Free Will Astrology

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Distilled water is a poor conductor of electricity. For H2O to have electroconductivity, it must contain impurities in the form of dissolved salts. I see a timely lesson in this for you, Virgo. If you focus too hard on being utterly clean and clear, some of life's rather chaotic but fertile and invigorating energy may not be able to flow through you. That's why I suggest you experiment with being at least a little impure and imperfect. Don't just tolerate the messiness. Learn from it; thrive on it; even exult in it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to my reading of the astrological omens, you are neither in a red-alert situation nor are you headed for one. A pink alert may be in effect, however. Thankfully, there's no danger or emergency in the works. Shouting and bolting and leaping won't be necessary. Rather, you may simply be called upon to come up with unexpected responses to unpredicted circumstances. Unscripted plot twists could prompt you to take actions you haven't rehearsed. It actually might be kind of fun as long as you play with the perspective Shakespeare articulated in As You Like It: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "Dear Rob: For months I've had a recurring dream in which I own a pet snake. Here's the problem: The only cage I have to keep the snake in is sadly inadequate. It has widely spaced bars that the snake just slips right through. In the dream I am constantly struggling to keep the snake in its cage, which is exhausting, since it's impossible. Just this morning, after having the dream for the billionth time, I FINALLY asked myself, what's so terrible about letting the snake out of its cage? So I gratefully wrote myself this permission note: 'It is hereby allowed and perfectly acceptable to let my dreamsnake out of its cage to wander freely.' — Scorpio Devotee." Dear Devotee: You have provided all your fellow Scorpios with an excellent teaching story for the upcoming weeks. Thank you!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): For million of years, black kite raptors made their nests with leaves, twigs, grass, mud, fur, and feathers. In recent centuries they have also borrowed materials from humans, like cloth, string, and paper. And in the last few decades, a new element has become quite popular. Eighty-two percent of all black kite nest-builders now use white plastic as decoration. I suggest you take inspiration from these adaptable creatures, Sagittarius. It's an excellent time for you to add some wrinkles to the way you shape your home base. Departing from tradition could add significantly to your levels of domestic bliss.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There are many examples of highly accomplished people whose early education was problematical. Thomas Edison's first teacher called him "addled," and thereafter he was homeschooled by his mother. Winston Churchill did so poorly in school he was punished. Benjamin Franklin had just two years of formal education. As for Einstein, he told his biographer, "my parents were worried because I started to talk comparatively late, and they consulted a doctor because of it." What all these people had in common, however, is that they became brilliant at educating themselves according to their own specific needs and timetable. Speaking of which: The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you Capricorns to plot and design the contours of your future learning.