ARIES (March 21-April 19)

According to an astrologer named Astrolocherry (astrolocherry.tumblr.com), Aries is the sign of the freedom fighter, the explorer, the daredevil and the adventurer. That’s all true. But as you get older, it’s your duty to harness all that hot energy on behalf of the softer, slower, more tender parts of your life. The coming weeks will offer you a great opportunity to work on that challenge.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

I’m inclined to advise you to be neither thorough nor detailed nor painstaking in the coming days. Instead, I suspect you will thrive by being spontaneous and improvisatory. Wing it, baby! If you find yourself frowning with indecision and beset by lazy procrastination, you will know you’re off course. If you are feeling blithe and agile as you get a lot done with creative efficiency, you will know you’re right in the groove.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

The Japanese word tsundoku describes what happens if you buy a lot of books but never read them. I urge you not to acquire any resources that you then proceed to ignore. You are in a phase of your astrological cycle when it’s crucial to make conscientious use of your tools and riches. To let them go to waste would be to dishonor them, and make it less likely that you will continue to receive their blessings in the future.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

If you could harness the energy from a typical lightning bolt, you would be able to toast 100,000 slices of bread. I see it as an apt metaphor for a challenge ahead. I suspect you will soon get access to a massive influx of vital force that arrives in a relatively short time. Can you find a way to gather it in and store it up? Or will most of it, after the initial burst, leak away? Success lies in whether you can create the perfect “container.”

LEO (July 23-August 22)

“Forget the suffering/You caused others./Forget the suffering/Others caused you.” Czeslaw Milosz wrote these words in his poem “Forget,” and now I’m passing them on to you. Now would be an excellent time for you to purge the old hurts you are still carrying, those you dealt and endured. I invite you to repay emotional debts, declare amnesty and engage in an orgy of forgiveness.

VIRGO (August 23- September 22)

When a Navajo baby laughs for the first time, it’s regarded as the moment the child transitions from the spirit realm into the physical world. I foresee a comparable development in your life. You won’t be laughing for the first time, but maybe you’ll find amusement in things you’ve always taken too seriously, or stumble upon reasons to laugh longer, harder and louder than you ever have before.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Do you think it might be nice if no one ever accused you of being wrong or off-track? If so, here’s how you should proceed, says American writer Elbert Hubbard: “Do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” But I’m afraid I can’t recommend that behavior for you. You have a sacred duty to your Future Self to risk being controversial. I urge you to take strong stands, speak raw truths and show your real feelings.

SCORPIO (October 23- November 21)

“Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any,” said American humorist Mark Twain. Are there any geniuses and heroes out there whom you consider to be worthy of your respect? If not, I urge you to go out in search of some. You are in special need of people who inspire you with their greatness. It’s crucial for you to learn from teachers and role models who are further along than you are in their mastery of the game of life.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22- December 21)

“Everyone has something to hide,” declared Russian author Anton Chekhov. There are secrets you don’t want anyone to find out about: past events you are reluctant to disclose or shady deeds you are getting away with now or taboo thoughts you want to keep sealed away from public knowledge. I say it’s time to bring them fully into your conscious awareness, to honor their importance to your life story.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19)

German chemist Felix Hoffman had a prominent role in synthesizing two very different drugs: aspirin and heroin. You could create good stuff that will have the power to help and heal; or you could generate borderline stuff that will lead to a lot of problems; or you could do both. For best results, set your intention to go in the direction of things like aspirin and away from things like heroin.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18)

This is a good time to risk a small leap of faith, but not a sprawling vault over an abyss. Explore the outer borders of familiar territory, but be cautious about the prospect of wandering into the deep, dark unknown. Entertain stimulating new ideas but not cracked notions. Shake up the status quo just enough to invigorate everyone’s emotional intelligence, even as you take care not to unleash an upheaval that makes everyone crazy.

PISCES (February 19-March 20)

British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge had an unusual fetish. He enjoyed eating fruits while they were still hanging on the tree. Maybe because the taste was as pure and brisk and naked as it could possibly be—an experience that I imagine would be important to a romantic poet like him. Use Coleridge’s quest for ultimate freshness as a driving metaphor in the coming week. Be as raw as the law allows.