Dear Friend and Planet Waves Reader:
For the second week running, a major terrorist event happened on a Thursday night. This occurred right after last night’s edition went to press.
News reports are saying that someone drove a huge truck along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, last night at about 10:30 pm local time. The street was closed for Bastille Day celebrations, and the driver of the truck managed to kill at least 84 people — again, according to news reports.
Dear Friend and Reader:
A few years ago during some incident of racial hell popping, I wrote to my American Studies professor at SUNY Buffalo, Dr. Robert Knox Dentan, and asked him what he thought was going on. He wrote back and said that this is all easier to understand if you accept that the South won the Civil War.
Good morning. It’s Monday. After last week I would not be surprised if you’re not that excited about starting this week. Some astrology might help.
All this chaos the past week looks like Mars still hanging out with Uranus-Eris. The two are sparking one another up. But this is not an exact polarity; it’s a quincunx, an odd-feeling aspect halfway between a square and a trine.
Rock balancing is a delicate art. This rather astounding specimen is by Leandro Inocencio.
This aspect is moving very slowly and that’s giving it extended influence. We’re not used to Mars acting this way, so a spate of unusual feelings are likely to be coming up, along with unusual events.
Those events are described by the disruptive and chaotic nature of Uranus conjunct Eris, and the powerfully individualistic movement of Mars in Scorpio.
Just remember that Mars in this scenario is not interested in ideology. It’s interested in the reality described by one’s inner experience. If you’re feeling fear, pain, chaos or exhaustion, or have a headache, I suggest you turn your awareness inward.
If you’re keeping your head above water, you have an opportunity to reach into yourself in new ways and make discoveries you’ve never made before.
One comment about the quincunx, which is the 150-degree aspect between the big conjunction and Mars. This is an aspect that allows all parties to the discussion to see one another’s viewpoint clearly. Take advantage of that. This is not a “black and white,” us-versus-them type of situation: it’s one requiring true understanding, movement and compromise.
Mercury, moving faster than Mars and now gathering speed, is square Eris and Uranus. That might be provocative. Remember to drive your mind rather than let it drive you.
Finally, the Moon is now in Libra; this could well foster a calm and measured perspective and a renewed sense of balance, especially as it approaches opposition to Uranus-Eris early tomorrow, July 12.
One of the great gifts of Libra is its devotion to harmony and peace. We could all use a bit more of that just now. It’s certainly important to maintain the flame of your inner truth and keep a healthy skepticism; but with that caveat in place, I’d suggest you soak in whatever friendly vibes or energy you can, making them where there are none.
Many people are exhausted and frustrated; many people feel as if they’re running on a treadmill and cannot get off. You may be in a lot better shape than the people around you. Cut them some slack and do what you reasonably can for them. Be prepared to listen well, open your mind and treat other points of view with diplomacy. The benefits of doing this may surprise you.
Dear Friend and Reader:
Mars has been direct for a little more than a week. This is describing a new phase of astrological life, outside the somewhat contained experience of Mars retrograde from April 17 through June 29.
We live in the age of the identity crisis run wild. In today’s special edition of Planet Waves TV, I check into the charts of the U.K. voting to leave the European Union. Strange but true: on the day that the modern United Kingdom was formed (Jan. 1, 1801), a planet was discovered, named Ceres — and it factors prominently into the reading.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — What is it about sex? I mean, what is it exactly? Have you noticed that the world seems driven by something that it’s simultaneously obsessed with and terrified of? It’s time for you to put sex into the category of what is natural: like organic apples, playing Frisbee with a dog or dancing at a concert. Any time you have a question or a concern, imagine one of those things. Any time a power struggle manifests, think of a border collie leaping into the air and gleefully snapping a flying object in its jaws. While you’re at it, be aware of the faux moral trips that people lay into one another on a regular basis. At a certain point, any mature, happy person must decree that such is utter nonsense, if for no other reason than it’s useless for anyone to mind anyone else’s business. With this comes one particular necessity: dropping the control drama. This may seem like too much to ask, but freedom is to sexuality what breathing is to yoga. You can hold your breath through your Sun salutation, but only at the expense of depriving your brain of oxygen and turning blue. You can now do something radical: allow yourself to be free, and openly encourage others to be free. What do you do with jealousy? Recognize it as the toxic emotion that it is, and put it down — just like cigarettes. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The undeniable creative prowess of Taurus is rooted in the fact that you mean what you make down to your flesh and blood. Your words carry feeling. While your creative devotion goes in cycles, perhaps more distinct than other people’s, this is not a reflection of your talent, which is as solid and as alive as a magnificent old tree. You’ve reached a kind of harvest time around your creative gifts. Everything is aligned for you to tap into your potential. Not everyone is a writer, though you would benefit from at least experimenting with an idea you’ve been playing with, just to see how it feels. If you are a writer, the time is right to try something more ambitious, something you might ordinarily think is over your head. You may be calm on the outside, yet there is plenty moving and bubbling in you, and that energy is looking for a place to go, and to become. As you embark on this journey, you might find yourself going deeper than you expected, accessing something that feels like it’s ‘beyond you’. It’s not beyond anything: that’s actually who you are. One other bit: if you’re concerned that someone close to you won’t understand or appreciate what you’re learning, give them a chance. You’re closer to being on the same page than you may recognize. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — It’s time to go beyond any semblance of survival mode. This is particularly true when it comes to money. Your chart blends the theme of survivalism (accented by old lessons not learned) with the image of natural abundance, including financial. You might be wondering what the hang-up is. Money is its own special game, with its own skills and techniques. You are particularly susceptible to negative infiltration by ideas such as ‘money is bad’, or ‘people are corrupted by wealth’. Anyway, I don’t see your goal as being rich so much as having enough and some to share. There is a difference. One of the Gemini traits around finance is that you tend to run in cycles, and you must plan for those turns of the tide. You’re likely to be running on the abundant side more than usual right now, and that’s the time to set cash aside. In fact, you will sooner or later figure out that it’s always time to stash money aside, as a kind of religious devotion. One other bit: like many companies, you’re likely to have one profitable product. For you, fortunately, that something is likely to be a direct, tangible benefit to the people who take advantage of what you offer. Put some energy into that every day and you will have something that produces for you on a dependable basis. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
“I can’t imagine what I could ever suggest that could make your readings any more relevant or spot on than they already are. You are truly performing your true purpose during your sojourn here on earth, sharing your insights with the rest of us.”
— Cancer reader Lyn Quitslund
Eric asked our Cancer readers what they’d like to hear about in the forthcoming Cancer Birthday Reading. And we’re listening.
Questions of finding balance, clarity and focus are prominent for many. Especially career questions and transitions: doing something for the passion of it, rather than the money; feeling lost at sea, burned out or blocked; finally feeling ready to take a risk and move forward with a dream. Some are struggling to juggle and prioritize more opportunities than they know what to do with. What is the best path?
Your 2016-17 Reading — truly an illumination kit — will cover these topics of focus and career, but also much more. In two segments of audio plus a video tarot reading and summary, Eric will explain what the astrology describes for such topics as your sexual relationships, spiritual healing, home and sense of identity.
Remember, when you pre-order this reading — for yourself or as a gift — you secure the lowest pre-publication price.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Adjust to your physical surroundings as a conscious act. Notice your environment. Feel the heat for a moment before you flip on the air conditioning. Notice who is in a room when you walk in, and notice how air in the room smells. Notice how you feel. This is about being fully present where you are. If you can do that, you are likely to notice how supportive your environment is. Life is offering you a lot right now. You will experience that abundance and that support by harmonizing with your surroundings. That means being open and receptive to who and what is around you. Feel the natural tides of life and move with them. The result will be emphasizing the beauty of existence over and above any one task or goal. This, in turn, will make the things you do more meaningful. You have equally abundant opportunity for creativity, achievement and worldly success, though that is dependent entirely on your ability to tune in and see opportunities that other people would miss or misunderstand. It’s likely that your highest and most cherished goals involve things that have not been done before, or which are at least rare enough to find. This will require invoking calm focus and expanding your mind enough to embrace the unusual and the unlikely. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Imagine a famous person who is really an introvert. It seems like a contradiction because so many people know their name and face. This is a fair description of you right now. You have a lavishly enterprising outer life, and yet you are an inwardly focused person; you must pull in and find a home within yourself. This is not optional; one way or another, it’s going to happen, so you may as well make some choices that work for you and give yourself all the space and time you need away from your usual activities. This will remind you what a private person you are. You might wonder how you engage in so much activity with so many people, and with so little time and space for yourself. Those are good questions and they are worth asking, and answering to the extent that you can. Your astrology, however, is encouraging you to take a more reflective view of life for a while. That means making fewer plans, not more of them. If you do make plans, such as to travel or take time off, minimize activity and give yourself plenty of time to sit on the porch and stare at the water or at some trees. This is not any kind of permanent state. Rather, you’re gathering your strength and awareness for the next stage of your journey, soon to arrive. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Relax and feel appreciated. This is not easy for you, since you’re prone to doubt and rarely cut yourself any slack. Now would be a good time, actually. You know you’re in this moment where you must grow into a new form, even though it requires stretching. Depending on your psychological constitution and your life experience, this might be a significant challenge. It will help if you invoke the flexible quality of Virgo rather than the stubborn quality. It will help if you practice opening up in the face of feeling overwhelmed, rather than shutting down or resisting. There are two factors in your sign currently, and it’s rare to have them together. One is the North Node, which can feel like a magnetic pull toward a form of growth that you don’t necessarily trust. The other is Jupiter, which is making it necessary for you to fully engage with your relationships in a way that’s different from normal. You are experiencing increased sensitivity, and the seemingly external influences (mostly coming from your opposite sign Pisces) are unusually potent. Yet the real movement, the real tension, is entirely internal. You are having to consent to something that also feels inevitable. You know that the gig is up on certain persistent factors in your life. Yet you’re safe following this influence. The time is right. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — For most people this is the time of year to take it easier. For you right now, it’s the time to accomplish great things. Do your best not to be distracted by the social fashion of the season, but rather put it to good use when you do get involved. You need less recreation than you think; in the language of your chart, what you need is the satisfaction of creative achievement. Your soul is calling out for the kind of fulfillment that can only come from doing something of genuine significance, in your own opinion. You cannot fake this, because when you invest yourself in your work, you do it with your body and your soul. And that, I believe, is the thing that will give you both emotional nourishment and an opportunity to mature in the ways that you want to grow, particularly as a person of influence. Remember that your sense of contact must flow all the way through from your inspiration or drive into what you create, and how it influences people. The sign that occupies your house of career is the one usually associated with feeding people, with rearing children, and with taking care of a family. That particular sign is Cancer, and right now you have enough to feed many hungry mouths, or hungry souls. Rise to your purpose. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — At long last, Mars is returning to direct motion (on June 29). To the extent that you’ve been feeling out of sorts, you can now wiggle back into alignment with yourself. Mars, however, will spend the next month covering territory in your sign where it was retrograde. You are getting similar life lessons and life experiences in a new way. There are certain factors that you have to penetrate through in layers. In truth it’s taken most of the year, perhaps longer, to do this — though you’re at that point where you must get the point. You would do well to pause asking questions and look at what is blatantly obvious. That includes how you feel. Denial only works for so long. Then something else must take over: bold honesty, imagination, love, lust or all of the above. The nature of your life must be about who you really are, and if you don’t know, then the nature of your life must be about an honest experiment. The thing about that experiment is that you don’t know the outcome. That’s the whole thing. That’s the heart of the matter. However, it’s no longer possible for you to live only with what is predictable, or in ways of life that are pallid in comparison to the passion you feel inside. This is a rare time to move in daring new directions and, presently, the odds of success are stacked your way. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are being pulled in what feels like the direction of your destiny. Factors that might otherwise make this particular movement feel strange or alien are balanced by confidence that you really can do what you’ve set out to do. I think that the most delicate challenge is balancing your wider vision with the microscopic details required to get anything done. I would describe this as one of the most elemental factors of being born under your sign. The key, I think, is to keep context. If you find yourself getting lost in the minutiae of something, ask yourself why you’re doing it. If you find yourself having wild, brilliant visions, acknowledge them and then notice if you take the steps toward making your visions real. You have the strength, the experience and the opportunity right now to blend practicality and vision. Just remember: in the end, this is a practical affair. Your vision does not need to be grandiose or even grand in order to be genuinely useful to yourself and your community. The outcome does not need to be certain. What matters is that you engage a specific idea with specific action — and strive to change yourself just a shade more than you’re striving to change the world. Ultimately you are not accountable to anyone or anything outside yourself. Good thing, too. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — While life is emphasizing relationships, and offering you so much, it’s possible that you’re feeling isolated. That’s not certain but it’s a potential that’s necessary to address, and it seems to be related to wondering what impact you have on others. What I would propose is that the thing you want is for others to have an impact on you: to be moved by them. Pluto in your sign is strongly emphasized right now, as many planets are going by in the sign Cancer, making oppositions to it. You can be sure that you’re having an influence on people: that they feel you, and want your attention. You can be sure that they notice you, even in those times when you feel invisible. The question is: are you actually moved by them? Do you let yourself be moved? By moved, I mean movement in all its forms, whether physical, psychic, emotional or metaphorical. And I mean moved in the direction of the other, in reality rather than in your head. Pluto in your sign is likely to be making you feel vulnerable, yet at the same time, not necessarily willing to express that openly. Work with your willingness. Offer the very thing you want the most. Give people a chance to trust you, by being trustworthy. Give them a chance to feel you, by feeling them. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You must trust your own leadership. It’s true that when you have to take over and get the job done, not everyone is happy. But more people will be. It’s essential to recognize how much humans need and depend on leadership. Crooks and tyrants know this; it’s time for wholesome people such as yourself to figure it out. It’s time to assert a few significant goals, and rally the jamboree. Do this in a spirit of service, in the spirit of what is right and true. Offer people the good feeling of cooperation and of assisting one another, and of working for a larger purpose. Say that over and over again until everyone around you is humming it like a catchy tune. There is one thing I suggest you remember, though: a key to your success is exercising your flexibility. As one born under a fixed sign, you have to work at this regularly, and I suggest you do that at every opportunity. Every discussion is an opportunity to compromise and be accommodating. Do this in conscious, measured ways; open up the give-and-take aspect of every situation, and make sure you establish an environment where ‘negotiable’ is a working theme. If you notice someone taking advantage of you, say something sooner rather than later. Keep everything above the boards and state your goals openly. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — In many ways, the river of life is flowing. Mars is returning to direct motion on June 29 in your fellow water sign Scorpio (after a long retrograde, dating back to mid-April). Planets are gathering in your fellow aquatic sign Cancer. There already was plenty happening in your sign. Planets in water signs are good for Pisces, which otherwise can feel like, well, a fish out of water. Now, the thing to do is swim. Send out your dolphin sonar and listen for the return signal. Yes, the oceans are large and potentially perilous, though you have the power to get wherever you want to be. In addition to all this water energy, there is the picture of some form of direct contact in your solar chart (illustrated by Jupiter in Virgo), which feels like empathy and the ability to identify with the experience of another person. You don’t have to worry about ‘losing’ your identity; rather, you can only gain from this situation, because you’ll be exposed to ideas and experiences that will compliment what you already have going on. Life is a creative experiment, or it’s very little at all. Circumstances this month will call you out of your old routines, into new ways of expressing yourself. Take the time to explore. Take the time to remember who you are and what you want. Let one good thing lead to another. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — For who you are and what you’re doing, you need special kinds of nutrients. Like an athlete must stay hydrated and pack carbs, you must feed the person you’re becoming. You might be wondering who that is, but don’t psych yourself out. Identity is not as simple as putting on a hat with the Nike swoosh. It’s an inner process, and you’re putting what seem to be pieces together. Here’s the thing: you can never be more or less than one person with one life. You might think you’re many people playing many roles with many missions. What you want to nourish is exactly the opposite of that. Get some focus and simplify. Remove commitments that are not working for you, and that don’t serve the larger purpose you’re growing toward. Make time and space for what is actually working, and don’t be afraid to drop what is not serving you. Rest and eat real food. You will like the results.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Some important relationships in your life are finding their new way of being. This is a somewhat mysterious process that’s related to you making some vivid discoveries about who you are. At the same time, people in your environment are going through a similar process of getting their intentions in order. One thing that’s clear is that if everyone is willing to compromise and accommodate one another just a little (not a lot, just modest compromise), there will be room for everyone, and their goals. The key is being willing to make a series of adjustments, in real time, learning as you go. Small obstacles and obstructions add up to problems, and removing them adds up to clarity and flow. It will help to go to the deeper level of having mutual understandings of what everyone is working toward, and drawing strength from common goals and standing on mutual ground.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You may be feeling the calling to devote yourself to a goal with full strength. It may seem like you’re doing this for someone or something, though you’re really doing it for yourself. I don’t mean self-serving in the usual sense of that; I mean in service of your integrity, your ideals and your bonds with others. Once you have those things in line, there will be plenty of overflow of benefits for everyone. Therefore, focus on your commitments. Keep your promises; and for what you cannot keep, or must delay, negotiate and make new arrangements. You’re not the prisoner of your commitments, though you might feel like that at times. Rather, you work in service of them and they work in service of you. Be grateful that you have a structure to use, which will help keep you focused. The more you work within your existing structure, the more freedom you will have — including the freedom to make changes.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The Sun enters your sign in grand style this week, on the heels of the Full Moon. Better still, Venus is in your sign, which is helping you attract whom and what you want — even in this unpredictable and unstable moment of time. Make yourself one promise: sometime in the next four weeks, you’ll slow down and take some time for yourself. By this I mean open up space to appreciate who and what you love the most in life — space to remind yourself of, and to strengthen your bond with, those people and things most meaningful to you. Venus is bestowing you with some magnetic power, to draw toward you more of whatever that is. Tune into that vibration and let it fill you up. This might take a little trust and it’ll definitely call on you to filter out some of the noise and distraction that flood our lives so easily these days. It’ll be worth any care or effort required.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You seem uncertain about what you need to feel safe. Is it some form of emotional reassurance? Is it the feeling of stability? Or do you need to find your core of self-reliance, the one that has worked for you so well in the past? I would propose that the less you can make this about other people, and the more you can make it about yourself, the better you will feel. Despite ancient and modern mythology to the contrary, your confidence comes from you. Your security comes from you. This begins with you deciding to feel comfortable in your own skin and accepting of who you are. There’s something huge here about giving yourself permission to desire exactly what you need, without judgment. The more honest you are with yourself, the more confidence you will feel. Therefore, if you’re feeling shaky, get real with yourself and you will feel better.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You can cool off on asserting yourself and your point of view. I know it’s been challenging the past couple of months, getting clear, making your viewpoint clear and then getting others on board. You can ease back on all such efforts for a while, and instead pay attention to who actually hears what you say the first time you say it. It would be much more productive use of your time to observe your own thoughts and feelings evolving, and then to listen to (and hear) yourself. Your opinion about some unusually deep matter is changing. You might say it’s doing so despite your intentions or best efforts, and seems to have a life of its own. But ‘its life’ is really evidence that you are alive, that you’re breaking free of something, and that a new burst of life will sprout from the compost of old fears, ideas about yourself and feelings that no longer serve you.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You’re working with some extraordinary mojo when it comes to meeting your highest goals and objectives. In other words, this is the week — and indeed the month — not only to dress for success, but to look for every opportunity to make your way in the world. Your planets are especially well-favored for two things. One is a take-charge attitude that also includes building your reputation. The other is working with people who are higher on the food chain or ladder of success than you are. The key to both is a gentle, friendly and creative approach rather than an ambitious or aggressive one. By all means know what you want and develop your plan for getting there, but remember that success is always about how you work with others. And that spirit of collaboration is where you are shining bright. Remember that for a Libra, doing quality work means taking care of people, and it means doing everything beautifully.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may be aware that for about two months, Mars (the first planet associated with your sign) has been retrograde. Mars is now in Scorpio, slowing down as it gets ready to change directions: a process that peaks on June 29 but which spreads out two weeks in either direction. You may feel some deep movement in your emotions or in your soul. You may feel like you’re realigning with yourself. You may feel like you’re coming to terms with some unusually deep questions that you typically don’t ask yourself, much less answer. If you find yourself asking, go gently on getting a response. This is very much a matter of allowing the information to bubble up from a deep level of your psyche. This might come from so deep you discover a new dimension of who you are. There is one thing you can do to facilitate this process: be honest with yourself about what you want. Do not pretend; do not deny. Be real with yourself. You will feel great.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You will need to keep a handle on your emotions today, and if you do, you can figure out something about a nagging emotional need. This might be masquerading as a sexual need, question or issue, and that’s true on one level. I see two things going on. One is about your ability to receive love and other forms of emotional nourishment. For many people it’s easier to love others than it is to receive, though what that prevents is an exchange. And an exchange is what you want. The other thing relates to self-worth. It’s true that the whole self-esteem issue has gripped society on a pandemic scale. Yet it’s your destiny to go beyond this, perhaps before any of your friends; and you know you’re a pioneer. This may not be comfortable territory for you, because the thing you need in order to receive emotional nutrients is vulnerability. Yet the moment you open up, you will feel like someone let the oxygen back into the room.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — If you’re feeling isolated or lonely, or like nobody understands you, take a deep breath. Help is on the way. The Sun enters your opposite sign Cancer on Tuesday, and that will shine some light on your love life. You’ll feel more at home on the planet. Until then it will be helpful if you go gently on yourself, and remember that much of our world is in dire straits. You might need a reminder that you can reach out to others. I suggest you invite over a close friend or two and cook them dinner (not take-out, not instant mac and cheese — actual cooking). What you want to cultivate is the feeling of home. This is more than a safe space; it’s your space, among the people whom you choose to be with. This feeling is disappearing rapidly as living space become less stable, and more time is spent out of the house than benefits anyone.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Make a list of everything you would need to do to take care of yourself, and get busy. What’s missing from your life? Exercise? Getting outside? More wholesome food? Cleaning out closets? Better rest? Focus your life on providing those things for yourself. What do you have too much of? Responsibility? Visibility? Relentless effort? Ease back on that and see if you can let your mind, rather than brute force, do the work. When you experience resistance, whether internal or in your environment, pause and see if you can figure out where it’s coming from. You’re making an adjustment in how you assert your will. Rather than applying pressure or persuasion, see if you can align yourself with the right thing. This may take an act of faith, but it won’t be blind faith. If you gently lean into what you want, or want to do, you might find that the world moves more easily than you expected.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You seem to be making some important adjustments around money: how you think about it, how you handle it, and what you can do with it. This would be an especially helpful time to conduct some long-term planning, such as sketching out your one-year plan and your five-year plan. Granted, the world is going so fast that most people don’t even dare to think about the future. Though the opportunity you now have is so good you don’t want to miss it. So, be brave and really consider what you want, what you want to accomplish and where, geographically, you might want to be. You won’t be held to any of these plans; you’re not setting anything in concrete and steel. You’re merely writing a rough draft that you will revise a number of times. More than anything, this is about getting your ideas going and beginning a creative process that will teach you something helpful.
Today’s edition of Planet Waves TV looks at the combination of summer solstice and Sagittarius Full Moon that we’re now experiencing. Before I go there, I offer additional preparation for Mars stationing direct in Scorpio on June 29. That’s coming up fast — get ready. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.