Sagittarius, the ninth sign of the zodiac and last of the fire signs, is ruled by the planet Jupiter. This sign is symbolized by the Centaur with his bow and arrow poised to the heavens, and Sagittarians characteristically, are the very picture of that symbolism. Like brave stallions, they'll charge gallantly toward new vistas and bold challenges, forever seeking what is beyond the omnipresent horizon. Armed with the arrows of non-conformism, forthright honesty and a high-spirited optimism, these individuals never fail to hit their mark. Their targets are the ideals of truth, freedom, and righteousness, and the sights on their bows are forever aimed high. Much like the symbol of their sign, half man and half horse, the Sagittarian combines physical adroitness with intellectual refinement, and as much as these two aspects of personality seem to contradict one another, he manages to bring them to a compelling blend of unity. He is the fighter for social causes, the knight errant, who is willing to work tirelessly for that which he believes in, employing his fiery enthusiasm and abundant physical energy to the task. He is the newspaper editor, the politician, the publisher, preacher, or social activist wrestling with the social, political or moral issues of the day, and he tries to unify the incongruities of the human experience under the Jupiterian principles of truth and righteousness.
Of course, not all the Sagittarians you meet will remind you of Don Quixote, Frederick Nietzche, or even the editor of your local newspaper, but every Jupiter native will seem to have a definite philosophy of life. Whether home-grown truisms, moral ethics or deep philosophical concepts, the Sagittarian has a set of values by which he sincerely tries to live, and which by the way, he'll gladly share. Discover it for yourself next time you're at a party or social gathering where your Sagittarian friend is bound to make an appearance. Ask him what he thinks about abortion, racial prejudice or the upcoming elections, and you may find you've opened the Sagittarian Pandora's box. In fact, you'd better get a second helping of hors d'oeuvre and a full glass of punch before you ask, because your Sagittarian friend might keep you occupied for a time, and you'll look pretty silly holding one of those decorator toothpicks and an empty punch glass all the while. Not that you'd mind really, the Sagittarian's point of view can be pretty fascinating, filled with whimsical interjections and an occasional joke or two. His easy-going manner and down-home style never fail to draw a crowd, and his occasional smatterings of philosophical wisdom inextricably bound up in witty repartee will hold your interest until long after the hors d'oeuvre are gone.
All this talk about philosophy may give you an impression of Sagittarians as some sort of intellectual high-brows, methodically codifying people's behavior into rules or ethics by which they are supposed to live, but nothing could be further from the truth. There's no getting around their tendency to philosophize, but Jupiter natives will rarely try to force their values on you. "Live and let live," is one of their typical mottos, and they'll respect your philosophy so long as you respect theirs. Every once in a while, you'll meet a Jupiter native with conflicting aspects to his sun or natal Jupiter, who will try to impose his philosophy on you, but this is not generally the case. The typical native is as easy-going and down-to-earth as anyone you'd ever want to meet. Because of his appealing frankness and cheerful good humor, he'll probably win you over to his philosophy anyway without your realizing it. Just think of the home-grown humor and folksy style evidenced in the works of Sagittarian Mark Twain, or the ingratiating rapport Jupiterian Sammy Davis had with his audiences, and you'll easily understand these natives' ability to relate to every man.
It's fairly easy to recognize December-born once you know what to look for. The shape of the head will be somewhat longer in proportion to its width, and the forehead will be rather high and wide. The hairline is often receded and well back from the temples. The nose will be of average length or longer, pointing straight down from the brow, with a bridge that is fairly high. The lips will be mobile and expressive and may tend to fullness, and the chin will often be pointed, accenting a certain nobility of appearance. In many female Sag's, you'll easily be reminded of the sweet expression of a deer or fox. In the males, the facial characteristics will be marked by a certain look of pensiveness. In both sexes, there is an air of openness and frankness in the features, suggesting a mind that is alert and open to new ideas. The eyes will seem to shine and twinkle so merrily, you'll be reminded of 'good ole St. Nick' or the fairy godmother. The general expression suggests the cheerfulness and naivete of youth somehow inexpressibly combined with the wisdom of old age. As for the rest of the body, Sag's will tend to be taller than average with a well-knit or athletic-looking frame. The limbs will seem admirably suited for active pursuits of all kinds, and there will be a certain gracefulness characterized by long, sweeping and grandiose, though sometimes careless, movements.
Sagittarians will tend to be active, and their restless natures seem to keep them always on the go. You won't often find them sitting around a bridge table for hours or lazily lolling on a hammock in the backyard. The Sagittarian is more apt to be organizing activities for the church social, practicing for an up-coming tournament with the local bowling league, or writing an emotionally-heated letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Like their symbolic arrow, Sagittarians must always be moving forward and upward, setting their sights to a new challenge almost before an old one has been met. The Jupiterian athlete will no sooner do the 1000-meter run in two and a half minutes than have his sights set on two minutes twenty-five seconds as a new goal. The Sagittarian novelist may be working on several stories at once because a more intriguing idea for a novel captured his fancy before the old one had been completed. Because these natives have a need for constant challenge, they will often have many irons in the fire at once.
Sagittarians have a definite flair, especially in youth, for athletics and outdoor recreation of all types. "The great outdoors" is a phrase probably inspired by a December-born, for it expresses the very Sagittarian spirit of freedom one experiences out of doors and among Nature's creatures. Horseback-riding, camping, hiking, canoeing, rafting, mountain-climbing, hunting, and skiing are some activities which attract Sagittarians by the droves and which give vent to their unbridled sense of freedom. Most of them are Nature lovers, preferring life in the rural and mountain areas to the hustle and bustle of city life. If you don't find them already situated permanently in their own place secluded from the crowds, they'll probably be weekend outdoorsmen, venturing to the 'wide open spaces' every chance they get.
In athletics, Sagittarians will be most attracted to baseball, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, track and field, bowling, golf, polo, volleyball, tennis and other sports where a high degree of refinement, grace, or skill are required. Sports such as football, wrestling, boxing, sky diving or auto racing, where a certain amount of physical danger is involved, do not usually appeal to them, with the occasional exception of boxing, where fancy footwork is an asset. As the last of the fire signs, Sagittarius represents physical activity in its highest form. In Aries, physical movement is characterized as sheer force; in Leo, as creative self-expression. In Sagittarius, the qualities of both these signs are combined in a physical expression which is more refined, where stamina, coordination, and a strong sense of the game are brought into play.
It is a curious twist of irony that Sagittarians, who are often accused of clumsiness, are also attributed with having the greatest grace and physical coordination. They can be quite graceful when engaged in purposeful activity such as sports, gymnastics, or dance. You'll see them, like spirited colts, gracing the athletic field or dance floor with splendid examples of physical form, many excelling in their respective fields. In everyday activities, however, the Sagittarian can be surprisingly less dignified. Though the Jupiterian athlete may break the record for high jump, springing like a gazelle to new heights, he'll stumble over his shoelaces walking onto the field. The Sagittarian ballerina may execute pirouettes with perfect form on stage, but stub her toe on the kitchen table at home. Where these characteristics may seem contradictory, they somehow find a happy coexistence in the Sagittarian personality. It is as if these natives will perform at their best only when spurred on by their goals and the Jupiterian ideal of excellence.
In dance, Sagittarians may well find the perfect outlet for their senses of rhythm, timing and balance and love of physical activity. Well developed thighs have often been regarded the trademark of a dancer, and appropriately enough, this part of the body is ruled by Jupiter. You'll rarely find Jupiterians who aren't light on their feet, and whether they prefer ballet, modern, tap, jazz or square dancing, they're likely to become the center of attention on any dance floor. If a stranger asks you for a dance at a local discotheque, you might do well to ask his or her Sun sign before accepting. If it's Sagittarius, you may be made to feel as if you have two left feet. Don't let that unassuming manner or awkward appearance fool you. On the dance floor Sagittarians become transformed, artfully turning their steps to a rumba or tango, or pulsing to the sound of rock with equal finesse.
Sagittarians, as a rule, are non-conformists. They hate being bound to rigid social confines, or pigeonholed into strict routines that don't give them plenty of breathing room. Most of them will tend toward outdoor occupations or professions where a wide latitude of freedom is given them. They'll eschew the suit and tie or standard business attire and prefer a comfortable shirt or blouse and a pair of jeans instead. Their love of freedom is too great to compromise for the sake of social custom or even for financial need. They'll hearken to the beat of a different drummer, their own rhythm, as true and unerring as the power of Jupiter itself. Even more than physical restrictions, they'll loathe mental confinement. Try to impose a dogmatic philosophy on them, and most Sagittarians will balk. If the policies of the company they work for are too restrictive, they'll have to break free. Their non-conformism in part stems from a desire to remain idealistic in a world where others may not share their Jupiterian dreams.
Second only to his love of freedom is the Sagittarian's fondness for travel. The archer loves nothing more than to pack up his old set of luggage, probably well-worn from dozens of trips, and set out either across country or to distant lands. He's genuinely intrigued by foreign cultures, and his fascination for the exotic may well lead him to occupations dealing in travel, language, foreign culture, import-export, currency exchange, archeology, zoology and others. Many archers will succeed through correspondence, sales, or trips to other countries before they find fortune in their own country. Where finances don't permit it physically, Sagittarians may travel in their minds, becoming engrossed in movies, documentaries or books about other countries, or in studying a foreign language. More than likely they'll have a subscription to National Geographic or a travel magazine. They may dream about someday seeing some of the world's great landmarks— the Taj Mahal of India, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Basilica in Rome, Stonehenge or the Great Wall of China to name a few. Finances and time permitting, and with a bit of Jupiterian luck which is their birthright, they probably will.