Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Is there a difference in sound quality between relatively inexpensive modern violins and the multi-million-dollar violins created by master craftsmen in the 1700s? In research done at the Eighth International Violin Competition, most violinists couldn't tell them apart. (Read more here: tinyurl.com/ViolinResearch.) In accordance with the astrological omens, I urge you to do comparable tests in your own sphere. There's no need to overpay for anything, either with your money, your emotions, your energy or your time. Go with what works, not with what costs the most or has highest status.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) If we thought of your life as a book, the title of the next chapter could very well be “In Quest of the Primal.” I encourage you to meditate on what that means to you, and then act accordingly. Here are a few possibilities: tapping into the mother lode; connecting to the source; communing with the core; returning to beginnings; seeking out the original; being in tune with the pulse of nature. Does any of that sound like fun? According to my reading of the astrological omens, you have a mandate to be as raw as the law allows – to be the smartest animal you can be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A Russian woman named Marija Usova decided to go skydiving even though she was eight months pregnant. “I wanted my baby to have the beautiful feeling of flying through the air and free-falling before it was born,” she said. Soon after she jumped out of the plane and opened her parachute, she went into labor. Luckily, her daughter waited until she landed to be born. What does this have to do with you? I don't recommend you do anything even remotely like what Usova did in the next few weeks. But do be alert for healthier, saner approaches to the basic theme, which is to be adventurous and wild and free as you birth a new possibility.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You spend nearly one-third of your life sleeping. For one-fifth of that time, you're dreaming. So pretty much every night, you watch and respond to as much as 90 minutes' worth of movies created by and starring you. Much of this footage is obscure and confusing and not exactly Oscar-worthy, which is one reason you may not recall many of the details when you wake up. But according to my astrological analysis, the immediate future could be different. Your dreams should be full of riveting entertainment that reveals important information about the mysteries of your destiny. Please consider keeping a pen and notebook near your bed, or a small recording device.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) It's Oxymoron Season for you. That means you're likely to encounter more than your usual share of sweet-and-sour paradoxes. The logic-loving areas of your brain will almost certainly have to seek assistance from your non-rational wisdom. I'll give you a heads-up on some of the lucid riddles you should be ready to embrace: 1) a humbling triumph; 2) a tender rivalry; 3) a selfish blessing; 4) an opportunity to commune with risky comfort; 5) an invitation to explore a relaxing challenge; 6) a chance to get up-close and personal with a long-distance connection. For best results, memorize these lines from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and recite them periodically: “Do I contradict myself? / Very well then I contradict myself. / (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”

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