Aries (March 20-April 19) — You’re bestowed with more energy than you know what to do with. Yet the planets are encouraging you to do something not so characteristic of your sign: pace yourself, move methodically and take the long view. You’re onto something unusual, with a bit of extra potential. Yet your path to success looks like it will require you to revise your plan several times, including the financial end. Keep in mind that you’re not sprinting but rather running a marathon, one whose course is not exactly set at this point. As you take the journey of the next year or two, you’ll become a distinctly different person from who you are today. The greatest points of potential emerge where you encounter any seeming obstacle, diversion or reversal. That’s where the real power is contained. To tap that power effectively, you’ll want to be moving slowly and with conscious intention. The challenge here is that you are likely to be feeling driven and ambitious, which for you translates to the desire for speed. Instead, work for mindfulness and efficiency. Most important, focus on who you are becoming as much as on what you’re doing, making or reaching for. When all is said and done, that’s the single most important factor in the equation of your life: who you are becoming, in the present, now.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You seem to be jumping with anticipation, as if everything is about to happen all at once. You might feel that way, though I suggest you take events one at a time, just like you would move one piece at a time in a game of chess. Most of the pressure you’re feeling is coming from inside you rather than from some external source. For some, this may feel like living on the verge of a panic attack, and for others, tapping into a deep source of inspiration. One thing I suggest is that you keep your attention as inwardly focused as you can. There’s nothing as interesting in the outer world as what you have going on in your inner world. The great stage of your mind is teaching you everything you need to know; yet at the same time you have the ability to express your most intimate ideas to others. You’re learning to do what most people never figure out, which is how to articulate what really matters to you. The more you figure out what that is, the clearer you’ll be able to express yourself, and I suggest that you not hold back. Speak up about what you care about. Be open about whom you care for, and why. Consciously break the taboo of revealing your actual personal truth, and feel the rare strength that offers you.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Whatever you may be doing, you have the ability to reach many people this month. What’s more is that you get to be unusually bold about your ideas. Generally society requires people to mince their words and blend them with mayonnaise to ensure public acceptability. You have the opposite effect going on. You will gain traction by presenting your actual concepts, even if they seem radical or like you’re way ahead of your time (which is likely to be true). A window to the future is opening up, and it will stay open long enough for you to make your mark. I would, however, recommend that you follow what I call the American law of success: You can do anything you want, as long as you do it well. Based on that social contract, refinement counts. Quality counts, and so does being thorough. Presentation is essential. If you want to violate cultural taboos, or push the edge, it helps immensely to be polished and manicured. When dealing with business people, have your numbers in order. When addressing editors, make sure everything is already fact-checked and proofread before you turn it in. When working with art directors, present them with two or three options. Above all, be polite, pay attention and listen. You can pull off some wild, unusual coup this month, as long as you’re smooth and well organized.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This is a take-charge moment for you. No doubt you’ve been feeling this as unusual confidence. You can feel your own presence in the world, so it’s not surprising that others feel your presence as well. The usual glass ceiling has opened up into a skylight. You are visible and people are taking notice of both how you look and what you have to say. This combination of factors is often the formula for success. I would suggest one thing, which is that if you want to be a revolutionary, you must mind your politics. Live as if every word you’re saying is being recorded. Understand who has influence and why. Know the difference between formal leadership (the boss, for example) and informal leadership (the executive assistant who can make anything happen) and work with that distinction. All in all, remember the human dimension of everything. Slow down and make contact with people, one at a time. Learn the names of everyone you work with and pay attention to how they feel. This would usually come naturally to one born under the sign of mothering, but right now your solar chart suggests you’re more like big daddy. So make sure you draw reserves from your feminine side and take the time to express genuine caring, even as you set out to achieve bold and beautiful things like never before.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You have a future. That’s a big deal right now, with the world living like there’s no tomorrow. While it’s not a good idea to obsess over the future or to treat it as your only resource, you will live more confidently in the present moment if you know you have time, space and potential ahead of you. Think of this message as: take your time rather than waste time. Taking your time means using time well. One particular angle of your chart is trying to get your attention, which is the house that addresses the themes of creativity, pleasure and risk. It seems as if there is something you want to experiment with or explore, yet you don’t know whether to dive in or to hesitate. If this involves something you could call purely creative — that is, some form of expression with few possible consequences — you risk nothing by diving in. If there are some actual, potential consequences, which you must risk in order to succeed, then consider the worst-case scenario. What could go wrong and what are the chances that it will? How can you mitigate those potential effects? Then ask yourself if it’s worth taking that risk to achieve what you want to do. Once you decide to proceed, skip all the hesitating and get on with the show.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You are one of the lucky ones. Remember that all the time. You have resources available to you that most people don’t even dream of, which include actual, practical intelligence, the ability to solve problems and, right now, the potential to understand where anyone is coming from. That particular one, above all else, is your greatest asset at this time. You do not need to be mystified by the people around you, or the ones you meet. The first thing is to notice how you feel around anyone you encounter. That will tell you almost all you need to know, though if you listen you will learn more. If you’re paying attention you will hear people describe or admit to everything that really matters; notice what you learn the first hour. You can learn through these experiences that it doesn’t help to search for your completion in other people. The more you recognize the differences between you and others, the more interested you’ll be in living as your own distinct person, in your own way. Relationships have their place, though the way to find it is to live more independently of them for a while. When you show up feeling like a whole person, which takes practice, you can have a lot more confidence in yourself and in the situations you manifest. Once again, the time is right.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Instead of wishing that life was not so confrontational, you might consider rising to the occasion. This will be easier than you think, especially if you consider that you’re paying for the same team as most of the people around you. Rather than invoking an ‘us and them’ kind of response, you might consider everyone ‘us’ and see how that works. What might seem strange is how self-focused people around you are, up to the point where many ordinary aspects of life can seem competitive. One reason people choose to play this kind of game is because it’s more fun, or seems so. Who really wants to play softball if one team doesn’t get to win? Yet few people understand the nature of cooperative games. I would propose that the most significant game going on in your environment (mental and physical) is about figuring out who you are, and understanding your identity, without the need to resort to any form of aggressive confrontation. You would be the likely person in your environment to offer that idea through your example. Some people may understand this one if you offer it in theory, though figuring out and demonstrating what Germaine Greer called “the trick of cooperation” will work a lot better. Note that this would involve cooperating even with people you don’t like; but that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars, the classical planet associated with Scorpio, stations retrograde later this month. This focuses questions of attachment, jealousy and, most notably, your relationship to money. Mars will retrograde into your sign, where it will spend all of June and July. So this is less about figuring out things, and more about gaining an understanding of who you are in relationship to those things. The bottom line seems to be about identifying what you actually need, and then learning how to say that out loud. On the deepest level this is an emotional question. We’re really talking about how you feel and how you relate to what you feel, and about a grouping of themes related to survival. It’s possible to play out all kinds of root-chakra dramas and burn up a lot of energy. It’s also possible to seek authentic understanding of your most basic requirements for living, make peace with them, and learn to speak in language that other people understand. Yet this requires the intent of being understood, and the willingness to receive. How do you get there? I would say that generosity would teach you plenty. Do you really need to hold on so tight? Learn to share what you feel and what you have, and soon enough it will seem normal — as will the feeling of being understood.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You might feel like some kind of showdown is brewing, though I doubt it. The real question seems to be what you’re going to do with all this energy you’re feeling. Even if you’re not one of these people who lives surrounded by art supplies, musical instruments and notebooks, I suggest you find a creative outlet for your abundant energy. One secret to the sign Sagittarius is that the most natural place for you to cultivate and grow your sense of personhood is in expressing yourself. Travel is important — yet I would propose this is more important. I am confident you’re aware of the many ways you want to get your thoughts out of your own mind and into the world. You now have the advantage of the best thing that inspires art or writing, which is necessity. You need to take this chance, and to embark on this personal mission. If you’re already an artist in some form, you can do riskier work and take yourself to a deeper place. In a little while you’ll wonder how you ever survived without living like this all the time. Exploring in this direction will be one of the most dependable ways to find your path to the professional success that has been calling you, and that you’ve been reaching for. Set your mind free and good things will follow.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — If you’re experiencing turbulence in your environment, or if you’re feeling insecure, strive to make peace with yourself. To the extent that we humans create our reality, much depends on how safe we feel within our own mind and body. Part of what leads to your particular form of turbulence is that your imagination is confined. It often seems you can make the most elaborate and beautiful life you want, as long as it’s a shoebox-sized diorama. You want and need more space and freedom than this, and you owe it to yourself to reach for it. The persistent question seems to be: what would people think if they knew what a wild thing you are? Yet why do you care? There’s a reason, which functions as an excuse. It’s easier to judge yourself if you let other people do it for you. Not judging yourself would mean granting yourself permission to explore, to expand your horizons and to experiment with your feelings, your ideas and your body. This would clearly threaten an identity you’ve cultivated around being small. You cannot have both, though I would ask why you would ever want to shrink yourself down. Initially this began as the desire to please other people without actually succeeding. You and only you can call a stop to this cycle, which means claiming your existence as your own.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Be mindful of your need to plan things out. You have enough momentum in your life, and sufficient resources, to wing it for a while. Planning and strategy have a defensive quality, which can cut you off from your abundant creativity. This is a state-of-mind thing. Strategizing when you really would thrive on going with the flow is a distraction, which takes you out of the moment and therefore out of your ability to make decisions based on what is actually happening. If you want a strategy that might work, keep looking around at your environment and ask yourself what you need to be aware of, and what you need to do right now. This is called immediacy. It may seem radical not to dwell on the past or on the future, but it’s not so strange if staying right in the moment puts you in contact with the equivalent of vast wealth — emotional, creative and material — plus a community to support you. Home in on what is genuinely available to you. Notice how generous people will be if you show up and are real in the moment. You might be amazed at all you were missing all that time, but you don’t have to dwell on it. You have what you need, and who you need, right here and right now.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You have before you a brilliant moment of inventiveness with money and other resources. While I’m always careful to include finances as one among many types of assets you can work with, money is the one deserving of your attention and creativity right now. This is mainly because you can get results beyond what you typically think are possible. Many factors in your chart reveal an unusual drive for success and numerable opportunities available to you. You are in rare form now, taking control of your affairs and removing needless obstacles. Yet at the heart of every business plan are the financials. The numbers have to add up, and when you need money to do a certain job, that’s the thing that does the trick. You’re someone who usually avoids being associated with a drive for wealth, though I suggest you try on this identity for a while. Try relating to your desire to be well funded, and to have enough to go around. Wash your hands and clear your mind of any notion that there’s something unholy about money, and remember that the meaning of any tool is about what you do with it. There is plenty that you want to do, and plenty that you can do; one distinction of Pisces is taking the long, slow route, which is now evolving into the faster, more direct way.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may have the sensation that you’re sitting out in a lobby of a theater, while the most fabulous show ever is going on right on the other side of those doors. Yet you may feel like you can’t find your way into that other room, the one where all the action is. Here’s a clue: it’s inside you. That other space, or other dimension, is your own imagination. You are not missing anything at all; what’s happening is that your potential is expanding quickly, and will continue to do so until you can’t contain it any more. This may take a few weeks; then events will begin to manifest rapidly. The best thing you can do for yourself is to stay in touch with your inner life. Recognize that the ideas you have are excellent, though they may be in nascent form. They will require development, and this will take patience and persistence. You need to have enough faith in what you’re creating to stick with the plan for long enough to get results, which will only be the beginning. Rather than slow down, the way to proceed is in tangible steps that you accomplish one at a time, which lead you forward in ways you notice. Patience and taking the long view may not be your strong suits, though there are rewards for developing these skills. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Hold the space open around you. You’re likely to be drawing a lot of attention; and if you’re not conscious about how you handle this, you may start to feel crowded out of your own life. The focus that others place on you can be helpful, but only if you manage it carefully. It’s necessary to know who are your friends, who are your allies and who is unhelpful — and treat everyone accordingly. You seem to be developing a more self-sacrificing way of living, which is a beautiful thing, as long as you understand why you’re doing it and maintain your sense of balance. For you, the important reality checks mostly involve whether your bodily needs are taken care of, beginning with rest, nourishment and time to contemplate your existence. Your life will have a tendency to go in the direction that it’s already going, so it will be helpful to intervene as soon as possible and make sure that the mixture is correct. At a certain point you’re going to let go into what may become a rapid flow of positive creative developments. This is a form of nourishment by itself, but you know that you’re not really happy unless you’re rested, washed and fed. To that I would add giving yourself some space and time that is all your own. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — As you know, it’s easier for you to have wide, general goals rather than specific ones. Yet in recent years, a few special ambitions have manifested and taken up a life of their own. Events this month, including a total eclipse in the house associated with your highest calling, can propel you to a new kind of success. This is, however, the kind of success for which there is no formula. Yet several things are clear. You must strive for what is important to you now. It’s easy to get caught up in old goals, or outdated images of yourself. Stay in the moment. What comes your way may be something you’ve never considered before. Real opportunities can be total surprises. You may not feel ready or creative enough; you may feel overwhelmed. Let none of that deter you. Many of the greatest successes in the world arrive at odd or inconvenient times. Many people discover talents they never would have considered unless the circumstances presented themselves. I suggest you use this extraordinary time as an opportunity to set aside your expectations, whether negative or positive, and rise to the occasion of what transpires. The world is a strange place right now, and the quantum idea that life is a dream we create was never more obvious than it is today. Dream beautifully. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — One of the most brilliant inventors of the 20th century, Buckminster Fuller, was born under the sign Cancer. What drove Fuller was his desire to take care of the world. He devoted his life to improving life on Earth, as someone who created technology that solved enormous problems. You have a strong, urgent streak of this drive to nurture the world. The truly unusual astrology of the next few weeks manifests in the most creative, passionate and visionary angle of your chart. This is the super-alignment in Pisces, complete with a total eclipse of the Sun. Consider this a dimension opening to some potential version of yourself that you always knew you could become. When it happens, it’ll feel like it was always there, right within you. Yet in the transition between now and that moment, I would remind you of a few things. One is to stay close to your erotic feelings. The sensation of yearning, craving and desire is your psychic fertility. Invite this into everything you do, and notice how you respond to every person in your environment. Next, I suggest you be aware of the power of flexibility. Any truly creative environment is dynamic: there are many variables acting simultaneously on one another. The most important one is your own awareness. You don’t need to be in control. You merely need to pay attention. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Clinging to yourself, your ideas, your ideals, your money or your energy does not help. Your life is a collaborative venture, and there seems to be some rapidly growing influence to get more involved, and to take this to a new level. Yet in order not to be swallowed by your circumstances, or overwhelmed, you must loosen up and invite progress, healing and pleasure into your environment. Many people have something to offer you right now. Without alienating anyone, I suggest you choose carefully in terms of who has the thing you need the most. It might not be your official partner. It might be someone you hardly know, or someone who mysteriously arrived in your life. It might be someone you’ve looked up to for a long time and now you know you’re ready for this particular form of exchange. Be open and keep a loose grip on your reality. This will be mostly true on the level of what you think is important. You may need to rearrange your priorities, and more than that, act boldly on them when you figure out what’s true for you. It’s important that you do this before you feel the influence of others. This way you will recognize what is possible, and know that the motivation to change and grow is coming from you and not from others. That will be your basis of real trust. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You seem to be in a situation where you must handle the changes someone close to you is going through in a fully conscious way. Yet you don’t need to confuse those changes with how you think someone feels about you. Seek and you shall find the truth of that. You may have to wait a little while, and you would be wise to be supportive and refrain from judgment if any unusual events unfold. The thing to do is look for the opening, where what seems to be one thing leads to something else. Your whole environment has that potential — of a portal through the illusion of something and into a reality that corresponds only because it was previously concealed. Use your intuition, instincts and your senses and see the world around you as it is. This corresponds closely to a world within; they are like holograms of one another; a fact that’s always true but is now becoming increasingly obvious, if you slow down enough to notice. Given that, I would suggest you take as your personal motto, “When in doubt, tune in.” Listen and feel. Your ability to influence the flow of your own life comes in your knowing when you’ve reached a point of decision and then using your power to choose. Nothing is destined. Nothing is fated. You remain the center of your reality. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Put your health and wellbeing first, and all else will flow from there. There are, to be sure, times a person’s gotta do what they gotta do — such as when duty calls. But this is theoretical if you lack the power to respond fully, and that is what I suggest you preserve and cultivate. You are sensitive right now; your emotions and the health of your body are more closely linked than ever. It’s for this reason that I suggest you tend to the needs of your body — for nourishment, water, rest and, most of all, pleasure. You have a lot to do; the environment in which you must perform has many variables, some of which have not manifested yet. Yet you can rise not just to the occasion of your circumstances but also to the occasion of your purpose. You are closer now to that purpose than you’ve been in a long time, despite the sensation that it’s difficult to grasp. The purpose of all your creativity is to develop your own original existence. Categories like art, work, personal, business, home, office, artist, craftsman and many others are blurred in your life to the point of being meaningless. You get to explore all of these things and develop them in ways that suit the purposes that you decide are valid. You are creator and created; be bold and loving as you may. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — We have all read that Scorpio is the most sexual sign. If there’s one thing that everyone knows about astrology, that would be it. What’s not known is how other signs arranged around the wheel facilitate this, the most significant being Pisces. Your creative zone — the do it for fun, get out the paints and the champagne, the cameras and the models, let’s get this art party going — is Pisces. This stokes your imagination, melts your tendency to be restrained, and gives you a place to get into the flow of life. And this whole region of your consciousness is not only calling you, it’s like the raging river on a glorious spring day inviting you to shoot the rapids. Here’s what I suggest. Rather than telling yourself how creative, or liberated, or experienced you are, approach life as a newcomer. You’re aware by now how much has changed around you, and how nearly every previous expectation you’ve encountered has melted, faded away or exploded. Approach your existence as a learner, always seeking permission to be a little more free. It’s true that you have to let go in order to do this, but you’re not dropping anything more than a shell you no longer need, and that never really protected you. Above all, I suggest you forget psychology and any any form of rationalizing, take a deep breath and give yourself permission to feel. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You seem to be alternating between the feeling of wanting to run coast-to-coast, and that of being backed into a corner. The first is a more accurate representation of your true state. The bit about being stuck or held down is merely because you have not yet figured out how to make the most of your circumstances. This, in part, is about an emotional quagmire connected to your family. There’s no version of ensnared as effective as the emotional dysfunctions of close relatives. What happens over the next few weeks is akin to a drain opening up at the bottom of your psyche, allowing you to drain one particular emotional pool associated with your distant past. This might even be your ancestral past. You came into this life a different person from your relatives, with a different mission and your own set of unique and vital assets. Don’t let anyone convince you that someone else’s problems are your own; but — closer to the point — don’t convince yourself. It will take some focus to step out of those influences, though the most effective way will be to step into your own life: your highest goals, your unusual style of leadership and your willingness to serve. Others who are obsessed with their problems live their way; you have your own agenda and every right to live fully. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your chart looks as if you’re writing the greatest novel ever created. However, if that’s not exactly what’s happening, you might pay closer attention to the idea dynamo that is your mind — and show it some authentic respect. Rather than your usual concepts of propriety and integrity, however, this is the respect that an artist in her studio would demonstrate for an infinite supply of paint and canvas: the willingness to hang loose and experiment. The ideas you’re thinking, feeling or at least capable of are not anything that’s been thought of before. What you express, therefore, has no need to be based on anything tried and true, certified wholesome or subject to the rules of grammar. You are safer in deep water than you are near the rocks and shoals of others’ expectations (or presumed expectations). The days of living up to your parents are long since gone. That revolution has happened, though freedom makes people nervous. Have you noticed that? Most people don’t trust themselves actually to be free, and so generally choose some form of confinement (usually mental, and often sexual). That policy will not facilitate the cosmic explosion going on in your mind right now — though you must. Do yourself a huge favor and face your own infinite potential. Give yourself permission to take the chance. Make up the rules as you go, the most important of which is some form of YES. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — It’s time to take a step financially. However, for this to work, you will need to make contact with money as the expression of something else, perhaps several other things; and you would decide what they are. It would seem that your fortunes are intimately intertwined with those of someone else, but that is the nature of any economic system; you are not walking around gathering nuts and berries (and even that was done with collaboration). Your own sense of your value to the world is what to focus on first. In the vast exchange process that is the whole world right now, you are giving up something old for something new. Look carefully for some element of your values that no longer works, and update it for something that is about right now: the world the way you know it is today, and who you know yourself to be today. Figure out exactly what you have to offer, from the core-center known as your soul, and then notice who will benefit from that quality. This is your point of exchange. The most vital conducting medium will be service rather than money, though correctly financing the venture is clearly in the stars. Remember at every single turn that this is about you, and it’s also about a heck of a lot more than you. That is happy news. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You will live a year or two this month. It’s as if you’re entering an acceleration chamber, where you will be taken from where you are now, through many changes, to a new place and time. It’s therefore essential that you know the direction you’re headed, and have some idea where you want to go. This means focusing goals in tangible language. Work from your highest priorities, and put some thought into what they are. Eliminate goals that are no longer actually on your agenda. Then you might revisit certain desires, ambitions and objectives that you let go of in the past, whether because they seemed impossible or because you were not ready. You will find that some of those things seem much more practical and attainable now. The whole world is in a phase of acceleration, moving so fast that people don’t have time to think. You, however, must take the time, and consider where you’ve been, where you are, and what you want. This will invariably lead to considering who you were, who you are and who you want to be. Remember that the feeling tone of those destinations is as vital as the specific facts: tones and shades such as relaxed, loving, spacious, creative, erotic, exciting, alive, engaged, successful — mix and match your favorites, then feel your way there. For your Monday Morning horoscope by Eric this week, please see this link.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You can have a formula for success, though it requires that you focus many different talents and capabilities simultaneously. The one that stands out is using positive vibes rather than power to persuade people. One way to do that is to get people turned on by what you want. This may seem self-centered, but it’s really saving people the trouble of originality while they get to contribute to something larger than themselves. Therefore, I suggest you know your objectives and know what’s appealing about them — and make a point of both feeling good and being open. In many respects, the more radical your plans, the better. By that I mean that the more you are challenging yourself and others to think in a different way, the better. There is another piece to this, which is about ethics; or rather, teaching ethics. Focus on doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. This notion is starting to become popular, but it remains mostly an idea because the skills are not readily available. Yes — what I am saying is that people need both teachers and examples for how to do the right thing: how to be devoted, honest and faithful. There remains the question: is it possible to teach ethics? That’s debatable, but you may find yourself needing to do just that. Start by setting the best example. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Relationships, family matters and your professional ambitions are showing up on the astrological radar right now, though there is a common theme: can one person exercise property rights over another? This seems like a ridiculous question here in the age of political correctness. Of course they can’t! That’s just wrong! But the problem is that people do, and often in ways that are not accounted for. Many of the social behaviors we take for granted involve some measure of this, even if it’s just an underlying assumption or two. One place to start the discussion is with jealousy. Although this is lauded as the token of true love, I would propose that it’s the thing most antithetical to love. Jealousy wears many masks, though from a metaphysical perspective I can say this. If you look at the way the topic of death is handled in any relationship, you will have a way to make transparent the many other themes associated with jealousy. Is it even spoken of? Is it bargained with? Is it something that makes you feel more alive (because your time with anyone is finite) or is it something that sends you into control mode? These normally difficult topics are unusually accessible right now. And if you have the courage to bring them up, or to go with the conversation when it arises, you will learn vital lessons to last a lifetime. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Start paying attention to financial matters. It could pay off, and it could also save you a lot of hassles. What exactly happened the past two months? Do the forensics; for example, study your bank statements. Yet the real highlight is on shared resources and investments. There are clearly opportunities available, though to get to them, you may need to go back over some points of disinformation that entered your consciousness recently. You might have the feeling that you don’t want to know the truth, but you will directly benefit from knowledge. More to the point, the more information about your own affairs that you’re working with, the more independent you will feel from the influences of others. This is crucial for you now — it is perhaps the deepest ongoing theme of this long phase of your life. You need to not be under anyone’s thumb, or under their financial thrall. That doesn’t mean that mutual support, or being helped by someone, is out of the picture. This really is a question of power. The problems begin when one thing becomes another, and that thing is not questioned. What seems like sex, for example, can often be seen, more truthfully, as a matter of money and consequently of power. The first step toward transcending this is being absolutely honest with yourself about what you’re experiencing and how you feel. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The trick to making the most out of the current extraordinary astrology is to consider your wildest and most visionary plans, and then condense them down to some tangible concepts. You don’t even need to act on these ideas yet; you just need to know about them and take the time to get clear. For what may be the eleventy-first time in this column, I suggest that this be in writing, in a notebook; to wit, not on some kind of digital device. And I suggest you write in pencil, to have in your body that all plans are subject to revision and improvement. Part of the tangibility factor, the thing that makes your ideas real, is having a physical relationship with them. You also want to think in a non-linear way; that is, to have the ability to scribble and sketch. I don’t know what this is about, but it’s big. Let that aspect not stop you, remembering how many great things were first sketched on napkins and paper bags. You must remember how moved you are, and then go right to the point of the humble beginning — and stay there for as long as you can. Many stages of this scenario will unfold over the next two years, and right now you’re at the most important step: understanding your concept. Or, you might say, becoming your concept. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Leave room for a little madness in your life. Leave yourself room to cut loose, and be a bit Bacchanalian. Real mental stress sets in when people are wound too tight, or become obsessed by control. You need to loosen up, however you define that, though I would say that you need something better than alcohol. You need to feed your imagination and get into that space where you really can share yourself with others, and receive what they offer you. Generally this is called intimacy. But I don’t mean it so much in the sense of pure fidelity as I mean it in the sense of an experiment and a celebration. To go there, you may really need to convince yourself to relax, and set aside any concerns related to work or health. You are already doing what you can, which may mean that you’re doing quite enough. What you would benefit greatly from adding is the quality-of-life piece, which may feel like a throwback to a much younger age. But that is who you were, and in many respects it’s who you still are. What you have now that you didn’t have then is a degree of confidence. Your self-esteem is much stronger. It’s true you built that on your accomplishments. You’ll appreciate it more if you take a breath, slow down and play. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Seen one way, it would seem like the challenge you face in a relationship is not being swallowed by another person. You might be worried you’re trying to ‘be like’ them. Yet I would propose that the challenge is taking advantage of a good example when you have one. Now, there may be many examples around you at the moment, and some are better than others. Yet there is one that stands out, someone with some wisdom, experience and independence, who may be more smitten with you than you think. Indeed, the more intelligent the potential suitor (or suitee), the more likely their feelings are to be deep and authentic. If this is not a romantic situation, it could also be a close friendship or partnership based on learning. You are especially open to new ideas now; but closer to the astrology, you are open to being reminded what you already know. One thing you may know is not to be hung up on the seeming outcome of any human encounter. You have no need to plan, speculate or control. No need to make a head-trip out of anything you feel, wondering what it might mean. Just cup your hands into the waterfall of life and drink up. Humanity is in the midst of a long, chilly winter of discontent. Some hydration will do you good. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You’ve been through many seasons of changes that seemed beyond your control. This has, many times, left you wondering the degree to which you’re really safe, living here on our strange old planet. Yet your solar chart is describing a scenario where you feel right at home, not merely despite all the intensity but thanks to it. Said another way, you’re learning to feel safe in the midst of nearly constant change and adaptation, and if you have not felt that way so far, you can take a big step this month. We could say as an understatement that the Libra charts have been intense, particularly starting in 2012. But really, the story of your life is the story of the world. It’s just that you’re getting it in a particularly focused way. Lest you feel tempted to believe that your life is especially challenging, consider the possibility that you’re particularly gifted at adapting to such a rapidly changing environment. This puts you in a position of leadership, because you’re accustomed to territory that people are just getting used to. Yet you have an added benefit: discovering some unusual source of nourishment in the midst of this all. You’re likely to be in a position to affirm that deep personal investigation, going through changes and, most of all, standing on your own foundation, are actually worth the fuss. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — With Mars moving slowly through your sign right now, you’re unusually persuasive and are endowed with some serious, deep-down drive. This is, therefore, a great time for you to make some choices about what is actually right for you, because you have the energy to make any necessary adjustments. The whole theme of this year is threading the needle between your motives, your deepest values and your actions. There is no longer room for cognitive dissonance or neurosis. You simply must act in accord with who you are. Doing anything else is no longer an option. Astrology that develops from April through July is all about going deeper into those already-deep values and motives, but you are likely to discover what you already know. You can save yourself time by having confidence in your knowledge, without needing to relearn anything, whether it’s the hard way or the easy way. Time, as you know, is your most precious resource, and it keeps moving even when you sleep at night. I suggest you live as if you have an honest relationship with life’s many uncertainties, and its finite nature. This alone will be the thing that motivates you to make the changes you need to make, to say what you must say, and to do what you must do. The realer you get with yourself, the happier (and more productive) you will be. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Let your fears inform you. You might try an exercise where you transform them into some kind of opposite outcome. Imagine that each worry or concern is really an explication of what might happen in the best possible outcome, but reversed. For example, “I fear my partner might leave me” would translate to something like, “This could be the best relationship I’ve ever had,” or, “I am ready for the right relationship in my life.” All fear has a source, and I would propose that it’s a kind of ego reaction to your currently incredible creative potential. However, apropos of understanding and working with that potential, remember that at the moment, building your life is in part about what you’re adding, and partly about what you will be subtracting. This is not about going forward in all directions, or the nonstop bull market. Nor is it about magical alchemy. What you’re doing is more like an industrial process of experimenting, synthesizing and putting in the time and discipline to get something like the result you’re looking for. Don’t be attached to one outcome — there are better things possible than what you might be imagining. Yet underneath it all, both the objective and the result is confidence in yourself. This is not about a test but more about a process of temperance: of gradually conditioning yourself to be in actual possession of the strength you know you already have. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You can now be the bold, lusty being you’ve always wanted to be. Forget your carefully groomed image. Forget prim and proper. Life is not a pageant, nor is it an integrity contest. Anyway, if you associate integrity with being real (that’s the standard, in this astrology lab), then be a real goat. That means mischief, and accessing your somewhat devious/deviant side, and considering anything potentially edible; you don’t know until you try. But most of all it means throwing your image to the four winds. Basically, you’re a prisoner of how you think you appear, which you will only discover the moment you decide, even as an experiment, that it doesn’t matter. The sensation of cracking out of your shell will feel so good, you will wonder how you could have ever waited, or what you were waiting for. The best discovery is likely to be that as you are real with people, you will discover that they are real with you. You have the power to subvert the social media public relations department in the simple gesture of connecting your voice, your words, and your facial expression with your feelings. This will liberate so much energy that you’re likely to do something like make a film, write a novel, foment a revolution or get out of whatever you think is dragging you down. Is freedom dangerous? You will have to see. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Whatever you’re doing or working to succeed at, turn your soft side to the community. You are in one of those phases where you must be gritty and serious in order to get the job done, to establish yourself or to go to the next level. But make sure the public aspect of what you’re doing is all compassion and empathy. Think of Fred Rogers, who was at once the central figure in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and at the same time one of the pioneers of both public television and children’s television. On camera, people met Mr. Rogers, the gentle and kindly friend to the kids. Off camera, people had to work with a shrewd developer, director and businessman. He never confused the two roles, and you would be wise to know which scenario you are in at any given time. What you’re doing requires an all-wheel-drive, brass bolts (and perhaps balls) approach. Yet community relations is where you will actually make contact, and your skill will determine the degree of success you are able to attain. Work on this as a special topic, and develop it as a distinct skill. Study people who are very, very good at it and learn everything you can. When you write for the public, make sure you rewrite until your message and presentation are smooth, clear and authentic. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — A constellation of forces is now aligning in your favor. If you can keep your focus from day to day, get enough rest and eat actual food, you’ll be able to make great strides assembling the many parts of the whole you’ve been designing. This will call on you to be at your best in every skill you have, as well as to attend to both one-on-one and group relationships. You have everything you need, you have momentum and you have some significant cooperation. Using your resources wisely has two parts — the wisdom piece and the actual use piece. Put it all to work intelligently, and remember who is doing the coordinating. Yet one interesting fact of your charts is the extent to which the scenario is directed toward the exterior world rather than your inner experience. Therefore, take the time, care and effort to maintain your inner focus. Know how you feel at all times. Pause and assess your inner weather. Track your currents, your tides, your appetite, your libido and your dreams. Pay attention to yourself. The more that’s happening in ‘the world’, the more urgent that is — especially for a Pisces. One other thing: hang out with people who nourish you. If depleting people are buzzing around, put out the Do Not Disturb sign, and stick to the people who show up with food, love and music. To read your Eric Francis horoscope, you must be a subscriber and will receive it Mondays by email.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You stand at a branching of the ways in your own life. One road leads toward appearances, glitter and glamour, and the other leads toward self-realization. Life is not normally so black and white, though a great wave of energy is about to come through your life, and its raw power is inherently neutral. It will carry you far and fuel your endeavors, in whatever direction you choose. You are the one who gives it meaning, and who harnesses it for the purpose that you designate. In other words, you choose what to do with the vital force that powers your entire being. And now that vital force is rising, and you will have great surges of energy, as will many around you. Yet the path of least resistance will be to stay on the surface; and many will do that, transfixed by shiny objects. The more challenging path is to go inward. Part of why it’s challenging is that ‘inward’ is such strange territory these days. For many it’s entirely alien, and for most it’s unfamiliar, intimidating and chaotic. Do not be intimidated by yourself. Leave that to others, if that’s how they feel. You are who you are inwardly, and you are being challenged now to go inside and stay with yourself for a while. If you seek understanding, and self-respect, you will indeed find them.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Not everything in life is about power over others, though there’s currently quite the campaign being waged to convince us that it is. Every time you see a news story, it’s about what one person or entity may do to another, just because they can. This is not your way; though, in order to evade and even transcend this, you will need to think clearly and be clever. This you can do. You are currently bestowed with a kind of intelligence that is both deep and unusually perceptive. But now it will be necessary to make decisions and to move faster than you normally want. As the events of the next four seasons emerge, you will need to be flexible and strong. It’s also essential that you have some version of a game plan, by which I mean a basic sketch of your strategy. The most meaningful part of that plan is having a direction in which you’re headed. You will change and correct this, though you still need a point of orientation: at least one guiding principle to focus around. It would be far better if that principle were not about another person. You need an idea about your life that is yours alone, which you then bring with you into every situation. The theme of this year is learning to trust yourself — which, like any skill, is gained with practice.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Aspire to what has lasting value. Since the future is becoming increasingly difficult to see, you must do this in the present. Yet this does not merely mean going for immediate satisfaction. In material goods, purchase what is of high quality, of real use, and built to last. Yet where you invest your energy must also match the other kind of value — that which you personally possess. You’re being guided as if by cosmic forces to slow down your mind, to see beneath the surface, and to probe deeper into your personal truth. You could say this is about getting real with yourself. Scrupulous honesty with yourself is required, as is acting on authentic goals that match who you know you are. For this you will need to sort out wishful thinking from observing where you actually connect with existence. Which brings us to the most important theme of your year: living every day. The only way to deal with the vast uncertainty of the world is to focus on what you must do, now. As you do, it’s essential to notice whether what you’re doing is working for you, and whether it serves the ‘greatest good for all’ factor as well. It is the quality of your individual days, and individual tasks, that amounts to the quality of your life — and the strength of your foundation for the future.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Your goal seems to be to feed the world, whether literally or in some symbolic sense. To do that you must be well-nourished, well-rested and well-informed. The pressure that you’re feeling to succeed in your mission is not some passing whim or fancy. It’s as if the time for a certain level of action has arrived, which comes with a level of dedication and devotion. As a result, you may feel driven like never before. And as a consequence of that, it will be necessary to stir up some chaos, and to deal with things that don’t go according to plan. You’ve been living with that for a while, though now it’s time to maximize that factor. Many great successes are adaptations to instability and uncertainty in society. That’s another way of saying that necessity is the mother of invention. The rate of change in the world is maddening, and you would do yourself a favor by admitting that it’s impossible to keep up. But what is possible is to identify patterns that provide you with opportunities to connect with the world with a viable purpose. As an essential ingredient of that, you will need to bring your vulnerability. Most of the struggle on the planet right now involves coldness and lack of empathy. Your success will depend on calling forth these qualities you possess and, indeed, respect the most about yourself.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Not everything is about money. Money is important, but it’s also necessary to remember its inherently symbolic value. In other words, you cannot eat the stuff, and if it has any meaning at all, it’s the meaning we give it. Your charts this year are, in many ways, about discussions and negotiations over resources. It may seem that other people are in a better position than you are, yet if you look closely enough you will see the many advantages that you hold. One of them is that you are resourceful, which means inventive. Another is that when you’re under pressure, you can be brilliantly creative. Yet you can also be naive, particularly in your business dealings; and it’s now essential that you be realistic. This includes in all matters where resources of any kind are exchanged. The deeper the exchange, the more complex this can become — for example, where both sex and money are involved; where inheritances are involved; where your creative work product is connected to finances and your self-esteem. What you must bring to the table is a mix of your passion, your talent and your stone-cold analysis of who holds what cards. As part of that breakout, make sure you notice who has invested so significantly in you. Someone has — and they have just as much faith in you now as ever.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Looked at one way, your solar charts describe you as being guided by the fates and the winds of fortune, subject to their whims. Yet seen another way, you’ve never been more firmly grounded in your sense of commitment and your drive to do what is right. How can both exist at the same time? The answer, in a word, is perception. Fate, fortune and purpose may be stories you tell yourself, but they are not equal in value. The closer you get to purpose, the closer you get to a conscious and intentional meeting with the world around you. This is about a relationship, which must be a mutual endeavor. Your charts state strongly that this must be practical before it is mystical. Your mind, your observations and your choices determine the course of your life. Even if there are other forces at work, you are the person guiding yourself among them. This calls for rising to a new level of responsibility. You must also proceed with some confidence, even though you might feel a bit (or more) out of your element, or like you’re wearing clothes that are a little too tight. As you grow accustomed to your new level of self-direction and decision-making, that firm, tight cloth will begin to soften and loosen up. As that happens, fate will begin to feel more like warm, caring spiritual guidance.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — We hear the word ‘security’ a lot these days. If you were some observer not directly associated with our society, you might think it was a product sold by the pound — we spend this much, we feel this good. Yet authentic security is nothing of the kind. You know this because for a number of years, you’ve experienced what seems like every possible challenge to your grounding and stability. Libra is famous for its love of balance. You have been living in an earthquake zone. But what you’ve learned from living there is that ultimately it is your own choice to feel secure. No amount of lawyers, guns, money or shoes can change that. Often the people of the most impressive means are the ones who feel the most threatened by little changes. You are becoming accustomed to feeling secure in the midst of huge changes. For all your life you’ve wanted to stand on your own feet. You’ve wanted to take responsibility for your own decisions, and reap the benefits. And you’ve wanted to serve the world around you in the way that works for you. That is what you are finally getting to do. And now, as this story develops, you’re being called upon to rise to a new level of challenge, and of talent, with a mix of Libra’s two best qualities — elegant finesse and gritty determination.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — What will it take not to be trapped in your insecurities? You want something else. If you tap into that wanting, and cultivate it like a tree, that desire will grow up and bear fruit. The past two years of Saturn in your sign have brought many enforced changes. You’ve had to rise to occasions that otherwise might have held you down. You’ve been shaped and tempered, and you’ve done a lot of growing up. As a wise astrologer once wrote, Saturn always gives more than it takes away. Now Saturn has moved on to Sagittarius, and the emphasis is on your self-esteem. Were I bestowed with magical power to heal one thing on the planet for everyone, self-esteem would be that thing. Now you get to work on this. Do not take respecting yourself for granted. It’s easy enough for you to do, though now it seems like you’re being tested. You might feel like there’s not enough of you to go around, even for yourself. The planets in their courses are guiding you to experiment with this idea: the opposite of depression is expression. You are being squeezed; and from that pressure, you will discover many openings through which beautiful and seemingly new manifestations of yourself may emerge. When you feel the crush — or feel scarcity in any form — express, express, express. And in the process, you will gain a rare and beautiful kind of confidence.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Can anyone ever plan to be on top of their game? Preparation and focus can get you pretty far. Ambition and a sense of mission can take you even further. The last and most challenging factor is the emotional piece. Imagine if you could feel good every single day — you would be unstoppable. One method that’s worked for you in the past has been detachment. That, however, now verges on impossible. Your solar chart is so emotionally connected that you have no choice but to get in the water and swim. I think that full immersion in your feelings is the way to get you into that play-to-win mode. It is easier to feel than to resist, because resistance consumes precious energy. There is something else that would help, which is to see all of your motives, desires and aspirations not only as valid but as aspects of the same thing. You are one unified, holistic being. As you gather the seemingly different facets of yourself, and consider them all valuable assets, you will concentrate your energy. And you will discover how many small things it takes to make a lot. Remember that while the details matter and must be attended to, your overall vision matters a heck of a lot more. Stay in contact with yourself and rise to your own true level.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — For quite some time you’ve been dealing with undeniable forces of change, which have pushed and stretched you. You’ve made major adjustments, you’ve made progress and you’ve sustained some losses. You know all of this was necessary, because the result has been focusing your life on your evolution. You’re now entering a more introspective time, when outer pressures and chaos will be less influential. Your direction of movement is inherently inward. Even if you’re the outgoing kind of Capricorn, the chances are that in truth you’re an introvert. You are now being pulled deeper in, closer to your spiritual core. You know you’re tapping into aspects of existence that many people around you neither notice nor acknowledge. But here is the thing. Ultimately you are being pressed, guided and compelled to a state of clarity. That, your charts suggest, is going to come in the form of language. While it may seem there are realizations too sacred to be spoken, or too difficult to put into words, you simply must make the effort, for your own sanity. Your inward draw is only as helpful as the ideas that you focus — no matter how challenging, imperfect or imprecise. Leave yourself and others a record of your inner journey, one word or one page at a time, as necessary. As for love, I can sum it up in a sentence: Intimacy is introspection that we share.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — How exactly do you hold onto your ideals in a world where it seems like the whole game is rigged for greed, competition and conformity? I never thought you’d ask! The answer is: it’s challenging, but you must. It may be five times harder to reach for your truth as the madness of our society reaches a new peak. And in the end it will get you double your investment, because you are building a strong foundation that will be there when the world is in calmer times. Before then, you know you’re being true to yourself, and you cannot live with yourself any other way. The current struggle of our world translates to energy loss, depression and confusion in most people, and it could easily do so for you — which is why you must keep your grounding. And your grounding is in your ideals. I would propose that the one that’s closest to the core is existing in a way where you see the needs of the many, the needs of the few, and your own personal necessities. If you at least acknowledge that they exist, you will have perspective. The one rapidly disappearing element of the world is that of mutual benefit. Practice and apply this concept in everything you do. And while you do that, notice who cannot see past their own personal hunger, and steer clear of them.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The emotional details of your relationships are of the essence now. Your success engaging with your fellow humans, and your advancement in the world, are intimately dependent on one another. You must make that delicate move from an orientation on the past to emphasis on the present. Rare and unusual aspects describe the narrow path you must walk in order to be responsive and patient with the sleepy condition of the world. You must tread the way between avoidance, to one side, and cynicism, to the other. If you can do this, you will establish a refuge from some of the worst human failings. You’ll also facilitate your own process of building something designed to last. It had better be, given how long it’s taken you to get where you are, and to have learned what you’ve learned. You’re going beyond the usual description of spiritual, in that everything you do must accomplish both loving intent and practical use. It’s not enough to ‘be a better person’ or to ‘have integrity’. You are here to participate, and to innovate. You have been charged with the responsibility of making actual improvements to your wider environment. And no matter how you may feel about it, this includes exerting actual leadership in a time of profound moral crisis. Yet this is nothing less than what you’ve prepared for all your days.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You must use strategy to accomplish your goals. Effort and passion are necessary (and you have plenty) but they will not be enough. Motivation is drive, and strategy is guidance. That means thinking. By this, I mean manual mode, step-by-step, careful and reflective thought. We’re not accustomed to this and Aries is not exactly famous for it — but you are capable of using your mind this way and you will profit from doing so. It will help if the strategy you use is an organic expression of who you are. You should not have to think against your own grain or use ideas that somehow violate your ethics. Rather, the best course of action depends on your own innate skills, traits and temperament, and most of all, your sense of right and wrong. You might want to tighten the mesh there, and do only what you know is absolutely correct for you, and does as little harm as possible to others. Your environment also favors long-range planning over meeting some immediate need. Therefore, an effective set of plans will take you a bit beyond your goal and into the next couple of phases of your idea. To do all of this well, it’s more important that you be real rather than exemplify love and light. Being authentic is not popular, and it’s not necessarily easy, but it will serve you well.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — I’ve noticed a bias not just against anyone perceived as emotionally needy, but against those who express emotional needs. You may have to address that prejudice yourself some time in the next few weeks, as you actually get into closer contact with what your needs are. I would propose that in life, needs should be relatively few, and desires more abundant. ‘Needs’ really means your bottom line; one cannot have too many needs denied in a situation and still have it be tenable. So, I would suggest you consider what your bottom line is. What do you actually require? As a Taurus this is likely to be somewhere on the physical spectrum of food, rest, solitude, social contact, sex or some other biological element of life. If your physical needs are met, you’re usually pretty happy. Check those first, then move on to your emotional bottom line. Be real with yourself about what it is, and consider your environment and see if you are able to respond to the emotional bottom line of others. There is a meeting place; it’s just that you need to identify it, and do your best to get onto common ground with partners and actually make it happen. In any relationship, actual shared values will exist on the level of what is not negotiable for either of you. It’s worth the effort to get there.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Shared finances now come under the spotlight, and this means you will be doing some negotiating. You might consider everything to be negotiable; you might practice in antique shops in case you’re not used to haggling. The benefits or rewards are potentially significant, so you would be wise to slow down and really, truly understand your situation. Take a conservative approach, which means focus on numbers, resources, shared responsibility and how any arrangement is structured. You will need to apply some old-school thinking (adding up the figures definitely counts), though you’ll also need to account for what has developed, shifted and rearranged during the past seven years. Plenty has, particularly values and attitudes; and any business plan you develop with partners needs to account for those changes. You can afford to think ahead; indeed you really must, which will call for some ambition on your part. Yet your form of ambition really involves thinking of something beautiful that doesn’t yet exist. It might involve having faith that the seemingly impossible is no such thing. While you have a pragmatic, strictly business side, with so many Pisces planets dominating your charts your real aim must include how you will serve people or how artfully you can do things (preferably both). Money is not everything. Yet realistic ideas about finances will lead to better work and substantial profit.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The next year-and-a-half will be an unusual and potentially brilliant time for you professionally. Yet there is not a clear path set out before you. Your growth will not be like advancing through the ranks of the Department of the Interior, nor will it take as long or be as boring. Rather, you will have many interesting turns, and unexpected (but somehow should have been obvious) developments. I think you’ll advance through a series of personal initiations that coincide with advances in what some call a career but what I would call your vocation. The difference is spiritual. A career you do in order to rise up in the world. A vocation is something you do because you must, come what may. A vocation means you have been called or summoned, and you are responding. It’s something that you do every day, all the time, no matter what other activity you might be involved in. What would appear to be the real variable here is how you identify with what you do. Success on some level involves adjusting your public presentation to harmonize with your inner goal. This will require a stretch. You’ll also need to take some unorthodox approaches in order to focus the appropriate kind of attention on what you’re doing. You are visible; you must do what you can to be seen in the most favorable light.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Do your ears hear those who need your help? I suggest you monitor carefully how you respond to the struggles and plight of others. Most people base their response on what would be convenient for them. I suggest you base yours on what you perceive as authentic necessity. This will remind you about your quest for purpose. It’s easy to be self-serving, and just about every influence of our society rewards us for being so. It’s less intuitive, less obvious, to offer oneself in service. Yet that is where you will find your true strength. You connect to your purpose and your sense of belonging by consciously participating in constructive ways. You might try setting aside the question, ‘what’s in it for me?’ or at least noticing how long before you ask yourself that question. It’s been a long time since Ayn Rand tried to brainwash us into the notion that there’s no such thing as altruism, that in the end, everything is about self-interest. Yet she has had way too much influence on our society. The question of whether altruism exists is, in the end, a deeply personal one. In any event, your current aspects describe your relationship to selfless service — or perhaps we could restate that as useful service where self-interest is just one factor among others, and not the most important of them.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It’s not always easy to ensure that people see you as who you are, not who they think you are. Yet it’s just as challenging to see yourself as who you are and not who people want you to be. Part of what you’re doing now is learning the nature of that boundary. That will involve asking questions about the choices you make and the positions you take. You’re slowly being prodded and nudged out of automatic mode. You know you’re getting there when you start hearing the things you say, and evaluating your choices against what you know your deeper values are. Yet there’s a really interesting quality to your environment, which is likely to be a collection of truly unusual people, people with whom you don’t have much in common. The question is, how do you treat someone who comes off as an original, odd or out-of-place character? What’s your expectation that others should blend in with the scenery? There is a mirror effect going on; your perception of your environment will tell you a lot about how you perceive yourself. The main question is, how concerned are you about fitting in? What are you willing to do in order to seem like you fit in, and why does that matter? There may be excellent answers to those queries, if you ask them well.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Where do your relationships stand today, as contrasted with Jan. 1? I would recommend a thorough review. There may be many events that seem like water under the bridge. That’s how life is organized these days; everything is presumed to be ephemeral. That may be true, but what happened recently is still vital to you, and what I suggest you look for is both the story arc of the past 12 months, and also a timeline of key events: mainly connections made, transitions and separations. Remember who from your past seemed to resurface, and what happened when they did. This may have also related to past values, attitudes and viewpoints that reminded you of their existence. To put the question in the most direct way, I would ask what you feel like you resolved this year. What are you now confident that you have settled emotionally, or put to rest? What new values and attitudes have you cultivated that will lead you in new directions? The past still remains a somewhat complex subject for you, and what you developed in the past 12 months may be more appropriately described as strategies and approaches to dealing with your own personal history. One of those may be your process in the present: it would help to take a resolve-as-you-go approach to life, and not leave things to resurface from the ever-lengthening past.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — When in doubt, consider the concept of role reversal. Imagine yourself doing what someone else does, or actually try it out; imagine someone doing what you do, and asking them to consider it. Humans tend to be blind to the viewpoints of others, and it doesn’t help that we don’t generally express our own perspective to others willingly, or well. Yet that is exactly what you need, so that you can get along with people and, better than that, do something creative. One set of roles to consider involves gender. These tend to be the most prepackaged and inflexible positions we play, even here in the world of metrosexual, transgender and heteroflexible. If you’ve already been experimenting with this, what have you learned? How has your worldview changed? Can you see ways to widen your inquiry into other areas of your life? Try this as many ways as you can think of. At the least, consider how others respond to you from their viewpoint, and see what you observe. What you may find is that this opens doors of communication and of empathy. Yet it will also open up possibilities that were previously concealed from view; access to ideas that were lurking below the surface; and your willingness to take action, whereas before you were content to wait for something to happen.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Saturn in your sign will develop as an interesting walk along the ledge between confidence and insecurity. It’s not till you start to experience that directly that you really make valid observations and decisions. Otherwise it’s just theory. And more than anything it’s your theories that need to be put to the test against lived reality. This includes the value of past experience in any form, including prior learning from your parents and other authority figures. One might presume that the presence of Saturn is about maintaining stability, since that’s supposedly what Saturn is about. It’s more likely that Saturn in your sign is pointing to your need and even a kind of drive for new experiences and approaches to life. Saturn’s drive for change, initially, is going to be an experiment in how you relate to your insecurities. If you feel like you’re on solid ground, you will be more inclined to take steps on that ground. If you feel like you’re floating, or walking on a bog, you’re less likely to take firm steps. Therefore, the thing to work on is confidence — which is another way of saying learning to address fear in a cogent, thoughtful way. Ultimately this is less a psychological question and more of a spiritual one, though approaching from both angles will be helpful. Remember that change is inevitable; making your own decisions is optional.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Based on images from the unusual astrology influencing you this month, I referred to the Allan Watts book The Wisdom of Insecurity. You know that Pluto has been coursing through your sign for seven years, making it seem like there’s no such thing as solid ground. Now Saturn is in your 12th solar house, which evokes a deep inner mystery and potentially a sense of isolation. Saturn is square Neptune, reminding you how vital it is to be able to focus your mind into coherent thoughts, using language and ideas. Yet nothing is certain, and if you can make peace with that, you can have some of the significant benefits of living without the need for false security. In one of the great works of modern philosophy, Watts writes, “You cannot understand life and its mysteries as long as you try to grasp it. Indeed, you cannot grasp it, just as you cannot walk off with a river in a bucket. If you try to capture running water in a bucket, it is clear that you do not understand it and that you will always be disappointed, for in the bucket the water does not run. To ‘have’ running water you must let go of it and let it run.” Such is the story of your life for the next year: a potentially amazing adventure into the flow.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You are trying to establish yourself in the world, and you seem to be making some significant progress, though it may not feel that way. You might want to pause measuring your failures and successes and instead devote your energy to understanding something about yourself. That something involves the relationship between who you are and what society is. Your mind is a microcosm of the world that you’re wanting to establish yourself in. That raises the value on self-knowledge at this time in your life. Self-knowledge means going deeper into your motives and your learning process, and into seeing the way that patterns from your personal history manifest for you. If you are seeking change, and seeking progress, then seek self-understanding. You may be tempted to put all your effort into understanding the world, but even if you succeeded in doing that, the information would be of little value without the one-and-only necessary context of your life — you. The more transparent you become to yourself, the more transparent the world will become. The more flexible you become, the more flexible the world will seem. The more alert you are, the easier it will be to spot other alert people and engage them collaboratively. Yet you will need to suspend judgment as much as you can, and observe yourself carefully nearly all the time.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You may feel like you’re under some strange pressure, which is true enough. But how you describe that sensation and what you choose to allow it to motivate you to do are under your discretion and control. Your astrology describes the theme of synthesis. This word started off meaning ‘deductive reasoning’ though the current definition is about combining the parts of something into a whole. Presumably we are talking about your life, your work and what you’ve accomplished so far. I would take the meaning a step further, which is about the synthesizing of something new from previously existing elements. In other words, there are parts of this holistic entity you’re assembling that you will have to make yourself. This requires the use of chemistry and physics, in the metaphoric sense. Things that don’t seem to mix or combine on the first try may need a few more rounds of experimentation. You might need to account for the missing elements that will make your process work. The single most important thing you can be in possession of is an idea of what you’re working toward — a description and drawing of what it is and how it’s supposed to work. You might start that process with identifying the purpose that you need fulfilled, and let that purpose and vision guide and motivate you. Take up your role as the inventor of your own life.