Dear Friend and Reader:

This week, there’s quite an exciting development: during the Gemini New Moon, which happens Saturday, June 4 (the 5th in the U.K. and Europe), we will have an event known as a mutable grand cross. This means that planets will be present at around the same degrees in each of the mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

The mutable grand cross might be a mentally challenging aspect. Most of it is well in place now, by the way — it’s merely being emphasized by the New Moon.

The challenges this pattern seems to present are mostly on the level of the mind. Remember that this aspect describes the environment, which will influence everyone. How you tap into or relate with your surroundings is your choice.

Mainly, “environment” means your fellow people, but also the thought waves conducted through the collective mind, even if we’re talking about your office mates, your housemates or your drinking mates.

However, the power of choice is moderated by past conditioning. To the extent that you can free yourself from tendencies that limit your flexibility to choose, you will free yourself in general. The idea is to respond to what is actually happening rather than what your previous scripts misinform you is happening.

This is also known as stopping and thinking, something different from emotionally reacting. In fact it’s so different it might seem totally weird, when your conscious, reasoning human mind comes to life and says, so what’s happening here?

Beware of the battle of words, much ado about nothing and not really believing in what you might argue for. That’s when to pause and do something like stop speaking and listen, and find something more productive or entertaining to do.

This New Moon could come with some drama, but if that’s true, it’s time for you to become a playwright. I love that word, because the “wright” part means to construct or build, though it’s a also pun on write.

Our forthcoming grand cross New Moon in Gemini is an ideal opportunity to step from the role of actor in your own drama to author of the text. This is the big leap that anyone seeking growth is really longing for. I realize this often gets cloaked in wanting a ‘higher power’ to come in, though your higher power is the fully sentient, connected-to-spirit aspect of you that understands this whole setup perfectly well.

Lovingly,

Inspiration, the Way You Want It

“Your words of inspiration carry me through many moments of my life. Please never underestimate what you do — it is truly a gift to all your subscribers.” — Michele Mirto Valenzuela

If you’ve already visited the Planet Waves Boutique, you’ll know there’s an impressive number of ways Eric’s words can uplift and sustain you.

Our wide selection of readings, memberships and classes ensures you can find exactly what you need in order to make that mental leap you’ve been waiting for.

If, like Michele, you’re impressed by the inspirational quality of Eric’s horoscopes and readings, check in at our Boutique and discover the source of guidance that will boost you further along your life’s journey. These perfect gems of wisdom also make unique and lasting gifts for loved ones.

Find Yourself: The Astrology of Now

An Audio/Video Seminar With Eric Francis Coppolino

Noon EDT, Saturday, June 18, 2016

Astrology can focus on the past, the present or the future. Most astrology skips the present and orients on what happened before, or what might happen in the future, skipping over the most meaningful time there is: right now.

“This present moment is the stargate through which you will leave the prison of human definition and expand into an awareness of divine perception,” says The Starseed Transmissions.

“It is the crack between the worlds, not only the worlds of past and future, but the worlds of time and space, spirit and matter, time and being. It is a timeless zone, the gateway through which you will again begin to participate in the adventure of creation.”

In The Astrology of Now, we will find our way into the present moment and begin participating in the adventure immediately.

This class will cover the Uranus-Eris conjunction, happening now for the first time since 1928. This conjunction is about what is happening to our minds now, under the influence of global networking technology and the “mental robotics” of the Internet.

I will cover other epic astrology: Neptune in Pisces, Chiron in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn, all of which are having new influences, today. I will include discussion of how to work with the energy of recently-discovered minor planets and how they describe our current lives.

Read more…

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You are being called deeper into your awareness than you have in a long time. All the doors in your emotions that you typically walk past are now asking to be opened one by one. Through this process, you will gradually discover how you actually feel, and what you truly need. It’s easy to gloss over these most important elements of living, and it’s sometimes difficult to stop long enough to locate yourself. Yet at this point self-awareness is your only viable option, if you want some genuine experience of guiding your own life. You’re being taken through a process of bringing energy and consciousness back to anything you’ve disowned or cut off. You’re being guided to regain awareness of anything that you’ve denied. You might think that this would be overwhelming. Yet what you’ve really been experiencing is a lack of information and sensory data, not an overload. Sensitivity will feel good, and you will learn more.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Confusion is the state before enlightenment. It’s OK if you’re feeling uncertain, or like you don’t quite have your bearings. You’re in a position to let go of much of what felt solid and real but which was really getting in your way. Rather than rush to make up your mind about how you feel, hang out with your uncertainty for a few days. It’s far better than the false certainty that we’re pushed again and again into believing is helpful. And it’s fine to have two opinions about things, until you have to make a decision. Here’s the thing: opinions are informed by values. Something is good or bad, helpful or not, based on its context. What is it that you want? How do you define your purpose? That is really the central question of your life right now. Remember that you can always change your mind, but when you encounter an idea that really works, you will know it.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Anytime you see a finished creative work, or someone’s solid accomplishment, it’s easy to forget what went into it. You might not consider all the steps involved, including how what you’re currently looking at began in an entirely different form (such as the musical that started as a novel). It’s also easy to forget that creating a work of art or culture changed the artist or the author, sometimes radically. You are involved in a process of discovering who you are at the same time you’re discovering what you want to achieve. Remember that these are the same process, the same journey. And this is always a journey into the unknown within you. It may be a cliché to say that there are no easy answers, nor answers that come from outside of yourself. Yet the beauty of those ideas is that they can point you in the right direction: inward, where the real creative fire is, and then outward, in the spirit of everything — everything — being an experiment.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Your inner life is rather rich right now: your fantasy life, your dreams, your imagination. I suggest you feed this fire, and push the boundaries of what you consider appropriate (within your own mind, there are in fact no such rules unless you say there are). Yet don’t stop there. You are craving some physical expression or connection: to actually feel in your body what you’re imagining in your mind. You may well have opportunities to do that, especially if you’re open and welcoming of them. Remember, there’s always a translation between imagination and physical reality. Sometimes something is lost, sometimes something is gained (usually both are true). If you don’t set concrete expectations, you will find it easier to navigate the translation process. This is, of course, a metaphor for all of life — how thought inspires action and what happens along the way. It will help you to be familiar with this territory.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Pay attention to the inconsistencies between what you say and how you really feel. Notice how your image differs from your inner reality. Do you promote the difference, or do you strive to have your ‘inner being’ match your outer presentation? Ponder this question for a while. It’s been hanging around your life for some time, though it’s really coming into focus now. There are other ways to play with this: notice what you say about your reality to some people as opposed to others. Notice the slightly different way you present yourself to everyone. What is really going on? It may be that each time you encounter a new being, you have a different energy resonance with them, and a new version of you emerges. It may be that people mirror you or that you mirror them, creating a unique experience every time you encounter someone else. This leads back to a very old question: who are you really? You may not have an answer yet, but it will feel good to ask.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Be careful of all the invisible ways others try to set your agenda or control your priorities. The emphasis here is on invisible: it’s the people who don’t state their agenda whom you need to be concerned about. This is important because you have plans, goals and ideas of your own. So do other people, which may or may not match your ideas about what you want. The dimension to be most conscious of is your emotional environment. This is where you’re the most easily influenced, and will tend to respond before you even know what’s happening. It’s never too late to catch yourself and ask, what am I doing and why am I doing it? I mean this particularly in the context of relationships. When you get one of those wake-up moments, come out of automatic mode and ask yourself: what am I feeling? What is the purpose of this? Is this really about love? Then listen quietly for the answers that come back.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Your mind is in big adventure mode. All these planets in Gemini (there are several currently, including the Sun, your ruling planet Venus and a fantastic asteroid called Vesta) have you thinking toward the future. You seem to be allowing yourself to consider much wider possibilities than you might otherwise. There are, however, so many of them — so many options — and many are truly appealing. One thing I suggest you watch carefully is any split between what you want to do and what you think you should do. Given that choice, I suggest you lean toward what you want rather than what you ‘think is right’. In the best scenario, what you want is what you think is right, and by ‘want’ I mean with passion and gusto. While I cannot suggest what you want (by topic), it is likely to be the option where you feel like you’ll shine the brightest. Trust that it’s possible.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars, the official Scorpio planet, has returned to your sign, where it’ll stay for more than two months. The message: seek completion in yourself. Our culture has a concept that the only way we can become whole people is by finding some missing element in others. While others can be helpful, as a total plan it doesn’t usually work. Seeking self-esteem in relationships doesn’t get the desired result because relationships tend to be unstable and wrought with judgment. Seen this way, it’s clear that your relationship to yourself needs to be the most stable one in your life. That requires depth, and Mars retrograde in your sign will give you that if you’re willing to take the journey within. You might say this astrology describes questioning all of your assumptions about yourself. The trick is finding them. And the way to do that is, notice when you come up against a contradiction or inner conflict of some kind. That is where to pause and listen.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may feel as if some sort of showdown is brewing, which seems like a reasonable enough concern on a planet dominated by conflict. Yet you would be the main source of friction, and you can avoid that by being flexible. A fancier way to say that is ‘psychically mobile’ — which means being able to move your point of view, reconsider your opinions, and figure out what other people are getting at. One thing that tends to make people ‘fix’ their point of view is fear. So if you notice that you’re stuck, ask what you’re afraid of. Conversely, if you notice fear, also notice what that leads you to stick to. It will help you greatly to unmask this psychological tangle. It may not seem like much, but once you get free of the bindings, you will see the clear benefits. One of them will be getting along with others, or rather having more fun with them. I know you have a lot of work to get done; taking human companionship breaks will make it easier.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Last week, The Onion, a satirical website worth checking out, published an article about a space probe crashing into the edge of the universe. The joke, of course, is that the universe doesn’t have an end or a wall or a cliff that a thing can bang into, or fall off of. As you seek the deeper truth of yourself, it will be helpful to recognize that you don’t have such an edge either — though you might feel as if you do. You’ll discover yourself as deeply as you want to go. You might believe there is some limit that you must not exceed, some depth that’s too dangerous to fathom. Most people will obey their fear and stop long before they get anywhere near there. I would encourage you to keep going: to keep pushing your inner limits, and most of all, to experiment being evermore truthful about who you are to your friends. This, and little else, will give you the confidence you seek.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You might feel as if your career is stalled out or going backwards, though I assure you that’s not true. You’re in an important phase of both rethinking and preparing for developments in the not-too-distant future. Though it may feel particularly challenging now, the thing you need to do is set goals. This will come, of necessity, with reviewing your previous objectives, plans and desires. To do new things, it’s essential to get outdated and/or conflicting plans and desires out of the way. Dedicate yourself to this over the next few weeks. Really sort out your goals, by which I mean your very highest desires for your life. Notice when you seem to reach a limit of what you think is possible. That might be a place you’re inclined to stop your ambitions. I suggest you keep going, for one reason: anything worthwhile that anyone achieves was once considered ridiculous, unlikely or impossible. In hindsight, it was none of the above.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — 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.

At Home in Your Own Mind

Dear Friend and Reader:

During the past three days, the Sun changed signs to Gemini, the Moon reached full phase from Sagittarius and Mercury stationed direct in Taurus.

Photo by Joe King.

All of that is likely to feel supportive. Even something so simple as the Sun changing signs can have a sense of relief and reset.

The Full Moon can release a feeling of nervous tension (though sleeping well may still take a little extra focus for the next few nights).

Mercury stationing direct can release some pressure and help things become unstuck, and is a cue to resume or implement certain plans you’ve been developing or delaying. That said, take it slow this week. Build momentum carefully and consciously, adding one ingredient or one project at a time.

Note that each of these events involves Gemini: the first of two Full Moons with the Sun in Gemini, and Mercury (associated with both Gem and Virgo) making a helpful move. Gemini is a sign strongly associated with the mind, with ideas and with communications.

In the background of all this, the asteroid Vesta entered Gemini. Vesta is the representative of the hearth fire, of devotion, of service and of young women. It’s the slowest-moving factor of everything I’ve mentioned so far; it will remain in Gemini for about two months, until July 25.

Vesta represents some beautiful, helpful ideas. Consistency and devotion are things the world could use a lot more of lately, especially with communicating. We tend to have scattered minds, as a result of many scattered channels of thought. Vesta is saying draw all of that into a circle, and concentrate on a few tangible ideas while you’re doing everything else.

In a word, focus. In a phrase, focus and devote yourself to what you’re thinking. We also live in a culture that obsesses over the images of young women. You might take a moment or two to listen to what young women are thinking and saying, and if you consider yourself one, to be bolder than you might ordinarily be and speak up. Get the attention of the people around you and engage others in a real dialog: take turns speaking and listening.

I have more to say in the new Planet Waves TV, and will be back with Planet Waves FM on Tuesday evening.

With love,

Get Inside the Planet Waves Boutique, Get Inside Your Self

Ever find yourself wondering what your life would be like if you could just simply understand it?

We try so hard to come to terms with ourselves, our relationships, our career and sometimes it’s all just too much to get a hold of.

Step inside the Planet Waves Boutique and allow Eric Francis to guide you through to a new level of understanding.

Eric’s wisdom, dedicated time, energy and love are all put into the classes and readings here in our boutique, specially made to help you find the guidance and support that you may be searching for.

It’s time to take charge of your own life and find peace within yourself. Visit the Planet Waves Boutique today and let your inner spirit soar.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Slow down the conversation, whatever conversation you’re having. Set a specific place and time, to ensure you increase the odds that you hear one another. There is plenty of room for miscommunication, and there’s also an unusual opportunity to discover and resolve an issue that was lurking under the surface. That thing lurking is something that appears to be an unspoken priority of yours, one that you’re finally going to bring up. You will help your own cause if you set the time, place and feeling of the conversation. First, you want to avoid any feeling of a showdown. As you’ve seen, confrontation has been in the air, and it will be up to you to defuse this feeling. Be aware when you’re clinging to a belief or an opinion. It won’t be long before you either figure out you didn’t have it right, or question your motives and realize you don’t need to be so attached to your point of view. Keep the floor open for any discussion.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Mercury just changed to direct motion in your sign. This is the perfect image of self-discovery, likely to come with the feeling of something you knew all along and somehow did not notice. You might take this as a cue to notice all the other things that have eluded your attention. You’re in a position now where you can admit things to yourself that you might not ordinarily want to own up to. Take this as good news, because the more of yourself you’ve claimed, the more energy you can concentrate; therefore, the more of your own power you have. Don’t be deceived by what seem to be dilemmas with no resolution. You know enough about yourself to make a fairly easy decision every time you’re faced with a choice. If you find yourself wondering what to do, ask yourself what really matters. Be bold and put the question in those exact terms. You can use this as often as you like. It will save you plenty of debate and confusion.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — The Sun recently entered your sign, with an unusual traveling companion: the brightest asteroid, Vesta. Associated with devotion, with young women and — most of all — with the use of physical space, Vesta is a reminder to make room for yourself in your own life. We tend to have crowded existences these days; our time is stuffed, we often share living spaces, and our minds are crowded by a dozen different inputs going off night and day. Your astrology is urging you to make quiet space for yourself, especially here in your birthday season. What you’re seeking is the sensation of returning to your inner sanctuary. Warm up that space. Get the fire going. Make sure you have what you need: your notebook, music or a musical instrument, your sketching pencils, your tarot cards. Come home to yourself, and get to know yourself again. Vesta was last in your sign four years ago, in the summer of 2012. Tell yourself the story of what has happened since then, and read it back carefully. You’ll be impressed.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — It’s true that life is a journey of self-discovery, though you are poised to have many unusual revelations about yourself. It would appear that emotions, choices and observations that seem to have made no sense are about to come into focus. You will see, I believe, not the folly of your ways, but rather their wisdom. This is likely to come with a well-needed shift in your social environment. Here’s how the astrology reads: the more honest you are with yourself, and the deeper peace you make with your inner truth, the more you will attract to you people who actually get you. If there is a risk, it’s about living close to the surface of who you are. You are not your own representative. You are your one self, even as you iron out your inner contradictions. What you’re likely to discover is that you’re not really at odds with yourself. To feel how that is, take a chance and set aside that very fear: the fear of being seen as a contradiction.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — It looks like some professional issue, a hitch or delay of some kind, has come unstuck – or is about to. If you are planning any sort of career move, the next few weeks are a good time to aim for. You must, though, be aware of a rapidly shifting environment, and certain developing matters that are likely to come to a head between now and early June. That means keep an open mind, and listen more than you speak. If you do, you will learn many things that influence your decisions, and reveal the best strategy to use. Meanwhile you would be wise to keep your plans under wraps, while making any necessary moves behind the scenes. With the current emphasis on what are called mutable signs – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces – be prepared to adapt and pivot, and to take advantage of unplanned-for opportunities. Most of all, work with the state of flux and keep your mind wide open to the possibilities.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — This is an unusual phase of learning and growth for you. It’s as if every factor in your mind, emotions and surroundings is calling on you to be yourself. You are being pulled by some invisible magnetic force to grow into who you are, to learn about everything you can, and to understand others. However, this may be drawing you out of your comfort zone. Growth and learning mean change. Most of all, you are being summoned to make friends with what is unfamiliar. You are too young to be set in your ways, or to have made your mind up about everything. You might therefore approach life from the viewpoint of being open to all possibilities. Make friends with the unknown and it will make friends with you. You are well into a process of genuine personal evolution. There is no turning back at this point, nor can I imagine a reason why you would want to.

These beautiful notebooks are pleasant to hold, high quality and have excellent paper and binding. Eric checked out about 15 varieties before choosing these. They are also available in black. He says he’ll add a splash of paint if you like. You can get your journal, while stocks last, by signing up for a one-year Core Community Membership at this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Spirituality is organic, if you love and respect life. Apart from that, there’s nothing to teach, or to learn. This basic honoring of existence is now opening up for you in a new way. All you need to do is make room for it – and to recognize opposing influences that might get you to do otherwise. Our culture may finally be coming out of a long phase where selfishness was revered as the highest virtue. In a world that depends on nothing more or less than cooperation, that cannot possibly be true. I suggest you question everything you hear, and ask yourself whether it’s coming from a place that is respectful of life and human worth. You might apply the same question to your own thoughts and ideas, and guide yourself in the direction of faith and trust. I recognize that not everyone around you is on board with this, but you will still provide an important example to those who care.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Self-esteem is based on another idea: self. It’s impossible to have one without the other. Yet one’s concept of self and the actual, underlying reality are often two different things. The story of your astrology is about penetrating through your notions and concepts of who you are and experiencing your actual inner existence. It may be necessary for you to betray – which really means to reveal – the people who taught you falsely about yourself. You are under no obligation to accept some other person’s untrue idea of who you are. This takes less courage than it may seem. Once you have made contact with your own essence, that has a way of becoming the dominant force in your psyche. Be bold about letting go of what is not true. Celebrate every time you discover an old self-deception you can rid yourself of. Feel the beauty of remembering who you truly are.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Mars has been retrograde in your sign since mid-April. This process is about to take a new turn: Mars will leave your sign and enter Scorpio this week. This is going to challenge your confidence, in the form of pushing you to rise above your fears. It’s true that Sagittarius has a reputation as being all courage and daring, though you’re human like the rest of us. We all must rise above insecurities and some lurking sense that existence is pointless; that is, we must if we ever want to find courage and meaning. You might call this the journey to your deeper humanity, and at this stage, you are being invited to face your fears, your insecurities and any lingering darkness from your past. The healing potential of this astrology is rare and beautiful, and nothing like it will repeat for many, many years. Summon your courage, and remember you are bigger than any fear.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Remember that integrity is not a concept, nor is it an appearance. It’s from a Latin root that means “soundness, wholeness, completeness.” This implies that the main action connected to this word is inclusion of all that you are. You might, therefore, ask what you are afraid others might find out about you. What, specifically? And what would the presumed result of that be? The results of this thought experiment will give you a good idea where you’re holding back; what you might be leaving out of completeness. You would go a long way toward explaining certain recent struggles by identifying those elements of yourself, and inviting them back into the fold. It’s the cast-off aspects that tend to wreak havoc. Once you embrace and take ownership of who you are, you will have far more strength, and your life will be easier. So pay attention and notice what you try to give away or pretend doesn’t exist – they hold the key to your liberation.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Much of your existence right now is centered on the wellbeing of others. How is that for a perfectly Aquarian theme? I suggest you not go halfway with this; give yourself the honor and the pleasure of going the whole distance. The hard thing to get over at this point of history is that it’s not all about you. But once you make contact with that, you might catch glimpses of how the whole world, and the whole life you are living, and all that you perceive, is a reflection of you. As you offer your loving support and assistance to people, it’s as if you are reconnecting with scattered aspects of your soul. In a very real sense, you’re being called upon to be submissive to your own existence, as a gesture of respect. As you do this, you will get to know yourself in new ways. You will become personal witness to how every facet of life relates to every other.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — If there’s such a thing as ‘sacred space’, it would be your home. You might think of this as the space that you recognize and accept as an extension of yourself. It’s not where you are; rather, it’s who you are. This is a vital principle of inclusion that, in the end, welcomes you anywhere in the world, and allows you to feel comfortable with anyone. There’s some beautiful astrology developing in the home angle of your chart. The Sun has just entered Gemini, which describes where you live and how you like your home to feel: in a few words, sunny, breezy and light. So push open the windows and let in the spring air. Tidy up and reclaim your inner space. More than anything, stretch out your awareness, relax and feel at home in the world. Speak your mind. You might do something else: if you’ve had a writing project you’ve wanted to get to, it’s beckoning you right now.