If it’s your birthday

Once you learn to temper your perfectionism, you’ll raise the quality of all that you do, and you’ll feel better. Perfection is not a value. Selfimprovement is as much about integrity as it is about blue jeans going through the wash 100 times. Strive for experience, aspire to be a student of life, and remember that a happy, sincere student does not feel guilty about learning. You share a birthday with Virgil, Tito Jackson, and Mira Nair. MARCH 21-APRIL 19 Over the next 48 hours, several matters will come up for healing, whether emotional, psychic or physical. The appropriate response is to pause and reflect, and take the time to take care of yourself. The more you do this, the more you will want to; so this may be a significant turning point. APRIL 20-MAY 20 You have been at a creative peak lately; and while it’s come at some cost, you will discover that it was well worth it. Before you start thinking about new adventures, settling into a steady work routine will be both helpful and healthy for you. Easy does it; slow and steady is the way. MAY 21-JUNE 20 Here’s a mantra for you: “The past is gone. It cannot touch me.” You may need to remind yourself of that over and over, until it starts to really settle in. If old matters, cares or issues are coming up, be fully aware of the presence of these thoughts, and then let them go. JUNE 21-JULY 22 You’re now into an extended phase of your life where you can develop your financial skills and resources. If you’re doing this right, you will feel some resistance, challenge and unfamiliarity. That’s all a reminder that it will be well worth persisting. Give it a year -- see where you get. JULY 23-AUG. 22 You can now attend to important matters of financial planning, which would best start with getting organized. If you know how much you have, how much you owe, and when it’s due, that will enhance your feeling of control rather than diminish it. Knowledge is power -- especially where money is concerned. AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 Shake off any feelings of not liking yourself, or struggling with your own thoughts. This is entirely an illusion of modern life: its pressures to constantly improve, or many influences designed to make you doubt yourself, to name two. Do something you love today. Be gentle with yourself. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 Today Mars is opposite Chiron, a truly important planet discovered orbiting our Sun 40 years ago next month. You are experiencing something that describes the full expression of the spiritual warrior. Be brave, be honest, and offer yourself in the spirit of the greatest good for all concerned. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 Today Venus meets Jupiter, which is sending a surge of energy through your most precious dreams. Be bold about asserting what you do the best. Offer yourself in the service of your most vital talents or ideals. The world needs the positive vibes and reassuring presence that you offer. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 Venus bestows talent in any form. Whenever you meet someone who seems to be able to express themselves any way possible, that’s about Venus. This planet is now the most prominent one in your chart, and assures that you’ve got the skill and discipline to take on any task and do it brilliantly. JAN. 20-FEB. 18 Place your emphasis on fact-finding where taxes, joint finances or investments are concerned. Really, truly persist in your due diligence, taking things twice as far as you need to go. When you figure something out, try to prove yourself wrong and happily start from square one. Thorough means thorough. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 The Moon will be passing through your relationship house for the next two days. At first, it may seem that others are holding you to unreasonable standards. If that’s true, you must calmly but firmly draw the line and set some boundaries before things get out of hand. You can do it.