Please Note Minor Schedule Adjustments,
-- due of course to a whole lot of unusual activity in my office this past two weeks. This post contains the weekly horoscope (also appearing as the weekly on http://Cainer.com) and a brief news note, to follow. Since we're conveniently 'between signs', the early Capricorn birthday report will be in the next edition. As for the annual horoscope, aquasphere, having finished so much other stuff, I can now, hopefully, take a few days and focus on finishing that. And then taking a week or two off (though horoscopes are written through the end of the year, so weekly editions will continue on schedule, though a little shorter than usual).

The aquasphere keyword will be emailed to you once the site goes live.

Now for the News
Everything shifted gears this week, and shifts gears again early next week. Note the confluence of world events and the increased tempo in our personal lives just prior to Mercury stationing retrograde Wednesday (including the now old news that Saddam was busted with a briefcase and some pocket change), as Mars left Pisces after six months and went into Aries, and the Sun crossed the Galactic Core (it's still in close alignment now).

The sense of unpredictability, increased scale and other-worldly wonder all relate to these movements. Take a look at the Sun and imagine the majestic spread of the galaxy behind it. Looking at the Sun, the galactic arms would spread out in a long streak going steeply downhill from left to right.

Check here for a new photo of M81, the Milky Way's 'twin galaxy' in space.

When the energy and pace of events increases like it's doing now, it's important to pace yourself and keep your priorities in order. Meanwhile, the unpredictability factor increases, and if we know that we can be ready with plans B and C. The Mercury factor says to maintain a focus on communication, as well as having your homework done: for example, being aware of background, history, and different contingencies.

I believe it's always helpful to track what's happening on the collective level. Current economic and other social factors are forcing most people into a deep trance; television, based on how news is presented and the emotional pitch of the medium, does nothing other than obscure the real story, even when the truth slips in.

The most interesting non-news story of the week was, interestingly, covered by CBS, which reported Wednesday that Thomas Keane, the Republican former governor of New Jersey hand picked by the Bush administration to investigate what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, came out and said what many people already knew: that the administration could have, and should have, stopped the attacks. This came within hours of the Mercury station in Capricorn. I have seen Mercury stations reveal interesting and often deeply necessary information many times before.

The Sept. 11 panel was originally supposed to be headed by Henry Kissinger, a top player in the Nixon administration and one of the most notorious war criminals of the 20th century. After public and political outcry, Kissinger was bagged and Keane was given the job; the widespread expectation was for yet another whitewash. But the basic facts, coupled with months of endless stonewalling by the Bush administration, apparently made him 'keen' to the fact that something was up, and perhaps focussed his resolve.

Here is the full story. Perhaps ask yourself why you're reading about it here and not plastered across the front page of The New York Times. (It did, by the way, make the Op-Ed page with an analysis today by Paul Krugman.)

http://truthout.org/docs_03/121803A1.shtml

Note the link back to the original CBS News article.

Here's your weekly horoscope.

Aries (March 20-April 19)
Mars, which has spent the past six months in Pisces, this is the week that it's finally returned home to your birth sign. That means energy, confidence and a really odd feeling that goes something like, "What was I so worried about all along?" Meanwhile, your professional life needs some special attention. The situation needs to be sorted out carefully, not with bravado, so you'll need to act with some restraint. Put an emphasis on communication rather than on action: another not-so-Marslike strategy. You're clearly at a new and probably unexpected starting point, but you need to take it just a little slowly and carefully -- for now.
 
Taurus (April 19-May 20)
You're something of a natural mystic wonder these days, and it's about to come on strong. It's funny how much wisdom and power there is in traditional religion once you read between the lines and put it to work in your life. What's radiating through strongly is a very deep shade of the person you are at your most authentic. Do your rebellious tendencies surprise you when they come out like this? The world spends a lot of money on making sure that people avoid original thinking and don't rock the boat. Somehow these social programs haven't gotten to you, which is good for everyone.
 
Gemini (May 20-June 21)
I suggest you get a real discussion about sex and the meaning of commitment going with your partner. While certain recent events may seem to point to a fundamental misunderstanding, actually it's far from a hopeless situation. But the emphasis needs to be on putting the normally unspeakable into words. If you have a sense that you're transgressing into 'inappropriate' territory, you're in the right place. It'll be difficult for about 30 seconds, then you'll find out how much you really did need to talk and clear the air. Honest talk always leads to honest passion, and these are two things the world could stand to have a lot more of.
 
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Imagine you're looking at your life in a curved rear-view mirror. All the perspectives bubble outward, but you look much closer than you really are. And there is a time distortion that makes you and other objects close to the glass seem nearby and slow-moving, while those toward the edges fade away quickly. Focus on this scene and it looks very real. But pull back and take in your natural vision and you get to see what reality is, feel its depth and watch the world all the way out to the edges of your natural peripheral vision. Be grateful you're a much smaller part of a much larger world.
 
Leo (July 22-Aug 23)
This is always a busy time of year for you, but recent events seem to have thrown certain plans into some confusion and as a result you're having to give a lot more of yourself than you anticipated to a certain project. I don't advise pushing it; you're likely to just spin your wheels. Take your time and proceed carefully from task to task. Nothing is moving particularly fast these days, but the world is definitely moving at its own pace as carefully planned in the cosmic order. Stand back from your usual leadership role and more will get done with far less effort.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
Mercury moving backwards these days may be taking some of the spontaneity out of your life, but you just need to use your ingenuity. There appear to be certain external demands on your time over which you seem to have little control. Kids are very good at having fun no matter what there is to play with, and in much the same way you need to keep yourself entertained as you move through your work. Not only can it be a lot more fun; really it seems that's the whole point, and if you can get other people involved you'll really have a good time.
 
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
The Sun changing signs later this week to Capricorn will help take some of the pressure off and entice you to feel a little more secure in your position. That you have set things up so well is the result of careful planning, conscious choices, and, as you're now experiencing, continuous review. But don't get too carried away going over the past. It is what it is, and the more obvious lessons are the more important ones, anyway. This is actually one of the more stable times in your life, and you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. Have confidence in that. You really have whatever it takes.
 
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
You have been formulating quite a few creative plans in recent months, and as you're becoming aware, it's now time to put them into action. There are two kinds of art -- the ones that stay as ideas and the ones that take on tangible form. You may feel that your initial attempts to express this whole new generation of ideas will never live up to your vision. I don't think that's true. If you begin to follow your inspiration with sincerity, even your humblest attempts will yield surprising results. It's the creative process that's going to get you there, which is very much a hands-on experience. Roll up your sleeves.
 
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 22)
Watch your finances, plain and simple. Be professional. You can make some good decisions in the next few weeks, but slack off and you might make some not-so-good ones. I can make a couple of concrete suggestions. One is wait a few weeks before making any major investments or donating to charities. Limit spending on projects; most of it will be unnecessary. Last and most important, study the details, including rules, regulations and other official guidelines. You have a few surprises coming to you, and if you do your homework, you may discover a few loopholes that save you both money and unnecessary effort.
 
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
Hold off on major plans until the Sun enters your sign on the 22nd. While recent developments may have sent certain aspects of your life into a tailspin, it'll be just a few more days before you see how strong your position really is. Even then, you may feel compelled to offer yourself, heart and soul, to the assistance of another person or an important cause. We live in a world where needs rarely match resources. While some may caution you against making a personal sacrifice, there are some forms of fulfilment that are possible only through joining with something much greater than yourself.
 
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Venus is the smartest planet, and she's about to enter your birth sign this week. Venus likes to listen, but more than that, she wants to be appreciated. You've been slowly getting the picture that you're worth the effort and the loving attention that people who know you offer. But they still know it a lot better than you do. With Mercury retrograde for the next two weeks, the planets are emphasising communication. Take a little time and talk with the people you love, tune in and ask them how their journey in life is coming. If you'll do that much, you're likely to discover just what an important part of their life you are.
 
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
It's time to start winding down your work for the year and getting out and amongst your friends. I suggest old friends, if possible, and the older the better. This has been a year of truly significant achievements, and not only that, a time that's called on you to do a lot of inner reflection and growth work. Take a break and look back at what you've created. You need to have a full appreciation of this, or you risk selling yourself short as you choose your next assignment. The time has come not just to aim high, but also to decide exactly what it is you want. Not approximately, exactly.

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Planet Waves Weekly | International Edition
Dec. 19, 2003, Version 1.0
Published by Planet Waves, Inc.
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