Author Archives: Eric Francis Coppolino

About Eric Francis Coppolino

Lives in Kingston, friend of critters, etc.

nov18-20-2018

Mars in Pisces is Mueller Time

nov18-20-2018

The figure above is a sample of the inauguration chart for Donald Trump, the moment he became president. I’ve been staring at this chart every day for nearly two years; it’s hanging on my studio bathroom wall. Slowly it’s starting to make sense.

Notice the cluster in Pisces. That’s in the 11th house, the house of groups; all the planets are in Pisces, the sign of the public. The prior house, to the right, is the 10th — the house of executive power. All year long, Mars has been dancing around the inauguration’s 10th house, going back and forth over the Sun. Last week, Mars made its way into Pisces, where it begins a new odyssey in this chart: making a series of conjunctions to all of the planets, and the South Node.

nov18-21-2018

Robert J. Mueller III; photo by Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call.

This coincides with the end of the election season, and the House of Representatives being taken over by the Democratic Party.

With Mars passing through Pisces, we may have a power-to-the-people moment. It’s also when Robert Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Russian interference with the 2016 election, is likely to make some of his biggest moves.

Because there are many planets in this cluster, this is a story that will have many chapters. I’ve described some of the themes below; let’s see which of them play out in real time and real life.

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Monday Morning Horoscope for Nov. 12, 2018

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You need to maintain your focus, which you will do by limiting the number of people you communicate with. That’s been a little out of hand lately, and you may be feeling scattered as a result. This feeling is the main thing to monitor, and keep bringing yourself back on track when you have important or timely things to accomplish. Your situation seems more complex than it is, and you will feel clearer in your direction as you prioritize and work your tasks in order of significance. What’s happening at the moment (among many other things) is that your ruling planet Mars is working through the last few degrees of Aquarius, where it’s been hanging out for most of the year. This represents a shift in your life pattern, and there are many loose ends to tie up. Yet it may feel like you’ll never get it all done, which could in turn lead you to not want to do anything. Don’t fall for that illusion, use your tools well, and take a break from social media. Right now, it’s a drain. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be feeling on edge as Venus, the Taurus planet, slows down and gets ready to change to direct motion in a sensitive area of your solar chart. You might be feeling some pressure on a relationship, though none of what you’re feeling is about anyone else. Rather, you’re in a phase of reorientation, which means finding your direction. If you’re willing to live with some confusion for the next week or so, which means not fighting yourself, you will get enough information to be confident in your choices. These are more personal than they may seem, and you’ll need to take a step away from the idea that how someone else feels is more important than how you feel. There’s also something about the “type” of relationship you might be in, though trying to size things up by category listing is not going to work for you either. Every experience you have with every person is distinct, and you respond to every person differently. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Mercury is close to its retrograde position, and that begins in about four days (Nov. 16). This is calling for you to be keep a sense of proportion and scale. You may have a tendency to see things that are barely relevant as being tremendously meaningful, and to miss things that actually matter. Generally, you can pay less attention to what seems controversial or has a feeling of polarization to it. Pay attention to things that come in from the side, or that seem to whisper. All in all, you will need to be a little less trusting, even a little less gullible, and give the truth time to emerge, before you decide what has validity. It’s unlikely to be whatever yells the loudest, or sows the most dissent. It’s not going to be the person trying to sell you something or convince you of anything. So you will need to tune out distracting influences and listen to your inner voice. There’s no rush to make any decision, and there are many good reasons to take it as slowly as you can for a couple of weeks. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Try not to get wrapped up in the problems of other people, and keep a focus on yourself. This isn’t easy for you, as it’s your natural tendency to be mother hen, event coordinator and grief counselor. Yet you have plenty of your own business to attend to, both personal and professional. You also know that future plans are calling you, and you have some loose ends to tie up before you can get to it. Therefore, focus on that, and persistently avoid the pains and frustrations of others, to the degree that you can. There is a limit to what you need to give. It’s one thing to offer an open ear and make a suggestion; it’s another thing to get emotionally involved. Yet this distinction has often proven challenging for you. This is a boundary issue, and an important one. Keep an eye on the line where you end and where everyone else begins. It’s not as thin as it seems, and it most definitely exists. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Pace yourself at work this week, and focus on people, rather than on projects. Make sure you get enough rest, particularly early in the week, because you will need your wits about you. The long process of Mars retrograde is finally drawing to an end, as Mars in Aquarius makes its way out of your house of relationships and into the much deeper territory of Mars in Pisces. As this transition happens, you will be vulnerable to the comments and the actions of others. Conflicts that you thought were in the past may arise, and if so, you’ll need to remember what you’ve already resolved and not let anyone lure you into forgetting. This will in part be a test of confidence, and also an opportunity to keep a handle on the fact that you are, in reality, a balanced and sane person. However, you’re apt to forget, in part because of your tendency to be so hard on yourself. That is destabilizing, and it has a negative influence on your relationships.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — If you find yourself making the same error repeatedly, you need to widen your perspective. It’s as if you’re looking at the world through the wrong end of binoculars, and everything seems smaller and more distant than it really is. The alternative is to take a wide view, and to notice the ways that all things are related or at least set in the context of one another — especially yourself. You are not separate from the world around you, even in those times when you may feel alienated from others. That’s only a feeling. Though you may have reason to doubt yourself, if you’re honest you will see that you have even more valid reasons to have confidence in your abilities and your place in the world. Don’t fall for the delusion that life is easier for other people — everyone has their specific form of struggle, and you don’t want anyone else’s. You’re much better off with your own particular challenges. You can handle them just fine. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — We’re now in the last few days of Venus retrograde, which is especially palpable for you because Venus is your planet, and this is happening in your sign. The Venus retrograde process seems to have gone on longer than it really has, which is because you’ve been grappling with questions that are concentrated and potentially unpleasant: in particular, matters of self-worth. Please note, however, that this question is a luxury. If you have time to think about it, you have the freedom to do so, and that implies the possibility for growth and movement: again, luxuries. When the question is one of necessity, you make immediate decisions; you decide that there’s a better life for you, and you do everything in your power to make it happen. I suggest you either be content with your lot in life, or engage the process of making changes. Those are your only actual, practical choices; if you try to linger between them, you will only experience the futility of inaction. Perhaps you have something to lose if you try and fail, though that’s true in any event. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your region of consciousness — Scorpio, and its ruling planet Mars — have been the focus of some intense drama this year, and now that is all starting to fade away. Jupiter has left your sign, which will help you put your life, your issues, and your needs into proportion. Venus is about to station direct, and will for a few weeks work its way back across your sign, which represents a re-evaluation of all the re-evaluating you’ve been doing lately. Remember that the message of this unusual retrograde was you having the opportunity to see and feel the world from the viewpoint of the people closest to you. Have you done that? Do you have more empathy for the people you care about, live with, love, or admire? Your own dramas tend to subsume your mind, though you’re past the point where that is practical, helpful or in any way productive. Place yourself on equal footing with those around you. Offer what you have, and receive what is given. There’s plenty to go around. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Jupiter has entered your birth sign for the first time since last showing up on Nov. 23, 2006. With the world moving in dog years, that was a long time ago, yet it may seem like those events and developments were much more recent than they really were. What was happening for you at the time? What challenges were you facing? How did you envision your life? Then, consider how that worked out over the next 12 years, right up until today. For context, consider the midpoint between now and then, which was June 11, 2012. This will help you frame the ways in which you use time, and give you a sense of its actual duration. That is a form of value. Time is the most valuable resource on Earth, because it’s the most limited, and the one thing without which nothing else is possible. With Saturn in your neighboring sign Capricorn, that is especially true: don’t squander your hours, your days, your weeks or your years. Use every moment well. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Take what happens in stride this week, and don’t feel like you have to rush to anyone’s aid or rescue. That could be you distracting yourself from your own pressing business at hand. Be cautious of the idea of sacrifice, whether as something you offer, or something you feel like you can demand from someone else. Everyone has their hands full at the moment, and the best way you can be helpful is to take care of yourself, and pay attention to the people in your immediate surroundings. If any assistance is needed, you will be able to offer yourself in ways that don’t place a stress on you, but which are in fact helpful. If you’re called to offer something significant, the clue that it’s the right thing to do will be that you don’t feel a sense of sacrifice. You will just know that you need to do what you can, or give what you can. That’s the mark of true responsibility: the knowledge that something is right. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Amidst much other planetary activity, Mars is making its way through the last couple degrees of Aquarius, the scene of the infamous retrograde through this summer. This is the thing to focus on: what happened this summer, what you learned, and what may remain unresolved. You may not be able to resolve it this week, though you can take a step toward doing so. Between Venus stationing direct and Mercury stationing retrograde within hours of one another, information will shake out of the ethers. In particular, you may get some insight into your own motives, or those of others whom you have encountered during this rare, curious and potentially tumultuous transit. Don’t just do that American thing and trample forward without looking back. Take some time and reflect, and make sure you are in possession of both the wisdom and the lingering questions of the past. Ignorance is no excuse, and is not any evidence of being alive. Wherever you may go, bring your curiosity and your power of observation with you. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Mars enters your birth sign this week, after dancing around for nearly six months in your solar 12th house, Aquarius. This has probably dredged up all kinds of material for you, though most of it was unlikely to be your personal possession. The 12th is the house of ancestral baggage, and you’ve been clearing out a good bit of that lately. Mars enters your sign just after Jupiter has crossed the midheaven angle of your solar chart. Mars will grant energy while Jupiter will expand your sense of what is possible; the two work well together. Yet it’s essential that you pace yourself, even as you strive to achieve great things. You want steady, thoughtful movement, not instant results. Make sure that you consciously prioritize, which needs to be a daily activity, reviewed through the day. In particular, take it easy on the ambition/aspiration front during Mercury retrograde, which spans from Nov. 16 through Dec. 6. Double and triple check facts, figures and contracts, and take nothing at face value. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

Scorpio, the Elections & Big Astrology

Use this link if you’re listening on an iOS or mobile device. Download MP3.


As we go deeper into this most unusual, challenging and potentially troubling phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order.


Hey Scorpio — the astrology segments of your 2018-19 Scorpio birthday reading by Eric are now available for instant access. Order today to lock in the current price.


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Eric Francis in The Place of the Way studio.

Dear Friend and Listener:

Tonight’s edition of Planet Waves FM is the season finale. I’ll be taking regular editions off for two or three weeks — though I will be back on Thanksgiving morning with a musically-focused holiday special.

Tonight’s edition surveys the sky, considering Jupiter in Sagittarius, Venus direct, Mercury retrograde and Mars entering Pisces.

I give a roundup of election news, including a bunch of exciting local stories in a segment researched by Amanda Painter, and consider the ethics of asking someone you might work with out on a date.

Planet Waves FM is sponsored by you — your contributions, one-time or monthly, make this program possible. If you’re interested in being a major donor — sponsoring a special project, a category of expense, or a staff member, please give me a ring at (845) 481-5616.

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nov11-2018

A Busy Week in the Local Cosmos

This is a busy week in the neighborhood. I’ve already said most of what I have to say about the confluence of events that are underway, published with the November Monthly Horoscope. I’m going to republish a portion of my lead article here, in case you didn’t see it — or want to give it another layer of study.

nov11-2018

Swirling clouds in Jupiter’s North Temperate Belt, captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft. Image by NASA/JPL/SwRI/MSSS/G. Eichstad/S. Doran.

It’s taken me a while to figure this out, but astrology is a story that never resolves.

There are points of resolution, though there are so many cycles running at once that one tends to lead to another, or three or four are going off at once.

That said, this has been an unusual year, with one inner planet retrograde after the next, both of which involved elements related to Scorpio (which tends to make people squirm, though I am personally a fan of those born under this sign, as it comes with its own special je ne sais quoi).

My listing of events below does not include aspects, only stations and ingresses. There is, however, a particularly interesting aspect coming: Mars in Pisces square Jupiter in Sagittarius, exact on Monday, Nov. 19 (which will be the topic of next week’s horoscope). That’s an aspect entirely different from anything we’ve experienced this long slog of a year. Mars-Jupiter has got some fire to it, and it’s building as we speak.

However, we’re still in the very last days of Mars in Aquarius, which means Mars anaretic: a sensitive spot, referencing potentially invisible vulnerabilities. Pay attention as that happens. Venus direct and Mercury retrograde the same day — that one’s a gem as well. A lot of information will shake out.

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Planet Waves Monthly Horoscope for November 2018

Planet Waves Monthly Horoscope for November 2018 (#1226) | By Eric Francis Coppolino
Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — It may seem to you like everything is up for negotiation, but nobody knows what they want, and certain individuals keep changing their mind. The scenario looks a little like this: first, someone seems to want what you want, then they want something else. Then they have to think about that more carefully, owing to something their mother said. You may be left feeling like someone you care about makes no sense at all, which does not make it easy to relate. Fairly recently, though, you were in a similar dynamic, where you had little clue what you wanted, or needed, except that it was clear you needed your space to think independently and not be beholden to commitments, at least for as long as you needed to sort yourself out. Others may be less bold than you are about this need, which all people have. Someone more timid might try to persist with a policy of people-pleasing, while at the same time trying to do what is right for them — and never shall the two be reconciled. I suggest you make room in your life for people to make their own decisions, just as you need to do. Open up space for this, and do your best not to take things personally. Easier said than done, and worth working toward. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Some of the pressure you were feeling much of the year has let up, as Uranus has backed out of your sign and into Aries. This will give you an opportunity to reassess something that few people ever get around to: who you are. The forthcoming seven-year journey of Uranus through your sign, which you’ve had a taste of, will confront you with this question many times. It will help if you have some sense of your true direction, so that you can use this transit to bring out your deeper being rather than feel like you’re being changed, molded or shaped. Who you are is no surprise to you; difficulty arises when you go into denial of that fact, and try to simulate being someone else. Your true identity emerges from within you, not from an external frame of reference. And with Uranus in Aries between now and March 6, you have extra access to your inner world. You may notice that it’s a little chaotic in there, as if you don’t have solid ground to stand on. Yet you’ve gone through other changes before, even on this scale, and the truth is that there’s something entirely consistent about who you are — far more so than most people you know. You may be concerned this is the very thing that might change. Considering just that possibility will be informative. For example, change into what? Get your full reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Don’t take anything at face value this month. Anything includes anyone. This is not a matter of being suspicious, but rather one of letting the truth of statements be borne out before you commit yourself to action based on them. This will take time, patience and discernment. You’re perceptive, but often impatient, and are too quick to act in a lurch, because something sounds good, or feels good. Yet with Mercury stationing retrograde in a square aspect to Neptune on the 16th, you cannot take anything for granted. Your astrology is compounded by the delusional nature of our times: unverified information moving at the speed of light; Twitter feeds going by like the line at the world’s largest McDonald’s in Orlando, with about as much nourishment; and insecure people saying many things they don’t mean, and don’t know for sure. This is encouragement for you to slow down the metabolism of thought and of speech, and to question yourself persistently. Go deeper than you usually do, moving in layers, as is indicated by Mercury retrograde. Being ‘conclusive’ is a bad habit; it’s one of the true enemies of intelligence. You must keep an open mind at all times, which primarily means being open to the possibility of being wrong. Once this approach saves your ass a few times, you will find it a lot more appealing, and may even become an advocate. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The Nov. 7 Scorpio New Moon looks like it might open some doors in your erotic life. Usually horoscope writers couch this in the term “romantic,” and I am specifically not talking about that: I’m talking about a form of sexual intimacy that’s much deeper than “romance” and which will require a corresponding risk, and at the same time, promise you something much deeper in the way of fulfillment. Yet in our era, this whole region of eroticism is the one that is most often shunned and eschewed. It’s treated like it does not exist, yet nearly everyone is drawn to some deeper realm of their desire, even if it slips in for a brief visit as you’re waking up, appears in your dreams, or shows up in intimate moments when you’re not expecting it. There is a taboo on knowing who you are. This is rarely called what it is, though it’s engaged by connecting with your deepest and potentially most secret desires. The alternatives are things like aggression, sleepwalking or frustration, and none of those are especially appealing. The astrology of the past six months may seem to have warned you off going too deep, or taking too many risks. Yet based on the most elemental makeup of your nature, you will want to get back in the water again. Be conscious about it, and please keep it real — not digital. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You have to be confident in yourself before you can be confident in anyone else. Usually, the opposite presumption is considered true: the commitment to or from someone else is supposed to make us strong. Yet how is that possible? Your consciousness is the center of your experience. Even if you have perfect faith in someone else, that faith is coming from you. The place to orient, at the moment, is faith in yourself. Another word for that is fidelity, which is most often used in the context of marriage (and banking). So let’s start with the premise that all fidelity is to you: your mission in life, your existence, your happiness. This may be subject to an accusation of being egotistical, though the opposite is true, since the ego is an illusion and I am talking about something real: actual grounding in your true self, and what you’re doing on this planet, at this time. That may be the realest question you can ever ask, and it may make you quake in your boots, as the old saying goes, especially if you want to be wearing ballet slippers. Yet between the two may be some kind of crisis of faith, which I suggest you welcome. You will know that you’re in the right zone, mentally and emotionally, when you find yourself asking questions that you cannot easily answer. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It’s been an overwhelming year, perhaps even heavy, though help is on the way. Jupiter joins Mercury in your 4th house of grounding, home and family this week, to stay for a year. This will take some pressure off your mind, and help you prioritize what matters the most for you. That includes taking care of yourself, and it also covers resolving old material — drawing an “end to the matter” (borrowing from ancient astrology) in several important things related to your family, especially on your father’s side. The two are related: the living well bit, and the one about resolving the past. Resolved might not be the right word; displaced is a better concept, since what is old and dysfunctional must, in a sense, be outdone by something noticeably better and more worthwhile. This must start with where you call home. Jupiter through the 4th is what I think of as the “feather your nest” transit: making your home space acceptable to your physical body. Take the time to make small improvements, eat better-quality food, and do what you must do to feel confident. It matters less where you are, and more how you feel, no matter where you may be. The persistent challenge will be emotionally honesty. Listen to the stories you tell yourself, and check the facts. Make sure you’re correct, and that the elements of your version of events add up to something that makes sense. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — The essential message of Venus retrograde in your sign is whether you’re going to run your life influenced by unconscious emotional forces, or by using conscious strategy and making decisions. First, though, you will need to differentiate between the two, and notice the results when you use one method or another. Here’s a way to focus the difference. One way seems like someone else is making decisions that you’re subject to, even though nobody else is around. Those will tend to be based on things like avoiding perceived threats and dangers, more than on creating something positive for yourself. And those fears will likely belong to someone else, which is a way of having you under their control. When you make your own decisions, you will feel the clarity of your own mind, you will notice yourself in a reasoning process, and you’ll sense the satisfaction of choosing for yourself. You need a plan — especially a financial plan. When you’re in control of your own money, you know that you’re sloughing off the influences of parents and other overlords. This really is the keystone to the bridge that will lead you into the next phase of your life. That, and speaking up when you need to, stating directly what you need, and never getting bogged down in guilt. That is an art you can master. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Planet Waves

Bring All of You into Your Life, Scorpio

“All the readings for the signs I was born under, Aquarius, Scorpio and Aries, were right on. The Scorpio reading described my life right now and was much needed! Thank you!”

— Columba Genubath

With at least an hour of audio astrology available now for instant access (in two segments) and a tarot reading that will be sent to you a little later, your 2018 Scorpio Astrology Studio reading gives you the best of Eric’s 20 years of astrology experience, therapy training and investigative journalism to get yourself oriented and motivated for the months to come.

“Many thanks for this precious and profound reading. As a Scorpio Moon, Venus, Uranus and North Node soul, I definitely feel like this reading provides just the right impetus to finally have the courage to be myself.”

— Diana B.

You can listen to last year’s reading here, as a gift. Check Eric’s accuracy, and then order your new reading to get a better handle on your relationships, career, sexual energy, spiritual growth and healing, and more.

“My previous Birthday Readings have been very, very helpful. I refer to them throughout the year. The tarot readings have been particularly informative.”

— Carolyn Cornish

This reading also makes a thoughtful gift!


Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may finally be feeling some relief from Venus retrograde now that Venus has backed into Libra, where it stations direct on Nov. 16. Before that happens, Jupiter leaves your sign and enters Sagittarius (Nov. 8). Usually, Venus and Jupiter in one’s sign are considered benefics, and no doubt you’ve gained in ways you have not noticed yet. However, while they’ve been present, you’ve also been under unusual pressure, both emotional and psychological. It may have felt like certain issues settling over you like a dome, or thought forms you could not evade or escape. Scorpio is an unusual sign in that, collectively, it holds all of the things supposedly civilized people are the most afraid of, such as the mysteries of sex, life and death. And this is partly why people respond so strongly to you. Jupiter moving through your sign has magnified these elements of consciousness, making you aware of them (whether you identified them, or not). What you may notice over the next few days and through the coming month is that these feelings evaporate, like they were never there. They’re still present, but will now go back to their earlier size, rather than the recent fun-house-mirror exaggerations you experienced. Venus, for its part, has been encouraging you to seek within yourself for answers. That is something you would be wise to remember. There is no “out there.” It’s all in here. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Jupiter enters your sign this week, where it will be for about one year. This is a homecoming of sorts, as Jupiter returns to one of the signs that it rules for the first time in nearly a decade, and returns to Sagittarius for the first time since it arrived last on Nov. 23, 2006. This is one of those transits that offers everything you ever wanted from astrology — in its potential form. With Jupiter, you’re the one who must make your mission real. You must activate your potential, make decisions, set goals, and determine to seek what you know is right for you. We could say that Jupiter describes what is possible — and that the other symbol of your sign, the arrow about to be let loose from its bow, represents the one-pointed arrow of determination, focus and direction. There’s not a rush to let the arrow fly, though. In fact, there is reason for caution: you are still too influenced by negative feelings and events, at the moment, to have a clear sense of what you want. And Jupiter’s long square to Neptune in Pisces could have you more optimistic about certain goals than is called for. So you will need to make a point of being honest with yourself about the downside to any possible endeavor, but also, aware that certain influences may be leading you to be unrealistic about particular factors. Facts, data and time are your friend, and the three will work well together. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may still be experiencing a struggle about whether you’re willing to offer yourself fully to what you want and need to do. The spirit of our times is to make a half-hearted effort and call it good, or to emphasize this odd thing known as comfort over the strength and guts that it takes to get anything done in this world. You may feel like your goal requires too big a sacrifice to make it worthwhile, and if that is true, then you need a more significant goal. You’re being called upon not to do something but to become someone. What you do is merely a facilitator or venue for who you’re becoming, and whether it’s large or small, meaningful or petty, brilliant or dull, you will be devoting your whole being to the process. This does not merge well with a predictable, safe, steady nine-to-five kind of existence. Rather, you will need to take risks that may feel dangerous and that will certainly push you out of any zone of comfort you may be in. You don’t want a safe space; you want a space where you can, and must, be real, with yourself and with the people around you. You will benefit from facing your fear, and rather than rising above it, burning it as fuel. This calls for the recognition that you may not succeed at what you want the very most. But that desire would be worthless otherwise. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The long, challenging and at times absurd transit of Mars through your sign ends mid-month. Whatever happened to you was in some way unprecedented, and nothing like it is likely to happen again. The last time Mars was retrograde in Aquarius was back in 1971, a time curiously like our own. So this has probably stirred up some old material, including family baggage (which is closely associated with Aquarius, though you won’t read this many places). Mars retrograde has highlighted the problem of anger, collective and individual, and more to the point, the struggle associated with addressing it. Anger also equals anxiety, guilt and any form of struggle associated with aggression or resentment, in whatever direction it may flow. This cannot be addressed in “the world,” since it’s such a deeply individual response to existence. Mars in your sign, including the 12-week retrograde, has compelled you to take a level of profound responsibility for what happens in your life, including how you feel and how you respond to events. More than anything, though, you’ve been compelled to have a bold reckoning with what you want. I don’t mean want, like a BMW. I mean want, as in want from your privilege of existence. And I don’t mean want, as in desire somewhat; I mean want as in you feel like you’ll drown if you don’t have it. You’ve learned a lot this year. Don’t forget it, by which I mean remember every day. Get your full reading by Eric here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Your deepest fears rarely come true, and no matter what you’ve experienced this year, that remains a fact of existence. It’s now time to focus your life in the most productive and constructive ways. Jupiter entering Sagittarius this week crosses the midheaven angle of your solar chart, which will open up a world of possibilities you’ve never quite imagined. Yet you will need to rise above your own anxiety in order to take full advantage of this yearlong transit. This is not just the fear of things going wrong; most of what concerns you is lack of confidence. Neptune in your sign (an ultra-longterm visitor) can feel like a massive hole where your courage should be. So that’s the element to work with. The thing to remember is that courage is earned, not bestowed. That happens through conscious trial and error; doing what you’re not supposed to do; saying what you’re not supposed to say; and attempting what you think is considerably beyond your potential. Jupiter’s first point of contact in Sagittarius will be a square to Nessus in your sign, which represents an opportunity to overcome some debility inflicted on you by your family, or someone who abused your trust. The second will be an extended square aspect to Neptune, which seems destined to inform you that you genuinely know what is true and right for you. Let time prove your theory, rather than letting someone else disprove it. Get your full reading by Eric here.


Special Election Edition: History Will Teach Us Nothing

Use this link if you’re listening on an iOS or mobile device. Download MP3.


If you’re looking for intelligent, commercial-free coverage of the election returns, we suggest you tune into Democracy Now!

Eric did two mini-editions for the Pacifica Network: a short piece on election astrology, and then a summing up of the voting experiences of Planet Waves listeners.


Dear Friend and Listener:

Tonight is the special election edition of Planet Waves FM. I look at two topics sure to be a big hit on Thanksgiving: the astrology of the election, and also of the presidential election of 2020, and the influence of Evangelical religion on American politics.

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Photographer Stacy Platt is our special guest tonight.

The program includes an interview with Stacy Platt, a professor of photography at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She is doing a project, independent of the university, involving documenting the 400 Evangelical churches in her city. She is also interviewing people who consider themselves “exvangelicals” — essentially, refugees of the Christian movement.

You may visit Stacy’s website here. There is an invitation to participate in the project.

Housekeeping note: I will be doing a program next Sunday, then taking a break for Thanksgiving. That will include a Bob Dylan-themed show distributed on Thanksgiving Day. I am planning to take two Sunday nights off.

Planet Waves FM is published by Chiron Return, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which is part of the Pacifica Radio Network. We are supported by your generous contributions, large and small, which are starting to add up each month and cover the costs of the program.

Thank you for your support. All contributions are fully tax-deductible if you live in the U.S. If you want to be a major donor and sponsor an entire project or staff member, you’re welcome to contact me directly.

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Saturn and Pluto: The Election in Context

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Divine Redeemer Catholic Church, Colorado Springs. “I was having continuous thoughts of suicide. Sometimes it was just images of myself jumping out the 10th floor window at my office job, popping into my head unbidden. That’s not a sin. But if I stopped to think it over, if I looked over the edge and thought about jumping, that was a sin. The line between the unbidden image and the intentional thought is kind of hard to discern. Mostly, I just felt bad all the time about feeling bad all the time. Ugh. Also, my misery made me doubt God, but not believing in God is a sin, too. So I was going to confession every week, always confessing the same things: I don’t believe in God and I’m thinking about killing myself.” — H.D. Photo by Stacy J. Platt, from the series #exvangelical; all rights reserved. Exvangelical is a community for those who have left evangelicalism or fundamentalism to share stories of their experiences with others and receive support in a safe, affirming, private space.

The astrology of Tuesday’s congressional election is set within the wider context of many astrological events involving Pluto and Capricorn. Tuesday’s astrology does not stand on its own; there’s a long arc of history involved, because the United States is in its Pluto return, an event that happens just once every 250 years.

The Pluto return looks and feels like a great unraveling, a restructuring of society on every level, and even a kind of civil war. Any student of history will tell you that the United States is often divided and polarized, though this comes in peaks. We’re at one of those peaks now, and it seems to be getting worse.

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Monday Morning Horoscope for Oct. 29, 2018

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You are an adult, and would be wise to remember that the things adults are privileged to do come with risks, and also with rewards. Most things in this general (and rather large) category of experience have the power to change you, if you bring yourself to them fully. You’re being drawn into some deep experiences these days, with all of the activity in Scorpio. This may include being close to someone who is on a personal quest, which is having a way of taking you with it. It’s vital that you focus on your own purposes, and your own personal mystery, and not be too distracted by the affairs of another. If this is a question about the availability of a past partner or love interest who has come back into your life, the only way to tell if this is a lasting situation is to give it time. Rather than clinging in any way, stay in the moment, be open to experience and let the future take care of itself. Get your full Aries reading here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Recognize the impact and the influence that you have on others. It’s deep, and it can also be a distraction. The only things you owe to other people are being truthful about your emotional and sexual reality (in all cases, appropriate to the level of intimacy that is involved). You’re on your own quest for independence, which means owning the prerogative to feel how you feel, and experience desire in an honest way. Where being truthful to others serves you is as a clarifying solution. Often being real about your feelings can “skunk” people — that is, give them an experience of who you really are. That, in turn, can create distance, or it can create deeper intimacy. Usually, the right thing happens: skunk medicine means attracting the right people, and repelling the wrong ones, based on the scent of your personal truth. Being real moves matters along, and has a way of setting you free from the past, which is an important purpose for you now. Get your full Taurus reading here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Be cautious of any situation where there appears to be a tease involved — which could relate to money, or to the promise of work, or to some erotic situation. If there seems to be some promise made, where the fulfillment angle of things is sketchy, you might step back from the situation. Promises are not enough — and over the next few days, you might refrain from making any, as well as accepting any. Instead, keep the lines of communication open. Suss out the interest level of others, particularly if they’re in a position of leadership. Any work situation is a relationship, and that means there must be an exchange that goes beyond money. Listen and feel for signs of your own desire to be involved with something. If the rewards are too far in the future, that’s not a promising sign. If you’re interested in something for its own sake, that is a promising sign, on your part. Just be cautious if you encounter a tease factor, in anything you may do this week. Get your full Gemini reading here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Currently there is truly unusual cosmic activity in Scorpio, which is your 5th solar house. The morph of the 5th and Scorpio is about creative, experimental sexuality, which could overflow into your artistic pursuits and adventures. Given the diversity of planets directly involved (Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Atlantis, Tantalus and Jupiter), this setup could have many manifestations. Let’s take the theme of the 5th house as superseding all others. The 5th presents the challenge to most humans of proceeding in the spirit of exploration and experimentation. This is best led by curiosity, which adult life has all but extinguished. Those whom we call creative are actually more often curious and uninhibited about pursuing the hunger of their own mind and feelings. Curiosity is about a relationship to the unknown. You would want to know, which means starting from the place of not knowing, and wanting to find out. If you perceive this as dangerous, you will be in conflict. Any supposed ‘danger’ is likely just a perceived threat to your boredom or the predictability of your life. Get your full Cancer reading here.

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You’re at a vitally important tipping point in your life. This alignment has been brewing for a while. You’ve been chasing it, or it’s been chasing you. The central theme is allowing for spontaneous change. This could mean change of identity, or of activity, though I reckon it’s much closer to the center of who you are. The theme is your ability to experience change itself, as a welcome entity; to embrace the willingness to experiment with reinventing yourself; and to connect your identity to your purpose in a direct way. Just about every question or hesitancy that you may have relates directly back to whether you think you feel secure. This is not a state of material reality but rather of your inner emotional life. When you feel confident in yourself, you will typically be more daring. Now, though, you have the opportunity to be daring when you may be feeling less than self-assured, or more likely, ambivalent. That alone must never stop you from actively participating in your own existence. Get your full Leo reading here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — The core theme of your solar chart remains focused on what you say, or do not say. This translates to what you admit to yourself, or do not admit. You may have the sensation that by admitting one particular fact of your emotions, you will set in motion a series of events that changes your life irrevocably. This is likely to be exaggerated. Yes, one thought, or one statement, or one idea, can have tremendous power. However, when you find yourself backing away from an idea, that’s a sure sign you might want to turn around and go toward it. People play plenty of “I don’t want to know” kinds of games, even within their own minds. But denial is not your friend. It’s not now, and it never was. Wisdom is your friend; so too is knowledge. When you encounter the seemingly dangerous thought, that’s the time to reach for your notebook or sketchbook and mark the paper in some legible way. Do not update Instragram or Twitter. For now, keep it to yourself, so you can cultivate the idea actively — whatever it may be. Get your full Virgo reading here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You may be obsessed over financial matters, though I assure you that’s not really the issue. Your ‘true worth’ is a metaphor for something else. It’s not $50 or $500 an hour, that’s for sure, though this confusion is commonplace in our current version of the world. Your true worth can only be accessed when you’re true to yourself. Doing so can shake you up, and get you to make a decision, which is why it so rarely happens. This involves the abandonment of various ‘shoulds’ and allowing your actual needs, desires and intentions to percolate right to the surface of your mind. Your values are not set in stone, or set at all. Your life is an inquiry, an adventure, an investigation of reality. It’s not that the truth changes, but rather that you are in the process of getting closer to your core, and closer to the possibility of making a real discovery about yourself. The question as I read it is this: what would you want, and what would you prioritize, if nobody else’s opinion mattered? Get your full Libra reading here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your life may feel like one revelation after the next, one crisis after the next, or both. By now, you could even have the feeling that you’re learning something about yourself. Your awareness is, in some significant ways, pointed inward, as Venus continues its retrograde motion in your sign. Yet the deeper question is one of power: that elusive thing that is so easy to covet, and to imagine will give you something that you don’t have. The problem, though, is that it’s so rarely the real thing. More often, people who refer to this term or concept are talking about force, or the ability to manipulate, or knowledge that can be used for its leverage rather than its ability to enlighten. Since — if you are on a sincere growth trajectory — you want none of those things, you might consider what they’re a substitute for. Perhaps that is self-knowledge, and the ability to understand yourself well enough to make choices that work for you. And in that, few people ever get it right all the time. It is, however, worth the effort. Get your full Scorpio reading here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You will feel better when Jupiter arrives in your sign on Nov. 8. However, for the moment, it would be worthwhile to really experience the once-in-a lifetime astrology that’s happening right now, with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter all in your 12th house. The 12th usually has an intangible quality, like the void where all of your secrets about yourself end up. That, along with family secrets, ancestral material, forgotten people and missing people, as well as socks, lighters, and guitar picks. Now, however, your 12th is overstuffed, including the presence of your ruling planet Jupiter. This describes some unusual potential, which is gestating as we read/write. What do you feel coming? What is your sense of the possibilities? Can you consider them openly, with all of the chaos and consternation in the world? Your worst fears are rarely true, which can also be said of your greatest hopes. However, at the moment, you carry some unusual protection, you have access to your own hidden wisdom, and you’re in a good position to consider what you want to do with this rapidly approaching next phase of your life. Think generously. Get your full Sagittarius reading here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Pay attention to who and what you’re avoiding, particularly, any time you say, “I don’t have time for that” (meaning, a person). You may be substituting projects for people, seemingly because they are so pressing. Yet the underlying matter may be an avoidance of contact with people you feel vulnerable to, or even potentially so. This is a sly and slippery subject in our world, where there is seemingly so much to do, nearly all the time. However, this appears to be one of several barriers that you have put in place, which you can justify a number of ways, including having “good boundaries.” The thing is, functional boundaries are flexible; they open and close, lock and unlock. That includes time, which is the ultimate framework of our reality here on the Earth plane. Another is priorities: notice what you suddenly have all the time in the world for the moment it shows up as a possibility, and ask yourself how and why that is. It’s a basic fact that you need people, and they need you. Get your full Capricorn reading here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You must dance with your desire, your assertiveness, your aggression and your anger. All of these things exist; one can deny them but that does not make them go away. By dance, I mean move with the rhythm of life, sensitive to the movements of those around you. It’s not always appropriate to pick someone up or spin them around; sometimes it is. Be aware of your circumstances, how the people around you feel, and what they want. That does not dictate your needs or wants in any way, but rather will allow you to feel your way into opportunities for collaboration and mutual benefit. Be graceful when expressing your desires, which also means clear in your movements and your intentions so that people can count on the fact that you’re being real with them. In dance, one must lead, or follow. Even when following, you must be firm and attentive, rather than limp. When leading, you express confidence and act as a guide, without being pushy. Keep your ears on the rhythm and move with your whole body, not just your feet. Get your full Aquarius reading here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — It’s still too soon to see most of the benefits of the unusual events of the past year, though they are beginning to manifest as wisdom and a new depth of spiritual integrity. That’s another way of saying being in contact with yourself. This is never something you can just take for granted. It’s a state of being that requires constant upkeep. Ethics are never a given; there must be an ongoing evaluation of what is right and what is wrong, who is impacted, and that line where your responsibility ends and someone else’s begins. That said, prior to what we might call a period of accomplishment, you have some deep questions to ask yourself, and investigate thoroughly. One is the way in which your mother’s psychology impacts you to this day. She has left you with a hidden legacy, which tends to cloud your ability to have a vision for your life, and to be your own ally when it comes to matters of power and authority. There may have been some wisdom contained in her position, though that does not undo the damage. Only you can do that, beginning with awareness of the issue. Get your full Pisces reading here.