ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Achieving or using power wisely is a big issue for you today. Your motives need to be monitored; for many they're apt to be very dark. Most can see that a full use of available power has other drawbacks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have a better grasp of what's involved with your next step to success. You are less concerned about opinions and more concerned with what you think and value. Clear away troubling thoughts.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be very conscientious in the exercise of your authority. You tend to do what you think is right but disregard the plight or concerns of others. You must be very aware of the issues and consequences of the right use of power.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You need to satisfy your curiosity today. You may not take well to formal educational environments, much preferring to study what you please. Where a structured course is required, you tend to be distracted.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Too much self-concern, too much disregard of others, can bring undesirable consequences. Open up enough to satisfy what people want of you otherwise they're liable to force you to pat attention.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are heavily involved socially but there is a part of your mind that isn't there. Some are dividing their attention between participating and watching. Studying people comes naturally to you now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You perceive that drastic moves must be made in order to push people away from comfortably false beliefs. You are challenged to respect people's free will to make decisions based on full information, over manipulating them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You can be a committed artist today. You want to push the acceptability of convention. Not caring about public taste, you're willing to try the avant-garde and the strange. You're apt to be impractical about money.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): It's important to be aware of what's your genuine reaction and what's your learned reaction. You tend to feel that you have to be loyal to some tradition or habit but you must strive to break free and think for yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are driven by ideas but you're liable to not care what others of thought, discussed or discovered before you. You would benefit by doing research and compiling a history of precedents.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your attitude toward money and expenses is confused and inconsistent. Take greater responsibility for how you handle finances. Even good fortune can be wasted by carelessness. Value what you have.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You're apt to be self-absorbed today and this can have a bad effect on relationships. Put more thought into how you can help others, instead of worrying about your own problems. Put a constructive relationship first.

Great Spirit, let my education never lack the meaning and value of Indian spirituality

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You're prone to use charm to get your way. You're challenged to look beyond pure personal advantage. You have the capacity to find what you can give as well. Mutual generosity is a virtue.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You can meet someone who shares your interests and your goals. A dynamic cooperation is important and valuable. A significant move forward is possible now and progress accelerates.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You want to get things done now. You may have to work at getting people's attention or getting them to focus on what you deem important. You may have trouble separating personal interests from professional ones.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You're feeling strongly motivated to improve your level of education and practical skills. You have ideas you want to implement and you're seeking ways to introduce them and get them accepted.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You are sensitive to the advantages your position gives you but you must not abandon your responsibilities to the people you're supposed to be helping. Your status can be tarnished by unprofessional behavior; it won't stay secret.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You find it hard to compromise today. Arguments get in the way of reasoned discussion. It may be that someone needs to be dragged kicking and screaming to an equitable agreement.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It's important that you stay attentive to people and their legitimate problems. If you only pretend to be concerned, they will be able to tell. You're challenged to get out of your selfishness and exercise responsibilities.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You exert a lot of energy into problematic situations. You're prone to make a big start, then fizzle out. Projects require more care in selection, more planning in their execution.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are very brave and daring. You can see yourself as being the hero of the day, at least at the beginning. You need to stay with what you start until it is done; you're apt to quit too soon and let others cope.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You charge directly into a project, when you need to go slowly and deliberately. You are full of confidence, which is misplaced, and bravado, which is unwarranted. Respect the difficulties involved.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You must make an extra effort to stand out from others. Your best chance lies in not trying to duplicate what someone else is doing. Buck the trend; fill an empty niche or take a neglected approach.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Relationships tend to be competitive, if not outright hostile. It's important that you not be an instigator but that you handle subtle aggression tactfully. Try to defuse an explosive situation without being weak.

Feb 24, 1786: Wilhelm Grimm is born

On this day in 1786, Wilhelm Karl Grimm, the younger of the two Brothers Grimm, is born in Hanau, Germany.

As young men, the two brothers assisted friends in compiling an important collection of folk lyrics. One of the authors, impressed by the brothers' work, suggested they publish some of the oral folktales they'd collected. The collection appeared as Children's and Household Tales, later known as Grimm's Fairy Tales, in several volumes between 1812 and 1822.

Tales in the Grimm collection include "Hansel and Gretel," "Snow White," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Sleeping Beauty," "Rapunzel," and "Rumpelstiltskin." The brothers developed the tales by listening to storytellers and attempting to reproduce their words and techniques as faithfully as possible. Their methods helped establish the scientific approach to the documentation of folklore. The collection became a worldwide classic.

Wilhelm continued his study of German folklore and published a new edition of ancient written tales. In 1829, Jacob and Wilhelm became librarians and professors at the University of Gottingen, and Jacob published another important work, German Mythologies, exploring the beliefs of pre-Christian Germans. In 1840, King Frederick William IV of Prussia invited the brothers to Berlin, where they became members of the Royal Academy of Science. They began work on an enormous dictionary, but Wilhelm died in 1859, before entries for the letter D were completed. Jacob followed four years later, having only gotten as far as F. Subsequent researchers finished the dictionary many years later.

"But each of us must find out for himself or herself what their gift is, so that they can use it in their life."
-- Jimmy Jackson, OJIBWAY
The old people say, everyone has a song to sing. This song is the reason we are on this earth. When we are doing what we came on this earth to do, we know true happiness. How will we know our song? Pray. Ask the Great Mystery, "What is it you want me to do during my stay on earth?" Ask. He will tell you. He will even help you develop yourself to accomplish His mission.

Great Spirit, help me find my song and let me sing it

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You feel intensely focused on social issues today. You are liable to have an increased sensitivity to injustice and corruption. You're motivated to get involved in efforts to rectify the situation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have the drive to succeed where others won't even try. You want to stand out through effort or, even better, through success. You don't want to get involved in what's popular, only in what's unique.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You need to put your personal and family life in perspective today. Balance this with your needs to get socially active. Be sure that your cause fits in with your own needs and don't become detached from each other.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You can be heavily involved with political activity today. You are agitating for a change or you are brought under the influence of someone who advocates it. Your sense of justice is stirred up.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): To achieve full success, you have to apply the fundamentals of your craft in the broadest possible ways. Never lose sight of the simple rules in favor of complexity or novelty.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You're apt to perceive that you need an unconventional solution to an intractable problem. You may be too impatient. Let a less drastic approach play out until it's clear more force is necessary.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are struggling to get some time away from home. You feel pulled to participate in bigger activities now. You need the exposure to larger groups and causes and to bigger ideas.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A partnership allows you to do more than you cold alone. One other person or an organization multiplies your efforts. It's important to be true to an ideal in order to be effective.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your need to improve your training becomes apparent today. Don't be too proud for remediation. Taking care of finances becomes important, ensuring that you are saving enough to meet known and possible future needs

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You're apt to be moody and shy today. You can be too concerned with privacy. Make sure it doesn't interfere with your need to be public. You can take privacy issues too far but well-placed concerns should be fought for.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are caught in a bind between being personally loved and accepted while your bigger and political opinions are out of favor. You are challenged to set aside certain parts of your life so they aren't at issue in certain venues.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You are trying to get support and convince people to come over to your position. You are trying to say a large number of people, because the stakes are high and the changes are so necessary.

Great Spirit, let me treat everyone, today, as if they were You

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You try hard to reach agreement and bring accord. You're apt to compromise, expecting the same in return. You must get this up front and not be satisfied by vague promises.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You excel in a group of dedicated professionals. You feel like one also but you cannot function well if you have to fight bad attitudes. You feel free and optimal among your peers.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put controversies behind you now. This is a time to listen to bargaining. You must be fair and hard at the same time. There can be those trying to get concessions without giving any themselves.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There is a lot focus on you today. Your actions are very public and you are expected to perform in certain ways. Your credibility rises or falls according to how well you mirror public sentiment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): This is a good day for social outreach today. Bring yourself to the attention of people who matter. It's a good thing to seek acceptance in a wider society of people who share your intellectual interests.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You want to explore ideas and options. An improved education is necessary but you need to go past known facts in order to theorize about what's possible. At the moment, you are dissatisfied with current answers.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Reconciliation and getting along with people is a high priority today. You can be heavily involved with others in negotiating a deal or promoting common understanding.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You motivate people to excel today. You're full of positive thoughts and advice. In some ways, you're a bit impractical but your role as a positive influence on those who can act is invaluable.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are feeling strongly romantic today. This is a good day to pay attention to your personal needs. Make sure you are presentable and can make a good first impression. A relationship can be stepped up now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): This is a good day to place your full attention on home and family. Turn your attention to private and personal needs. Your public activities can take a back seat for the time being.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are seeking ways to harmonize information. Research shows differences; you want to make connections and make a case for something in common. You want to quell arguments and bring about a consensus.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You can do well in situations where you can expound at length on your thoughts and opinions. You feel very stifled if you have keep quiet. You need to explore beyond what is here and now in front of you.

Feb 26, 1564:
Christopher Marlowe is baptized

On this day, poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe is baptized in Canterbury, England, two months before the birth of his fellow playwright William Shakespeare.

Marlowe, the son of a Canterbury shoemaker, was a bright student. He won scholarships to prestigious schools and earned his B.A. from Cambridge in 1584. Historians believe Marlowe served as a spy for Queen Elizabeth while at Cambridge. He was nearly denied his master's degree in 1587, until the queen's advisers intervened, recommending he receive the degree and referring obliquely to his services for the state.

While still in school, Marlowe wrote his play Tamburlaine the Great, about a 14th-century shepherd who became an emperor. The blank verse drama caught on with the public, and Marlowe wrote five more plays before his death in 1593, including The Jew of Malta and Dr. Faustus. He also published a translation of Ovid's Elegies.

In May of 1593, Marlowe's former roommate, playwright Thomas Kyd, was arrested and tortured for treason. He told authorities that "heretical" papers found in his room belonged to Marlowe, who was subsequently arrested. While out on bail, Marlowe became involved in a fight over a tavern bill and was stabbed to death.

"The Great Spirit is the one that's looking after us."
-- Jimmy Jackson, OJIBWAY
The only place our minds can find peace is when our focus is on the Creator. Daily we need to ask the Creator to direct our thinking. When we look at our brothers and sisters, we need to see the Creator in them. When we look at the trees, plants and the animals, we need to realize the Creator is within us. Our attention needs to be on the Creator. When we work, we do it for the Creator. When we are troubled, we need to pray to the Creator. When we are happy and joyful, we need to realize we are feeling the presence of the Creator. Thinking God thoughts will produce peace.

Oh Great Mystery, let me focus on You today.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): It is very important that you assess whether a bad situation is worth trying to alleviate. You're liable to exhaust your energies in an impossible task, or one better given over to someone else.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You're feeling below par today. People may feel that you're not doing enough to help yourself. Analyze what's holding you down and address the roots causes of the situation. People will help when they see you are helping yourself.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can inject a fresh approach to situations at work. Those with a new position should take the opportunity to rethink how things are done so they are more efficient. If you feel bogged down, this is especially necessary.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You feel that uncontrollable events keep diverting you from an intended goal. You feel that you have to swim against the tide to get your sway. This may indeed be correct; great strength is needed.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Some may start a hobby today. Though it seems useless now, a definite advantage may develop from it in the future. Give it time without letting it interfere with current pressing duties.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You need a lot of assurance to maintain morale. Talk over problems and concerns with friends. A fretful and pessimistic mood gets in the way of seeing solutions quickly.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your stress level affects your ability to think clearly. Take periodic relaxation or meditation breaks. The more you get wound up, the more anxious you get, so that even simple solutions could elude you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You have a low tolerance for controversy today. You need around you friends who have high compatibility levels. You require an emotionally safe environment for considering contradictions and controversies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Beware of expressing affection or other strong feelings at inappropriate times and places. Positive or negative passions need to be kept in abeyance so you can focus on doing the job at hand professionally.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your mind is whirling with thoughts and issues. It would be helpful to write them down. Enter into a dialog with the inspired part of you that can put things into perspective.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You need quiet and solitude to be creative. You are very artistic now. Those who involved in more logical and structured activities can find their freedom to imagine stifled and unappreciated.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You're apt to be dreamy and out of it today. You require extra time to wake up and externalize your attention. Be sure you're ready to face the day lest your weaknesses be exposed, embarrassingly so.

Great Spirit, teach me how to look into my heart.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You excel in situations in which you can act to assist others, especially those in desperate need. If you aren't doing that, you feel bored and unfulfilled. Make an effort to come to people's aid.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You're absorbed in the issues that personally concern you. It is hard to break you out of this, if need be. Unless some bigger issue develops, this is a good time to pay close attention to creative, artistic or altruistic endeavors.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your current situation seems unsatisfactory and while you want to make a change, you actually spend a lot of time in introspection, contemplating your options. At the moment, you feel genuinely trapped where you are.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Your fear surprises and you especially expect bad ones. You're willing to salt money away in various places and investments and, while you're sure all of them are good, it's a hedge against any one or few of them being bad.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your sensitivity makes it difficult to be in public or controversial situations. You're nervous in public and would prefer to do what's most familiar as obscurely as possible. You're afraid of drama but are likely to get it, anyway.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You're feeling energetic but must learn restraint and control. Your energy is more effective when you know what you're doing and have a definite result to reach for. Otherwise, you're liable to create disorder.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Giving seems like an all-or-nothing proposition to you: give nothing or else sacrifice all you have. There may be an extreme reason for making extreme compensation but otherwise strive toward moderation instead.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You try to move people's emotions to get them to agree with you. You feel the need to share important beliefs and get validation among your associates. However, don't push intimate relationships into uncomfortable territory.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The best thing you can hold onto is a passionate ideal. It's hard to exercise it or be in a position to enact it. However, you should position yourself toward that eventual time when you can do so,

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You enjoy acting on your own initiative now but, for today, you should regularly check with others for guidance and advice. You have a need for approval but you aren't very conscious of that now.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Impulsive or angry behavior works against you. You must value patience and steady progress. It is likely that you need to undergo a stage of learning and preparation before you can begin a desired action.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You have trouble being around people today. You are likely to hide or lead. Either way, it's a situation that doesn't let too many people question you deeply. The question is whether you feel empowered or not.

Great Spirit, today, help me to live in harmony with people, principles, and life.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): An unusual event can enliven a situation that is otherwise boring. You might meet someone who shakes you out of a routine. Take the opportunity to do something different -- you want it, deep inside.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You must take a risk for success. Get control over all the variables that you can, then make your play. Uncertainty can make you nervous but shouldn't make you hesitate.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Ensuring personal and professional success makes you nervous today. There is a lot of tension but you must keep it under control. Steady nerves are the best answer when there is a lot of uncertainty.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An intractable problem yields to a novel insight. Take several different approaches, instead of trying minor variations on just one. It's important that you not become rigid in your thinking.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): This is a good day to attend to legal documents and filings. For many, taxes and savings are due for review and updating, as could wills or health insurance. Make sure legal documents are in order.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are willing to listen to improbable ideas. You're interested in concepts that are very abstract or which seem to serve little immediate usefulness. Their value will be seen in time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): This is a good day to break bad habits and try new ones. You have the resolve to make changes permanent but also realize this will come by forcing yourself to keep at them until they become so.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You feel the need to make life better for someone. You dislike the callousness shown by organizations or prominent individuals, so you do the opposite in order to fill the gaps in service.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Achieving your goals requires dedication and responsibility. You're apt to take a contrary attitude today, suddenly stepping down and withdrawing. You need to stay on the path you've committed to.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Different or foreign ideas appeal to you now. You're willing to consider concepts or customs that don't fit in with usual, customary thought. You may have reason to teach children a bit differently than the way you were raised.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There can be inconsistency between what you're taught is right versus what you feel is right. Always go in the direction of mercy instead of punishment. There can be a lot of rationalizations for following rules blindly.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You approach events with great confidence but then can experience sudden loss of nerve. You're challenged to get into situations after you're prepared. Know what you're getting into.

Mar 1, 1692:
Salem Witch Hunt begins

In Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, an Indian slave from Barbados, are charged with the illegal practice of witchcraft. Later that day, Tituba, possibly under coercion, confessed to the crime, encouraging the authorities to seek out more Salem witches.

Trouble in the small Puritan community began the month before, when nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams, the daughter and niece, respectively, of the Reverend Samuel Parris, began experiencing fits and other mysterious maladies. A doctor concluded that the children were suffering from the effects of witchcraft, and the young girls corroborated the doctor's diagnosis. With encouragement from a number of adults in the community, the girls, who were soon joined by other "afflicted" Salem residents, accused a widening circle of local residents of witchcraft, mostly middle-aged women but also several men and even one four-year-old child. During the next few months, the afflicted area residents incriminated more than 150 women and men from Salem Village and the surrounding areas of Satanic practices.

In June 1692, the special Court of Oyer, "to hear," and Terminer, "to decide," convened in Salem under Chief Justice William Stoughton to judge the accused. The first to be tried was Bridget Bishop of Salem, who was found guilty and executed by hanging on June 10. Thirteen more women and four men from all stations of life followed her to the gallows, and one man, Giles Corey, was executed by crushing. Most of those tried were condemned on the basis of the witnesses' behavior during the actual proceedings, characterized by fits and hallucinations that were argued to be caused by the defendants on trial.

In October 1692, Governor William Phipps of Massachusetts ordered the Court of Oyer and Terminer dissolved and replaced with the Superior Court of Judicature, which forbade the type of sensational testimony allowed in the earlier trials. Executions ceased, and the Superior Court eventually released all those awaiting trial and pardoned those sentenced to death. The Salem witch trials, which resulted in the executions of 19 innocent women and men, had effectively ended.

"The beginning is purification, that's the first step. And purification means purification of body and mind. You don't purify the body without cleansing the mind; that's the way it works."
-- Rolling Thunder, CHEROKEE
If we have bad thoughts or poison in our minds, they will eventually show up in our bodies in the form of headaches, pains, and stomach problems. It works this way because we are interconnected. Our minds and our bodies are one system. So when we start to grow, or commit to the Red Road, we need to start cleaning up our thoughts and start showing respect for our bodies. We start purifying our minds by prayer and meditation, and we start cleansing our bodies by getting the right amount of sleep and developing good eating habits. Today, I'm going to observe my thoughts. Will my thoughts be clean today?

Great Spirit, let me focus on Your love today so my mind will be pure

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): It is very difficult to rise to important challenges. You tend to take the easy way out, through trickery or by getting someone to do your work for you. You're challenged to take your rightful responsibilities.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have a lot of trenchant criticisms to offer but you need to skip past them to the solutions. At least, show that your criticism is based on sound research, but keep it brief. Point people in the right direction.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You have overall goals but it can seem that the press of immediate work prevents you from long-term planning. You need to find ways and time to make small tasks building blocks to your big intentions.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An adventure is waiting but you can be afraid to take it. What you would gain in experience, you can always bring back home, so don't be afraid of traveling away, physically or figuratively.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your curiosity needs to become deep investigation. Carry an inquiry as deep and as thoroughly as it takes you. Even an idle question can have profound ramifications. Complete analysis is called for now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You feel compelled to take a contrary opinion. Do this only when it's necessary, when actions or trains of thought are veering in the wrong direction. You're the one who needs to set people on the right path.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are strict with yourself and your performance. Some may become unrealistically strict and must learn to relax. If you are in the flow and getting better, all is well. If you are getting anxious and unhappy, then change your attitude.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The best way to meet dissatisfaction is with more self-discipline. There may be something missing in your approach and procedure. Undertake a program of personal retraining so you are more proficient, efficient and professional.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The need for change, especially at work, is both necessary and vaguely threatening. Face your discomfort and make the adjustments in ways that produces results and make everyone happy from the increased efficiency and harmony.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are quick to criticize; this must be turned into constructive critiques. When promoting your side of an argument, be careful not to descend into sarcasm or personal insults; stick to issues, facts and ideas.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are trying to balance abstract ideas and their real-life applications. Some may try to apply spiritual principles into the way you deal with people, especially at work. Living merely for a daily wage is unsatisfactory.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your best use of power is in organizing events for efficiency. Some may stray into trying to micromanage people and control their personalities; you must work with them instead.

Great Spirit, let my tongue, speak the truth today.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The importance of meeting standards is clearly evident today. You become aware of the ethical dimensions of what you're doing. You can realize that simple, one-sided issues of money or power or efficiency aren't all there is. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): This is a good day for considering your options but not for making a decision yet. You're prone to be idealistic yet impractical. You need time to reach the solution you can put into practice.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You're apt to be selfish. While it may seem that others are imposing their will on you, your task is to expand your perception of how your actions are affecting the people around you. You must be more sensitive in this regard.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): This is a good day for studying spiritual texts. You need to be inspired and to set your mind thinking on lofty ideals. However, be prepared also for the fact that the world around you doesn't follow the same path.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You aren't able to work with a large variety of people today. You would do well to restrict your contacts to a few trusted, reliable friends. Narrow your focus to a choice selection of tasks, and carry them through to completion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Let yourself be educated today. You don't know nearly enough of what you need. Take a back seat because if you try to get involved, you won't be able to cope. You wouldn't do well by jumping in unprepared.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You feel more confident as you see you have control over situations. You are doubtful but you test for truthfulness, reliability and your ability to achieve mastery. You set aside doubts only with proof.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are creative but restless. It's hard to stick with a project for any useful length of time. You may do well in situations that need immediate fixing, so you can go on to the next project.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You have added responsibility now. You may think that it's time to relax but it's really time to start thinking about instituting changes and reforms. Start fixing the situations you've perceived as broken.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You're apt to get into squabbles today. It's very important to separate personal dislikes from deep issues. Find points of agreement to minimize discord. Clear communication is essential to head off misunderstandings.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You must take advantage of every benefit you can obtain. You sense that you are at a disadvantage. Seek assistance from professionals, mentors, organizations. You should strive to become more connected, not more isolated.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You feel you have a positive role to play but direct action seems ineffective. You may do best by being a positive voice encouraging those who do take action but don't suggest specific solutions.

Great Spirit, thank You for Mother Earth and Father Sky. Thank You for my life.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You sense that you are starting at the bottom so the only way left is up. This is a good day to lay the groundwork of a project you're eager to build. Resist the temptation to skip steps.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your home and family are very important to you now; you may have a sense that an imminent threat to them is brewing. Take all appropriate precautions if there is a sense of danger from people or from natural forces.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your status is under fire today. It's very important that you maintain dignity while responding to a crisis appropriately. Be prepared for anything now and try to keep your cool.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You may sense that a crisis is developing. Preparedness is your best option. Take steps to learn about responses to whatever hazard is likely in your situation. You may want to become a member of a preparedness tram.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The role of religion or the supernatural enters into your consideration today. Something happens that makes you consider there is more happening than materialistic assumptions can take into account.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be extremely careful of your physical safety today. Never get in a rush or break your attention in problematic circumstances. You are prone to think that you're in a race or competition when you're really not.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You're susceptible to illness today. Take simple precautions against transmissible diseases such as colds and flu. Also, watch where you're going and avoid falls.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are feeling curious about topics you've long ignored. It's a good time to catch up on topics you've set aside. For some, history will be a good field to fill in the details you've long wondered about.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You may feel that your status is under attack. There can be competition for your job. It's important that you remain above genuine reproach and fulfill all your duties with the utmost integrity.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The social situations you're in are opportunities for learning how to control impulses. You will do well as long as you stay positive and encourage the best out of everyone, even those who may be saying bad things about you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A setback can show that you need to be applying your full attention to something. You may need to review policies at work or you may need to look at how you're saving and spending money and change to wiser practices.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You're under the gun and you're being forced to work harder and more intensely. Your vitality can be strained by worry and overwork. It's important to take care of your health when you know you may be susceptible.

Grandfather, help me to stay centered today

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You are responsible today for keeping up on the work you have as well as making sure others are keeping up as well. You tend to take a supervisory role out of necessity. It's important that you stay in good humor.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): There are situations that aren't going the way you wish. You aren't in a position to tell anyone what to do, so you have to do what's right. Show by example what has to be done, without feeling you have to do everything.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You want to have a job well-done but you also want to be on good terms with the people you're with. You're challenged to use a good relationship to make work easier, without spoiling good feelings or effectiveness.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): This is a good day for focusing attention on home and family. The fruits of your labor can become evident to family members. You show responsibility in so many other areas of life; now it's time for the family.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A study project requires dedication and flexible thinking. You need to follow several lines of evidence, not simply pick one. Don't be afraid of tackling a complex, tangled issue. The best time to do that is now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Monetary issues need to be handled now while you have free time. Many will be engaged with taxes or other legal documents involving insurance. It's important that issues of lasting importance be tackled and finished.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You're apt to let others make the hard decisions while you go along. The fact of the matter is that people are having better ideas than you, generally speaking, so it's just easier to go along than to argue.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A disappointment can make you desire solitude today. Something hasn't succeeded and this failure has enough of an impact that you would rather brood in private than be outwardly engaged.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Knowing that you're in a loving relationship gives you the confidence to make successful business ventures. You need to know you have support and backing and a place to return to if you fail.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You need to take on extra responsibility today. You're motivated by devotion and your loyalties are not in doubt. Some may be in some kind of indebtedness that needs extra effort to get out of as quickly as possible.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You sense that you don't have all the answers. This should spur you to find out and to learn where the answers can be found. You may need to apply yourself to intense study over indulging in frivolity.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Relationships are hard to manage today. You don't get all the support you expect to get. Some associates may even block your efforts. The very people you rely on for support seem to turn against you.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your intellectual curiosity is sparked today. You have a new lead on a program or a direction that promises to increase your mastery in a subject. Many can spend the day studying with great interest.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You seek social solutions to problems. You want to garner support, influence opinion and get people over on to your side. For most, this is a preparation phase for later action.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your focus is on the future now. New discoveries with amazing potential applications get your attention. You can take a look at how trends will affect you and how to prepare for them.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There are changes in your job today. You have to adapt to things being done differently. Some may be instituting the changes and have the authority to order reforms and alterations.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your career success is on your mind. This is a good day to apply for a job, to arrange interviews. For some, networking with friends and professionals opens up doors and options. Don't restrict your search field.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are enthusiastic and idealistic and you need to apply this attitude toward something constructive. Expand your range of interests and education. Be willing to get into a topic you're not already familiar with.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your competitive edge is your originality and unpredictability. You need people around you to keep you engaged, however. You feel cut off if you are alone and have no one to talk to.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The people in your job and your personal life tend to come together today. Interesting possibilities emerge but be watchful for incompatibilities. Events take a new direction as new connections are formed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You feel that by standing out from the crowd, you will get places. You are optimistic and you realize that maintaining a fresh, young attitude, unburdened by worry or fear, is key to success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You pay more attention to something you want to do in your private life. You value personal time, to engage in hobbies or catch up on areas of life outside work. More than likely you are studying up on something.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Friendly competition may be the key to resolving tensions with people. You want everyone to win but you also demand excellence. You thrive when there is a race to the top.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You like to rely on the skills and talent you already have. You should also try to learn more. Show some curiosity and investigate what you think you already know well. Ask questions of people and listen to their answers carefully.

My Creator, today, I belong to You. Let me feel Your presence. Thank You

Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists, is born in the small village of Caprese on March 6, 1475. The son of a government administrator, he grew up in Florence, a center of the early Renaissance movement, and became an artist's apprentice at age 13. Demonstrating obvious talent, he was taken under the wing of Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of the Florentine republic and a great patron of the arts. For two years beginning in 1490, he lived in the Medici palace, where he was a student of the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni and studied the Medici art collection, which included ancient Roman statuary.

With the expulsion of the Medici family from Florence in 1494, Michelangelo traveled to Bologna and Rome, where he was commissioned to do several works. His most important early work was the Pieta (1498), a sculpture based on a traditional type of devotional image that showed the body of Christ in the lap of the Virgin Mary. Demonstrating masterful technical skill, he extracted the two perfectly balanced figures of the Pieta from a single block of marble.

With the success of the Pieta, the artist was commissioned to sculpt a monumental statue of the biblical character David for the Florence cathedral. The 17-foot statue, produced in the classical style, demonstrates the artist's exhaustive knowledge of human anatomy and form. In the work, David is shown watching the approach of his foe Goliath, with every muscle tensed and a pose suggesting impending movement. Upon the completion of David in 1504, Michelangelo's reputation was firmly established.

That year, he agreed to paint a mural for the Florence city hall to rest alongside one being painted by Leonardo da Vinci, another leading Renaissance artist and an influence on Michelangelo. These murals, which depicted military scenes, have not survived. In 1505, he began work on a planned group of 12 marble apostles for the Florence cathedral but abandoned the project when he was commissioned to design and sculpt a massive tomb for Pope Julius II in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. There were to have been 40 sculptures made for the tomb, but the pope soon ran out of funds for the project, and Michelangelo left Rome.

In 1508, he was called back to Rome to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel--the chief consecrated space in the Vatican. Michelangelo's epic ceiling frescoes, which took several years to complete, are among his most memorable works. Central in a complex system of decoration featuring numerous figures are nine panels devoted to biblical world history. The most famous of these is The Creation of Adam, a painting in which the arms of God and Adam are outstretched toward each other.

In 1512, Michelangelo completed the Sistine Chapel ceiling and returned to his work on Pope Julius II's tomb. He eventually completed a total of just three statues for the tomb, which was eventually placed in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli. The most notable of the three is Moses (1513-15), a majestic statue made from a block of marble regarded as unmalleable by other sculptors. In Moses, as in David, Michelangelo infused the stone with a powerful sense of tension and movement.

Having revolutionized European sculpture and painting, Michelangelo turned to architecture in the latter half of his life. His first major architectural achievement was the Medici chapel in the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence, built to house the tombs of the two young Medici family heirs who had recently died. The chapel, which he worked on until 1534, featured many innovative architectural forms based on classical models. The Laurentian Library, which he built as an annex to the same church, is notable for its stair-hall, known as the ricetto, which is regarded as the first instance of mannerism as an architectural style. Mannerism, a successor to the Renaissance artistic movement, subverted harmonious classical forms in favor of expressiveness.

In 1534, Michelangelo left Florence for the last time and traveled to Rome, where he would work and live for the rest of his life. That year saw his painting of the The Last Judgment on a wall above the altar in the Sistine Chapel for Pope Paul III. The massive painting depicts Christ's damnation of sinners and blessing of the virtuous, and is regarded as a masterpiece of early mannerism. During the last three decades of his life, Michelangelo lent his talents to the design of numerous monuments and buildings for Rome, which the pope and city leaders were determined to restore to the grandeur of its ancient past. The Capitoline Square and the dome of St. Peter's, designed by Michelangelo but not completed in his lifetime, remain two of Rome's most famous visual landmarks.

Michelangelo worked until his death in 1564 at the age of 88. In addition to his major artistic works, he produced numerous other sculptures, frescoes, architectural designs, and drawings, many of which are unfinished and some of which are lost. He was also an accomplished poet, and some 300 of his poems are preserved. In his lifetime, he was celebrated as Europe's greatest living artist, and today he is held up as one of the greatest artists of all time, as exalted in the visual arts as William Shakespeare is in literature or Ludwig van Beethoven is in music.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): It's vital that you have a plan for achieving goals and stick to it. Otherwise, other people will be calling the shots and making terms, throwing you off track. You will turn resentful if you let yourself be deterred.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Getting what you want doesn't come easily today. You have to negotiate, barter, maybe even argue or plead. It's important to let your sincerity show, not your desperation. Some may become manipulative.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are prone to give more than you ask in return today. It's important that you maintain healthy self-respect and keep in reserve resources that keep you in a good position. Don't relinquish important investments.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You feel deterred or confused about your options. Instead of doubting yourself, look for ways to fulfill them. You would do well to connect your goals with education, in a traditional setting or even through an on-line self-study.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You should follow your feelings that working at your job isn't all there is to life. You need to explore your sensibilities in art and spirituality. Put your job in a larger, aesthetic context.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You seek ways to reduce tension and resolve conflict. You have a knack for seeing how everyone is right is some fashion and you work from points of agreement toward a synthesis that everyone can be happy with.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): While you want to assist people, you must be professional about it and expect a minimum of compensation in return. This is to correct your tendency today to give away your expertise for free.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): While relationships are important, you're prone to idealize a partner now or be disappointed that an ideal hasn't been met. It's important to remain open to spiritual dimensions of relationship, even as you work within real limitations.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are feeling blue today. You need to understand that you sense, deep down inside, that you can do something more with your life and that you may be feeling this as dissatisfaction. Do something positive with what you have.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your imagination is very strong but even you perceive that it's something too fantastic to share casually. Use the powers of visualization to good use; your powers of intention to put your life right.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It's important to sort out advice from people who are invested and have a stake in a certain outcome and from those who don't have a stake and don't care about the outcome. You need advice tailored for your welfare.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You like to play the host to people today. You want to bring people together so they can have a relaxed atmosphere for their purposes. You don't have much of an agenda of your own except facilitating others.

Great Spirit, teach me the power of the four directions

Great Spirit, today, let me be alert to Your guiding voice

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You are determined to do what you intend today. Your resolve is good as long as you accomplish important goals and don't become fanatical when compromise is required.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You feel you have a right to express yourself and can turn resentful if thwarted. As much as possible, stay in circumstances where you can exercise your free will and take charge of what you do creatively.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You feel energetic when free to work by your own agenda but you feel stifled when forced to go by another's. For now, you want to attend to personal business and to do chores and projects around the home, long neglected or very urgent.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You keep very busy but may be undisciplined and unmethodical. You need to have logical steps planned ahead. The extra time taken by forethought will save a lot of time and trouble before you're done.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You feel that earning money is very important. You make a strong effort to earn your pay and then some. An extra commission, overtime, an odd job, earning a bonus: in some fashion appropriate for you, you try get earn extra cash.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your strong and restless energy needs to be controlled now. You can become very certain that what you're doing is right but your methods or your speed can be very disturbing. Be sensitive to the reactions of the people around you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your actions are liable to be misguided today. You need someone who is well-grounded to guide you. Fantasy is liable to be too strong in your mental processes and this provides a poor basis for decisions.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You try too hard to make an impression on people. You're apt to flatter too much, to give in to vanity. You would do better by toning things down, being genuine and acting like yourself instead of putting on airs.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You act as though the world were a threatening place and are liable to act aggressively without provocation. Be careful how you behave; this assumption could be wrong and your actions can create the antagonism you expect.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are impatient to expand your horizons now. You want to get things done but unfortunately are prone to skip over learning necessary steps. You have to work through beginning and intermediate information.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There are opportunities to use your professional skills in personal or non-paying circumstances. Your fund of knowledge and talent are coming together now, and your past experience proves valuable.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You get into arguments easily today. Entrenched positions make it hard to listen and come to agreement. Stop feeling that you are right, or that the other person has to be wrong. Take in new information.

Great Spirit, today, let me enjoy the Sacred Path of Life.

Mar 8, 1669:
Mount Etna erupts

On this day in 1669, Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily in modern-day Italy, begins rumbling. Multiple eruptions over the next few weeks killed more than 20,000 people and left thousands more homeless. Most of the victims could have saved themselves by fleeing, but stayed, in a vain attempt to save their city.

Mount Etna dominates the island of Sicily. Rising 11,000 feet above sea level in the northeast section of Sicily, it can be seen from just about every part of the 460-square-mile island. The geologic history of Mount Etna demonstrates that it has been periodically spewing ash and lava for thousands of years; the first recorded eruption of the volcano was in 475 BCE. It is the most active volcano in Europe. In 1169, an earthquake just prior to an eruption killed 15,000 people on Sicily. Despite the dangers of living near an active volcano, the eruptions made the surrounding soil very fertile, so many small villages developed on the slopes of the mountain.

When Etna began to rumble and belch gas on March 8, the residents nearby ignored the warning signs of a larger eruption. Three days later, the volcano began spewing out noxious fumes in large quantities. Approximately 3,000 people living on the slopes of the mountain died from asphyxiation. Even worse, Etna was soon emitting tremendous amounts of ash and molten lava. The ash was sent out with such force that significant amounts came down in the southern part of mainland Italy, in some cases nearly 100 miles away. Lava also began pouring down the south side of the mountain heading toward the city of Catania, 18 miles to the south along the sea.

At the time, the city of Catania had about 20,000 residents; most failed to flee the city immediately. Instead, Diego de Pappalardo, a resident of the city, led a team of 50 men to Mount Etna, where they attempted to divert the lava flow. Wearing cowhides soaked in water, the men bravely approached the lava with long iron rods, picks and shovels. They were able to hack open a hole in the hardened lava wall that had developed on the outside of the lava flow and much of the flow began to flow west out of the new hole. However, the residents of Paterno, a city lying southwest of Etna were monitoring these developments and quickly realized that this new flow direction could imperil their own city. They literally fought back the Catanians, while the lava breach hardened and filled again.

For several weeks, the lava pushed toward Catania and the sea. Still, the residents failed to evacuate the city. Apparently, they remained hopeful that the lava would stop or the city's ancient defensive walls would protect them. Neither was the case—the walls were quickly swallowed by the extremely hot lava and nearly 17,000 people in Catania died. Most of the city was destroyed. Catania was not the only city affected—the eruption wiped out 14 towns and villages and left about 27,000 people homeless.

Following this disaster, it was decreed that interference with the natural flow of lava was prohibited in Italy, a regulation that remained in effect hundreds of years later.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You want to be useful but pay careful attention to the circumstances. Not everything you could do is required at this time. You are full of ideas but don't get discouraged if a lot of them don't get approval.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Some relationships don't go as intended, especially the ones you most want to develop. Don't act vain or become jealous. Make your best efforts to connect but also let others make their choices.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can help yourself by helping others first. If you're not in a decision-making position, go with the flow. The more you facilitate and the less you argue, the better off everyone will be.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You seek a social advantage through your job today. It is hard to separate personal and professional lives. Many have a beneficial intersection of these concerns but be aware of the potential of impropriety and conflict if interests.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You are heavily involved in matters relating to job or career but you you're prone to inject purely personal concerns into them. You need to stay objective and keep separate parts of your life in their proper spheres.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are inclined to be restless and all too eager to do what you want against social norms. For today, this is probably not a good idea. Stay under restraint until you can follow your instincts with more control and decorum.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your composure will be improved if you engage people in conversation and learn more about them. Open up and let people know where you're coming from. An exchange of ideas is better than an entrenched position.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You want to stand out from the crows and be noticed. You need to emphasize a unique or quirky characteristic about yourself that can also be useful to the people around you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don't be fooled by how easy a task looks. Be efficient and start on it as soon as possible. You can discover unexpected problems but also find unexpected solutions. All you need is plenty of time.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You value independence even as you also value attachments. You need to find the right balance between the two but a commitment doesn't get included in the arrangement.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You're very aware of the pressure people are bringing on you but you want to resist nicely. You're probably not prone to argue, just to go ahead and do what you want without giving notice or asking permission.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You want to try new things today. Variety spices up your life and makes you aware of what is available that you didn't know about. Embrace surprises and explore outside well-established habits.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You want to exchange opinions with people while also intending to persuade them. You're very sincere and it's hard to lie but easy to be mistaken. You need to dig for the truth.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Sensitive to issues of social justice, you are ready to speak out against infractions and unfairness. You can appeal to legislators for just laws or take some kind of justice into your own hands.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Important partnerships can develop today, especially in business. You can sense whether you are compatible with people or not. This is the most important qualification to be aware of.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You can get only a certain amount of help by asking for it but today people also expect you to learn and improve your competency. You need to ask the right questions to clear up matters that are confusing you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You have an added dimension of depth to your inquiries now. You want only deep research, not just facts and figures and narratives. You want to understand deep causes and motives and histories.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Examine your finances carefully. Some kind of fine or charge may not really be yours. It may also be that services charges or other expenses are completely optional in the sense you can refuse to be party to them.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The solution to many problems involves simple communication. It's also useful to probe deeper into motives and goals, so you can reformulate the issue. The first and apparent question may not be the real one.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What at first seemed straightforward can get really complex. Unexpected problems develop, so you have to sort it out first. Your analysis is more thorough than that of the one who handed it to you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can give better attention to how you can improve your income or decrease expenditures. Budgetary issues are easier to make sense of now, as long as you stick with basic and simple rules.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): People are very susceptible to your power today; use it wisely. You are sensitive to people's moods and this can give many either an advantage or the ability to sympathize and provide insight.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are in the company of people who are just as intelligent and capable as you but may have very different approaches and beliefs. You're challenged to orchestrate agreement and get everyone thinking cooperatively.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Financial transactions get your attention today. Your interest on savings or investments is very favorable today or just the reverse. Place your attention not just on monetary growth but also on monetary justice.

"In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty, the duty of prayer, the daily recognition of the Unseen and Eternal. His daily devotions were more necessary to him than daily food."
--Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa), SANTEE SIOUX
The most important habit one can develop is the daily act of prayer. Prayer is our eyes, our ears, our feelings, our success, our guidance, our life, our duty, our goal. There really is only prayer and meditation. We can only help others through prayer. We can only help ourselves through prayer. You can never become an Elder unless you pray. You can never stay an Elder unless you pray. You never get wisdom unless you pray. You never understand unless you pray.

Great Spirit, today, teach me to pray.

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You require many associates to keep you motivated and going. The different opinions you get are necessary for making up your own mind now. Expect to get into controversies but don't let them get out of hand.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You maintain a good mood as long as you are helpful and follow your purpose. Without a direction, and without positive action, your spirits decline. Take an active role in seeking a beneficial activity.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): There is great tension at home. Your activities are apart from that of other family members and it's hard to bring them together. Don't let tempers flare; it's important for someone to compromise on the basis of what's more important.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Disagreements come to a head today. You may be prone to take drastic action if gradual change hasn't been permitted. Your restlessness must be recognized and allowed for in creative ways.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You have many grandiose ideas and you are eager to put them out into the world. You need to consult with people who are both sympathetic and practical. You require friendly critiques before you go public.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You can feel that a monetary or property loss is imminent. You must right on it and do what's necessary to head it off. Expect to have to go through extraordinary appeals, the earlier the better.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You can be very tense today. It can seem that others have privileges that you're not allowed to have but it may be that you're simply holding back. Take the deliberate step toward the freedom you crave.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You feel that your efforts are just not as effective as you'd like them to be. You may need to work through temporary impediments or unhelpful circumstances. A better time will come soon but don't give up today.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You step outside what's ordinary today. You may develop special skills or pursue unique interests. It's very important that you find a niche that hasn't been filled, but can be filled by you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): This is a good day for concentrating on the welfare of your children. It may be that many have placed more emphasis on job over family. This is an excellent time to reverse that and to have a fun family outing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are able to relax and put your life into perspective today. This is an excellent time to reflect on the past and visualize future success. Reaffirm your determination to have a better life.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You want to feel important in someone's life. You could go overboard in this so don't become pushy or threatening. Make your best impression and let your interest be known. After that, it's out of your hands.

Great Spirit, today, let my thoughts be Wakan

My Creator, let me walk in the stillness today

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take control of your finances today. You can be stingy in some ways and wasteful in others. Careful deliberation is necessary before discarding items. Donations and housecleaning go hand-in-hand now.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Relationships are very important to you today but don't think you really have to do anything or intervene. Your associates mostly need someone to talk to who will listen and sympathize and that's you today.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Any important ambitions don't work out as intended. Events may force you to be passive or plans go amiss. For some, the problem may be that you haven't clearly identified what your goals for the day actually are.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): More than most today, you take an active role in representing another's cause. You are willing to speak up for those who can't or won't. You are a focal point for planning and organizing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): This is a relaxed day. It's a good time to catch up on chores or hobbies. Spring cleaning may be in order and this is a good day for getting that done. Pay close attention to how your home can be further beautified.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are feeling uncertain today and are the one in need of advice and guidance. You must think hard to get through your cloud of emotions. Once you get clarity from objectivity, your choices are easier.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Relationships are more about the art of the relationship, not so much about the other person. You have to make an extra effort at appreciating partners for who they are, not just about how they benefit you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Relationships feel as though they're out of balance or about to become so. To keep the peace, it seems you must make unfair concessions. However, this is the best approach, with benefits evident later on.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You're feeling spiritually connected today. A familiar ritual puts you into a comfortable frame of mind, especially if it involves music. For some, psychic impressions are easy to receive.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You want to protect and nurture friends and family. You could become fussy about whether they have all they need. You may need to recognize when you've done enough and let go.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your attention goes first to your family. You may have some prominence in your community that allows you some leeway or privileges. If you have access to benefits, bring them to your family.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You may feel confused about what to do today. Pay attention to being altruistic and helpful. Once you go in that direction, it's easier to get a sense of purpose.

Great Spirit, help me, today, to learn from my mistakes

ZODIACAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You're feeling disappointed today. You seek companionship of others who also have a grudge or else you make the people around you feel miserable. You're challenged to think and feel positively and then to make reality follow.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): For most, putting relationships right has a top priority. You feel there is a lot you need to do in making corrections in your social and ecological environment. In many ways, you are motivated by regret now.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You have strong feelings of responsibility for various family members, especially parents and children. Feeling that they need to be protected and taken care of, you are apt to take control of everything.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You feel that no one has helped you as much as you needed. You take charge of the situation and set the agenda and the schedule. You must help yourself and enforce your decisions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your ability to act professionally and successfully is what makes you attractive. You are motivated when you have a partner whom you can impress. Be sure that spouse and business partners are financially responsible today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your concern with ethical issues can make you an engaging conversationalist, under the right circumstances. Some may feel the need to teach moral lessons lest bad actors continue to ruin it for everyone.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Some are prone to a bout of ill health today. In many of these cases, bad habits can be found to have built up to a tipping point. The road to recovery must be just as long-term as the build-up to sickness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You have a better perspective on issues than most people. You must struggle for respect, however, in order to be effective. You must be prepared from the beginning with a convincing case why people should listen to you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You must sort out good habits from bad. It's important to recognize that some lessons must now be unlearned, while others' experience provides valuable lessons to emulate.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You have important ambitions to realize today. You have a strong ability to put your feelings aside today and to what must be done. You're willing to give up some temporary pleasure and substitute hard work instead.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are highly conscious of how much order and continuity create a sense of security. While you are conservative in this way, it's also important not to be afraid of progress and constructive, orderly change.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your competence and confidence grow as you gain broader experience. You must be willing to let go of ordinary routines in order to accommodate travel or educational opportunities. Don't stay where you are; build on it.