January 2009 Annual Forecast

May you feel blessed by new opportunities and see rewarding progress in the coming New Year! Love & light, Rose Marcus

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Annual Astrology Forecast for 2009

2008, Message delivered, 2009, Time to do something about it:

Overview:

There are several important planetary influences shaping our journey in 2009. Viewing the big picture first, we have just begun Pluto’s tenancy of Capricorn, a history-making influence that will dictate our collective agenda from here to 2024. Pluto in Capricorn will see us through many critical struggles and milestone achievements. Obviously, Pluto is already working on the clock! Occurring every 248 years, this planetary influence demarcates times of major social, economic, and political reformulation.

The next major catalyst to note is the jackhammer Saturn and Uranus opposition.   This planetary duo awakens each and every one to a rapidly altering reality. Reminiscent of the revolutionary 60’s when these two planets were in reverse signs, Saturn and Uranus deliver an urgent message. There is but one option – to face the inevitable and to do something about it. Obama seems to be quick on the draw when it comes to getting on the jump ahead program, can our faltering Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, bring it up to speed too? We shall see if he is truly ready to serve a nation in need when he unveils his budget plans on Jan 27.

We have already experienced the first of five of exact line-drawn-in-the-sand oppositions between Saturn and Uranus, on the USA Nov 4 election. Chiron in Aquarius (also a strong influence for the election/political transits of 2008/09) has singled Obama for a task well beyond his political appointment, that of a key player, or a “chosen one” to help steer the collective through this critical transitional time. Sound dramatic? Beyond what astrology says, note that that there is already worldwide interest and great hope pinned on this man. “Yes, we can”, is not only the motto for his election campaign, but also the message for each and every one of us now. Chiron’s maverick influence was very influential in 2008 and will prove to be so again as it joins with Jupiter and Neptune in 2009.

The effects of Saturn and Uranus opposition will be continuous through 2009 and the better portion of 2010. When Saturn and Uranus form their exact oppositions, the past and future collide, not only out there in the world, but also within our private lives and inner consciousness too. These critical apex points will call for courage, decisiveness, accountability, creative risk taking and out-of-the-box solutions.

Saturn and Uranus hook up twice in 2009, on Feb 5 and Sept 15, 2009. February 5 is an especially featured date due to the fact that it is highly charged by both the Solar Eclipse Jan 25 and the Lunar Eclipse on Feb 9. Also note that the Chinese New Year of the Ox begins on the New Moon/Solar Eclipse, Jan 25,  suggesting a year of plowing through obstacles, step at a time. Donning the yoke as the year starts, Saturn, has just turned retrograde. Saturn’s influence will intensify the need to roll-up-the-sleeves and get-down-to-business in no uncertain terms. (Saturn retrograde cycle: Dec 31 2008 through May 16, 2009.)

Financial astrologers have been watching the Jan 25 Eclipse with apprehension as the influence of Venus in opposition to Saturn suggests a darkening financial forecast. Complaints, constraints, and shortfalls are typical of Venus/Saturn oppositions. (Denial and rejection are common too.) Hopefully Stephen Harper will surprise us with pro-active solutions for his Jan 27 budget, but no matter what, he can expect harsh criticism. No solution will be without a penalty or price to pay. With Mercury in retrograde at the time (Jan 11 – 31), obviously we Canadians will see a reworked budget, but the question remains to be seen – just how flawed will it be? When Mercury is retrograde, mistakes are more easily made, misguided-ness and misunderstandings are more commonplace too.

Watch for talk plus action, hard-hitting Mercury and Mars to refuel and inflame on/around Jan 27. We are likely to witness a striking intensification of initiatives, feuds, aggression, and anger. (A labor strike or harsh weather too could happen too.) This Mercury and Mars firecracker combo suggests a cut-off point, an abrupt new direction, and/or a break from previous status quos. Politics aside, note that intensification of stars at the end of January suggests we will all be veering off in a new direction, perhaps quite suddenly.

Commonly we have four Eclipses in a year, sometimes five. This year we will have six! The last time this happened was in 2000. Adding even more of an adrenaline kick to the Saturn/Uranus backdrop, when Eclipses occur, they move us a lot faster along, often times surprising so. If you were born on or around the following eclipse dates: Jan 26 or July 21 (Solar Eclipse dates), or Feb 9, July 7, July 21, Aug 5, and Dec 31 (Lunar Eclipses dates), then know that 2009 delivers your date with destiny!

Solar Eclipses are event catalysts and bring significant beginnings or endings, and the entrance or exit of people of note. Lunar Eclipses ignite emotional, nurturance, or security needs. They can deliver sudden relationship changes, or affect our personal lives in some other striking way. Eclipses are most influential when they make direct contact to your natal chart.

Next, note that growth planet Jupiter advances into Aquarius on January 5. Positively, Jupiter in Aquarius can bring people together for common cause. This planet correlates to: idealism, hope, group consciousness, group endeavors, focus groups, new alliances, humanitarianism, innovation, modernization, invention, heightened standards of excellence, increased notoriety or public exposure, inspiring leadership and outstanding achievements. On the flipside, we see the wild, uncontrolled, rampant, eruptive, disruptive, off the wall, hysteria, or out of control. So too, we can witness a refueling of the politically or socially ambitious and the widening of social divides; of radicals, revolutionaries, religious zealots, deviants, despots, violence, and terrorism. Weather extremes can become even more commonplace.

Positively, Jupiter in Aquarius opens minds and hearts to exploring much more than we have previously been willing to consider. Considering this critical juncture along the collective timeline, it seems we have no choice but to risk it all on a better future.

Mercury, in retrograde motion January 11 to January 31 can keep the guesswork lively, the wheels spinning, the emotions raw, and the economic and political climates jittery. Remember that Mercury retrograde is best used for a rehash, review, research, or second try. Expect to be in rapid motion once the Lunar Eclipse flicks the big switch. Feb 9 through 19 are intense, exciting, challenging, extreme, think on your feet, opportunity-waits-for-no-one dates.

Just a few weeks after Mercury retrograde (Astrology’s Murphy’s Law) completes, Venus turns retrograde, (Mar 6 through April 17). This is a much less frequent planetary occurrence and its influence is important to note. Call it a personal re-group cycle. During Venus retrograde cycles we tend to pull away from our circumstantial reality – or conversely, life pulls away from us. We grow more aware of our personal needs which in turn can make us feel more isolated. Our inner compression causes awareness of the growing distance from those we love or need. Often we find it is better to go independent or pull the plug rather than to participate in partnerships or relationships that are not delivering the goods. Re relationships or financial matters (Venus rules both), Jan 22 through May 21 is a key time to decide what you want and how you are going to play it next. Note that Venus dips back into Pisces April 11 – 23 and then returns to Aries through June 6. For those who have done the appropriate work through this cycle, Venus direct, (April 17 onward) can bring a pinnacle point of realizing your ultimate potentials – in love or re financial matters. For those who have been off track, the second half of April can be a time of sweeping away and starting over from scratch.

Note that Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron are conjunct within a few degrees mid April through July suggesting another key time for transitioning, letting go/dissolving, migrating or relocating, and also for opening up to new potentials, new love, socialized purpose, and embarking upon the maverick, healer, or shaman’s path. Re the collective application, it can be a time of dissolutions and major losses. Conversely it is also a key time of formulating major new alliances, of coming together for common purpose, and for an exceptional outpouring of humanity. Note a sense of elitism, righteous, and “holy mission” can ignite in the extreme too; we could see the glorification of some and the denigrating or isolating of others. Extraordinary people capture our attention, whether they are a “soul mate”, politicians or leaders with a mission, or a spiritual master with a timely message.

August 21, the nodal axis moves from the Leo/Aquarius axis to Cancer/Capricorn. The nodal axis sets the stage for the next 18 month rebuilding/refortification cycle. This polarity can bring added fear and insecurity, but it can also see fertile new seeds planted, re our personal lives (home, family, career) and also in the large context of social, economic and political arenas. Financial astrologers note that when the transiting nodal axis is in Cancer/Capricorn, real estate prices traditionally decline.

Oct 30, Saturn will move out of Virgo and advance into Libra to stay until Oct 2012. Saturn in Libra is a re-enforcing, conforming, and regulating influence. Positively, we gain a healthy respect for the rules, the law, the process, the system. Saturn is well placed in this sign, (exalted), so we can discover workable guidelines/parameters. There can also be more willingness to (at least try) to make compromises and to get along. Then again, Saturn in Libra can also be restrictive, inflexible, and intolerant. We could see laws put in place that diminish our freedoms. Lawmakers become more restrictive or punishing. Saturn in Libra can bring a “means justifies the end” attitude and it can enforce conformity to the point of restriction. Complacency is a folly. We should not assume or expect that others will pick up our slack or do the job to our satisfaction. It is important to show up, to take responsibility, and to speak out against injustice. Saturn in Libra teaches lessons about meeting in the middle, setting appropriate boundaries, and about doing one’s fair share. Mars finishes the year in confident Leo, suggests a light shines at the end of the tunnel. Creativity is the breeding ground for success.

ARIES (MARCH 20 – APRIL 19)

While the world may be shrinking, your place in it seems to be taking on more dimension. Pluto’s entrance into Capricorn signals that a time of professional or personal ripening is at hand, especially for those born around Mar 20. There’s no need to question whether you can handle the extra responsibility, you are about to kick into dynamo mode. The year ahead can change your lifestyle in a significant way. Jupiter in Aquarius and the year’s Eclipses will deliver a new social life, more public recognition, and an increased income for some of you lucky rams, perhaps unexpectedly so. Extending your popularity cycle, you will be even more of an attention-getter while Venus tours Aries, Feb 2 to June 6. This Venus cycle keeps you physically active so know there is no need for the calorie watch! Although Venus in Aries is primarily an independent influence, it’s also one of magnetic attraction, so if new love arrives, it’s sure to be hot stuff! Those born around April 17 gain the most advantage from Venus (re love, money, and popularity.) The ongoing Saturn/Uranus opposition is set to break you out of a rut or a stalemate. Over the next two years, Saturn/Uranus will revamp the nature or style of your work and help you to discover capacities and talents you didn’t know you had.  Your trouble shooting and problem solving skills will improve too. With so much added pressure to contend with, this combo will also force you to improve upon your health and relaxation regimes. Mars in Leo (Oct 16 through June 8, 2010) and Saturn’s advance into Libra, late October can bring you to a professional, creative, or romantic harvest cycle.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)

Despite the obstacles or shortfalls that may be in your way, Pluto in Capricorn fills you full of confidence. In fact, this resilient Pluto influence finds you plowing ahead with incredible determination. You need to feel/stay in charge, no matter what the results or consequences. Positively, Jupiter in Aquarius can help you to break free of restrictions and inhibitions too. A new career or leadership role can be a striking departure from your usual. In fact, you can find yourself at the start of a radically altered life heading in a direction you would have never considered just a short time ago. For those who experience Jupiter’s onslaught side, when a previous reality or security base shatters, you will have no choice but to reinvent yourself. (You will do it better this time.) With growing frequency you’ll notice that people will comment on how different you seem. A contract of great significance, dealings with authorities, parents, banks and those who can further your career are the feature of the Solar Eclipse, Jan 25. The Lunar Eclipse can ignite extremes, arguments, and polarization; there could be a sudden split. You will get your chance to say your piece, to revisit, or to tie up loose ends while Mercury is retrograde, Jan 11 – Jan 31. While Venus is in Aries, you may prefer to keep things under-wraps. A romance or professional opportunity can bud, but it will be hard to predict the outcome until the beginning of June. Know that you are more vulnerable and susceptible through the first quarter of the year, so try to safeguard your interests and protect your health too. June is a good month for fresh starts, and for finances and romance. October onward, you will need to exert more effort to keep your world afloat.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Pluto in Capricorn pumps you full of added resolve, which is in keeping with the need to develop more consistency re budgets, belt tightening, and relationship boundaries. The Saturn/Uranus opposition cycle can position you between a rock and a hard place; home life, career challenges, and the economic downturn can keep apprehension running high. Over the next two years, you are going to see a lot of change; when you look back you will marvel at what a fast track it was. While you may not have a clear sense of how things are going to shape up next, Jupiter’s advance into Aquarius puts synchronicity on your side. Worry or not, things will work themselves out just fine. Saturn may diminish your real estate value, but on the other end, you will be paying less too. Of course, if you are jumping into the market, Saturn/Uranus and Jupiter place you at a great advantage. (There is no race; prices are likely to drop further by summer and beyond.) While you might be tethered in other ways, Jupiter in Aquarius sets your mind and heart free. This is a wonderful influence for broadening your knowledge base, in the school of life and formally too. Also favored by Jupiter for this coming year: travel, market expansion, publicity, relocation, politics, creative exploration (especially in the areas of writing, publishing, media arts), alternative healing modalities and energy work too. For the most part the Eclipses are favorable to your sign and provide opportunity for the taking. Mars in Gemini, July 13 to 26, brings a good time to vacation (hike, bike, camp, etc.) or to jump into something brand new.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Pluto in Capricorn will transform the way you present yourself to the world. You will become more observant re behavior patterns, relationships, and circumstances that help and those that hinder. Your next task, of course, will be to actually do something about them. Over time, you will learn to refine your communication skills. Saturn in Virgo can see the need to work something out with a sibling, a neighbor, or a friend of special note. Re professional matters, it is time to hone in on more efficient business strategies and marketing angles too. Consider now through May as a groundwork cycle and keep modifying as your circumstance dictates. By October onward, either you will move into a time-is-right implementation stage, or it will be time to start over again. Jupiter’s advance into Aquarius can create inconsistency re love or the money chase; face your challenges one day at a time. While Pluto can bring limitations or ceilings, watch for synchronicity planet Uranus to open a window. Re career options, developing notoriety, financial gain, new lifestyles or new love, great potentials are out there for you – broaden your search and trust the universe is doing its part too. Summertime forward, you will feel you have more latitude and see more rapid progress on things/relationships that have been dragging along. The Solar Eclipse July 21 will create an unexpected opportunity, if you can see it as such. Watch for financial and relationship matters to accelerate. Mars in Cancer, Aug 26 – mid October can bring a starting over cycle. Saturn’s advance into Libra late October may put you under added financial or family strain, play it smart now.

LEO (July 23 – Aug. 22)

January’s stars can pile on the pressure. Stay open to anything goes during Mercury’s retrograde tour; Jan 11 to Jan 31 can bring relationship fallouts, agreement backtracks or more financial problems. Jupiter’s advance into Aquarius can swing your balancing act. If it’s going great, push it for all it’s worth, if it isn’t, drop it quick. The Solar Eclipse Jan 25 and Lunar Eclipse Feb 9 are likely to see the entrance or exit of a special person or much hoped for potential. Work or health can reach a critical apex too. Know that the effect of an Eclipse can last for months, even years. Both Eclipses are especially life altering for those born at the end of July, while the Lunar Eclipse also targets those born around the middle of August. You will have to push both harder and smarter to meet objectives through March and April, the transit of Mars is particularly challenging for finances and relationships. Watch for better prospects once Venus completes retrograde April 17 onward. Still, if you plan to sell real estate or feel pressured by another major financial need, avoid action during the next Mercury retrograde cycle, May 6 to 31. Watch for the Solar Eclipse July 21 to ignite a potential of significance or bring something previously hidden into full view, again related to work, health or family matters. While Saturn in Virgo can make you feel backed into a corner, Saturn’s advance into Libra at the end of October can produce more viable options; you will gain more social support too. Oct 16 through June 8, 2010 a new chapter begins; Mars in Leo revitalizes you, physically, emotionally, and circumstantially too.

VIRGO (Aug 22 – Sept 21)

Don’t expect the intensity and rapid pace to stop, but know that you will gain good ground on it now. Pluto has advanced into Capricorn and into one of your most empowering planetary positions, providing you with a more commanding presence and ample stamina to meet with whatever life throws at you. The Saturn/Uranus opposition finds you naturally reinventing your social-life and social persona. Overall, it is a big plus. Progressively, others will see that they have under-rated you and that you are much smarter and much more than meets the eye. Pluto in Capricorn benefits your love life, your creativity, your entrepreneurial ambitions, and helps you to get a better handle on your parenting skills too. Jupiter’s advance into Aquarius enhances your talent for trouble shooting and can bring a radical departure in the way you approach your work or your day. Jupiter can also ignite an interest in advanced studies or alternative healing modalities. Upgrades to your website, equipment, or to technical proficiency can be the best place to put your money. The Solar Eclipse on Jan 25 could find you on strike or suddenly without work; conversely, it may surprise you with an unexpected opportunity. Your search can be lucrative in the first two weeks of June, so aim to sell your property or scout for that new job, new school, or new love. The Solar Eclipse July 21 can also bring surprise opportunity, especially for those born Sept 11 or Sept 17 – 22. Look for Saturn’s advance into Libra at the end of October to get you resituated or resettled as next chapters begin.

LIBRA (Sept.23 – Oct.22)

Family relationships and home-related matters are feature of Pluto’s advance into Capricorn. Those of you born around September 23 are first on Pluto’s renovation list. For some it’s the empty nest syndrome, for some it’s a real-estate downsize or a dwindling nest egg, for others it’s the pressure of working harder to make your struggling business survive. The tides will change eventually, but it’s important to move along rather than to hold out for things to return to the way they were. Contracts (material and karmic) are the feature of the Solar Eclipse July 21. This Eclipse can signal the right time to start a new professional chapter or a new business; it could bring a family wedding, the birth of a child, or a key negotiation with a mortgage broker or bank-lender. So too, this Eclipse could edge a family member through an important transition. Those born around Oct 22 will see life intensify as of mid August onward. Jupiter one year tour of Aquarius suggests you will do well to branch into a new line of work. Jupiter rewards independent enterprise and out of the box thinking, so it is encouraging for creative types and the entrepreneurial minded. Jupiter can bring a breath of fresh air to your social life and love life too. When new love appears, it could take you by storm! You are likely to be attracted to people, places and things that are not in keeping with your usual. If you are already having problems, Saturn’s advance into your sign, Oct 30 can cause further hardship or restriction. Pace your year wisely so that you can harness Saturn’s benefit of right timing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Jupiter’s one year tour of Aquarius can uproot you physically, or it can reinvent your life, perhaps unexpectedly so. For some, communal living or group endeavors are the right answer. When change arrives, it’s big. The Solar Eclipse Jan 25 can toss a surprising forward switch for those born Oct 27 – 31; it can be especially fortuitous for those born around Nov 15. The Lunar Eclipse Feb 9 brings circumstances to a peak; for some there is glory, for others there may be pain. The intensity will continue through Feb 17. Pluto’s advance into Capricorn helps you to get you better informed and connected. In tandem with the Saturn/Uranus opposition, you could feel like you are starting to break-free from a “pregnant pause”, a stalemate or a laborious plateau. Synchronicity planet Uranus in Pisces works in your favor, so you are apt to find that when life or love is in flow, it flows very well. Mercury’s retrograde cycle, Jan 7 to Jan 31 is a good time to reconnect or to resume talks, but it isn’t a time to finalize decisions or commitments. You can expect a continuous stream of new considerations, avenues, and potentials ripe for the picking through the majority of the year, so don’t limit yourself, take advantage of as much as you can while it’s happening for you. Plan your vacation, wedding, publication date or other special event for the Solar Eclipse July 21 or just before. This Solar Eclipse can be a lucky time for some. Mid October through the end of the year could bring a change of residence or keep you occupied with renovations, family circumstances, a health issue, an important career project, or some other new ambition.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22 – Dec. 21)

No doubt, recent years have been a wild ride. Pluto’s advance into Capricorn takes you to a more level plateau. While you may be better able to stabilize yourself financially and emotionally, know you won’t get stuck or bored. Jupiter in Aquarius and the year’s Eclipses will keep the year ahead especially lively. Pluto finds you naturally deepening your commitment to your career ambitions, your financial aims, to your lover and loved ones too. This year and next, the Saturn/Uranus opposition will keep challenging you to experiment, to modify, and to surrender. You may be able to control what goes on inside you (to a certain extent that is), but you can’t control much else. The economic climate can offer advantage for some, but for some, especially those born around Dec 12, perhaps there isn’t much change. You can continue to feel hit from all sides – so what if there’s more? (Adopt this attitude to strengthen your coping skills.) You can expect to win some, lose some through the first quarter of the year. Venus and Mars move into favorable position for action taking from the end of April through May, but keep in mind that Mercury’s retrograde cycle May 6 to 31 best used to re-hash or rebuild on your previous successes rather than start fresh. August stars can see you going places too, thanks to the potency of the Lunar Eclipse Aug 5. Take your vacation, plan something special or wait to see what happens next. This Eclipse can be fortuitous, even lucky for some. Mars in Leo, Oct 16 through June 8, will deliver an extended success cycle, for creative undertakings and for adventures in love. Your children will thrive during this period too.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Start of the New Year finds you ready to (or needing to!) dive in with both barrels packing. You will weather Mercury’s retrograde cycle (Jan 11 to Feb 2) best if you don’t hold too tight to your set agenda. Factor an extra margin for sidetracks, corrections, and the unexpected. When the moment shows up, there must be a reason for it, use it and learn from it. Jupiter’s entrance into Aquarius can stimulate ideas re new income ventures or help you to discover new ways to market your existing assets.  Jupiter can also see you detach from a social network, status, or friendship that once held great importance. You could give up on a previous passion, interest, or study too, perhaps because its replacement is more exciting to you now. Do your best to stay up to speed, Jan 22 through the end of May could feel like a marathon race. The first quarter of the year is your “break-out time”, so push the parameters to the max. Pick up and go if the offer excites you. As challenging and full to the brim as life can get, Saturn and Uranus provide exactly the right bridge to transition you into a much brighter future. The Solar Eclipse July 21 could bring an important negotiation or offer, or prompt a surprising new relationship chapter.  Don’t hold back – go for it big time. Saturn’s entrance into Capricorn can bring a big step forward in your career or create some other important structural change.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

2009 will see you through a significant growth spurt. Happening once every twelve years, bonus planet Jupiter can also see you pack on extra weight too. Opportunity planet Jupiter can keep life/potentials supercharged. But for some, Saturn opposing Uranus can hit hard re financial matters or affairs of the heart. While you can feel all over the map, at a loss, backed into a corner, or overly stressed about that hole in your wallet, know that at any moment you could discover a workable new remedy. It may not be an instant cure-all, but at least it is a starting point. In fact, Solar Eclipse Jan 25 and Lunar Eclipse Feb 9 will catapult your circumstances into warp speed.  If your birth-date falls on or around either of these two Eclipses, then know you are in for an exceptional year ahead. Those born around Feb 14 – 17 are also tagged for an intensified go of things. Life could bring a striking, even surprising departure from the usual course. Watch for the summer Eclipses, July 7, 21, and Aug 5, for another peak point of the year. Whatever has begun at the start of the year will jump to the next level up, or you will move on to an entirely new chapter. Pluto’s advance into Capricorn provides you with ample background support, inner strength and resolve. Listen to your gut instincts they will serve you well, and know that belief in your abilities and trust in your sense of deserving will get you at least half the way home. You may be greatly challenged (time for battle fatigues), or greatly charged (perhaps a hot new passion or lover) by Mars in Leo, Oct 16 through June 8, 2010.

PISCES (Feb. 19 – March 20)

Most of you feel like you have been put through the wringer; those of you born Mar 8 to 11 may feel like you have been slammed against a wall. A handful of you will feel finally set free by the Saturn/Uranus opposition cycle. By the time you get through this key two-year razor’s edge cycle, you will have confronted one of the most critical and revolutionizing chapters of your life. Pluto’s advance into Capricorn will prompt you (or force you!) to be more selective about where you put your energy and who gets a piece of you. While the realities of the moment need tending to, Pluto and Jupiter encourage you to stay firmly focused on future benefits; don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the shortfalls or disappointments of the here and now. You will draw strength in reserve when you place unswerving hope and faith in the potentials that lie ahead. Health and work are the target focus of this year’s Eclipses. You will get an inkling of something brewing around the time of the Solar Eclipse Jan 25, take action fast. Following on the heels of the decisive Saturn/Uranus threshold of Feb 5, watch for the revealing Lunar Eclipse on Feb 9 to remove the uncertainty and answer the question, to clue you in to much more than you may have suspected, to deliver a new employment prospect, or to bring issues to a critical final head. Venus in Aries, Mar 4 through June 6 brings new financial considerations or avenues, and helps you to gather up a new sense of self worth, and net worth. By the time the summer Eclipses energize, you should see that things are shaping up in your favor and that you are gaining more rapid ground.