TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Years ago I lived in an old house in rural North Carolina. At $50 a month, the rent was steep considering that there was no running water and most of the windows were broken when I moved in. My bathtub was a bucket I dipped into a well and filled with water that I heated up on my puny gas stove. When my food stamps ran out each month, I'd ride my one-speed bike six miles to the cafeteria at a local college, where I scavenged scraps that students left behind on their plates. I hope this inspires you to recall in detail the lowest, most deprived period of your life. It's time to take inventory of how far you've come — and to imagine a future that's as much an improvement over now as now is over then.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Gemini who drove me to the airport told me that when he's not putting in 60 hours a week driving a cab, he's working on a screenplay that has garnered interest from two agents. The Gemini woman who operates the carousel at the zoo confided that before she comes to work each morning she spends an hour writing grants that could help her start a tutoring program for homeless kids. I have a message for them and for all you other Geminis whose big dreams haven't been getting anywhere near your full attention: It's time to kick a labor of love into high gear; to transform a hobby into a vocation; to take a giant step towards graduating from your amateur status and turning pro.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): When will your swirling urges for adventure boil over? When will you finally give in to your longing to escape and wander? The turning point will come soon. In the frontiers of your imagination, the vision of a brave quest is already simmering. Where will the mysterious awakening lead you? To the ends of the earth? To the secret heart of a familiar stranger? To the gritty depths of your dreams of the future?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Hold your breath as you stick out your tongue in front of a heart-shaped mirror and howl like a lonely wolf. Apply edible, jalapeño-flavored body paint to your thighs as you pant like an exuberant dog and listen to the song "Love is the Drug." Rub the head of a match covered with caramel on your ear lobe as you recite passages from your favorite holy book in your sexiest voice. Then dream up even more techniques for getting yourself in the mood to try wilder, looser, funnier love.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You're starting to resemble the fruit of a prickly pear cactus: covered with sharp, inedible spikes on the outside but soft and delectable in your hidden places. There's probably a good reason for this. Don't be surprised or upset, though, if people act as if they've been stung when they brush up against you. If you care about them, be quick to let them know how to work around the thorny exterior and get to the good parts within.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You're looking especially fine. If you're ever in your life going to be asked to do a modeling job, it might be this week. You also smell really good right now, and your pheromones are unusually enticing. I'm betting you'll attract more than your usual number of interested parties. A cautionary note: Even though your exceptionally radiant and fragrant persona may bring you joy and attention, it could also cause a bit of confusion. Not everyone who comes under your spell will know who you really are or what they want from you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I suggest that you allow yourself the luxury of moving like a Galapagos tortoise. Or check into a motel in a small town where no one knows you and do nothing but lie around and read books that will change your life. Or give yourself permission to sample 15 different flavors of ice cream during a picnic in your warm living room in the company of a deep thinker who would never judge or criticize you. Or induce a waking dream, a kind of DIY movie in your mind's eye, in which you audition potential muses who'd like to play a starring role in your inspirations a few weeks from now.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Last week I urged you to be inspired by 7-year-old Sagittarian Michael Wong-Sasso, who celebrated his birthday party at his favorite spot, a garbage dump. There's another element of Michael's story that's apropos to your life right now. It seems that his mother often hears from critics who think she should redirect her son's passion away from trash. Her response: "Some people say, 'Why don't you steer Michael in a different direction.' My answer is, this is his passion. Whatever his interest is, I support it." Give yourself this same unconditional support in the coming weeks. Nurture and don't judge the fascinations that are ripening in you, even if others regard them as dross.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I'm ambivalent toward trends. To be of service to my readers, I have to stay abreast of the latest wrinkles. And yet I hate to be just another media parasite exploiting the disposable issue-of-the-moment. The truth is more important to me than what's popular. You're a lot like me in this regard. And sometimes that interferes with your ability to enjoy the fringe benefits of good old frivolous nonsense. But you don't have to worry about any of that now. Your commitment to what's authentic and long-lasting will serve you well in the coming weeks.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The angel Gabriel has played a role in stories dear to three major religions. He was a heavenly advisor to the Old Testament Jewish prophet Daniel. He gave the word to Mary that she was pregnant with a soul who'd call himself the "Son of God." And he delivered the entire text of the Koran to Mohammed, founder of Islam. While I'm not necessarily saying you'll be visited by this versatile angel, I do predict you'll at least have a close brush with an influence that awakens you to mind-blowing truths. Like Gabriel, this influence will deliver insights that are beyond the grasp of your current beliefs; to understand them, you'll have to temporarily put aside your theories about how the world works.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "Dear Dr. Brezsny: I hate to be stood up by any man I'm dating, but I usually don't take it personally. And if a woman friend stands me up, I'm almost always pretty forgiving. Lately, though, I've had to endure a new version of this crap: God Himself has stood me up twice. It's hard not to come to the conclusion that there's something wrong with me. Do you have any insight, O Wise Guy? —Paranoid Pisces." Dear Paranoid: God's not being mean; He's merely trying to motivate you. He wants you to get so mad that you'll push through your passivity, and never again put up with anyone making promises they don't keep. What do you like best about the part of yourself that is least evolved and needs most work? Write
