If it’s your birthday

Don’t fall for the trap of thinking that others are standing in the way of your dreams. They are not, as long as you don’t give them that role. You will build the life you want by applying your imagination, mixed with discipline and a touch of flexibility. It’s time for you to design the life you want, so don’t let your current attachments or anxieties get in the way. You share a birthday with Leo Fender, Antonio Banderas and Sean Blakemore. APRIL 20-MAY 20 Pay attention if any relatives or housemates want you to give up your plans in exchange for something they want. The chances are, you’re working on something you value, which is calling for your full creative focus. Don’t allow anyone to get between you and your creative aspirations. MAY 21-JUNE 20 This is the perfect day to do something creative with food, whether you create a special meal for yourself or your friends, or initiate some new habits in the kitchen. The emphasis is on eating in, assuming you can find the stove. Think for a moment and you’ll remember where it is. JUNE 21-JULY 22 The most important issues are not political and they are not economic. Ultimately, they are spiritual — which means they concern the nature of existence. What if we really admitted we are alive? What if we allowed ourselves to be motivated by true respect for life? You can demonstrate this today. JULY 23-AUG. 22 You must be cautious about allowing emotional attachments to influence financial decisions. You’re likely to be in a generous and self-sacrificing frame of mind, though that will not serve anyone’s best interests. Get your feelings out of the equation, and ensure that everyone is be- ing truthful with you. SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 Mercury is slowing down to a retrograde in the most private angle of your solar chart. That means it’s time to have a long talk with yourself about something you may have been denying, or not acknowledging fully. You can afford to be totally honest with yourself; you cannot afford anything but. OCT. 23-NOV. 21 Watching a video about something is not the same as doing it. There’s no substitute for experience, especially when it comes to sex, music, art or any form of play. Whatever you want, you can honor your craving to make it real. Try something and see how it feels. Life is an experiment. NOV. 22-DEC. 21 You can now take a more sober and productive approach to a family situation or emotional issue. Admitting your real feelings will motivate you to work for a real solution, which will no doubt involve tuning up your boundaries and making some decisions. This will feel good, as you take each step. DEC. 22-JAN. 19 Honesty is often driven by passion, and how you feel today is no exception. However, it would be wise to say a bit less rather than a bit more, and stop short of trying to justify your feelings. Knowing how you feel is enough, and you don’t even need to say anything. JAN. 20-FEB. 18 Your doubts must inspire you to dig out the truth. There’s no use sitting around wondering, or ignoring your concerns. Gently nudge the people around you to come out with their version of reality. You want all of the facts, not just a select few. This will take a couple days. Be persistent. FEB. 19-MARCH 20 Your mind is in a more serious and productive mode, though with no shortage of imagination. A little focus and discipline will go a long way; choose a task and tackle it, starting with the most challenging or difficult. Leave the easy stuff for last. Most of it will take care of itself.