Balance is achievable, and so is exceptional success, but these things cannot be had at once. Balance demands temperance. Exceptionality demands fiery drive. Something must be sacrificed to fuel the flames. Mars in the sign of balance agitates Pluto in Capricorn in such a way as to reveal the nature of the sacrifice.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The gestures and rituals around togetherness will have meaning that lives beyond the implications of the day. It is gracious to take a little of what’s being offered to you.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). A temperate approach will work for you. You would rather get small daily doses of adrenaline than live dramatically, inducing large-scale thrills and adrenaline rushes that can be a challenge to come down from.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The group works best when everyone brings an intangible something — for instance, an idea, receptivity, a custom, a grateful heart or an infectious enthusiasm.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Excuse yourself from too much thinking. The processing of past lessons gets boring. It’s safe to assume you absorbed what you could from it; that’s over. What’s next?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Though you try to get to a place of “no regrets,” if you don’t quite make it, you can use whatever you wish you would have done differently to inform your next move.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll excel where others haven’t. They got impatient, they gave up too soon or maybe they just couldn’t figure it out. Hang in there and believe. Your win will show the way.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Sure, the time is always now. But time for what? To inhabit the moment isn’t always to act in it. You’ll focus yourself thoughtfully, with maturity and strategy.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’re making sense of something that is difficult for many people to understand. It is too early to declare your findings or share your insights. This requires much more observation.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). All snowflakes have the same color and melting point, and yet each one is completely unique. The one who appreciates your distinctive qualities will quickly discover your heart’s melting point.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Connection has a cost you feel willing to pay. You are ready to be aware of the other person’s struggles, to be curious about their inclinations and to feel somewhat responsible for serving their needs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Anyone willing to put in the time can have the skill. Things can always be learned by those who know how to learn. Learning how to learn — or, more specifically, how you learn — is the key to becoming whoever you want to be.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). While it is possible to learn from the feedback your emotional responses provide, feelings can also be attached to lies, falsehoods and misinformation. Gather emotional data without acting on it. This needs to be tested.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 21). You’ll neatly wrap up a major project, and that’s when the real work (and play!) will begin. You’ll inspire, coach and facilitate big successes for the ones you care about. In doing so, you’ll fulfill your own destiny. There’s a mystery to solve at the turn of the year. A relationship of tenderness and vulnerability will heal. Libra and Taurus adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 36, 4, 48 and 16.
HALLOWEEN PANTHEON: SKULL AND BONES: The idea that the remains of the dead prompt ritualistic behavior is not limited to the human sphere. There are documented instances of grieflike or death-aware behaviors from the animal kingdom as well, encompassing the likes of elephants, magpies, orca, pigs, chimpanzees and more.
Confirmation that Homo sapiens handled their dead in special ways dates to prehistory, and they are not the only hominids to have buried bones with a marker and flowers, as evidenced by Neanderthal graves.
The sacredness of bones is expressed differently in various cultures. There have been those who eat their loved ones, burn them, make jewelry out of them… even cultures who have for thousands of years exhumed their loved ones on special occasions, dressed them in sacred clothing and included them in their various lively festivities. While this ritual may sound bizarre, and most would surely find it off-putting to dine next to the corpse of their grandmother, in some places, the practice is still upheld today.
So it should come as no surprise that the old-fashioned disguise that is the skeleton suit remains an evergreen Halloween staple and a classic reminder that underneath our skin, we humans are remarkably alike.
CELEBRITY PROFILES: Kim Kardashian was born on the cusp of Libra and Scorpio and has planets in both influences. Her Sun, Saturn and Pluto are in Venus-ruled Libra, indicating a highly developed visual style and a natural talent for enchantment. Mercury and Uranus in sensual Scorpio add mystery and spice.
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