ASTRAL REFLECTIONS BY TIM STEPHENS MAY 11 - 17, 2008 All times/dates are PDT. It's complicated. What Barack Obama's former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright says is, to my (white) view, absolutely correct. On the other hand, Obama is the best hope (for both blacks and whites) to heal, cure and resolve continuing racial inequalities. He's the best hope precisely because he stands in the middle, calm and reasoning, willing to forgive and forget past and present atrocities, and drive toward a consensus. Fiery Pastor Wright is right, but in the larger picture, his rightness will defeat the bigger rightness of what Obama is trying to do. I didn't know what I meant by saying, some months ago, that Barack would be unlucky by March onward - but I think this is it - that his associations are more destructive to his cause than his enemies_.Ironically, the strengths and qualities that form the core of Barack's appeal, his nobility of purpose and gentleness of engagement, also make him unable to fight back effectively against Hillary Clinton_. It will be an interesting primary (though it feels like a hundreth-ary) because we'll see whether Americans will embrace empty promises and foolish gifts strewn before them by a wolf ravenous for power, or if they choose, battered and quixotic as it may be, idealism and realism. (A slightly disheveled, mildly suspect idealism, if we remember the plagiarism charges against Obama, and the NAFTA curtains of pretence.)_. ARIES loves to fight, and CANCER loves to protect. So if you're ever a child in a war zone, make sure you have a Cancer-Aries parent (in any combination - Sun, Moon, rising sign). Samuel Beckett, the absurdist novelist and playwright ("Waiting for Godot") once said that he decided life was essentially absurd after he was physically attacked, for no reason, on a Paris street. He should have had an Aries-Cancer bodyguard_.or not. AQUARIANS get as angry as anyone, but these people are so kind-hearted underneath, that often their infrequent tantrums don't bother anybody. When I watch Aquarians Paul Newman or Jack Lemmon in the old movies, I just can't believe their "angry" scenes. Now Jack Nicholson or Dennis Hopper, there's true anger, real TAURUS anger. LEOS get angry when no one praises them. If you want a miserable life, marry a Leo, then ignore him or her. (If you want a blissful life, praise that Leo!) LIBRANS ticked by injustice or SCORPIOS by betrayal, equal Leo and Taurus in the depths of rage they can display. The odd thing? These four are the signs of love - Taurus sensual, Leo romantic, Libra marital, and Scorpio sexual. I guess hell hath no fury like love scorned_. It's official: no technical recession in the U.S. January through March (GDP grew by 0.06 %). (Re my "Year Ahead" prognostications. So I just squeaked by_) Start Nothing: 1:09 a.m. to 11:48 a.m. Mon., 9:38 a.m. to 8:46 p.m. Wed., and 8:29 p.m. Fri. to 7:59 a.m. Sat. Aries March 21-April 19 Chase money, especially if you can continue something you began last Sunday/Monday (May 4 and 5). Romance, pleasure and a gamble catch your attention this Sunday, but your real luck lies, Sunday and Monday, in earnings, buying/selling, possessions, and the tools of learning (books, etc.). Tackle chores and employment concerns Monday noon to Wednesday. Don't let a rosy-colored vision of your future interfere with practical realities. Relationships, exciting meetings, opportunities and fresh faces fill Thursday/Friday. These could lead to commitments, new worlds, and deepening mysteries by Saturday. An easy week! Taurus April 20-May 20 Your energy, magnetism and effectiveness continue to soar. You draw others easily, and could be surprised at the small, unbidden favors shown you. But remember that your temper and friction on the home front are both heating up a bit through June. Channel this temperament into home repairs, construction, etc. (This would be the perfect time to build a little retreat.) But don't start anything big during the last week of May, or through June 18. If you experience cramps or pains in the stomach area, see a doctor. Gemini May 21-June 20 Continue to lie low, rest, contemplate and be charitable. People who might berate you now were never your friend - they just feel braver while your energy is down. Be spiritual; meditate. Deal with government agencies. You might face the difference this week between spirituality and religion, or between what seems to be ethical, and what is expected of you. Putter around home Monday noon to Wednesday. It's a good time to make a real estate investment, lease, or improvement - but not for painting. Romance and pleasure call Thursday/Friday. Cancer June 21-July 22 Wishes come true! Flirtations are everywhere, especially if you're young. A streak of popularity, optimism and entertainment continues. Don't let the general atmosphere of enjoyment make you spend carelessly, though. Now through June, you'll be making more money than usual, but you could spend (waste) two times more than usual if you aren't aware and careful. Sunday's one of those "spending caution" days. A short trip or new friend proves enjoyable Monday to Wednesday. Stop to catch your breath Thursday/Friday; be restful, contemplate. Romance, beauty, pleasures arrive Saturday! Leo July 23-Aug. 22 Be ambitious. Court parents, bosses and VIPs - they'll like it. Your intellectual talents are showing, and you're winningly assertive with them, through June. Show that you see the big picture, all the implications of a project. If any elements of legalities, internationalism, culture, education or advertising come into your work this spring, welcome them. (But stay out of personal lawsuits.) Your energy and charisma rise Sunday/Monday. Focus on money, buying/selling and possessions Monday noon to Wednesday. Paperwork, details, errands, contacts, curiosity and short trips work in your favor Thursday/Friday. Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Your intellect blossoms. Wider vision, new, meaningful contacts, and love, could come. A sexual, perhaps unethical attraction of early 2008 becomes a burden now through June. Either you grow bored, feel the affair carries too many consequences, or you dig deeper - and more dangerously - into it. Whatever the case, it would be wise to cool your jets. This might refer to a past financial situation, perhaps an investment. New investments are fine. Lie low Sunday; contemplate. Your energy and charisma surge Monday noon to Wednesday: start something important! Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Mystery, deep curiosity waft through your daily mood. You sense that big changes are afoot. If you haven't made one yet, but have it definitely in mind, act now - May 12, 13, 15, 16, or 18 (best). Turn away from verboten sexual (e.g., extramarital) attractions. Also, avoid deep alternate health regimes such as "cleansing" if you suspect you're doing this from a) curiosity, or b) to avoid making bigger, more courage-demanding actions (such as assuming a mortgage!). Through June, social delights expand - a prospective mate might enter this way. Scorpio Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Others respond to your advances in a gracious, affectionate/friendly way, in love and business. So do approach, chase opportunities, and respond to hints, cards, letters and calls. However, wherever you're dealing with VIPs, parents, bosses or your reputation, be sober, work-like - and diplomatic. Through June, these types want to push you hard, and are impatient for results. If you deliver, they can also pull you up to their levels. Think about this Sunday, early Monday. Flirtations, optimism, social delights and happiness bless you Monday noon to Wednesday. Rest Thursday/Friday. Sagittarius Nov. 22-Dec. 21 9 more days of work and health concerns, Sage, then you'll be free (May 20 onward) to chase opportunities, knowledge, other cultures, love, etc. For now, nose to the grindstone. It's a velvet grindstone anyway, and some sweet rewards can come from your efforts - a bit of extra pay, a new car, a luxury item, a (not advised) office romance. You're making good money all year, but avoid brand-new money projects now through August. Lovers might discuss wedding vows through June (indecisive) and in August (decisive). Be ambitious Monday/Tuesday. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Romance, pleasure, creative surges, gambling urges, love for children, beauty - these continue, extending your winning streak. Don't shy from romance - chances are someone will yield to your honest feelings as long as you act before late May. Through June, your sexual drives are awake and vibrant, so don't be too forceful, nor chase someone who's already attached. For the same period, watch any impulsiveness in finances, investments, and major commitments. If surgery is "due," try to schedule it now (pre-May 25) or after June 18. Ambition pays off, Thursday/Friday. Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb. 18 The accent lies sweetly on home, gardens, retirement, security, family, Mother Nature, endings and new beginnings. Contemplate what/who's grown stale and what/who's straining for new growth; abandon one, embrace the other -- gently. Toss out old, dumb things. Through June, relationships grow intense, for good or ill. This might become more apparent late May and June, when a romantic atmosphere might bring an old flame back to your life. For now, be diplomatic, especially Sunday. Mysteries, dark attractions and good investments arise Monday noon to Wednesday. Truth arises, Thursday/Friday. Pisces Feb. 19-March 20 Let your curiosity roam - it will lead you to good places, people, and understandings. This isn't a great time to start projects, except in paperwork, communications, travel, and related zones. (The world will fill with delays May 25-June 19, so avoid projects that must bloom during that period.) Seven weeks of hard work has just begun, so you could be buried by paperwork or a dozen messages to answer, etc. - keep on top of things, especially this Sunday/Monday. An exciting meeting occurs Monday to Wednesday. Intimacy, investments succeed Thursday/Friday. www.astralreflections.com. Email: timstephens@shaw.ca. For a reading: 604-261-1337. /30/