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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and many are wondering what gift to give to the special someone in their life. All sun signs have one thing in common: the wish to express their love to those around them. If you are stumped about a Valentine’s Day gift this year, worry not- this is common.

Fortunately, the science of astrology can offer some pretty good clues to the likes and dislikes of your Valentine.  Here are a few hints before you go gift shopping:

Aries

Your Aries lover is anything but practical. Aries is the star sign of the impulsive. They will appreciate anything fun or humorous. Is there a special inside joke you can play off of? Perhaps they have taken a sudden interest in learning to play an instrument? Of course, when all else fails, the flamboyant Aries personality will always accept the gift of jewelry from their Valentine.

Taurus

A Taurus requires a thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift, so take the time to think ahead. They are easily offended by thoughtlessness. Taurus are practical people who will appreciate anything useful. Perhaps a new briefcase or a set of comfortable pajamas would feed their need for practicality. Otherwise, a Taurus is always appreciative of fine dining, but skip the restaurant. A Taurus is a creature of comfort who would rather enjoy a romantic night at home.

Gemini

If your Valentine is a Gemini, you probably already know that they are great communicators. A new cell phone would be a great gift in consideration of their talkative nature. If your Gemini prefers written communication, a nice Stationery set never goes out of style. More importantly than the gift, however, your love will want to spend time talking to you on Valentine’s Day. Clear your schedule.

Cancer

For Cancers, the presentation is as important as the gift. Your Valentine appreciates good manners and class, so be ready to dazzle. Skip anything sexy. Go for something sentimental. A Cancer will appreciate anything you make yourself. Another great Valentine’s Day gift idea for the Cancer is a photo session to commemorate your relationship. If all else fails, the Moon reigns over the star sign, which means they are drawn to silver.

Leo

Leos have a flair for the dramatic, so don’t be subtle. For Valentine’s Day, consider a gift of tickets to their favorite form of entertainment- a great movie will suffice, but they’d prefer something a little more social. Think about a ballet or a concert, instead. The Leo in your life would also appreciate a gift of fine jewelry or a day at the spa. They love to pamper themselves and they want to be pampered by you, too.

Virgo

Virgo is an Earth sign, so skip cut flowers and opt for a plant- they appreciate anything living. If the weather is nice, a picnic lunch and stargazing are great Valentine’s Day options for the Virgo, who will not be expecting an expensive gift, anyway. If the weather isn’t nice, a trip to the book store will do work wonderfully.

Libra

Valentine’s Day was made for Libras. They like all the classical gifts and are suckers for aesthetics and being spoiled. Candy, jewelry, flowers, and stuffed animals are fool-proof gift ideas for this star sign. Present them after some wining and dining at the restaurant of their choice.

Scorpio

Scorpios are seductive and mysterious and they love to look their best. A new item of clothing is a great idea. Tarot decks, crystal balls, or a good mystery novel will feed into their love of riddles. If you’re brave enough, though, the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for a Scorpio is something seductive. Think lingerie first, but other adult-friendly gifts won’t be underappreciated, either.

Sagittarius

Sags love to travel. Take a weekend away- even if you are only visiting a neighboring town. Get out and see something new and make an adventure of it. If traveling isn’t an option, send your Sag on a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt in search of small, thoughtful, but practical gifts. They will love the experience more than the items.

Capricorn

Capricorns appreciate warm comfort and hard work. Complete that task they have been putting off at home. Alternatively, you might prepare them a kettle of soup and a cozy night in. Capricorns are prone to feeling unappreciated, so the loving thoughtfulness will go a long way. Whatever you do, though, don’t go big on any surprises. Don’t propose to a Capricorn on Valentine’s Day or fly in friends or family from far away. Keep your gift to this star sign simple.

Aquarius

Aquarius love anything outside of the ordinary. Buy your Valentine the gift of a day of sightseeing at local art galas or shopping from unique market spots. They appreciate anything different and new- so don’t overlook any high tech gadgets that just hit stores, either. If nothing else, online auctions are a treasure trove of Aquarius-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts. Buy them a prop from their favorite film or a funky, antique piece of furniture.

Pisces

Pisces battle feelings of emotional insecurity. Ruled by water, they often feel adrift and unbalanced. Spending a day reminding your Pisces how much they are loved and appreciated will make a better Valentine’s Day gift than gold or chocolate. Eat at their favorite restaurant, rent their favorite movie, and run them a bubble bath- but remember their favorites on your own. Research ahead, if you must, but the ticket to making this gift work is not having to ask them what they want.

 

A quick internet search for the world ‘love’ reveals that the world is somewhat preoccupied with it. In excess of a billion results pop up in your search engine, from dating sites and portals for people to share romantic poetry, to love calculators, song titles and agony aunt pages.

It just goes to show that Tennessee Williams couldn’t have been further from the truth when he claimed it was “just another four-letter word”.

However, this might just be a good thing. You may think your love life gives you nothing but trouble, but true love – in all its forms, not just the romantic type – has the power to do amazing things for your wellbeing, health and soul.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines love as “the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment”, so we’re going to include the feelings we have for loved ones such as family members and friends in this guide, rather than only the ‘red roses and walks on the beach with a partner’ variety.

It’s easy to assume your mates might think you’ve gone crackers if you suddenly start telling them you love them, but bringing the emotion into your life and using it to connect with people on an everyday basis – and perhaps subtly to avoid strange looks – could be a simple way to boost your levels of happiness and create a more balanced outlook.

Love can improve my health? 

It certainly can. Studies consistently show that people with a solid network of friends live longer than their counterparts who tend to be more isolated. More directly, giving someone a hug can lower blood pressure almost straight away, while holding hands with a partner also has similar results.

Past research from Rutgers University found that people who were shown pictures of loved ones displayed elevated levels of dopamine in their brains, a hormone that’s associated with energy and optimism.

Over the long term, love also has the power to significantly reduce stress, which could mean you’re less likely to experience heart problems and should even have clearer skin thanks to a reduction in the hormone cortisol.

Keeping the romance going…

If you are fortunate enough to be in a long-term relationship, it’s vital not to take it for granted, as this can start to reverse those positive effects on your wellbeing. Try to keep the romance alive by thinking about why you fell in love in the first place, as being in a relationship with someone you love deeply can help to give you a more positive mindset in general and could even reduce mental health issues such as depression.

…but knowing when it’s not right too

However, that’s not to say you should remain in a romantic relationship if you know it isn’t working out, as this can harm your wellbeing. Instead, have the confidence to call it a day and wait for someone who fits your life, needs and situation. If you’re having trouble seeing this, try giving one of our love experts at Sundial Psychics a call for a chat and a little clarity.

Make time for your friends and family

As we mentioned earlier, this isn’t only about romantic love, so it’s important to ensure you’re making enough time for friends and family. This can be difficult with today’s busy lifestyles – indeed, various studies have shown that we’re interacting with fewer and fewer people because we now spend so much of our time staring at computer screens. OK, so some of this might be used up on Facebook and other social networks, but virtual interaction doesn’t offer anywhere near the same benefits as face-to-face meetings in terms of reducing stress, ruminating on negativity and loneliness.

After all, how many times have you enjoyed belly laughs with your mates that left you feeling as though you could take on the world? And how often have you felt like this after leaving your computer? Exactly.

If you feel as though you haven’t seen your BFFs or your parents and siblings for too long, try setting a date with them as soon as you can, even if it’s just for a walk in the countryside on a sunny afternoon. You’ll realise what a great time you’re having, you’ll feel full of love for them – and then you’ll experience all those positive effects we’ve been discussing, even after they’ve gone home again.

Perhaps you might want to think about taking up a shared hobby so you can feel the warm glow on a regular basis too?

Top tips on bringing love into your life

Here is our best advice on ensuring you’re not unwittingly putting up barriers that are stopping love from entering your life.

•    Don’t let past relationships taint you

Everyone has a romantic relationship or friendship that went sour, but avoid letting them taint your future connections. If you look for love assuming all men/women are cheats and all friends will eventually betray you, then you’re sabotaging love and happiness. Instead, accept them as a lesson and move on.

•    Love yourself

The old saying that you can’t expect love if you don’t love yourself is true, so don’t expect partners or friends to fill in the gaps you perceive in yourself – aim to address them first.

•    Project positivity

If you give out positive energy, you’re likely to get it back, whereas walking around like Eeyore means you’ll get the same attitude in return. Smile, interact with others and say nice things – you might even find that this energy makes you a magnet for love.

•    Open your mind

Accepting that you’re a small part of a wide universe could help you gain perspective, so try new ways of attracting love that you might not have considered before. For example, take a look at our guide on using crystals, have a Tarot reading or book a life coaching session. You never know what might happen!

Follow these tips and you should find that love really is all around – and it’s a free and easy way of soothing your soul.

It’s already October and for those of us who believe in the more spiritual side of things, that means one exciting thing – Halloween.

Falling on October 31st each year, it’s one of the calendar’s most fun festivities and although it has undoubtedly become very commercialised in a lot of ways, Halloween is still a great chance to lament the afterlife and our place in history.

What exactly is Halloween?

Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve is the time just before the feast of All Hallows’ Day in November and has traditionally been a time for remembering dead saints, martyrs and good people. The word itself is believed to date back to the mid-18th century, although the actual festival has been around significantly longer.

However, there is some disagreement over the exact origins. Some say it is purely a Christian festival, while others insist it pre-dates this religion and instead has its roots on Paganism or Celtic harvest festivals.

Although some people still like to observe religious rituals, this side of Halloween tends not to feature much in modern-day celebrations. We do still maintain some traditional aspects though, such as lighting candles to remember people by.

Other traditions and beliefs

Halloween is seen as the one night of the year when the veil between our world and the next is at its thinnest, meaning spirits and supernatural beings have the chance to slip through and wander among us.

There are some quite macabre beliefs surrounding this date, including the suggestion that October 31st is a time when the malevolent dead have the opportunity to exact revenge on anyone left here on Earth for one day only.

This is where the idea of dressing up came from – if you don a costume, there is a chance that the spirit might not recognise you and you can hide until their time is up. However, this idea is widely seen as a bit of fun, so don’t be too fearful.

Another tradition is the hollowing out and carving of vegetables. To start with, they were turnips or mangel wurzels, but settlers in the US adopted pumpkins because they were easier to carve out and the icon of the jack-o-lantern was born.

Some suggest that the earliest pranksters wanted lanterns with sinister faces to trick people into giving them rewards, while others argue that the lanterns were part of the pranks if left on neighbours’ paths and porches.

Another, more frightening myth centres around a man called Jack, who bumped into the devil after a night’s merry-making. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree, then carved a cross in it to stop him getting down and would only free him after striking a deal that the devil could never have his soul.

Unfortunately for Jack, he couldn’t get into heaven when he died (because of all the merry-making) – and the devil wouldn’t retract on his agreement to allow him into hell. However, he did throw him a red-hot coal, which Jack put into a hollowed-vegetable for light and warmth.

Poor Jack is said to still be wandering somewhere between our world and the afterlife, seeking a place to rest in peace – so it could be him you encounter this Halloween.

Rituals and contacting the dead on Halloween 

There are lots of rituals surrounding Halloween – indeed, it’s the one day of the year when everyone is suddenly interested in Wicca, crystals and tarot readings.

For instance, a popular one is for unmarried women to look into a mirror and invite the image of their future husband to appear in the glass before them, or to throw apple peelings over their shoulder and deduce his initial from the shape it makes on the floor.

These are mostly campfire tricks beloved by teenagers, but the ancient belief that Halloween thins the gap between the living and spirits supports the idea that this could be a good time to try to get in touch with departed loved ones.

You could do this by picking a quiet place and looking at a photograph of the deceased. Concentrating on it, talk to them and tell them you miss them, adding that you would like to hear from them if you wish. If the contact works, you may feel an overwhelming sense of love.

Of course, there are also options such as Ouija boards and séances, but caution is advised before venturing into this territory. The layperson could unwittingly end up inviting malevolent spirits in, rather than benefiting from communications with their loved ones.

Instead, let us do the hard work by giving one of our mediums a call. We’ll no doubt be as busy as usual this October 31st, but we’ll try to fit in as many conversations as we can – and yours could be the one that changes this festival for you forever.

Happy Halloween, whatever you’re doing this year!