ARIES –- You’ve known you’re the originator and the innovator for years, though you may not have been recognized as such. Events this month describe a series of breakthroughs. Yet you must be humble about your talents and ideas. Rather than singing your own praises, allow your brilliance to speak for itself. The less you say, the more people will see.

TAURUS — Faith in yourself will pay off, if for no other reason than saving all that energy on worry. Anxiety is just creative energy that has not found a home. The ‘big thing’ you feel approaching is you waking up to how talented and visionary you are. Stay one step ahead of your doubts, and put your ideas to work immediately.

GEMINI — If anyone is trying to convince you of something, take your time deciding if it’s right. All the logic and reasoning in the world is less intelligent than your own intuition, which is currently on the level of clairvoyance. That is a physical response more than a mental one. Your intuition speaks softly and calmly, confident of its truth.

CANCER — You’re a natural artist in everything that you do, even the most ordinary tasks. Apply that idea consciously and you cannot go wrong. Now is the time to be the creative force in your own life. Your long-term ideals not only come into focus, they do so in a way that’s attainable. With love and beauty, you can manifest anything you want.

LEO — You crave justice; you want to help the world, and the truth is you can. The only catch is you must attend to your basic needs first, including cultivating the art of asking. Don’t let any resentments fester. Learn how to speak up for yourself and you will be a much more effective advocate for those who need your assistance.

VIRGO — You must hold others to a high standard, and to do that, you must set a shining example for them. Rather than emphasize human imperfection (of which there is an abundance), tell people what they are doing right, and encourage them to do more of it. What you focus on will increase rapidly; so keep it positive, as a daily devotion.

LIBRA — To be free, you must allow others to be free. Suddenly this may seem like an easy lesson, compared to many times in the past. The thing to focus on is everyone’s common interest in being able to make their own choices. Love can express itself best in an atmosphere of emotional independence, which proves that trust is more important than love.

SCORPIO — You must honor your need to be deeply introspective, and also to be a pillar of the community. Rather than contradicting, these necessities are in perfect harmony. Your inner strength is why you can take a leadership role. Your deepening self-respect is why you can afford to be positive. You are setting a vital example for those around you.

SAGITTARIUS — The theme of this year above all else is getting organized. This is the month you accomplish that. Yet this is more a question of priorities than anything else. Make clear choices and stick to them. Be absolutely confident that you have the energy to make any changes you need to make, and you will be able to move mountains.

CAPRICORN — You’re rapidly developing new verbal talents. Yet underneath that is mental clarity that’s closely related to your intuition. The innovation is that you have the power of words available at all times. Do not hesitate to say what you mean. Use language rich with imagery to make the point. Others will actually get the message that you mean what you say.

AQUARIUS — You have discovered the beauty of not being so self-critical, which has done wonders for you. Take this further and you may discover that forgiveness has a kind of metaphysical power. This goes far beyond tolerance; in forgiving yourself and others as a conscious and intentional act, you’re freeing up precious energy and allowing healing to take place.

PISCES — Pisces has a well-known clairvoyant gift, yet what is less well recognized is its creative nature. You can see the future, but better still, you can weave the future. The visions that you want to manifest will have an easy feeling. Ignore or shy away from all the others and invest in what feels good.

The Leo Full Moon conjunct Jupiter takes place Feb. 3. Mercury will be retrograde in Aquarius until Feb. 11. There is a second Aquarius New Moon in the very last degree of that sign on Feb. 18. Then the Moon and Sun enter Pisces immediately after. They join an impressive group of planets already in Pisces, including Nessus, Neptune, Chiron, Venus and Mars (in that order). The first of three Venus-Mars conjunctions of the year takes place in early Aries on Feb. 22.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You are getting some information about who your friends are and who they are not. This is coming across in real time through real experiences. I suggest, however, that you treat everyone with respect, even if you don’t trust them or don’t like their agenda. Be helpful when you can, as long as it doesn’t hurt you. The idea here is to make sure you don’t make enemies based on small issues. As for those you care about, be clear with yourself what you are and are not willing to do for them. You may decide you’re willing to do a lot, or do anything they ask. Yet make sure that this is by conscious agreement with yourself, rather than one thing haphazardly leading to another.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be feeling like you can’t decide whether to go out or stay in. Both feel like they would be productive and in a sense special. It’s funny how these seemingly little decisions can get nearly anyone going in circles, at least for a minute or two. What your charts suggest is that there are rich possibilities for both, especially if you connect the two. You might want to start by accepting an unusual invitation outside your home, then guiding the flow of events back to your living room. Prepare the space in advance. Have the right bottle of wine and/or snacks (or something fancier) ready to go. Spend some money on the project. Nothing crazy, just a bit lavish.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You seem to be in a long conversation with yourself about what you believe and why. This is probably long overdue, and I think you’ll find it helpful as far as focusing a few long-range plans. I suggest you focus on one topic specifically, which is what you think you have to give up in order for something else to happen. Generally people work on the idea of quid pro quo. In order to have that thing or experience, I cannot have that thing or experience. If that’s as far as the conversation goes, then you might never notice that there are other possibilities. So I suggest you start with what you think you have to sacrifice, then ask yourself if it’s really true. Do some real analysis.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Your chart is hot and passionate right now, and the temperature is rising. Yet there is a specific description of how sexual energy is flowing, which is from you as an inner phenomenon, then outward into your various experiments and creative projects. Notice that I did not say romances, committed relationships or officially certified illicit affairs. Your charts describe a rising tide of erotic energy that is best left in its most freewheeling form. You might choose to direct your desire into an established situation, though what I am suggesting is that you not take this as a given, or as an unquestioned assumption. Go from the general to the specific. If you find one mode of expression blocked or non-responsive, find another — and soon. Keep moving. Stay free.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — A spectacular Full Moon on Feb. 3 will help you see (and feel) some beautiful resources that you might have overlooked. You have so much right now, and this is the thing to remind yourself of. Be generous, and at the same time, make sure you ask others for what you really need. Remember that you may be the one who has to take initiative on both offering and on receiving. You are in a new environment where this whole matter of abundance and exchange is concerned, and I suggest you do everything you can to become familiar with the territory. There are certain ideas that have yet to manifest, such as when you feel that you have the least to offer, you may have the very most. This is not a matter of speculation, but rather of practice.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Keep yourself busy only with productive activities. By productive I mean both things you know you must do (laundry, shopping, tidying) and things that are done in fulfillment of a long-term goal. When you go into household mode, remember that the purpose of your work and living environment is to support you. This will help you maintain a state of harmony and respect for the details of life. Try to stay ahead of the game, keeping enough groceries and clean laundry on hand to last you a week or two. However, you may arrive at a point where a specific task associated with something you’re creating or developing takes priority over everything else. It looks like that develops around the second week of the month, and will be well worth the effort you invest.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — All sex begins with communication. That might be eye contact across the room, email, a conversation or being introduced in a group setting. If you remember the connection between sex and the forms of contact that lead to it, you’re likely to discover that your words take on a special erotic charge. You may indeed find some astonishing pleasure in intimate verbal sharing, especially if you take it slowly and keep your inner focus on yourself. It’s always tempting to leap into another person’s experience when things start to heat up. I suggest you keep things a few degrees cooler and express yourself in a way that invites the energy to flow toward you rather than you going toward it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — If you have any role as boss, manager, senior officer or person in charge, stay alert for situations that require intervention on the level of social justice. If something is wrong, you have the ability to make it right, and if not that, exactly, then you have the ability to help someone else do so. One thing I suggest you remember is that the situations of others are rarely as good as the ones you’ve created for yourself, so you have no need to be envious or jealous of anyone. And if a situation seems to call forth your competitive spirit, that is likely to be exactly the place you’re needed as an agent of change. Things are not quite what they seem. Make sure you test an alternative theory every time you have any theory at all.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You have more flexibility and freedom than you may think, though you won’t know unless you experiment. I am wondering why you might hesitate to do that — and one possibility is that you don’t want to lose control. There are those days where you feel like you’re walking on a dam that’s about to burst, or flying in a vehicle that might run out of fuel at any time and fall out of the sky. I can see where these feelings might come from, though in reality, if anything, you’re pretty solid on your feet. You might consider how little control you really have in the first place, and how the idea or illusion of control is a poor substitute for strength. The more you’re able to bend, the stronger you are.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Don’t get hung up on money. Sure, be conscious and evenhanded, though that’s different from being hung up. If you think you’ve got a problem, your situation is likely to be better than you think. What I suggest you do is tend to the resources you have, in the many forms that you have them. It’s essential (contrary to what our society teaches) you consider your assets in every form, including your health (which translates to time and energy), the cooperation of others (which translates to collective power, and the conservation of your time and energy) and most of all, your power of devotion. That you are willing to persist for years at things others would give up after a few days is worth a lot more than money.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You seem to be in a review phase, where you’re asking yourself questions about what you’ve been through recently, and what its value to you has been. I suggest you take this back as far as you can trace any such question to its earliest roots, as you know them. Several topics that have dominated your thoughts recently point to things that go back years. What you will find, though, is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow — in the past. It’s as if certain things that you think are ‘issues’ are actually offshoots of gifts, talents and things that were deeply held values, in the distant past. You are indeed free to reclaim those things; in particular, the inspiration that they once offered you, and if you allow them to, that they will offer you now.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Take some of this abundance of energy you have and invest it in the things that offer you the most pleasure and fulfillment. There is always plenty to do, and as usual, you’re fully invested in being as productive as you can be. I know you often feel strange when you’re not specifically, actually, invested in some important task. You can, however, afford to give that a little rest. Use your creative talent to get some efficiency going. Limit or at least carefully allocate the time you spend on ‘work’-related activities. Create as much free time as possible and then spread out and have some fun. You are in a rare moment where the most generous sources of creativity and emotional pleasure are gathering in your sign. Give yourself everything you can.

By ERIC FRANCIS

If you’re reading this, you just came through a rather unusual month, including Mercury retrograde, two eclipses and a wild ride of Mars in Sagittarius. The sky in November is less hectic, more focused and has a more serious tone. Serious is good — the aspects look productive, if you’re willing to bear down and maybe stay late at work whenever you need to. We will have a series of conjunctions to Saturn (the Sun, Venus and Mercury) and then something more potent than that: Mars conjunct Pluto and square Uranus. This is the month to get results. It will help immensely if you know in advance the results you want to get.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Events this month seem destined to reveal the futility of jealousy and the thing it’s made of, which is the illusion of control. If you consciously give yourself the opportunity to be submissive to existence, you will find that you have more influence than if you try to run the whole show. I understand that you may be feeling the need, on one level, to exert your power. If you do something gentler, which is to stay in contact with your desires, and responsive to the desires of others, you will be able to get the energy moving in a way that allows a real exchange and also that brings you closer to people. This is subtle territory, and the land of mixed emotions. Stay close to your desire, informed by love.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Why are relationships so powerful in your life? That’s an honest question you seem to be asking yourself. I think you know that you need to get underneath this, rather than looking at it from the surface level, or from the viewpoint of the usual cultural myths we have about involvements with others. A particular situation or condition that has at times seemed stuck or resistant to change has indeed been a source of progress for you. And you may note the many ways the situation has evolved since it began. The astrology I’m seeing presents you with the following equation: the deeper you go, the more movement you will notice, and the more movement will be possible. You are about to enter a whole new emotional landscape, one where you will see how much freedom you really have.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You have collected plenty of information the past couple of months, and now you need to review it all. If this information has involved a health issue, you will probably need to discard most of it and keep the one or two gems that will point you in the direction of actual improvement. I suggest you focus on matters of sexual health: maintaining and nourishing your Scorpio parts, your hormones, your desire. Yes, desire is a vital part of sexual health, because where the sex organs are concerned, life really is a matter of use it or lose it. Some people love to hear this and others cannot stand to. It is, however, a matter of elementary biology to which we are all subject. And when the biological aspect of living critters is happy, there’s a good chance the rest of them will be too. It also works the other way.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Sexuality is at the creative core of who a person is. What is politely called socialization is often a process of conditioning natural sexuality and creativity out of a person, usually when they are young. What is left is someone who finds change and motion difficult to experience; someone who is calcified. Your ability to feel, to create, to be sexual and to change are all related. They are related to both inner and outer movement, and you have the choice to encourage or discourage these qualities in yourself. I suggest you keep your life moving any way you can, in any way that feels appealing and even one or two ways that feel daunting.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — What is it that creates confidence? Some people are born with it; but for most people, it’s cultivated through experience. If you were to say to a young person, all the things you would prefer to avoid are the ones that will give you the most confidence, that might not sound so appealing. I am here to tell you that you’ve already built up that particular strength, and any challenges you might experience over the next month or so are things you’ve already been through in some form. As such you can draw on your wisdom and strength and come out feeling like you are indeed strong and wise. Note that when authentic, mixed with that will often be a touch of insecurity, which is designed to keep you on your toes.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your chart strongly suggests that this is the time to practice speaking from your feelings. You have a lot of feelings to speak about, and you could just as easily, indeed more easily, retreat into silence. But that would only reinforce the illusion that you are in this all alone. And silence is a form of attempted control, and provides the conditions necessary for self-deception. The way to stay honest and in truth to remind yourself that you’re free is to share with others what you think and how you feel. You may have many reasons not to. I assure you there are several very good reasons to be bold and live as if your life depends on being true to your word about how you feel, especially when it counts the most.

Scorpio Birthday Reading Now Available for Pre-Order

Dear Friend and Reader:

If you’re born under the sign Scorpio or have Scorpio rising (or have Scorpio loved ones), this is going to be an intriguing year, one of the most meaningful in a long time. Three planets enter your sign the same day, followed by a solar eclipse.

That is an exciting solar return — a homecoming. In addition, Saturn finally makes its first moves out of your sign later in the year, and transitions into Sagittarius. This is a total change of energy and shift of emphasis.

Your birthday reading is now available for pre-order for a reduced price.

I intend to make the reading available soon; it consists of two half-hour (plus) segments of astrology, plus astrology afterthoughts and what seems to be everyone’s favorite — a tarot reading using the Voyager deck by James Wanless.

Your reading includes two excellent extra features — access to last year’s reading, so you can check my work and check the progress of your life; and also a live call-in program so you can ask questions about what I cover and (to some extent) your own astrology.

If you’re friends with a Scorpio, this reading makes a beautiful gift they’ll use and truly love. All of my readings are recorded in studio-quality audio, and can be listened to on any computer or mobile device.

You can pre-order the reading now for $29.95, and I plan to have it ready for you by next week.

Lovingly,

P.S. If you have not yet visited the new Planet Waves website, you can sign up for a complementary Introductory Membership here. This will give you access to many of our regular columnists and other features, and offers a glimpse of what a full subscribing membership offers.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — I have written many times that self-esteem is the most significant problem in Western society. There are bigger problems where people don’t have toilets, but on our side of the tracks, self-esteem is what you might call the plague. You’ve been onto this one for a while. I think you know what I’m getting at. Self-esteem regulates all other possibilities. There are some people who just naturally feel good about themselves and can live that way, though they are few and far between. You are going through a series of what you might think of as tests or experiments that will help you cultivate respect for, and confidence in, yourself. You have what it takes; you are strong and you have some energy. And you will be happy you passed through this phase of psychological growth — once you stand up and walk right into the territory.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You are bigger than any situation in your life. I would also remind you that no situation is intractable — everything is subject to movement. Everything is subject to change. That fact of existence is your best friend right now, since you have a tendency to live so much of your life as if certain things will never change. Use your discernment and apply this principle to what you know you want to move on from, but doubted that you could. Remember all the time that growth and change are inseparable; that they are necessary partners. In the midst of this, I would remind you that your capacity to feel is something to embrace as your best navigational tool. Yes, the modern way of life is to eschew feelings and tap on an icon. I would say pause, feel, and be well-guided.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Don’t let the pressure get to you — or rather, you don’t have to. You can if you want to, though your situation feels more urgent than it is. The sense that you are approaching some limitation or obstacle is more of an inner reality than an outer one. And there is a corresponding inner development — that of resolve and determination in a way that you have rarely ever felt in such a focused way. Yes, you are born under one of the most ambitious signs, capable of marshaling your energy like few others can. Yet as I am sure you’ve been aware, you must gather your strength in a new way, to meet objectives that you have yet to fully encounter. If you cooperate, the outcome is certain.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Often has it been said that only you have the power to change yourself. Yet this is either too much responsibility for most people to handle, or it defies some other logic that external factors are what really make the difference. This month Mars and Pluto form a conjunction in your birth sign, an indication that you have the ability to rewrite just about any facet of your existence. Yet this cannot be haphazard, left to chance or done with blurry vision. You must focus, you must choose, and most of all you must hold yourself accountable for what you want and what you create. If you think of this as the cost of success, you will see that it’s not so high after all, though more than most think they can afford.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You seem more determined than ever to crack through the limitations of the past. The most direct way to do that is to question your own priorities. You have been doing this, though at a glacial pace. You have made changes, though it looks like there are many more that you have, for some reason, held off on. No doubt that is because you have not felt ready, though I suggest you question the role of your attachment to the past. People seem to think it natural that they get ‘set in their ways’, as if this were some kind of entitlement. That may be true, but you don’t want everything to which you are entitled — which would be a fine way to sum up the astrology of the next four weeks.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Clearly you are preparing for something. Yes it’s true, life is one long exercise in preparation, though this is unusual and you are in a particularly sensitive phase of that preparation. One element of your life to focus on is ethics. That does not only mean doing right by others; it means making sure you do right by yourself, and that you have taken care of all your necessary plans and details. Make sure that you hold others to the same standard: that we all keep our promises. Be sure you’ve read the books that you know you’re supposed to read, in order to be fully prepared for whatever it is you’re about to do. Proceed meticulously, take each step carefully, and gather your strength for the big move.

In October there are two eclipses and a Mercury retrograde — many people will feel put through the paces, but if you psych yourself up, you can put the intensity to good use. Mercury retrograde says review, rethink and revise. Eclipses say transition. So the combination is to resolve unfinished business of the past and get ready to move forward into new territory. The two are related. You know how people, maybe even you, want to go forward without having paid proper attention to what happened in the past. Now is the time to do both at once.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You will have impact this month, more than you know. Yet you must stay grounded in reality, which means in communication with the people around you. You may have questions; others may have questions; it will be necessary to focus on internal and interpersonal matters rather than pumping out energy and ideas into the world. I am saying keep your humanity. I am saying remember who you are, even as you discover some new and potentially shocking aspect of who you are. That will indeed be a discovery. One focal point is that it will help shift your reality from a one-on-one concept of relationships to a group/network concept of relationships. While you’re there, remember that every human encounter is one-to-one.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Imagine a door opening in your relationships, one that you have no idea where it will lead. That possibility is one thing now, and it will be another thing after some kind of development or discovery in your life that makes you want to enter the unknown with some gusto. The idea to focus is the way in which every experience of discovery with another person is really about self-discovery, though in the context of a human encounter. Relationships are not the only way to get to know ourselves, and it’s not an especially safe or stable path without devotion to self-knowledge. For the next few weeks, even as some unusual or high-intensity experiences come your way, you seem to be poised to strike the perfect balance.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — When most people hear the word healing, they think of a doctor’s office, or maybe if they have gone beyond that model of treatment, the massage table with immaculate sheets in the room with the hint of burned sage. For you over the next few weeks, healing is about pleasure, it’s about adventure, and it’s about the kind of activity you feel organically good doing. You can think of this as pleasure therapy, which may come with remembering some things you loved to do in the past but forgot about. Now would be an awesome time to remember, and to use any break in your routine or your schedule to get yourself back into those activities. This will feel good, you may wonder what took you so long, and the effect will be what you might think of as pleasure therapy.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The unusual breakthrough in your career will be a mix of all the effort you’ve invested and something that seems like pure luck, or a bolt from the blue. Most success is some combination of the two. This reminds me of my First Theory of Great Photography — charge your battery, and show up. Lots of different things may happen after that, but unless you charge your battery and show up with your camera, you’re not going to get photos. Therefore, take any preparatory steps you can, including being especially attentive to email, voice mail, and initiating communication when you feel moved to do so. One way to work with your situation is to make sure you remove as many obstacles as possible, and to take affirmative steps as soon as you feel called to do so. With Mercury retrograde for most of October, that means focusing on communication and taking nothing for granted.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may be dealing with some sensitive matters of family history this month. Remember that these things are made more challenging by lack of conversation, and lack of closure. Indeed they would not even be issues if open dialog were encouraged, and if people really understood what it means to address and resolve something. If you proceed in that spirit, you will help make things easier for yourself and for everyone else. You may be able to tip the balance into what is actually creative and productive. It’s true that in American culture (in particular) there seems to be open disdain for the past, though this is ridiculous. We all depend on the past for many reasons, including teaching us what mistakes not to make again.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It’s amazing what passes for thinking. Most of it could generously be called rationalization. Plenty else could be called emoting. The rest usually amounts to doing what one is told, by an intimate partner or an authority figure. This month it’s incumbent on you to think for yourself. One aversion to doing this is not wanting to take responsibility for when things go wrong. Yet more is at stake than that. This is not a matter of pride. It’s a matter of taking your destiny into your hands, and doing your part to make sure that the events of your life flow in a way that you will want to live with. So on one level it’s about taking full responsibility, or rather authority, and not letting anyone con you out of your right to make your own choices — and to be fully responsible in any event, whatever may happen.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Venus is in your sign, which is offering encouragement to use charm instead of force, and an even deeper challenge — to use authenticity rather than any form of pretense. That means all truth, all the time. Instead of sugar coating reality in some way, present the facts instead of your emotional reaction to it, or concealing it. The direct statement of ‘what is so’ is influential in ways that you may not be used to. You might, for example, discover that you don’t need to resort to  convincing anyone of anything. You may be surprised how it can guide the conversation toward a fair outcome. There is one element to the truth that you might be less inclined to get involved with — admitting when you’re wrong. It’s good practice, it’ll build goodwill and make you care about getting it right the first time.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars, the planet associated with your sign, is pushing you to get serious, and creative about money. At the same time you may be realizing how many issues you have with the whole concept, and what this says about how you feel about yourself. The common ground is the subject of worth, or worthiness. These days we think of this as an emotional reward, like a dog getting a treat. Yet the semantic origins of ‘worth’ relate to honor, excellence, capability and actual value. Think of worth as a real thing and it will be real to you. Think of it as an emotional abstraction and you will reduce it to that. In lived reality, worthiness is often something you must demonstrate, practice, exhibit and develop.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may feel driven to be yourself, or to assert yourself, yet at the same time you may keep encountering pitfalls or profound doubts. If you think of this time in your life as an opportunity to tap your strength and overcome those doubts, you will make the most of a rare moment. There seems to be some discovery waiting for you about the true nature of spiritual power. It’s something that you access from within yourself, but a strength that may not feel like it’s entirely about you, or coming from you. It has a way of affirming your existence and being a positive influence on others, while denying the existence of nobody else. And the more you tap into this source of strength, the more natural it seems, and the more you become like it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your path to success is through collaboration, cooperation and contribution. It’s true that in recent years you have learned to take on something of a lone wolf quality, which has helped you let go of some codependent tendencies that followed you around for quite a while. Now it’s time to foster a new kind of connection, what you might think of as healthy interdependency. You don’t have to worry about lapsing back into any of your old ways — the evolutionary forces that have propelled you this far from your past are still at work, and are working in your favor. One significant element of progress is that you now have the strength to assert yourself and to initiate the conversation, rather than following along as if pulled by an emotional tugboat. You are now driving your own life.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may think you’re doing something that’s impossible. What you’re really doing is proving that something perceived to be impossible can actually be done. You are not merely trying to do so — you are succeeding. What may not be obvious are the ways in which you are doing so. Your visible achievements may not match up to your vision or expectation of what is possible, though you are building the foundation for that very thing. It will take some time for what you are doing now to rise above its foundations, which is the reason to keep going, not to hesitate, to remain in a position of authorship and therefore authority over your own life.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Leadership means creating an idea, and taking action on that idea. In other words, it’s about not waiting around for something to ‘come to you’, nor is it about waiting for someone else to do something. Another word for this is initiative, which means being the one who initiates. What you initiate now is picking up the momentum of much that you’ve done in the past, and adding to that momentum. So you’re neither starting from scratch, nor from a stuck place. But neither are you bound to what you did in the past. Indeed, the very point of this time in your personal history is making contact with your determination to enter new territory, to embrace a new vision for yourself and for your concept of accomplishment. This is a vision that will arise in the doing. Don’t worry if it’s not fully formed. Just keep going.

September is the month of the Libra equinox, a time of balancing out our lives. It’s been an intense year — more or less productive, and for some, a bit tumultuous. If you can manage it, take a week or two to coast and reflect on what you’ve been through and what you’ve accomplished. The Sun enters the seventh sign of the zodiac at 10:29 pm EDT on Monday, Sept. 22. Before that happens, the Pisces Full Moon is Sept. 8. Mars enters Sagittarius on Sept. 13. The Libra New Moon is Sept. 24, with the Sun still very close to equinox. Toward the end of the month, Mercury will be slowing down to retrograde, which begins Oct. 4.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you’ve been reluctant to spread your wings lately, now is the time to get out in the Sun, dry them off and get ready to fly. The question is less about where you want to go and why you want to go there. You seem to have set yourself free from the constraints of a situation in which you felt cornered or in which your needs were not being met. Coming through this has been a more significant initiation than you may yet recognize; you faced what you thought might be the worst-case scenario and you came out on top of the game. If you’ve learned one thing, it’s not to make commitments that extend too far into the future.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Don’t get so caught in the details that you snuff out your best ideas. The details certainly matter, though they are not what will carry the day. In fact, the feeling to go for is one of risk, though typically your warning threshold is set very low on this particular factor. There are times when nearly everything seems too dangerous or daring. You seem torn between one of those moments and then trusting that it really will be worth taking a chance. If you need some inspiration, consider the people you know who refuse to take any risks at all. Notice the results of that point of view, and consider whether you want that. That will light a fire in your mind.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You may be inclined to plan your strategy with great care and caution, though this seems to miss the point of your current endeavor. Anyway, the kinds of things you’re trying to guard against are not the ones you want to bother with. In fact defensiveness of any kind will serve to close off most of the truly interesting possibilities that you have available. And it’s likely that the motivation to take action will come from someone besides yourself, which is a reason to stay open to the influences of others. Bear in mind that the most influential people are unlikely to be the ones you’re in ‘conventional’ relationships with. Pay attention to the weirdos.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The way to improve a situation in an intimate partnership is not to cling or control but rather to learn how to relate your needs and desires in a way that does not involve a confrontation. Start by taking ownership of whatever you’re experiencing. You will find out fairly soon whether this will work. Make sure you are gentle and patient enough to allow others to see the folly of their own ways. The less you impose your will on them, the better, even if they are getting a little control freakish. Whatever they may think, they cannot impose their will on you without your consent. Remember that rather basic fact of life. Most people forget, or have never figured it out.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You really need to give it a push. By ‘it’ I mean you and whatever you’re doing. You have everything going for you right now, unless you distract yourself with goals that don’t mean much to you, or get caught in your old insecurities. Therefore focus on what is meaningful, and be bold. Focus on what you’ve consistently wanted to do. That is a good way to make sure that something is a priority. Yes, leave some room for new ideas, places and people, but remember what you’ve decided will make a difference in the long-run. At the moment you have motivation, ideas and as much luck as any astrologer could honestly confirm you have going for you. Put them all together with being true to yourself and you will be unstoppable.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You can tap into another kind of intelligence, the kind that’s connected to your intuition; the kind that does not strictly depend on logic. I think you need to be kinder to that aspect of your psyche, and not push it off to the side, the way our society so often does. This is not as simple as ‘trust your intuition’. What I really mean is fully integrate your intuition as a valid aspect of your whole nature. In everything you do, listen to how your thoughts and actions feel in your body. Consider carefully whether you’re rationalizing anything, or consciously trying to omit certain facts from the equation. Notice when some factor in you says stop and when it says go.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — As the Sun passes through what is called your 12th house in the weeks before the equinox, you may find yourself feeling an odd kind of anxiety. The feeling is wanting things to make sense, but they don’t seem to. The other side of the feeling is that things don’t make sense but somehow that is OK. You can allow yourself to have two different kinds of logic for a while. It’s not going to hurt you. You don’t actually need everything to add up perfectly, and it’s healthy to stay in that space where they don’t add up. It’s healthy to have a conscious relationship with the unknown. Holding that space open for a while makes the experience of discovery that much more beautiful.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You know you’re not so motivated by money, not when you look right below the surface of who you are. In truth, you’re motivated by doing the right thing. You’re inspired by inspiration. You trust the unseen. But since the world doesn’t make a lot of room for inspiration, the unseen or the right thing, you must do so; you must be responsive to your deeper motives, and then act on what you feel. Sure, you could easily convert the current astrology into a profit motive, and current aspects will serve to benefit you no matter what. Now, however, you have access to some more idealistic possibilities, including what to do with your resources that you might ordinarily avoid.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — If you want to make the most of the moment you will need to call yourself into focus, set clear goals and stick to them. You may have anything from a nagging feeling to being overwhelmed by the sensation of not knowing who you are. It may be that you are changing so fast you cannot get a handle on yourself. You may not be able to say for sure, but you cannot let that stop you. Think of it this way: who you are is what you do. If you want to experience consistency of Self, then practice consistency of action. If something is out of alignment, you will find out soon enough. This is a valid path to self-discovery. Waiting for the big ‘aha’ moment is more of a fairy tale.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — It seems you want to achieve more than you’re capable of, though your astrology doesn’t tell the story that way. You must learn what to do with your doubts, so that you can note them, and investigate them, but without letting them cripple you. Anyway, what you think are your own misgivings are likely to belong to others; if you investigate that and discover that it’s true, then you’re free to let them go or send them back to where they came from. You don’t owe anyone loyalty in the form of undermining your own confidence. You don’t have to live up to anyone’s mediocrity, or their idea of perfection. Focus the strength of your mind and get ready to take action.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — This looks like the month when you finally get around to pushing your income potential as related to your profession. I don’t mean your job; I mean your true calling. I suggest you do this no matter how meek and mild you’ve been about that calling, though I suspect you’ve invested plenty of energy during the past couple of years. Now it’s time to work the money angle. Don’t fall for anyone else’s ideas or pleadings related to altruism or what you supposedly owe the human race. Make sure that what you do works as a business as well as a point of access to your knowledge, skills, time and resources.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You must keep a realistic perspective, which for you is going to feel like being self-serving. This is true to a degree, though not like most people mean that term. It’s essential that anyone who is in your life actually belongs there. It’s just as important to ensure that anyone for whom you are a source of energy is in an actual exchange with you, rather than just absorbing your vibes, your love or your money. I realize this may violate your Piscean instincts, though Neptune in your sign is a constant caution about the nature of boundaries, and Chiron is insisting that you focus your intentions and your energy on what really matters. You have a mission, it’s calling you right now, and you need every drop of your energy and focusing power to do what you came here to do.