Astrology is simply a language that describes our connection with the cosmos, symbolized by the ever-changing movement of the planets. It describes resonance, or different types of energy. The energy can be likened to a battery, with a positive end and a negative end ... and somewhere in-between. It's your choice, or free will, to decide which end you're going to use.

If you have information about which astrological "batteries" are activated and how they behave, what they trigger, you can recognize when they are manifesting in a way that you can either welcome or modify for more constructive use. This is an attempt to give you a more complete picture, the light as well as the shadows, for better "time-management" and decisions. Astrological language communicates trends and cycles that apply to all of us, so following are the general influences for the coming year.

We look to the slower moving planets, Jupiter through Pluto, for a panoramic view because they take longer to transit, or travel, a sign (and therefore a certain area of your chart, affecting a certain part of your life)- anywhere from about eleven months to thirteen years! Their affect is often felt more subtly over the long term - but oh, what a difference! when it's all said and done.

These planets indicate our soul lessons and inner growth through the experiences they symbolize, as well as link us to others within a particular age group for a generational, or collective, experience. This is why some change feels beyond our control - but what we can change is our response to it.

2003 finds a planetary emphasis in the mutable (curious, adaptable, flexible, non- committal) signs, so those folks born under Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces will feel the experience of change or crisis the most - those wonderful "opportunities" for growth. Issues and events at any level - personal, local, global - can become more reactive and territorial, especially during the summer months, as Mars in Pisces and Saturn in Cancer are at perihelion (the closest their orbits can come to the Sun). The year also registers a planetary shift from mostly fire and air signs (inspiration and information) to include the water element (emotional); a formerly logical and rational approach takes a more passionate, indirect and subjective path.

We are dealing with potentially volatile energy. So, Martyr or Hard-ass??? These are the extremes if we give in to our apathy or insecurity. How about Motivator? If we want to walk down the noble and wise path this year, our great workrequires a compassionate look at the Big Picture and the courage and integrity to do something about it. Fear of the future can negatively manifest in the preservation of meaningless traditions and xenophobia.

Hopefully, with Jupiter transiting the earth (material) sign of industrious Virgo, we will channel our emotional weight into something constructive, building on our skills. It doesn't have to be a grand scheme - anything practical and functional will do for starters. After all, we are now in the Age of Aquarius, so our successful evolution is dependent upon our collective capacity for invention and humanity.

Saturn functions as a task master/reality biter; it enters Cancer for a two-year tour, putting a serious focus on the discipline and responsibility we commit towards home, family and our most basic level of comfort. Included are issues literally concerning water (such as ponds, lakes, rivers), as well as our insecurities, fears, emotional needs, genetic and environmental foundations, family cultural traditions, food, clothing, shelter, real estate, and territory.

Inventive, rebellious Uranus rolls into aesthetic, hypersensitive Pisces for its seven-year itch hitch. The last time this happened was during the Roaring Twenties - a time of glamorous "anything goes." If it was a book, it would be called "Expect the Unexpected," with the subtitle "the Weirder, the Better." Pisces is also a water sign (think oceans) and its domain includes anything eternal, collective, intangible, insidious such as films, photography, glamour, magic, the fine arts, spirituality, viruses, gases, fraud, asylums, monasteries, secrets, prisons, etc.

Mercury will be retrograde during the periods April 26 - May 20, August 8 - September 20 and December 17 - January 6 (2004). As I have mentioned before in this column, REtrograde motion, indicates a time for the "REs": reflect, review, revise, renew, rethink, redo.

Mercury symbolizes our mental processes, communications, and networks. During this time traffic, machines, electronic appliances and mail can bring more headaches than usual. If you are traveling make sure your itinerary is well-planned in advance to avoid some of the delays that usually accompany Mercury retrograde. Back up your computer. Have an alternative plan. Read directions carefully. If you absolutely have to sign any contracts, be sure to read the fine print, make sure the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed, and realize that some changes may have to be made later on in order to get the results you intended. Agreements and new ventures launched during this time don't meet expectations.

Because Mercury will be retrograde in earth signs, we might see entanglements concerning resources and material things. On the positive side, it's an opportunity to use the earth energy to ground our plans and ideas: keep it simple, reconsider situations in terms of function and efficient process and make notes.

Mars will be retrograde in Pisces from July 29 - September 27, and the "REs" apply here, too. The hero/warrior planet symbolizes our passionate activity, not only the physical and sexual, but also how we go about getting what we want and desire. With the retrograde, this process is frustrated, so it can become anger in its many guises or it can simply be difficult to get motivated. This period is best spent revising our process of doing (try just being) and taking very calculated risks in order to be more competitive. It will also help circumvent the tendency for a high level of stress, conflict and destruction. Safety measures are especially important, so be sure to use recommended equipment in sports, recreation, construction or any other physical exertion.

Our own unique planetary makeup (determined by the planetary configuration in the heavens at the exact time of birth) describes how we respond to and experience these influences on an individual basis. These responses are explained here according to where the Sun was at your birth. If you know your Moon sign or Rising sign, you might want to read those paragraphs as well. Keep in mind these are trends that are effective throughout 2003, unless specifically noted.

Horoscopes:

Mikki Sligh is a certified astrologer and tarot reader, in professional practice for the past 15 years. She is available for telephone consultations by appointment and can be contacted at kosmik@mindspring.com or msligh@dishmag.com.