BY ERIC FRANCIS

Aries (March 20-April 19)
There is a certain social magic that will work for you, if you don't try to prove anything to anyone. Rather, let those you meet demonstrate their true identity before you assume you know who they are. Though it may be challenging, the less you say, the better. You know yourself better than most others, and one criteria for whether someone is suitable as a friend or as a lover is how comfortable they are in their own skin.

Read your 2008 annual for Aries. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Aries and Aries rising here.

Taurus (April 19- May 20)
It's the feelings you are not aware of that are potentially the most damaging now. Awareness is the key: I suggest you contact your passion, your anger and your motivation, because you are broadcasting to the world so powerfully now that you must simply be aware of what's going out over the airwaves. Know thyself has been the resounding message of the last couple of months. I would add, know, and don't forget.

Read your 2008 annual for Taurus. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Taurus and Taurus rising here.

Gemini (May 20- June 21)
What is stopping you from going where you want to go, or being where you need to be? Nothing, except for counting on unreliable people. You have reached the time in your life when there is no substitute for having faith in yourself, and you seem to have reached the point when you have no practical choice except for that. You can safely stop pretending that someone else has the answer; then you'll figure out where it's really at.

Read your 2008 annual for Gemini. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Gemini and Gemini rising here.

Cancer (June 21- July 22)
Now that you know what you're worth, in dollars and in the spiritual sense, decide what master you're serving. It is possible to pursue two agendas, but far easier if you keep their common points in mind, and remember the overarching purpose. Here is the challenge. We are so accustomed to working against ourselves that we often don't really know what it's like to play on our own team. Now is your chance to figure it out and get it right.

Read your 2008 annual for Cancer. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Cancer and Cancer rising here.

Leo (July 22- Aug. 23)
Can you eat faith? Some would say you can, because in one sense the world runs on faith. Love definitely helps, and the more people you can exchange that with, the better. The further we go from your immediate circle, the more we sustain ourselves on trust that the world will come through for us and be there if we need it. You are an ambassador of this point of view. Don't be surprised if you have to try six different languages before people understand you.

Read your 2008 annual for Leo. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Leo and Leo rising here.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sep. 22)
The world seems to be going nowhere fast, and you may be wondering how you're going to get anywhere. Consider this. When you iron a shirt, you start with the yoke. Nobody really sees that part. But you're getting warmed up, the iron is getting hot and gradually you work your way to the visible parts. This is the feeling of Saturn in your birth sign: pressing out your wrinkles and making you rethink who you are, with a touch of that satisfying kind of painful.

Read your 2008 annual for Virgo. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Virgo and Virgo rising here.

Libra (Sep. 22 - Oct. 23)
It may seem as if you're viewing the world through a thick glass window, seeing something beautiful that you cannot touch. If you skew things a little by deliberately thinking from a different viewpoint, you will gain access to something more important than a special relationship: specifically, a sense of community dedicated to healing. Most of our communities are designed to make money, though as we are seeing, this only goes so far.

Read your 2008 annual for Libra. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Libra and Libra rising here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 22)
It may seem as if an old issue has crawled out of the lagoon, just when you thought it was gone for good. Consider this encounter a chance to take some responsibility for what you see. Not full responsibility for the whole situation, but rather enough to admit you're the one with the power to do something about it. Difficult as it is, you will benefit the most from doing this the moment that you feel inclined to blame someone else.

Read your 2008 annual for Scorpio. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Scorpio and Scorpio rising here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 22)
Passion, this thing we say we love so much, has its roots in the idea pathos, which is the Greek word for pain. The two are connected, much as we try to keep them apart: to isolate pleasure from pain, and to claim that we don't love to struggle. Even if you just witness the point of contact, you will take a step toward setting something free -- an ancient pain, and a profound pleasure.

Read your 2008 annual for Sagittarius. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Sagittarius and Sagittarius rising here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 20)
So much seems to be happening to you that you don't see the ways that you happen to other people. It's finally time to make peace with the effect that you have on others: you come through their lives like an unstoppable force. There are people who quite literally try to bend their personality around yours, in hopes of gaining some greater sense of contact with you. This may also be how you feel about yourself.

Read your 2008 annual for Capricorn. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Capricorn and Capricorn rising here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20- Feb. 19)
This is one of the moments you've been waiting for. In fact, it may feel like the very moment you have been waiting for, forever. You really do need to ask yourself what you would do if you had the chance to pursue any opportunity. Many times in life we don't know what choices got us there. Now you have an opportunity to choose -- and you will no longer have that particular excuse. Nor do you need it.

Read your 2008 annual for Aquarius. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Aquarius and Aquarius rising here.

Pisces (Feb. 19- March 20)
One of the frustrating things about spiritual laws is how we know they're true but they don't seem to work dependably. However, there is one that you need to keep in mind, which is that reality manifests from the inside out. Try it and see. Align with who you are; align with your purpose; commit to your most important goals. Say the words and then act on their behalf. This counts a thousand-fold right now.

Read your 2008 annual for Pisces. Order your Next World Stories 2009 annual for
Pisces and Pisces rising here.