It's interesting that a space is reserved in newspapers for discussion of personal matters. There are a few words devoted to your relationships, your career and some thoughts about your state of mind. Even if what's written is not exactly on-point, at least the discussion has begun. It's based on an ancient system of divination that we call astrology, but modern astrology borrows heavily from lots of other disciplines such as psychology and spirituality -- and from common sense. Whatever people who don't 'believe in' horoscopes may say, it's always a pleasure to support a little island of caring and sanity in a world that seems to go madder with each passing day.


Aries (March 20-April 19)
You may feel that others are being way to fussy where emotional matters are concerned, but you can be sure they have your best interests at heart. What you're struggling with is probably some degree of unwillingness to work out the details of your relationships. If you can do that, you'll have an idea of what commitment means in any given situation, and as a result have a sense of where you stand. Nobody's looking for a signed contract, just a sense that you're being as realistic as you are passionate. It's true that the two rarely show up in the same place and time, but stranger things have happened.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)
Certain people around you may be exhibiting a bit more intensity than you're comfortable with. But then, you're not doing so badly in this respect yourself. If you can keep the vibes positive and loving, there's plenty of fun to be had. If you notice that everyone seems to be ready for a fight, this would be a good time to back off. Create some space for everyone, yourself included, to work out what's theirs and not get it mixed up with what properly belongs to a relationship. There are, however, sufficient opportunities to do what's politely called work things out in bed. Just remember love. This week, everyone needs reminders.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)
Mercury, one of the gods of Gemini, is retrograde in Leo, and it's about to spark off two squares to Mars in Taurus. This could have you in a particularly self-critical mood, but if you can lay off the judgments and remember everything your therapist taught you, you'll find the coming week or so to be an awesome time for making changes and getting work done. You're unlikely to get through these days without at least one serious disagreement, but if you can remember that, you'll be able to defuse it the moment you feel it coming on. Just don't get carried away. You'll not only waste precious time; you'll miss some brilliant opportunities.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Maintain a close relationship between the problems you see and the solutions you know are there. At the same time, be conscious of your plans and what it will take to make them manifest. Aspects are very strong in the part of your solar chart dealing with mental abilities, creativity and the value of ideas. And you understand nothing right now if you don't have some sense of the value of your work. But you need to stay on the ball, and think like an exact morph of a businessman and an artist. The ideas and opportunities you have now are simply too brilliant to waste on mediocrity.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
You'll need to summon the utmost in maturity and a clear-headed attitude to stay on track, particularly where professional matters are concerned. Your opinion means a lot, but it doesn't mean everything, and there are certain people you must cooperate with rather than argue with. The way to do this while preserving your dignity is to keep everyone's long-term goals in mind. You need your allies, and they need you. Don't let a little rough astrological weather rain on the whole parade. Anyway, what's passing through the neighborhood is more like a Sun shower than a thunderstorm. So remember to watch for the rainbow.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
The problem with feeling is that we can feel pain. This is why so many people retreat to the intellectual spheres and have to analyze everything till it has no meaning at all. You're now at a peak moment for both brains and emotions. And you're about to get the experience of what it means to change your mind and change your feelings. On one level, you may try to convince yourself that you can reconsider every decision. On another, you'll be certain there's no turning back from the revelations you have today. Which is true? The real question is: where do you want to live, the past or the present? There is a difference.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
You may not understand why you feel a certain way, or why you're acting a certain way. Absent that information, you may be likely to blame everyone else for spreading negativity and angst. I suggest you take the time to sit with your feelings, and make peace with them. Then listen to what's on the mind of someone close to you. When you hear what it is, you'll feel a lot less troubled, and so will they. What seems to be of great consequence to them is part of the normal course of life and growth for you. The timing is actually quite excellent to negotiate a whole new arrangement that works better for everyone.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
One of the most challenging factors in any relationship is when one person changes and the other person is content with the way things are. Right now, both you and someone close to you are going through some intense and even profound rethinking of life. If you can manage to sidestep the usual sense of threat that an emotional situation won't remain stable, you can do something rather unusual for this planet: create something better. Here's the catch. Nobody is in the mood to negotiate. Therefore, both parties will need to create something better for themselves, and hope it works out for the other. Who knows; it just might.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)
Play it very cool this week with anyone who displays the alarming tendency to make a list of your shortcomings. By your nature, you have the tendency to be the bigger person, and petty whining has rarely seemed like a good use of your time or energy. But not everyone understands that, or sees the virtue in it. Anyway, what someone close to you is looking for is reassurance. They're just asking for it in their own slightly twisted-around way. Tell them you love them and that they mean the world to you (assuming they do). Then you might find they put the rap sheet back in their pocket and work out their frustrations at the gym.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
This is not the time to be wishy-washy. It's also not the time to act like a condescending fool. Between the two, you have a wide variety of shades and colors to choose from. Keeping a focus on simple maturity would be a good start, though you can't expect it from many others at the moment. Certain negotiations may not be going smoothly, but this can't become an excuse to cancel the performance. Your job is to be the keeper of the boundaries, to set the tempo, and to make sure that everyone knows they have room to do their back-flips and blow off their vapors -- as long as they get their work done.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Keep work and personal matters separate to the greatest extent you can. There are no absolute dividing lines here, but this is a good time to have the best ones available. You'll save yourself unnecessary complications from certain people who don't exactly understand what they're feeling at the moment, and who may decide that you're either the problem or the solution. For the next week or so, remember to quickly assess how confused everyone around you is. Keep track of their anger level. Take a deep breath and don't let yourself get too frustrated by what other people don't understand. The important thing is that you do.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
One vital theme at this stage of your life is learning how to receive. Pisces people often have a way of living on a peculiar cosmic guilt trip, like they don't deserve anything at all, or like others will be angry if they're happy. The extent to which these beliefs interfere with your own success and happiness is really too stunning for words. I suggest you think of yourself has having two basic functions: heart open, and heart closed. In the first position, you can give and receive easily. In the second, you're likely to be feeling lonely, and like you don't have what you need. The choice is yours -- really.