Do you believe that the key to finding your soul mate is only in your stars? That you and your partner must have compatible Sun signs if romance is going to thrive? Not so! The truth is that many couples who seem ideally matched astrologically don't sustain a loving relationship. While most astrology books may tell you that true love is a matter of fate, Diane Eichenbaum's Soul Signs in Love shows you that you have the freedom to create the relationship that's right for you. Eichenbaum reveals that relationships involve a combination of factors: destiny, an understanding of each partner's sign, and the willingness to work through the highs and lows of love's natural progression. Each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac corresponds to a phase of a romance, from passionate court-ship, represented by fiery Aries, to the commitment and soul bonding of watery Pisces. Each Sun sign has its gifts (the discernment of Virgo or the enthusiasm of Sagittarius, for example) and its corresponding challenges (the self-doubt of Taurus or the unpredictability of Aquarius) that it brings to a relationship. By understanding that the choice to love and grow with your partner is yours and yours alone, Soul Signs in Love shows you how to enjoy and revel in the unfolding process of discovery and revelation that underlies lasting love. Diane Eichenbaum is the author of Soul Signs: Harness the Power of Your Sun Sign and Become the Person You Were Meant to Be. She lives in Seagrove Beach, Florida. Chapter One: Love, Romance, and the Soul The question I'm asked the most often is "Are we compatible?" After one of my public appearances, a couple will furtively come up to me, and one spouse will say, "I'm a Scorpio and my partner is a Leo. Astrology books say our signs aren't harmonious; will our marriage last?" There is an urgency in their voices as if their "incompatible" Sun signs were time bombs. "Must we stand by and watch as our relationship self-destructs?" Of all the people who come to me for astrological consultations, very few marry the sign with whom they are considered to be compatible. I feel that one of the main attributes of the Aquarian age is that you have the right to be an individual and complete within yourself, but what this does to relationships is still to be discovered. Most of my astrology readings are about relationships; not so much who you're compatible with, but how to have a working relationship with the one you're with already. Even couples with traditionally compatible signs fear conflict and seem to be unsure of the securing of their relationship. With half of the marriages ending up in the divorce court you can understand their alarm, but I'm always a little surprised at their feelings of helplessness. Can it be that astrology is giving out the wrong message? The age of Pisces, whose influence is fading daily as we go deeper into this new century, was a time when organized religion controlled marriage. With two thousand years ahead of us in the age of Aquarius, astrology will evolve as an empirical source of information. In this new age we will develop a larger vision and be aware of the power and creativity that arise out of the play of differences. Love Transcends Differences Relationships are not only about togetherness. You must learn to see that each day is a chance to experience your partner in a different way, and that the problems that naturally arise are full of possibilities for growth and change. There is an old American Indian saying: "Take two birds and tie them together. You have two heads, four wings, and four feet, but they can't fly." After intense moments of connection you and your partner naturally retreat into separateness and feel yourselves as separate poles. This pause gives you the space to be who you are and stimulates the desire to come together again. And after all, aren't relationships the union of separate beings? We need a sense of our own space, our own identity, to be intimate. In my astrology practice I've read many compatibility charts for couples. It has never occurred to me to tell couples with classically incompatible Sun signs to end their relationship; I give them insight on how to circumvent and transform the problems that arise. Basically incompatible signs such as Scorpio and Leo can develop a soul-bonded relationship, and even compatible signs generate a whole set of issues that have to be sorted out if a relationship is to succeed. I find there are three basic types of relationships: one is to become involved with someone like yourself in world-view and emotional responses; another is to become involved with someone totally your opposite; then there are the alien relationships where you become involved with someone from a totally different background or culture and everything they do is fascinating or confusing. Romance has widened its territories so that today your partner logically could be from a different culture, race, and/or reli