VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "When I read a book on Einstein's physics of which I understood nothing, it doesn't matter," testified Pablo Picasso, "because it will make me understand something else." You might want to adopt that approach for your own use in the coming weeks, Virgo. It's almost irrelevant what subjects you study and investigate and rack your brains trying to understand; the exercise will help you stretch your ability to master ideas that have been beyond your reach — and maybe even stimulate the eruption of insights that have been sealed away in your subconscious mind. Halloween costume suggestion: an eager student, a white-coated lab researcher, Curious George.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "Sit, walk, or run, but don't wobble," says the Zen proverb. Now I'm passing it on to you as advice worthy of your consideration. Maintaining clarity of purpose will be crucial in the coming weeks. Achieving crispness of delivery will be thoroughly enjoyable. Cultivating unity among all your different inner voices will be a high art you should aspire to master. Whatever you do, Libra, do it with relaxed single-mindedness. Make a sign that says "No wobbling," and tape it to your mirror. Halloween costume suggestion: Be the superhero known as No Wobbling.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You could preside over your very own Joy Luck Club in the coming days. According to my reading of the astrological omens, the levels of gratification possible could exceed your normal quota by a substantial margin. You may want to Google the Chinese character that means "double happiness" and use it as your ruling symbol. And it might be time to explore and experiment with the concepts of "super bliss," "sublime delight," and "brilliant ecstasy." Halloween costume suggestions: a saintly hedonist from paradise; a superhero whose superpower is the ability to experience extreme amounts of pleasure; the luckiest person who ever lived.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): For over a hundred years, an English woman named Lena Thouless celebrated her birthday on November 23. When she was 106, her daughter found her birth certificate and realized that mom had actually been born on November 22. I'm guessing that a comparable correction is due in your own life, Sagittarius. Something you've believed about yourself for a long time is about to be revealed as slightly off. Halloween costume suggestion: a version of yourself from a parallel reality or another dimension.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "Everyone is a genius at least once a year," said scientist Georg Lichtenberg. According to my reading of the astrological omens, Capricorn, the coming weeks will be your time to confirm the truth of that aphorism. Your idiosyncratic brilliance is rising to a fever pitch, and may start spilling over into crackling virtuosity any minute now. Be discriminating about where you use that stuff; don't waste it on trivia or on triumphs that are beneath you. Halloween costume suggestions: Einstein, Marie Curie, Leonardo da Vinci, Emily Dickinson.