OPINION

Horoscopes by Holiday

Happy birthday (Aug. 10): You are beloved! Don't let modesty keep you from reveling. There's a release from long-endured pressures. No need to lock down a relationship, status position or any specific end result. Concern yourself with having a good time and you will accomplish it time and again — to the benefit of yourself and everyone around you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Maybe you don't have enemies, but it's also possible you just haven't recognized them yet. Often the enemy comes in the form of fun, temptation or a toxic friendship.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You know opportunity when you see it. It matters not whether your confidence is real or feigned. What matters is that you reach for it. Keep trying and it will soon be in your grasp.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21): As obligations load your schedule, time to yourself seems an unaffordable luxury. Not true. It's affordable if you pre-pay. Use the word "no" as your currency.

CANCER (June 22-July 22): The problem is obvious, though it would be heavy-handed for you to point it out. The right attitude is a light attitude. You'll find what's positive and leverage it. Success!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You belong to a group but should keep your options open, too. Stay aware of group dynamics and the tendency for groups to enact behaviors more extreme than the initial inclinations of its members.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You've embodied conventional virtues with much success. You will now benefit from enacting their opposite. You were consistent, punctual and dependable. Now, let them wonder in the mysteriousness of your absence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Loosen up your rules and others will delight you with how they use those wide margins. And what about the restrictions you impose on yourself? Lift those too. Trust yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): You are driven to put something new in the world. Others have done something similar, but not quite like your version. Proceed and you'll be regarded as an original — a title with perks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The honor of your attention is meaningful fortification. Your eyes give acknowledgments more essential to the well-being of others than they'd care to admit.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): First, you'll take everything seriously. Then, you'll take nothing seriously. Compare notes at the end of the day. Determine which approach worked better for particular endeavors.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You'll bear witness to a person enacting a baffling behavior. Guess at the deeper story. What needs are being expressed or hidden? Curiosity is the gateway to wisdom.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The world is filled with ideas good, bad and, more often, neutral. People lean ideas to their own purposes. Instead of focusing on the morality of an idea, focus on the needs of people.

MERCURY OPPOSES JUPITER

Holding on to things is often about holding on to people — the people who gave a thing to you, the ones you wanted to impress with it and those who might return to use the thing. As practical Mercury tugs across the sky from Jupiter — the planet of abundance — it’s lucky to lighten your load. There’s a way to honor people and still let a few things go.

COSMIC QUESTION

Q: “Is ‘what have you done for me?’ a bad question to ask? I want to give unconditional love, but if that’s my rule, I’m never going to get the chance to have what I want out of life. How is a Cancer supposed to balance a caring, nurturing heart with the material and ego necessities of life? I doubt I’ll become enlightened during this lifetime, so shouldn’t I at least have some moments of selfish fun?”

A: It’s fine to consider what others have done for you. Yes, you should love those who can’t return your love, but not exclusively, and sometimes from afar. Don’t the people who can love you back and do things for you deserve love too? And aren’t you a person who needs fun? I’m not sure what sort of life you’re going for here, Cancer. The life of a monk or similar spiritual devotee usually this comes with the structures and traditions of a particular religion. For those raised in the free world and endless options when it comes to religion, lifestyle, work, relationships, and life in general, spiritual evolution takes on different meaning and dimension. If you’re not going to join the monastery, then perhaps you should give yourself more spiritual leeway in light of the complexities that abound in even the simplest modern life.

CELEBRITY PROFILES

Antonio Banderas has a full schedule of thrills, action and adventure slotted to hit theaters in rapid succession. In every role, this Leo star radiates the regal energy of his Leo sun. Ancient cultures worshipped sun gods — like Ra, Apollo and Helios — for admirable qualities of nobility, integrity and leadership. Listen up for some princely, feline flare as Banderas purrs in the upcoming film, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”

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