If it’s your birthday

Keep your interests local. It’s fine having far-flung pen pals, but you want your friends and love interests near you. That means an easy walk or drive, with frequent in-person meetings possible. Do business and spend your money locally as well, for maximum value, mutual benefit and prosperity. Keep your world small and simple, and you’ll be happier. You share a birthday with John Wood, Huey Lewis and Jenji Kohan. SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 It’s necessary to have a concept of who you are that doesn’t involve a relationship, a partner or finding one. The benefit will be feeling what it’s like to have a relationship with yourself, one based on an authentic spiritual understanding. As you know, romance does not provide that. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 Remember, how you feel about yourself determines just about all other emotional experiences you have. This is a point lost on the world at the moment, when most affirmation is believed to come from outside of ourselves. If you don’t love yourself, you won’t notice when anyone else does. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 You can free yourself from an emotional mire that’s been clouding your thinking recently. There are still strong influences luring you into thinking with your feelings rather than your mind, though the difference is palpable -- as are the results. Emoting does not produce useful ideas. Thinking does. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 Keep track of yourself and your environment. The astrology over the next few days could have you in a slightly altered state of mind, like a light dream state. That, however, is not a good idea in a world that’s moving so fast nobody can keep up. Be alert; remember your situational awareness. JAN. 20-FEB. 18 Take the lead of someone you know, and make yourself available to help the world. You have a strong example in your life — someone who has taken the power of devotion to heart, and lives it daily. Just remember: You cannot be fully committed only part of the time. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 A sense of urgency has passed from your life, which was driving your thoughts and many of your actions. It’s also sapped your strength and kept you up a few nights. Mercury is about to move into the health and wellbeing angle of your chart, and it will be easier to take care of yourself.