Sign Language: 08.12.09-08.18.09

Ask a Taurus to kick it into high gear and you’ll notice a slight increase in speed. Leos, however, have the ability, shared by all three fire signs, to really turn up the volume and get shit done.You may not be able to achieve the supernova hotness of an Aries, or sustain the steady longterm burn of a Sagittarian, but you can, nevertheless do more and shine more brightly than your average person for decently long stretches of time. This is a useful skill to have—and one you should practice slightly more often than you have lately.You’ve got shit to get done. It’s high gear time. 

Living involves the death of other beings. I’m not just talking about cows slaughtered for your consumption or mosquitoes slapped against your arm. Even Jains, who wear cloth over their mouths and perpetually sweep the path ahead of them with soft brooms to avoid insect deaths, are the cause of millions of deaths a day, even if it’s just the countless bacteria, viruses, and assorted other minute creatures living (and dying) aboard their bodies. There’s no need to get morbid here, but getting more in tune with the natural cycle of life (and death) is a key part of your week, and your life, moving forward.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) 

Schadenfreude means joy at others’ misfortune. It’s a word we borrowed from German because we don’t have one to fit that particular concept. Of course, it’s hard not laugh when someone takes a comical spill or a pie in the face. But taking true pleasure in the misery of others isn’t kind (and appears to be the particular specialty of the most malicious teenage girls). How much of a mean girl have you been lately? It’s okay to have a harmless chuckle when something mildly bad and very funny happens, but make sure compassion reigns supreme when shit really hits the fan. 

Because of how you’re wired, it’s more of a challenge for Scorpios to live in the moment than it is for some other signs. Your emotions are so overwhelmingly powerful; because of the way they get tied to particular people and events, it’s incredibly easy for you to get sucked into vivid memories, or potent hopes for the future, rather than simply experiencing the present. Like all things of this nature, this phenomenon can be both strength and weakness; unfortunately this week it’s more likely to be the latter.Therefore, shake off those fits of nostalgia or fervent future hopes whenever they threaten to overwhelm you.The present moment is where it’s at.; don’t miss it. 

You guys have more energy than pretty much any other sign (possible exceptions are Virgos and Capricorns). You rarely slow down, get sick, or burn out—which is why almost no one can even keep up with you.You Archers either need to find ways to decelerate sometimes, or else get used to relatively lonely existences, since no one will be able to keep pace for very long.This week is a great one to figure out some spaces for those of us who prefer a slower tempo to spend enough quality time with you to develop true intimacy. Alternatively, you could use this week to figure out more ways to enjoy your lonely independence; it’s up to you. 

Your blissful summertime hammock-nap is rudely interrupted by a snapping rope and a harsh impact with the ground.That kind of painfully unpleasant surprise could leave you unnerved and tightlywound for ages. I understand your wariness; being hurt when at your most relaxed and vulnerable truly sucks. However, it’s important to understand there was nothing malicious in it; it just happened. In this case, you need to get over it, fast, because something much better than a sweetly uninterrupted nap is coming your way—but you’ll only be able to notice and appreciate it if you’re as open and unafraid as you were before that last shitty surprise.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) 

You never know until you try, they say, and most of the time they’re right.Too many people shut themselves down and give up before they start. Self-sabotage keeps so many people from their dreams. But, here’s the thing: sometimes you do know before you try.There are certain things you’re going to suck at no matter what, completely unrelated to the presence or absence of self-belief. Separate out emotion, statistics, or even supposed “common sense.” If what’s left is a barren certainty that something is doomed to failure, give up on it now, so you can concentrate on other dreams, however unlikely they may be, that at least have a chance to succeed.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) 

You’re so used to being the biggest mystery in people’s lives that when someone represents an even greater secret or conundrum, it freaks you out. Rather than madly attempting to get inside the inside joke, try to enjoy the game as a spectator for once.This is a good exercise for you, and a totally different role for you to play: the “known quantity.” Even though it might chafe a bit at first, I suspect you may end up enjoying it so much (it’s very nice to feel accepted and understood) that you’ll resist going back to being the mysterious, unknowable one if and when the opportunity presents itself.

Aries (March 21-April 19) 

Many men and women lock their perceptions to a certain ideal of beauty and have difficulty seeing beyond it. Although of course youth is beautiful, it’s helpful if you learn to appreciate other forms of beauty as you get older, some of which involve wrinkles, silver hair, and the wisdom born of experience. Sure, you might be rich, famous, or genetically-gifted enough to keep banging 20-year-olds into your golden years, but I still say moving on and allowing your concept and perception of beauty to evolve as you do is the way to a richer, happier life.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) 

What looks good on paper doesn’t always play out the way you imagined it (anyone who’s answered a personal ad knows this).Theory and reality are totally different things, and just because you think you’ll like someone or something doesn’t mean you will when they’re right in front of you. In fact, that’s the only way to know for sure.This week, get faceto-face with the reality of something that’s so far been only conceptual. It’s time you knew whether it was worth investing more time in, or if you’d be better off letting it go and moving on.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 

Becoming an overnight sensation is not the path for you, at least not this week (or anytime soon). Sure, some people get “lucky” (it’s not usually as wonderful as it looks from the outside), and catapult to tremendous success very quickly, but most people who’ve done well built up their success slowly, over time.This, of course, requires persistence and patience—not two of your most prominent qualities.They can be developed, however, and this is a great week to work on that—and on building, one small piece at a time, the foundation for your future success.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

You Crabs have a way of telling yourselves stories that make you out to be victims.That’s simply not helpful. Even if it’s “true” (in that there’s no absolute truth when it comes to the way people see things), it’s not doing you any favors to insist on looking at things that way. In fact, it’s likely to create a paradigm where you set up situations that are likely to play out in similar ways, thereby reinforcing your personal myth.The absolute truth, insofar as there is one, is that there are multiple ways to look at these encounters, and in only a couple of them are you the wronged victim.The other angles are no less accurate—and they have the added benefit of leaving you with a bit more power, self-worth, and joy.That, alone, makes them worth embracing.