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Horoscopes | Week of March 2-8, 2015

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Though it's always 'the right time' to do what you love, astrology tells us there are more and less fitting moments to relentlessly push for pure personal fulfillment… and this qualifies as a very-very-much right moment to put your own love (in whatever context you choose to apply that) first and foremost, Aries. When I encourage you to 'do it!' as I did last week, it's not merely an exercise in impulse gratification I'm advocating, but the gratifying of a particular impulse: the impulse to prioritize your deep true lasting pleasure over tradeoffs made in the name of practicality, convention, or anxiety-driven preservation. I cannot stress powerfully enough how astrologically advantageous your present position is, in terms of affording you a more-direct-than-usual line to that which you want. And along with these conditions comes the increased likelihood you'll be perceived as cluelessly self-absorbed by certain folks who are dissatisfied with their own life-circumstances and/or galled by the collateral impact of your active maneuvers on their more passive state-of-being… an observation which wouldn't be altogether untrue, if indeed you are as absorbed with gratifying yourself as you now ought to be. It's how you react to their calling you out on it, however, which ultimately shows whether you do indeed care about other people (even if they have to point out your inadvertent oversights) or are, sadly, just plain selfish (which brings its own set of consequences).

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The wisdom will come through noticing your feelings, Taurus, but not necessarily acting on them right away. This could be a challenge because of how strongly and suddenly they rise up—not in the typical Taurean fashion of you having sat on something long enough to confidently understand the response which gradually emerges, but almost totally out of the blue. Whether due to another person's unanticipated lurchings, some other circumstantial surprise, and/or an isolated illuminating 'a-ha!' moment, your sudden epiphany could be jarring enough to circumvent your habitual reasonableness… leading you to treat the situation with an exaggerated urgency, as if a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is about to pass you by forever or a catastrophic emergency warrants prompt remediation, when in fact too flippant a reaction might actually cause a greater problem than the one you're seeking to prevent. Rather than hook yourself on feverishly flailing towards an immediate outcome, it's wiser to simply acknowledge that certain desire which so flagrantly and unambiguously presented itself to you in that sudden moment… strongly enough, I might add, that it almost inspired a reckless act. Now that you know, you can put the relevant questions to bed, uncannily clear about what to do when the astrology's a bit less erratic.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Reach out. Continue the conversation, or start up a fresh one. Connect, Gemini. You won't receive a better astrological outlook under which to pursue interesting characters for new friendships, to further develop existing bonds by getting more current with one another, and to gratefully indulge in those kind of chat-sessions which endure for hours before anyone even notices how much time has flown by. Do not—I repeat, do not—create undue isolation for yourself, by trying to inwardly process a complex issue or confusing life-question when there's active support all around you. I understand you're likely still harboring scars from that other dark-cloud which hung over your head for a really long time and/or may still be casting its long shadow… but though that past sting may continue to reverberate, the present-moment circumstances of your life have changed. When you're in your own head, it's too easy to forget all that's passed on and to instead convince yourself you're still in it. Yet, when you're in dynamic social circulation, you can't help but find you're more present—not only because you'll be expected to offer updates on your progress (and, in the act of telling it to others, you'll end up properly revising the story you've been telling yourself), but because what'll be happening right there, live, in the moment, will instantly remind you everything else still out here for you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A key piece of your jumping for the stars must include externally self-expressed recognition of what you're worth, Cancer, and an adamant refusal to settle for anything less. Even if the opportunity you're creating is something of a stretch for you (and you're thusly being partly paid in valuable on-the-job training), you should probably still carve out a clear path for later income-hikes, once you've been able to bank the knowledge and no longer need to 'stretch' to successfully meet your duties. Any reluctance to be unapologetically focused on taking your personal ambitions as far as you can, as if you'll be totally content to play the doting underling-assistant-lackey indefinitely while someone else glides ahead on your labor, must be nipped in the bud now. Otherwise, any professional agreements you reach will be needlessly contaminated with this imprint, an implied willingness to continue playing second-fiddle. As intent, enthusiastic, and aspirational as you may be with your own self-directed strivings, you won't be able to attain your fullest blossoming unless you conquer any intimidation you feel when interacting with someone you see as impressive, accomplished, or wise. Though they may possess more confidence and/or experience in certain areas, they are your equal on the basic human-being level. Act with this awareness in mind, and you'll minimize the chance of ending up undervalued.

LEO (July 23-August 22): You're now holding an unrivalled capacity to dramatically take the lead with purpose, Leo… to exuberantly encourage others to reposition their life-perspectives based on principle or virtue, rather than unexamined habit or fear. That's why it's so important to heed last week's counsel, to make such choices with your life, to embody and exemplify this way of Living-with-Heart. Otherwise, you won't be serving your designated role as a model for those who may innately be less outwardly daring, forthright, and/or comfortable in their own skin. This present astrology could alternatively be deployed simply to further your own independent agenda, should you lack a sense of obligation to the rest of humanity to better understand their experiences, to share your blessings in solidarity with their struggles, and/or to strive on behalf of their overcomings, in pursuit of justice for all. After all, thanks to Jupiter-in-your-1st, developments will continue flowing pretty smoothly for you during this super-duper-fiery few weeks. You can use your astrological privilege to purely self-serving ends, and no one else would necessarily be harmed… though their having to listen to you excitedly hail your wonderful opportunities, while perhaps they aren't currently feeling as fortunate and/or their similar efforts didn't yield quite as successful a result, might leave them reacting to your advantage as if it overshadows their contrasting experience.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): No matter all the different interlocking pieces of your life-puzzle which would likely be impacted, disturbed, and/or upended by proceeding decisively toward the heat of the action, Virgo, you really can't deny the unambiguous pull… the excitement (which, naturally, may also include a fair amount of terror)… the desire to have more of what you want, regardless of whether it's practical or accommodating or magnanimous. It doesn't automatically make you a flake, a narcissist, or an asshole, if you make a major life-choice that prioritizes your own bliss and, at the same time, creates complications, hurt feelings, or other such fallout affecting others' lives. It simply means that prior agreements, entered into at a time when this desire had not yet expressed itself (or you weren't quite ready to acknowledge it), now need to be tweaked, transformed, or totally terminated. That's just how life works. People evolve. Unexpected situations present themselves. We can't know in advance what that irresistible lure, final-straw, or wild-hair-up-your-ass will prove to be. But once such a game-changer does show up, it's futile to pretend we could ever go back to that once-satisfying, now-not-so-much Time Before. There's only forward to head… even if some big shit gets shaken, stirred, or totally screwed up in the process.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): Probably the best thing you could do for your relationship life at the moment, Libra, is to broaden your scope. If you are single and looking, I strongly suggest you seek the scope-broadening influence of friends rather than persisting with your same solitary tactics. Invite them to fix you up on dates, bring you along to their favorite spots, provide critical feedback on how you're marketing yourself (via online-dating profiles and/or in person), and join you as a wing-man/-woman when you take social risks. The synergy of working together with someone you already know, trust, and love, on an active quest for romantic prospects, will both strengthen your intention and embolden you to assert more initiative. If you are single and not looking, meanwhile, you'll still want to increase the interpersonal attention you're actively giving to the important folks in your life—and, at the same time, to reap the corresponding benefits of the increased attention they pay you. And if you're coupled, I recommend keeping things fresh and lively by spending more time with each other's friends and/or in social spaces, getting you out of the self-enclosed bubble which partnerships sometimes create around themselves. The theme tying all these ideas together? Intentionally courting an element of surprise from the outside, as an energizing incentive to experiment with your own relational behaviors.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): In case I haven't yet made this unmistakably clear, Scorpio, you're now in the midst of one of the most potentially auspicious work-related phases you'll experience all year... and, as such, this is no time to cruise through your daily duties as if operating on autopilot. To mindlessly meet your bare-minimum obligation without shrewdly exploiting each and every chance to do it better—whether with greater productive capacity, sleeker efficiency, more innovative methods, and/or bolder ambition—is to squander a truly prime moment for positively expanding your worldly position. If you want greater day-to-day excitement, a bigger role, and/or an increasingly impressive reputation in your work-life, then you'd better not waste a single bit of your precious energy sitting on your ass and dreaming about such life-enhancements. And if the job you're presently in isn't going to carry you there, then you'd better be working overtime to simultaneously meet your present responsibilities and actively explore other possibilities. In any instance where you notice a routine is serving as an excuse for mediocrity or inattentiveness, take it upon yourself to propose or enact improvements. You will directly benefit from such self-starting endeavors, I promise… just as surely as I know you'll lose your advantageous edge by taking no initiative to change anything.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): Don't back away from the huge vision you're presently entertaining, Sagittarius. Though you may be understandably unclear about everything which will be involved in your triumphantly leapfrogging toward its ultimate realization, your eager-beaver creative fever is a precious resource that's now coursing through you in ample amounts… and is perhaps your most key ingredient in magnetizing interest, investment, and admiration to you from those you'll avidly wish to learn more about what exactly in you is making this tick. If you are indeed confidently tapped into your own magnetic enthusiasm, you ought to be able to sell an ocean-faring vessel to a desert-dweller—that's how convincing you're capable of being, as long as you are legitimately convinced yourself. (That said, why would you ever want to sell somebody something they'll never have any good use for?) I'm hesitant to write anything which might squelch the full splendor of this moment, when the astrological influences clearly want you to think big, aim high, and reach far. So let me put my requisite hint of caution this way: Because your energetic spirit is overflowing with the passionate potential to make lots of stuff happen, you don't need to make any shortcut decisions which fund your baby with a too-fat check, scary-big bank withdrawal, or heaps of debt. If you're shrewd enough, you should be able to 'fund' it all without getting yourself into a financial pickle.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): You, and only you, , Capricorn, are responsible for taking whatever actions will relieve you of any inner burden you may be holding in faithful compliance with a certain image you wish to perpetuate and/or in blind deference to behavioral guidelines which were drilled into you from a young age. You don't have to hold yourself to that standard, you know. You don't have to do it that way. Here in the present day, as an upstanding adult and master of your own domain, you're actually free to 'act out' in whatever manner feels authentically true to you… to make 'stupid' decisions based on where you've noticed your passions gushing up, even if it negates the supposed pragmatic soundness of your decision-making process in general… to complicate your life with 'messes' you might have to clean up later, in order to make the most of this immediate experience… and/or to break your end of the indenturing 'bargain' with particular family-members (or the lineage-at-large) you've acquiesced to for years and years, though you probably never consciously consented to playing the role it relegated you to serving. Go forth with this freedom, valiant in declaring your sovereignty, by taking a step to defiantly liberate yourself from something you never signed on for. Trust me, you won't 'ruin your life' by bending a suspect rule.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Go to every length to ensure the lines of communication are both open and effectively transmitting their messages, Aquarius, rather than presuming you and any other individual are on the same page. Don't think of this exercise in 'stating the obvious' (because, again, we cannot assume what's 'obvious' to a given person) as a potential insult to their intelligence, but instead as a show of interpersonal consideration you're making by including them in your communicative due-diligence. Trust me, anybody who'd feel good knowing you sincerely care about keeping 'em in your loop would probably much prefer you repeat a supposedly self-evident piece of information than altogether neglect to check in. Even if the bit of data being exchanged isn't actually that important, the act of affirming connection is. Of course, this whole logic operates the other direction, too: If you feel you need to better understand where another person's coming from, if you feel they've misinterpreted a viewpoint of yours or glossed over a subtle distinction, and/or if you feel they're hogging all the conversational space and railroading your concerns, it's also on you to effectively communicate these feelings. Such discussions will supportively evolve your relationship with said individual, in direct alignment with what you share… though whether that brings you closer together or farther apart will depend on whether they are similarly up for direct, honest, genuinely interactive dialogue.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Turns out, in all your exquisitely flawed-and-fucked-up perfection, Pisces, you are capable of pulling this off! You are gifted with instincts you can use as a guide to whichever next move will carry you furthest along… and you are able to figure out, on the fly, what to do when you reach a crossroads you haven't seen before (even if you might be more-than-a-little freaked out by the newness of it all). Perhaps most importantly, you are worthy of partaking in this great self-driven adventure—and totally deserving of concrete compensation, in direct proportion to the efforts you invest in this. All you really need to presently foster, in order to collect on this fabulous prize-package, are the following two virtues: (1) brazen audacity, or the willingness to behave as if this new level of autonomous authority to determine your own self-sustaining path is simply your birthright to claim (because, perhaps, it is?) and you've now reached the natural point where you're ready to claim it, and (2) a commitment to working harder than perhaps you ever have (or at least in a long long while), on a regular everyday basis, to properly convert this rightful potential into manifest reality. I repeat: If you're both unapologetically audacious and persistently hard-working during this rich period, you will get results.