Dec. 8-14, 2004

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

Imagine if every U.S. citizen who felt disenfranchised and unheard stopped paying his taxes. The IRS certainly couldn't prosecute the millions of people who are fiercely opposed to the Bush administration's agenda; they'd have to be acknowledged, instead of railroaded by the Republican majority. I don't know if that's the best path, but I mention it to highlight my point: You always have choices. You may feel disempowered at the moment—within your family, at your job, or in your country—but you actually have a lot more power than you think; it's just hidden inside unusual or perhaps controversial shapes or methods. Look for it. Whether you exercise it or not is up to you, but knowing you have it ought to make you feel a lot better, regardless.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

You chose the people in your life for good reasons. You trust them. That's why it might be alarming, even frightening, when they start seeing you as slightly monstrous, ghoulish, or soulless. They're freaked, too—worried that you might disown them for reflecting back your worst faults. Yeah, you're not perfect; just like everyone else, you can even be a little horrible at times. It's hard to look at, but do it anyway. Continue to trust your friends even when what they have to say might be hard to hear. It's for your own good, and, ultimately, everyone's.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Go to your Safe Place, Aquarius. My tongue isn't even in cheek when I say that. It's good to have a mental oasis you can retreat to when the real world starts kicking your ass. It might also be good to visit that internal haven, even though life is just fine at the moment—or perhaps because it is. You can afford to be spacey right now. Mental retreats usually happen because you can't deal, but that doesn't have to be the case. You can choose them. It's a better time than most to daydream and recharge, since you're not juggling crises and problems. Hide out in your head this week—not because it's a matter of survival, but because it's fun.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

You're a spiritual cyborg. Your intuitive inner world is directly interfacing with real life at the moment. I imagine it might almost be like the special effects of some sci-fi movie, in which your imagination generates a digital overlay on top of your vision, providing extra information about your surroundings and the people in them. Call it telepathy, a high-bandwidth download from the collective unconscious, or just a lot of compelling bullshit; getting insight into people's motivations and hints of your actions' consequences is no New Age joke. It's worth acting on, so do it.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Resist the Acquisition Urge. Having more of something makes you less secure, not more. Think about it: If you have seven kids and one dies, you don't say, "Well, at least I've still got six left." You mourn just as deeply as if that were your only child. You don't need more of anything (contrary to advertising and public opinion). You actually need less of everything. There may come a time when it makes sense to expand your personal kingdom, but it ain't now. Think of every new asset as one more thing to worry about, or lose, and be happy with what you've got (which is already quite a lot).

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

As long as people do what they say they'll do (or at least make an honest effort to do so), you're happy. You're realistic about what you expect of other people, especially since those expectations are based, as much as possible, on what they promise to deliver. Luckily, this week there's no problem, as your peeps will come through just the way they said they would. Resist, however, raising the bar, because this one was met with such ease. Why bother? Things are good. Don't mess it up by elevating your expectations until they're impossible to meet.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Your razor-keen perception is being upgraded to laser precision this week. You're likely to see things more clearly, farther ahead of time, than you have in ages. Take advantage of it, the same way a marathon runner would utilize a surge of energy to gain some ground. This means relentlessly expressing yourself. Gain some ground on your agenda. Blast out e-mails and phone calls, and make progress on every front: work, romance, friendships, family. You can go back to steadily jogging down the path you've chosen next week, when things are back to normal. Right now, it's time to sprint.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. That's how the adage goes. Well, it's bullshit. You are not saddled with your parents' legacy—be it cancer, insanity, or Republicanism. You can be the apple that tumbled from the branch, rolled down a hill, fell into a boat, and switched continents. You're your own damn tree, and even though you're stuck with a few difficult-to-change factors that you inherited from your folks, you're rooted in different soil, getting different doses of sunlight, water, and care. Besides which, you've got free will. Stop feeling limited by what you can't change—which is very little—and start reveling in the illimitable possibilities of what you can.