Free Will Astrology

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The painter Philip Guston loved to express himself creatively. He said it helped him to get rid of his certainty, to divest himself of what he knew. By washing away the backlog of old ideas and familiar perspectives, he freed himself to see the world as brand new. In light of your current astrological omens, Virgo, Guston's approach sounds like a good strategy for you to borrow. The next couple of weeks will be an excellent time to explore the pleasures of unlearning and deprogramming. You will thrive by discarding stale preconceptions, loosening the past's hold on you, and clearing out room in your brain for fresh imaginings.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Nineteenth-century author Charles Dickens wrote extensively about harsh social conditions. He specialized in depicting ugly realities about poverty, crime, and classism. Yet one critic described him as a "genial and loving humorist" who showed that "even in dealing with the darkest scenes and the most degraded characters, genius could still be clean and mirth could be innocent." I'm thinking that Dickens might be an inspirational role model for you in the coming weeks, Libra. It will be prime time for you to expose difficult truths and agitate for justice and speak up in behalf of those less fortunate than you. You'll get best results by maintaining your equanimity and good cheer.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): For many years, ambergris was used as a prime ingredient in perfumes. And where does ambergris come from? It's basically whale vomit. Sperm whales produce it in their gastrointestinal tracts to protect them from the sharp beaks of giant squid they've eaten, then spew it out of their mouths. With that as your model, Scorpio, I challenge you to convert an inelegant aspect of your life into a fine asset, even a beautiful blessing. I don't expect you to accomplish this task overnight. But I do hope you will finish by May of 2013.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): "Interruption" will be a word of power for you in the coming days. No, really: I'm not being ironic, sarcastic, or satirical. It is possible that the interruptions will initially seem inconvenient or undesirable, but I bet you will eventually feel grateful for their intervention. They will knock you out of grooves you need to be knocked out of. They will compel you to pay attention to clues you've been neglecting. Don't think of them as random acts of cosmic whimsy, but rather as divine strokes of luck that are meant to redirect your energy to where it should be.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You don't have to stand in a provocative pose to be sexy. You don't have to lick your lips or radiate a smoldering gaze or wear clothes that dramatically reveal your body's most appealing qualities. You already know all that stuff, of course; in light of this week's assignment, I just wanted to remind you. And what is that assignment? To be profoundly attractive and alluring without being obvious about it. With that as your strategy, you'll draw to you the exact blessings and benefits you need. So do you have any brilliant notions about how to proceed? Here's one idea: Be utterly at peace with who you really are.