Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro laid waste to Peru in 1532, his soldiers found green stones on the land. Were they emeralds? A priest who was traveling with them gave them bad advice. He said that the way to determine whether they were merely colored glass or else precious gems was to test their hardness by pounding them with hammers. In this manner, many actual emeralds were shattered into fragments. Learn from this mistake, Aries. Make sure you recognize treasures for what they are. And don't force them to submit to unwise tests that misconstrue their true nature.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Someone at Reddit.com posted a question to the community: Could anyone help him recreate the aroma of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland? He said he loved that smell. It was a blend of damp earth, rotting wood, and gunpowder. It had musty overtones, a hint of chlorine, and a tantalizing freshness. If only he could get that fragrance to permeate his house, he testified, he'd always be able to work at peak efficiency. You might want to follow his lead, Taurus. It's a good time to identify and gather all the ingredients you would need to make sure your environment inspires you to the max.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you asked me to be your personal advisor, I would prescribe supplements and herbs to build up your immune system. I'd insist that you eat nothing but healthy food and get at least eight hours of sleep every night. I'd suggest that you meditate daily on images that symbolize your most inspiring desires. For fun, I might even advise you to do a ritual in which you create a big circle around yourself using violet yarn and then do a series of playful acts to pump up your freedom, like dancing as wildly as you know how and chanting "love is my creator." Finally, Gemini, if you sought my counsel, I'd urge you to use your exuberant imagination in concert with your disciplined intellect as you design a long-term plan to charge up your well-being.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): "Dear Free Will Astrologer: I found your website by accident today and was drawn in fast and hard. No matter what I did I could not escape and get back to my work. Your messages were too interesting for my own good. You gave me too many answers to questions I've had for too many years. I felt like I was being cured of problems I didn't even know I had. Many hours went by until finally I was able to pull myself out of the vortex. How did this happen? — Freaked Out." Dear Freaked: I was born under the sign of Cancer the Crab, and it so happens that the people of my tribe are currently emanating an intriguing and inscrutable aura. We're at the peak of our ability to attract and seduce. Many of us are using our power benevolently, but our mysterious mojo could still be a bit unsettling.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The past is headed your way bearing gifts, Leo. I recommend that you make yourself available for its blessings, which may be delivered to you in unexpected ways. For example: The spirit of a dead loved one could impart an enigmatic but useful tip in the middle of the night. An abandoned dream you assumed was gone forever might return from limbo to grant you a wish. A favor you did for someone long ago could finally be repaid. Are you ready to let history reward you in its own unique style?