LIBRA ARIES
You’re opposite signs who can match up well, but you
sometimes baffle one another, too. Aries rules the self and Libra rules
relationships. Libra is a lover; Aries is a fighter. Your polar extremes can be
a great complement if you borrow what the other does best. Rash, temperamental
Aries could stand to give others the benefit of the doubt, to look before
leaping—something the wise Judge does well. Languid, overly accommodating Libra
can learn to speak up, say no, and take action instead of pondering the
possible consequences for a year. Although your differences can be irritating,
they also make you a well-rounded couple if you play them right. When Aries
needs to rant, patient Libra offers uninterrupted listening, capped with sage,
sensible feedback. In return, Aries helps Libra overcome a mortal fear of
conflict, teaching this sign how to stand up for his rights. As parents, or
even business partners, you play the good cop/bad cop routine like seasoned
pros. Just be willing to adjust your internal thermostats as needed. Hotheaded
Aries will need to dial down the anger, lest all that concentrated emotion
throw Libra’s scales off balance. Erudite Libra will need to descend from that
lofty, cultured perch and take a bold risk. (No, Aries does NOT consider ten
years a reasonable time to wait for an engagement ring—and never will.)
Compromise is essential for you to find a rhythm.
LIBRA TAURUS
Your signs are both ruled by Venus, but your disparate
elements prevent this from being an ideal match. Taurus is a fixed Earth sign
who builds his castle by the sweat of his brow, then lords over its
inhabitants. Libra is cardinal Air, a Queen bee who buzzes around, ruling the
hive without doing the drone-work. You both want to be in charge, but your clashing
leadership styles create a patchwork parliament that can’t agree on anything.
Taurus is planted on terra firma, and Libra lives in the clouds. Of course, if
the Bull is content to be the provider while Libra dresses up and plays
charming host, then this can work. You’re certainly an attractive pair of
aesthetes, and you share high-end tastes in fashion, décor, food and all the
Venusian pleasures. Shameless snobbery is a shared affliction, but neither of
you cares to be cured. You love to talk about art, literature, politics,
everything under the sun—though Taurus may find Libra’s values superficial, and
moderate Libra will take offense to the Bull’s heavy handed opinions. At least
your sexual attraction is strong, and that will take you far enough. However,
conflict-avoiding Libra will need to build up some backbone to avoid being
steamrolled by dominating Taurus. The Bull will need to turn down the volume,
and Libra must get better at addressing issues head on, rather than letting
them fester.
LIBRA GEMINI
You’re compatible Air signs with silver tongues
and gilded wings, a magical match indeed. Libra is a pretty pixie and Gemini is
an impish sprite. Your meeting rouses the fairies and gnomes, stirring up
mischief in your midst. You love to mingle and schmooze, and you’ll chatter
like two little tree monkeys, gabbing a mile a minute. But will the breathless
excitement last? Getting past the superficial romance stage is the challenge.
You’re both so indecisive that nailing down a commitment is like catching
moonbeams in a jar. That said, the illusionary quality of your relationship is
a magic you both enjoy. It’s when life becomes too real that you vanish in a
pinch of enchanted dust. To make this last, you’ll need to dip your toes into
the murky morass of intimacy, then learn to swim. Money can become an issue
between you, particularly the way you spend it. Gemini is ruled by intellectual
Mercury, and would rather invest in college degrees, a film collection,
enriching travel. Libra is governed by beauty and pleasure-loving Venus, and
splashes out on art, couture, custom suits, spas. You’ll need separate wings
for Gemini’s books and Libra’s handbag or shoe collection. You have different
approaches to romance, too. Libra loves a lengthy courtship with all the
trimmings, but Gemini bristles at picking up too many tabs, especially with
Libra’s extravagant taste. You’ll probably need to keep separate accounts to
avoid meddling in each other’s purchase habits. Cut up the credit cards,
too—many happy relationships can be destroyed by debt. Don’t let that happen to
you.
LIBRA CANCER
You’re a sweet, romantic couple, but not always a perfect
match. On the upside, Cancer is ruled by the caring Moon and Libra by romantic
Venus, casting a tender glow on this love affair. With your flair for color,
style and objets d’art, you could open an interior design business (your home
may in fact resemble an Architectural Digest spread). Now, the challenge:
Cancer is a deeply emotional Water sign whose moods fluctuate like the tides.
Libra is a social Air sign who prefers to happy-dance through the daisies.
Between the Crab’s fatalism and Libra’s denial, nobody has a strong grip on
reality. Better keep a few grounded Earth sign friends on speed dial when you
lose perspective. Failing that, you’ll need to adapt to each other’s opposing
natures. Like a stone skipping across the water’s surface, Libra averts the
plunging depths of Cancer’s inconsolable undertows and cloying neediness. Yet,
avoidance is futile, since it only upsets the Crab to be ignored. Libra should
learn that a hug, flowers and an apology (however undeserved) pave the quickest
path to peace. Not that Libra doesn’t have his own powerful undercurrent: when
those scales tips out of balance, he can escalate a minor breakdown into a Code
Orange catastrophe. Admit it: you’re both big babies at times. For long-term
success, find activities you both enjoy: travel, language classes, dancing,
dinner parties. You’re gracious hosts and culturally literate people with lots
to talk about. Get out and savor life together.
LIBRA LEO
You’re a pretty pair, attracted to the other’s good looks
and charm. The courtship phase has all your favorite trimmings: massive
bouquets delivered to your office, iPod mixes of your favorite angsty love
songs, sonnets inspired by your affection. Leo and Libra are two of the
zodiac’s most romantic signs, and you love everything to be pleasant and
harmonious on the surface. The challenge comes when it’s time to get real.
Rather than show your unpleasant humanity, you coat issues in saccharine,
avoiding touchy topics to keep the happy vibes flowing. However, the artificial
sweetness soon leaves a bitter aftertaste, especially for Leo. The Lion is a
Fire sign, with a much more passionate disposition than cooler Air-sign Libra.
Leo is pushy, Libra procrastinates, and you can get caught in a dance of anger
as a result. When truly upset, the Lion roars. Libra can bellow right back, but
he’s more likely to withhold attention, the thing that Leo most craves. Leo’s
demands for affection, praise and validation can drain Libra after a while.
Dramatic highs and lows tip Libra’s scales off balance, inciting a
passive-aggressive backlash. It starts with locked doors and escalates into
Internet porn or even affairs if Leo doesn’t get the hint. You may be better
off as friends if you can’t get beyond this impasse.
LIBRA VIRGO
You’re next-door-neighbor signs who can learn a thing or two
from each other. Virgo is a cautious Earth sign who plans for the worst and
prays for the best. Air-sign Libra not only expects the best, he demands it—and
thus, he usually gets it. In stressful times, Libra’s charm and balanced
perspective is a breath of fresh air for anxious Virgo. The Virgin is ruled by
mentally-stimulating Mercury, and his mind goes a mile a minute. Libra’s ruler
is Venus, the goddess of beauty, love and pleasure. Like a gentle lullaby,
Libra smoothes the rough spots, helping Virgo relax and trust that everything
will be okay. While this may be an illusion, it still has a hypnotic effect on
Virgo. Socially, you mix well. You both enjoy arts and culture, and you’ll
never be at a loss for date ideas: museum openings, concerts, readings. You’re
also a fastidious pair—you’ll have the cleanest house on the block if it’s up to
Virgo, and the most tastefully decorated home if Libra has a say. The one
dynamic to beware: Virgo is the zodiac’s helper and Libra is its pampered diva.
This can easily turn into a master-and-servant scenario, with Libra feigning
helplessness and Virgo scrambling to save him. Like Persephone eating the
pomegranate seeds that doomed her to Hades, Virgo must be careful not to
swallow Libra’s intoxicating tales and sob stories.
LIBRA LIBRA
This perfectly pleasant combination works best when one
Libra is at least ten years older than the other, like Librans Catherine
Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. That way, it’s clear how to divide up the
roles. One of you has to be the primary decision-maker, after all—no easy feat
with two sets of vacillating Scales. Heck, you lapse into analysis-paralysis
when the grocery checker asks, “Paper or plastic?” Because of this, it can take
time for your signs to gel—that is, if the connection doesn’t taper off before
the first date. (Hint: waiting three days to ask each other out is acceptable.
Three years? A little long.) Procrastination can be your downfall, as can
terminal politesse. At all costs, you should have separate vanities and
dressing rooms, as you both like to primp and preen. Zeta-Jones herself once
declared individual bathrooms the secret to a successful marriage. Well, for
two Libras, non-adjoining sinks and mirrors might just make it into your
wedding vows. Once you do come together as a couple, your loyalty to one
another is fierce. You make a cunning tag team who should go into sales
together. One lash-batting Libra oozes charm, wrapping your prey around a
manicured finger; the other swoops in like a hawk for the kill. Later, you’ll
divvy the spoils into equal portions and celebrate in lavish, Bonnie and Clyde
style.
LIBRA SCORPIO
Libra is light and Scorpio rules darkness, but your searing
sexual chemistry blazes through borders. As a couple, you’re quick to bed and
slow to wed. In many ways, the long prenuptial pas de deux is a mutual choice.
Romantic Libra loves an extended courtship—long dinners, vacations and lavish gifts.
Shrewd, suspicious Scorpio will subject Libra to a battery of character tests,
gauging whether Libra can be trusted. Libra is an incurable dilettante whose
surface skimming can feel lightweight beside Scorpio’s obsessive,
detail-focused nature. Because your temperaments are so different, your initial
phase can be fraught with misunderstandings. Libra is an outgoing butterfly and
an unrepentant flirt, provoking Scorpio’s jealousy at every turn. Possessive
Scorpio prefers passionate bedside confidentials to paparazzi and parties, but
Libra quickly feels smothered without a social scene. To say you’ll need
compromise is an understatement. Combine your strengths, though, and you can
also make a powerful society couple—with Scorpio dominating the world from behind
the scenes, and Libra presiding as its lovely, doe-eyed diplomat.
LIBRA SAGITTARIUS
You’re fast friends who make each other laugh, sharing a
sharp, sarcastic wit. People watching is your favorite pastime, and you can
amuse each other with clever observations all day. Romantic Libra brings poetry
and flowers to Sag’s gritty, profanity-strewn world, and active Sagittarius
gets Libra’s nose out of the rosebush. Still, your different paces could cause
friction. Languid Libra likes to take everything slow, weighing and measuring
possibilities on those iconic Scales before acting. Naturally, this frustrates
impetuous Sag’s text-message attention span. The Archer prefers to leap before
looking, relying on luck and goodwill to save the day. Such gambling and lack
of security throws Libra’s delicate constitution into a tizzy. Sagittarius
finds Libra’s champagne tastes too snobbish and materialistic—why pay over $20
for anything you can get at a thrift shop or make yourself? Sagittarius’
half-baked ideas and churlish outbursts rain public embarrassment on Libra’s
carefully cultivated rep. When Libra plays damsel or dude in distress,
independent Sag flees instead of saving the day. So why stay together? At the
end of the day, your friendship remains solid. There’s no conflict you can’t
talk through after a time-out. Although you may drift in and out of platonic
feelings, you genuinely care for each other—and that speaks volumes.
LIBRA CAPRICORN
Capricorn is the provider sign, forever seeking a mate in
need of financial backing. Libra is a vain dilettante who’s happy to play muse
to an Earthy benefactor. You have your oft-irreconcilable differences, yet you
stay together all the same. In many ways, you have what the other needs. Libra
is a master of social graces with a billion air-kissed “friends.” Capricorn can
be an antisocial grumble-puss who cleaves to childhood cronies and family.
Libra spends on impulsive pleasures; Capricorn plans for tomorrow. Battles can
be brutal. You’re both convinced of your natural superiority; your haughty
contretemps and ego showdowns merit a Bravo series. Of course, antisocial
Capricorn would never allow cameras into the estate, while Libra would whip
together a stylist, understudy and five-star craft services. Therein lies the
difference: your values. Not an easy hurdle to scale, even for a determined
Goat or a patient Judge. A successful relationship will require much
compromise. The fawning affection romantic Libra craves will be in short order.
Capricorn shows love through acts of service and loyalty, not pandering. Libra
must learn to accept love in a less-adorned package, and trade a few parties
for cozy nights in. Capricorn must exit the cave to meet new people, play host
and smile once a season. You can do it—but will you be happy? That’s the
question.
LIBRA AQUARIUS
You’re one of the zodiac’s easiest matches: just two
carefree Air signs breezing through life with a full roster of friends, travels
and adventures. Together, it’s twice the fun. Although Libra is more the
dashing diva/dandy and Aquarius the quirky Bohemian, your sunny social
dispositions pair well. Every stranger is greeted by your hail-fellow-well-met
embrace, and you collect friends wherever you go. Indeed, you may meet while
chatting at the cheese counter, lounging poolside on the Riviera, or in a dog
park scene reminiscent of an Ephron rom-com (picture Aquarius’ retriever
pouncing on Libra’s dainty teacup terrier—what a metaphor). Your conversational
chemistry guarantees a great first date, even if the prevailing vibe is
platonic. If you hit it off, you’ll host lavish parties with an eclectic mix of
Aquarius’ artsy, leftist comrades and Libra’s highbrow circle, bringing them
all together with panache. Caution: your casual natures can impede intimacy. In
private, you can both be moody, making pouty, indirect plays for affection and
sex. Aquarius is also far less romantic than Libra, at least in the traditional
sense. That humanitarian bent will clash with Libra’s caviar wishes (animal
cruelty!) and fondness of bling (blood diamonds!). Most days, you take those
differences in stride. Having a lifelong playmate is worth it.
LIBRA PISCES
Drifting into a dappled dreamscape of your own imagination,
your poetic souls entwine against astrological odds. Libra is an Air sign and
Pisces is a Water sign; together you can stir a gentle sea breeze or drown in
your own sexual tsunami. But oh, the romance is worth it. Like any good
bodice-ripper, there’s passion, intrigue and mystique to spice up this
storyline. You can get lost for days in a decadent meal, a gorgeous sonata,
each other’s luminous eyes. While the cynics gag, they secretly envy your
enchanted, oxytocin-addled bliss. Living in a fantasy is fun for your signs,
and gratification eclipses all boundaries and structures. Another Sancerre, an
hour less sleep—it can all be justified in the name of pleasure. It’s when
reality steps in that things get hairy. After waking past noon in your
umpteenth limb-and-linen tangle, you remember that pesky paycheck, your stuffed
Inbox, the unopened mail. Oops. Hung over and wholly unequipped to deal with
the overwhelm, you lash out at each other. Without outside contact and
obligations to anchor you, you can both descend into bouts of moodiness,
indulgence and even depression. Balance—the Libra catchphrase—must be practiced
early on.
