Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Medical science doesn’t have all the answers. But neither does acupuncture or homeopathy, or whatever New Age claptrap you might ascribe to. But let’s be fair and realistic here; they probably all have some of the answers, and perhaps, when put together in the right way, you might get something like a complete picture. Open-minded resourcefulness is the name of the game this week, along with distrusting anyone who declares that their way is the one and only way. In fact, that’s a contradiction in terms, since your destination can’t be reached by pursuit of just one path. Only by taking the high road, the low road, and a myriad of middle roads will you ever arrive there. That’s a lot of ground to cover, I know. Get going.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Classical music is both subtler and more dramatic than most of our more modern stuff. Our lives are so saturated by orchestral compositions that we barely notice them—or the many ways they affect our moods. You’re waiting for something dramatic to happen—someone spectacularly declaring his or her love, for example—but you’re bound for disappointment. Like classical music, this week’s important events are all subtext. However, although nothing’s likely to be spelled out for you as such, I still think you should have no trouble interpreting their meaning; all you need to do is listen carefully.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

Don’t bother making New Year’s resolutions this year. They’re so not your style. Overnight changes don’t work for Pisceans. You need to do things gradually, in stages. Two steps forward, one step back—that kind of thing. Trying to quit a bad habit overnight is about as likely to work as deciding to wake up as the opposite gender tomorrow. Having no goals or deadlines, however, would also be a mistake, so may I suggest a Piscean compromise? Declare your intentions for 2007 this week, but don’t unreasonably expect yourself to achieve them on Jan. 1. Give yourself a timetable, one that you can (if you’re disciplined) actually keep yourself to.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Unlike our Piscean brothers and sisters, you Rams are free to embrace New Year’s with as much intention to change as you can muster. You’re capable of overnight reversals—and sometimes, when you get enough positive reinforcement for them, you can even stick to them for the long term. You might as well make a big, bold list of impressive intentions for 2007. The bad news is that you’ll definitely fail at some of them—you’re only human, after all, and your ambitions frequently outstrip your ability to achieve them. The good news, however, is that you can also expect to succeed at most of them, at least this year.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

You do your most valuable personal work during breaks from your familiar routine. Those experiences might not feel worthwhile—in fact, they’re more likely to be irritating or upsetting. Mustering grace, reason, compassion, and real beauty during times of stress outside of your comfort zone is the biggest and most important challenge you face at the moment. In that light, everything that happens this week is useful, whether or not it plays out exactly as you wish. I hope you can respond to this week’s problems and worries with serenity and dignity, but even if you can’t, I trust you can, at least, learn from them.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Putting yourself out there is generally a good thing, but cool it this week. Boldness and confidence rock, of course. That’s hot. But it’s also possible to walk right past those two into a realm that smacks slightly of desperation. Not so pretty. Embrace subtlety and modesty this week. For example, if you’re flirting, a hint that you’re available is plenty; if someone’s interested, they’ll respond. If they aren’t, pushing won’t help your cause. Besides, there’s no point in you doing all the work, is there? If your flirtee won’t meet you halfway, what’s the point?

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

You’re aging backward lately, Cancer, and I applaud you. I think your improved resilience and ability to roll with the punches reflects an increasingly youthful approach to life. You could still use a bit of practice coping with endings, however. To be fair, they’re difficult for everyone. This week isn’t just the end of the year (and start of a new one); it’s also the end (and beginning, remember) of one or two other things. Can you respond with excitement instead of anxiety? Considering what’s coming, gleeful anticipation would be far more appropriate than nervous fear.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

Contrary to popular opinion, you learned at a relatively early age that the world doesn’t revolve around you. However, figuring out how to not take things personally is trickier, because even though the planet doesn’t orbit around your sun, most of the things you’re involved in are concretely affected by your presence. That can be both good and bad, but it’s best to take a step back from it in either case, especially this week. There’s no denying you are a factor in what’s happening around you, but you’re not—despite your anxieties, hopes, or suspicions—the main factor. This isn’t your responsibility. Don’t take it on (unless you really, really want to).

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Sometimes, biting your tongue is worse than lying. Not saying anything can get you into more trouble—or at least cause you more discomfort and misery—than speaking up ever would have. There’s often a time window for bringing something up. For instance, the second or third time you meet someone, it can still be perfectly acceptable to ask for a reminder of their name—but after that, it’s a total faux pas. There’s something painful, awkward, or simply embarrassing that you’ve been wanting to mention. The window during which you can do that is drawing to a close. Speak up now, Virgo, because forever holding your peace will just plain suck.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

My first summer in Northern California was my coldest summer ever. The weather’s mild there, but it rarely gets especially hot. I had trouble adjusting. In my mind, wearing more than shorts and a T-shirt in July was simply unacceptable, so I kept freezing my ass off. Of course, I eventually reluctantly accepted reality as it was, not as I imagined or wished it would be, and started wearing jackets and long pants. Your unconscious decisions about what your life ought to be like— as opposed to how it actually is—are leaving you, too, out in the cold. Perhaps it’s time to wise up and put on a jacket before you freeze?

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Go back to the basics. At least, that’s what I do when I’m at wit’s end. You don’t know how to move forward or how to best help yourself. Stop agonizing over unanswerable questions. Instead, do things that are just plain good for you: Eat well. Cut down on the stuff that clouds your judgment. Throw out things you don’t need. Clean your house. By the time you’ve done those things, you’ll probably have some idea of what to do next. And even if all that doesn’t help you “solve” your problems, you’ll still feel a hell of a lot better.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

Don’t react too harshly if someone slaps you in the face this week, perhaps even two or three times. They’re probably doing it, perversely, for your own good. You Sagittarians are pretty astute most of the time. But you do have a talent for missing the obvious occasionally, and when that happens, the only thing that’ll get you to notice it is a good smack upside the head. Then you usually need another, to keep you from kicking yourself for not catching on before. These little wake-up calls are good things, even if they’re a bit painful; they’ll shake you out of all the stuff you’re wasting time doing and give you the chance to finally get to whatever you’ve been missing—which, as it turns out, will probably feel like the most natural thing in the world. You’ll probably wonder how and why you never got to it before.