relatinship, maybe you’re dating someone newish and want to um, seal the deal, or you’ve been together for ages and it’s time to make a commitment, circle Tuesday 13 July.

That date has a very erotic aspect: Venus (love, beauty) in Virgo trine Pluto (depth, sexuality) in Capricorn. When these two planets meet, glances are exchanged, sensuality dominates and no-one wants to stay platonic anymore!

If you’ve been thinking of proposing, this is the best date in July to get engaged. It follows the New Moon in Cancer (New Moons always mean fresh starts, growth and beginnings) and Cancer rules family.

A Venusian Virgo proposal suggests you’ve thought things out romantically with a cool head - it’s not a Las Vegas quickie-style elopement you’re after – and Pluto in Capricorn points to long-term, unconditional commitment.

These two earthy signs want to build something over a long period of time; Venus wants to be adored and Pluto just wants to have sex!

If you have any interest in having children, you could be extra-fertile today…

Men who want to rekindle the spark in their relationship should treat their wife as a lover, and “ignore” the kids this Mother’s Day.

While it’s adorable to receive handmade gifts, and burnt toast and watery coffee as breakfast in bed from the kids, what wives really want is recognition of their relationship from their husbands.

Women crave special attention from their husbands to keep the romance alive in their relationships.

Ironically, making Mother’s Day an event that is all about her mothering, does not make her feel passionate about her husband.

If a woman gets pigeonholed too much as a mother, she gets locked into her Moon sign, while rules mothering and nurturing.

This is where she can easily become ‘his’ mother, cossetting and nagging him, but rarely desiring him.

Men crave passion in their wives and the best way to do this is to tap back into her Venus sign, turning her back into his lover.

Venus is the planet of love and beauty and being cherised as a lover makes a woman desire her man (Mars).

The perfect way to do this is to give your wife gifts which have nothing to do with the children, or with mothering. It needs to be all about you two as a couple.

This means you don’t give her flowers, department store perfume gift sets, chocolates, champagne or anything generic but something which represents your relationship.

Women LOVE talking about the relationship and how to make each other happy.

One unique Mother’s Day gift idea is to give her a boxed gift certificate for a beautifully designed, 30-35 page hardcover LoveStars report.

This means you can maintain the surprise because you don’t have to ask her for her birth details and it gives her something to look forward after Mother’s Day when she redeems it.

Treat your wife as a lover this Mother’s Day and hey, she might just put the kids early to bed that night!

If you a) think it’s too corny to get engaged on Valentine’s Day, b) too “expected, or c) you just like teasing your partner and making them wait(!), ask them to marry you on Wednesday 17 or Sunday 28 February.

The 17th February features the absolutely gorgeous Venus conjunct Jupiter in Pisces aspect. This once-in-12-months planetary line-up offers love, sweetness, generosity, joy and abundance. You couldn’t plan a proposal on a nicer day!

If you’re the type who likes to have the ring organised first and payday came after Valentine’s Day, you could also ask on the equally sweet, lovely and optimistic 28th February when the Sun conjuncts Jupiter in Pisces. It’s also the same day as the Full Moon which is the culmination or fruition of a project and plus, it’s super-romantic being proposed to under a a full moon. 

Pisces also rules karmic links and soulmates so if you’re meant to be together, it’ll just feel “right”.

Good luck!

When I read about singer Katy Perry planning to give her brand-new fiancee, Russell Brand, a lilac Bentley for Valentines Day, I thought, “wooah, there, girl!”

They got engaged very romantically on the Full Moon of New Year’s Eve in India after dating since only September 2009.

Whichever way you cut it, after barely five months, they still don’t know each other very well. Yeah, yeah in THAT sense but it takes time for a person’s chart to unfold.

The strongest aspects around their chart have to do with Uranus (no jokes, please) which indicate sudden, enormous attraction, crackling electricity, independence, unconventionality, friendship, but also a definite on-off quality to their relationship.

The sign your Jupiter is in is where you find fun, joy, generosity, and optimism. Katy has hers in Capricorn. While the Mars-Jupiter conjunction that she has is renowned for being super-impulsive (compulsive, even), Capricorn is not known for being splashy with money and prefers to climb the career ladder, building a solid reputation. She also has the Sun, Moon and Mercury in Scorpio which means she is completely passionate – yet also highly strategic.

While I don’t doubt she fancies Russell’s pants off (his Mars in Aries trines her Venus in Sagittarius – lovely for a romantic, sexual attraction), she’s no fool and knows her flamboyant gesture would get publicised (which kinda ruins the surprise for him).

I’m not convinced that these guys can make it last the distance however. Russell has his Moon, Mars and Jupiter in Aries which means he feels, acts and has fun spontaneously. Plus he’s a Gemini and boy, are they hard to tie down! Katy’s more of a planner so his impulsive proposal may come unstuck as transiting Jupiter and Uranus in Aries (mid-year), Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra hit their charts over the next couple of years.

Better keep the receipt for the Bentley!!!

I read that Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) loves the gifts that her World’s Sexiest Man, David Beckham, gives her.

Ha! I would, too. Apart from renting out Richard Branson’s beautiful Necker Island in the Carribbean to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, ol’ Golden Balls also had 10 roses tattooed around his arms to celebrate their 10 years of  marriage.

According to Becks, “I always seem to do pretty well,” he says. “She always seems to be happy with the gifts that I get her.”

Yes, indeed. From an astrological point of view, they are really meant to be. His Mars in Gemini conjuncts her Venus in Gemini while her Venus in Pisces conjuncts his Mars in Pisces. Such a double Venus-Mars conjunction is very unusual – and very, very hot! They still madly fancy each other after all these years and are right in tune – even down to gift-giving.

His Mars in Pisces also conjuncts her Jupiter in Pisces. Mars is what you desire and Jupiter is what brings you joy. David truly desires Victoria’s happiness and recognises that extravagant – yet also wildly romantic – gifts are what she wants. She’s also an Aries, with Mercury in Aries - and they’re not shy about saying what they need!

Victoria has Venus conjuncting Jupiter in Pisces in her seventh house of relationships. Venus is what you love and it’s conjunct Jupiter which is what brings you joy, while Pisces, rules music, movies, mysticism, glamour and feet! The seventh house rules her marriage so she is deeply delighted when Becks sweeps off her feet with romantic gestures and gifts.

They really get each other as they both have the Moon in Aquarius and both of their Suns are in each other’s eleventh house of friends and group activities. They will stay friends no matter what.

Finally, Victoria has a Leo Ascendant which is a prime candidate for somewhat diva-ish, look-at-me behaviour on the outside. Romance, beauty, love and fun are very key for her. David on the other hand has a Cancer Ascendant. He is well-known for being a family man and has often cried after losing important soccer matches.

Well, if he needs cheering up…

Even though July is apparently the least popular month for getting engaged, there are two beautiful dates this month for proposing to your beloved.

On Sunday 26 July, the Moon (feelings, emotions) enters Libra (the sign of relationships and marriage). All that day and the next she is accompanied by the lovely planetary energies of Venus (the Goddess of Love) in Gemini (communication) trining Jupiter (luck, abundance, generosity and joy) in Aquarius (friends and group activities). These beautiful aspects make it easy to communicate how much you love each other and enjoy the friendship that underlines your relationship. So if you want to get engaged, this is one of the loveliest aspects on which to propose (as the answer will surely be yes)!

On Monday 27 July, Venus then trines Neptune (glamour, compassion, sweetness, soul connections) also in Aquarius. Neptune aspects make it easy to make you feel like you met your soulmate. If you somehow didn’t get around to getting engaged on Sunday, proposing on the Monday or even into Tuesday lunchtime is equally star-blessed.

If you’re already married you can take this time to really enjoy connecting all over again with your partner (maybe renew your vows?), while singles could be delighted to discover that someone who they’ve thought of as “just a friend” has been right for them all along.

Still too early to propose? Check out these romantic dates for the rest of 2009.

One of my favourite actresses, Natalie Portman, must have really enjoyed 16th century dress-ups after being in The Other Boleyn Girl, as she has just bought herself a baronial-style mansion in LA.

Going for a reasonable-for-LA $US3.25 million, I was intrigued to notice that it was kind of olde-worlde (can’t you just see Eric Bana chasing her down the corridors wearing his Henry VIII costume).

Natalie’s a Gemini, turning 28 on 9 June.

She has Venus in Cancer. And as Venus rules your decorating taste, a typical Cancerian Venus likes to pull up the drawbridge and close the curtains against the hordes. They want a homey-home and one in which they can bring up a sea of children and to have their family over (they’re not big into partying). They also like homes with history – or, at least, look faux historic. (Built in the 1930s, it’s still standing. which makes it truly ancient for LA.) The only thing that was missing for a typical Gemini bookworm is rows upon rows of bookshelves.

You also look at the Moon sign for what you need in life. Natalie has Moon in Virgo which rules work and health so she’ll love having that huge kitchen to cook her vegetarian dishes in and store her endless supply of vitamins. For all its drama, the house is actually kind of modest, which suits anyone with a Virgo Moon just fine. They actually don’t like being prima donna-ish and are irked by show-offs. The same goes for their homes.

Her new home is rather close to that of Leo Sean Penn, who she’s supposed to be secretly seeing. Sean has Moon in Cancer and Venus in Virgo which complements Natalie’s planets nicely. If they’re really a couple, he’ll love hanging out there, too.

And when Natalie’s Saturn return occurs in December 2009, I think she’ll be spending a LOT of time there, away from pesky paparazzi who may be chasing her and Sean…

If you enjoy spending at least some of your weekend shopping for gifts, this weekend is probably not the best for it.

It features a New Moon in Taurus, which in itself is OK – Taureans love their possessions – but which is going to get activated by the Mercury square Neptune aspect (in force until Sunday morning), and then be followed up by a crushingly brutal Mars square Pluto combination lasting until early Monday.

So what this points to is a “need” (the Moon is what you need) around money, finances, posessions etc. You may “need” to go shopping for a birthday gift. 

Mercury (thoughts, communication) squares Neptune (glamour, illusion, escapism) suggests that you could be severely deluded if you think that antique in the market stall is real, the bag on eBay is a genuine Prada, the gizmo actually does what it suggests etc. Lies, fantasies, wishful thinking, confusion are all typical of a Saturday afternoon at the shops – and then of course, there’s this aspect.

Then the real kicker is Mars (aggression, anger, energy, drive) square Pluto (hidden secrets, power, control, taboo). You could be boxed into a very uncomfortable corner, made to agree to something not in your favour or bullied in a thoroughly unpleasant confrontation.

Since shop assistants aren’t allowed to carry on like this, your weekend could go like this: You want to go shopping for something/anything, so you buy something useless, flimsy, or unreliable, and then you get into a big fight about your spending habits which you’ve been trying to avoid or they finally discover your credit card statement. Or something similar.

This might be one weekend not to go shopping…

Who makes you feel like it was all worth it when you give them a gift? It’s not every Sun sign!

As you may have realised from the previous post, some people are just not that great at accepting (let alone selecting) gifts. Again, there are some planetary signs, houses and aspects that will make some people the chosen gift-givers in your family, circle of friends and at work.

Those who should be made Master/Mistress of Gift Ceremonies are typically those with a strong Venus conjunct/sextile/trine/oppose Ascendant aspect. Venus rules love, beauty and ornaments (ie gifts) while the Ascendant is your public persona. With a lovely planetary combination like this, it is very important to this bunch that they choose something that would delight you when it’s their turn, but equally, that they show grace, charm and tact when accepting your gift (even if it’s soap-on-a-rope).

In a similar vein, those with Moon (feelings, perceptions, intuition) conjunct/sextile/trine Venus and/or Neptune makes them highly sensitive (in a good way) to your feelings. They wouldn’t want you to feel bad byseeming ungrateful – even if you gave them a tasteless, cheap, inappropriate present. YOUR feelings are actually more important. This is also true of those with Moon or Venus in the seventh house of relationships. They just want a general atmosphere of loveliness.

Those with a fun-loving Jupiter in the second or fifth house, and/or Taurus or Leo, and/or in good aspect (conjunct/sextile/trine ) to Venus, are very generous – in spirit and wallet – whether they are the gift-giver or recipient. They usually look forward to spending money and spoiling those they love. Your joy is their “payment”. They equally know how to laugh off (nicely) ridiculous items, turning it into a little joke after the event.

You might not know whether a Scorpio really likes the gift you gave him – their poker faces give nothing away. However, if you’re stumped what to get someone else, your Scorpio will be able to put you on the right track. They listen, listen, listen (in a different way from the Librans) and notice everything. Something that was mentioned years ago will mysteriously be presented on the Big Day.

Cancers, Librans and Pisceans are enormously sentimental and will keep their gifts, cards and wrapping paper as if to keep the gift experience alive. They – more than any other Sun sign – really mean it when they say it’s the thought that counts. If your gift somehow includes them – a photo, a meal etc – or something that they can keep forever to remind them of you, they’ll be utterly touched.

When a friend or family member’s birthday is coming up, how do you feel about presenting them with the gift? While the ads on TV will have you believe that everyone beams with joy upon a receiving a gift, nay, it isn’t so.

Why? There are some planetary signs, houses and aspects that will make some people grunt their thanks (at best!) while others light up like a Christmas tree when they receive something.

Everyone knows the type of gift recipient who will attempt to smile and nod when they receive something (and that’s their best efforts at enthusiasm). These ingrates are often shy about openly expressing their appreciation, and just can’t seem to get worked up with the thrill that makes it feel worthwhile making an effort to give them a gift.

Many of them are ”cursed” with a Moon and/or Mercury conjunct/square/oppose Saturn aspect. Any of these combinations makes them awfully self-conscious, pessimistic, and disbelieving of their worthiness. If you get them a good present, they feel embarrassed, obligated, or even suspicious of your motives, ie “what do you really want from me?”. If you get them a (quite honestly) bad gift, they feel that they don’t deserve any better and will then moan no-one cares. Yes, it’s not too fun giving them something.

Others tough gift nuts to crack are those with Saturn in the second house. Saturn rules what makes you feel uncomfortable, insecure, unworthy, shy – you get the drift – and the second house rules money, values, possessions and other material goodies. If you don’t buy them a super-good, thoughtful present that’s the best you can afford, they feel you don’t care. These guys are quite often the type to judge their relationship with you by the quality of the gifts you give.

A related gift-giver is one with a heavy Virgo or Capricorn focus in their chart (and Taurus to a lesser degree). They can be surprisingly mean and have no compunction about re-gifting, or just giving you a “token” present eg a jar of jam, a small book etc – even for a milestone birthday. They just don’t like spending money. The gifts they prefer to give tend to be actual services ie they will happily help you move, repair something or offer advice that you’d normally pay for.

Geminis, Sagittarians and Aquarians can often get a kick out of giving someone a gift that strays dangerously close to being wildly inappropriate, just to get a rise out of them. These are the whoopee cushions and other silly gags (especially appealing to Sagittarians), books that send a message ie How to Win Friends and Influence People (Geminis are most guilty of this) and those are so left-field no-one can believe they bought them – take a bow, Aquarius.

Those with a heavy Aries, Mars or first house focus in their charts are hopeless at thinking about others. And you won’t be in any doubt how they feel about your prezzie! They either love it and start using it/playing it straightaway (at which point you heave a sigh of relief) or will say, “No, there’s a much newer/better/trendier/cooler X that I want” or something charmingly similar, making you furious you bothered. If they haven’t abdicated their gift-buying responsibilities to someone else, they tend to buy exactly what THEY like as that is what interests them. So ask these guys to give you a gift card to a store you like. You get what you want, it takes them mere seconds if they do it online with an electronic gift certificate AND you can let them know what you bought thanks to them. This’ll then encourage them to do it again as they love praise…

Next post – who’s great at receiving gifts…