“It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”

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horoscopes by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): As you know, real confidence has no bluster or
bombast. It’s not rooted in a desire to seem better than everyone else
and it’s not driven by a fear of appearing weak. Real confidence settles in
when you have a clear vision of exactly what you need to do. Real
confidence blooms as you wield the skills and power you have built
through your hard work and discipline. And as I think you already sense,
Virgo, the time has come for you to claim a generous new share of real
confidence. You are ready to be a bolder and crisper version of yourself.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): As I understand your situation, Libra, you have
played by the rules; you have been sincere and well-meaning; you have
pressed for a solution that was fair and just. But that hasn’t been enough.
So now, as long as you stay committed to creating a righteous outcome,
you are authorized to invoke this declaration, originally uttered by the
ancient Roman poet Virgil: “If I am unable to make the gods above relent,
I shall move hell.” Here’s an alternate translation of the original Latin text:
“If heaven I cannot bend, then hell I will stir.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Start every day off with a smile and get it
over with,” said the misanthropic comedian W. C. Fields. I know it’s weird
to hear those words coming from a professional optimist like me, but just
this once I recommend that you follow Fields’ advice. In the near future,
you should be as serious and sober and unamusable as you have ever
been. You’ve got demanding work to attend to; knotty riddles to solve;
complex situations to untangle. So frown strong, Scorpio. Keep an extra
sour expression plastered on your face. Smiling would only distract you
from the dogged effort you must summon. Unless, of course, you know
for a fact that you actually get smarter and more creative when you laugh
a lot. In which case, ignore everything I said. Instead, be a juggernaut of
cheerful problem-solving.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) was a
renowned African-American gospel singer who lent her talents to the civil
rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. often called on her to be an
opening act for his speeches. She was there on the podium with him on
August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. when he delivered his famous “I
Have a Dream” speech. In fact, it was her influence that prompted him to
depart from his prepared notes and improvise the stirring climax. “Tell
them about the dream, Martin,” she politely heckled. And he did just that.
Who’s your equivalent of Mahalia Jackson, Sagittarius? Whose spur would
you welcome? Who might interrupt you at just the right time? Seek out
influences that will push you to reach higher.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): When Europeans first explored the New
World, ships captained by Italians led the way. But none of them sailed
Italian ships or represented Italian cities. Cristoforo Colombo (today
known as Christopher Columbus) was funded by the government of Spain,
Giovanni de Verrazzano by France, and Giovanni Caboto (now known as
John Cabot) by England. I see a lesson here for you, Capricorn. To flourish
in the coming months, you don’t necessarily need to be supported or
sponsored by what you imagine are your natural allies. You may get
further by seeking the help of sources that are not the obvious choices.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Walter Kaufman had a major role in
clarifying the meaning and importance of Friedrich Nietzsche. His English
translations of the German philosopher’s books are benchmarks, as are his
analyses of the man’s ideas. And yet Kaufman was not a cheerleader. He
regarded Nietzsche’s *Thus Spake Zarathustra* as brilliant and
triumphant, but also verbose and melodramatic: a “profusion of sapphires
in the mud.” I love that phrase, Aquarius, and maybe you will, too, as you
navigate your way through the coming weeks. Don’t just automatically
avoid the mud, because that’s probably where you will find the sapphires.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’m not tolerant of greed. Acquisitiveness
bothers me. Insatiableness disgusts me. I am all in favor of people having
passionate yearnings, but am repelled when their passionate yearnings
spill over into egomaniacal avarice. As you can imagine, then, I don’t
counsel anyone to be piggishly self-indulgent. Never ever. Having said
that, though, I advise you to be zealous in asking for what you want in the
coming weeks. It will be surprisingly healing for both you and your loved
ones if you become aggressive in identifying what you need and then
going after it. I’m confident, in fact, that it’s the wisest thing for you to
do.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming weeks it will be important for
you to bestow blessings and disseminate gifts and dole out helpful
feedback. Maybe you already do a pretty good job at all that, but I urge
you to go even further. Through acts of will and surges of compassion,
you can and should raise your levels of generosity. Why? Your allies and
loved ones need more from you than usual. They have pressing issues
that you have special power to address. Moreover, boosting your largesse
will heal a little glitch in your mental health. It’s just what the soul doctor
ordered.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Icelandic word *hoppípolla* means
“jumping into puddles.” I’d love to make that one of your themes in the
coming weeks. It would be in sweet accordance with the astrological
omens. You are overdue for an extended reign of freelance play . . . for a
time of high amusement mixed with deep fun and a wandering
imagination. See if you can arrange to not only leap into the mud, but also
roll down a hill and kiss the sky and sing hymns to the sun. For extra
credit, consider adding the Bantu term *mbuki-mvuki* to your repertoire.
It refers to the act of stripping off your clothes and dancing with crazy
joy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): During the course of its life, an oyster may
change genders numerous times. Back and forth it goes, from male to
female and vice versa, always ready to switch. I’m nominating this
ambisexual creature to be your power animal in the coming weeks. There
has rarely been a better time than now to experiment with the pleasures
of gender fluidity. I invite you to tap into the increased resilience and sexy
wisdom that could come by expanding your sense of identity in this way.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I’m getting the sense that in the coming days
you will be more casual and nonchalant than usual. More jaunty and
unflappable. You may not be outright irresponsible, but neither will you be
hyper-focused on being ultra-responsible. I suspect you may even opt not
to be buttoned and zippered all the way to the top. It’s also possible you
will be willing to let a sly secret or two slip out, and allow one of your
interesting eccentricities to shine. I think this is mostly fine. My only
advice is to tilt in the direction of being carefree rather than careless.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his novel *Les Miserables,* French author Victor
Hugo chose to write a convoluted sentence that was 823 words long.
American novelist William Faulkner outdid him, though. In his book
*Absalom, Absalom!,* he crafted a single rambling, labyrinthine sentence
crammed with 1,287 words. These people should not be your role models
in the coming weeks, Leo. To keep rolling in the direction of your best
possible destiny, you should be concise and precise. Straightforward
simplicity will work better for you than meandering complexity. There’s no
need to rush, though. Take your time. Trust the rhythm that keeps you
poised and purposeful.


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Homework: Imagine it’s 40 years from now and you’re telling God the
worst things and best things you ever did. What would they be? 
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