Free Will Astrology

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): One of the reasons platinum is regarded as a precious metal is that it is so infrequently found in the Earth's crust. A second reason is that there are difficulties in extracting it from the other metals it's embedded in. You typically need ten tons of ore to obtain one ounce of platinum. That's a good metaphor for the work you have ahead of you, Virgo. The valuable resource you're dreaming of is definitely worth your hard work, persistence, and attention to detail. But to procure it, you'll probably need the equivalent of several tons of those fine qualities.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): While doing research in South America four decades ago, anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss found an indigenous tribe whose people claimed they could see the planet Venus in the daytime. This seemed impossible to him. But he later consulted astronomers who told him that in fact Venus does emit enough light to be visible by day to a highly trained human eye. My prediction for you, Libra, is that in the coming months you will make a metaphorically equivalent leap: You will become aware of and develop a relationship with some major presence that has been virtually undetectable. And I bet the first glimpse will come this week.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Whether or not anyone has ever called you an "old soul" before, that term will suit you well in the coming months. A whole lot of wisdom will be ripening in you all at once. Past events that never quite made sense before will more clearly reveal the role they have played in your life's master plan. Relatively unimportant desires you've harbored for a long time will fade away, while others that have been in the background — and more crucial to your ultimate happiness — will rise to prominence.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In most of my horoscopes I tell you what you can do to make yourself feel good. I advise you on how can act with the highest integrity and get in touch with what you need to learn about. Now and then, though, I like to focus on how you can help other people feel good. I direct your attention to how you can inspire them to align with their highest integrity and get in touch with what they need to learn about. This is one of those times, Sagittarius. I'm hoping you have your own ideas about how to perform these services. Here are a few of my suggestions: Listen with compassionate receptivity to the people you care for. Describe to them what they're like when they are at their best. Give them gifts they can use to activate their dormant potential.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you've ever watched tennis matches, you know that some players grunt when they smack the ball. Does that help them summon greater power? Maybe. But the more important issue is that it can mask the sound of the ball striking the racket, thereby making it harder for their opponents to guess the force and spin of the ball that will be headed toward them. The coming week would be an excellent time for you to hunt down a competitive advantage that's comparable to this in your own field of endeavor.