Plato's philosophy of Forms suggested there are perfect, eternal, unchanging realities that exist beyond the physical world — ideals of beauty, justice and knowledge. Venus echoes the sentiment in the early degrees of Pisces this week of hearts, transferring the pleasures of the body to the realm of spirit. While bodily pleasure is tied to sensation, the soul's pleasure is in resonance, expansion and harmony.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Stress has a way of tightening the body and narrowing thought processes, but at least everyone around you feels it, too, so it becomes a reason to connect and help one another. Someone special helps you relax and laugh. Your slightly twisted whimsy finds its match, and together you create a private little bubble of fun.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If another person monitored your every move, you'd find it intrusive. So don't let your own mind fall into loops that scrutinize your behavior. What needs attention may not be your habits but the constant oversight, especially around basic bodily needs such as eating and sleeping. Your body has its reasons. Practice radical self-acceptance.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your approach to the week is beautifully intentional. What you want to accomplish is foremost on your mind, and it's also in your notes, so you stay on track. You know what you're giving and getting, and you make sure it's fair. But what matters most of all is how you want to feel. Decide how you want to feel, and all else falls into place.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Progress over perfection? Sure, for typical efforts on ordinary days, but that's not what you're up to this week. You didn't come this far to come this far. You're so close to doing stunning work, making truly impactful contributions and being so impressive that you can charge top dollar for your goods. You're chasing perfection for reasons that will count.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You value independence and personal boundaries, and not just your own. You truly believe that each person is operating under circumstances that may never be known or understood by you, and though you're curious, you're not nosy. It is this respect that makes you a peaceful force in the world, focusing on your own life and priorities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). This week calls for patience, observation and timing, all of which you have in abundance. It's actually more fun that not everything is given or revealed at once. Ask too many or the wrong kind of questions and you may never get to the answers. But wait and watch, then watch and wait. Doors, hearts and worlds will open to you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Progress rarely happens in a straight line. Fitness goals are achieved in spikes and dips, renovations involve chaos and destruction, and relationships have blips on the road to intimacy. Expecting constant improvement is unrealistic and can actually trap you in frustration. The ups, downs, hits and misses are all essential to ultimate success.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You love a particular activity so much that it wouldn't matter if you failed or even felt embarrassed in the process. Success isn't the point; the payoff is the work itself. When you have this kind of special interest, making time for it regularly is an act of self-love, nourishment or maybe even destiny. How can you have this every week, or every day?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Everything you've learned is worth learning. Just because you rarely get to apply the lesson or the information doesn't mean your mind and being aren't better for the experience and exercise of engaging with various aspects of the world. This week brings high hopes and deep self-respect and love for this journey of no regrets.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Tenderness has healing properties you could use now. A little sweetness and simple kindness is just what the cosmic doctor ordered. Stars urge you to avoid those who offer a subtle form of control instead of the uncomplicated, genuine understanding you need. Seek comfort from those who have one agenda: to uplift you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Just because you've tried a dozen methods that don't work, it doesn't mean the problem is unsolvable. Your right answer is still out there, and the fact that you're trying so many things just makes you more informed and well-rounded. This is your lucky week to widen the search, turn over more rocks and ask more people.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Why do you need things to go a certain way? This week has you examining your reasons. Is it about feeling seen and being respected? Or do the details and methods serve the greater good? Both reasons are valid. Knowing the truth gives you the objectivity and detachment that ultimately puts you in a more powerful position.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: Welcome to your year of Natural Talent in Abundance. Some of your gifts you already know about and go about mastering. Others unknown to you will emerge as you put yourself in new situations. More highlights: Professional leaps will contribute to steady financial improvement. Your aesthetic sharpens into something unmistakably yours. People recognize it, respond to it and want to be near it. You effortlessly attract collaborators, admirers, patrons, dates and more.

For more Holiday magic, visit HolidayMathis.com. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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