2008 Horoscope Forecast
Leo the Lion in 2008
earthy and practical
It's an earthy and practical year for you, Leo. With Jupiter, lord of fortune in Capricorn, work and health will be prominent concerns. You will look to expand your activities or your knowledge. Education will advance your situation. You will grow by becoming expert in the details and the little things required for daily life. It's the right time to further develop current skills or focus on the development of untapped potential. If you get 'good', life will get better. Saturn adds to the measure of earthiness with a journey in Virgo, begun in Sep 2007. Don't fantasize about the investment property in Ibiza if you're struggling to pay bills. Do the 'milk money' first. Worry about the money for 'jam and cream' later on. The year begins with a blaze of air and fire as retrograde Mars slips back into Gemini, opposing Pluto on the verge of leaving Sagittarius. There's tension. There will be passions unleashed. The atmosphere is hot-blooded, or hot for love. Watch for troubles with friends. Be wary of opposition to your desires or impulses. You need to sort out the reality of 'having what you want' in relation to your financial and romantic situation. You may feel a compulsion to pay any cost for change. That's a 'short term' view! As Mars begins to move forward on Jan 30th, you may have cause to review the changes you've made in haste or in the throws of passion. Romantic relations will be under pressure and sexual tension high. Be careful of romantic with friends. They may not lead to the places you're hoping to go. Take extra care with extreme or sporting activity. 'Safety first' is the way to start this year. Don't throw over something you've worked for just for the sake of a new thrill. And, don't spend the rent money or the mortgage payment on extra drinks for the New Year's Eve celebrations. You can do a lot this year. But none of it will be done with extravagance. Some of you will finally decide to pursue an activity or interest you've thought about for years. Others will return to an old arena to begin again.
 Love and Money 
With the Lunar North Node in Aquarius and the South Node in Leo, personal relations will play a big part in life this year, bringing waves of change and fascinating encounters. You will make new contacts, especially with people who run against type. They will bring new ideas, interests or directions. For some of you, someone may literally come in and change your life. For the singles, there will be new romance that will come suddenly or in unusual circumstances. It may not be an instant lustful attraction so much as a friendship, one that forms with someone different from yourself and from the kind of person you think you prefer. Look for the quiet and reliable rather than the fireworks display. And yet there will still be a powerful draw in a new liaison and you'll surprise yourself with a willingness to make change in your life because of it. For those already in a relationship, your partner or loved one may take a new course in life, choosing new directions or taking up new interests. In time, this will begin to alter your life or interests. You will become more involved in your loved one's life. It may be that the balance shifts more towards your partner's side of the ledger. The new influences that others bring will involve business relations as well. There will be a new partnership or association for some. For others, new liaisons will bring changes in thinking or ideas. Through the influence of someone close, you become passionate or committed to concerns about community, society or the world. Your thinking on important topics will be set for change due to the influence of someone else. Late Apr through to mid Jun will be a key time for romantic liaisons and encounters with unusual people, groups or situations. You will find a new passion. This year comes with a caution about love and money. With Venus the goddess in fiery Sagittarius tested by Saturn in Virgo, extravagance or exaggerated responses could lead you up the garden path. Following the 'impulse' could see you expend or overextend. Don't put too much money into things you don't need or can't afford. And don't put too much energy into a flame that burns out too quickly in a relationship that can't really happen. It won't help your cause to waste what you have, financially or emotionally. You will have big decisions to consider. Some of you already in a relationship will be at a crossroads. You will have to change how things work or be prepared to let things go. The remedy will lie in doing the little things and enjoying them. If you can't live a simple life together, you will have to answer questions about what you expect a relationship to be. If you're single, be wary about throwing yourself into horizontal speed dating. Without discernment or care as to what you really want, this will be the year of the failed relationship. If you learn to love the simple things, simple pleasures will be yours. On the topic of simple, money’s in focus in the coming year. Saturn in Virgo urges you to get it right with personal spending and resources. Sound management and attention to detail will be important. Planning and preparation will get you on track. Keep savings aside to deal with small emergencies. Don’t overextend and leave yourself with nothing in the kitty. Assess the cost of lifestyle and make necessary changes. You may need to train or learn new skills to open new lines of income. With Saturn in Virgo, the means by which you handle money and personal spending will have to change. Opt for a thrifty approach. Stick to the basics. If you wish to buy something of value, work towards the purchase by recognizing how many working hours will go into the purchase price. Make sure that what you buy will have a practical use. Changes with work or health will affect your financial situation. Be ready to adjust. In the years that follow, build resources and spending power with hard work and good management. It's time to downsize. You may learn about ‘doing without’ in the year ahead. Saturn is in reverse motion as the year begins. The measurer of effort will move forward again on May 3rd and remain so til the end of the year. Late Oct to mid Nov will see Saturn in Virgo oppose Uranus in Pisces. You will have to rebalance or restructure personal spending or resources with the more substantial matters of joint monies or obligations. You need to come in or out of a deal or an investment. This may be because of a change with alliances or personal relations. It may also be that you simply cannot sustain the payment cycle you're involved with. Liberate yourself from a financial burden; are you ready to put capital at risk for greater gains? Whichever path you choose, make sure you're discerning and organized about what you're getting out of or into. There may be conflicting inclinations or advice as to whether you should downsize or upgrade. The best solution is to do the sums. You may find yourself in conflict with the advice or financial demands of someone at this time. Negotiate.
Home and Family
Excitement or change will touch home life this year. There'll be a changing population in Castle Lion as visitors, travellers and the odd stranger all come and go. However, there will also be some permanent moves as people come or go from the household. This will include family, guests, boarders or housemates. Even some Lions may be on the move. This will come about due to changes in close relations, like a move into or out of a romance. You also may move to be with more congenial or like-minded people, or to get away from those less so. You will find that your interests or needs with friendship will alter. This may be a natural progression or it may be that new relationships are at odds with old ones. There will be visitors or guests that bring change or disruption to the home, leaving you waiting less than patiently for their departure. Once gone, they will leave no signs of their passage. Much of this will, in the end, be a question of desire. If you want something different with your personal life, this is the year to find it or take it up when it finds you.
Work and Health
Jupiter, the lord of fortune, is in Capricorn, bringing a time of development with work. You improve your status in the workforce by learning new practices or skills. Some of you will choose to go into business while others will find promotion with your current employment. You may even choose a new career and train for it. Study may take you in a new direction with work, qualifying in a new area of endeavour. There is travel for work, especially overseas. There will be work-related dealings with foreign destinations or with people from other cultures. You will find the opportunity or the luck you need to develop your work situation or business. Experts or qualified people will play a part in your working day. You will improve relations with co-workers and with your peers as you gravitate into a position of new accomplishment or authority. Don't try to take on too much though. Don't overreach. Delegate to get things done rather than just taking it all upon yourself to prove something. Health matters will need attention. While Jupiter is a benevolent lord, this is not always a benign transit and you would do well to look at health problems and expand your range of treatments, practitioners or practices. However, the best guide to wellbeing will be the time-honoured one. Live a simple life. Don't indulge, overeat or stay sedentary for too long. A sensible diet and regular exercise will be the necessary balance for the demands of daily routine or working life. Some of you even study matters related to health and health practice. Jupiter moves forward as the year begins, turns retrograde on May 9th and turns direct again on Sep 8th. Nov will be a beneficial time for developments with work. There may be advancement, promotion or genuine achievement. Long term, powerful change is coming in your house of work, health and daily routine. Pluto, lord of the underworld this year moves to Capricorn. He enters there on Jan 25th, moves back to Sagittarius on Jun 14th then returns to the sign of the Goat on Nov 26th, set for a lengthy stay for the first time since the Eighteenth Century. In-depth considerations or powerful events will alter your attitudes or needs with work or health over the coming years. You may change direction, your work practice or the whole nature of your approach as old attitudes or precepts are uprooted to make room for new growth. You may deal with powerful people or situations. You are forced to make change because of changing circumstances. It's the end of a working cycle, so be ready to begin again. You may be dissatisfied or unsatisfied with the nature of your efforts or employ and thus search for a completely new path. Conflict arises with authority or with the public over work conditions or your work situation. You may be at loggerheads with intractable people or determined authority figures. You may come into business to seek wealth or achievement, or leave the world of business to pursue another kind of life. You will flourish when you find the right balance of work and health. All these changes will unfold over time.
Career Matters
Career decisions will be circumscribed by concerns over finance or a need to advance your ambitions. You are drawn to work your way through the ranks to find security with income or financial circumstances. You may train or study to seek promotion or find a new outlet for your talent. Some of you will turn a corner with your career by dint of new associations or contacts. These may be personal and romantic, or they may be business or professional. New people, ideas or influences inspire you to seek a different path. The Lion values independence but you will have to temper your need for freedom with a deeper need to get your finances on track or to send your working life to the place you want it to go. This year you feel a pull between the desire to just live as you wish and a realistic drive to get you and your situation sorted. With all this activity in Earth Signs, opt for the practical. 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. Mercury's first reverse cycle begins in Aquarius on Jan 28th. There may be confusion or misunderstanding with partners or close associates. Communications may be testing or testy. You may have difficulty with a partner or there may be unexpected developments with arrangements or schedules that will send you in different directions. Take a break, or your partner may head off. A difference in attitudes or ideas with a partner will need to be sorted. Be ready for a reversal in interest or attention with your loved one. Past situations or feelings may resurface. A new interest may draw your partner's attention away from you for a time. Mercury moves forward again on Feb 19th. Mercury's second retrograde cycle begins in Gemini on May 26th. Dealings with friends will bring problems or confusion. Conflicting arrangements may bring a separation or there may be a split or dispute. Differing ideas may take you in different directions. You may go through uncertainty about what you want. If you take up interests out of boredom or because of someone else's influence, these won't hold your attention for long. Contacts or activities that are part of your past will resurface. You may be busy, rushing from one thing to another. Conversely, you may step away from familiar contacts or activities for a timeout. As the messenger moves into reverse by squaring Uranus in Pisces, difficulties will emerge suddenly or dramatically because of hidden matters or secret dealings. Don't get into squabbles over money and don’t poach anyone's love interest or engage in a secret liaison. Mercury moves forward on Jun 19th. The final reverse phase for Mercury begins in Libra on Sep 24th. Communications and travel will be under pressure. There may be difficulty, confusion or delay. Familiar people may be absent. There may be a loss of contact, either in the natural order of things or through unexpected change. There may be shifts or delays with business deals. Someone may absent themselves or be distracted by other commitments. There may be indecision over matters that before seemed certain. People may suddenly change their minds or opinions, creating unexpected problems. There may be contradictory advice or opposition from associates. They may waste time with excessive talk or be demanding. There may be problems communicating with siblings or neighbours due to testiness or an unexpected absence. Vehicles or equipment may be problematic or need servicing. Don't leave things that are overdue already. Mercury moves forward on Oct 15th.
Lady Moon
Your Full Moon comes on Jan 22nd, bringing with it a tide of emotion. Partners, friends, romance and lifestyle will be ingredients in an alchemical mix of realization and change. You'll do something you've wanted to do for a long time in the emotional stakes. You will make decisions about where you want to go and with whom. What you'll do when you get there will be another matter. Only time will tell if change is for the best. Things won't lack for excitement. You'll be in a swirl of action that will sweep you up with it. You'll be inspired by new people or options, though you will have already thought about these possibilities. You may fulfil a dream only to wonder if it will work as you hoped. New connections will alter your romantic status. Remember the adage about changing canoes midstream. A choice to go one way will take you away from something or someone else. Your New Moon comes on Aug 1st, bringing a Solar Eclipse. A personal cycle will end. You'll have a change of situation, presentation, image or romantic involvement. This may be a break or the end of a cycle or connection. You may hit a 'down' or just want to keep to yourself for a bit. Don't worry about the 'long term' for you'll bounce back up. It may be that someone you're close to will depart, either for a time or for good. There will be a break or some disruption in personal relations. Prepare to go through a change about who you are.
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 at the New Moon in Aquarius on Feb 7th. There will be a change or an ending in personal relations. A romantic tie, a business partner or a close associate may leave. This may be for a time or it may be 'long term'. Someone close will undergo a personal change that will affect relations with them. This may reverse previous conditions. There will be a change in the status of relations with you and a partner or close associate. A partner may come into a new situation that will alter relations between you. As Mercury is also retrograde at this time, there will be difficulties communicating with someone close. A Lunar Eclipse comes with the Full Moon in Virgo on Feb 21st. You'll come to the end of a financial cycle, especially where income or spending is concerned. There may be delay or disruption with payments or billing. Unexpected expenses may trouble or there may be a fluctuation with income. There will be simple delays with the receipt of monies or with payments going through. There will be changes with the people you usually deal with over financial matters. A source of money may dry up. A break may affect finances. The Full Moon in Aquarius brings a Lunar Eclipse on Aug 16th. Someone with whom you're closely associated will break from relations or depart them altogether. This may be a disruption or it may be an end. A partner may undergo a change of situation, career or circumstance. This may be a change of direction or it may be a final act. Either way it will affect relations with you. You may end a business partnership. Romantic life may undergo a minor separation or there may be something more serious at work. Examine what you really want and with whom you want it. There will be excitement or a little upset in this obstruction of the Lunar light. Behaviour may be erratic or out of character. | | 
