St. Benedict was never a priest, and never intended to found a religious order. But in the 6th century, he wrote a Rule for monks that has been observed by religious men and women of all kinds, including those now called Benedictines. His Rule set down the conditions for a way of life, for people living in community. The Rule was undoubtedly pilot-tested at Subiaco and at Monte Cassino, two monasteries that were founded by Benedict, and still exist. The monks' primary occupation: liturgical prayer (i.e., the chanting of the Psalms at stated hours of the day and night), sacred readings, and manual labor of all kinds. Modern Benedictine monasteries still produce a fine liqueur, called, naturally enough, Benedictine. It is distilled from an ancient formula. Down through history, Benedictine monasteries (and the monasteries of another group that spun off the Benedictines, called Trappists) have become centers of learning, agriculture, hospitality and medicine. In the so-called Dark Ages, it was Benedictine monks who preserved much European art and books of all kinds, which of course, were written out, laboriously, in hand, by the monks. A book was sometimes four years in the making. MODEL: Benedict's settledness. In our frantic civilization, it may be helpful to ponder the example of Benedict, who spent so much of his time alone, and didn't go buggy in the process. Instead of going out tonight and getting ripped, stay home. Read. Think. Play some music. Phone your mom. Relax.

To the point. March 21 is the first day of spring and the vernal equinox, when day and night are of the same length. If you were born on this day, you are very direct, living life your way, not society's. Some take offense to this, but you are just being yourself. Ruled by the number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you are proud and ambitious.

Structures. You have a strong practical side which dominates the dreamer in you. You are adept at setting up organizations and structures, but somehow, things never turn out as you hope. The chaotic human element throws a monkey wrench in your works. However, something of lasting value usually remains.

Quietly confident. You are generally not the explosive type and don't try to defend your ideas or behavior to others. If they don't get it, you blow them off. (Your rare displays of temper can be terrible.) Because you are reserved, others may dismiss you as passive. You can be curiously non-verbal, expecting others to read your thoughts, and may become very good at expressing yourself with few words.

Physical and spiritual. The aesthetic qualities of life are important to you, so graceful activities such as dancing may hold its appeal. The spiritual world is also attractive, be it religion or your own mystical pursuits. Your quest for higher consciousness should not include drugs, however, since they will conflict with your forthright, direct nature.

Some advice: Explain yourself better, and be more patient with others. Don't let your pride grow into arrogance; yours isn't the only opinion that has merit.

Also born on this day: Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) Peter Brook (British director) Modeste Mussorgsky (Russian composer) J.B.J. Fourier (French mathematician) Benito Pablo Juarez (Mexican statesman) Matthew Broderick (actor) Florenz Ziegfield (theatrical producer) Walter Gilbert (advanced the reading of DNA) Paul Weiss (biologist, embryo growth) John D. Rockefeller III (financier, philanthropist) Robert the Bruce (Scottish warrior king) Son House (blues singer, guitarist)