In these retrograde times, for many of us the journey is beautifully unclear. It's as though we're in a roaming fog, mysterious and mystical — but also disorienting and hard to navigate. The fog will lift soon enough. Until then, let the soft veil heighten your senses as you inch forward, feeling your way. The destination doesn't disappear just because you can't see it. Anyway, you don't get there by seeing. You get there by stepping.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). No one succeeds entirely alone. True independence is feeling like you can rely on others, but you don't have to. You've an excellent sense for knowing when it's best to work together or stand on your own. This week involves a little of both. You'll ask for and accept help one moment, and provide it the next.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). How wonderful it is to be understood without explanation. It makes you feel that you're in the presence of your people. This week, you'll often enjoy that dynamic, but don't let it stop you from checking in later to make sure everyone understood things the same way. We are, after all, in the days of Mercury retrograde.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). One reason things go so well this week: You don't require everyone to agree with you. You can survive being misunderstood. Not happily, perhaps, but you tolerate the discomfort, because it's the adult thing to do. And your maturity reminds you that being understood is wonderful, but it is not a prerequisite for being yourself.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). This week, a restriction lifts, much to your liberation. The most meaningful ways this manifests will be small and personal. You'll exercise your right to change your mind, set a boundary, follow your curiosity or begin again. Freedom often arrives as permission you finally give yourself. Your life will feel even more like your own.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Emotional maturity is one of those things that's easier to recognize than define. This week shows you where it exists and where growth is still needed. Relationships go more smoothly when at least one person is asking instead of assuming, listening instead of preparing a rebuttal or apologizing without adding a defense.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You're driven to create experiences for people. You don't have to start from scratch. It's possible to improve what's already there, though not always immediately. In the meantime, you can still lead people through the scene differently, hitting points of focus that keep things moving.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When life gets complicated, you figure out who you can rely on. Good friends check in. Maybe they even have a sort of sixth sense about it, calling you at exactly the right moment. Or maybe they are just observant and can tell when you need more than you are able to ask for at the moment.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Much will hinge on knowing someone well. Figure out what they're really after — not what they say they want. Not what they ought to want. Not what would look good. What they genuinely want. Because once you know this, you know much more. Motivation is the master key.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Making people happy feels like your main purpose this week. But when someone is hungry, exhausted, grieving, frightened, sick, lonely, overwhelmed or lacking security, they may not be ready for joy yet. Before you can make them smile, you might need to solve a few basic problems that will improve their overall conditions.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The physical world has strict boundaries. The emotional world doesn't. Objects can't exist in the same space at the same time, but hearts will break the rule. Part of them lives in you, and part of you lives in them. The heart can make room for another person in a way that matter never can.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You're irresistible. The support around you this week isn't only a reflection of other people's generosity. It's also a reflection of the energy you bring to every scenario. People are naturally drawn to someone who greets opportunities with enthusiasm and gratitude, and that's so you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Behaviors and habits are not just actions we take; they are ways to meet a need. Lives organize around fulfilling needs — needs that can often be met in a variety of ways. To change behavior, identify the need first, then experiment with other ways to meet it.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: It's your Year of Moonlight in which your connection with the lunar orbits is profound, poetic and practical, empowering your deepest intuition and motivating you to act on it. You needn't consciously clock the moon's cycles because they are in you, driving those subtle shifts of approach that give you an edge, winning strategies to bring ease to life, emotional intelligence that attracts dear relationships and lucky payouts. You'll release whatever doubt you had in your abilities or worthiness and just accept that all is conspiring to hold and uplift you.

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.

Photo credit: vadim kaipov at Unsplash