Love and Money  

Venus the goddess shines in Aquarius and your solar fifth house as the year begins, conjoining with mystic Neptune. Romance, creativity, leisure activity and children will be preferred options or points of impact. If you're in a relationship, do something that adds texture or interest to your lives. Recreational activities, creative endeavours or gatherings with friends can enhance your quality of life. For the singles, romance is on the agenda but you may find it hard to settle. After September is a better time for romantic adventures to prosper. For all the Scales, remember that Neptune can mask and confuse just as easily as he can call us to the higher ideal. Make sure you know and understand what you're getting into, for not everything that beguiles you will turn out to be what it seems.

As far as money goes, some of you will do quite well from current circumstances as increased responsibility or authority brings more coin to the family coffers. If you work for it, you'll get it. For others, you may just need to coast and concentrate on developing new avenues of expression. Your luck turns and your fortunes can expand after September 25th, but don't expect that such possibilities will convert straight away to cash. For some, they may, and thus luck could play a part in the process. But, for others, the trick will be to seize the opportunity and the money will come further down the track.

Home and Family  

Once again Chiron the wounded healer is in Capricorn and your solar fourth house as 2004 begins. The obligations of family or emotional life will play a strong part in the year ahead. There will be an increase in responsibility for some while others may have to deal with change or the end of a cycle. Some may wish to upgrade living circumstances where others may need to reduce them to fit with budgetary constraints, coming from changed conditions. Either of these may have been on your mind for some time but this year you will find it easier to carry out your plans as Chiron harmonizes with Jupiter. For some there may be an addition to the family, bringing increased responsibility. For others, there may be a departure brought about by changing times. Whichever way this works, domestic or emotional life will ask a great deal and many of you will have to accept the pressures or responsibilities as they are. Communicate clearly and effectively. There can be a healing power in the challenges you face at home. Like last year, this year can be a journey where you have to face fears or break past patterns. If you work through what comes and give all that is asked of you, you will heal old wounds or lay a ghost to rest. Use your dreams to seek guidance or advice about the best course of action or the right decision.

Work and Health  

The advent of the New Year sees revolutionary Uranus established in Pisces and your solar sixth house for seven years. Thus, you can expect changes with work, health and daily routines. Some of you will change occupation, moving to something new or different, especially if re-training is involved. This may come from a desire to branch out or because of a change in circumstance that is beyond your control. Such a move may take you in more creative or spiritual directions. For some, care or service may become the theme, either personally or professionally. Others may simply experience changes at work or even disruption of working patterns or conditions. Ride the waves and see what lies on the other shore. Some of you now in work may find yourselves out of the working environment suddenly or unexpectedly. Others not working now may suddenly be thrown in at the deep end in a new working environment. Uranus is the master of reversals of condition. New skills, new ideas and a new attitude or perspective will be the keys to effective change or transition. The challenge of this period will be either that you may not be able to go down the road you expected to travel or that something you had planned may fall short of the ideal. The reward will be that you discover new potentials, skills and experiences that reveal different sides of you.

This could be the start of a tricky period for some as far as health is concerned. There may be changes, sudden or unexpected reversals of the accustomed pattern that will lead you in different directions. You may embrace new diets, new forms of treatment or new modalities in healthcare practice. Monitor any conditions that concern systemic toxicity, allergies or problems with the nervous system. Take proper steps to deal with them in the early stages. Some of you may learn to care for yourselves in a new or different way. Others may have to learn to care for those around them in similar fashion. Whatever the 'short term' requirements, you will find the next seven years will alter the pattern of daily life. Some may travel the healer's path and practice professionally what you have learned through personal need. While it will have its challenges, this transit can be an invigorating and uplifting time. The health of life emotionally and spiritually will underpin the keeping of good health generally. Steer away from self-indulgence after the last week of September.

Career Matters  

Saturn's move into Cancer and your solar tenth house in June 2003, will have seen an increase in responsibility for the Scales, but this transit will have also brought pressure to bear in relationships. For some, there may have been promotion or an upgrade in your work situation while for others there may have been a separation or an ending that had you moving down a new path, not necessarily because you wanted to. For those whose primary obligations are in the family arena, there will have been an equivalent process. There, some will have had more to do or have had more people to care for. Children or older people may have featured. This year the load continues to grow as the measurer (Saturn) continues his journey. Any Scales looking for the easy life will have to wait. Nonetheless, you can gain greatly by walking the paths that open up. Take on what's there to be done. Take authority where you have to and learn to deal with authority where you have to. Learn the arts of negotiation and the skills of patient effort. Whatever the workload, don't let attention on your home and emotional life slide. Maintain the balance between work and home and you'll have achieved something important.

Mercury the Messenger  

Mercury moves into retrograde (reverse) motion three times a year for about three weeks each time. This phase heralds a time of confusion and misunderstandings that can affect arrangements, travel, transport, appliances, machinery and communications. The breakdowns that occur are a function of neglect, inattention, simple misunderstandings or component failure. They will often bring to the fore the very contingency we should have planned for and didn't. When the retrograde phase occurs, watch out for such possibilities as well as putting off major decision-making or the signing of crucial documents and agreements. We tend to miss things while Mercury is in reverse motion and then have to come back and do them again. A process of review in the retrograde phase can efficiently show where problems might lie and help us with damage control or the mending of things. Double check arrangements at these times! What you think you've said and what others have understood will often prove to be two different things.

The year begins with Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius and your solar third house of communications, travel, siblings and education. All the natural cautions with the reverse motion phase apply. Be as flexible as possible with arrangements and schedules. Work hard to ensure that everyone understands one another. Discussions could easily get off track. Be extra careful travelling. There may be misunderstandings dealing with siblings or you may reconnect with one after a long absence. This cycle ends on January 7th.

Mercury's next retrograde phase for the year comes in Taurus and your solar eighth house. This begins on April 7th. Money matters will need revue, especially where joint finances or credit arrangements are involved. Put off major decisions. Discuss what needs to be done. Take advice from experts. This could be a testing time as the busy messenger crosses the eclipse point of the New Moon in Aries. This is not a time for rash decisions, especially where money is concerned. Judgement or decision-making may be flawed. Travel will need extra care and attention. This cycle comes to an end on May 1st.

August 11th sees Mercury retrograde in Virgo and your solar twelfth house. It may be difficult to keep track of what's going on and communications will be testing. Things you need to know or hear may just get lost along the way. There could be unexpected failures with necessary equipment. If things are too hectic, step back and take stock. You may begin to feel you are under fire if you keep going at your usual pace. Give time to your thoughts and reflections. You may need to attend to creative or spiritual life. Someone may need your help or care and you'll have to put other things aside to fulfill that. There could be news that comes out of the blue. This cycle ends on September 3rd.

Mercury's final retrograde phase for the year begins in Sagittarius and your solar third house on December 1st. Communications and travel may go a little haywire at this time so make sure you're at your flexible best. Be prepared to reschedule or take another tack at a moment's notice. If you're at odds with someone over ideas or beliefs, the temperature could rise. Use your natural talent for diplomacy to avoid arguments. Drive defensively. Don't take risks or shortcuts, especially if you're acting hastily. Revue your ideas and opinions. You may be wrong about something without realizing it. This cycle comes to an end on December 21st.

Lady Moon  

Your Full Moon comes on April 5th, harmonizing with mystic Neptune. You may need to look at shared goals or interests with your nearest and dearest. For some, there could be a feeling of wellbeing as you work towards a common purpose. If your bond is strong then it may be that what you're doing will draw you away from people that you've known or associated with. For others, there may be a feeling you're drifting on to different courses. Compare notes and see how you're going. Don't lose track of what your partner wants.

Your New Moon comes on October 14th, bringing a Solar Eclipse in your sign. There may be a change in your situation, brought about by an ending or a departure. You may separate from a partner. You may go a different road with regard to work or the general direction of your life. You may lose interest or energy for something you have been doing. You may leave something behind due to a change of status.

Eclipses  

Eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon often indicate the end of a cycle or a significant change in the direction or pattern of the affairs governed by the house in which the eclipse falls. Eclipses of the Sun may affect work, direction and relations with people in authority. Eclipses of the Moon may affect matters of home, family and emotions as well as relations with women and children. Both may affect your health.

A Solar Eclipse comes with the New Moon in Aries and your solar seventh house on April 19th. A cycle of partnership or close association may end or reach an impasse. You may not receive cooperation from those close to you. There may be changes in the obligations or demands of your partnership situation that affect your home life.

May 4th brings a Lunar Eclipse at the Full Moon in Scorpio and your solar second house. There could be a small loss financially or a change in your financial situation. Changes with other people's resources or monies may affect your position. There may be confusion because of a money situation, forcing you to make adjustments to your lifestyle. Sustaining yourself may cost a little more than usual at this time. You may have to cut back on the basics because of unexpected expenses.

The Full Moon in Taurus and your solar eighth house on October 28th brings a Lunar Eclipse. Joint arrangements with regard to money or resources may go through a change. You may come to the end of the road with shared venture or investment. Watch the credit card or the overdraft coming into this period. Make sure you don't overspend. Judgement over money matters may be flawed or questionable. Err on the side of caution.

Special Events  

Venus the goddess enters a retrograde phase in Gemini and your solar ninth house on May 18th. Outstanding matters will arise. These may involve contacts or connections with overseas or foreign people. For some, there may be unexpected travel while for others travel arrangements could be subject to delay or change. You may find that people from the past or past contacts come back into your life unexpectedly. In some instances, they will bring outstanding baggage. In other instances, the return of an old friend or even an old flame will be an exciting encounter. For some, there will be issues from the past about money that will need to be dealt with. For others, matters could be of a legal nature. Make sure you're clear in your communications and deal with things by being 'Johnny on the spot'. For some Scales folk, there may be issues or interchanges concerning in-laws. An in-law may drop in or come to stay unexpectedly. If money or the law is an issue between you and your in-laws, work hard to sort matters out. For some, study or higher learning may play a part in this period. You may go back to the institutions where you've learnt in the past or you may find that you're dealing with academic or qualified people. Some may go back to the 'halls of ivy' to learn again. For others, there may be a movement towards mixing with people or groups who have an interest in spirituality or beliefs. Overall, this is a period of revue for your relationships. Examine what's going on, communicate well and lay outstanding matters to rest. Something you've earned may finally come your way. The cycle comes to an end on June 30th.