On this first day of December, Mercury enters the adventurous Sagittarius realm, adopting a broader and more sophisticated perspective right from the start of the journey. Courage is at the heart of the matter. The main reason we resist knowing other people, places and perspectives is fear of the unknown. Curiosity will now be stronger than fear.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You're typically quite sensitive to what people around you might need and being focused in this way could interfere with recognizing your own needs. So, turn those sensors on yourself and take action to relieve stress.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Someone who is watching you closely may make you feel self-conscious and prone to mistakes. The attention is a compliment, though one that would more comfortably be deflected.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Halfway between two ideas you are unlikely to find favor with either side. But you're not doing this for the approval. You really want to find a good fit — a way to see things that makes sense to you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Perhaps the moon is not the reason for life on earth, but its influence on the tides has made for more diversity than could otherwise be possible. Someone orbiting you will have a similarly favorable influence.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Ambitious people are exciting to you insofar as they work toward achievement. What people would like to do and what they actually do can be two different things, a difference you'll pay attention to.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There are many nuances at play as you connect with someone you've known a long time and these make the relationship rich in a way that cannot compare with those you barely know — something you appreciate today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Remember when you watched yourself making a mistake, in full consciousness of the error but somehow still not able to stop yourself? It will happen again because some mistakes are just too fun to make!

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). For now, don't concern yourself with the matter of how pointless is an activity. It is quite pointless, indeed, but everything doesn't have to have a point. Anyway, this one will pay off further down the road.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Even though every state of being is temporary, there are some you want to make last as long as possible. Trying too hard won't work, though you may be able to relax and give yourself more to savor with increased noticing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). What the self says matters. It matters going into an endeavor. It matters when the self is satisfied, and it matters even more when the world doesn't validate the self's satisfaction. Believe in your compass, not theirs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Force isn't the only way to make things happen, and usually it's not even the best way. Be like water, soft but powerfully shaping all it touches as it makes its way down the path of least resistance.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). There is no universal "up" or "down," just people pulled toward earth from wherever they happen to be on the sphere. Relatedly, you appreciate friends living according to their beliefs, which are so different from your own.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 1). There are always those who believe they know your duty better than you do. Your cosmic gift is a self-authority that serves as an armor deflecting the authority of others. You are reinforced by the work you do as a result and you grow in capability, therefore power. You'll use this to lift loved ones in 2021. Gemini and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 19, 10, 13, 5 and 7.

COSMIC QUESTION: "Having a grand trine in my chart is good, right?"

Yes, but use it wisely. The grand trine is a major planetary configuration in which three planets in the same element (earth, air, fire, water) form an equilateral triangle in your birth chart. Whatever element your triangle is in indicates where you have a natural talent; ignore it at your own risk! You need to use what you've got or lose it, but you also need to maintain harmony and balance within yourself while you're doing it. If your grand trine is fire, you are at your best when you're active and in the spotlight, but you need to be careful of burnout. If you have an earth trine, you thrive on implementing structure in your environment. Just be sure to take a few risks and don't be too predictable. Keep it fresh. If you have an air trine, you have a talent for making mental and/or and social connections, but you may be uncomfortable with deep emotions. If your trine is water, you are great at reading the vibes of a room, but this can also make you vulnerable to psychic attack from others' negativity. Protect yourself!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: In keeping with her fire sign nature, sharp-tongued Sagittarius Sarah Silverman has a talent for making incendiary remarks and pushing into uncomfortable territory in the name of comedy, liberty, feminism and the many other causes she takes on. With Mercury and Neptune also in Sagittarius, Silverman likely isn't even trying to be a brave trailblazer. She can't help herself.

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