Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Greed is a tricky thing. Very few people are truly immune to its temptations, and you’re not often one of them. Unfortunately, this week it’s the surest way for someone to scam, mislead, or deceive you (or for you to deceive yourself). Now that you’ve been warned, the odds of you resisting that fate are much higher. Stay as grounded as possible, and remember that even though you don’t have everything, you still live in tremendous abundance. You don’t need anything that badly; certainly your needs aren’t so pressing that you should be taking on anything with potential strings attached.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

People say you should confront your fears rather than flee or avoid them. That, naturally, is much easier said than done. In fact, most of us don’t do it unless we have no choice. Under pressure we frequently do succeed in mastering our anxieties, but it’s absolutely no fun. This week provides an alternative to waiting until you’re backed against a wall. In front of you is an opportunity to tackle, head on, one of your oldest worries, with the least suffering, complications, or pressure you’re ever likely to experience. I’d hate for you to pass up this chance. You can face down and decimate your fears anytime you choose, but never again so quickly and simply as you can right now.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Any fence you put up can get knocked down. Its strength only determines whether someone will need wire cutters, a fire bomb, or an 18-wheeler to penetrate the damn thing. I almost wonder if it’s really worth the effort to put one up; anyone worth their salt will respect the boundaries you set, and those determined to violate them can easily do so. I’d say skip the barrier-erecting projects for a week or three. Forgetting about putting up walls for a while should leave a hefty chunk of your schedule and a substantial amount of energy free. May I suggest you turn at least some of those toward building bridges, which are much better than fences in any case?

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

Technology has made our minds lazy. Already we use it as a crutch to do stuff most people would have done with their brains a few decades or centuries ago. Very few people I know actually use their heads to do math, or to remember phone numbers, things to do, or even seemingly vital information that they’d be lost without (and are, when they don’t have access to their devices). Has your mind become the equivalent of a morbidly obese, housebound invalid? If not, it’s certainly well on its way. This week, ditch the devices and practice actually using it as much as possible. It needs the exercise.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Getting socked in the face by an airbag really hurts, I’ve heard. But it’s still better than slamming your nose against (or through) the windshield. Instead of taking affront at the recent hurt or indignity you’ve suffered, try to take a breath and a moment to see what’s behind it. Odds are the intentions were good—and designed to keep you from greater harm and suffering. It’s hard to be grateful about getting punched in the mouth, but that might be what’s called for this week. See if you can muster a graceful thank-you. If you can’t manage that, at least keep yourself from punching back.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Picky parents breed picky children. Those kids aren’t really inheriting their parents’ taste buds so much as their predilections, which they frequently observe and emulate. Mommy turns up her nose at onions, and baby’s a lot less likely to love onions. This is just the most obvious example of a way we affect others, frequently negatively. Just expressing your opinions can be enough to change another’s mind or perspective, often for the worse. Is your influence making someone else’s world smaller or more limited? Correct that if you can. It may involve biting your tongue or, better yet, learning to like or appreciate something you never did before.

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

I hope that if you ever decide you don’t want kids, a vasectomy isn’t first on your list of options. While not necessarily permanent, it’s expensive and occasionally impossible to reverse. There are plenty of cheaper and less complicated options out there. I appreciate that you just want to get the job done, but leaping immediately to the most extreme solution available is not the way to go. Make a list. Start with the most out-there options and work your way down to more reasonable ones. There’s no point in wasting your time with the things on the top and bottom of your list. Just pick one in the middle and you’ll do just fine.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

Most happily coupled people I know enjoy each others’ natural scents. That’s why I’m always curious that most people (at least in this country) go to such great lengths to mask or hide what they really smell like. So many things in our culture teach us to be embarrassed about our bodies. Personally, I find people who boldly occupy their own skins much more attractive than those who wear masks of makeup and perfume. Whether or not you think going without deodorant is a great idea, you could still change your relationship with your body (and, yes, some of the smells it’s responsible for) for the better. Make that this week’s focus.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Spoiled people don’t really realize what a handicap they’ve been saddled with until they reach a time when they can’t have exactly what they want precisely when they want it. They have no tools or practice to cope with such a scenario. Watching someone experience such a rude awakening can be weirdly satisfying; coping with one yourself is another story—especially if you never quite realized just how spoiled you were. While that realization is never pleasant, it usually results in a humbler, kinder, and ultimately happier person. Should you experience such a revelation this week, you ought to be able to take comfort in that.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

The moment most reality-TV shows get interesting is when whatever facade people have erected for the cameras finally cracks. Of course, this is also the moment that many off-camera relationships suffer a blow. It’s extremely tempting to present a dramatically edited version of yourself to potential romantic partners, but don’t take this too far by obscuring or hiding vital information that you won’t be able to hide forever (or even for very long). It’ll just lead to problems sooner or later. This doesn’t mean you need to lay out your baggage and dirty laundry on the first date—but please don’t wait until the honeymoon.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

Ask yourself: Is this really worth making drama about? Would _____ (fill in the blank with your most levelheaded friend) make a big deal out of it? Sometimes in the heat of the moment it’s easy to get carried away and make a big stink over something that really doesn’t matter. Passionate feelings are one thing; I’d hate for you to lose those stormy moods and inspired insights. But this particular potential outburst is fueled by a lack of proper perspective, not by the heat of intense emotions. Taking a step back will enable you to save face and keep things cool—so whenever they do heat up, it’ll actually mean something.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

I’m pretty sure it’s only a matter of time before we manage to create some form of nonhuman sentience (probably a machine or a genetically modified animal). What we do with our creation—how we interact with it and what kinds of rights and autonomy we give it—will reveal a tremendous amount about who we are as a species. What you do with the things you create, your children (whatever form they take), also reveals much about you. Since it’s the primary criteria upon which you’ll be judged this week, make sure you’re doing right by them.