ASTRAL REFLECTIONS BY TIM STEPHENS AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 6, 2003 All dates/times are Pacific Daylight. A year ago, I wrote that I'd "nibble on stocks" if the Dow went below 7500. It's done that twice, (to 7100 and 7400, I think) last October and March. Each time, the decline was followed by a strong rally. We might see another decline before 2003 ends. (November, says Arch Crawford, and I'm lazy, so I'll accept that - though some September days don't look great, either). The "gambler's personality" of the past twelve months leaves the markets now. Realism and caution set in. However, I don't think my "Dow 6000" prediction will bear fruit until the October 2004 to October 2005 year - a tough economic period. The year immediately ahead also has some difficulties to face, most markedly a decline in real estate. I'd continue to be alert if you're an oil or gas investor...the south node hints at "bubble conditions" until 2005. The bubble could deflate around November/December 2004. It's time to speak of your # 8 sign. (To find it, label your own sign # 1 in the horoscope messages below, then count down the page until your finger hits # 8.) For another angle on your # 8, refer back to my discussion about # 6. Your # 8 is the source of most of the mysteries in your life. You're sexually attracted to your # 8. (If you were born with planets in your # 8 sign, you might be unusually susceptible to extramarital affairs.) This sign gives birth to new things in your life, and it is where old things exit. In many ways, your # 8 sign is a well-spring or source of life. It is also where you meet the deeper forces of life - critical health situations, secrets, sexual intimacy, large debts and investments, documents, occultism. It where power lives. When you get involved with your # 8 sign, these deeper forces come to the surface. You can invest successfully with your # 8, and this sign makes a fine business partner IF everyone's honest. In emotional relationships, you can become obsessed with lust for your # 8 - but seldom will you love this person. Your # 8 tends to control or manipulate you. You're his/her # 6 - his or her sign of servants. If you're ever in a lawsuit, hire a lawyer who's # 8 to your opponent's lawyer, or whose name is # 8 to your opponent's lawyer's name. (I'll show you the names in another column.) E.g., if your opponent's lawyer is a Libra, pick a Taurus for your own lawyer. # 8 almost always defeats # 1, or forces him to "settle." Unless you were born at the exact beginning of your sign, your # 8 will occupy the "end part" of your marriage house. For example, if you're born in the middle of your sign, then your marriage house starts in the middle of your # 7 (marriage) sign and continues into the middle of your # 8 (sex/mystery) sign. My advice is to marry within that first half for happiness, but within that last half for a deep life. You choose! Start Nothing: Before 9:00 a.m. Sun., 3:18 a.m. to 11:32 a.m. Tues., 4:23 a.m. to 2:51 p.m. Thurs., and 5:43 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. Sat. Aries March 21-April 19 Work increases during the year ahead. Until September 20, old, former tasks need doing (and will return to tap your shoulder) while new work projects should be avoided. DON'T buy machinery, tools, cars, computers, software, etc. for three weeks. Secrets, financial endeavors, investments, intimacy, and the kind of commitments that result in a changed life - these succeed Sunday/Monday. Romance appeals mid-week - so do kinds, fun, creativity, a "gamble." But various glitches interfere - so does your work, or a loved one's "mobility." Career luck soars Thursday eve and all Friday p.m. Taurus April 20-May 20 The year ahead holds a bagful of adventure, romance, winning streaks, pleasures, creative surges/projects, and joys/successes in raising or teaching children. These great trends kick off this week, as Sunday (and to a lesser degree, Monday) offer exhilarating opportunities, exciting meetings and new horizons -leap in! But these great things also meet interference/problems from the sexual intimacy, commitment, funding, document, or financial side of relationships, for twelve months. (These, intimacy, funding, investment activities, etc., meet their own problems mid-week.) Love, happiness and understanding return Thursday eve and Friday p.m! Gemini May 21-June 20 The year ahead brings great optimism, luck, and expansion in real estate, family, parent/kid, gardening/agriculture, nature, security, retirement, healing, therapy, retirement, and soul concerns. It's a superb year to end one situation, while nurturing or laying the foundation for another - a "new start." Your work will mildly aid these lucky pursuits, as Sunday/Monday show. Investments, finances, sexual desires, and/or research will hugely aid these lucky areas, as Thursday eve and Friday p.m. demonstrate. But a mate or a competitor might oppose you in these lucky spheres, as mid-week shows. Cancer June 21-July 22 Romance, love, beauty, pleasure, creativity, success with machinery or career - these fill Sunday (and Monday, with less "punch"). But remember that buying new machinery (and starting new communications, business and other projects) is a bad idea now. So accept your luck, but don't try to build anything upon it. Midweek shows the problems that can invade your workspace - proceed slowly, and have a Plan B ready. A trip might be cancelled. Exciting relationships and opportunities greet you Thursday eve and Friday. A change seems imminent in friendships, with siblings. Leo July 23-Aug. 22 The year ahead holds major money luck, mostly on the earnings side. Investments, money partnerships and net worth areas might also benefit, but only if you and another can co-operate in such areas as machinery, tools, employees, dependents, and division of chores. Such co-operation should be fairly easy, since you seem to be working with someone who enjoys your company! A hint of any "personality obstacles" to your money luck should appear Tuesday through Thursday. Home's great Sunday, work succeeds Friday. Remember, start no new projects before September 20. Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Communications, calls, paperwork, short trips, friendly working conditions, and news/data about an intimate, health or financial circumstance - these reward Sunday/Monday. (For example, you could hear news about a great investment, or have a good deep talk with your spouse/lover.) If you flirt, you might step through more boundaries than you counted on! The year ahead showers you with personal luck and optimism - but you're also going to face changing soul, security and/or family situations. You might get a hint of these mid-week. Thursday to Saturday bring romance, pleasure, beauty! Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 22 The year ahead will be quiet. You'll only lament this if you're determined to lead a superficial life. This is a great time to catch a second wind, contemplate your life thus far, and prepare/plan for a major, hugely lucky launch in late 2004. Until then, be charitable, deal with government or institutional agencies, seek the spiritual. Old ghosts, fears and limitations will "dissolve" soon. Romance will be scarce, but sensuality rises. Money luck comes Sunday/Monday. Travel and communications need care mid-week. Home, family bless you Thursday eve onward. Scorpio Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Your charisma, charm, energy and optimism soar Sunday/Monday! Job, family and legal matters get solved. Your hopes and happiness will increase for the entire year ahead. Expect popularity, profitable group associations, political activism, and light, friendly flirtations. You're going to enjoy yourself - and in company! Money obstacles arise Tuesday to Thursday - note these, they could linger for a while, even a few years. You and a partner or loved one might have to change your attitudes about money or sex. Talk, trips and friends bless you Thursday eve, Friday. Sagittarius Nov. 22-Dec. 21 The year ahead holds massive career and status luck, Sage. Your relations with VIPs (or parents) will expand. There is only one possible obstacle to success in the "upper levels" and that is you - you have to want this, and co-operate with it. Whatever "reluctance" you might harbor should become more apparent this Tuesday to Thursday, when your personality quirks or heart rebellions emerge. (Every quirk hides a frustrated desire.) Rest Sunday/Monday - good things emerge in government, security zones. Chase lucky money prospects Thursday eve and Friday noon onward. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Social joys, flirtations, a happy view of the future - these fill Sunday/Monday! The entire year ahead (to September 2004) is filled with luck in legal, far travel, media, scholastic, philosophical, love and similar areas. The major impediment to this luck (there's always something) will appear in some form Tuesday noon to Thursday. It might involve your relations with the government, your spiritual/charitable side, or the burdens of life. You won't be able to "erase" these impediments, but you can modify them. Your energy and charisma soar Thursday eve to Saturday! Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb.18 The month and year ahead luckily accent changes, secrets/research, investments, debt and finances, sexuality, health/lifestyle, business funding, and consequential commitments. These activities occur in privacy, or are secretive in nature - and the major obstacle to their lucky progress is your social nature. This obstacle might show itself Tuesday through Saturday - friendly arguments, stressed friends, etc. DON'T start new projects in these secretive, intimate and financial areas (nor really in any area) before September 20 - rely instead on "the old returning." Sunday/Monday, Thursday eve and Friday, show your lucky road. Pisces Feb. 19-March 20 The year ahead offers true happiness! Opportunities, luck, expansion, cheerfulness and honor fill emotional, business and friendship horizons. It's a superb year to relocate, to marry/partner, sign contracts, or deal with the public (severally or individually). You own ambition, if overdone, could be your one big obstacle. To succeed, you'll have to share, to relate, to pursue another's desires. A disapproving parent or difficult boss is a "creation" of your ambition. A hint of this obstacle appears mid-week. Sunday/Monday bring love, wisdom. Thursday eve-Saturday brings hopes, flirtations and happiness! www.astralreflections.com. Email: timstephens@shaw.ca. For a reading: 604-261-1337. /30/