Mirrors are a relatively new invention. For tens of thousands of years of human history, the only reflection humans knew of themselves was in water. As for animals, great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies can recognize themselves while most animals think the one in the mirror is another creature entirely. And what about you? Who do you see in there?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). In the art gallery of your life, you're too close to the picture, caught in the details, so close that you can only see brushstrokes, not the whole painting. Step back. Distance gives you clarity. The bigger picture comes into focus.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). While the whirring mind calculates the benefits and detriments as seen in one moment by one person, the heart connects with a larger picture and comes up with answers to serve the collective. Keep following.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your brand of openness is what people need most right now, more than clever phrasing or polished responses. Your sincerity is the message, and it carries farther than any perfect wording could.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You know what you want, and now you'll blend those wishes with ways that others can join in. The best plan will be flexible and inclusive. You'll end up with something more beautiful and sustainable than the original vision.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). We give the world stories that are often quite different from the objective reality of a situation, but that doesn't necessarily make them untrue. Your feelings, perceptions and subjective reality matter, too. The performance of life is part of life, too.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Yes, you're the sovereign of details. But occasionally, your mind could use a break from the vigilance. Blow out the picture until it all goes a little fuzzy and let that be the beauty you live in.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Sometimes you really do have to find your way through a situation, but today, it's more like you're remembering as though you've done it already. With your interesting lens and creativity unbound, you'll solve problems that vex others.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Not all pressure stresses you out. Today's brand is exhilarating. It's just the sort of challenge that opens deeper resources. The energy, creativity, optimism and talent are all inside you, just waiting for activation.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It keeps coming up for you: Doubt, when balanced with reflection, is part of wisdom. Unwavering confidence is a red flag signaling ego inflation. Fluctuations in self-concept are not signs of weakness, but of awareness.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Acceptance is your foundation. Everything good builds on the bedrock of acceptance. From there, you will create solutions, systems or even beauty around the reality, instead of exhausting yourself by resisting the truth of what is.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You're like a child today in that you can spot a phony from a mile away. It's just a hunch, but hunches are often the aggregate of a hundred subtle hints, invisible to the conscious mind. Also, the less you know about a person, the more spot-on your initial impressions will be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Good friends give back. Excellent friends don't just give back; they cater the gift to the other person's preferences, even preferences they don't personally share. Your brand of generosity will be truly selfless and astute.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 4). Welcome to your Year of Betterment. It's not "biggerment" or "morement," but it's certainly "merriment" and "enhancement" of experience, self-esteem and relationships of note. More highlights: Scenery glows with romance and the accompanying affection. A financial lift lets you direct resources toward a dream. Those you've guided bring you the joy of witnessing their success. Aquarius and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 5, 50, 35 and 13.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: In "Materialists," Dakota Johnson plays an ambitious matchmaker setting up partnerships for happy clients while struggling with her own quest for love. As the sign of partnership, Libra does have a knack for finding the right fit. Venus and Pluto in Scorpio suggest Johnson has excellent intuition in love. Sun and Mars in Libra indicates talent, artistry and diplomacy that span arenas, including design and possibly even politics.

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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