Aries (March 20-April 19) — Focus on the quality of the work you do, and devote yourself to the service you offer, and you cannot go wrong. You might think that this is the approach you take when you’ve figured out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Yet it’s the devotion to whatever you happen to be doing that will guide you to the place you want to be the most. This is an inner quality rather than an outer one; the common thread is a state of mind rather than any particular activity. Doing quality work in a deli is not that different from doing quality work as a writer; in both cases you must pay attention, focus on the details and keep your human presence strong. Respond to your environment and honor the idea, “I am here only to be truly helpful.” When in doubt, remind yourself of that.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — It’s amazing how changing your relationship to food can change your life. Most people suspect this, though the details can be elusive. Fad diets compete with ‘fine’ restaurants, the ones where butter makes it better. Your astrology suggests this is the time to get your kitchen and your eating habits in order. This will likely prompt a more holistic review of your life, with food at the center, where it belongs. It’s true that eating well costs money, but it’s a lot cheaper than eating out. If you draw your energy into your home (and, for example, away from restaurants), that will shift the flow of your life in many other ways. The thing you need is control over what goes into your food, and actual choice over what you eat. This will help your mood, your energy level, your creative flow and many other factors of life that you might never associate with a fork or spoon.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Don’t trip over yourself. Tie your shoes, pull up your socks and walk forward. You might not be feeling self-confident enough to blaze forward, though this is what I’m speaking about. If you act confidently and proceed with some direction, you will feel confident. If you overthink everything, especially in the context of what will make you feel safe, you’re likely to feel stuck. Others in your environment may seem bold or aggressive, which may be irritating; however, you might consider that they have the right approach to life. It’s true that some people around you may have a higher tolerance for conflict, though you have a skill that can convert friction into cooperation: that would be your gift of language. Your ability to negotiate and to see both sides of an issue will help you turn potential competitors into allies and even friends. Find your common goals and agree to work toward them.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — To succeed professionally, it’s essential that you have a solid home life. This is not true for everyone, though it’s essential for you. You need harmony in your living space, and also order and beauty. You need space you can depend on and use as you need to, and you need to feel good there. In a few weeks Jupiter will be entering the home angle of your solar chart. This transit is about one year of focused improvement, feathering your nest, clearing out space and, quite possibly, getting yourself into a better location. All of this adds up to taking care of the space you have, and figuring out what you need and want. My own preference is for high ceilings, wood floors and a lot of light, which turns out to be easy to find. Yours may be just as easy, though it helps significantly to know what you want before you find it. Pay attention to where you feel good.

A Florida panther. Photo by Ethan Oringel.

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Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If you’re prospering financially, you know it’s not a matter of luck. You know it’s a matter of focus, effort and intelligence. If you want to do better on the money scene, bring your intelligence to the question. Leo can have a frugal quality that you might need to get over. What for some is about covering their basic necessities for you might seem overly extravagant. You might suspend those kinds of judgments on the way to figuring out your relationship to money. Everyone must find their proper place on the food chain. You value what is simple, and by all indications you despise waste and want. Yet to have a good life it’s important to have one or two selected areas of life where you go to excess, if only as a reminder that you’re the one making the decisions. Financial success is largely a matter of being open to it; that makes all your other efforts possible.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Nothing is all male or all female. All critters have both male and female hormones; all humans have tendencies that are considered native to their sex, and of the opposite sex. Most of these are conditioned and have no relationship to biology. Virgo in particular is a sign that’s ruled by Mercury, the one truly hermaphroditic planet. You have no special need to attach yourself to one particular polarity or viewpoint, and you would have great fun experimenting, especially now. The sticking point is usually the fear of what others might think, though I suggest you step over that like the six-inch-high fence that it is. Apropos of both Mercury and Virgo, the thing to do is to keep moving and exploring rather than getting yourself into a fixed point of view. Beware of clarity; that is, the feeling of having determined something with certainty. The moment you feel that, ask yourself, “And now what?”

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You have some interesting people around you, who may be shocking you into a new level of awareness. You might not like their style, or you might be happy that they’re them and you’re you. But the message is that you’re free to be more assertive in your environment. You don’t need to be so retreating or understated. You don’t need to hide your point of view. If you’re looking for yourself, or trying to figure out who you are, step out into the world and give things a push. See how people respond to you, by getting them to respond. The thought of this may make you bristle, though it’s better to have creative experiments rather than actual conflicts — and those seem to be your current options. There’s a level of self-development where you must pull in and maintain your silence. A little of that will help you now, but just a little. Mostly, you need to let your freak flag fly.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Money issues often come back to unresolved issues with parents. Carl Jung, the great 20th century psychoanalyst, said they relate to mother. Sigmund Freud, one of his teachers, said they relate to father. So let’s say it could be either parent, or both — and you’re likely to be rubbing against these themes now. The fact that this question relates to your family may not be obvious on the surface. It’s not always as stark as someone telling you what to do (though it may be). More often it relates to how you feel when you set your own priorities. For example, when you decide what you want and take steps to make it happen, do you feel guilty? Even a little? Do you feel like you’re betraying someone by making your own decisions? That’s the feeling I’m talking about. The core of this issue almost always relates back to being afraid of people who seem to hold authority over you, or who once did. In the next few weeks you can blow through this, with gusto.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Mars is in your sign, and you’re now in the perfect position to assert yourself. But against what? I would say: the past. You’re at the point where you truly want a new vision for yourself, and new plans based on that vision. In light of that, I suggest you update all your files. Make sure that the goals you have are actually the ones you currently value; the ones you really and truly want, now. As you do this, you’re likely to come up against some previous plans, including ones that may have been important to you even recently. It will help if you let go of any attachment you might have; for example, because you worked so hard. The work you did is not lost; it was an investment in your self-development, and you learned plenty. If you get to a point where your new agenda conflicts with your old one, pause and consciously reassess. Use your energy wisely.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You must look beyond your tendency to be pessimistic, and consider what is possible. You might not be able to do that based on what you’ve accomplished in the past; that’s the point. You need a different basis for faith in your ability to shape your life. One thing that might ease your way is to let go of having to make an exact plan for every goal. Between the first step in a process and what might seem to be the last one, there are many surprises. It’s not that planning is in some way wrong, but rather that it can only get you so far. Think of your plans as a kind of guide, such as figuring out what rocks you’re going to step on to get to the other side of the stream. Once you’re stepping from rock to rock, you might make another choice, and you might get your feet wet. You’ll still get where you’re going.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — If you find yourself facing a problem or issue, pause and ask yourself if you’ve already solved it. If you find yourself needing anything, ask yourself if you already purchased it. Rather than discover, acquire or plot new things, check out what you already have on hand. You seem to be up to something — some project with potential public impact, and you want to proceed with intention and use your resources wisely. Draw on your environment: approach your supporters, work with your allies, and make sure you get people on board as far in advance as you can. This same astrology might lead you into high-friction situations, which would be a waste of time. If you use your mind and your intuition, you will save time and get more done. And if you put your social skills to work — which, as you know, is optional — you will get even further. Think and be polite.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Stick to your most important goals. Pause what you’re doing, take a survey of what you’ve been up to for the past six months, and prioritize. Mars has returned to Sagittarius, which is your house of ambition and reputation. It will help if you remember that both of those count: you are in an excellent position to strive for unusually bold goals, and you must do so with integrity and a clear sense of mission. By mission, I mean be clear about what your service is. You are being called to work in service, though at the same time, you can and must make it work for you. Emphasize collaboration and include as many points of view as you can; at the same time maintain a position of leadership over your own affairs. When the time comes to connect with people you identify as working on a high level, or as an authority figure of some kind, handle that communication yourself.