Clean out your closets and balance your checkbook. Today's waning Taurus moon supports any measure we take to make our world feel safe and secure. On questions of perceived versus real value — or any type of decision-making — check your comfort zone. How does your body feel? A straightforward, uncomplicated approach is the right one.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You've probably heard that there's good stress and bad stress. However, just now, you'd be wise to avoid both kinds. All stress is the enemy. Take the measures necessary to relax and have some fun.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Open your mind to embrace the ideas of those who have far less experience than you. Much of what you hear from these newcomers must be taken with a grain of salt, but there's value to some of it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There may be a strict set of rules to the game you're playing; however, nobody is enforcing them. You can use this to your advantage, picking and choosing which limits you want to honor.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Some people make you feel like you're 3 years old, fighting over a toy. There is valuable learning in these primal instincts. Let the child in you feel however he feels, while the adult you keeps behavior in check.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Mental focus is easier to keep when you employ all of your senses in a task. That's why writing down your intention with pen and paper is so important — it's a tactile act. Think of the pen as a conduit of your power.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (OCTOBER 16). This year you get older, but you don't age. Time seems to reverse as you embody the vision of yourself you had as a child. Your days are infused in playful creativity. This month an unexpected financial bonus helps you achieve a goal. Loved ones lean on you in the winter and the favor is returned in the summer. Virgo and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 35, 8, 10, 3 and 18.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Friends who dump all of their problems on you by endlessly venting are creating an energy deficit. Limit the spiritual credit you extend to others to protect them from getting too far into your debt.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Build your team by adding new members or by bolstering the morale and investment from the members you already have. If you don't know who is on your side, now is the time to figure it out.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Procrastination is a serious danger. Stop thinking, worrying and wondering. Just take a step, even a small one. The skills you want to learn won't take as long as you think to acquire.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You can see what people want out of a deal; however, not everyone is on the take. You set the tone by being generous and longsighted without losing touch with your own needs.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Just because you're making money doesn't mean you shouldn't be having fun. You can stay in professional mode and still be playful. Why walk a fine line when you can dance it?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You feel unsure about how well you are doing on a job or in a relationship. Your every act is charged with the energy you put into it. Pay close attention to the value in what you exchange.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You have unique freedoms. Those who require much of other people will give you a no-obligation, all-access pass. Use this fabulous opportunity to focus on the endeavors you feel you were destined to do.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "My birthday is Oct 14, 1974, 1:12 p.m., Los Angeles. I have been stuck in a cycle of pain, stagnancy, creative blocks, fear and non-committal relationships for over two decades. I am working hard to set new patterns and new perspectives and moving forward with the relationship that I have been submerged in for the last two years. I sometimes feel I am dealing with outside forces and past hurts that are not necessarily mine. Is there anything I can do aside from meditation, self love hard work? Did I just answer my own question?"

Yes, but there's more. Your spiritual maturity is clearly evident, but just as a house will fall without a foundation, you need to build a home for what you've learned. Your impressive number of Libra planets (sun, moon, Venus, Mars, Pluto, Uranus) fall in the sector of Sagittarius — of spirituality, the guru, the search for meaning — in your chart. So you can do this by identifying with a spiritual philosophy, belief, a teaching or wise person who nurtures the personal flowering still in store for you. Start the search now. How will you recognize them? By the way you feel in their presence — completely immersed in loving acceptance.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Is Paul Simon sensitive? If that means being exceptionally receptive and easily influenced by other people, yes he is! Conflict, especially in relationships, makes any person high-strung or nervous, but this is especially true for Paul/Libra. It's also why choosing the right partner is an epic decision. Balanced individuals who share an appreciation for peaceful, tranquil relations soothe Libra's soul.

Holiday Mathis is the author of "Rock Your Stars." If you would like to write to her, please go to www.creators.com and click on "Write the Author" on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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