Aries (March 20-April 19) — Humanity seems to live in terror of its own creative strength. We see this play out so many ways — in schools that ban creativity, in political movements where people sacrifice their own freedom, in people who object to sex in any form except for a scandal, or those who deny any notion that there is more to life than they have today. Fear of creative strength also comes in the form of denying the kind of pleasure that nourishes in favor of pleasure that depletes. This is no longer your path, to the extent that it ever was. I would describe this phase of your life as being about pumping your vital force with gusto, in every form you know it to take. Make your choices based on how edgy they are, not in terms of what you get but what you must offer or take the risk of becoming. Take the risk not of danger, but of failure — you will be glad you did.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be tempted to do or say things in an effort to please those you feel are in positions of authority. Yet it would be better to take authority, especially over your own ideas. You don’t have to meet any standard except for being real. However, in our society this concept needs some explanation. Being real means matching your words to your actual opinion. It means matching the expression on your face to how you really feel. It means asking a question when you don’t know, instead of guessing, though that includes first checking in with yourself to assess what knowledge you already have. To take authority you have to be your own authority, which is a complex task; rather than being about bossing yourself around, it’s about having a balanced viewpoint, taking different opinions under advisement and ultimately being responsible for your own decisions. Someone who can do that is a valuable person within any group or organization.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — It’s been said that a smart person learns from his or her own mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others. You are now entering territory that you’ve seen others struggle with many times. You may be concerned that you have to go through some similar crisis, though I assure you that you do not. The experiences of others do not need to warn you off of any ambition or intention you may have. Rather, I suggest you get some information about the territory from those who have been there. In the end, your success is going to depend on how resourceful you are. So I suggest you take a wide view of resources, including your own talents and skills, what people close to you might be able to offer (starting with blood relatives you actually trust), and finally, money. There may also be one well-positioned individual who can be a positive influence. Remember: use your allies.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — There remains the ongoing puzzle of how you translate what you feel into words. Anyone who has been friends with a dog knows that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. With humans, what you say is as meaningful as how you say it, and this often translates to the feeling behind the message. That is also the challenge — actually feeling when you speak, and aligning your emotions with your words. It’s worth stepping up to that one. At the same time, there’s that little problem of words being so easily misunderstood. Today and for the next few days, it would be a good idea to choose your words with extra care, and to go through several drafts of anything you want to put in writing. Leave it on your screen for a while and stare at it before pushing ‘send’ — for hours or a day or two. You will be glad you did.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may be concerned that you have some unknown or undetected weakness or vulnerability, which is persisting even with Jupiter in your birth sign. It’s true that there is something concealed, that you’re concerned about revealing or don’t want known about you. But that is not necessarily a disadvantage. If you work with this feeling, you may discover that it contains power. You can, for example, consider that something you perceive as fearful may play to your advantage. Whatever you’re sensing has the power to go both ways. That much is clear. But that does not mean that it’s a random factor. On one level you’re experiencing a test of your expectations, or of what you presume in the face of missing information. Life is holding out some unusual promises for you now. That is sometimes a little edgy. Keep your thoughts positive. In the end, you will be glad you saved yourself needless anxiety, and fostered the skill of positive thinking.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Notice who you meet or even randomly encounter over the next few days, and treat everyone with fully conscious respect. Eliminate any standoffish attitude you might have, burn off any fog that might sometimes surround you, and focus on who you are speaking with. Treat everyone with care and compassion, and lean in with an ear for how you might help. Go out of your way to treat everyone the same way, which means with the utmost attentiveness. It is an unfortunate habit of current society to take an uppity approach with people based on the flimsiest excuse, with no excuse or out of habit. It seems too much to ask for people to present themselves to the world with even a modicum of humility, as if to do so is to lower oneself in some way. This is a profound misunderstanding, and it’s one that you don’t want and cannot afford right now.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Although Mars stationed direct in your sign on May 19, it has yet to enter new territory. Said another way, Mars is still in ‘shadow phase’ and has not gone past the degree where it stationed retrograde back in March. This happens soon — but not before one final experience of whatever the retrograde symbolized. True, it meant many things to many people, but since early December your life has had a dominant feeling, a recurring theme or persistent issue. It’s the one thing that many or most things have had in common. There is an underlying circumstance or pattern that is related to this issue, and you’re about to see what it is. There is some theme of fairness, and it’s related to honoring commitments. It may also be related to the ways in which you hold others to honoring their commitments to you. The way you did things in the past will no longer serve you. Now you have one distinct advantage: you know this, and that will help you make the decision you need to make.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Sleepwalking, being in autopilot, trance state, spacing out. Everyone drifts into this state at some point, though currently many people are drifting through life paying as little attention as possible. Often this is aided and abetted by alcohol, pills or other substances. I don’t know your personal circumstances, but I do know your solar chart. Right now you need to pay attention. I could list off a dozen reasons from just your solar chart, though let’s skip that. Pay attention. Notice where you are and who is around you. Notice what you’re doing and why. Come out of the dream state and enter fully waking state. That means taking nothing for granted and yes, as one of your Scorpio cousins recently said to me, it means keeping your mind alert and active at all times even if this seems really weird. Engage your awareness fully, in manual mode, and keep waking up as many times as necessary.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are starting to see possibilities where you did not see them before. Correspondingly, you may also be seeing problems you didn’t notice before, though I would propose that those problems may not exist. You may be saying that if the problems are not real, then how do I know the potentials are real? Well, the mind is better at making up problems that don’t exist than it is at coming up with solutions or creative options. Even if this is a matter of emphasis, it will pay to focus your attention on what works, or what will help, rather than on what might not be going well. One thing I’ve noticed in my decades of working with people as their astrologer is that most are not so good at seeing the possibilities. You are — and if you want, you also have the discipline to make them real.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your chart describes an inheritance of some kind. That concept can be expressed many different ways, though the overall inference is success and benefit. You have resources available to you and there are people willing to help you out. Should you be in a position to receive assistance of some kind from an investor, make sure you preserve your rights, that you don’t get in over your head and that you have a relatively easy way out of the arrangement if it does not work. Understand who is taking the risk and what risk that really is. Finally, keep the benefits in mind. Any arrangement would best be based on mutual benefit and on love of the work. The same aspect pattern describes a very friendly scenario in love and sex. Just keep reminding yourself that every person is their own individual, free to come and go as they please.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Who is your reference point for self-esteem? You need an example, and if you discover that you’re not finding too many of them in the world, consider that a sign that you’re using your discernment. Your astrology suggests that the past few months have had a special theme, which is understanding the emotional basis for self-worth, or lack thereof. It is not a mental exercise. For you self-worth resides at the root of your emotional nature. The central message of this time in your life is that no matter what anyone has done to you, or what has happened to you, you are the one who decides how you feel about yourself. You decide who you call as a witness. You decide who you believe. Ultimately, you make your own decision about who you are. Yet that decision has an emotional basis, not a logical one. That is the beauty, and the biggest challenge.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Make your work count. Recognize the value of what you do, by which I mean look carefully, note the facts, observe the world around you and really get it all the way. You have no need to look to others for reassurance, even though it’s likely that you are being recognized for your contribution. Part of this means recognizing the economic value of what you contribute. By that I mean its inherent value and its value to support you and those who directly benefit from it. Yet in the same way that a dollar is exchanged many times and is therefore more than its face value, your work extends far beyond your immediate circle of awareness and benefits those who you may never meet or know about. Therefore I suggest you use some exceptionally positive astrology and make it work for you — in every way, including how much fun you have doing it, and the special pleasure that comes from total dedication to quality.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Focus your ambition on actually getting something done, and you actually will. It’s easy to make plans and to spin out ideas. It requires a little something extra, such as focused effort, a game plan and one other thing — the desire to make it happen. You can have all the other ingredients, and they add up to nothing without the desire to make it happen. This weekend’s Full Moon in the angle of your chart associated with success and recognition will give you a boost of confidence, and the contact with Pluto will help you focus your determination. I suggest you stop talking about your plans and put all your energy into taking the concrete steps to completing something that you know is meaningful, necessary or potentially urgent. Focus on quality but not at the expense of getting hung up. Appearance is important but in the current equation it could be a serious distraction. Stick to integrity.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — From the look of your solar charts, you’re getting a lot done, though you seem to be feeling edgy about something, such as money. I would not be surprised if there are moments when you get a bit panicky for no special reason. The deeper story of your charts, however, is about your commitment to living differently from how previous generations in your family did. If you do, of course, they may think you’re weird and some people will express vocal disapproval. You may have an inner attachment to approval. Be determined to let none of these things stop you, or sap any of your confidence. Indeed, I suggest you draw strength and confirmation from any disapproval you might encounter, or that you may fear. Be aware of how many generations of tradition you may be breaking with your determination to do what is right for you, and to love in the way that is right for you.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You can afford to feel better about yourself. Better would mean less worried about what other people think and what they do, and more focused on what you want to do, and what you want to share with others. You’re working with a potential emotional distortion, which might manifest as difficulty expressing your needs and your feelings. Complicating things somewhat is the fact that you seem to feel two different ways, which are likely to conflict, so you’re never fully sure that you are expressing a true need or feeling. There is one absolutely safe one that you can explore — express love, gratitude and care. It’s always appropriate to share your appreciation and your loyalty, particularly since so few people do it in words. Support people in whatever they want. Set them free from your expectations and attachments and you will set yourself free from those same bindings. Then, love is possible.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This weekend’s Full Moon in your opposite sign Capricorn will shine the light on how much potential your relationships have, and how far you’ve come redefining yourself in the context of partnership. Having Capricorn as your relationship house is not easy, because it places an emphasis on structure in our already over-structured concept of what it means to share an experience of love with another person. But Pluto has been doing its work in this angle of your chart, and you’ve cleared out a fairly large space where it’s possible to be yourself. This might include having relationships on common ground much closer to your own terms; sorting out the extremely annoying and usually false differences between friend and lover; and not living like you owe some debt to the past five generations. If you owe them anything, it’s being happy in ways that they could not or did not consider possible.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If you are concerned about a matter of health, I suggest you guide yourself away from worst-case scenarios, and keep a focus on taking care of yourself. Self-care is the theme of your life these days, which comes with many different dimensions. One of them is finding that space where your work is integrated in a healthy way with the rest of your existence. For a while it may seem like you’re resolving a paradox, which is true. You may have to experiment with one end of the equation for a while, then the other, in order to find not only the right balance but also the point of integration you’re looking for. Jupiter ingressing your sign next week will give you more energy and better ideas to work with. You will have a bolder idea of what success is, and what it means to you. That will give you a goal you can work toward, and that you can feel good about. In healing, in work and in every facet of life, motivation is everything.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — In all matters professional, keep your strategy in mind. You are likely to have your goal in mind, and there is a chance you will put your goal above everything, which will not get you any closer to that goal. Part of your strategy must involve an extreme helping of diplomacy. You must present the right demeanor or posture to the appropriate person, and be aware at all times to whom you are speaking. Your solar chart cautions that you could be perceived as authoritarian or driven by jealousy — which are unlikely to be true (however, I suggest you do a careful check-in with yourself on these matters, since it is possible). I suggest you strive for consistency with people, which is a sign of maturity and your respect for them. And be cautious at the least thought that others do not care about you, or don’t respect you. That is a trap, and it’s unlikely to be true.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Mars in your birth sign, combined with a variety of other factors, describes you in a situation where you may have to push an issue that you don’t feel comfortable doing. The sensation will be something like exceeding your authority, and possibly feeling guilty about it — but knowing intuitively that you’re correct in doing so. This might also come with the feeling of claiming some space to exist that you might have previously abandoned. Be aware of the fear of others wanting to get revenge or acting against you subversively — this is more of a feeling than an actual probability, but the feeling is what counts, because it has the power to dominate your reality. Said simply, the time has come to pluck up the courage to run your own life. That means being direct with others, which means speaking up, not festering on your own secrets till they ferment into resentment.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Saturn in your sign is the original symbol of enforced growth. Saturn is saying, “It is time.” It’s true that most people experience Saturn as a depressive influence, as a burden or as a limit — though this is a limited perspective, and it most likely does not take into account the essential factor of maturity. Saturn in your sign is saying you need a structure to your life that embraces all of the functions you want to fulfill as an adult with the freedom of choice. Your life is not about recreation. It’s not about self-fulfillment. Those are ingredients in a whole life, but not the whole purpose of life. In a word, your current purpose is fulfilling your function; taking up elements of why you came to this planet at this time. One measure of purpose is your creative work product. It’s about what you make, which is an expression of your purpose. The key here is tangibility — the actual substance of achievement, not merely an abstract concept of growth.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your ruling planet Jupiter is about to change signs, and this means it’s time to focus your energy and your intentions. There is enormous potential in this transit, but you will need to be clear, apply energy and follow through on what you start. For the past month or so it’s been possible to run a little wild, to skimp on commitments and to let yourself be dominated by your emotions rather than on what actually makes sense logically. At the same time, you’re seeking real creative freedom and solid collaborations. And, I would remind you that you’re working with real creative power — which comes with responsibility, and connecting your creative power to an actual purpose that serves humanity. Jupiter in Leo will boost your creative confidence, and make sure you get to live out the connection between creativity, passion and fun — but when you get to the essence of Leo, it’s about responsibility to the community. Leo puts work above play, and above money. Look after these details. You are well respected but this will raise the stakes — your integrity is on the line.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — This weekend brings an extraordinary Full Moon in your birth sign, and with that will come a surge of confidence and energy. Mixed in with that might be some bouts of insecurity, which may have you wondering which side of the equation is really true — your strength or your fear. This is a situation where the presence of fear serves a useful purpose, which is to alert you that you’ve entered (or are about to enter) some new personal territory. You may think of this as alerting you to actual, external risks. The real risk, it would seem, is to your dependency on structure, on following past patterns, and on the fear of venturing into unfamiliar territory — in a word, your ego. But don’t think of ego as an identity, rather as a set of attachments that hijack your identity. Your job is to get it back. Recognize your attachments and focus your courage. You asked to be set free from your past and this is your chance. You asked to do something different, and this is your opportunity.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Inner vision provided by this weekend’s Capricorn Full Moon will show you just how much space in your mind you’ve cleared out. Space translates to additional energy, room for your own thoughts and freedom from worry about what other people think. Space means freedom from the burdens of others, to an increasing degree. You’re not totally liberated, but it’s as if you realized you were living in an ancient mansion that had been passed down from generations before you. You took over one wing of the house, cleaned it out and started decorating and furnishing it the way you want. You have made it your own, which translates to many large and small developments in your life. This progress would not have been possible without all the inner clearing and renovation that you’ve been involved with. Consider this a good start. The light of the Full Moon will reveal how much further you can take the same basic idea.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Use your allies. Or perhaps better said, count on your friends and your closest colleagues. You have some influential or even powerful friends, and you share plenty of common ground with them in terms of a desire to accomplish what is right and what is true. I suggest you be bold about making proposals and exploring your options for partnerships and associations that are not only mutually profitable but also beneficial to the wider community. Though Pisces has a reputation for lacking structure and direction, you do the best when you work with and within an organizational group of some kind, and you would be the likely person to initiate that. It’s not merely that you have that particular talent. You have something else going for you, which is the ability to go beyond the cynicism and defeatism that is so popular right now. Your Pisces vision can show you what is possible — and if you open your eyes and look you will see that means anything.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you want to tap an energy source that will get you moving, let it come from a deep place. Ideas and insights will not suffice. They are helpful and you have a lot to say these days. But that is merely the wind above the tide. The tide, the moving water, is what you want to carry you. This is not about emoting but rather about feeling your strength as inner presence, as confidence and as freedom from the usual array of security issues that are so abundant these days. Your next major decision is not the usual ‘leap without looking’ endeavor. Rather, there are additional points of grounding and of confirmation available that will confirm that you’re making the right choice. One of those is harmony between the inner and the outer environments, which can flow seamlessly into one another. If there is conflict between what you feel and your external feedback — for example, emotional resistance from others — pause and investigate what that is about.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — One definition of ‘true love’ that I would propose is the ability to love oneself in the presence of another person. Most of what we call true love is the seemingly direct transaction: I love you and you love me. There’s a more complex dynamic at play, which seems to be about how we feel about ourselves in the presence of others. I think that as we find a path out of the current dark maze that our society calls love, the self-acceptance factor is the one to look out for. It reverses the notion of love from something that is projected and introjected into something that is admitted to be an inner experience. No matter what may be going on outside you, your entire experience of life is mediated by your mind, your feelings, your perceptions. I suggest you test this logic — instead of ‘how much does he/she love me?’ consider that the question is ‘how do I feel about myself when I am with you?’

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Now that Mercury has stationed direct in your sign, you can see how quickly the tide can turn. What made no sense, or was frustrating your best efforts, can suddenly run smoothly. Completely bungled communications can seem to sort themselves out. Seemingly intractable problems can unravel. You might ask how this happens. You might ask what factors of your own consciousness contribute to your perception of problems that may not even exist. There is, however, one matter that is calling for immediate focus. If the question involves sex, then the underlying matter relates to health. If everyone is healthy, there really is no issue. If the matter involves money, make sure you sort out the motives of the people involved and see whose intentions are self-serving and related to power, and whose intentions relate to taking care of others. You cannot change people but it always helps to know who they are.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The Sun’s alignment with Pluto is giving you the confidence to meet a certain person in a direct, bold and confident way. They may seem like they have more power or influence than you, though I assure you it does not feel that way to them. You are very likely to seem the more confident person in the dynamic, and if you don’t remember that you won’t understand why someone you perceive as powerful or confident does not seem to be acting that way. In fact if you notice the things they say that hint at how invisible they feel, and take that as a clue, you will make progress on clear communication with them. Remember, though, that you may feel like they have inordinate influence over you, such as in the sexual realm, and they are unlikely to register this fact. To them you seem bolder, brighter, more visible and full of vitality. Keep that in mind and things will make a lot more sense.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Don’t fall for the sensation of being lost. Choose any one point of orientation and that feeling will disappear. That might be work. It might be your health. It might be your family. If you have one focused motive or intention, your other priorities will fall into their correct place. You cannot sort them all out at once, or take care of everything at once. It will be simple enough to put things in order, once you know your first priority. In reality, all of the subjects I’ve described are related; it’s really a matter of emphasis what you call it. While you’re prioritizing, I suggest you comb through the events of the past six months and notice whether you’re still responding to life in ways that may have been appropriate much earlier in the year. Many things are about to change in your life, and it will help immensely if you keep your focus on the present and the future. You may not know it yet, but the past really is gone.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Mercury, the planet associated with your sign, has returned to direct motion in the angle of your chart associated with your professional activities and reputation. You may discover that a long series of developments that made no sense, or that seemed to work to your disadvantage, have put you in a position of distinct advantage. You need to think in a clear strategy. Your plan cannot merely be about how to achieve your goals. That would be easy enough. Rather, you need to achieve your goals and make sure that you don’t do any damage; that you work with others and build relationships for the future; that you learn and know what you are learning. What you’re experiencing is on one level a political exercise. It’s about fostering mutual cooperation. The person who brings this idea into the equation is the one who is helping pioneer a future where we go beyond winners and losers, and where the game is about everyone coming out ahead.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You seem ready to attempt something that in the past would have had you shaking at the knees. However, you’ve come a long way since then, and you’ve come a long way the past couple of months. You can question whether you’re confident enough. You can question whether you’re ready. You can question whether you’re standing on a solid foundation. But the only way to answer those questions is through experience. Experience will require that you actually assert yourself — or rather, that you continue to do so, because Mars in your sign for the past seven months has done a lot for your initiative. Said another way, you’ve figured out that your role is not merely passive; your role is not merely to adapt. Your role is to be someone who changes your world in creative ways. And to the extent that anyone can ever give you permission to do that, you just got it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars retrograde is over, and the planet that traditionally rules your sign will soon be in your sign; then you can add up your various losses and gains and see where you really stand with yourself. But before that happens, you’re about to go on a kind of odyssey — an inner and outer adventure. Some of the places you go will seem oddly familiar. Others will seem entirely new. What you must be careful of, in the first instance, is your unconscious actions leading to strife among others. The core of this journey is being able to maintain your mindfulness and understand the impact of your thoughts and your actions. In other words, you are learning to pay attention. This does not mean tiptoeing around others who are easily provoked. It means engaging them directly, and recognizing the influence that you have on them and on your environment. You have substantial power in your hands. You must learn how to use it wisely — and the next three to four weeks will bring many opportunities to do so.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — As you communicate and otherwise relate to people, be sure not to hold them to your past. It’s likely that others have moved beyond certain spiritual or emotional matters that you are still grappling with, or have no special need to address them now. Therefore, align yourself with their present, and keep your focus in that framework of reality. This will have the effect of calling you forth into your present, where you know that you can see over the limits that may have been in your life before. You have not necessarily surpassed each limit. You may still have work to do (who doesn’t?). Yet you know that this is also a matter of two points of view; two approaches to life. One is deeply engrained, indeed, it goes back generations. One points to the way that anyone goes beyond history, beyond the limits supposedly set on their success and happiness by their predecessors. Others will lead the way for you, and you will lead the way for them.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Do not cower in the face of beauty. Stand tall and make friends with those who are talented, passionate and charismatic. Consider them an example for how you can be. You would be wise to consider them a reflection of your potential self. One other suggestion, as the Cancer Sun moves into opposition to Pluto in Capricorn. You need to understand the impact you have on others. You’re quick to assume that you make no special impression; it would seem that many times you feel invisible. If that’s your perception, you have that backwards. You often make a profound impression on others — though you almost always miss this fact. If the impression you make does not align with how you feel about yourself, that is, if you are wondering how or why you could influence someone or be so noticeable ‘cus it’s just li’l ol’ you, I suggest you study the details of life more. Engage in closer conversation with people until you get a sense of who and what they perceive when they experience you.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Compared to prior times in your life, even fairly recent ones, you are relatively free of over-burden or complexity. I know that everyone’s life seems complicated, but as people grow and master their various challenges, it’s easy to forget just how mixed up things were not so long ago. This gives you flexibility, it gives you a measure of freedom and a bit of excess capacity to assist someone who may be in need. Consider who in your life could benefit from your support — it may be intellectual, it may be something you can do for them in the political arena of business, or it might be a way you can assist with a financial strategy. Someone may reach out to you, or you may have been observing them for a while. I suggest you be efficient and a bit shrewd in how you offer your assistance, and how you go about implementing it. This may be as simple as an introduction to someone else, an idea, or focusing a group effort among others perfectly capable of making something happen.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Stay close to who and what you love the most. I know that recent months have had you running so hard you’ve been at the point of overheating. These experiences have led to finding ways to simplify your life, and keeping close to the experiences you value the most is a reward for that. There is a point of contact approaching. It looks like a combination of sexual and creative. Looking at those words on the page, however, I am reminded how few people would use them in the same sentence, no more than they would say ‘taking a shower’ and ‘creative’ in the same sentence. Well, besides the fact that many great ideas have been born in the shower, sex and creativity are flames in the same fire. One feeds the other. Where one is strong, the other has a much greater chance of being strong. It looks like your passion and your talent are approaching a flashpoint. This is art. This is love. This is life.