ASTRAL REFLECTIONS BY TIM STEPHENS AUGUST 16 – 22, 2009 All times/dates are PDT. I said before that August might bring the end of the stock markets’ bull rally. Not sure if that’s happened or not by the time you read this. But a further thought: market declines often start when Jupiter or Mercury (the business planets) are retrograde. Mercury will retrograde September 6 to 29. Wise ones among us (or the merely ambitious) will begin projects well before September 6, even before September, or wait until October to begin anything large or significant. For each sign, this Mercury retro will operate in two slightly different areas, one from September 6 to 17, the other the 18th to 29th. We should start or complete projects in these areas before then. For ARIES, the first half (6th to 17th) focuses on relationships and opportunities; the second (Sept. 18 to 29) on work, machinery and health. For TAURUS, the first “slowdown” attaches to work/health and machinery; the second to romance, creativity. GEMINI, the first affects romance, creativity, the second, home, children, real estate. CANCER, the 6th to 17th affects your home, kids and property; the 18th to 29th applies to communications, travel, details and mail. LEO, the first phase of this retrograde affects your communications, reports, mail, travel, while the second impacts your money – DON’T buy anything during either phase. VIRGO, the September 6-17 phase causes mistakes and slowdowns in money, earnings and spending; the 18-29 phase affects you personally (“where am I going? Who am I?”). LIBRA, the first retrograde phase in September affects you personally (“why can’t I get it together?”) while the second phase (Sept. 18-29) affects government/institutional links, management, etc. SCORPIO, the first phase affects management, administration, government agencies, and spiritual contacts; the second affects your plans for the future and your social life. SAGITTARIUS, the first phase affects your hopes for the future and your social or group contacts; the second, your career (bosses become indecisive). CAPRICORN, the first retrograde phase (to Sept. 17) affects your career, prestige events, ambitious actions; the second focuses on your intellect, publishing, legal affairs, education. AQUARIUS, the first leg of this retro affects your intellectual, travel, educational and legal affairs; the second, your finances and intimate contacts – DO NOT invest! PISCES, this retro might affect others more than you, so be patient with them. The first phase centers on your finances and sexual ties; the second on relationships and agreements (avoid promises). Your “areas” denoted above, are what you should try to complete before September. Start Nothing: Before 6:13 a.m. Sun., 0:09 to 6:57 a.m. Tues., 3:02 to 7:00 a.m. Thurs., and 4:44 to 8:12 a.m. Sat. Aries March 21-April 19 This is a great romantic (or pleasure, or creative or speculative) week, but finishing a task is important. If you don’t wrap it up now, you might never do so. The loss would be – subtly – to your career or status. (That aside, career actions are quite lucky now; higher-ups favour you right into August 26. So do be eager about work, and finish tasks!) You’re still restless or busy – travel occurs. Take a deep breath and soak up home, back yard, plunge into security, child-related and/or retirement issues Sunday/Monday – success awaits. Opt for pure pleasure, romance or self-expression Tuesday/Wednesday! Taurus April 20-May 20 It’s your last week of domestic concerns for awhile, though they increase Tuesday/Wednesday.. Romance and friendships, travel and variety bless your days – or at least add some relief to any “home front” stagnation. (Early week, you could be undecided between staying where you are, and “going over” to what appear to be greener pastures in career. Study this, and give it time – illusion might exist here.) Keep watching your wallet – spending easily goes overboard in August, though you will probably also receive unexpected money. Dive into communications, travel, and casual contacts Sunday/Monday. Gemini May 21-June 20 Communications, short trips and casual contacts continue to fill your days, especially Tuesday/Wednesday. Next week will bring a “down home” influence (it even starts mildly this Thursday, so get your busy-work done now, tie up contacts, complete reports, etc. Chase money, buy/sell, deal with your possessions Sunday/Monday. You’re intellectually inspired Monday, but you could have a disagreement with a higher-up Monday or (more likely Tuesday). Your own assertiveness could be to blame, so be diplomatic, drive carefully, etc. You might break away from home, roots, Thursday-Saturday. Cancer June 21-July 22 Your energy and charisma surge upward Sunday/Monday! But don’t let your charms lead you into accepting an unethical or unsavoury association – you could be flattered by the attention or receptivity of someone who’s off-limits. On the plus side, research and investigation could uncover valuable insights/data. DON’T buy machinery nor computers this week. Tuesday/Wednesday, though accenting income and spending, don’t help them. An expected sensual pleasure might be unavailable, too. Friends, travel, communications fill Thursday/Friday – success or argument possible! Drive carefully. Leo July 23-Aug. 22 Your charisma, effectiveness, luck and energy remain high, Leo! (Especially Tuesday/Wednesday.) But this is a complex week, filled with “crossed influences.” One planetary aspect will give luck to something, another aspect will indicate bad luck to the same thing. This happens with friendships, social connections, networking and light romance – difficult Monday mid-day, great Monday eve, difficult Tuesday daytime. That’s one example. A partner, spouse or associate might agree with you and disagree with you. Life’s confusing! A month of money starts late week. Saturday brings tempting glances! Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Continue to rest, lie low, study and plan rather than act. (You might resent this advice by September 6 onward, when a Mercury retrograde counsels a lack of action also, just as you are filled – by then – with heaps of energy and determination. Ah, well. The “bigger message” here is that 2009 is not a year to attempt big strides forward, but to cast your net to the past, for love, romance, creativity, study, wisdom, education, travel, and, soon, earnings and self-determination.) Your energy surges Thursday/Friday – a prelude to a month of the same starting Saturday night. Caution with career, love Tuesday. Libra Sept. 23-Oct.22 This is your last week of partying, fun, celebratory mood, so enjoy it while you can, especially Tuesday/Wednesday. However, this is a complex week, filled with mixed signals. If someone you love seems to be running back and forth between yes and no, that’s because he/she is dealing with indecision, but more importantly, with a hugely significant step. Be ambitious Sunday/Monday. Romance carries a major mixture of spirituality/magic and “partnering success.” But Tuesday almost immediately reverses this, straining a partnership with work/health surprises. Be cool, not afighter! Scorpio Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Be ambitious (especially Tuesday/Wednesday, when a new career/business project might start) but proceed cautiously. Influences are mixed. Your wise, mellow side emerges Sunday/Monday, though you might have some misgivings about your home, family, or the solidity of your career position. This is Monday afternoon – by evening, you could feel you have all the answers to this, or might have – through research, focused action to transform a situation, or simple inspiration. A secret (ally?) aids you. Pure ambition mid-week, but romance or a gamble could unhinge an intimate tryst or investment. Sagittarius Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Dream on for one last week. By Saturday night (even earlier, by Thursday) achievement pressures begin. Use this week to further higher education, legal, cultural, intellectual, publishing, or love affairs. Watch for pitfalls: if something is working, continue with it; if you meet opposition, go slow. Sunday/Monday are filled with mystery and temptation. There might be a discussion about morals. Your “proper mate” understands, supports you in this area (Monday night). But he/she might act suddenly or rebel about career, ambitions, home life, security during an otherwise mellow Tuesday/Wednesday. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19 This is your last week of mystery, depth, change and temptation. Understanding and a lighter emotional mood will come as early as Thursday, and continue for over a month. In some ways, you’re already considering things wisely and objectively. Try to come to conclusions now and (especially) next week, as early September will bring several weeks of indecision and delay in these “understanding” areas – religion, law, higher education, publishing, love, far travel, etc. Others want to show affection, so let them. Don’t be too dominating. Good relationships affect your money Sunday/Monday. DO NOT invest Tuesday. Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb. 18 Relationships continue to dominate, especially Tuesday/Wednesday – and they can be tricky all week. Be diplomatic, or you could trigger rejection Tuesday (less so Thursday to Saturday). Tackle chores Sunday/Monday. Someone might feel you’re being unnecessarily indecisive Monday daytime, but your intuition is keeping you out of a sticky situation – just as your intuition, this night, could bring romantic wishes true! Romance is also emphasized Tuesday, but the situation is volatile. More “indecision” Wednesday. Thursday begins a month of changes, intimacy, sexual urges and financial manoeuvres. Pisces Feb. 19-March 20 Tackle chores all week, but be safety conscious, especially Tuesday/Wednesday. Be extra alert Tuesday with saws, electricity, driving, etc. – and with family members. Your domestic situation is fiery all August. But this is balanced by the sweetness of love and the relief of creative or pleasure forays. You are attracted to peer, marital, or business relationships all month, but these can be quite volatile, especially Tuesday and Thursday/Friday. Earlier, Sunday/Monday emphasize passion, romance, pleasure and kids. Late week begins a month of relationships, new opportunities (and ends drudgery!). www.astralreflections.com. Email: timstephens@shaw.ca. /30/