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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Asrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In my ongoing crusade to keep from boring myself, I did a survey to determine the words I use just way too much. The worst offenders are—surprise! — “just” and “way.” Other terms I rely on with embarrassing frequency: gorgeous, rowdy, rebel, explore, and the oxymorons “fiercely tender” and “wildly disciplined.” No more! For the next 10 days, I pledge to refrain from invoking these worn-out substitutes for original thought. I will also throw down the gauntlet to you, Aries. Do you have the guts to follow my lead? It is, after all, an ideal time to leap out of your rut. I dare you to forswear the five buzzwords and five shticks you have run into the ground.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Spanish poet Juan Ramón Jiménez won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1956. By that time, matured as a writer, Jimenez was acutely embarrassed by the maudlin tone of his first two books, Souls of Violet and Waterlilies, both published in 1900. He tried to hunt down and destroy every copy. I bring this up to inspire you, Taurus. From an astrological perspective, it’s prime time to wipe out or make amends for anything from your past you don’t want to let define you any more.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you’re the kind of person who is delighted when the weather changes suddenly, you will love the coming days. If you are skilled at catching your balance in the midst of a stumble, you will thrive. If you know how to inject rich, mysterious truths into soulless dead ends, the whole world will rise up and celebrate you. And if you try to act like anyone other than your original self, you will misplace your tv remote and have to buy a new one.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Peak Experience Season has arrived for us Crabs. It’s a time to grab for glory — with elegance and grace if possible, but with voracious glee if necessary. As you gear up your game plan to garner all the gusto you can handle, soak up these words of wisdom. From pop star Ricky Martin: “You’ve got to dare to suck in order to be great.” Golfer Gary Player: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” And finally, “If at first you don’t succeed, redefine success,” from the t-shirt I found at Goodwill.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Congratulations, Leo: You reached the outer limits of your world and then kept right on going. The guardian of the threshold glowered and demanded the password, and with a smile you said, “fierce integrity.” Now you’re out in the wilderness where the frontier overlaps the forbidden zone, breaking taboos left and right. I suggest you keep exploring for a while, then wander back to more familiar territory around the end of April. Keep in mind that when you return, you’ll have to go through a metaphorical version of customs.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If you’ve read my column for even a few months, you know that I pay little homage to guilt or fear. They are almost always useless emotions that sap your will to do what’s truly needed. Now and then, however, guilt can motivate you to do the right thing when nothing else will. Now and then, being afraid can remove you from a situation that your rational mind tells you is benign. The coming week is one of those now-and-then times.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’ve witnessed some unusual weddings in my time. Having decided to give up relationships with human males, my friend Hillary once had a Universal Life Church minister preside over her marriage to a large Buddha statue. Another buddy, Fiona, tied the knot with her beloved teddy bear. Argo, a musician, had a Wiccan priestess officiate his union with his Les Paul Flametop guitar. As you slip into the matrimonial season, Libra, consider: If there’s no person you want to get hitched to, or if you’re contentedly matched but would enjoy a fresh rush of wedded bliss, how about marrying your fortunes to a symbol of happiness?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In my wanders on the Web, I came across a document titled, “Tech Support for Etch-A-Sketch.” Here’s an excerpt. “Question: My Etch-A-Sketch has a distorted display. What should I do? Answer: Pick it up and shake it. Q: Help! My Etch-A-Sketch has funny little lines all over the screen. A: Pick it up and shake it. Q: How do I delete a document on my Etch-A-Sketch? A: Pick it up and shake it. I’ve quoted extensively from this manual, Scorpio, because it provides all the advice you need in dealing with your current dilemmas. The best answer to the question, “How can you get your life back on track?” is: Pick it up and shake it.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Judging from current cosmic omens, I surmise that you need to have a nice, long communion with the waters of life. You’re overdue to be influenced by the vast oceans that cover most of planet Earth; you need to viscerally experience the fact that life originally sprang from the sea. If you don’t live within easy traveling distance of a trillion-gallon baptismal font, I suggest you obtain a conch shell, put it to your ear, and improvise a conversation. Start by asking for help in feeling as deeply as you can about every aspect of your life.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To diet or not to diet? To eat organic or not worry about pesticides? To avoid genetically modified foods or accept them as safe? These are worthy meditations any time, but especially now. I challenge you, Capricorn, to further explore the mysteries of your relationship with food. For instance, do you know when you’re really hungry and when, on the other hand, you are unconsciously craving love? Are you conscientious about making sure you’re relaxed when you eat? Do you chew well enough? Would you consider playing with your mashed potatoes and peas more often?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): November 2001: In just their fourth year of existence, the Arizona Diamondbacks become World Series champions by defeating baseball’s richest and most dominant team, the New York Yankees. January 2002: The upstart New England Patriots edge the seemingly invulnerable St. Louis Rams in football’s Super Bowl. March 2002: Duke, college basketball’s defending national champion, is upset by long-shot Indiana. April 2002: In their own spheres, Aquarians become odds-on favorites to extend this amazing victory streak by underdogs.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In a Denise Levertov poem, a man says: “We had an old dog, when I was a boy, / a good dog, friendly. But there was an injured spot / on his head, if you happened / just to touch it he’d jump up yelping / and bite you.” I’m sure, Pisces, that you have such a vulnerable place — though perhaps not from an actual physical wound — surrounded by elaborate protections to prevent anyone from brushing up against it. While this may have kept you from biting innocent bystanders in the past, it has now begun to shut you off from beneficial adventures. The time is ripe to let yourself be touched there by a smart healer.
Homework: If you had to live anywhere other than where you are, where would it be and why? Explain at www.freewillastrology.com.
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