Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you feel like you missed a chance to work through a family or household-related issue, you will have another opportunity soon enough. If you’re trying to avoid one, it will come back to you for additional healing. There seems to be a matter from the past you’re not connecting with or fully acknowledging. It may be that you would prefer to forget it, though it keeps surfacing from time to time. Pay attention and you’ll notice this has more of an influence on your self-concept than you may imagine. It hides behind being a small matter, which is then magnified out of proportion — and therefore seems harder to address than it will be. Many facets of life are similar, and if you successfully address and resolve this situation, you will learn something larger. As with any early circumstances, the thing to remember at all times is that you’re not a child any more. You have adult powers, life experience and distance on these events. Much other useful information will come up for healing.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — How has this Venus retrograde (May 13-June 25) been influencing your emotional and erotic life? Are you relating differently in any way to your sexual needs or desires? In what ways are you relating to yourself differently? In what way are you relating to others differently? This astrology gets into some intimate territory where sexual needs intersect with emotional needs. Yet one image this week’s aspects present is learning how to see them as separate. Society (families, friends, potential partners, the local reverend) is assertive in its position that sex, to be “moral,” must be through a particular relationship and associated in some way with special love and commitment. Yet your sexuality has a life of its own, and its own seasons and cycles and orientation on existence. As part of your journey, you can take the time, space and risk and consider them independently. If you feel like you might be judged for this, note that inner response, and keep track of it — you will learn a lot from studying it.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — I mentioned last week the idea that true maturity is integral to being able to live in peace with uncertainty and in the face of the unknown. Of course, those things are also what tend to make people the most nervous and even unstable. Yet think of how much mystery you live with, particularly about yourself. The place where maturity morphs into a form of spiritual fortitude is the patience and willingness to do so consciously. It’s more than that, though. Self-discovery takes time. When questions are responded to with simple answers or false certainty is built up, that blocks access to truth, as the mind is no longer open or available to new understanding or awareness. Standing back from certainty is a method that helps you avoid lazy approaches to life that ultimately do not help or which interject delays. That is important now because such beautiful discoveries about yourself are possible. A rare window is open. Seek the truth, not a substitute.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for instant access. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year.Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Your life has progressed in the past month or so to where you can make observations about yourself that you were not likely to make before. This is a matter of perspective. Sometimes you must get a little distance and see things from an angle. What you have now is the viewpoint where you can hold two opposite properties of yourself as existing side by side. One way to look at this is being able to consider your mental and emotional realities as distinct from one another. They are not, of course, because you are one being, though it can help to think of them as having some discrete traits that can communicate with one another. This could, for example, represent two deep needs you have that seem to compete for your attention. Feel the tension for a while. Let both sides of the equation exist in their own right. They would seem to be in direct competition with one another, or mutually exclusive. If you can bring yourself present for that feeling, and stay there a while, you can observe for yourself whether that is really true.

You may now pre-order your 2020-21 Cancer Astrology Studio for just $33. This year, the time of Cancer begins with an eclipse on the solstice, as well as Mercury retrograde in your sign. This is astrology that points to you in a personal way, describing a transition you may not feel ready to make but have been preparing for over long years. Chiron in Aries is also a prominent factor, pointing to some pioneering developments in your professional life. I will cover these aspects, and much more.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may be ready to reveal openly what you have kept under a veil. Cats are good at hiding their secrets, and you are no different. Don’t do this all at once, though. While it’s true you need to be one self, wherever you are, this is a gradual process of letting off some pressure. The first place to open the valve is within yourself. Gradually, decide what you want to move over from the ‘private’ column to the ‘public’ one — for example, by determining what about yourself you no longer want to keep hidden from others. This may stem from desire, or it may stem from the need to feel real. With either approach, your self-guidance would offer you back some feeling of pleasure, surrender and the sensation of true freedom as a result of even considering the idea. The point of self-disclosure is not doing the right thing in some abstract sense, but rather, feeling better. Being real is its own reward and its own challenge, and many others will follow.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Mercury’s change in direction this week provokes the question of wanting to take care of everyone, by which I mean the whole world: a Virgo trait that is not easy to reckon with. Society is still in love with its ‘every man for himself’ theory of existence, in nearly total denial of how the very purpose of organizing ourselves into communities is to help us sort out the basics. Even with food and clothing taken care of, there are many emotional and spiritual challenges to our lives, and those concern you as well. Here is what I would suggest, as someone who relates to this point of view personally. Keep your interests close to home: your actual home, your closest friends and your most immediate community. Let that be “the world” for you. This is not only manageable, it’s extremely useful, and you will find it rewarding. Work on the level where either you can see some direct results, or there can be some exchange. The rest is digital illusion.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Focus on feeling good, rather than feeling safe. And why is that? The notion of safety is an abstraction on a planet with so many seeming threats, most coming from within our minds. Feeling good is a direct, verifiable experience. You know you feel good because you do. Ah, wait; I must stop myself here. What about the people who only feel good when they feel pain? What about people who feel guilty the moment they are happy, as if they must be neglecting something, or betraying someone? Well, in that case, one does not “feel good.” However, they might feel safe, stable and normal. So, it would seem we have some sorting out to do around this whole topic. Those who feel good are certainly a mystery to those who do not. If I may: feeling is about being present in one’s body, whether good, bad or some other description. That would seem to be the controversial thing: that the body is involved. You could say controversial, or you could say inevitable.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — I’m curious what has transpired for you the past week of your life. What did you experience? What did you learn? Where have you invested your energy? And what was the outcome? While the Mars-Neptune conjunction was exact Saturday, it’s still vibrating, and your ruling planet Mars is still in Pisces, pushing a daring quality to your creative and sexual adventures. Much of this can be adventure for its own sake. You might consider the results as you go along, or you might just keep experimenting and skip the evaluation. As long as you’re happy, it’s all good. That said, later this week, Mercury stations retrograde in one of the most philosophical angles of your chart. That is likely to point you to some matters of meaning, which may seem to come on abruptly, and lead you to question some of what you’ve experienced recently. You can take that as an opportunity to slow down, reflect and edit. You will appreciate any moment of meditation and introspection. It’s been a while.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The dominant theme for Sagittarius is the nature of your contracts and agreements. You have a tendency to enter these on an emotional basis rather than logical or rational. Emotional could mean how you feel; some would say it’s their gut response to a situation. That’s true as far as it goes. It’s always a good idea to read a contract or to know what you’re committing to through some tacit agreement, and that’s the moment of your astrology at this time. If your feelings, gut or emotions guide you to conduct a review, that would be a good idea. If your mind guides you to do so, that’s an equally good idea. The mental plane gets to the specifics that can be expressed in language, including of how you are responding on a level you don’t usually articulate. And the specifics are currently where it is at for you — not the generalities. You don’t have to commit to anything except being honest with yourself.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Mercury stations retrograde in your opposite sign this week, which signifies your changing position on a relationship. I would suggest the most important thing to track is your perspective: whether you’re seeing the world as an adult or a child. You might also track your perception of where partners and loved ones are coming from. While seeing and experiencing life from the viewpoint of your inner kid can be fun, the drawback is that you don’t have much control over the flow of events. Your child self might resort to disrupting the flow, which is much easier, though is not a form of creative power. It is a sign of desperation, though we might ask, about what? Before you try to get control, you might reckon how and why you feel like you lack it. This is nearly certain to be a personal matter having nothing to do with external events. Nobody controls what you think, believe, feel or do — even if you want them to.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — With so much emphasis on health these days, it’s noteworthy why there is so little emphasis on wellbeing. In the midst of a supposedly medical crisis, how to take care of oneself is not in the discussion. It does need to be in your personal discussion. This can begin with the relationship between your emotional state and what you think of as being a medical issue. The chances are high that what you’re experiencing is originating on the emotional level rather than the physical. You are more likely to feel the ill effects of an insult or self-defeating thought than you are to experience those of a toxin or pathogen. Said another way, fear is unhealthy; stress is not conducive of wellbeing; judgment is not relaxing; anger is not good for heart, soul or blood. That is the order in which to proceed. You don’t need to concern yourself with the dangers of ‘bad stuff’, only with the influence of your mind on your body. And once you have a handle on that, you gain many abilities you didn’t have before.

Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces’ ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Your energy will start to bounce back as Mars makes its way into late Pisces, away from Neptune. If you experienced a drought last week, it involved the Mars-Neptune conjunction. If your astrology means anything, you will have more traction and be better able to make contact with others, so make sure you focus your message, keep an eye on the details, and make adjustments in real-time if necessary. By that, I mean think on your feet, and think creatively, which means with a measure of adventure and pleasure. You know what you’re doing. Mercury stationing retrograde this week in your house of art and adventure (Cancer, your solar 5th) is an invitation to explore the lush side of your mind in a focused way. Rather than making art, give yourself a project, by which I mean a space to fill. Define some loose parameters and fulfill them. Take one idea and develop it. Along a similar line, reach out to one person you’re interested in, take leadership and evolve the conversation. A little focus will go a long way.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — To be the ‘master of your destiny’, so much as is possible on the physical plane, calls for having a handle on your spiritual life. That’s the bit where you consider your relationship to existence, and seek to understand your fears, and learn where you stand with yourself. It’s easy to sidestep this. It’s easy to Netflix and chill your way through life. The initial steps require the most adaptation, because old ways do not like to be challenged, nor do the inner identities that sustain them. Sometimes, though, there is a bold sense of adventure. Other times you might embark on something and not be sure what that is. Any of those would serve you, though you must make the connections — feeling the pull or the opening and allowing yourself to experience that. For a little while, you have access to knowledge that is beyond your direct experience. Listen carefully for that, and notice when you hear it.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — What are the bonds that link you to another person? They seem to be shifting; are you observing that fact? It’s not that the relationship is ‘ending’, but rather that its deeper basis, its foundation, is calling for recognition. It will be possible to live under the old terms for a while, though for the relationship to persist, you must grow in ways that you may find daunting, incomprehensible or impossible at the moment. When you have that feeling, consider that you’re standing on the wave front of your next reality. You may or may not like this. You might try to compensate by holding onto some values or ideas you have long espoused. If you’re doing that, do it consciously, because Venus retrograde is an opportunity to reassess your ideals. Even if you have no special interest in that, it’s going to happen; you know that your spirit is moving you, and you must begin to question what you thought of as reality.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — How is your listening process going? The one about listening to yourself, or reading what you’ve written? [Please see Gemini in Monday Morning 231.] This is not the kind of thing you do for a moment and move on. It’s a skill you’re being called upon to develop, so that you have it available when you need it. You can think of this as coming home to yourself, which may require making the discovery that you had, at some point, gone away. You have a tendency to dismiss the body-oriented level of knowledge and understanding, in favor of what ‘makes sense’ to you. What happens then is you miss out on the opportunity to be with your contradictions long enough to work them out. Notice when you’re doing this: when you try to explain something, make it simple, or resolve the tension by taking sides. True maturity comes from being able to live in peace with uncertainty and in the face of the unknown, if only for a while.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for instant access. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year.Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Last week, I reminded you: for healing to be real, the problem most certainly must have the element of opportunity, otherwise, what is the use? This is the ‘other way of seeing things’ that is so essential to any progress. Evolution of thought means seeing yourself and your situation from a new angle, particularly one where you notice you have the power to make decisions. That is the moment where and when you engage your true being: the place you see and acknowledge that you can call the shots. As you study this, you’re likely to notice how it embraces everything about you, right down to choosing who you are, and choosing to accept who you are. This would be simple, save for all the layers of guilt and denial that are piled on nearly everyone as a child — particularly an insidious form of self-denial that results in losing contact with one’s core being. Restoring your strength comes back to being fully present for your power to decide, and seeing your options.

You may now pre-order your 2020-21 Cancer Astrology Studio for just $33.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Curiosity is your best friend. It’s your permission to exist, to search and to feel. Curiosity is your permission to create, just so you can see what happens next. It is a bypass through or around clutter that would serve no purpose but to distract you from taking action. Usually, that clutter is put in place to make people less curious, and thus more manageable, predictable and subject to external control. To engage your motivation and self-authority, therefore, you would be taking the most tangible step beyond external control. Are you ready for that? And how do you know? This would seem to be one of the deepest personal issues, connected to and multiplied into many of the problems we see in society, where so many people, as a mass movement, are united and emboldened by the need to not think for themselves. Then they wonder how certain political ‘leaders’ manifest, and parental figures, priests and other cops. Could all of this be obviated by allowing yourself to feel sincere curiosity, and acting upon it? Are you curious about that?

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It’s easy to tell who is honest, if you’re really interested. If you don’t care, it’s nearly impossible, because the concept of honesty won’t exist. If you fall prey to someone’s lack of integrity, it will merely seem like circumstances outside your control led to it. Once you make a choice to be discerning, life may seem a shade more dangerous, because you’re acknowledging potential problems that are related to your choice to trust or not trust — which is an important decision in any relationship. Then, there is what to do if you are not certain. However, this would seem to call for a basic protocol, such as paying attention, and gaining some experience in small ways that don’t involve too much vulnerability. That would include listening. People will tell you who they are without much prodding. They will also show you who they are, with all of their actions. The only question is whether you care enough to notice. That is the same question as: how much do you care about yourself?.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Make sure you need to do everything you’re doing. That will require you to slow down and evaluate whatever you do. This means acknowledging what it is from a purely factual standpoint: I am painting the foyer lime green; I am planting rhubarbs in my garden before the New Moon; I am polishing my headlights. And it means noticing where that action fits into the sequence of events, motivated by something, and headed toward something. I am recommending these very basic kinds of orientation exercises due to a Mars-Neptune conjunction that is brewing, building, and will be exact on Saturday, June 13. This has the feeling of spiritual vertigo, including complicating your sense of the passage of time. To sort out what is real from what is not, it will help to have reference points, which include the calendar, and extend into the kind of rudimentary awareness exercises I suggested. Take care of your health by taking care of your wellbeing. For you they are closely related. Focus on feeling good, rather than feeling safe.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your chart has the feeling of melting, as in you melting. This could be a pleasant experience of gently melting into warm water, or a meltdown that is the result of anger. You may find that these two states of mind are closer than you may think, and somehow mysteriously slip from one to another. Wherever you may be in consciousness, be there. Feel what you’re feeling, and use that as a point of entry into yourself. The sensations you’re experiencing are not the destination or result. Rather, they are openings into a deeper experience of yourself. Your way will be facilitated by not being so invested in your emotions, but rather taking some distance and acknowledging their existence. You may not get any easy answers about what is true and what is not. If you ride the waves and dare to breathe underwater, you may discover you’re asking real questions that you’re not in a rush to answer.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You’re in a time where your potential is being revealed to you. Potential, is, of course, just that — any growth or revelation comes from action. Sometimes it’s one thing, like doing something you might not ordinarily have done, which places you in new territory. Sometimes, it’s like learning a difficult or unfamiliar dance move, where you just have to keep doing it over and over to get it right. In fiction, there is a concept called ‘suspending disbelief’. That’s what gets you into the universe of the book or film; you forget it’s not real for a while, and do not actively resist your perceptions. That, too, would be a helpful move, though how you get there is the question. You can look for an idea you want to work with. Notice if you have some odd attachment to “the way things are.” How does any attachment work or not work for you? Be alert to what serves a negative purpose, such as, “I have this person in my life to interrupt me.” Then, decide if you want that purpose.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may be noticing another wave of change you cannot control. That’s the only meaningful kind. It’s the experience that teaches you there’s something more creative than control, which is to make up life as you go. Though this may seem either impossible or like it couldn’t work all the time, in truth it’s an approach and a skillset you develop and learn to use. Many have proposed that, mainly, it is attachment to the past that gets in the way of being in the present. However, the past cannot be dismissed. One place to start is to acknowledge you will always coexist with it, though that its meaning will change over time. It already has. You don’t need to fear that if you look at the past, you will get lost in it again. You’re bigger than it now; you’re not there. You live in a parallel world. Think of your past as an aquarium you’re looking into from the outside, and perhaps reconsider your response to anything you may see.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The paradox of approval is that it ultimately always comes down to you, for yourself. Others can do something useful, which is to set an example, thereby teaching you newer approaches than the ones previously modeled. Learn the specifics: tone of voice, choice of words. Be sensitive to what you like being said about you and what you don’t appreciate, including the subtle shades. Pretty much all learning is by example, so choose the example you want. When you take someone as an intimate, you accept the way they treat you as the way you would treat yourself. This counts for whomever they may be, that is, in whatever supposed role, and however they may speak to you, or treat you. Let this be your guidance on filtering out who you don’t want in your life and whom you do. You might say, as others do unto you, you do unto yourself.

Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces’ ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — I just happened upon this Pisces weekly horoscope from four years ago, in May. It seemed apropos of our moment. “If you feel like you’re at a turning point, then keep turning. Your astrology reveals that you have more leverage than you think, though at times you may feel like you’re mysteriously stuck. Actually, you’re surpassing one limit after the next, though they may be subtle limits, many of them mental. As you do this, it’s important to be aware of your significant gains. Pay less attention to the day-to-day ups and downs, and more attention to the longer scenario. Where were you at a year ago? What about two years? Make a list of every challenge and obstacle you’ve successfully navigated. Consider what you’ve built, made or created, and give yourself extra credit because it’s so challenging to be enthusiastic about anything these days. Yet if you want to get your life onto the next level, it will help if you think of yourself — not your life — differently. Your life is not about what you do. It’s about who you are, and what you do follows from that.”

Aries (March 20-April 19) — It would serve you well to have as your goal in life to be trusted, and to conduct yourself only in ways that facilitate this. The way to begin is by taking total accountability for your actions, your choices and your feelings. Even then, it’s possible to hold accountability for an event that seems to be outside your control. I suggest you go to a position far from the accepted social norm in the Western world — it’s someone else’s fault if a person slips and falls. To shift away from this is not convenient. It involves taking on liability for what may not be provable as your ‘fault’. Yet this is a special exercise, designed to establish where, exactly to draw the line. You can start your analysis from either end: “I’m not responsible for anything,” or “I’m potentially responsible for anything.” Currently, it would make more sense to take on total accountability and then learn how to rule out certain claims, after carefully observing yourself, anyone else involved, and doing an honest analysis. That’s the tricky part. You will not be able to guess, and figuring out where your accountability lies will take time. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — To the extent that your notion of sexuality is in any way associated with power, now is an excellent time to question that belief. This may include revisiting any event in your life that taught you that others have power over you, or that you are in any way helpless. It may be that certain people are dangerous and that others have at some time harmed you. If you are still affected by those events, you have something to place at the top of your healing agenda. There is, however, something else, which is the idea that sex is always a matter of power and that someone who holds this belief is automatically the weaker party. If we counted the ways this concept is hazardous to your peace of mind, that would take a while. Any idea that places a person inherently into the position of victim is the more serious danger than any physical or emotional threat. The reason is that such a state of mind interferes with the ability to be discerning. One can project danger where there is none, laying the burden onto everyone. This need not be. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Photo by Lanvi Nguyen.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You must keep a sense of proportion where certain matters of the past are concerned. Your charts suggest you’re being called to address something from your personal history. Rather than considering your ideas about it, or the ways it was encrypted into your experience, first address the most basic facts of the situation. What situations and events led to it? Where did it take place, and how did that come about? Who was aware, before, during and after? It’s important to have a wide definition of the circumstances. I would propose that the best use of this astrology is to seek healing. For that, you need to correct your memory of what happened. This will take an unusual degree of honesty, and that will require curiosity. If this has troubled you for a while, it will help if you understand why that is. It may seem to “go without saying,” though you definitely want to connect your feelings to your thoughts to your voice. Then listen to yourself, or read what you’ve written. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for instant access. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year.Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Mercury has entered your sign, and will be treading a delicate path these days. So, too, are Venus and Mars. These three planets are integral to how we feel and perceive the world. They address many different state of mind issues. And, interestingly, this week they are all making contact with centaur planets (in various combinations, Chiron, Pholus and Nessus) which suggests many people will be dealing with deep material, and potentially be triggered. For you, Mercury is offering a reminder worth considering: how you frame an issue or a topic will determine how you think of it, and what you think it means. How you describe a problem or seeming problem sets the parameters of whether and how you solve it. For example, some people tend to see every difficulty as presenting a potential opportunity. This is not merely rhetoric; it is an approach to existence. For healing to be real, the challenge most certainly must have the element of opportunity. Otherwise, what is the use? Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

You may now pre-order your 2020-21 Cancer Astrology Studio for just $33.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Remember you are bigger than your circumstances, or any life situation, or any problem you may face. The astrological metaphor is that your sign is ruled by the Sun, into which every planet and asteroid, and the entire Kuiper Belt, could disappear without even being noticed. Yet it is odd the ways in which Leo can sometimes embody a sense of littleness. Recognize that this is a choice, often one made out of habit. The whole notion of who and what you think you are is habitual, usually based on past conditioning. We all received negative messages as children, and some received more than their psyche could handle. Among other things, this manifests as a lack of curiosity, and a compromised ability to feel one’s potential. You can unravel this. The worst is over, and most of the ways these habits are enforced is by your own choices — and those have roots and origins. Simply said, you don’t need to send yourself the negative messages you heard when you were younger. You can be positive, though the short way through the forest is to allow yourself to be curious. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — When you make an assessment of what someone thinks, or what someone means when they say something, it’s crucial that you account for your own values. You are in the territory of “we see things as we are.” Therefore, be careful about ascribing motives, or reading too much into what you think of as the tone or the timing. If you find yourself getting judgmental, ask yourself why. If you come up with a “reason,” test whether it’s intellectually or spiritually valid. Given all of the various prevailing conditions of the planets right now, you want to be in a continuous state of inquiry. Current aspects could also have you experiencing bitter distrust of your world and of people generally, and of certain individuals. I suggest you not count your perceptions as being valid, but rather, keep an open mind and ask yourself why you’re reacting if you’re reacting. There is, however, a deeper question: what is your relationship to pleasure, and the things that give you pleasure? For example, music, or reading books? That, and you need human company, with someone you trust, in person. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You will need to keep your adult presence this week, and remember you are looked to as an example in all that you do. You may be called upon to make decisions, and you will need to take your time with them rather than acting in a lurch. This does not mean you should be indecisive. You’ll need to use your sense of when you have enough information and have sufficiently polled the people whom any decision impacts. There is an art to doing this. That involves seeking the views of others, without getting pushed around or allowing them to persuade you. I have seen that few have any clue how to do this; many think listening to someone means doing what they say, rather than hearing and attempting to comprehend. Listening means listening, and taking responsibility for what you learn. Be cautious of those who try to push a sense of urgency on you, trying to get you to act faster. The first question to ask when presented with ANY decision is, when does this need to be finalized? Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Be honest about your desire nature, even if you don’t feel it fits your image. If you want to be seen and noticed for something, let that be being real. It usually turns out that those who think of themselves as real can be honest about everything except for sex. You now have a rare moment where transparency is possible, and therefore so too is accountability. This is not all about ‘bad things’, though this is a good time to come to terms with anything of that nature. The zone where there’s the biggest hang-up is not about pain but rather about pleasure. The obsession with pain often involves an avoidance of that which is positive or creative or just fun. So I suggest you take a balanced view, and be real about yourself on all fronts: every version of what has happened to you and how you feel about it; what you have chosen to do and how you feel about it; and who and what you want. Let this be a liberating experience. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — To some extent, family messes up everyone. It may be to a greater or lesser degree; the injury or mistrust inflicted may be addressed, or it may fester. One’s past, no matter how difficult, may teach cruelty or compassion. Nobody else can dictate for you how to use your personal history, though many will try. Neither is your situation political, which means appropriate to transact anger for public power. (That may be your nemesis.) Keep what is personally yours personal, so you may take care of yourself, heal and grow. That includes sharing your feelings and your experiences in an intentional context, with someone you trust. Meanwhile, if you don’t feel safe in your home environment, you have the ability to make a decision about that. You are no longer subject to your circumstances as if you don’t have any power. Between the state where you feel unable to choose and the one where you are able to is a change of awareness equivalent to sunrise illuminating the world, revealing your options. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The kind of stress you’ve been under is not easy to endure for long. However, you may have noticed that a particularly demanding kind of intensity and pressure has given way to a space where you may choose voluntarily to adjust your awareness, make choices and grow. At the heart of this is an increasing ability to see yourself beyond your physical circumstances, and the most concrete definition of your personal history. You are learning to allow your awareness to expand. At times this seems to take tremendous courage, though it’s on the level of the first time you walked to the store alone as a child. To enter your frontier you must leave behind the familiar. Your old ideas do not protect you. Your longstanding concept of reality no longer serves you. It is too small for who you are. Yet to exist in some other reality you would need to see yourself much more elegantly than you do today. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You want to be approved. Yet that desire would only come from not approving of yourself, which in turn would lead you to wonder whether someone else could ever do so. Herein we have the paradox of seeking self-approval outside oneself. I suggest you make a list of everything you want approval for, and from whom. Let this be an evaluation of how much of your power you’ve given to others. Also note the extent to which society is built around the concept of giving power away in this particular form. Most people, before purchasing a product or going to a restaurant, want to read the reviews — none of which assure that you will have a positive or negative experience. It’s true that restaurants (and books and plays) depend on reviews, and many good things have been lost to history due to clueless critics. When it comes to something you have personally done or created, or some facet of your character, you cannot outsource that. Ultimately, you must make up your own mind about yourself and what you do. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces’ ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You are passing through some tricky territory for the next week, with Mars in your sign making many aspects, and a lunar eclipse coming up on Friday. However, do not overestimate the danger or personal risks. Rather, do what you can to keep a balanced perspective. That means not getting yourself caught in any hype or controversy, and taking your time evaluating any situation you might meet. Remember you must make up your mind about every issue that personally affects you: that is your privilege and your responsibility. The place to devote most of your loving attention is relationships centered in your home. Pay attention there and do what you can to ease any stress and to facilitate goodwill and healing. As for your endeavors in the seemingly outer world — such as asserting yourself in professional affairs — now is the time to step forward and take some territory. Events may proceed in unexpected ways as the week develops, which can work in your favor — if you remain true to yourself. On a spiritual level and all others, this is the challenge. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Lou Reed once said that you can’t always trust your mother. The question is, do you, and on what topics? Whether she’s in-body or not, that list will help you, because you’re likely to take her advice quite a bit without thinking about it. If you’re going to be influenced by the feelings or the emotional responses of your parents, let it be conscious and positive; take the good and make a choice to leave behind what does not work for you. There’s another message about paying attention to when you’re speaking from present conditions that are real now, or from a past emotional state that does not connect directly to the present. When you speak, be clear whether you’re speaking from your position now, from feeling, or from a state of fear. It’s too easy to confuse those, and it’s why so many conversations go in unhelpful directions. Know where and when you are at all times. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Take advantage of this time of reevaluation. While on one level you can do almost anything at any time, there are moments that are appropriate to certain personal projects. And now, the purpose of the time is a reevaluation of your priorities. To do this, you can start with the big ones or the seemingly small ones, though eventually you get to the stuff that would seem never to be subject to question. One of the most significant themes involves your professional commitments. This is a message coming from Saturn in Aquarius the next three years. This may feel like enforced changes, though it’s also granting you a kind of Midas touch when it comes to reinventing your career or vocation. To do that effectively, though, you need to go right to the core of your values, which means: what motivates you to get up every morning and live every day? Is there anything you’re in conflict with? Now is the time of the season to work that through. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You are in one of those profound transformational moments. Yet this will only be the beginning that the astrology describes if you treat it as such, with the utmost respect for your mission on the Earth. If you’re in any doubt or confusion about that, please don’t push the issue. Instead, listen. Listen to your environment, and the people around you. Notice what you observe about the place and time in which you’re alive. Mostly, listen to yourself. Hear well what you have said to yourself many times. These are often the things most easily ignored. Notice what keeps returning to you, that you set aside or put off to the future. The idea of a calling is not well understood. There is no direct path from the high school theater production to the red carpet at the Oscars, and you don’t want one, anyway. Your journey, that is to say, the winding road of your life, is about what you are called to do, and to create, not so much where you think you might “end up.” So listen, and also, observe, what you do with your days, when you sense you have the choice. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for instant access. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year. Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Do everything you can to translate from fantasy to reality; from your imagination to the tangible thing or experiment you’re working on. Set up the work flow, from your interior to expression. The standard is not perfection, success or viability. The standard is action, based on an idea. This is, you might say, the essential tantric act of the moment. We could sum it up as simply as getting real. Action counts for writing something down, and developing it within one day. Reaching to another person to discuss a plan, or seek advice or information, is action. Actually doing the thing is action (for instance, the thought, “I want to be a photographer,” followed by taking photographs and then looking at them). You do not need to do anything well, or brilliantly, or confidently. The threshold here is doing it at all, about the thought you’re thinking. This would include sharing and experimenting with living out any sexual fantasies you have rather than holding them in and keeping them to yourself. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — In the U.S. and other countries, we’re now living through this weird time of “social distancing.” The concept is supposed to be that we’re being good neighbors and helping one another stay healthy. Even in the unlikely chance that’s true, the collateral damage includes increasing paranoia, hypochondria, judgment of others, stress, isolation, and the fear of human contact that has become so pervasive in our digitized world. You have an opportunity to take leadership on the level of being social, and reminding people what that means and why we might want it. Yours is one of the most outgoing signs, partly for reasons of being easily conversant in nearly any situation. Even under ‘normal’ conditions, you don’t have any use for being shy or demure. And now, under rather abnormal conditions, we need your example, and your courage. You know you would not be happy in a world where hugging is illegal or where band practice could lead to house arrest. Please show us the way out of this tangled web. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You may be experiencing some mix of total confidence and incomprehensible uncertainty, particularly related to career or professional matters. At times you know exactly what you want, then this is thrown into reverse (or bumped sideways) by some competing influence. This has been true for you for a while; you always seem to have two major goals you’re working with at once, two different ways you define yourself in a professional context, or options for what business card to give out. I suggest you make a card with your name, email address and phone number, and that’s it. You give your contact information and nothing else, so that you cannot be directly tied to your past, or to a purpose that you may not have in that moment. What you present, personally and as a person, in the encounter where you hand someone the card is all that the person needs to know about you. You don’t need to prove anything, and at the moment, you need to give yourself plenty of room to maneuver. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You seem to be deep into the experience of determining what is true for you, and what is not, on some rather encompassing issues. Keep your sense of proportion as you are guided through this. You don’t need to answer all of life’s mysteries at once. It would help significantly if you didn’t even try. There is a spiritual tool, not widely acknowledged but known to a few, that involves standing in the face of mystery for as long as possible. This is a way of keeping your mind open and uncluttered by what you presume or assume. It’s a way of holding the ground clear of false answers or even “real” ones. You would be well served by seeking even one sincere question. That said, Venus retrograde describes a subject area that might be fertile territory for exploration: how you integrate your sexuality with your spiritual life. They are not opposites; they are facets of the same thing. To be one self, united with your creative power, notice and embrace the many ways that works. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Notice what is exchanged when sex or money is transacted. It’s not just those things: many other items come along for the ride. Feelings, ideas, commitments, assumptions, presumptions and expectations are often involved. Some are spoken and some are not. The message of your astrology for the foreseeable future is to get the contracts of your life into clear language. This begins with a review of all of your standing commitments. First make an inventory of the ones you know about. Then dredge up the ones you forgot about, whether they’re unkept promises, missed emails, or recurring charges that don’t belong on your debit card. That will be fruitful. Notice the contractual nature of nearly every human transaction, even if it’s as minimal as “I’ll call you Wednesday.” It’s likely that this process will extend into an existing long-term relationship, particularly one that has endured a few shocks or undergone some radical transformation. Update your files. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — It’s time to pluck up some courage, and keep it up. A little will go a long way and a modest amount will serve all of your purposes. This is true in when it comes to your personal relationships, your business dealings and your creative projects. The purpose of courage is to allow you to take action in the event of some situation demanding that very thing. You seem unsure what to make of your circumstances, and those of the wider world. You don’t need certainty to get results. You surely don’t need false certainty. You will feel better if you count your life as an experiment rather than as a program you must follow. The easiest way to connect with courage is to allow your curiosity to drive you. Find out who everyone you encounter is. Do things just to see what happens. Try taking the opposite approach when one method does not get a viable result. Your options are open, and you’re free to explore them. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Like most occupants of the planet, you may be obsessing about your health. But are they really, and are you? You do have a fantastic opportunity to confront certain bottom-line issues related to how you take care of yourself. That’s what your chart is all about. Lent is over, though there are definitely some things you need to give up. Most of them are mental and emotional habits, without which you will feel a lot better. It’s still a challenge for you to be honest with yourself about a few topics that get lost in the clouds of your mental approach to life. You still have an idea that rationality will solve everything. Some things that are true cannot be proven, and many things that are false cannot easily be debunked. However, when the reality of something has established itself over and over again, you might want to take note of that. Also, where you resist will tell you a lot about what you’re concerned might be true, rather than false. And if you listen carefully, you will notice when you’re trying to prove something to someone. Who is that someone, and why do you want to win them over? Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Imagine your life is an art studio, with every supply you could ever want: anything from 100 colors of paint and any conceivable brush, to a block of stone and sculpting tools, to a recording studio. What would you create? This is a fair description of your spiritual state right now. You have all the physical means of creation, and people who will collaborate. You have ideas. All you need to do is channel them into physical manifestation. Remember that perfection is not a value and not your aspiration. You might strive for imperfection, in that exploring creativity is a matter of trial and error — and it’s often the errors that get you further than the trials. You are learning how to experiment with the physical space that you inhabit and that contains your physical life. Take some chances here. Move things around until you find a configuration that facilitates what you’re doing, and then rearrange your space to accommodate your next idea. Even your desk would count. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces’ ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You are being called to participate in the world in an expanded way. In fact there are many calls and many openings. What would seem to be bad news for others reveals an opening for you to engage life more fully. This is not theoretical involvement; it’s direct, physical, spiritual involvement. Your actions count, and what they mean to you and to others counts more. Your wide perspective is giving you many reasons to respond to current developments with something other than fear, and that something is the willingness to serve. This is a phase of deep evolutionary work for you, and it’s not happening in a monastery or a cave in India. It’s happening right where your contribution can be seen and felt, and you’re learning as you go. Be flexible, and if you make a mistake, quickly make the necessary corrections, make an entry in your lab notebook, and keep going. The deeper your experiences touch you, and the more you learn, the greater the positive impact you will have on others. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — The Sun entering Gemini this week will help you give a voice to all that you’re feeling. Other factors are supporting this venture as well. In our world, having a voice is the difference between making your way in the world, and total frustration. The voice you’re seeking is relaxed, friendly and casual. Your goal is not to be an orator but rather to be conversant. Then listen to what you say, and decide how honest you’re being. This may be in the grand sense of the word, or the sublime. In particular, how sincerely do you speak about your feelings? The issue may be that you feel a few different ways about a few different things, and it’s difficult to place your location within your own opinions and responses. Therefore, let your perspective be mobile. See things from many different viewpoints. Invest in asking people what they think and how they feel, and learn from what they say. Gradually, this will become a deep conversation. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Your ruling planet Venus has turned to retrograde motion, and the Sun is about to exit your sign. This in total is a refresher course in staying in the moment, because that’s where the richest rewards are right now. Not in speculation or any form of obsession but rather in noticing where you’re at right now. There is, though, an element of reassessment of some prior events in your life. This may involve a loss, or something you gave up for what might now seem like the wrong reason. Try to suspend judgment about whatever you’re considering, and make a basic inquiry. Start with the facts, which you may want to consider from several different viewpoints. Maybe sketch out how you see things, and how you suspect another person sees them. This is an inner search that will shift your perspective on a situation and also teach you something about yourself, one of those true discoveries. But give it time. Venus will be retrograde for a while. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — When the Sun enters your sign on Wednesday, you will figure out how much you have going on — and you may want to simplify your life. That would be a worthy goal as you enter your Solar Return season and begin another trip around the Sun. Pay attention to your suspicions of others. Notice whether you’re driving people away by being wary of their positive vibes. If you’re doing this, probe into whether it’s honest. You may be projecting something from another situation, perhaps from the past or distant past, and using what you “learned” as a way of generalizing onto others. Venus is retrograde in your sign, and will be into late June. This is a rare opportunity, one that’s happened only twice before since 2004. You can widen the scope of your Venus retrograde journey and go on a quest for anything you may have mislearned or misremembered. You might have a sense of ambiguity about some matters, though what resolution means is deciding how you actually feel. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for pre-order at just $33. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year. Get the best price by pre-ordering today. Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — I keep solving the riddle of this horoscope, and then forgetting the solution. I am writing about the 12th house (activity in Gemini, in relationship to Cancer), and this is an example of the elusive quality of that house, where most of your astrology is taking place. The next few weeks can, if you want, be a time of deep inner exploration, though you may discover elements of your psyche that surprise you. These will have a hide-and-seek quality, which can reverse its position or appear to be opposite of what it is. So for a while there will be no definite points of resolve, but then the plan will come together when you least expect it. There are always a few ways to look at any question, any idea, any person, and usually we’re limited to one. What you’re really doing is moving around inside your consciousness and getting different perspectives on yourself. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — In terms of your healing process, it’s the spiritual dimension that counts the most. The rest will follow. That is, of necessity, an aspect of life that calls you into yourself, when other factors may be calling you into the world, and the social life of society. Keep leaning into the inner realms, which will be darker, quieter, and contain little in the way of easy answers. Yet this space is the best one to enter for the deeper questions. You know you’ve got one because you can’t easily say it to others without feeling like you’ll make people glaze over, or wonder what you’ve been smoking. You may consider those social-level conversations a kind of pretext while you set your ears and your subtle senses on your inner labyrinth. If you’re working on the level of physical healing, it’s the structure of your body that you want to consider. The content of your mind is important, and so too is how your head balances on the top of your spine as you walk or sit. Study that and see what you learn. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You have a knack for seeing opportunity where nobody else does, and for knowing how to make it real. Use that talent now, with the Sun entering Gemini later this week: that’s the currently intriguing midheaven angle of your chart, where you seek both responsibility and the rewards of recognition. Virgo has the element of doing two things at once: living out two major careers at the same time, for example. Now, however, you want to integrate and therefore concentrate your energy into one objective, and one calling for all the different sides of your mind and of your nature. Think of everything you do as a facet of the same thing. It is good to remember that for most people who take on a serious mission, their life calling invites them in. it feels less like choosing something from a menu and more like falling through the roof and landing on your feet. You know what you need to do, and what needs to be done: they are most likely the same thing. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If for the moment it seems that all of your philosophical inquiry is leading you nowhere, fear not. You are making progress, though it has not necessarily manifested in the outer world. You’re in the phase of pushing your roots downward rather than reaching upward toward the light. Those roots you’re growing are into yourself. In this process you’re learning to draw strength from both sides of your nature. You have to take your whole self along on this next journey; you cannot leave any aspect of yourself or your nature behind. Everything flows from your capacity for faith, for devotion and your inherent need to serve the world. Though this may seem like an odd suggestion, don’t think too big. Maintain a local, wholly manageable focus. Big achievements are not necessary; tangible ones are, so set goals that you can meet in a fairly short time. Get into the groove of recognizing how meaningful they are, and therefore you are. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may be hot and fiery while a partner is cool and retreating into their own world. This could be about sex, it could be about conversation, or you may be feeling the results of “social distancing” that are seeping into the world of consciousness and not just of bodies. Give people as much space as they need to work out their inner questions. Give yourself as much space as you need to have some fun, make some art, or get your ya-yas out (borrowing a bit from The Rolling Stones). You are an individual. Everyone in your life is an individual. This becomes more obvious when people admit that they have their needs and desires, which you seem ready to be real about. While being bold about your desires may lead to a shakeup in a relationship, there’s been some tension brewing for a while. Like much of the world, you will benefit from a shakeup and a reorientation. Just remember that deep down, you’re a hedonist. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The Sun enters your opposite sign Gemini this week, joining many other planets: Mercury, Venus, Vesta and the potent lunar North Node. Follow your attractions, even if you’re unsure where they will lead. Show some leadership and courage where people are concerned, and get the conversation started. There is a courage problem right now, and not only that, there are a good few people who are looking for any excuse to Be Very Afraid. Society is in the process of bifurcating on this concept: the ones who are afraid of everything including and especially their own shadow; and those who see no choice but to keep living their lives. Which of these general categories do you fall into? How much caution is enough, how much is too much, and how much is just ridiculous? Pay attention to who feels what way and why, and pay attention to how you feel. Have your criteria for discerning a risk from a threat from an imaginary notion. The differences are significant. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Prepare to spend some of your summer resolving old business. That will be a good investment in your future. You won’t have this same chance again: the final visit of Saturn to your birth sign between July 1 and Dec. 17. After this window closes, Saturn will not touch the edge of Capricorn again until 2047, which is a long time even by your standards. The question is, do you want to resolve this material, or would you rather keep your employment as a crisis and risk manager eternally? Because once you are, hypothetically, done with that, you would need something to do, and you would have to face your fears as you enter unfamiliar territory. Consider whether your sense of ‘self-acceptance’ comes through the discord and controversies associated with your family. See if you can map out your actual relationship to authority, and ask yourself whether this approach is helping you. There is a lot here, and fortunately all it will take to move things along is a bit of honesty with yourself. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may be obsessed with having a plan or a strategy, or reviving an old one that you forgot a while back. I suggest that for a while you proceed with no plan, and instead, focus on desire. Sure, you might have a good scheme you’ve been working on. The issue I propose, though, is that it may be more designed to please someone else than it is to work for you, and that’s the last thing you want. The ‘someone else’ could be a parental figure; it could be what you think is acceptable to your peers; it might be what you think will be successful as a business (thus pleasing hypothetical customers). The astrology of our moment is about exploring your curiosity, your interests, your desires and in a sense, your needs. What gets your attention should be engaging on the level of sex. Stick to those topics and that dimension of feeling, and divest yourself from complaining about what you find to be annoying. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces’ ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Regardless of whether society is “opening up,” I suggest you keep your focus on your home. There is a time for every purpose, and Venus is retrograde in the area of your chart associated with feeling good, feeling grounded and feathering your nest. If you know anyone who’s not too terrified to breathe, maybe invite them over for some old-fashioned socializing involving food and music and actual conversation not obscured by the internet or a mask. Consider your home an extension of your body and your emotions. Invest your energy into cleaning, refreshing, and generally breathing life into your four walls. Mostly, your space is about you. This extends out to your garden walls, if you happen to have a little bit of land. But even if not, clean the windows, wash the curtains, clean out the fridge, hunt down the dust bunnies, and give a bunch of stuff to the local charity shop. If you did any prepping, you might start passing things along to the homeless shelter or the food bank. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — One of my boldest, most outgoing girlfriends ever, a French woman named Sabine, once said to me, in a fit of frustration and angst: Someday I will succeed, and speak. Ask yourself what you have not said. Take these next six weeks of Venus retrograde in Gemini and make an inventory. Keep your own counsel for a while, and reflect in a deep and sincere way. Write it all down: what you have not told lovers, parents, friends, children, or colleagues. Once you get a sense of what the scope of the material is, ask yourself about your need, or motive, for not speaking up. Do you feel like something is stopping you? Are you blocking yourself? Do you gain something, or lose something, as a result? I am not suggesting you open up now, but rather use the Venus retrograde phase, approximately now until the end of June, as a time of reflection. Be aware that silence has consequences. You may already be aware of that. Speaking your truth also has consequences, and is the first step in reclaiming your power. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You feel two ways about many things. There’s often a dialog going in your mind, which at times makes you want to go out for ice cream and leave yourself behind. The question you might ask is, are you really involved in a true dialog in there? Or is it something else? A dialog would lead someplace useful, so you might use that as a metric. The central matter of Venus retrograde involves deciding how you feel about some of the most important personal matters. This may seem like it will take a lot of sorting out, though the chances are you already know how you feel, and the endless ongoing deliberation is what derails you from getting with your true values. There is also the matter of commitment. Vesta, directly involved with the Venus retrograde, translates commitment to devotion. The difference is that one is usually an external assertion and the other is an internal state of being. What you’re devoted to is usually revealed in who and what you keep coming back to. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Venus stations retrograde in your sign this week. This journey, which spans between May 13 and June 25, has the potential to be a turning point event in your inner life. You are meant to discover something in your relationship to yourself. While this will not happen overnight, there will be moments of discovery and revelation. Your role is to notice them and bring them forward into your conscious life. Your new knowledge becomes the basis for new decisions — that’s what it’s for. It’s up to you to make your personal truth into something that has substance and also remains open to fresh information — but mostly, to use what you know. Twice before in recent times, you’ve been at a similar turning point: this time of year in 2004, and then in 2012. Consider both of those in terms of their “before and after” value. This time, though, you’re ready for something you may not have been ready for in the past. There is something you must give up, to make room for something you must gain. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for pre-order at just $33. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year. Get the best price by pre-ordering today. Thank you for your business and your trust.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — In astrology there is a concept known as the 12th house. It’s the zone in one’s awareness where it’s difficult to acknowledge and admit what is there, because it’s not so easy to perceive. It’s like there is a place in the mind that plays hide and seek with you, or you with it. Now, though, you have an advantage, as there is some unusual presence: the retrograde of Venus, in a conjunction with Vesta. These are powerful allies in your quest for inner truth, particularly in some of the most intimate and sensitive aspects of your life. Just one thing is asked of you: come back to the work every day, and in a sense, keep at it all the time. You bring the quality of devotion: of attention to your own thoughts and feelings. These might not be easy to discern at first. You are clearing an inner fog, which means that at the moment your sight distance is limited. But at least you know that, and you can develop other sensitivities. For example, sound travels better under these conditions, so for now you might depend on your hearing, and simply listen to yourself. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — One of the most overwhelming aspects of life in our time is the obsession over image. Life was not always a nonstop public relations campaign. Over the next six weeks of Venus retrograde, it will help if you take time out of public view. With much social life happening in social media, this may not be easy for you. Yet as with certain scientific or medical procedures, there is something you can learn only under sterile conditions, which in this instance means in the sanctity of your own mind and feelings. What you’re looking for is an understanding of how you shape and mold yourself to be presentable and acceptable to your “constituency,” which is a distraction from your inner work and inner awareness. Give yourself the time and space to reconnect with the person within you who is not subject to all of this modification and image grooming. Remember what your life was like before every word you said or wrote was documented and scrutinized. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your most important mission may not be the most lucrative. In our money-based society, that’s too often how we think of it, frequently filtering out important work because it does not meet the criteria in dollars and cents. I suggest you set that aside for now, and notice what you are devoted to as a matter of an organic calling, that draws you in year after year. True devotion is something that works through you. It’s like flowing water following the lay of the land. Yet a fire metaphor is more appropriate: the flame you keep returning to tend. It may be something you consider important, or something you might not think is so relevant. It’s what you keep coming back to. Do more of that, and deepen your relationship to it. Do not place upon this work the burden of being profitable. Be willing to support it any way that you can. As you do this, a particular inner conflict will resolve, and you will gradually find your way to a clear space. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — In our world, way too much emphasis is placed on belief. We would do well to eliminate the concept entirely, and instead, replace it with something useful, like the quest for knowledge and understanding. To believe something is what we do when we don’t know, don’t understand, and are not on a conscious quest for answers. Belief goes right to the supposed destination without actually getting there, but it has an even more serious problem. Most belief is based on some external authority, in the style of “That person said that what that other person said is (or is not) true, so therefore I believe it (or I don’t).” Your faith is not about all those other people. This is particularly true in matters that pertain to you, and your relationship to existence. We might say your relationship to yourself, but that can get messy in terms of all the inner voices involved. Existence is your relationship to what is vastly bigger than you are. Here, belief is a shabby substitute for your true quest. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You are entering an unusual phase of your relationships, though you may have picked up some indications of what is developing. It may seem like a relationship partner is changing, perhaps becoming less available. Maybe there has been a shift in the dynamics of your sexual attraction, which you cannot quite identify or name. You may feel like you’re not getting something that you dearly need, or as if someone previously close to you is not available. I would propose that you frame the situation this way: what can you offer someone to facilitate their growth, in some way that might not benefit you? In fact you may see it as working against your interests or emotional needs, which it’s now your opportunity to set aside in service of their needs, desires, or current situation. That may include holding space for their ambiguity, including about your relationship. Supporting that will mean suspending your expectations and allowing someone you love the space to seek their own self-understanding. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Our society in its fictional presentations emphasizes the romantic elements of relationships, which include all kinds of passion and glory, or meaningful tragedy. There is a kind of grandiose quality to stories where people’s love becomes the center of the known universe. Then what we mostly get is everyday ordinary life. It is noteworthy when people share mutual respect. It’s significant when they offer themselves the space to truly live their lives as individuals as well as members of a partnership. You need enough distance in a situation where you can feel directly that you have a relationship with yourself, the people you engage with have relationships with themselves, and then there may be a few places where the two meet. There may not be fireworks or moonlit balconies at those juncture points. But there would be honesty and that will facilitate a sincere conversation, which may begin with agreement on one seemingly simple idea. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You have some leftover work to do from the past. This is the completion phase of a much longer project: what could be called closure. You are soon to embark on a new and unfamiliar phase of your personal journey, and I would propose it would be best not to bring along any unresolved material that you can actually address. You may know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, consider what matters keep coming up again and again for you, even if you thought you left them behind somewhere in the past. I suggest you turn around and face directly whatever this might be. Address any feeling that you will never get over it, or that the scenario is hopeless. Pay particular attention to where you feel guilted or shamed. That, in particular, will orient you on the nature of what you’re working with. Take a new look at this. Notice any assumptions you’re making about the “quality of your character” or whether you’re good enough to be approved of by someone. That is your material, not theirs. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — One potential downfall of Aquarius is its serious cast. Your sign can have a heavy or perhaps rigid intellectual quality that has a way of holding you back. What this week’s beginning of Venus retrograde emphasizes is your sense of play. I suggest you retrieve the little kid in you and make friends with him or her, or maybe it’s twins. Do something you love just because you love it. Productivity is irrelevant; this is about pleasant activity that offers you the space to indulge your curiosity. That means eager to know and desirous of seeing for yourself. As you do this, you may notice the ways you held back this craving in the past. Did anyone tell you that what you truly cared about was in some way irrelevant? Did you pick up on someone’s signal and tell yourself? Explore your way through that feeling and get to the part where you give yourself permission to have fun, for its own sake. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Your home is your most precious resource, and in particular, your kitchen. Let’s start there: invest time and resources into your food preparation area. Do some deep cleaning. Attend to the stove area first. Then dig out the fridge as an offering to the goddess, wash and recycle, and replenish with your favorite foods. Then go through your home room by room, space by space, and organize each around a central principle. This is the greatest gift that Venus retrograde in Gemini has to offer you. You probably like things bright and fresh during the day and the lighting subtle and understated at night. Make all that possible. Your home is what feeds you. It’s where you belong, and it’s the one place in the world where you must feel both safe and confident enough to be yourself. If you live with others, sign them up for this program. Your leadership here will come naturally, and people will feel good about the results. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.