Saturn and Mercury join the retrograde parade, and once again, we're in the company of our toughest teachers — structure, pressure, challenge and urgency. Fear and friction in just the right doses will be the unlikely forces that push us into our next form. These transits don't come to comfort us; they come to grow us. They ask: What part of you strengthens when tested? What pattern ends or begins as a response to these golden pressures?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You feel driven to know what's real. While it's possible to talk around a thing until it dissolves, you'd rather face what's best for relationships and for your well-being. Though you're skilled at diplomacy, humor and clever sidestepping, your deepest desire is for honesty this week. It may even become a nonnegotiable.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You have a kind of energetic discernment — the ability to feel the difference between someone truly present with you versus someone who's just occupying your space. You can tell who's genuinely tuned in, and this awareness becomes a kind of superpower this week. You won't need to call anyone out — you'll just know, and that knowing will shift how you interact.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The theme swirls around matters of identity, how you relate to yourself and the evolution of your self-concept. You're outgrowing the role you used to play in certain relationships, and the thickening plot of this week reflects the change in you. In fact, it seems you're no longer playing the part at all — you're writing the story.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Relationships built on stasis will strain. If someone only liked you when you fit into a particular mold — steady, useful, charming, easy — and now you're changing, they might pull back or act confused. But why contort yourself just to keep people comfortable? Take the liberation. This week, you run with it and thrive.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). People have a tendency to mistake quiet decision for indecision. Let them. You're busy assessing patterns, building strategy and watching where others leap without knowing the depth, which is not your style at all. You're saving your energy for the leap that counts, and the opportunity arises this week. You'll see it, back up two steps and take a running go at it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't treat relationships transactionally. Once you connect with someone, you stay in it out of principle, heart or habit, even when there's no practical reason to do so anymore such as profit, progress or payoff. Does it reflect a deep sense of attachment or a possible blind spot for letting go when something has run its course? Only you can say for sure.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Indirect power is a theme this week. You don't control the outcome, but you do influence the process and have a patient, wise approach to emotional life. You'll stir up joy as you make choices such as going for a walk, reaching out to someone who gets you or putting on a song that stirs something good. You'll use your power to tilt your days toward the light.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Some relationships or endeavors have their own kind of undertow — a rhythm that pulls you back, even when you swear you're done swimming. The chemistry is real — and dangerous. You're at the edge of the loop — your body says yes, your heart whispers no, and your brain is in the corner trying to referee two mythic beasts.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There are a couple of different emotional threads braided together in this week. Among them, a fear of getting close, which makes perfect sense. It's natural to hesitate. You've felt the floor drop before; you recognize the tremors that come before a fall. Beneath the caution is a calm and radiant knowing of your own worth.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). In business and in your personal life, you tend to be devoted. You'll stick with people long after the obvious usefulness of the relationship has passed. Just make sure loyalty doesn't turn into labor with no return. Every so often, ask yourself: Is this connection still feeding something real — or just feeding the past?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Raw beauty has timeless integrity. You see through polish this week. A flawless presentation paired with vague intentions raises your antenna. Your gift is reading beneath the surface, clocking what's unsaid, sensing the frequency behind the words. You'll move accordingly — with intelligence and subtlety and always on your own terms.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Although you're not wrong for wanting more than someone can give, once you realize this is the case, it's futile to expect a different outcome than you've seen. Few can meet the depth and complexity you bring, but they are out there, so don't settle for a mismatch. Instead, keep getting into the world and mixing it up with new people.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: The months ahead bring momentum, magnetism and a reshaping of your personal mythology. You won't wait to be picked, chosen or given the green light. Your decisive confidence will reset the energy around you. More highlights: There's a thrilling acceleration in your creative life, and someone you admire will step in to help. Your name will be spoken in rooms you haven't entered yet — a dynamic you'll earn by turning in the stellar work that builds your reputation. What you once considered a long shot will become part of your everyday life.

Holiday Mathis' debut novel, "How To Fail Epically in Hollywood," is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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