Free Will Astrology

\ Feb 20, 2014

7 min read

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A woman from New Mexico wrote to tell me that after reading my horoscopes for three years in the Santa Fe Reporter, she had decided to stop. "I changed my beliefs," she said. "I no longer resonate with your philosophy." On the one hand, I was sad that I had lost a reader. On the other hand, I admired her for being able to transform her beliefs, and also for taking practical action to enforce her shift in perspective. That’s the kind of purposeful metamorphosis I recommend for you, Aries. What ideas are you ready to shed? What theories no longer explain the nature of life to your satisfaction? Be ruthless in cutting away the thoughts that no longer work for you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In Arthurian legend, Camelot was the castle where King Arthur held court and ruled his kingdom. It housed the Round Table, where Arthur’s knights congregated for important events. Until recently, I had always imagined that the table was relatively small and the number of knights few. But then I discovered that several old stories say there was enough room for 150 knights. It wasn’t an exclusive, elitist group. I suspect you will experience a similar evolution, Taurus. You may be wishing you could become part of a certain circle, but assume it’s too exclusive or selective to welcome you as a member. I suspect it’s more receptive and inclusive than you think.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The renowned Lakota medicine man Sitting Bull (1831-1890) wasn’t born with that name. For the first years of his life he was known as Jumping Badger. His father renamed him when he was a teenager after he demonstrated exceptional courage in battle. I’d like to see you consider a similar transition in the coming months, Gemini. You’re due to add some gravitas to your approach. The tides of destiny are calling you to move more deliberately and take greater care with the details. Are you willing to experiment with being solid and stable? The more willing you are to assume added responsibility, the more interesting that responsibility is likely to be.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The English noun "offing" refers to the farthest reach of the ocean that is still visible as you stand on the beach. It’s a good symbol for something that is at a distance from you and yet still within view. I suggest that you take a long thoughtful look at the metaphorical offing that’s visible from where you stand. You’ll be wise to identify what’s looming for you in the future so you can start working to ensure you will get the best possible version of it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A large plaster Buddha statue was housed at a modest temple in Bangkok, Thailand from 1935 to 1955. No one knew its age or origins. In May of 1955, workers were struggling to move the heavy ten-foot icon to a new building on the temple grounds when it accidentally broke free of the ropes that secured it. As it hit the ground, a chunk of plaster fell off, revealing a sheen of gold beneath. Religious leaders authorized the removal of the remaining plaster surface. Hidden inside was a solid gold Buddha that is today worth $250 million dollars. Research later revealed that the plaster had been applied by 18th-century monks to prevent the statue from being looted. I foresee a comparable sequence unfolding in the coming weeks for you, Leo. What will it take to free a valuable resource that’s concealed within a cheap veneer?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Holistic health teacher Deepak Chopra suggests that we all periodically make this statement: "Every decision I make is a choice between a grievance and a miracle. I relinquish all regrets, grievances and resentments, and choose the miracle." Is that too New Age for you, Virgo? I hope you can drop any prejudices you might have about it and simply make it your own. It’s the precise formula you need to spin this week’s events in the right direction—working for you rather than against you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the savannas of Africa, waterholes are crucial for life. During the rainy season, there are enough to go around for every animal species to drink and bathe in comfortably. But the dry season shrinks the size and number of the waterholes. The impala may have to share with the hippopotamus, the giraffe with the warthog. Let’s use this as a metaphor to speculate about your future. I’m guessing that the dry season will soon be arriving in your part of the world. The waterholes may dwindle. But that could ultimately prove to be a lucky development because it will bring you into contact with interesting life forms you might not have otherwise met. Unexpected new alliances could emerge.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In his book The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human, literary scholar Jonathan Gottschall muses on the crucial role that imagination plays in our lives. "[The] average daydream is about fourteen seconds long and [we] have about two thousand of them per day," he says. "In other words, we spend about half of our waking hours—one-third of our lives on earth—spinning fantasies." I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because you are entering a phase when your daydreams can serve you well. They’re more likely than usual to be creative, productive and useful. Monitor them closely.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich wrote his Eighth Symphony in a mere two months during the summer of 1943. He worked on it in an old henhouse on a former chicken farm. The location helped relax him, allowing him to work with extra intensity. I wish you could find a retreat like that for yourself sometime soon, Sagittarius. I think you would benefit from going off by yourself to a sanctuary and having some nice long talks with your ancestors, the spirits of nature and your deepest self. If that’s not practical right now, what would be the next best thing you could do?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Is there one simple thing you could do to bring a bit more freedom into your life? An elegant rebellion against an oppressive circumstance? A compassionate breakaway from a poignant encumbrance? A flash of unpredictable behavior that would help you escape a puzzling compromise? I’m not talking about a huge, dramatic move that would completely sever you from all of your burdens and limitations. I’m imagining a small step you could take to get a taste of spaciousness and a hint of greater fluidity. That’s your assignment in the coming week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There are 15,074 lakes in Wisconsin, but more than 9,000 of them have never been officially named. That’s strange to me. In my view, everything is worthy of the love that is bestowed by giving it a name. I have named every tree and bush in my yard, as well as each egret that frequents the creek flowing by my house. I understand that at the Findhorn community in northern Scotland, people even give names to their cars and toasters and washing machines. According to researchers in the UK, cows that have names are happier: They produce more milk. Your assignment, Aquarius, is to name at least some of the unnamed things in your world. It’s an excellent time to cultivate a closer, warmer personal relationship with absolutely everything.

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