Author Archives: Eric Francis Coppolino

About Eric Francis Coppolino

Lives in Kingston, friend of critters, etc.

Monday Morning Horoscope #188 for August 5, 2019

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Jupiter in Sagittarius, your 9th house, has a visionary feeling. This has been going on most of the year. The potential problem is that Jupiter has also been making a right angle to Neptune, in Pisces. From that equation, you could doubt your best ideas, or be unable to distinguish them from the ones you really care about and want to invest in. Jupiter square Neptune has a “what a beautiful bubble” feeling to it. Yet Jupiter is about to station direct, and complete the process of the square. That will be a test of truth for what you desire, feel, aspire to, or want to create. For you, any test of truth is a good thing, as you need to purge your life of what does not measure up. At the moment, evidence will come from seeing what happens when you perform a real-time experiment: try something you want to do, size up the results, and try again. Keep at it for a while and you will learn something. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You are rarely the spontaneous action type, though at the moment, you’re sitting on hot coals. Yet is there really anything you need to change? It would seem more relevant to consider what has changed; in particular, you seem to have reached a new depth of commitment in a partnership. That could work both ways: the commitment to hold this level of depth, or concerns with doing so. It will be helpful if you do not consider this a “fixed” situation, but rather a work in progress (as is most of life). Here is a potential tension point, as described by astrology: what is the thing that you must hold space for, or somehow abide? And how do you feel about that? Even if you like that thing, be aware of the role you play: of making something possible. It might seem like you don’t benefit, though in the greatest sense (and many others), you do. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Work out your financial kinks one at a time. Don’t just leave them around to fester. Look directly at whatever issues you discover, take them apart, and solve the problem on the spot. And if you cannot do that, you can surely do an assessment and then engage a work plan, complete with a timeline. I can give you one potentially helpful clue: much of what you’re dealing with involves your priorities. You could work out nearly any financial question by sizing up what is important to you, and in what order you handle your commitments. There are times when you have to put food and shelter on top of your list, and there are times when you have to put therapy as item #1. There are times when you have to fix the roof, and times when you have to get out of town. Take this process methodically. Your ideas about life and money are being rapidly shuffled at the moment. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — If you have come through recent bouts with Mars, eclipses and Mercury retrograde relatively unscathed, it was not thanks to luck. It was due to your ability to skillfully manage your affairs. If you’ve suffered damages or losses, this is the time to do a careful review and figure out what happened. The astrology of the past three months (May, June and July) was a kind of dry run for what will be developing over the next six months, well into early 2020. So, if some matters went less than perfectly, or if any weak spots in your life system were revealed, address them now. What is vital, in the first instance, is that you have people in your life who are reliable, and who are motivated entirely by love, or love and some other reward. Yet your top priority is being able to depend on yourself for your stability, your resources and your most basic needs. You would be wise, however, to keep practicing being open to the care and support of others. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.


Part One of Eric’s Solar Winds reading, Astrology Studio for Leo Sun, Moon and rising, is now available for instant access. Leo has just been through an extraordinary experience of eclipses (including the Great American Eclipse), and you are still reorienting from those experiences. We will move from there into the influence of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, which talks about the profound changes you’re going through in “everyday life,” including matters related to work and wellbeing. And of course, Chiron in Aries will feature prominently, in this extended reading for Leo. Take a break from the mental stress and frustration of society, and enter a world where you are at the center, where your potential is real, and where your problems yield to your spiritual gifts.

You may order here. This reading is included with the Backstage Pass and Galaxy Pass.

Planet Waves
Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If certain creative plans or ambitions have been slow to develop, don’t be discouraged; gently persist. Part of the problem may be the degree to which you’ve depended on partners for energy, inspiration or encouragement. That is the likely energy drain. You might try a policy of maintaining containment on your ideas till they are well into development. You might also avoid those who in any way try to dissuade you from what you want to do, and from the talents you’re devoted to developing. Whether we’re talking about partners, friends, or some other form of associate, surround yourself only with those who support and encourage your excursions into art, love and life. Once you set that as a standard, you may discover that not so many people are there; jealousy and envy are real problems on this planet, though they don’t have to be your problems. Do not invite them in, or reward them, in any shape or form. Do what is right for you. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Be alert to any paranoid thoughts about others wanting what you have, or having agendas that conflict with yours. You don’t know what people really think until they either tell you, or actually do something you can observe. What you think they think is not enough. In fact, it’s likely to be a distortion of reality, and a picture of what you have in your mind, and nothing else. The same is true, in any situation, for what you think people think of you. But here is the thing to practice working with — in the end, what people in general think of you matters so little as to be irrelevant. Whether their opinion is horrid or wonderful or some combination, it’s unlikely to be grounded in fact, and it’s subject to change at any time. However, your opinion of yourself matters a lot, and if there is anything for which you need to make amends, now would be an excellent time. For you, self-respect is everything. And you know it must be grounded in reality. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Your astrology is full-on social mojo. This is just at the right time of year. True, summer usually is your best season, though your astrology is peaking at the moment. You might have the idea that you will meet The One. Be careful with that; you will do much better if you take an egalitarian approach when you meet people. Silently say to yourself, “I have no idea who this person is.” But if you’re into meeting men, you might say, “This man is not my father.” If you’re into meeting women, you might say, “This woman is not my mother.” Get the relationship onto level ground as fast as possible, meaning in the first five minutes. Remember not to be intimidated by anyone, no matter how attractive, charming or funny they are. Keep the relationship human to human, with full dignity and respect. There’s nobody here but us critters. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Aspects are supporting and encouraging of your professional aspirations. Make sure you know what you want, and that you have at least a modest plan for how to get there. However, you would be wise to take a service-based approach to the puzzle rather than an ambition-based one. Instead of thinking of yourself as a star, remember, you’re the one who is good at holding things together. Make sure that is your primary organization — and then indulge in a little sparkle. Yet it’s better if you give credit for great accomplishments to the people you lead or help organize. Even so, this is not all about appearances; you need to maintain your core strategy of paying attention and making decisions; of noticing what others fail to see, and listening when someone points something out to you. Your best approach is leadership not from the front, nor from the back, but rather from the center. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Much that has been stuck or stagnant could begin to move. Don’t push things; wait carefully for your moment, or the appropriate moment for each stage of your plan. Keep in mind two properties of the current astrology. One is a reverse in polarity: people may switch sides; you may choose to reverse your objective and go in the opposite direction; the environment may suddenly support another approach or plan. Second, small factors may play a far greater role than large ones. Therefore, do not discount the influence of any particular factor, and take note of what may seem insignificant. One gram of weight, one nudge, one tap, could shift the direction of your life. And that is to say, one thought. So do not rush or push forward. And do not passively wait. Rather, set your life in order, and spend enough time listening to your mind in the depth of silence (try to get there). We are looking at a process that will take about 10 days, and they are indeed 10 days when you can alter the trajectory of your life. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You will feel the energy give way first within you, then in your outer personality and in the world around you. Therefore, keep your attention focused as inwardly as possible, here in the digital hall of mirrors we are living in. If you are older, you may remember how this is done: give yourself some peace and quiet, isolated from activity, for a little while each day. Turn your attention within and hang out there for a while. Be at least somewhat consistent and you will feel the change I’m describing. If you’re younger, your concept of internal space may be rather different from those of older people, which means it may not exist in quite the same way. Your interior world has the feeling of a dream. All the stimuli and imagery and sensation are contained within you. Right now this seemingly hidden or invisible world is where all of the action is in your life. The externals do not matter, or matter very little. They are subject to the shifts and movements that you and you alone contain. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The world is rumbling, though you may be catching a glimpse of how you are larger than your perceptions. Your inner existence is the place to focus in these strange and dangerous times. Though you have responsibilities in the world around you, you are being called to do what so few can accomplish at this time: maintain your quest for change, progress and healing without projecting it onto the world. You do something difficult, which is accept your involvement in all that you see, and understand that your perception is the ’cause’ of how you perceive anything. Here, the most meaningful change is possible — the one that originates with you. In truth, there is no other change possible, because this is the only one that counts, individually or collectively. To put this in simple language: don’t worry so much about the world as you do about how you perceive it. There is crucial work to be done, and it begins with you. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This is the time of year when you benefit from taking extra care of yourself, which sets a pattern for a few seasons to come. But with Venus and Mars joining the Sun in Leo, your work angle, you seem determined to keep your focus and accomplish great things. Yet you can afford to slow down the pace, and take items off your progress agenda, and add a few to your self-care program. The time for a serious push will begin when Jupiter stations direct on Aug. 11, though for several reasons you run the risk of wasting energy. Practice efficiency and be selective about what commitments you take on. Take every effort to ensure that your priorities are in order. First things first will be a helpful guide, and at least get a start on longer range plans so that you’ve got a little something on the page when it comes time to write the story. You can count on the fact that you always get things done when you need to; maintain your positive state of mind first and foremost. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

COMING SOON FROM PLANET WAVES…
Planet Waves

The Singularity Point

Planet Waves
The most visualized black hole of all, as illustrated in the movie Interstellar, shows a predicted event horizon fairly accurately for a very specific class of rotating black holes. Deep within the gravitational well, time passes at a different rate for observers than it does for us far outside of it.

There is no looking to astrology to explain two mass shootings in 24 hours, or the 36 of them in the United States so far this year. Or the 100 or so really nasty ones since 1966 (which seem to be concentrating in our era). There’s also no denying that our nation needs to change — and that nobody seems to know how to do it, or how to agree on what the problem is, or might be. [You may listen to my special audio comment on El Paso here.]

It’s not mass shootings. It’s not merely too many guns, or that the easiest thing to purchase besides one is a politician. It’s that we’re dealing with a blind spot, which affects everyone and everything.

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Comment on Mercury Station Direct — and Mars

Mercury stationed direct overnight Wednesday to Thursday, aligned with the Leo New Moon. To my eye and ear, this represents a turning point in the year, and in particular, the end of a phase associated with the Mars transits of spring and early summer. This was an especially tumultuous phase for many people; I noticed a lot of “breakdown” energy, particularly in those who were overloaded and not dealing with that fact.

Ink drawing by Lanvi Nguyen.

No matter how you look at the astrology, Mars has been a big player for the past 18 months. Mars means desire, motivation and anger — all of which come up as points of frustration for a great many people in our time.

Regarding the recent (actually, current) Mercury direct, I suggest you not rush into getting to all the things you may have put off. Take your time getting started; use the waxing side of the lunar cycle to gradually find a new routine, and during that time, attend to important matters on your task list. Do this slowly and thoughtfully, and I suggest you give yourself until Monday or so to start tackling the bigger projects.

Mercury is doing something unusual now, which is holding a nearly stationary square to Eris. I’ve never seen this before (Eris is a new factor), though if you’re in some kind of crazy mental chaos, here’s where to look for ideas how to sort this out. Take your time; this aspect lasts a week or so.

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Planet Waves Monthly Horoscope for August 2019

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You’re still wrestling with your insecurity rather than burning it as fuel. The root of your hesitation is that you think if you speak up or express yourself, you would really shake things up. Well, if true, that would be fortunate, because a shakeup means that people care. The ultimate purpose of this astrology, in any event, is not to shake up anything but yourself. Any concern you may have about how someone else might respond is secondary. Challenge yourself to say what you need to say, for the sake of saying it: to overcome that phobia or inner resistance. Here is a clue: the way you know you’re really touching on “empowerment” — you experience fear, and you confront it. That particular word is overused to the point of verging on meaningless, but it’s worth one last thought before it’s relegated to the dustbin. Power is not about swagger or brashness or bravado. It’s not what you see at campaign rallies or on television commercials. You’re touching on your power when you have some sense of dread, or the sensation of standing at the edge of a cliff, wondering if you can fly. It’s really not all that bad, though you might be wondering. Anyway, in this situation, the risk is less than you may think, though it’s just enough to put you in a conscious relationship with your own aversion. Which will be just enough to teach you about thinking and speaking more freely.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — To be vulnerable, or not to be vulnerable? That is the question. The opportunity you have to open up to someone may feel like a life-or-death situation. Really, you are faced with the choice to be asleep, or to be awake. The whole world is teetering on this brink, though there are many reasons — and many ways — to stay asleep. One prevailing sensation of our time is a little like sitting at your desk feeling drowsy, wondering whether you want to lie down and take a nap, but not wanting to, but not quite able to be fully alert and present. Yet sitting there is torturous. You have to go one way or another. Another theme that may teeter in the balance is “to be partnered, or not to be partnered.” This may come up if you get into that zone where you think it may be time to take the relationship to another level, i.e., to move in together. That’s actually a good time to consider the scenario, before the moving in actually happens, though don’t let it already having happened stop you from thinking about it. It’s never too late to think about something; and it’s never too early. The more you provoke yourself into any form of original thought, the more you will contribute to your process of casting off orthodoxy, purism or any form of pretentious holiness. You are indeed holy, in the real sense, which means your desires, your needs and your confusion are all evidence of the fact that you belong on Earth and in the universe, right here and right now.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — To some extent, everyone assesses their personal value in terms of what others think of them. Then, in the end, we have to come around to our own evaluation, which will be more or less honest, and more or less based in actual events. Or, looked at another way, more or less based in the desire to be social. Or better said, the need to be social; humans are gregarious and we tend to need one another, though we are not always real with ourselves about this. And, at other times, we put this necessity above all else, to the detriment of integrity, independence and honor. That said, events early in the month will leave you with few options other than to say exactly what you mean, or what you feel, and you might not be so diplomatic or sensitive about it. You might push some buttons, and risk the social status you have. If you dare, you will discover what it means to express some fundamental truth of who you are, which you might otherwise have concealed; in fact, which you are entirely likely to have concealed. Yet the discovery you are making is not something you can conceal, least not from your self, and not from the people close to you, the ones you care about. And in this process, you will find out who your friends are. They are the ones who stick with you when you are in your truth. Be not afraid of alienating anyone else.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You need to shake things up where your professional aspirations are concerned. By that, I don’t mean take an exciting trip through the pages of Monster.com or Zip Recruiter. You are having an idea, or about to have one. This is signified by Mercury stationing direct in your birth sign, square Eris in your professional angle (Aries). This is, actually, more than an idea; it’s akin to a mental revolution, and it may grab you passionately, or seek to dismantle some aspect of your world, or seem to upset the known order of your thoughts. Note that, depending on your relationship to your own awareness, this might be annoying, disruptive or downright freaky. That part is subjective; there is something genuine at the core, at your core. Connect with that experience for as long as you can, and learn as much as you can while the aspect is hot, which is approximately through the first week of August; the peak is Aug. 3. From there, you will need to persist every day, under your own power, and develop whatever it is that showed up for you, or burst forth from you, or tweaked you. There will be days when that goes well, days when it’s boring, days when you don’t seem productive, but show up each day and allow. Take the approach of one great writer: write at least one word a day; or of a great artist: draw a circle, if nothing else. Just keep coming back to yourself, and gently, steadily, persist.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Keeping secrets from yourself is known as denial, and there is one particular matter for which this will no longer work. While you don’t have to put your inner life on display for the world, you must be real with yourself, and sooner rather than later, with people you’re the most intimate with. By all outer indications, you are a tower of strength at the moment. There is a New Moon in your sign on July 31, accompanied by both Venus and Mars. Jupiter is offering support from fire sign Sagittarius. Yet it is your inner life that is calling for your attention, and calling loudly. Be aware that in our time of history, though, the “inner life” is a concept that is, for most people, nonexistent, of little interest, or something they have never made contact with. Even older people, from the pre-internet era, may have difficulty dialing in their inner reality, which digital consciousness has turned inside-out to the degree where you cannot call it internal. Still, you must find your way in, and make contact with the thing you’re thinking, feeling and discovering. It may frighten you; it may irritate you; you may be exuberant once you make contact with it. Your response matters less than your need to actually probe, meditate, and notice your thoughts, and in particular, how you respond to them. There is plenty going on in the outer world that may distract you, and there are many opportunities on offer. Yet without sustained contact with your inner being, they will be of little use.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It’s vital that you remain loyal to those who have helped you, and who consider you a friend. There is an aspect to your personality that can exclude people or turn them off like a switch. In the past, you’ve given yourself permission to do this on the pretext of self-preservation, though those days are gone. Anyway, that was never really true. What you were, and still are, confronted with are your feelings about yourself, which have a way of being divided. There is no way to turn on someone else without turning on yourself, and this is what I suggest you question. Pause and consider any rebellious feelings you may direct at friends or your community. Honor the fact that you may change your mind or make a new decision, and that you can do this in a direct and honest way. You can also mitigate any fallout that may cascade onto others, if you want to. The thing to be most wary of is feeling right and righteous, no matter who it’s directed to: whether friend or ‘enemy’ or someone about whom you may have seemingly neutral feelings. There is an opportunity here, which is about connecting elements of your psyche that may be alienated, cast off or veiled in shadows. Be cautious of any notion of revenge or comeuppance. Be helpful and keep your promises, or at least gently bow out of them. It’s true that you’re learning to be generous with yourself, though for that to work, it does not imply a lack or loss for anyone else.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

COMING SOON FROM PLANET WAVES…

Planet Waves

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Proceed with care where your professional activities are concerned, especially when handing confidential or sensitive information. I am rarely one to encourage distrust, though I will say that you must pay attention to the agendas of people you’re working with, and to whom you give your confidence. For the foreseeable future, treat the whole world on a need to know basis. Keep your plans to yourself, and maintain boundaries around your personal and professional business. Your thought process is still in motion on many important issues, and you’re still involved in a renovation/rebuilding on the deepest level of your security, both emotional and financial. The most helpful thing you can do for yourself is spend time among people, and listen to them. Get them talking and evaluate where they’re coming from. Notice what people say unprompted. Notice how they answer simple questions. Pay attention to who and what they advocate for; you’re likely to hear quite a bit of this going on, and you want to know who is taking what position. This may not be easy to discern in the days surrounding Mercury direct, with the shifting and changing effect going well into the first week of the month. This pattern is associated with a “truth revealed” kind of effect, so I suggest you not only listen to others, but read carefully, and connect the dots. Part of this is a conscious act; part of it will require you to take in the world within and without in a relaxed, neutral stance. Then make the connections.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Be cautious when advocating for your own cause. You must be subtle about it, and let partners, friends and allies take up that role when possible. Be impeccable about following public relations guidelines: stay within the four corners of the truth at all times. Ensure statements that will be read by others, whether going out to Instagram, Twitter or over the AP international wire, are impeccable and understated. You are visible now, which means you’re under scrutiny whether you realize it or not. The Sun and several other planets are passing through Leo, your solar 10th house. The late Debbi Kempton-Smith said of this condition that life is good as long as you don’t mind the feeling of being followed around by a television crew. That is how you must live: as if you are seen, and your words are being recorded and evaluated. To some extent this is true for nearly everyone, and many people live like it’s not true at all; like we haven’t all been thrust into the town square. One theme that may not be obvious though may surely be relevant is to be sensitive where spiritual matters are concerned: your own and those of others, including religion. Whatever your faith or beliefs, avoid proselytizing or evangelizing in any form. Be modest about what is most important to you, and respectful of what others feel. Please, don’t claim any special powers (being a shaman, the ability to heal others, and anything related). Rather, carefully, quietly, do what you can, when you can.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your ruling planet Jupiter stations direct in your sign on the 11th, which may come with the feeling of some relief from pressure you didn’t know you were under. Yet it won’t be until the equinox that you get a sense of what you did not know you did not know. That is when Jupiter completes its last of three squares to Neptune. Any aspect square Neptune is slippery, and comes wrapped in fog and haze. There is an X-factor involved on several different levels, and you will have to be patient enough to see what that is. For now, I suggest you proceed with the awareness that there is missing information, potentially about something of significant importance to you. The current movement will offer you some hints as to what that might be about; Mercury changing directions on July 31 may come with a partner or adversary revealing facts or making an admission they may not be aware they’re making. Jupiter’s change of direction on Aug. 11 will help you tune in to your own self-awareness in a deeper way, though the relevant information will be easy to dismiss or overlook unless you are alert to its possible existence. It’s the interval between Aug. 11 and the equinox on Sept. 23 when you must proceed with special care, because your own impatience may get the best of you. Remind yourself you want to make all decisions with full information available, or with an understanding of what might not be currently visible to you, even though it may be right nearby.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Be aware that you are under considerable pressure due to the imminent Saturn-Pluto conjunction in your sign. While both planets will remain retrograde through August, beginning in late September, Saturn begins approaching Pluto for the final approach to their meeting on Jan. 12. This will be one of the most formative times in your life. Yes, it may be stressful, and you may feel like you are under some highly unusual form of pressure you’ve never felt before. Yet it’s essential that you not squander this opportunity with any kind of palliative self-care. Do not place feeling better over getting your inner work done. Americans in particular and Westerners in general are all about trying to smooth things over in the present. That is often at the expense of changes they know they need to make, and have needed for a long time. I suggest that as the next four months develop, you go directly into confronting all that you need to re-evaluate in your life, and make the decisions you know you have to make. The alternative will be the feeling, or the reality, of having them made for you. Your sign is famous for its attachments to the past, though you cannot say “those days are gone” until you’ve done your part to resolve the karma and actually part ways with what you are finished with. Therefore, use this very rare opportunity — better said, this once in a lifetime opportunity — to assess, to resolve and to conclude as consciously and as willingly as you possibly can.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — This is no ordinary time in your life. You may feel like you’re dealing with forces out of your control, yet ultimately, what you’re feeling are movements deep within you. Since you contain them, it’s not quite correct to say that you don’t control them, though the ‘power’ issue comes down to one of awareness, and in particular, self-awareness. This is not easy at the moment, as so much seems to be going on inside of a blind spot (known in astrology as the 12th house). If you want to take the message of this transit, the thing to do is get your home, and your mind, in order. That means clean closets and drawers. It means tackle the storage unit or the basement. And it means focus on the subject matter (sometimes called ‘issues’) that trouble you the most with someone who you both trust and consider wise. Do not take that particular assessment for granted. People claim to have all kinds of powers they don’t possess. Most of all, you want someone who can handle sexual subject matter with humor, grace and depth. The 12th, at its essence, contains our most intimate sexual secrets. They are the ones that seem to arise from the fire and disappear like smoke; the ones that get masked over the next morning; the ones you may not like to think about, or have avoided for years. There is no proof of anything in this house; yet the closest you will come is the sensation of stifling pressure coming off you, working through pain instead of being bogged down in it, and the gradual release of passion. The question is, in today’s world, do you feel safe being vulnerable and alive?


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — There is an art to not caring what others think, or think about you. And though you may excel at several other arts, this one is not your strong suit. Yet I suggest you go beneath surface appearances, opinions and perceptions, and figure out where you are in time, in space and in your understanding of your existence. True, there is always more ice cream. There is always another margarita. Makeovers are cheap and most people are well practiced in putting on a mask and hiding behind it. And it is rare for anyone to investigate the nature of their life, which always involves confronting the unknown. Even when you do this well, which means gently, and with a sense of honoring the mystery of your existence, you will not pin down the ‘meaning’ on a definitive or factual level. What you can do is enter a relationship with your doubts. You can be aware of what you know, what you don’t know, and what you believe. Leave yourself room for correction; room to be ‘wrong’ and happy to be corrected. Over the next two months, beginning in mid-August, you will encounter a series of turning points that help you gradually shift the direction of your life from what may feel like you’re suspended in midair to actually being carried forward. Most of that will not come from your internal propulsion, though some will. Rather, as it happens, you will feel at times like you’re being carried by air, or by an ocean current. Those are alien elements to earthbound humans. Remember that.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

About Our Invisible Environments

“Only the small child and the artist have that immediacy of approach that permits perception of the environmental. The artist provides us with anti-environments that enable us to see the environment.”

— Marshall McLuhan, 1965

Dear Friend and Reader:

My (so far) four-year swan dive into advanced media studies began with a single comment I made one night on Planet Waves FM: The environment is invisible.

Students at the Rijksmuseum study Rembrandt’s “Night Watchman” on their phones. These devices are now so pervasive, they are part of the background environment. We hardly even notice them — but we need to, and to observe them, and ourselves. Photo by Gijsbert van der Wal.

I learned this from my father, Joe Coppolino, who was doing his Ph.D. in communications in the late 1960s and early 1970s when I was a kid. This was at New York University, where the same program was also called “media ecology” — the study of the media environment.

He learned it from reading Marshall McLuhan as part of his course work, which percolated to the dinner table or drives around New York City in his Ford Maverick (in case you’re wondering how I turned out this way).

Today, based on my studies, I would state it slightly differently: the environments that surround us tend to be imperceptible. We don’t tend to notice them, unless someone points something out to us, or there is a problem. Yet the environment is what drives everything we experience as reality, and conditions how we feel and perceive existence.

For example, the electrical environment that surrounds us is more noticeable when there is a blackout. Normally you don’t think of the electrons flowing into your freezer, until you’re sitting in the dark in 90-degree heat concerned that all your food will melt. Remember that metaphor. It applies to many things, including (and especially) what I do with astrology.

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Monday Morning Horoscope #186 for July 22, 2019

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Notice whenever you hesitate. By that I mean pausing before you want to do something, the reluctance to try something, concern about someone you’ve met, or not wanting to respond to a question. There are several different reasons you might do so, though you might not distinguish them. Each has its own message, and you need to know what it is. Typically in the course of human events, people either allow their hesitation to stop them, or power through it and do what they want to do anyway. I am suggesting you explore the wide middle ground, which involves tuning into your feelings and getting beneath them enough to have a sense what is going on for you. You want this information, though it may be subtle, and responding will compel you to ask yourself how you really feel, what you really want, and whether you actually trust yourself, or someone else. And there will be rewards for doing so. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Changing one’s mind is an art form. The term, in English, means something akin to “deciding something different,” “changing one’s opinion,” or “accepting an idea previously rejected.” I think it goes deeper than that: when one changes one’s mind, there is a change to the mind itself, not just related to the topic. It’s about reconsidering one’s thinking process. Most people are quick to take a statement and agree or disagree. It is rare that someone pauses and assesses what a statement might mean, or imply, and what the permutations are, and whether for example the opposite might be true. It’s rare that one actually traces the path one took to arrive at a conclusion. I suggest you practice doing this. Size up your own viewpoint or opinion on any issue you seem to care about, and ask yourself how, exactly, you got there. Then, question each step along the way. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Be careful not to make your financial decisions on emotional grounds. You might think you’re making perfectly rational decisions, though they may not seem that way in a week or two. Good ideas are not enough; the thing you will benefit from is analysis that is based primarily on columns of numbers. By that I mean the actual financial facts, in which so few people take an interest. Yet what you’re experiencing at the moment is just a sub-sample of a much larger scenario where a lot is at stake. Apart from any facts or outcomes specific to the short term, or to your more deeply entrenched scenarios involving partnerships and shared investments or resources, there is the matter of how you are able to handle yourself, regarding both cash flow and more complex elements of finance. There are the numbers in the spreadsheet, and there is the human factor. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Sunday, the Sun aligned with Mercury in your birth sign, which was also the indication of Mercury retrograde being halfway over (the midpoint was exact July 21 at 8:33:55 am EDT). Plenty else is happening on the Cancer-Capricorn axis, which has been a primary focus of astrology going back to May. It has been intense and dramatic, and you’ve probably had enough of all of that. However, with Venus in your sign now opposing Pluto, you’re likely to be more sensitive than you want. This may also translate to being driven by some passion or deep need, though be aware of how you can get yourself out of sorts under these conditions. Mercury retrograde is cautioning you to keep your mind on the present, rather than obsessing over the past, or planning for the future. Do your best to stay loose, limber and focused on what is a priority now — and set yourself up for the next few moves. Make sure you have food in the fridge, gas in the car and your batteries charged, so you can go about your business smoothly when the time comes. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.


We will soon publish Eric’s Solar Winds reading, Astrology Studio for Leo Sun, Moon and rising. Leo has just been through an extraordinary experience of eclipses (including the Great American Eclipse), and you are still reorienting from those experiences. We will move from there into the influence of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, which talks about the profound changes you’re going through in “everyday life,” including matters related to work and wellbeing. And of course, Chiron in Aries will feature prominently, in this extended reading for Leo. Take a break from the mental stress and frustration of society, and enter a world where you are at the center, where your potential is real, and where your problems yield to your spiritual gifts.

You may pre-order now. This reading is included with the Backstage Pass and Galaxy Pass.

Planet Waves
Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Mars in your sign is urging you to push ahead, though other factors may have you feeling like you’re caught in a slog. In times like this, the thing to do is be happy with even modest increments of progress. I call it moving the ball forward, just a little every day. The correct mental posture is gentle persistence rather than storming the mountain. Mars may be giving you little bursts of that kind of conquering ambition, but the practical realities are likely to run contrary, until you gradually work them out. Two other factors are present: one is your sense of being overburdened by a responsibility you may need to let go of. Another is missing information about a critical matter. Whatever clue you received Sunday, you will learn a lot more on or around the 31st when Mercury stations direct. Keep your ears on, and your mind open. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You will know something intuitively, no matter what someone tries to convince you of, and no matter what you want to be true. If you’re not in a position to defer to your inner voice, then place a delay on the situation and give yourself a day, or two, or three, to think about it. You will know something is amiss when someone says something that seems untrue, and someone else swears to it. This could easily leave you doubting yourself, which is why you need time to sort out the situation. Meanwhile, where public perceptions and opinions are concerned (by which I mean anything from gossip to Facebook to the way a particular news item is tending), you must be skeptical, and take a policy of waiting for additional facts to come in. That requires two things: one is patience, and the other is being willing to stand in the face of the unknown, at least for a while. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Use care when handling professional matters this week. You are likely to be driven by deep emotional forces that don’t comport well with relating to higher-ups or managing people and projects. Mercury retrograde has also entered your 10th house of work-related subject matter — particularly the most important stuff. Though it may sound like dime-store astrology, when an email goes missing or when someone doesn’t respond to you in due time, be polite about it — particularly if that person is your boss or in any position of authority. Be the smart person who picks up the phone, asks how they’re doing, and then wonders out loud if your email (or whatever) arrived. The approach is the friendly, gentle inquiry, making no assumptions. Then work to solve the problem. Other people around you might not be so magnanimous, so you may need to contain fires, control the damage and clear all vital information before it goes further. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Professional jealousy is a serious issue. It holds back progress, wastes energy and destroys careers. So too does unmitigated ambition, or taking too much pride in one’s work. As Mars moves through your 10th house of profession and reputation, tread lightly, and do your best to collaborate rather than compete. In fact if I had to sum this all up in one sentence, that would be the one. Mars is in a long conjunction to Juno, who in some of her manifestations is the every essence of one-upmanship and scorekeeping. Be gentle, and generous in your interpretations of events. Put up with a little bullshit. Not a lot, just a little, and gently remind people that they need to stay within certain boundaries, though without seeming too bossy about it. Mars in Leo in this position is not given to self-effacing modesty, so you will need to work for that. It’s the kind of astrology that makes you seem big and bad even when you’re cleaning furries out of the break room fridge. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Are we all sitting around waiting for Jupiter in your sign to go direct? That happens on Aug. 11, with Jupiter in a conjunction to this crazy thing called the Great Attractor. Actually, this conjunction is alive and kicking right now, and it’s offering some caution that your words, deeds and thoughts have impact far greater than you may imagine. The way the Great Attractor works, this reaches into the realm of what you cannot perceive, usually because it’s too many degrees of separation from you. Or the results of what you do land in some (seemingly) entirely removed quarter of existence — a little like the Coke bottle tossed from the helicopter window landing amidst the island natives in The Gods Must be Crazy. Still, aim your thoughts and actions carefully. Refine your message to the degree where you’re more likely to be understood, and survive a few rewrites. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Take the next couple of weeks and carefully re-evaluate your goals. Bring them up to date with who you are now, and what you want to be doing in the reasonably immediate future (say, two to five years). It looks as if you’re clinging to some old goals that you need to consider carefully, and may need to shed. The thing is, these are deeply intertwined with your identity. Letting go of an outmoded goal may feel like giving up part of yourself. I propose that’s the very thing that will help you. This enmeshing of the obsolete goal with an element of your psyche is the essence of your situation. Address the goal and you will get to address something within you that’s getting in your way. Making matters more complex, it may not even be your personal desire that’s lingering around: someone else may have set that agenda for you. So in truth what you may be doing is claiming back an aspect of yourself, which really means yourself, rather than giving something up. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — What exactly is motivating someone’s desire for you? You’re not going to find out overnight, though if there is any hint of hostility in a new relationship, you had best let it go. Getting along with people is a mutually supported endeavor. Take note if you find yourself not getting along with someone. Track the transactions and notice where things may be going off-kilter. Pay special attention to your own actions and motives. If you don’t like someone, then avoid them rather than provoke them. If you like someone, engage them rather than tease around the edges. It’s vital that you listen to what people say to you, particularly the first thing they say, if you want an idea where they are coming from. Listen to their actual words, and their inflection — though the words, in this case, are what really count for the most. That’s how you will know where you stand. And of course, if there is some conflict between words and actions, take note. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Take your time when it comes to reaching for your most cherished goals. Prepare the ground. Make contact with people you want to work with. Keep your desk in order. Return phone calls and maintain all routine business. You must also continue to be cautious with money as you get accustomed to the entirely new financial territory you’re in, largely described by Chiron in Aries, your 2nd house. The scale and shape of the re-evaluation you’re going through cannot be understated. It will reach into the core of your being, and the sooner you let yourself go there, the better. Ultimately the question relates to the value that you put upon yourself, from which stems the value that you place on everyone and everything else. This is a process that must originate entirely with and within you. Certain obstacles you face may assist you in going in that direction. So take those cues and prompts and let them guide you. Be patient with the process, and quietly claim your victories and your breakthroughs. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

Weekly horoscope for July 18, 2019

Weekly horoscope for July 18, 2019 (#1254) | By Eric Francis
Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Your life the past few months may have reminded you of the movie version of The Drama of the Gifted Child. While a series of challenging Mars transits and a pair of eclipses are behind us, you are still in sensitive territory. This may seem to be about other people, though it’s just as much about you. It will help if you don’t dwell on any sense of loss, but rather collect yourself in the present, and get a handle on what you want to do. You know that certain domestic or emotional situations cannot sustain themselves the way they’ve been going. The essence of the matter is that you need to be less emotionally involved, and more distant from circumstances that keep drawing you in. What you’ve learned lately has given you plenty of reason for doing so, though the decision must come from the emotional level if you want it to stick. Meanwhile, ask yourself of anything you do not like: how am I benefitting?


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Be conscious of give and take, whoever is on whatever side of the equation. Strive for balance. While few exchanges are mathematically equal, it will help you and everyone else if you make sure that to some degree, resources and goodwill are flowing in both directions, and to any third parties who have needs you’re aware of. Keep a sense of proportion and do your part to make sure everyone is taken care of, as best you can. Recent (and still developing) events are calling on you to have both a longer-range view of your life, and a much wider perspective. It is too easy for you to take a narrow view of matters that call for an encompassing one. Try to do this voluntarily, so that you don’t have to be shocked into awakening. The message may come to you one of many ways, though the essence will always be to extend your imagination further, and wider.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Financial matters come into focus as Mercury and the Sun approach a conjunction in Cancer. The problem you may confront over and over again is why certain people feel more powerful than you, or have any influence over your affairs. This is likely to involve your monetary independence: having your own money, and using it as you see fit. Yet there is also likely to be a matter of sexual power involved, and the way you can get drawn into someone’s tractor beam. In those situations, finances may be a ruse, when the real point of contact is closer to the emotional and biological level. It’s likely you’ve seen these situations for what they are over and over again; taking heed is not so easy, if you feel like hormonal forces are limiting your ability to think rationally. You know what is helpful and what is not; the question is whether you believe your own truth.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Keep a handle on your affairs, gently. Mercury retrograde has made its way into your sign. While your worst fears are unlikely to be valid, there will be something of a chaos factor as Mercury approaches a square aspect with Eris. This is most likely to manifest as confusion, so you want to think in structured ways. For example, that means checking your facts before you release something to the public, or assert it as true in a personal context. Be mindful of the actual numbers where financial situations are concerned. You are in a position where others can draw you into a space where you feel emotionally dominated, or like your options are limited. It’s your role to keep your mind open to your own possibilities, and to recognize what is not true for you. This is unlikely to come with a big defensive reaction; more likely, you will observe when the facts don’t add up, or when someone’s position is untenable for you. Move along gently.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Mars and Juno in your sign are urging you to take a fair-minded approach to life. Avoid any tendency to keep score in your relationships. Instead, be as generous as you can. Take up the causes of people who are getting the short end of the stick, which means using your position to advocate for others in need. Meanwhile, there would seem to be something you are struggling to resolve or let go of. It will help if you take a more realistic approach to this situation, which has its roots in the distant past. Make a deep inquiry into whether you think something has the power to hurt you, and why you believe that. There is a rigid quality you are struggling to transcend, though that cannot be done with flights of the imagination. You cannot dream your way out of anything, though you can certainly use your abundant creativity and problem solving ability. This will be easier if you take a little more time to yourself.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Recent events, back to late spring, have been encouraging you to widen your aperture and let in a little more light. You have a way of seeing worst-case scenarios as the most realistic ones, and then compensating with a Pollyanna approach to the solution. There’s a lot of fertile, interesting territory to explore in between the two positions, and that is where you want to roam around. Life is not just a matter of hope and fear. It’s about building your ideas into tangible reality, which takes sustained effort. It also calls for relationships with people who are supportive of who you are and what you want to do. It’s not always easy to steer clear of unsupportive people, particularly if you think you owe them something. But it’s a skill you will benefit greatly from mastering sooner rather than later.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

COMING SOON FROM PLANET WAVES…
Planet Waves
Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It would appear that one of your most important projects the past couple of months has been cultivating a deeper level of independence. That mainly means emotional freedom and self-affirmation, but also control over your physical spaces. You simply must feel at home in your own skin, your own home, and whatever you call your family. Because part of your nature is to be so dependent upon your family structure, this may not be easy, though you’ve seen the benefits of giving yourself some distance. Yet that alone will not get you where you want and need to be. Your own physical space — a bit more than a room of your own, though that’s a start — is essential. It’s only in your own space that you can actually feel yourself, think in peace, and respond to your own needs. While not always possible, it’s certainly not impossible, if you structure your time and resources and focus the goal.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — It’s likely that you need to change your mind about someone or something. This energy tends to build up in your life like tectonic plates pressing against one another, then it releases in a personal earthquake. You can take a calmer, easier approach, and reflect on whether you’re being realistic about some of the more important facets of your existence. That said, the whole notion of “realistic” has fallen into hard times, and you may feel an urgency around blowing it sky high and just going with the waves of your emotions. That’s not going to serve you very well, though. Flexibility is not about gushing, or swirling around in the currents. Observe yourself carefully. Notice what you need to change, and make the adjustments from the inside rather than in outer appearance. Also, there seems to be something from the past you are desperately trying to forget. You might flip that around, and make a point of remembering.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Are you feeling any better about yourself? I hope so, after all you’ve been through, all the pressure you’ve been under, all the changes you’ve endured. The takeaway has been that if you want to have your relationships on something closer to your own terms, you must negotiate that as a conscious act. If you don’t, you won’t know your own position or point of view. By that I mean one benefit of negotiating is figuring out what you want and what you need. Sure, it helps to go into any discussion with an idea of this, though your values are changing fast. So you will need to discover where you’re coming from as you move along. Due to the long-term effect of Jupiter square Neptune, which will last for a couple more months, you must be careful not to make any promises you cannot keep.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You have a more potent impact on others than you may imagine, and they are more sensitive to you than you’ve noticed. Please honor that and be gentle with those who care about you — and with one person in particular. You may not recognize the degree to which your position seems to be set in concrete, or that others perceive you as intractable. This is not so much about compromising in the sense of finding a halfway point, but rather about actually feeling what another person is feeling, whether you think it’s right or wrong. Be cautious of any situation where you seem to have power over someone, whether it’s emotional, sexual, financial or professional. Assert, with your actions, that others have the right to make decisions, and give them all the space to do so. We live in times when “everything is about power,” though this is not a healthy position for you to take.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may be wondering whether something is a short-term thing or a long-term thing. Neither applies, since everything is what it is now. Regarding duration, the only question you need to ask yourself is the nature of your commitment, rather than that of someone else. Others will demonstrate their loyalty to you, or not. They will express their desire to get along with you by being easy and kind. You don’t want a contract; you want to have experiences, and gently evaluate the relationship or partnership based on what you learn from them. It would be nice if more of the world took more of this approach, based less on expectations and promises, and more on experiences. This is not an easy position to take for insecure humans, who so often seem content to stand on the ground of their hopes. But you can do a lot better than that, for you, and anyone you care about.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page. 

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Keep your creativity going. Mars is pushing you to succeed and get the job done and done well (and all of that), though you will benefit greatly from immersing yourself in your art, and whatever gives you pleasure. Take the time to do it; use that Martian “get it done” energy to work ahead of your schedule, so you clear some free time. Delegate what you can to anyone who can do the job as well as you. Your best ideas will flow when you leave some time around them, meaning, leaving some slack in your schedule and taking as much time alone as you need. Socializing and romantic relationships are not typically good for creative endeavors. You don’t need anyone’s permission to do what you want and need to do, though it will be helpful if you’re open about your intentions. Balance is possible, but lean in the direction of investing in your own cause, whatever it might be.


You’re invited to have a look at our new Special Readings page.