This Week's Horoscope

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

I love the Greek myth in which Jason had to vanquish a dragon whose teeth, sown in earth, would sprout into thousands of armed warriors. He was ready to fight them all and surely be defeated, despite his prodigious swordsmanship, until his wily girlfriend, Medea, suggested something a bit more realistic: turn the unassailable might of that army against itself. Jason threw a rock amid the slow-witted troops, prompting them to destroy each other. Might you not adopt something of his strategy? You've been preparing to take on foes (both tangible and abstract) that would crush a frailer soul than yours. There's a chance you might be able to slog through your adversaries, lopping heads and reputations, but you'd never come through unscathed. Instead, sow some foment amongst your antagonists and save your strength for something you excel at: the triumphant race to the finish line.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Unfortunately, Cancers have developed a reputation for meddling. They've been known, on many an occasion, to stick their noses into affairs that don't concern them. This isn't entirely unwarranted: one of your most publicized talents is the ability to solve others' problems, even when yours leave you floundering. The problem lies, I believe, in determining which quandaries merit intervention and which should be left well enough alone, a knack many Cancers have yet to develop. Luckily, I'm here to help: This week's probs could benefit from a motivating or pruning pinch from a discriminating Crab.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

As you begin the intense crescendo into your summer power time, beware of hubris. When you're feeling this mighty, it's hard not to get cocky and even mean. Don't worry; you still have time to avoid the trap of perception that, for example, the United States has fallen into among the world community. Instead of being the rich and piggish brother who hogs more than his share and is stingy about helping others, you could embrace the role of the rich and beloved brother, who shares his vast luck and wealth. Instead of lording your superiority over those less fortunate, you could help elevate them to your level. Once you do, they'll not only be much less likely to knock that pedestal out from under you, but if you happen to fall off on your own, they'll be right there to help pull you back up.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

I'm lucky enough to be spending some time out at the beach. I use the word "lucky" loosely; you might hate it here. The ramshackle glamour of this place could irritate you; you might have trouble seeing the beauty past the dilapidated state of your surroundings. "Leave that crap to other signs," you say dismissively, "like those sentimental Leos, romantic Scorpios or dreamy Pisceans." You tend to value something that's in perfect working order over anything crumbling, messy and half-broken. However, I urge you to reconsider this overly pragmatic view, as the thing (or person) you need most right now is so impractical, damaged and decidedly imperfect you might actually overlook it (or him, or her)?and then where would you be?

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Lately, you've been too susceptible to external opinion regarding what partnership should or could be. (On that front, at least you're getting a few new perspectives; The Osbournes is showing that a functional family doesn't need to follow too many hard-and-fast societal rules.) Still, you could take it further. Some couples fight constantly, yet stay together for decades. Others never fight at all while their relationships simply melt away. Where you stand is up to you, but I hope that it has almost nothing to do with what other people think and everything to do with what you do.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Occasionally, you contemplate feats of daring and endurance that would make David Blaine cringe. (He's the guy who recently spent 35 hours standing upright on a 9-story pole in midtown Manhattan, then plunged into a small pile of cardboard.) Before you decide to grind your teeth to nubs eating glass or spend 3000 bucks on a full body tattoo, let me put my two cents in: First, no one doubts your courage, which you've demonstrated time and again, both with cutting bravado and quiet, unseen heroics. Second, attempting another stunt is both dangerous and unnecessary; those who love you do so despite your being mostly an ordinary mortal like the rest of us. So why bother? From here, the math looks simple: you have lots to lose and hardly anything to gain.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Although I'd still argue that you're the most resourceful of signs, able to respond to myriad unforeseeable situations with remarkable grace, this week I'm here to give you points for preparedness. Given the assignment to pack a small backpack with everything you might need for an epic journey around the world, you'd return in 40 minutes with sensible shoes and room in your sack for a good paperback. Still, there are some things that you can't possibly prepare for thoroughly, like the birth of a baby. Only if you forget that basic truth will you be flustered by this week's events.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

"Can't you just give Caps a good horoscope for once?" pleaded one beleaguered Goat. I tried to point out that I always attempt to deliver a positive spin on things; it's you who make it hard on yourselves. Believe me, I'd gladly join the legions who'd like to make your burden lighter, if only you'd let them. The truth is, if I wrote anything remotely along the lines of "Your week will be filled with found treasure, butterflies, rainbows and true love," you'd never believe it?even if it were true. Let's try, anyway: This week, the only things you have to dread are the ones you create.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You trust your senses, but are notoriously skeptical of what lies beyond them, especially the supernatural. Try not to be so close-minded. There are many senses that humans lack: bats and elephants, for instance, can hear and make sounds that are hardly more than theories to us; insects can see well into the ultraviolet spectrum and some sea creatures use purely electrical senses to locate their hidden prey. Remember: Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it's not there, and just because you do see something doesn't mean it is.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

I'm lucky enough to be able to spend whole days of my summer without shoes?not even flipflops?on my feet. Having as much of my body exposed to sunshine and wind, and feeling tangible contact with the ground?especially when it's warm sand or chilly ocean tides?is an important part of feeling contentment, for me. It brings my mind to you Pisceans, who could benefit from some concrete sensations of connection with community, geography and the natural forces you treasure (but occasionally forget). This week, go barefoot whenever you can.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

When you consider the enterprise ahead of you in its entirety, you're exhausted to your core. No one can successfully tackle colossally ambitious undertakings like the one(s) you're contemplating all at once. The Great American Novel isn't written in an afternoon, nor is Rome built in a day. Instead, you take them one small part at a time. Break it down, baby, before you break down. What you want to do isn't one big thing: it's thousands of little ones. Finish the one you have on hand before picking up the next task, and never look more than two chapters ahead.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

You respect strength. A forcefully expressed opinion wins points from you, whether or not you agree with its message. Unfortunately, truly thoughtful insights can rarely be boiled down to slogans and catchphrases, because, instead of basing themselves on kneejerk emotional reaction, faith or purposeful ignorance, they take into account all the different facets of a given situation. Since the predicament you're embroiled in is as complicated as it gets, I'd suggest listening carefully to the rounded perspectives presented by your smartest friends. As satisfying as it may be to fall behind an opinion that can be summed up in half a sentence, get all the facts before you embarrass yourself by doing so.