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.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

A programming glitch in new voting machines resulted in nearly 4,000 Bush votes in an Ohio district with only 800 registered voters. However, creating a credible case that Bush stole the election (by accident or design) through "errors" like these won't happen before he starts his second term, if ever. It's simply too hard to prove. Similar errors (albeit on a much smaller scale) have worked out to your advantage recently. When you find out, I hope you come clean. It's too much to imagine that Bush would voluntarily concede the office, saying, "Oops, sorry, turns out I don't have the mandate of the people." Would you, in his position, if it turned out to be the case? Here's your chance to prove it.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Book burning is a thing of the past. Information can't be destroyed so easily anymore because of how thoroughly it has pervaded our existence. A copy of any hated book would survive even the most systematic search-and-destroy mission. So the enemies of truth—not being as stupid as we wish they were—have adopted a new strategy: Instead of burning the information they wish you didn't have, they're burying it. It's the difference of a letter, but it's effective. If enough versions of the story are presented, few people will ever be able to find the one that's true. It's simply too exhausting for most folks to dig that long—but not for you Virgos. Use your legendary stamina and organization to find out the real story this week, then report back what you've learned.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

We're used to rooting for David, not Goliath. We identify more easily with the underdog, which is why you're probably a bit bewildered to find yourself in a position of power this week. Yep, you're the giant. That doesn't mean you're obligated to begin stomping houses and eating children until the terrified villagers appease you with virgin sacrifices. You may or may not have asked for this power. Regardless, you still have a choice on how to wield it. Be a benevolent monster, the kind we can root for, perhaps of the Cookie variety. No one likes bullies, and eventually they all get taken down. Avoid that fate by simply never becoming one.

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Resist the temptation to spill your guts. You have a reputation for keeping secrets—even those that burn holes through your brain, like the one you're hanging on to now. It's like a fairy trapped under a glass—so pretty and sparkling, it's difficult to resist freeing her, especially when she's promising you wishes in exchange for her freedom. You know that all the wishes will backfire, in classic told-you-so fashion, but you might momentarily delude yourself you'd end up better off. Believe me, you won't. You were given this treasure because you're responsible enough to take care of it. Prove yourself up to the task.