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Free will astrology

Week of November 20

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Fifty-five percent of Americans not only believe in guardian angels, but testify that they have been actively aided by the intervention of those divine helpers. Commenting on the results, one religious expert said that "Americans live in an enchanted world." The 55 percent figure may rise even higher in the coming weeks. A majority of Aries all over the planet, regardless of their religious orientation, could have a mystical experience that will spook and delight them. If you're one of the chosen ones, don't get fixated on or distracted by the sheer amazement of the visitation. Make sure you're alert for its eminently practical guidance.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You've been hiding a part of yourself from your conscious awareness. That's why I'm going to ask you to take off the mask you wear when you're alone with yourself. You might be surprised when you actually gaze upon your secret face. But I believe it will ultimately prove to be an intriguing breakthrough that will give you good ideas about how to share yourself more completely.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A year ago, I had a vision that your experiences in 2008 would boost your heart's smarts -- maybe not up to the same level as your head's intelligence, but much closer than before. I predicted you'd have a growing ability to master your own moods and emotions, and speculated on how that would in turn increase your understanding of why people do the things they do. So if, during these last 11 months, you've been taking advantage of the potentials I named back then, you have undoubtedly developed impressive new skills in the art of intimate relationships. If for any reason this hasn't happened yet, start playing catch-up immediately.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Activist and author Naomi Klein tells a story about the time she traveled to Australia at the request of Aboriginal elders. They wanted her to know about their struggle to prevent white people from dumping radioactive wastes on their land. Her hosts brought her to their precious wilderness, where they camped under the stars. They showed her "secret sources of fresh water, plants used for bush medicines, hidden eucalyptus-lined rivers where the kangaroos come to drink." After three days, Klein grew restless. When were they going to get down to business and show her the despoiled places? "Before you can fight," one elder told her, "you have to know what you are fighting for." That's good advice, Cancerian. I suggest you immerse yourself in the beauty you'll be serving and stewarding in the future.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The Mystic Astrology Wizard says: Close one of your eyes. Tap your forehead three times with the palm of your left hand. Think of a sexy image. Lick your lips and whisper the words "Love Whisperer." Insert your middle finger in the "Delight-O-Meter" slot. Keep your finger there until the "Passion Lamp" turns on. Flash. Flash. Flash. Thank you. Your evaluation appears below. Your libido has been a bit off-course, semi-absorbed in unfruitful or irrelevant distractions. But now it's realigning itself with the central dream themes of your life. Prepare to experience a truer juiciness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I suggest you meditate on the theme of exile. Here are some questions to get you started. 1. Have you ever been shunned by people you care about? 2. Do you know what it's like to unwillingly leave a place that has made you feel safe and secure? 3. Can you remember the desolation that came over you when you found yourself wandering in the middle of nowhere? 4. Has it been a challenge to connect with your tribe or be at peace in the land that makes you feel at home in the world? Whatever your exile is, Virgo, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to figure out how to heal it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "Dear Rob: In the past I've thought of balance as the ability to move between extremes without falling down. I pride myself on being a Weeble-Wobbler, the toy that always swings back up when you try to tip it over. But lately I'm wondering if I should expand my concept of what we Libras do. I have fantasies of experimenting with a balance that more closely resembles walking on a railroad track. I could dip a foot here and there, first this side then that, just for fun, and still remain on the track. Maybe in time I could even dance on the rail. Your thoughts? - Libra in Expansion Mode." Dear Expander: The coming weeks would be a great time, astrologically speaking, to try the experiment you described.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): It's a ripe time to work on fixing any neurosis that chronically disrupts your economic karma. Can you afford sessions with a psychotherapist who'll help you improve your relationship with money? Just in case you can't, I'll offer two exercises that might propel you toward financial self-healing. #1: Twice a day for five minutes, visualize yourself immersed in a joyous and meaningful experience that would be made possible by a more abundant flow of money into your life. #2: Think of three generous acts you want to carry out, three blessings you want to bestow, or three uplifting messages you want to deliver to deserving people.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In her book One Continuous Mistake, Gail Sher provides excellent advice for people who want to be writers. I'm offering it to you for your all-purpose use as you enter the Reinvent Yourself phase of your astrological cycle. The drive for perfection can be a distraction, Sher says. What's more useful is to be brave and free enough to experiment with possibilities that may or may not pan out. Don't think yourself into a corner, agonizing about where to begin. Simply dive in and get to work, trusting that the agitation you churn up will show you what works. Exult in the revelations provided by the trial-and-error approach!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Long-time conservative writer Christopher Buckley, son of rightwing icon William F. Buckley, voted for Obama. Though he was once a speech-writer for John McCain, a man he admired, Buckley was aghast at how the presidential campaign unfolded. "I didn't leave the Republican Party," he said. "The Republican Party left me." I urge you to be alert for a comparable development in your own life, Capricorn. A group whose ideals you have held dear may be changing right in front of your eyes. Or perhaps a movement you've been part of has veered off course from the principles that drew you to it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "Never keep up with the Joneses," counseled author Quentin Crisp. "Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper." But I don't recommend that approach, Aquarius. To do so would be as big a waste of your energy as trying to match the consumerist folly of the Joneses. The same holds true about any situation in which you're tempted to compete for status with people whose values aren't very deep: It's crazy to get obsessed with wanting to either be like them or to drag them down. This advice is especially important now, when you're more susceptible than usual to the dumbed-down influences of peer pressure. Try to carve out an independent path without indulging in envy, hatred, or superiority.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you have a negative opinion of clouds? Are you inclined to regard them as symbols of gloom or malaise, interruptions in what you wish would always be clear blue sky? If so, I'll ask you to revise your view. Consider the fact that in Chinese mythology, there are xiangyun, or "lucky clouds" that are harbingers of great blessings. Deities may even ride on them for pleasure. Among the Zuni Indians, the monster known as the Cloud Eater was feared because he devoured clouds that might bring replenishing rain. And modern meteorologists know that white, fluffy cumulus clouds are signs that fair weather is on the way. Armed with these ideas, Pisces, go out in search of your own personal lucky clouds. They're your metaphors of the week.

 

Homework: What's the decision you chronically agonize about? The commitment you can never fully make? Tell all at FreeWillAstrology.com.