ASTRAL REFLECTIONS BY TIM STEPHENS AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2004 All dates/times are PDT. Mercury goes direct this Thursday, freeing us to start new projects and finish ongoing ones. September should be the most fortunate month in a long time for many of us, capping a whole year of effort. You don't need to look for the unusual, for "freak luck," as your luckiest move or opportunity could occur in things you're already familiar with. Your most important assets will be faith, cheerfulness and optimism. Here, for the last time, are the areas you should "pounce on" - expand in, seek lucky deals in - through September 24. ARIES: "hands on" work, tools, machinery, health, car, fitness regimens. TAURUS: romance, creativity, speculation, self-expression, children's interests (education), sports, pleasure, vacation, a risk, a gamble. GEMINI: real estate, home, family, security, retirement, soul, children's welfare, nature, gardening, agriculture, food/shelter investments, healing, therapy. CANCER: newspapers, news media, details, facts, anecdotes, paperwork, stationery, casual friends, siblings, short trips, cars, trains, distribution, conversation, writing. LEO: earnings, buying/selling, clients, casual sex (though is this deserving of your time right now?) memory aids, "rote" schooling (as opposed to "research") and possessions. VIRGO: personality expansion, assertiveness training, far travel, higher education, legal affairs, philosophy, religion, cultural explorations, and EVERYTHING listed for Gemini. LIBRA: Spirituality, inner development, therapy, dealings with government, red tape, institutions, management, delegation, administration, planning for security, retirement. SCORPIO: Join a club or group. Socializing, optimism, future horizons, light romance, popularity, art galleries, public entertainment, public desires, legislation. SAGITTARIUS: career, ambitions, business, community status, relations with higher-ups. (John Kerry's a Sag!). CAPRICORN: foreign cultures, far travel, higher education, legal affairs, religion, philosophy, social rituals (weddings, bar mitzvahs) ideas, profundity, love. AQUARIUS: large finances, investment, debt, lifestyle changes, intimacy, consequential sex, research, diagnosis, investigation, health therapy. PISCES: relationships, marriage, business partnerships, agreements, signed contracts, opportunities, dealings with the public (one-to-one, or one-to-many) relocation, co-operation, new friends. A brand new luck cycle begins September 24 (25 in Europe and Asia). That new, looming cycle is best in October 2004, and grows unreliable after that. So I'll start describing it immediately in the next few columns, for all signs. Start Nothing: 2:23 a.m. to 7:33 a.m. Sun., 1:28 a.m. to 10:46 a.m. Tues., 9:17 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. Thurs., and after 11:56 p.m. Sat. Aries March 21-April 19 September is your luckiest month in a decade for machinery, vehicles, tools, employment, work projects and health regimens. Related things go well this month also: breaking ground on a new plot, renovating, building, farming. You might experience minor delays until Thursday morning. Retreat, rest, contemplate Sunday/Monday. Your energy and effectiveness return Tuesday/Wednesday. Set your sights on a serious, security-oriented goal, one that adapts to new home/family responsibilities, then start your engine! Education and "school funding" (or any legal funding) is favored Wednesday. Money's mixed Friday/Saturday - but mostly lucky! Taurus April 20-May 20 The weeks ahead blossom with romantic opportunities - if single, you're likely to meet someone cheerful, sexy and practical. Value the moment! (An old flame might have "had its day.")Your creative, speculative and child-oriented concerns also meet great good fortune. Act quickly on any opportunities after Wednesday, through September 23/24! You dream of the future, and a love relationship might climax Sunday/Monday. (Is it a marriageable one, though?) Rest, retreat mid-week - finances and/or intimacy succeed Wednesday. Your energy roars back Thursday eve to Saturday - luck, love are in the air! Gemini May 21-June 20 Buy or sell property, find a home, collect/set up a retirement fund, have a baby, have a deep, "lifetime" talk with your child or parent, etc. If you're "in charge" of a dysfunctional family, sign it up for therapy. Any/all this in the next 27 days - preferably after Wednesday. You could set the rest of your life on a strong, expansive, happy and healthy foundation! Live up to career demands, sooth higher-ups Sunday/Monday. You'll feel hopeful, happy, Tuesday to Thursday. Retreat, rest, invest, take advantage of government programs Friday/Saturday. Cancer June 21-July 22 The weeks ahead (to September 24) are a fine time to expand your "near horizons" - short travel, new acquaintances, curiosity, reading - these will lead to new information, valuable to your heart or your pocketbook. These activities carve out new routes to employment success. (E.g., network or travel to find a job.) Newspapers, trucking, distribution, vehicles, cameras, computers, details, paperwork, siblings - things are expanding here! (But delays continue through Wednesday - be patient.) You feel mellow, wise Sunday/Monday. Love's possible. Career, parenthood are important mid-week. Your hopes and popularity rise Friday/Saturday! Leo July 23-Aug. 22 Chase money during the weeks ahead - or make that big purchase you've dreamed of (realize you'll be "squandering"). Life rewards you for past efforts - clients are willing to pay more, the boss might grant you a pay raise - especially if you "arrange" it. You can sell big items; salespeople hit a great stride in the month ahead. September might bring a "casual sex" relationship - this isn't likely to become a lifelong love, but it could lighten your steps and mood for the year or so ahead. Grab career/business success Friday/Saturday. Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Relationships peak Sunday to early Tuesday. A practical yet affectionate link could begin, but it might "demand" at least one marked adjustment in your security, family set-up or property holdings. You can see the way to perform this adjustment (or make any domestic changes) Wednesday - but don't invest, borrow money, nor commit yourself to any deep financial or intimate situation this day or Thursday. Legal, far travel, cultural, love and intellectual matters flow fortunately Friday/Saturday. All September, you'll attract luck with your cheerfulness, charisma and energy - start big things! Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Your obligations expand over the month ahead. Short travel, paperwork, curiosity, distribution, reading and communicating are involved. You'll discover spiritual, psychological and emotional truths. Take care with relationships - new ones (met mid-August through September 25) are likely to detract rather than add to your life. Your dealings with government, head offices, or institutions expand, could lead to benefits. This is the best time in 24 years to deal with your future retirement needs. You could find the perfect retreat this September. Sign nothing midweek. Change your life Friday/Saturday! Scorpio Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Months of subtle delays end this week - a deep inner uncertainty ends, freeing you for an autumn/winter of action. Minor social indecisions end also. The month ahead holds huge opportunities for you in social, group and similar zones - legislation, entertainment, concerts, art galleries, light flirtations, new friends, etc. Join in now, apply for membership, be social - the rewards might not be immediately evident, but they will shower upon you for years to come. Sunday/Monday are romantic, creative. Tackle chores mid-week. Relationships and new horizons open to you Thursday night to Saturday! Sagittarius Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Charge after your biggest ambitions in September - you could move up "two steps" on the career ladder, make your mark in the community, create fame/renown, or make a business succeed. Some Sages will "step up" through marriage. Higher-ups (bosses, judges, parents, etc.) will treat you with both anger/temperament and favor - you might get "kicked upstairs." (If you're creative or a teacher, the anger won't exist.) Be diplomatic, eager - this could be your biggest chance in over a decade! Rest, prepare Sunday/Monday. Embrace pleasure mid-week. Dive into chores, ambitions Friday/Saturday. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19 September expands love, legal, far travel, cultural, foreign, intellectual, media, abstract, scientific, writing, fame, educational, and similar ventures. It's very likely you've already started one, probably even two during the last 11 months. (There will be two, by autumn.) But if you haven't started anything, start now! (By "now" I mean the night of September 2 through 24.) One proviso: expansion is usually lucky, but you might not see it this way. For example, an unwanted lawsuit could expand, costing legal fees. If expansion is unfortunate, then avoid it. Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb. 18 September holds the proverbial horn of plenty for you, in investments, lifestyle changes, sex/intimacy, research findings, investigative or diagnostic efforts, and "manipulation of resources." Pregnancy is possible for young married couples, if one's an Aquarian. Watch out that you don't expand your debt beyond reasonable "pay-backable" proportions. Be brave; go with your calm, deliberate feelings. You might not be able to act with decision or "cleanly" until Thursday onward (into late September) - that's okay, see barriers Sunday/Monday, discuss, read, ask questions midweek, then look for "openings" Thursday night onward. Pisces Feb. 19-March 20 Aim for relationships September 2 through 24: co-operate, join, marry, love, sign agreements, seek opportunities, relocate, deal with the public, etc. Your luck flows through these conduits, and the month ahead forms a climax. This influence can cause unfortunate situations, too - litigation, divorce, competition and struggles with others. In such cases, go slow; be diplomatic and co-operative. Divorce creates new horizons; competition can turn to partnership. In litigation, others are magnanimous. Find the lucky lining, turn your mind around, think "cheerful solution." Your energy's good Sunday/Monday. Write, talk, visit Friday/Saturday. www.astralreflections.com. Email: timstephens@shaw.ca. For a reading: 604-261-1337. /30/