As we often stress on this site, ultimately you are the only person who can determine your identity, how you view who you are, and your most passionately held values. Yet this does not mean you need to seclude yourself from all possible influence by others. In fact, one of the ways you learn about yourself is through where those deeper parts of your being interact with others, and your experience of such encounters; genial as well as provoking or tense.

It is often wise to seek advice and pointers from others, especially experts in their field; it’s not incumbent on us to take said counsel to heart, but we can give them a hearing. Yet it’s also true that we are the ultimate experts on our own thoughts and feelings. In seeking to resolve a certain issue this week, be open to recognizing and respecting your own knowledge.

This week’s astrology for you has a certain gravitas. There’s a specific matter on which you’re being called to step up and make a commitment of some kind, even if only to yourself. Part of this relates to your most strongly held values, and how they inform your character. You’ll likely be required either to stand by them, or to review them.

You seem to have a clearer perspective this week than last, and probably some time before that. Certain points that appeared fuzzy or incomplete are now easier to understand; some information formerly missing may now be in your possession. It could take time to sift through what you now know, and to reach a conclusion that makes sense to you.

Relationships of all sorts require boundaries; and as the Sun in your sign opposes Neptune, you may be inclined to strengthen yours. On the one hand, it’s always useful to know where you draw the line. On the other, it’s possible to be too rigid, and to hem oneself in with complicated sets of rules.

Trust is a necessary ingredient in close relationships. This includes trusting that when someone loves you, it’s because you’re inherently worthy of love; they just happen to recognize it. This isn’t always easy if you’re prone to self-criticism, which is a habit that requires effort to break.

The past few weeks may at times have made articulating ordinary phrases seem like trying to recite tongue-twisters. You’ve perhaps wished to express yourself on a particular point, but felt prevented from doing so for whatever reason. Over the next few days the mists should start to clear; however, don’t rush to the mic.

As we approach the zenith of your birthday season, feel free to take some moments to relax and experience pride in all that you’ve accomplished, especially in the past year. Despite the cultural messages we usually receive about pride, it’s normal and healthy in moderation, like many other things.