Tag: horoscopes

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Greek philosopher Socrates declared, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That extreme statement is a foundational idea of Western philosophy. It’s hard to do! To be ceaselessly devoted to questioning yourself is a demanding assignment. But here’s the good news: I think you will find it extra liberating in the coming weeks. Blessings and luck will flow your way as you challenge your dogmas and expand your worldview. Your humble curiosity will attract just the influences you need.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Recently, I brought an amazing Taurus to your attention: the German polymath Athanasius Kircher, who lived from 1601 to 1680. Once again, I will draw on his life to provide guidance for you. Though he’s relatively unknown today, he was the Leonardo da Vinci of his age — a person with a vast range of interests. His many admirers called him “Master of a Hundred Arts.” He traveled extensively and wrote 40 books that covered a wide array of subjects. For years, he curated a “cabinet of curiosities” or “wonder-room” filled with interesting and mysterious objects. In the coming weeks, I invite you to be inspired by his way of being, Taurus. Be richly miscellaneous and wildly versatile.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): How does a person become a creative genius in their field? What must they do to become the best? In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell said that one way to accomplish these goals is to devote 10,000 hours to practicing and mastering your skill set. There’s some value in that theory, though the full truth is more nuanced. Determined, focused effort that’s guided by mentors and bolstered by good feedback is more crucial than simply logging hours. Having access to essential resources is another necessity. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Gemini, because I believe the coming months will be a favorable time to summon a high level of disciplined devotion as you expedite your journey toward mastery.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There’s a story from West African tradition in which a potter listens to the raw material she has gathered from the earth. She waits for it to tell her what it wants to become. In this view, the potter is not a dictator but a midwife. I believe this is an excellent metaphor for you, Cancerian. Let’s imagine that you are both the potter and the clay. A new form is ready to emerge, but it won’t respond to force. You must attune to what wants to be born through you. Are you trying to shape your destiny too insistently, when it’s already confiding in you about its preferred shape? Surrender to the conversation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s my odd but ultimately rewarding invitation: Tune in to the nagging aches and itches that chafe at the bottom of your heart and in the back of your mind. For now, don’t try to scratch them or rub them. Simply observe them and feel them, with curiosity and reverence. Allow them to air their grievances and tell you their truths. Immerse yourself in the feelings they arouse. It may take 10 minutes, or it might take longer, but if you maintain this vigil, your aches and itches will ultimately provide you with smart guidance. They will teach you what questions you need to ask and how to go in quest for the healing answers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Wise gardeners may plan their planting by the moon’s phases. Through study of the natural world, they understand that seeds sown at the ripe moment will flourish, while those planted at random times may be less hardy. In this spirit, I offer you the following counsel for the coming weeks: Your attention to timing will be a great asset. Before tinkering with projects or making commitments, assess the cycles at play in everything: the level of your life energy, the moods of others, and the tenor of the wider world. By aligning your moves with subtle rhythms, you will optimize your ability to get exactly what you want.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In parts of Italy, grapevines were once trained not on wires or trellises, but on living trees, usually maples or poplars. The vines spiraled upward, drawing strength and structure from their tall allies. The practice kept grapes off the ground, improved air circulation, and allowed for mixed land use, such as growing cereals between the rows of trees and vines. In the coming weeks, Libra, I advise you to be inspired by this phenomenon. Climb while in relationship. Who or what is your living trellis? Rather than pushing forward on your own, align with influences that offer height, grounding, and steady companionship. When you spiral upward together, your fruits will be sweeter and more robust.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Migratory monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles, guided by instincts and cues invisible to humans. They trust they will find what they need along the way. Like them, you may soon feel called to venture beyond your comfort zone — intellectually, socially, or geographically. I advise you to rely on your curiosity and adaptability. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the journey will lead you to resources and help you hadn’t anticipated. The path may be crooked. The detours could be enigmatic. But if you are committed to enjoying the expansive exploration, you’ll get what you didn’t even know you needed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your assignment is to uncover hidden treasures. Use the metaphorical version of your peripheral vision to become aware of valuable stuff you are missing and resources you are neglecting. Here’s another way to imagine your task: There may be situations, relationships, or opportunities that have not yet revealed their full power and glory. Now is a perfect moment to discern their pregnant potential. So dig deeper, Sagittarius — through reflection, research or conversation. Trust that your open-hearted, open-minded probing will guide you to unexpected gems.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” What did he mean by that? That we shouldn’t try to use words to describe and understand this complex music? Countless jazz critics, scholars, and musicians might disagree with that statement. They have written millions of words analyzing the nature of jazz. In that spirit, I am urging you to devote extra energy in the coming weeks to articulating clear ideas about your best mysteries. Relish the prospect of defining what is hard to define. You can still enjoy the raw experience even as you try to get closer to explaining it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the Andean highlands, there’s a concept called ayni, a venerated principle of reciprocity. “Today for you, tomorrow for me,” it says. This isn’t a transactional deal. It’s a relational expansiveness. People help and support others not because they expect an immediate return. Rather, they trust that life will ultimately find ways to repay them. I suggest you explore this approach in the coming weeks, Aquarius. Experiment with giving freely, without expectation. Conversely, have blithe faith that you will receive what you need. Now is prime time to enhance and fine-tune your web of mutual nourishment.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): How often do I, your calm, sensible counselor, provide you with a carte blanche to indulge in exuberant gratification, a free pass for exciting adventures, and a divine authorization to indulge in luxurious abundance and lavish pleasure? Not often, dear Pisces. So I advise you not to spend another minute wondering what to do next. As soon as possible, start claiming full possession of your extra blessings from the gods of joy and celebration and revelry. Here’s your meditation question: What are the best ways to express your lust for life? 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You have had resemblances to cacti in recent days. It hasn’t always been pleasant and cheerful, but you have become pretty skilled at surviving, even thriving, despite an insufficiency of juicy experiences. Fortunately, the emotional fuel you had previously stored up has sustained you, keeping you resilient and reasonably fluid. However, this situation will soon change. More succulence is on its way. Scarcity will end, and you will be blessed with an enhanced flow of lush feelings.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I foresee abundance emerging from modest sources. I predict breakthroughs arising out of your loving attention to the details of the routine. So please don’t get distracted by poignant meditations on what you feel is missing from your life. Don’t fantasize about what you wish you could be doing instead of what you are actually doing. Your real wealth lies in the small tasks that are right in front of you — even though they may not yet have revealed their full meaning or richness. I invite you and encourage you to be alert for grandeur in seemingly mundane intimate moments.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s time for your Uncle Rob to offer you some fundamental advice for living. These tips are always worthy of your contemplation, but especially now. Ready? Being poised amidst uncertainty is a superpower. You may attract wonders and blessings if you can function well while dealing with contradictory feelings, unclear situations, and incomplete answers. Don’t rush to artificial closure when patience with the unfinished state will serve you better. Be willing to address just part of a problem rather than trying to insist on total resolution. There’s no need to be worried or frustrated if some enigmas cannot yet be explained and resolved. Enjoy the mystery!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Acclaimed Cancerian poet Lucille Clifton published 14 books and mothered six children. That heroism seems almost impossible. Having helped raise one child myself, I know how consuming it is to be a parent. Where did she find the time and energy to generate so much great literature? Judging from the astrological omens, I suspect you now have access to high levels of productivity comparable to Clifton’s. Like her, you will also be able to gracefully juggle competing demands and navigate adeptly through different domains. Here’s my favorite part: Your stellar efficiency will stem not from stressfully trying too hard but rather from good timing and a nimble touch.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): One of the seven wonders of the ancient world was the Colossus of Rhodes, located on a Greek island. Symbolizing power and triumph, it was a towering statue dedicated to the sun god Helios. The immediate motivation for its construction was the local people’s defeat of an invading army. I hereby authorize you to acquire or create your own personal version of an inspiring icon like the Colossus, Leo. It will symbolize the fact that the coming months will stimulate lavish expressions of your leonine power. It will help inspire you to showcase your talents and make bold moves. PS: Be alert for chances to mobilize others with your leadership. Your natural brilliance will be a beacon.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest structure built by living things. Lying beneath the Coral Sea off the east coast of Australia, it’s made by billions of small organisms, coral polyps, all working together to create a magnificent home for a vast diversity of life forms. Let’s make the Great Barrier Reed your symbol of power for the next 10 months, Virgo. I hope it inspires you to manage and harness the many details that together will generate a robust source of vitality for your tribe, family, and community.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): One of my favorite poets, Arthur Rimbaud, wrote all of his brilliant work before he became an adult. I suspect that no matter what your age is, many of you Libras are now in an ultra-precocious phase with some resemblances to Rimbaud from age 16 to 21. The downside of this situation is that you may be too advanced for people to thoroughly understand you. You could be ahead of your time and too cool for even the trendsetters. I urge you to trust your farseeing visions and forward-looking intuitions even if others can’t appreciate them yet. What you bring to us from the future will benefit us all.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Blacksmiths still exist. They were more common in the past, but there are many 21st-century practitioners. It’s a demanding art, requiring intense heat to soften hard slabs of metal so they can be forged into intricate new shapes. The process requires both fire and finesse. I think you are currently in a phase when blacksmithing is an apt metaphor. You will need to artfully interweave passion and precision. Fiery ambition or intense feelings may arise, offering you raw energy for transformation. To harness it effectively, you must temper your approach with patience, restraint, and detail-oriented focus.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir were two feisty, independent, strong-minded French writers. Beauvoir was a trailblazing feminist, and Sartre was a Nobel Laureate. Though they never officially married, they were a couple for 51 years. Aside from their great solo accomplishments, they also gave us this gift: They proved that romantic love and intellectual equality could coexist, even thrive together, with the help of creative negotiation. I propose we make them your inspirational role models for now. The coming months will be a favorable time to deepen and refine your devotion to crafting satisfying, interesting intimate relationships.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Over 2,600 years ago, ancient Babylonian astronomers figured out the highly complex cycle that governs the recurrence of lunar and solar eclipses. It unfolds over a period of 18 years and 11 days. To analyze its full scope required many generations of researchers to carry out meticulous record-keeping with extreme patience. Let’s make those Babylonian researchers your role models, Capricorn. In the coming months, I hope they inspire you to engage in careful observation and persistent investigation as you discover meaningful patterns. May they excite your quest to discern deep cycles and hidden rhythms.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I invite you to try this visualization exercise, Aquarius: Picture a rosebud inside your body. It’s located in your solar plexus. Imagine it’s steadily and gently opening, filling your body with a sweet, blissful warmth, like a slow-motion orgasm that lasts and lasts. Feel the velvet red petals unfolding; inhale the soft radiance of succulent fragrance. As the rose fully blooms, you become aware of a gold ring at its center. Imagine yourself reaching inside and taking the ring with your right hand. Slip the ring onto your left ring finger and tell yourself, “I pledge to devote all my passionate intelligence to my own well-being. I promise to forever treat myself with tender loving respect. I vow to seek out high-quality beauty and truth as I fulfill my life’s mission.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I foresee the arrival of a living fossil, Pisces. An influence you thought was gone may soon reappear. Aspects of your past could prove relevant to your current situation. These might be neglected skills, seemingly defunct connections, or dormant dreams. I hope you have fun integrating rediscovered resources and earmarking them for use in the future. PS: Here’s a lesson worth treasuring: While the world has changed, a certain fundamental truth remains true and valuable to you. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The strongest, most enduring parts of China’s Great Wall were the 5,500 miles built during the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644. One secret to their success was sticky rice, an essential ingredient in the mortar. The resulting structures have been remarkably water resistant. They hold their shape well, resist weed growth, and get stronger as time passes. I hope you will find metaphorical equivalents to sticky rice as you work on your foundations in the coming months, Aries. Proceed as if you are constructing basic supports that will last you for years.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The world’s most expensive spice is saffron. To gather one gram of it, workers must harvest 150 flowers by hand. Doesn’t that process resemble what you have been doing? I am awed by the stamina and delicacy you have been summoning to generate your small but potent treasure. What you’re producing may not be loud and showy, but its value will be concentrated and robust. Trust that those who appreciate quality will recognize the painstaking effort behind your creation. Like saffron’s distinctive essence that transforms ordinary dishes into extraordinary ones, your patient dedication is creating what can’t be rushed or replicated.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Jean-Paul Sartre was offered the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964. But he rejected it. Why? He said that if he accepted it, he would be turned into an institution and authority figure, which would hinder his ability to critique politics and society. He was deeply committed to the belief that a writer has an obligation to be independent and accountable only to their conscience and audience, not to external accolades or validations. I think you are in a Sartre-like phase right now, dear Gemini. You have a sacred duty to be faithful to your highest calling, your deepest values, and your authentic identity. Every other consideration should be secondary.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are now highly attuned to subtle energies, subliminal signals, and hidden agendas. No one in your sphere is even half as sensitive as you are to the intriguing mysteries that are unfolding beneath the visible surface. This may be a bit unsettling, but it’s a key asset. Your ability to sense what others are missing gives you a unique advantage. So trust your intuitive navigation system, Cancerian, even if the way forward isn’t obvious. Your ability to sense underlying currents will enable you to avoid obstacles and discern opportunities that even your allies might overlook.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Underground fungal networks are essential for the health of ecosystems. They connect plant roots and facilitate transfers of nutrients, water, and communication signals between various species. They enhance the fertility of the soil, helping plants thrive. In accordance with astrological indicators, I invite you to celebrate your equivalent of the underground fungal network. What is the web of relationships that enables you to thrive? Not just the obvious bonds, but the subtle ones, too: the barista who has memorized your order, the neighbor who waters your plants when you’re away, the online ally who responds to your posts. Now is an excellent time to map and nurture these vital interconnections.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns about “the danger of a single story.” She tells us that authentic identity requires us to reject oversimplified narratives. As a Nigerian woman living in the U.S., she found that both Western and African audiences sought to reduce her to convenient categories. She has not only resisted that pressure, but also outwitted and outflanked it. Her diversity is intriguing. She mixes an appreciation for pop culture with serious cultural criticism. She addresses both academic and mainstream audiences. I offer her up as your role model, Virgo. In the coming weeks, may she inspire you to energetically express all your uncategorizable selves.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Where have you not yet traveled but would like to? What frontiers would your imagination love for you to visit, but you have refrained? Now is the time to consider dropping inhibitions, outmoded habits, and irrelevant rules that have prevented you from wandering farther and wider. You have full permission from life, karma, and your future self to take smart risks that will lead you out of your comfort zone. What exotic sanctuary do you wish you had the courage to explore? What adventurous pilgrimage might activate aspects of your potential that are still half-dormant?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Astrologers say that Scorpio is ruled by three creatures that correspond to three ascending levels of spiritual maturity. The regular Scorpio person is ruled by the scorpion. Scorpios who are well underway with their spiritual work are ruled by the eagle. The Scorpio who has consistently succeeded at the hard and rewarding work of metaphorical death and resurrection is ruled by the phoenix — the mythical bird that is reborn from the ashes of its own immolation. With this as our context, I am letting you know that no matter how evolved you are, the coming weeks will bring you rich opportunities to come more into your own as a brilliant phoenix.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Seas off the coast of Singapore are heavily polluted. Some of the coral reefs there are showing resilience, though. They have developed symbiotic relationships with certain algae and bacteria that were formerly hostile. Their robustness lies in their adaptability and their power to forge unlikely alliances. That’s a good teaching for you right now. The strength you need isn’t about maintaining fixed positions or rigid boundaries, but about being flexible. So I hope you will be alert and ready to connect with unfamiliar resources and unexpected help. A willingness to adjust and compromise will be a superpower.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Sometimes, disruptions are helpful prods that nudge us to pay closer attention. An apparent malfunction might be trying to tell us some truth that our existing frameworks can’t accommodate. I suspect this phenomenon might be occurring in your world. An area of your life that seems to be misfiring may in fact be highlighting a blind spot in your comprehension. Rather than fretting and purging the glitches, I will ask you to first consider what helpful information is being exposed. Suspend your judgment long enough to learn from apparent errors.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): This isn’t the first time I’ve said that your ideas are ahead of their time. Now I’m telling you again, and adding that your intuitions, feelings, and approaches are ahead of their time, too. As usual, your precociousness carries both potential benefits and problems. If people are flexible and smart enough to be open to your innovations, you will be rewarded. If others are rigid and oblivious, you may have to struggle to get the right things done. Here’s my advice: Focus on the joy of carrying out your innovations rather than getting caught up in fighting resistance.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Sunlight can’t penetrate deeper than 3,280 feet into the ocean’s depths. Even at 650 feet down, a murky twilight zone prevails. But nearly 75 percent of deep-sea creatures can create their own light, thanks to a biochemical phenomenon called bioluminescence. Jellyfish, starfish, and crustaceans are a few animals that glow. I propose we make them your symbols of power in the coming weeks, Pisces. I hope they incite you to be your own source of illumination as you summon all the resilience you need. If shadowy challenges arise, resolve to emit your steady brilliance. Inspire yourself and others with your subtle yet potent clarity. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I think you’re ready to establish new ways of nourishing and protecting what’s valuable to you. Your natural assertiveness will be useful in setting boundaries and securing resources. Your flourishing intuition will guide you to implement adjustments that safeguard your interests while remaining flexible enough to permit legitimate access. Be extra alert, Aries, for when you need to balance security with accessibility. Your best defenses will come from clever design, not brute force. Do what you need to feel secure without feeling trapped.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In July 1971, 26-year-old Taurus poet Bernadette Mayer kept a scrupulous diary. Every day, she shot a roll of 35 mm film, wrote about the day’s events, and recorded herself reading her accounts. By August 1, she had accumulated 1,100 photos and six hours of readings. One of her goals in doing the project was to learn more about how her memory worked. What was worth remembering, and what wasn’t? She also hoped to gain an objective perspective about her routine rhythm. Years later, she acknowledged that though this was a narcissistic experiment, she had no shame about it. Inspired by Mayer, and in accordance with astrological omens, you might find it worthwhile to lovingly and thoroughly study the details of your daily life for a while. It’s an excellent time to get to know yourself better.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini writer Raymond Carter (1938–1988) established a reputation as a master of terse minimalism. One critic noted that he practiced the “Theory of Omission” — an approach to writing fiction that mandates the elimination of superfluous narrative elements. But it turns out that Carver’s editor Gordon Lish had a major role in all this. He deleted half of Carver’s original words and changed the endings of half his stories. Years after his death, Carver’s widow, Tess Gallagher, published the original versions, with the omitted material reinstated. I believe the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to make comparable restorations, Gemini. In every way you can imagine, tell the full story, provide the complete rendition, and offer elements that have been missing.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Even if you don’t regard yourself as a psychic or prophet, I suspect you now have an uncanny knack for deciphering future trends. Your intuition is operating at peak levels, especially when you focus it on the big picture of your long-term destiny. As long as you’re not overconfident about this temporary bloom of expansive vision, you can trust your ability to see the deep patterns running through your life story. To make the most of this gift, take a loving inventory of where you have been and where you are going. Then devote relaxed meditations to adjusting your master plan.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): River deltas form where rivers meet the sea, creating fertile and complex ecosystems that nourish abundant life. Some of my favorites are the Rhône River Delta in France, the Po River Delta in Italy, and the Shinano River Delta in Japan. In the coming weeks, Leo, I will visualize you as the metaphorical equivalent of a river delta. I’ll call you the Leo Delta, trusting you will be inspired to celebrate and cultivate the rich intersections that characterize your life — areas where an array of ideas, paths, and relationships converge. Be open to synergizing different aspects of your world: integrating emotions and logic, connecting with diverse people, blending personal and professional goals.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your natural inclination is to solve problems through detailed planning and careful analysis. On occasion, that process dead-ends in overthinking, though it often works pretty well. In accordance with current astrological omens, however, I suggest an alternative approach for you in the coming weeks. Instead of trying to figure everything out, how about if you simply create a relaxed spaciousness for new things to emerge? Experiment with the hypothesis that progress will come not from doing more, but from allowing more.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): As they climb, mountaineers carefully assess every handhold and foothold. Unfailing concentration is key. I recommend adopting their attitude in the coming weeks, Libra. You are entering a phase when ascension and expansion will be among your main assignments. The best approach to your adventures is to make steady progress with precision and thoughtfulness. Rushing rashly ahead or taking needless risks could be counterproductive, so be scrupulous about planning and preparation. Trust that the most efficient path to the summit will be via small, deliberate steps. Your winning combination will be ambition leavened with caution.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): At age 42, Scorpio painter Georgia O’Keeffe left her busy New York art career and traveled to New Mexico for the first time. The landscape’s beauty overwhelmed her. She wandered around the desert for three months, creating no art at all. A few critics accused her of wasting time. She rejected their ignorant misunderstanding of her process, replying, “To see takes time. I had to learn the country first before it would let me paint it.” Her most iconic paintings emerged after this phase of pure observation. I’m recommending a similar period for you, dear Scorpio. While your instincts may tempt you toward a flurry of activity, I believe now is a time to wait and see; to pause and ponder; to muse and meditate.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): By the 20th century, the 483-mile-long Seine River in France was so polluted that most of its fish were gone. But clean-up efforts have been successful. Now there are 32 fish species, including the Atlantic salmon. The Seine is also very close to being completely safe for humans to swim. I would love it if you were inspired by this success story to undertake a comparable project in your own life, Sagittarius. What would you most like to see revived and restored? Now is a good time to begin the effort.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Until she reached her 70s, Capricorn visual artist Louise Bourgeois was a peripheral figure in the art world, modestly respected but not acclaimed. Then New York’s Museum of Modern Art presented her work in a major show. In response, The New York Times reviewed her work, saying it was “charged with tenderness and violence, acceptance and defiance, ambivalence and conviction.” I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming months will also bring you recognition for labors of love you’ve been devoted to for a while — maybe not in the form of fame, but through an elevated appreciation by those whose opinion matters to you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The name of the old Talking Heads album is Stop Making Sense. One of its many implications is that we periodically derive benefit and relief from being free of the pressure to sound reasonable and be consistent. According to my detailed, logical, in-depth analysis of your astrological omens, now is a perfect time to honor this counsel. I hope you will give yourself a sabbatical from being sensible, serious, and overly sane. Instead, please consider a sustained pursuit of pure pleasure, fun foolishness, and amazing amusement.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be on high alert for fleeting intuitions that flow through your awareness. Really good ideas may rise up only briefly and only once, and you should be ready to catch them in the ripe moment before they fade away. Do you hear my urgency? Pay special attention to passing thoughts or sudden insights. They may contain more value than initially apparent. I will even speculate that seemingly ephemeral inspirations could become foundational elements in your future success. Document your hunches, even if they seem premature. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): What may appear to be slow or static is actually moving. The developing changes are imperceptible from day to day, but incrementally substantial. So please maintain your faith in the diligent, determined approach. Give yourself pep talks that renew your deeply felt motivation. Ignore the judgments and criticism of people who have no inkling of how hard you have been working. In the long run, you will prove that gradual progress can be the most enduring.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The most successful people aren’t those who merely follow their passion, but those who follow their curiosity. Honoring the guidance of our passions motivates us, but it can also narrow our focus. Heeding the call of our curiosity emboldens our adaptability, exploration, and maximum openness to new possibilities. In that spirit, Taurus, I invite you to celebrate your yearning to know and discover. Instead of aching for total clarity about your life’s mission, investigate the subtle threads of what piques your curiosity. Experiment with being an intrigued adventurer.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Huston Smith was a religious scholar who wrote 13 books. But he was dedicated to experiencing religions from the inside rather than simply studying them academically. Smith danced with whirling Dervishes, practiced Zen meditation with a master, and ingested peyote with Native Americans, embodying his view that real understanding requires participation, not just observation. In the spirit of his disciplined devotion, I invite you to seek out opportunities to learn through experience as much as theory. Leave your safety zone, if necessary, to engage with unfamiliar experiences that expand your soul. Be inspired by how Smith immersed himself in wisdom that couldn’t come from books alone.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): More than 2,000 years ago, people living in what’s now the Peruvian desert began etching huge designs of animals and plants in the earth. The makers moved a lot of dirt! Here’s the mystery: Some of the gigantic images of birds, spiders, and other creatures are still visible today, but can only be deciphered from high above. And there were, of course, no airplanes in ancient times to aid in depicting the figures. Let’s use this as a metaphor for one of your upcoming tasks, Cancerian. I invite you to initiate or intensify work on a labor of love that will motivate you to survey your life from the vantage point of a bird or plane or mountaintop.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You now have extra power to detect previously veiled patterns and hidden agendas. That’s why I urge you to be alert for zesty revelations that may seem to arrive out of nowhere. They could even arise from situations you have assumed were thoroughly explored and understood. These are blessings, in my opinion. You should expect and welcome the full emergence of truths that have been ripening below the surface of your awareness. Even if they are initially surprising or daunting, you will ultimately be glad they have finally appeared.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Renowned Virgo author Nassim Nicholas Taleb has called for the discontinuation of the Nobel Prize in Economics. He says it rewards economists who express bad ideas that cause great damage. He also delivers ringing critiques of other economists widely regarded as top luminaries. Taleb has a lot of credibility. His book The Black Swan was named one of the most influential books since World War II. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for now, Virgo. May he incite you to question authority to the max. May he rouse you to bypass so-called experts, alleged mavens, and supposed wizards. Be your own masterful authority.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I predict that your usual mental agility will be even more robust than usual in the coming weeks. Although this could possibly lead you to overthink everything, I don’t believe that’s what will happen. Instead, I suspect your extra cognitive flexibility will be highly practical and useful. It will enable you to approach problems from multiple angles simultaneously — and come up with hybrid solutions that are quite ingenious. A possibility that initially seems improbable may become feasible when you reconfigure its elements. PS: Your natural curiosity will serve you best when directed toward making connections between seemingly unrelated people and fields.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re ready to go to the next evolutionary stage of a close alliance. Although you may not feel entirely prepared for the challenge, I believe you will be guided by your deeper wisdom to do what’s necessary. One way I can help is to provide exhilarating words that boost your daring spirit. With that in mind, I offer you a passage from poet William Blake. Say them to your special friend if that feels right, or find other words appropriate to your style. Blake wrote, “You are the fierce angel that carves my soul into brightness, the eternal fire that burns away my dross. You are the golden thread spun by the hand of heaven, weaving me into the fabric of infinite delight. Your love is a furnace of stars, a vision that consumes my mortal sight, leaving me radiant and undone. In your embrace, I find the gates of paradise thrown wide.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Egypt, mirrors were composed of polished copper. To remain properly reflective, they required continual maintenance. Let’s take that as a metaphor for one of your key tasks in the coming weeks. It’s high time to do creative upkeep on your relationships with influences that provide you with feedback on how you’re doing. Are your intended effects pretty close to your actual effects? Does your self-image match the way you are perceived by others? Are you getting the right kind of input to help you stay on course?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Chances to initiate creative transformations will come from unexpected sources in the coming days. I guarantee it. But will you be sufficiently receptive to take maximum advantage? The purpose of this horoscope is to nudge you to shed your expectations so you will be tenderly, curiously open to surprising help and inspiration. What sweet interruptions and graceful detours will flow your way if you are willing to depart from your usual script? I predict that your leadership qualities will generate the greatest good for all concerned if you are willing to relinquish full control and be flexibly eager to entertain intuitive breakthroughs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For many Indigenous people of California, acorns were part of every meal. Nuts from oak trees were used to create bread, soups, dumplings, pancakes, gravy, and porridge. But making them edible required strenuous work. In their natural state, they taste bitter and require multiple soakings to leach out the astringent ingredient. Is there a metaphorical equivalent for you, Aquarius? An element that can be important, but needs a lot of work, refinement, and preparation? If so, now is a good time to develop new approaches to making it fully available.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When Pisces-born Jane Hirshfield was a young poet, she mostly stopped writing poetry for eight years. During that time, she was a full-time student of Zen Buddhism and lived for three years at a monastery. When she resumed her craft, it was infused with what she had learned. Her meditative practice had honed her observational skills, her appreciation of the rich details of daily life, and her understanding that silence could be a form of communication. In the spirit of the wealth she gathered from stillness, calm, and discipline, I invite you to enjoy your own spiritual sabbatical, dear Pisces. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to relax into the most intriguing mysteries. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Just for now, you might benefit from moderating your intensity. I am pleased to see how much good stuff you have generated lately, but it may be time to scale back a bit. At least consider the possibility of pursuing modest, sustainable production rather than daring to indulge in spectacular bursts of energy. In conclusion, dear Aries, the coming days will be a favorable time for finding the sweet spot between driving ambition and practical self-care. Your natural radiance won’t have to burn at maximum brightness to be effective.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Classical ballet dancers often seek to convey the illusion of weightlessness through highly stylized movements. Innovative Taurus choreographer Martha Graham had a different aim, emphasizing groundedness. Emotional depth and rooted physicality were crucial to her art of movement. “The body never lies” is a motto attributed to her, along with “Don’t be nice; be real.” I recommend you make those themes your guides for now, Taurus. Ask your body to reveal truths unavailable to your rational mind. Value raw honesty and unembellished authenticity over mere decorum.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini photographer Margaret Bourke-White (1904–1971) was a trailblazer. She was the first American woman war photojournalist, the first professional photographer permitted into the Soviet Union, and among the first to photograph a Nazi concentration camp. She was consistently at the right place at the right time to record key historical moments. She’s your role model in the coming months. You, too, will have a knack for being in the right place and time to experience weighty turning points. Be vigilant for such opportunities. Be alert and ready to gracefully pounce.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Each negative word in a news headline increases click-through rates,” writes Joan Westenberg. “Negative political posts on social media get twice the engagement. The system rewards pessimism.” She wants to be clear: “Doomsayers aren’t necessarily wrong. Many concerns are valid. But they’ve built an attention economy that profits from perpetual panic. It’s a challenge to distinguish between actionable information and algorithmic amplification, genuine concern and manufactured outrage.” Westenberg’s excellent points are true for all of us. But it’s especially important that you Cancerians take measures to protect yourself now. For the sake of your mental and physical health, you need extra high doses of optimism, hope, and compassion. Seek out tales of triumph, liberation, pleasure, and ingenuity far more than tales of affliction, mayhem, and corruption.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Bees are smart. The robust and lightweight honeycombs they create for their homes are designed with high efficiency, maximizing storage space while using the least amount of resources. Let’s make the bees’ genius your inspirational role model for the coming weeks, Leo. It will be a favorable time to optimize your own routines and systems. Where can you reduce unnecessary effort and create more efficiency? Whether it’s refining your schedule, streamlining a project, or organizing your workspace, small adjustments will yield pleasing rewards.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 1971, Virgo poet Kay Ryan began teaching English at a small community college. Though she wrote steadily, working hard to improve her craft and publish books, she never promoted herself. For years, she was virtually unknown. Finally, in 2008, she flamed into prominence. In quick succession, she served as the U.S. Poet Laureate, won a Pulitzer Prize, and received a $500,000 “genius grant” as a MacArthur Fellow. Why am I telling you about her long toil before getting her rightful honors? Because I believe that if you are ever going to receive the acclaim, recognition, appreciation, and full respect you deserve, it will happen in the coming months.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran author Diane Ackerman combines an elegant poetic sensibility and a deft skill at scientific observation. She is lyrical and precise, imaginative and logical, inventive and factual. I would love for you to be inspired by her example in the coming weeks. Your greatest success and pleasure will arise as you blend creativity with pragmatism. You will make good decisions as you focus on both the big picture and the intimate details. PS: If you immerse yourself in the natural world and seek out sensory-rich experiences, I bet you will inspire a smart solution to an achy dilemma.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio-born Sabina Spielrein (1885–1942) was one of the earliest woman psychoanalysts. In the 21st century, she is increasingly recognized as a great thinker who got marginalized because of her feminist approach to psychology. Several of her big contributions were Scorpionic to the core: She observed how breakdown can lead to breakthrough, how most transformations require the death of an old form, and how dissolution often serves creation. These will be useful themes for you to ruminate about in the coming weeks. For best results, be your deep, true, Scorpio self.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In the middle of his art career, Sagittarian painter Paul Klee (1879–1940) was drafted into the German army as a soldier in World War I. Rather than fighting on the front lines, he managed to get a job painting camouflage on military airplanes. This enabled him to conduct artistic explorations and experiments. The metal hulls became his canvases. I am predicting a comparable opportunity disguised as an obstacle for you, Sagittarius. Just as the apparent constraint on Klee actually advanced his artistic development, you will discover luck in unexpected places.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else,” wrote poet Emily Dickinson. I often feel that truth. As much as I would love to devote 70-plus hours a week to creative writing and making music, I am continually diverted by the endless surprises of the daily rhythm. One of these weeks, maybe I’ll be brave enough to simply give myself unconditionally to ordinary life’s startling flow and forget about trying to accomplish anything great. If you have ever felt a similar pull, Capricorn, the coming days will be prime time to indulge. There will be no karmic cost incurred.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): David Bowie was a brilliant musical composer and performer. His artistry extended to how he crafted his persona. He was constantly revising and reshaping his identity, his appearance, and his style. The Ziggy Stardust character he portrayed on stage, for example, had little in common with his later phase as the Thin White Duke. “I’ve always collected personalities,” he quipped. If you have ever felt an inclination to experiment with your image and identity, Aquarius, the coming weeks will be an excellent time. Shape-shifting could be fun and productive. Transforming your outer style may generate interesting inner growth. What would be interesting ways to play with your self-expression?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Voynich manuscript is a famous text written in an unfamiliar script filled with bizarre illustrations. Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, it has resisted all attempts at deciphering its content. Even artificial intelligence has not penetrated its meaning. I propose we make this enigmatic document an iconic metaphor for your life in the coming weeks. It will symbolize the power you can generate by celebrating and honoring mystery. It will affirm the fact that you don’t necessarily require logical explanations but can instead appreciate the beauty of the unknown. Your natural comfort with ambiguity will be a potent asset, enabling you to work effectively with situations others find too uncertain. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): To create microgardens, you plant vegetables and herbs in small containers placed on your porch, balcony, window sills, and kitchen counter. Lettuce, peas, spinach, and basil might be among your small bounties. I encourage you to use this practice as a main metaphor in the coming weeks. In other words, gravitate away from huge, expansive visions, and instead work creatively within existing constraints. For now, at least, “less is more” should be your operative motto. Meditate on how apparent limitations might lead to inviting innovations. Seek out abundance in unlikely places.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus author Nellie Bly (1864–1922) was a daring trailblazer. It was almost impossible for a woman to be a journalist in the 19th century, but she did it anyway. One of her sensational groundbreaking stories came when she did an undercover assignment in New York’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her reporting on the neglect and brutality there prompted major reforms. I nominate Bly as your role model for the foreseeable future. You are, I believe, poised for epic, even heroic adventures, in service to a greater good. (PS: Bly also made a solo trip around the world and wrote 15 books.)

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini painter Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) never saw a jungle in person. In fact, he never left his native country of France. But he painted some of modern art’s most vivid jungle scenes. How did that happen? Well, he visited zoos and botanical gardens, perused images of tropical forests in books, and heard stories from soldiers who had visited jungles abroad. But mostly, he had a flourishing imagination that he treated with reverent respect. I urge you to follow his lead, Gemini. Through the joyful, extravagant power of your imagination, get the inspiration and education you need. The next three weeks will be prime time to do so.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): No, ruby-throated hummingbirds don’t hitch rides on airplanes or the backs of geese. They make their epic migrations completely under their own power. To get to their wintering grounds, many fly alone from the southern United States to the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing the 500-mile expanse of the Gulf of Mexico in 20 hours. I don’t recommend you attempt heroic feats like theirs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. More than usual, you need and deserve to call on support and help. Don’t be shy about getting the exact boosts you require. It’s time to harvest the favors you are owed and to be specific in articulating your wishes.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The golden pheasant is dazzling. Among the bright colors that appear in its plumage are gold, red, orange, yellow, blue, black, green, cinnamon, and chestnut. In accordance with astrological omens, I name this charismatic bird to be your spirit creature for the coming weeks. Feel free to embrace your inner golden pheasant and express it vividly wherever you go. This is a perfect time to boldly showcase your beauty and magnificence, even as you fully display your talents and assets. I brazenly predict that your enthusiastic expression of self-love will be a good influence on almost everyone you encounter.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo poet and visual artist Dorothea Tanning (1910–2012) had a few mottoes that endlessly nurtured her abundant creative output. Here’s one: “Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads, idiots, and movie stars.” As excellent as that advice is, it’s a challenge to follow it all the time. If we want to function effectively, we can’t always be focused on our inner worlds. However, I do believe you are now in a phase when you’re wise to heed her counsel more than usual. Your soul’s depths have a lot to teach you. Your deep intuition is full of useful revelations. Don’t get distracted from them by listening too much to ads, idiots, and celebrities.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is essential for the functioning of your body and every other animal’s. It carries instructions about how to build proteins, and your cells are full of it. We humans can’t edit this magic substance, but octopuses can. They do it on the fly, enabling them to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions. Even though you Libras can’t match their amazing power with RNA, you do have a substantial capacity to rewrite your plans and adjust your mindset. And this talent of yours will be especially available to you in the coming weeks. Your flexibility and adaptability will not only help you navigate surprises but may also open up exciting new opportunities.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Is there a sanctuary you can retreat to? A relaxing oasis where you can slip away from the world’s colorful madness? I would love for you to be bold enough to seek the precise healing you need. You have every right to escape the rotting status quo and give yourself full permission to hide from pressure, demands, and expectations. Is there music that brings you deep consolation? Are there books and teachers that activate your profound soul wisdom? Keep that good stuff nearby. It’s time for focused relief and regeneration.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The chemical element known as arsenic is notoriously toxic for humans, but has long been useful in small amounts. Ancient Chinese metallurgists discovered that blending it with copper and tin made the finest, strongest bronze. In modern times, arsenic fortifies the lead in car batteries. People in the 19th century sometimes ingested tiny doses as a stimulant. In this spirit, Sagittarius, I invite you to transform potentially challenging elements in your life into sources of strength. Can you find ways to incorporate iffy factors instead of eliminating them? I assure you that you have the power to recognize value in things others may neglect or reject.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Renowned Capricorn author Henry Miller (1891–1980) had to wait far too long before getting readers in his home country, the United States. American censors regarded his explosive texts as too racy and sexy. They forbade the publication of his books until he was 69 years old! His spirit was forever resolute and uncrushable, though. In accordance with astrological omens, Capricorn, I recommend you adopt his counsel on the subject of wonders and marvels. Miller wrote, “The miracle is that the honey is always there, right under your nose, only you were too busy searching elsewhere to realize it.” Here’s another gem from Miller: He advised us “to make the miracle more and more miraculous, to swear allegiance to nothing, but live only miraculously, think only miraculously, die miraculously.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For now, everything depends on your foundation, your roots, and your support system. If I were you, I would devote myself to nurturing them. Please note that you’re not in any jeopardy. I don’t foresee strains or tremors. But your graduation to your next set of interesting challenges will require you to be snugly stable, secure, and steady. This is one time when being thoroughly ensconced in your comfort zone is a beautiful asset, not a detriment to be transcended.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The coming weeks are a favorable time for you to build symbolic bridges. I hope you will link resources that aren’t yet linked. I hope you will work to connect people whose merger would help you, and I hope you will begin planning to move from where you are now to the next chapter of your life. I advise you to not model your metaphorical bridges after modern steel suspension bridges, though. Instead, be inspired by the flexible, natural, and intimate bridges made by the ancient Incas. Woven from ichu grass via community efforts, they were strong enough to span rivers and canyons in the Andes mountains. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries filmmaker Akira Kurosawa devoted meticulous attention to weather conditions. He would postpone shooting a particular scene for days, waiting for the influx of the exact right blend of wind, clouds, or precipitation to create the ideal ambiance. I recommend you adopt his patient sense of timing in the coming weeks, Aries. While you typically prefer direct action, now is a favorable phase to coordinate your desire to get what you need with life’s changing conditions. What advantages might you gain by waiting for the ripest moments to arrive?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You can’t see or hold the wind, though you can feel its force and observe its effects. It scatters some seeds far and wide, dispersing them to grow in unexpected places. When harnessed by turbines, the wind is a renewable energy source. It can be utilized to pump water and fuel telecommunications equipment. Winds influence daily weather by transporting water and heat. I have summarized wind’s qualities because I see this upcoming phase of your cycle as being wind-like, Taurus. You won’t necessarily have to be obvious to spread your influence. You will be able to work behind the scenes in potent ways. Who knows where your seeds will land and germinate? There will be surprises.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Earth’s first big ecological crisis happened 2.5 billion years ago. Ancient bacteria became a successful life form. They proliferated. The only problem was, they produced an abundance of oxygen, which was toxic to all the other existing life forms at that time. And yet that bump in evolution was ultimately essential in the rise of complex organisms that thrive on oxygen, like us. We wouldn’t be here today without bacteria’s initially problematic intervention. Nothing as monumentally major or epic will occur for you in the coming weeks, Gemini. But I do suspect that what may initially seem disruptive could ultimately generate positive outcomes. I hope you prime yourself to transform challenging situations into opportunities for growth. For best results, set aside your fixed beliefs about what’s necessary for maximum progress.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): From the 17th through the 19th centuries, Paris was famous for its salons. There, artists, writers, and big thinkers assembled to exchange ideas and inspire each other. The salons were often orchestrated by illustrious, educated women in their private homes. They were hotbeds of networking and cultural innovation. Listening and learning were key elements. Now would be an excellent time for you to organize, host, or encourage similar gatherings, Cancerian. You have extra power to facilitate the stellar socializing that generates zesty connections and spreads invigorating influences.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was one of the bravest Americans who ever lived. After escaping enslavement, she heroically returned to other Southern plantations many times to help free enslaved people. To accomplish her miraculous rescues, she relied in part on her dreams and visions — what she called divine guidance — to navigate through challenging situations. I suspect you will soon have access to similar assets: extraordinary courage and help from unusual or even supernatural sources. Use these gifts wisely, Leo!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The nations of planet Earth launched 263 space flights in 2024 and are on track for over 300 in 2025. Most of the satellites and spacecraft are devoted to scientific research. A relatively small proportion is dedicated to communication, navigation, and military uses. I would love for you to have an equally high level of exploratory and experimental energy in the coming weeks, Virgo. You will align yourself with cosmic rhythms if you spend more time than usual investigating the frontiers. It’s time to expand and extend yourself!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What’s the oldest living organism on Earth? It’s a bristlecone pine tree nicknamed Methuselah. Almost 4,800 years old, it resides somewhere in California’s White Mountains, though its precise location is kept secret to protect it. In the spirit of shielding and nurturing valuable things, I urge you to consider maintaining similar safeguards in the coming weeks. Like Methuselah, your precious processes and creations might thrive best when allowed to grow free from undue attention. You may benefit from maintaining privacy and silence about certain matters as they develop.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I love to gaze out my office window at Gallinas Creek during high tide. At certain interludes, the water is perfectly still. It almost perfectly reflects the sky in every detail, with all its clouds, birds, and hues of blue. My conscious mind knows the difference between the real sky and reflected sky, but my eyes can’t discern. That’s a helpful metaphor for all of us all the time, and especially for you in the coming weeks. It will be crucial for you to maintain an acute awareness of what’s genuine and what’s illusory.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) revolutionized her field. She didn’t study other cultures from a distance with a detached perspective. Instead, she learned their languages and immersed herself in their daily lives. So she earned the intimate understanding to conclude, “What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things.” This is a crucial principle for you right now. You must directly observe people’s actions rather than simply believing what they say about themselves — or what others say about them. You must look beyond surface declarations to understand the deeper rhythms and patterns. For best results, be a devoted participant, not an uninvolved judge.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn mystic Alan Watts wrote The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are. He proposed that each of us is far more glorious than our separate, isolated egos. It’s difficult to come to this understanding, however, since our culture conspires to hide it from us. That’s the bad news. The good news, Capricorn, is that you will have an unprecedented chance to partly shatter this taboo in the coming weeks. I have high hopes that you will discover deep truths about yourself that have previously been unavailable.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Beginning in 1946, Bedouins exploring caves near the Dead Sea discovered an immense trove of ancient documents written on parchment. These manuscripts provided many new revelations into early Christianity, biblical texts, and the history and culture of Judaism. I suspect that in the coming weeks, you may experience a metaphorical equivalent of this breakthrough and unveiling. To prepare, meditate on these questions: 1. What mysterious parts of your life story would you like to have illuminated? 2. About which aspects of your past would you like to receive new truths? 3. Is there anything missing in your understanding of who you really are?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): White light enters a glass prism and is translated on the other side into a rainbow of colors. That’s because each color rides its own wavelength, even while seamlessly blended in the white light, and then gets bent differently by the prism. The magic of the prism is that it reveals the hidden spectrum within, the latent diversity contained within the apparently monolithic beam of white light. In the coming weeks, Pisces, I predict that you will be like a prism, bringing out vibrancy in situations or relationships that may seem nondescript or mundane at first glance. Your ability to discern and appreciate multiple perspectives will enable you to create an intriguing kind of harmony. You will have the power to notice and reveal beauty that has been veiled or unnoticed. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I am always surprised when there appears yet another authoritative article or book that implies there is one specific right approach to meditation. The truth is, however, that there are many ways. Here’s teacher Christopher Bamford: “Meditation is naturally individual, uniquely our own. There are no rules. Just as every potter will elaborate their own way of making pots, so everyone who meditates will shape their own meditation.” This is excellent counsel for you right now, Aries. The planetary alignments tell me you have extra power to define and develop your unique style of meditation. Key point: Have fun as you go deeper and deeper!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): From 1501 to 1504, the artist Michelangelo worked to create a 17-feet-tall marble sculpture of the Biblical king known as David. Today it stands in Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia and is one of the most famous statues in the world. But the block of marble from which it was carved had a troubled beginning. Two other artists worked on it but ultimately abandoned their efforts, regarding the raw material as flawed. Michelangelo saw potential where they didn’t. He coaxed a masterpiece from what they rejected. Be like him in the coming weeks, dear Taurus! Look for treasure in situations that others deem unremarkable. Find the beauty hidden from the rest of the world.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Judean date palm was considered extinct for over 800 years. Then scientists germinated a 2,000-year-old seed discovered in the ancient fortress of Masada. That was 20 years ago. Today, the tree, named Methuselah, is still thriving. Let’s regard this as your metaphor of power, Gemini. You, too, are now capable of reviving a long-dormant possibility. An old dream or relationship might show unexpected signs of life. Like that old seed, something you thought was lost could flourish if you give it your love and attention.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In more than a few ancient cultures, dolphins were regarded as playful allies that would guide lost ships and assist sailors in stress. In ancient Greek myth, dolphins were sacred companions and agents of the sea god. In Maori culture, dolphins were thought to deliver important messages that were unavailable any other way. Many modern Westerners downplay stories like these. But according to my philosophy, spirit allies like dolphins are still very much available for those who are open to them. Are you, Cancerian? I’m pleased to tell you that magical helpers and divine intermediaries will offer you mysterious and useful counsel in the coming weeks — if you are receptive to the possibility.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do you know about the Leo liberator Simón Bolívar (1783–1830)? This Venezuelan statesman and military officer accomplished a cornucopia of good works. Through his leadership, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, and Ecuador gained independence from the Spanish Empire. He was one of history’s greatest crusaders for liberal democracy. I propose we make him one of your inspiring symbols for the next 12 months. May he inspire you, too, to be a courageous emancipator who helps create a better world.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo conductor Leonard Bernstein was a global superstar because of his stellar musicianship, activism, philanthropy, and teaching. He transformed classical music by dissolving barriers between “high” and “low” culture, bringing elegant symphonies to popular audiences while promoting respect for jazz and pop. He wanted all kinds of music to be accessible to all kinds of listeners. I think you are currently capable of Bernstein-like synergies, Virgo. You can bridge different worlds not only for your own benefit, but also others’. You have extra power to accomplish unlikely combinations and enriching mergers. Be a unifier!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A rainbow is gorgeous, with its spectacular multi-hued arc sweeping across the sky. Here’s another element of its poetic appeal: It happens when sunlight and rain collaborate. In a sense, it’s a symbol of the sublimity that may emerge from a synergy of brightness and darkness. Let’s make the rainbow your symbol of power in the coming weeks, Libra. May it inspire you to find harmony by dealing with contrasts and paradoxes. May it encourage you to balance logic and emotion, work and rest, light and shadow, independence and partnership. I hope you will trust your ability to mediate and inspire cooperation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You now have more power than usual to transform ordinary things into extraordinary things. Your imagination will work at peak levels as you meditate on how to repurpose existing resources in creative ways. What other people might regard as irrelevant or inconsequential could be useful tools in your hands. I invite you to give special attention to overlooked assets. They may have hidden potentials waiting for you to unlock them.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you google the term “the religion of work,” many critical references come up. They condemn the ways humans place an inordinate importance on the jobs they do, thereby sacrificing their health and soulfulness. The derogatory English term “workaholic” is a descriptor for those whose are manically devoted to “the religion of work.” But now let’s shift gears. The artist Maruja Mallo (1902–1995) conjured a different version of “the religion of work.” Her paintings celebrated, even expressed reverence for, the agricultural laborers of rural Spain. She felt their positive attitudes toward their tasks enhanced their health and soulfulness. In the coming weeks, Sagittarius, I invite you to explore Mallo’s version of the religion of work.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Astrologer Aliza Kelly likes Capricorns for their “fearless ambition, limitless resilience, and ability to keep pushing forward, even in the face of challenging adversity.” But she also praises their “secret wild side.” She writes, “Inside every earnest Capricorn is a mischievous troublemaker” that “loves to party.” I agree with her assessments and am happy to announce that the rowdier sides of your nature are due for full expression in the coming weeks. I don’t know if that will involve you “dancing on tables,” an activity Kelly ascribes to you. But I bet it will at least include interludes we can describe as “untamed.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1922, Aquarian author James Joyce published Ulysses, a novel recognized as one of the masterworks of 20th-century world literature. Seventeen years later, he produced Finnegans Wake, an uproarious experimental novel that was universally reviled when it first emerged because of its wild wordplay, unusual plot, and frantic energy. In the ensuing years, though, it has also come to be regarded as a monument of brilliant creativity. It’s one of my favorite books, and I’m glad Joyce never wavered in his commitment to producing such an epic work of genius. Anyway, Aquarius, I’m guessing you have been toiling away at your own equivalent of Finnegans Wake. I beg you to maintain your faith! Keep going!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Years ago, in the early days of my infatuation with a new lover, she put a blindfold on me and ushered me around the city of Columbia, South Carolina. The goal was to enhance my nonvisual senses. The experiment worked. I heard, smelled, and felt things I would never have noticed unless my dominating eyesight had been muffled. Ever since, my nonvisual senses have operated with more alacrity. This fun project also improved the way I use my eyes. The coming days would be an excellent time for you to try a similar adventure, Pisces. If my idea isn’t exactly engaging to you, come up with your own. You will benefit profoundly from enhancing your perceptual apparatus. 

ARIES (March 21- April 19): Life is asking you to be a source of generosity and strength for the people and animals in your sphere. I hope you will exude maximum amounts of your natural charisma as you bestow maximum blessings. Soak up the admiration and affection you deserve, too, as you convey admiration and affection to others. Here’s a secret: The more you share your resources, help, and intelligence, the more of that good stuff will flow back your way.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ceramicist Jun Hamada says that trying to force harmony into her art leads to sterile work. “The most beautiful pieces come from the moments I stop trying to make them beautiful,” she notes. “They emerge from embracing the clay’s natural tendencies, even when they seem to fight against my intentions.” I recommend her approach to you in the coming weeks. Your best results may emerge as you allow supposed flaws and glitches to play an unexpected part in the process. Alliances might benefit, even deepen, through honest friction rather than imposed peace. What will happen when you loosen your attachment to enforced harmony and let life’s natural tensions gyrate?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini-born Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was a prolific architect who orchestrated many daring designs. Among his most audacious experiments was a project to build a house over a waterfall in Pennsylvania. “It can’t be done!” experts said. But he did it. Before he was ready to accomplish the impossible, though, he had to spend months studying the site’s natural patterns. I bring this to your attention, Gemini, because I believe you are ready to consider your own equivalent of constructing a house over a waterfall. Prepare well! Do your homework!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the early phase of his illustrious career as a photographer, Edward Weston (1886–1958) cultivated a soft-focus, romantic style. But he ultimately converted to stark, uncompromising realism. “The camera,” he said, “should be used for recording life, for rendering the very substance and quintessence of the thing itself.” If there is anything about you that prefers warm, fuzzy illusions over objective, detailed truth, I suggest you switch emphasis for a while. If you like, you can return to the soft-focus approach in June. But for now, a gritty, unsentimental attitude will be essential to your well-being.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s my mini-manifesto about change, just in time for a phase when change is most necessary and possible for you. 1. Real change is often a slow and subtle process. There may be rare dramatic shifts, but mostly the process is gradual and incremental. 2. Instead of pushing hard for a short time, you’re more likely to change things by persistently pushing with modest strength for a sustained time. 3. Rather than trying to confront and wrestle with a big problem exactly as it is, it’s often more effective to break the seemingly insurmountable challenge into small, manageable pieces that can be solved one at a time through simple efforts.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Textile artist Mei Zhang wondered if the synthetic dyes she used on her fabrics were limited. Might there be a wider variety of colors she could use in her creations? She discovered that her grandmother, using age-old techniques, had produced hues that modern dyes couldn’t replicate. “The most sustainable path forward,” Zhang concluded, “often involves rediscovering what we’ve forgotten rather than inventing something entirely new.” I recommend that counsel to you, Virgo. The solution to a current challenge might come from looking back instead of pushing forward. Consider what old approaches or traditional wisdom you might call on to generate novelty. Weave together fresh applications with timeless principles.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The moon rises about 50 minutes later every day, and always at a slightly different place on the horizon. The amount of light it shows us is also constantly in flux. And yet where and how it will appear tomorrow or ten years from today is completely predictable. Its ever-changing nature follows a rhythmic pattern. I believe the same is true about our emotions and feelings, which in astrology are ruled by the moon. They are forever shifting, and yet if we survey the big picture of how they arise, we will see their overall flow has distinct patterns. Now would be a good time for you to get to know your flow better. See if you can detect recurring motifs. Try to develop more objectivity about how your precious emotions and feelings really work. If you do this correctly, you will deepen and enhance the guiding power of your precious emotions and feelings.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Research reveals that interludes of productive uncertainty may strengthen our brain’s neural pathways — even more so than if we consistently leap to immediate comprehension. The key modifier to this fortifying uncertainty is “productive.” We must be willing to dwell with poise in our puzzlement, even welcome and enjoy the fertile mystery it invokes in us. Neurobiologist Aiden Chen says, “Confusion, when properly supported, isn’t an obstacle to learning but a catalyst for understanding.” These ideas will be good medicine in the coming weeks, dear Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Persian American author Haleh Liza Gafori translates the poetry of 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi. One of their joint books is titled Gold. She writes, “Rumi’s gold is not the precious metal, but a feeling-state arrived at through the alchemical process of burning through layers of self, greed, pettiness, calculation, doctrine — all of it. The prayer of Sufism is ‘teach me to love more deeply.’ Gold is the deepest love.” That’s the gold I hope you aspire to embody in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You are in a resplendently golden phase when you have more power than usual to create, find, and commune with Rumi’s type of gold.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to reframe the meaning of “emptiness” in your life. To launch your quest, I will remind you that quiet interludes and gaps in your schedule can be rejuvenating. Sitting still and doing nothing in particular may be a good way to recharge your spiritual batteries. Relieving yourself of the pressure to be endlessly active could be just what you need to open up space for fresh possibilities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There was a time, many years ago, when I consulted a divinatory oracle every day of my life. Sometimes it was the tarot or the I Ching. I threw the Norse runes, did automatic writing, used a pendulum, or tried bibliomancy. Astrology was always in the mix, too, of course. Looking back on those days, I am amused at my obsession with scrying the future and uncovering subconscious currents. But employing these aids had a wonderful result: It helped me develop and fine-tune my intuition and psychic powers — which, after all, are the ultimate divination strategy. I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I believe you now have an enhanced power to cultivate and strengthen your intuition and psychic powers.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The fovea is the part of the eye that enables sharp vision. Humans have just one kind of fovea, which gives them the ability to see clearly straight ahead. Eagles have both a central and peripheral fovea. The latter gives them an amazing visual acuity for things at a distance. This extra asset also attunes them to accurately detect very slow movements. I suspect you will have a metaphorical semblance of the eagle’s perceptual capacity in the coming weeks, Pisces. You will be able to see things you wouldn’t normally see and things that other people can’t see. Take full advantage of this superpower! Find what you didn’t even know you were looking for.