In this week’s Planet Waves TV, I describe the difference between opposite and adjoining signs. Mars will be retrograde in Sagittarius and Scorpio, which contain more “opposition energy” than opposite signs Sagittarius and Gemini. I explain this in the context of some easy ideas from Esoteric Astrology by Alice Bailey, and classical astrology as well.
“My definition of learning is discovering that something is possible.”
— Fritz Perls
Dear Friend and Reader:
Our planet begins its passage between Mars and the Sun this weekend, which astrologers call Mars retrograde.
We inherit Mars from its Roman origins as the god of war. In contemporary astrology, Mars is the planet of desire, drive and aspiration, and potentially of violence and domination. Without whatever Mars symbolically represents in the psyche, nothing would go anywhere.
Art (Trump XIV) from the Crowley-Harris tarot. This is the card that represents Sagittarius, often shown as the synthesis of opposites. Its corollary card is The Lovers.
With healthy Mars, one is motivated, and connected to one’s motives, and acts on them, more or less appropriately (and concepts of appropriateness constitute a central problem with the expression of Mars). When Mars is working, it’s about expressing the power of decision more than anything else. Mars can also represent curiosity, which is the intellect asserting itself into the environment (of self, or of the world around us).
There are two other possibilities. One is that Mars is allowed to run wrangle, trampling over people and things. This might come as aggression, greed or transgression, which we see plenty of in the world today. Toxic Mars can be found lots of places, especially here in the age of the suicide bomber, stop-and-frisk and the pre-emptive strike.
Another possibility is that Mars is turned against itself. An example of this is when a person has been pruned or transgressed (what we call ‘abused’ in current parlance) and, naturally, they resent having been treated this way. Then, unable to push back, they turn that resentment onto themselves. This is really a form of self-directed attack, which usually manifests as guilt or depression.
The way I see it, one’s experience of Mars falls into one of three main camps: a conscious, mediated response to desire; attacking others; or attacking oneself. I would propose that most people fall into the third category, living lives of guilty pleasures, self-criticism and restraint that blocks the ability to express creativity or desire.
Dear Friends:
This week we get the build-up to Mars stationing retrograde in Sagittarius, which happens next Sunday, April 17, at 8:14 am EDT (12:13:47 UTC). The retrograde period lasts two months, and this forms the basis of Eric’s 2016 Spring Reading, which we’re publishing soon.
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The Mars Rover, doing what it does best. Where will your journey take you? Artist’s rendition from NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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At around midnight on Thursday, the waxing half Moon will closely aspect Mars (that is: the Moon is square the Sun, and they both make an angle to Mars called a sesquiquadrate).
This might be regarded as a precursor to the actual station retrograde: a preparatory moment. The chart itself looks like an arrow is pointing at Mars, which is an astrological hint equivalent to waving the Red Planet in our faces with a huge klieg light saying “LOOK HERE.”
So what are you actually looking at? Well, that’s for you to decide. Here are some clues, though: What is your life calling? What is your deepest, most passionate desire? What really gives you enthusiasm and makes you get up and go? More to the point — what are you doing to get to that place you want to be?
A moment like this can be like an electric jolt, sending a surge of energy to wake up our brains. You might experience this as a sudden inspiration, a dream, an intuition, or simply a wish for something. Follow the trail of that inclination, and see where it leads. If it leads to you moving forward on your personal mission, you’re probably on the right track. (If it leads to you thoroughly enjoying life in all its beauty and glory, you’re definitely on the right track.)
Feel free to nudge your patron deities or guardian angels for advice — and pay careful attention to what they say. If you feel in a rut and tempted to remain there, you might like to have an honest conversation with yourself (and/or said beings) as to why. Obstacles can be good for you, but usually that’s in the context of getting them knocked down and building up your strength in the process.
Mars may be the god of war, but this week — as the purveyor of both desire and the energy to fulfill it — he can be the arrow that points you in the best possible direction.
Your weekly horoscopes by Eric are below.
With love,
Amy Elliott
Planet Waves Client Services
Aries (March 20-April 19) — You seem to be going through a transformation process that is calling on you to have some help birthing your new self. You will still do most of the work, and all of the growth; whoever is assisting you is more in the role of midwife. Please don’t be too proud to accept assistance, however great or modest it may be. You’re under the influence of potent aspects, which could manifest several ways. One is an extreme sense of confusion. Another is going from that feeling to resolving inner conflicts that have stalked you for a while. You have the potential to make astonishing progress in the coming seasons of your life, though taking the ‘go it alone’ point of view is more likely to slow you down than it is to ease your way. Give credit where it’s due, to collaborators and even to those who help you in some passing way.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Keep a pulse on yourself. You have so much going on, including important concerns in a personal partnership, that you could lose track of your priorities. It will help if you express yourself in words, if only in a notebook, so that you have some idea what you’re thinking as you think it. Yet it also would be beneficial if you maintain contact with someone close to you, by which I mean updating one another on your daily progress. Communication is essential, and if you persist gently and steadily, you will figure out what an important turning point this is for you. The thing to remember is that you and a partner are going through different kinds of evolutionary steps; yet there is some important common ground, which you will need to discover. When you need it most, that shared space will come in handy.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You have the mojo working to make quite an impression on the people around you, so I would recommend practicing the art of understatement. You don’t need to push your point, or any ideas; you merely need to speak in a normal tone of voice, and people will hear you loud and clear. It’s essential that you not underestimate the impact of your words or your example. I know that in the current version of the world, it’s possible to feel as if you’re never really heard or appreciated. Whatever anyone’s reaction may seem to be, you are, at least, serving as a catalyst. Therefore, choose your words carefully, and think more slowly than you usually do. Consider that there may be several ways to interpret anything you say, and do your best to account for that. More than anything, delicately sidestep direct confrontations. If you must fight, keep it subtle.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — When you look back on this time in your life, you will be impressed how much progress you made in professional development. Yet now you are living in this moment, and you still have the chance to make the very most of it. I would recommend a few things. One is to be assertive. Rather than waiting for anyone or anything to come to you, go to it. Make your presence known. You may have an aversion to being your own pitch-man, but that’s how life is these days: you have to be your own best promoter. Throw off any self-consciousness you may have about doing this; or modesty, whether true or false. Just forget it and tell people what you have to offer them, with full confidence in your talent. Be articulate and just a little pushy. If you’re going to talk to anyone, make it the head honcho.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your long-term vision may not be what you thought it was; be glad of that fact. Indeed, this week you may have a series of revelations not just about what you want, but also about who you are. The two are integrally related, and as you explore that relationship, you will make many bold discoveries. The key to success is not limiting your imagination. People are often inclined not to think about something, or not to want it, because it seems impossible or unlikely. Yet I suggest that you consider those very things. Get over the first obstacle, which is yourself. Be ready to be persistent, and to take the long view, by which I mean what you want to accomplish before your next birthday. You don’t need to probe centuries ahead of yourself; you just need to see yourself substantially beyond where you are now, and remember that anything is possible if you have faith in yourself.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Recent developments are giving you the hint that your relationships are all about you. Yes, this contradicts the supposed otherness of romance, the supposed focus on the beloved. Yet you tend to do most of your best self-discovery through others. And that aspect of your personal journey is under excellent aspects now. I suggest you be honest about this with the people you care about. Tell them that you’re learning about yourself and you want their help doing so. Focus on your own desires in an open way rather than a covert way. You may find that people exceed your expectations when it comes to meeting you right there. The exchange in this equation is your gratitude, your appreciation and your unabashed enthusiasm for life. It actually makes other people happy to see and feel you happy. So let yourself shine.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — People in your life are presenting you with a powerful reflection. It’s almost a magnifying mirror, where you can see your tendencies enlarged before your eyes. This will give you the option to choose what you want and what you don’t want. While you’re doing that, I suggest you go gently on yourself. It’s good to do that anyway, but remember that you’re in a kind of echo chamber, where things seem much louder and more vivid to you than they do to the people around you. As you look, listen and feel, you will begin to find new points of contact with your intimate partners. The key here is new — a conversation that has never happened before, a desire that you’ve never expressed and want to experiment with, or something that you want to offer to someone because you care about them. One excellent result of self-discovery is the ability to share yourself.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You seem to be concerned about money, and would benefit from taking an approach on the structural level rather than the level of acquiring the stuff. By structural, I mean things like knowing your fixed expenses, considering how to best handle debt (such as whether to refinance) and having solid methods for tracking income and outcome (that is, the results you get). Yet there’s something deeper going on, which is a series of reminders that your methods of acquiring money must be in tune with your actual values — which is to say, what you actually hold true and dear. Current aspects leave you little room to say or do things you don’t believe in, only for pay. And you’re being guided solidly in the direction of accomplishing something you’ve long desired: connecting who you are with how you earn your money. “It’s just a job” is a thing of the past, especially your past.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are learning how to focus your intention. If you don’t feel that way, you might give it a try, because it’s likely to be easier than ever. The precursor to this, however, is knowing what you want. You may be hesitating, since it’s possible to invest in what you want, and then to change your mind and not want it anymore. This is all part of a process of figuring out authentic desire. There is no way to do this other than to experiment. This includes with people. We’re living through another one of those ages wherein people treat one another as disposable or as married from the first date. There’s a lot of territory between those two not-so-useful polarities. For the next few months, your experiments in desire will take you closer to your core. There are a few surprises waiting for you there, too.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — My therapist Joe once asked me: if you can’t be naked in your own home, where can you be? Translation: can you be yourself where you live? Can you say what’s on your mind? Can you actually be transparent with the people you share your space with, or who come into your space? If the answer is no, it’s worth asking yourself why you’re there. You’re outgrowing needing people around you to set limits on what is appropriate. In fact you’re shedding all kinds of skins that previously held you in your place. It’s true — that will leave you in a vulnerable position, which is entirely the point. Weaving yourself into a cocoon is getting old, and you seem to want people to actually know and understand who you are. That will involve taking a chance, or deciding you have no other viable choice.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — In the phrase, “Think globally, act locally,” the first operative element is thinking, and the second is acting. That is what your chart is about right now, in a glorious way. You’re naturally an ideas person, but you and everyone else would benefit from trusting your ideas and putting them to work. This means getting out of the realm of theory and into the realm of trying something that you think might work. There’s a debate in astrology about whether Aquarius really is a humanitarian sign. I will say this — you have actual potential to develop that aspect of yourself, and it’s burning bright right now. You play an important role in your community, and you have the ability to focus that into some truly positive contributions, better than you’ve ever done before. Think of yourself as an inventor on a mission to solve something both vexing and obviously needing attention.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — One of the deeper (and prevalent) struggles associated with your sign is self-esteem. And you have the opportunity to blow that apart right now, and to be born into the world with rare confidence. Yet this is not some transient phase; you are finally figuring out that there’s no reason at all not to feel entirely faithful in yourself, your abilities and your place in the world. This comes down to two things: valuing yourself and what you have to offer, and your natural leadership ability. The two are closely related. Honoring the gift that you have to offer is a form of leadership, but there’s something more happening right now. When it’s time to take charge of something, do so with clarity and with focus. Learn the trick of self-respect and you will master the art of respect in all other forms. And that will get you far.
This week’s edition of Planet Waves TV covers the Sun’s meeting with Uranus and Eris. And as Mars retrograde draws near (it begins April 17), Eric Francis also comments on what Mars is about — identity, motivation and desire. Mars retrograde turns these things that are usually statements into questions, and an opportunity for introspection.
“Today I don’t want to live for, I want to live.”
— Hugh Prather, Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person
Dear Friend and Reader:
These days I have Mars on my mind: Mars retrograde, coming up in a little over a week; the impressive astrology in Aries (now featuring Venus); and where the two meet. This is exciting astrology because Mars and Aries so beautifully describe the quest for selfhood and what I call personhood that motivates a well-lived life.
Is this really a good idea?
The mandala of the zodiac is revealing many interesting patterns, including a study in fire and water (Aries and Pisces are working together, as are Sagittarius and Scorpio), all woven together through the movements of Mars, the planet of desire and initiative. Without the many things that Mars represents, nothing goes anywhere. With too much Mars, there’s nothing but conflict. The idea is to find a balance, which in contemporary terms you might describe as consciously wielded intention.
I’ve been on this beat full time lately, and this week I have for you a video presentation, and an edition of Planet Waves FM that looks patiently at this astrology (Mars calls for careful reflectivity).
I’ve also been working on your Aries birthday reading and your Mars retrograde reading (the Planet Waves spring report). It’s often said that proper astrology requires the natal chart and birth time. Learning from the very best Sun sign astrologers (including Patric Walker and Linda Goodman), I’ve figured out how to go fully into the matrix of astrology using just transits.
Astrology is a creative art, and it’s also holographic. To do astrology well takes having something to say, as well as imagination. Yet if you’re really doing astrology, once you’re into its inner matrix, you’re in — and much of the same information is available.
The beauty of working this way is that the results are both excellent and affordable. Now that you’ve been reading about all of these astrological elements, you will get a lot from these readings.
Into the World of Video
With these projects, I’m expanding into video astrology. I resisted doing this, until I discovered how well it works. Video is visual, and video allows eye contact. The Aries birthday reading will be the first
of this six-year series to incorporate video, blending the old-format audio and music with the new format of informally-presented homemade TV.
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Video still from the Cancer Mars retrograde spring reading.
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The Aries reading is designed for those with the Sun in Aries (it’s a solar return reading) as well as Moon, rising sign, Saturn or Chiron in this sign.
Saturn was last in Aries: 1996-1999, 1966-1969 and 1937-1940. Chiron was last in Aries from 1969 to 1977, and from 1919 to 1927.
This reading includes interpretation of the astrology I’ve been writing about for many weeks: the rare, culture-bearing Uranus-Eris conjunction; the upcoming retrograde of Mars, which begins in Sagittarius and ends up in Mars’ other sign, Scorpio; the influence of Saturn in Sagittarius; and other factors that help tell the story of our lives.
The Vision Quest ensemble has composed new music for this, which we’ll include with your reading (the full pieces, not just as intro music).
I am planning to have this for you by the weekend. You may get it for the discounted, pre-order price here.
An Inner Quest of Fire and Water
For all 12 signs, I’m also working on the 2016 spring reading. I’m working with the same basic astrological elements, interpreted for all 12 signs. Each sign’s reading is about 30 minutes, presented exclusively in video.
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“Unfamiliar Territory” by Rob Moore, from his recent column.
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As usual I speak in plain talk, with easy-to-follow visuals. I take an optimistic approach to the work, viewing Mars retrograde as a genuine inner quest for identity and personal mission, and I use the astrology to help you get to where you want to go.
This is an exciting reading, oriented on a kind of personal growth that many people reach for every day. I explore your astrology from many viewpoints. The project includes all the signs, so you may consider any of your chart elements — or those of loved ones.
One of the subtle points of this event is the blending of fire and water; of passion and emotion; of expression and feeling. Activity in the fire signs involved (Aries and Sagittarius) favors expression, while that in the water signs currently active favors receptivity (Scorpio and Pisces).
These various shades, feeling tones and colors provide plenty of creative fodder, ways to consider your life situation, and ideas for how to envision who you want to be. I have ideas, and I share them with you.
I recognize that I am entering your mind as an invited guest, and that I have an influence on your thoughts. My intention is to give you the information and ideas you need, as well as leave you feeling positive about yourself and your life.
One bottom line of Mars is how to assert yourself. I’m all about that and I share my secrets with you.
I’m planning to have this for you by the time Mars stations retrograde, and you may get the pre-order price here.
The Internet and Personhood
One of the issues I’ve been exploring lately, as part of this astrology, is the relationship between personhood and the Internet. The work of Marshall McLuhan described the ways that each new medium that grabs society comes with a redefinition of sense of self, or what I call personhood.
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Photo by Eric Francis.
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I’m here to ask you your thoughts about this. I am especially interested in hearing from parents about what they perceive as the impact of the devices on their children. This is an important conversation, based on what I’ve heard so far. Parents are concerned that they have to regulate the use of devices to keep kids grounded in the actual world.
I’m also interested in how you feel you’ve changed since you started on the Internet, and since you got a smart phone. It may be challenging to describe how your self-concept has evolved, but I would ask you to have a go at it.
What about your social relationships, and how you relate to close partners?
Have you read any books that address these issues? If so, what are your impressions of what you’ve read and learned?
Please write to me at dreams@planetwaves.net and put the word “personhood” in the subject header so we can sort your mail.
Thank you for your participation. I’ve learned a lot about life and about astrology from my readers and clients, and I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.
Lovingly,
Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday and Thursday evening in Kingston, New York, by Planet Waves, Inc. Core community membership: $197/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Designer: Lizanne Webb. Finance: Victoria Pomante. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Astrology Fact Checker: Len Wallick. Copy Editor and Fact Checker: Jessica Keet. Client Services: Robert Barnhill, Amy Elliott. Media Consultant: Andrew Marshall McLuhan. Research, Writing and Editing: In addition to those listed above, Planet Waves is produced by a team consisting of Fe Bongolan, Judith Gayle, Kelly Janes, Amanda Moreno, Carol van Strum, Len Wallick.
Signs O’ the Times and the Aries New Moon
Dear Friend and Reader:
This morning is the Aries New Moon at 7:24 am EDT (11:24 UTC). As the first New Moon after last month’s eclipses, it marks a threshold into a new phase or beginning. But a beginning of what?
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Wheat-paste mural of children painting a building in downtown Dewey, Isla de Culebra, Puerto Rico. Photo by Amanda Painter.
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On a personal level, only you can say what kind of initiative you’re feeling called to enact — perhaps an exploration, reinvention or expression of identity; maybe a tangible project (artistic, domestic, political, work-related or other).
It could be some other kind of step you feel compelled to take in your life. Chances are it won’t take much thought for you to identify something, and you might already be making it happen. Whatever it is, it’s likely something only you can get going, at least in the way that you imagine or desire it.
Yet our current astrology is also emphasizing global-scale, collective or generational activity — despite the fact that Aries, the sign of ‘I am’, is the locus of the heat we’re feeling. You see, this morning as the Sun and Moon conjoin in Aries (the New Moon), they’re square Pluto in Capricorn (the push to change). At the same time, the Sun and Moon are nearly conjunct Uranus and Eris in Aries (two revolutionary, unpredictable planets).
That is, the Sun and Moon — which represent your consciousness/ego and unconscious/emotions, respectively — are drawing the larger-scale, social vibrations of Pluto, Uranus and Eris into your personal awareness. The process will continue through early next week, as the Sun exactly conjoins Uranus Saturday (5:27 pm EDT / 21:27 UTC) and Eris Tuesday (6:41 am EDT / 10:41 UTC).
The separating-but-still-effective Uranus-Pluto square defines this era of institutional upheaval and social evolution that we’ve been engaged with since around 2010 or so. (Think Occupy movement, Arab Spring revolutions, activist organizing around global warming, and so on.)
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An empowered fist walks by in the September 2014 People’s Climate March in Manhattan. Photo by Amanda Painter.
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The conjunction between Uranus and Eris, exact in June, is something the world has not seen since the mid-1920s. We can take clues from that period, but a lot has changed since; most notably, the complete reconfiguration of communication and entertainment technology, and the ways that our lives (and very sense of self) have become enmeshed with it. Uranus seems to represent that process. Eric has described Eris in Aries as our collective post-modern identity crisis and ways of individuating.
The Sun and Moon today are bridging the gap between Uranus-Pluto and Uranus-Eris. One way to get a handle on that is to stop and look at what is going on in the world. These aspects are ‘signs of the times’ in astrology; as such, global news events can clue us in to what is shaking loose, what is coalescing, and where each of us stands in relation to it all.
A quick survey of recent news includes:
— Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz staging upsets in the Wisconsin primary, in a race that has brought into glaring relief the polarization of the American public, and the desperate desire to belong to some movement for radical change;
— The Supreme Court of the United States unanimously standing behind the one person / one vote principle in a recent ruling that rebuffed redistricting efforts that would have discounted unregistered or ineligible voters;
— The leak of the Panama Papers revealed at least 200 U.S. citizens who used the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca to hide assets and evade taxes; Iceland’s Prime Minister just resigned due to his own hidden offshore investments being exposed by the leak;
— California and New York passing $15 minimum wage laws;
— San Francisco passing a paid six-week parental leave policy that also applies to same-sex and adoptive parents;
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Motivational meme by WeKnowMemes.
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— Thousands protesting in Poland to defend female reproductive rights in the face of a proposed outright abortion ban;
— Mississippi and North Carolina passing laws that enable discrimination of LGBT citizens;
— The EU’s controversial plan to deport all newly arriving refugees back to Turkey, already being enacted in Greece.
— Puerto Rico’s Senate and House of Representatives authorize the governor to suspend payments on $72 billion in public debt to hedge funds; University of Puerto Rico students lead anti-austerity protests.
There’s plenty more news out there for you to consider as context, both productive and destructive, polarizing and unifying. See if you can watch for trends, and look for how you fit into the story. What can you do?
Hint: you are neither as central to the universe as your Facebook feed might seem to imply, nor as insignificant as your feelings of helplessness in the face of world events might suggest. Somewhere between those two poles is a space where you can do that thing you feel compelled to do. Be it small or large, the Aries planets have your back — so get started.
Yours & truly,
Amanda Painter
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The stars certainly were dancing when Shakespeare was born, though we’ll never know for sure if April 23 truly is his birth date and the date of his death. And to think that when he wrote “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players,” he could never have imagined just how literal the Internet would make that idea. Image: one of a set of eight stamps released this week by the Royal Mail of the U.K., featuring famous Shakespearean quotations in honor of the 400th anniversary of his death.
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400 Years Later, All the World Is a Stage
By Amanda Painter
As we approach the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, anglophiles, literary scholars, thespians and fans of all kinds around the world are celebrating in various creative ways. In my own city of Portland, Maine, our public library recently hosted one of the copies of the First Folio sent on tour of all 50 states of the U.S. by the Folger Shakespeare Library (out of the 83 copies held there) — a centerpiece flanked by several productions of The Bard’s plays.
The First Folio was the first complete collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, published in 1623, seven years after his death. Two of Shakespeare’s fellow actors in the King’s Men — John Heminges and Henry Condell — compiled the volume. It preserves 36 of his plays; without it, we would not have 18 of them at all — including such masterpieces as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, The Tempest and Antony and Cleopatra.
Out of the 750 copies of the First Folio believed to be printed originally, 233 are known to survive today. Thanks to Heminges and Condell, all 36 plays will likely survive as long as the human race reads and performs. Whatever Shakespeare’s natal chart might have looked like, the stars seemed to have aligned for him to channel something profound and ineffable in its ability to keep speaking to our hearts, minds and souls all these centuries later. May we continue to listen.
Dear Friend and Listener:
In this week’s edition of Planet Waves FM [play episode here], I discuss an issue that has confronted me for some time, and which caused me to go full fire-breathing dragon: how astrology is used against people, and how not to have that happen. And how not to do it. It’s easy.
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This dragon has a lot to say!
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First I cover the Aries New Moon that happens Thursday. That is an event that brings together the Uranus-Pluto square (our old friend from the 2012 era) and the Uranus-Eris conjunction.
The New Moon is tucked into a square to Pluto, and a conjunction to Uranus and Eris, basically serving as a blend between these two era-defining aspects.
I then pick up the discussion of how astrology is used against people, and how astrologers would better serve the world if they did something more creative and humane with their skills.
Our profession was making some progress here, with the Humanistic movement, and the new planet movement — and then classical astrology came along and stole the spotlight. But something suited for answering questions in 1612 is not necessarily suited for answering questions in the 21st century.
As part of this, I talk about the ancient dignities known as ‘detriment’ and ‘fall’ — rarely used, except until recently — and use my own chart as an example of why you don’t need to worry about these things; you merely need to put them to work for you.
This week’s music is something of an ambient classic, from An Endless Searching for Substance by 23 Degrees. Like all ambient music, and my programs, it’s as interesting to ignore as it is to listen to.
Catch you next week! Don’t miss our other features below, and the new Planet Waves TV.
With love,
Dear Friend and Listener:
In this week’s edition of The Miracle Hour [play episode here], I return to the introductory text of A Course in Miracles, focusing particularly on Chapter 1, Section II, which lends its title to this show.
This text deals with the nature of revelation, and its connection to how we relate to the Divine and one another. This is not the apocalyptic “Revelation” of the Bible, but something much more pleasant. Here is an excerpt from the lesson:
Revelation is intensely personal and cannot be meaningfully translated. That is why any attempt to describe it in words is impossible. Revelation induces only experience. Miracles, on the other hand, induce action. They are more useful now because of their interpersonal nature. In this phase of learning, working miracles is important because freedom from fear cannot be thrust upon you. Revelation is literally unspeakable because it is an experience of unspeakable love.
I also talk about my own experiences of revelation, which to a certain extent bears out what is written in ACIM. In the final segment, I move on to section VI, The Illusion of Needs.
As usual, this 59-minute broadcast, created for the Pacifica Radio Network, is accompanied by music from Vision Quest. You may listen to all past episodes here.
With love,
Hey Aries — need some guidance after the recent lunar eclipse across your horizon? Your 2016-17 video-audio birthday reading by Eric will help. Find out how to surf the Uranus-Eris wave and be at the forefront of the identity revolution. You may pre-order your reading today for just $19.97.
Your Monthly Horoscopes — and our Publishing Schedule Notes
Your extended monthly horoscope for April was published on Thursday, March 24. We published your extended monthly horoscope for March on Thursday, Feb. 25. Your Aries New Moon Moonshine horoscope is published below in this issue. Please note, we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Thursday after the Sun has entered a new sign.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — Know what works for you. Filter all your options through that knowledge, and your decisions will be properly informed. Simple though the protocol may be, it will be easy to forget. That’s because your life looks as though it might gain considerable stimulation in the coming weeks. A lot of good things and interesting people are likely to be drawn to you. Your power to attract is very strong right now. Unless you exercise discretion and set some boundaries, however, the real gems may get lost in the sheer volume of people and things moving in your direction, through no apparent effort of your own. Be selective. Additionally, prioritize what you want to go after over what or who is coming after you. — By Len Wallick.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — It is as if you are a musician or actor who has finally mastered your art to the point where you can improvise with confidence whenever and wherever you see fit. This is especially true for situations where your personal needs are in actual or potential conflict with your personal obligations. Yet you are still a human being, neither omnipotent nor infallible. Fortunately for you there is one reliable guideline to keep you in clover and out of error at this time: You need to be clear about what you don’t know. Therefore, in any circumstance that finds you in possession of all the pertinent data, proceed to succeed. Where vital information is missing, simply remember to be a detective first, and an executive second. — By Len Wallick.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Time to update the reputation that precedes you. You know you are not the person you were five years ago. You are better. You are more. Fortunately, there is no rush to refresh your social profiles, or even to replace your publicly available photos. Take the time to develop a strategy before you employ any tactics. Get grounded in who you are now, and get clear on who you aim to become. Then, sort out all the ways in which what you see in yourself and envision of yourself differs from how you exist in the minds of others. Finally, think on how to most convincingly change the minds of those who think they know you, so that they can both see and support you in a new and more authentic way. — By Len Wallick.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — It’s very possible you don’t know your own strength when it comes to getting what you want from the world right now. Therefore, apply your efforts gently until you get a sense of how much they are being multiplied on the other end. It should go without saying that you will not need to knock any doors down. Instead, seek to persuade others to open up to you by showing you understand their needs. That way, their needs and your wants can both be fulfilled, so that the process of exchange you are seeking to consummate feels easy for everybody involved. Once you do get what you want, it would also be wise to follow up and establish a relationship that will last longer than the yield of any transaction. — By Len Wallick.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Make hay while the Sun shines. There are evidently some things that need your fullest attention now, because they will not wait. Other things can safely be put off. Discerning between the two will do more than just make you efficient and effective. People will notice how you combine diligence with discretion, and will support you in your aspirations to extend your horizons and expand your opportunities for advancement. This is no game. Part of the picture for every person who would like to be a future reference on your resume is their own reputation. Hence, be aware that every time you come through for yourself will also feather the cap of those who are cheering you on with enlightened self-interest. — By Len Wallick.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your most cherished values have validity. You have proven and vindicated your core verities, especially over the last ten or eleven years — leaving you both justified and empowered to speak your personal truth. Others, however, have their own values and truths, which have also been justly earned and hard won. Hence your choice at this time: You could elect to circle the proverbial wagons and declare war on any beliefs not your own, but that would only leave you confined within a circumference of your own making. The other option is to be open and present to everybody’s most essential and authentic values, so as to find and integrate the common thread you follow to freedom. — By Len Wallick.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — While climbing a tree, it’s usually a good idea to stay close to the trunk where the footholds are strong and there is nearly always a way to pull yourself up further. Going out on a limb is usually understood to be the equivalent of taking a risk. You know from your own experience that the safest, surest way works best most of the time. Even so, there are times when a carefully calculated risk is your best bet. Look around and consider whether now might be one of those times to branch off. In order to evaluate whether that’s true for you, ask yourself two questions. First, is the metaphorical trunk solid or rotted at the core? Next, will the symbolic limb ultimately take you to somewhere besides thin air?. — By Len Wallick.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Love your feelings. Give your emotional qualities a hug. This is no time to deny or discredit your passionate and intuitive nature. While there is a proper time and place to be solid and objective, it would not become you to pretend that’s all there is to you. Your gut and heart are as much a part of you as your head; it is almost as if you have a team within you to manage and coach. The trick is to embrace every member of the team and bring them all with you all the time, while also being able to choose which of your multiple assets is most appropriate to apply in any given situation. If you can simply do that, you will always be giving yourself a chance to win. — By Len Wallick.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — If molecular biologists have it right, all the people on Earth are family. If musical anthropologists are correct, an integral part of your human family history is rock-and-roll. What distinguishes rock-and-roll at its best is that it’s fun. The main reason rock is fun evidently has to do with its correlation to one of the most gratifying and enjoyable activities of all: sex. That’s why the people who are at war with sex are nearly always the same folks who want to ban raucous music and dancing. It’s also how you can most safely and surely address anything cramping your style right now. One way or another, give yourself permission to rock with abandon even if it means dancing alone in a chair. It will bust you out and bring you back home. — By Len Wallick.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — If you haven’t recently moved from one abode to another, at least be open to a chance to improve your circumstances by doing so. If a change of residence simply is not in the cards for your foreseeable future, think about what you can do to make changes where you sleep. You know what simply opening a window can sometimes do to make an interior space suddenly more comfortable and restful. In your case, at this time, there are indications that a similarly easy addition or removal at what you call ‘home’ could yield something of the same results. If you need a clue regarding how to make it happen, look around where you live and either add something that says ‘you’, or purge something that doesn’t. Repeat as needed. — By Len Wallick.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Doing the right thing for others is an expression of love. So, however, is doing the right thing for yourself. It should currently be possible for you to love both yourself and others at the same time. To get started, review your life for any habits that do not seem to be doing you or those you care for any real good. Then take some actual written notes whenever you indulge those predilections. Note especially your motivations for continuing what (at least on the surface) seems to be an indulgence that costs more than it pays. That way, you will either discover a heretofore-unrealized benefit of these particular customs or gain insight into how to better know and practice what love can be. — By Len Wallick.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — In some way, you hold the key to the entire theater of your life — which means you have more power than nearly anybody (perhaps even you) can readily see. Yet all that influence will not make you happy by itself. One important factor that will determine whether your power will ultimately serve to please you is whether or not you can delegate when you need to. If you are currently expected to be both star and producer (or even if you think you need or desire to be both), you may need to decide whether you have a preference, or whether some of your tasks can be shifted. This will help you maintain a healthy workload, so that you can shine with your full brightness and beauty. — By Len Wallick.
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Does astrology seem too intellectual to make any sense? Then this edition of Planet Waves TV is for you. Eric Francis describes the Aries New Moon after giving a basic rundown on the lunar cycle itself. This New Moon revives our old friend the Uranus-Pluto square, and brings in the Uranus-Eris conjunction. Play episode here.
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There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye;
There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.
— William Cullen Bryant
Dear Friends:
This week, there is the potential for substantial leaps in insight and perspective. The astrological patterns are…intense, certainly; and deep, for anyone who wants or needs to go there. They are also vivid and splendid and inspiring, like a Van Gogh painting or a Beethoven symphony.
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I most unashamedly confess to being a total sucker for fractals. This gorgeous specimen is Forever Fire, by Nis86.
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This is true of the Aries New Moon chart in particular. That takes place on Thursday, 7:23 am EDT (11:23:37 UTC). The meat and potatoes of this moment include the New Moon being conjunct Uranus-Eris (as Eric mentions above) and square Pluto.
This might seem incredibly ponderous. Yet the asteroids Haumea and Altjira, both primal creation deities, and the divine enchantress Circe are also involved. The end result is something like godhood bursting forth on the Earth along with the spring; the actual idea of beauty taking form and blossoming beside the flowers. If nothing else, notice the beauty of life and of the world around you.
This week, if you so choose, you can reach out and touch the web binding together all that exists on this wonderful Earth. That web can never be broken, despite all that humanity does to divide itself from itself. The threads are in your DNA, and in the atoms that form the living body of you.
If you are able, now is a very good time to wander out into your local bit of nature (in person, rather than on Geoguessr). You could also work on artistic endeavors, make love, eat good food — anything that reaffirms your connection to life and the creative principle.
Make a concerted effort to break down the barriers hiding that connection, especially if they happen to be electronic. I say hiding as opposed to blocking, because at any time you have the power to lift the veil and step through.
Bask in the wakening of spring, or the myriad colors of fall. Have a good time, relax and soak in the joie de vivre. If there is anything you need to avoid, it will be activities that involve excessive risk, or are prone to cultivating escapism. What you actually want is to be able to lift your eyes to the stars, plant your feet in the soil, and feel the love pulsing through the radiant universe.
With love,
Amy Elliott
Planet Waves Client Services
Aries (March 20-April 19) — Use your imagination and figure out what you want from life. Tap into your dreams, your secret desires and your creativity. If you were writing a movie and you were the leading character, what would you have happen? Later this week, you’ll experience a New Moon in your sign, which happens just once a year. Between now and then, the Moon will be in Pisces, which is luring you into your inner vision for yourself. While you’re in there, you might notice a difficulty, past hurt or some factor that is urging you not to trust yourself or what you want. Rather than fight that thing, I suggest you engage in a direct dialog with the feelings surrounding it. At a certain point, what was done to you in the past must cease to predict what will happen in the future. Yet you are the only person who can intervene and alter the flow of events, by making conscious choices from among real options.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — One of the rewards of your current life is getting to be of service. I suggest you claim this reward with a joyous heart, because you have plenty to offer, the world has plenty of needs, and the meeting of the two is proving to be beneficial to everyone. When you have a point of focus, you can orient on that and organize your world around a real priority. This will work with physical space as well. Imagine that you place a hearth in the middle of everyplace you occupy, whether it’s your desk, your living room, your kitchen, your bedroom or your office. What is the source of heat and of your sensation of being home? Your metaphorical hearth could be an altar you place on your desk; it could be your stove (the altar of culinary pleasure and nutrition); it might be the place you make art or make love. Define your personal center and orchestrate your life outward from there.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Spend more time listening than you do speaking, particularly at work. Tune into your environment, and notice what people in positions of leadership and management are concerned with. If you take your time with this, and take some notes, and sleep on what you’ve observed, in a few days you may come up with the winning idea that is eluding all of them. If you’re self-employed, you have a free pass to re-think and re-envision your business plan, matching it to some new real-world goal that has come to your attention. It will help immensely if you trust what your intuition is telling you. Listen to yourself; and, rather than second-guessing, give any inwardly discovered information a few days to bear itself out. There is no rush to start the new story, and your time would be well spent tying up old commitments and finishing old projects, the better to make room for the bold adventure that is just ahead.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — In hindsight, these months and seasons may turn out to be one of the most successful times of your life. Therefore, take hold of the moment while you have it within reach. That means getting clear on what your most important goals are. I don’t mean last year’s goals; I mean the ones that are exciting to you now. You might notice that some of them have followed you through many incarnations of your work, even if you didn’t do anything about them along the way — those are the ones to notice. Right now you’re imbued with the power of invention. Inventors work with an idea, and then embark on a process of trial, error and success that helps modify that idea. In trying something, you’re not committing to it for life. You are, instead, embarking on a journey, and you might have little idea where it will lead. Give yourself permission to be bold, and trust synchronicity.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You have the ability to see far into the future. This is a gift of the current moment, as if you’re standing on a high mountain and can see the landscape in every direction, all around you. Take a week out of your usual approach to life and really look into the distance — checking out every possible perspective, remembering what you see. Imagine the different choices you might make, different directions in which you might proceed, and project each one five years into the future. Once you come down from that mountain and continue your journey, your perspective will be different, much closer to the ground. You will benefit from bringing your perspective with you, remembering how you felt when you saw into a particular direction of future arrival. If you have commitments or complications today that you think might prevent going any particular way, do not be hindered or discouraged. You have the power to resolve them, and nothing will stop you.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — This week it’s essential that you claim for yourself what is yours, and return to others what belongs to them. In particular I’m talking about psychological or emotional needs, including your healing agenda. It’s easy for the past material of others to intrude on your thoughts and feelings. It’s also possible that you will assign to others what is really your own, and which you can resolve with some self-honesty, love and determination. You may discover some places where what is yours and what belongs to a partner seem to overlap. I suggest you treat any shared material first as exclusively your own. Then consider a way to bring up the subject with anyone else who might be involved. This is an important boundary issue. What is in your consciousness and in your life belongs to you in the first instance, and is shared material in the second instance. While there are no absolutes, keeping things in the appropriate order will help you simplify your thinking and facilitate healing.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Be mindful of negativity in your environment, and make the conscious choice not to take it on. From birth, you’re someone who does what healers call ‘somaticize’ — that is, you can easily transpose emotions to physical experiences and body ailments. However, this is working with greater emphasis in the current extended phase of your life, so you must be especially mindful at this time. Tune into every environment before you dive in, just like you would size up a lake before diving in head-first. Before you eat anything, ask yourself if this is really what you want or need. If you can take care of yourself this way, you’ll turn your exceptional sensitivity into a productive, creative force. Your greatest strength right now is not your time or your labor, it’s your ideas. You can see things that nobody else can perceive. This includes problems and it includes brilliantly creative solutions. Though others will want their say, be sure to trust yourself first.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You have reached a maximum point of expansion. Soon it will be time to draw your energy inward, which I think will come with a sense of relief. You seemed to be headed toward a limit that it would be helpful to stop well in advance of. If we take your story back approximately two years, do a review and consider what you’ve left unresolved (whether emotionally or in your commitments to others). If you’re focused and efficient, you can tie up the loose ends in about two or three months. In that time you’ll make some decisions and set some new priorities, and proceed with far greater confidence than you have right now. It’s likely that a financial reorganization will be part of this process. Look at every account carefully. There are places you can stop needless spending, and others where you can consolidate and refinance debts. Be thorough and get second opinions as you proceed.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your sign is a magnificent blend of sensitivity and courage. Both are going at full strength at the moment. I suggest you emphasize your sensitivity for the first few days of the week, and then plunge into the courage side of the equation. Phase one is about feeling how deep your ideas go, and feeling how deep your emotions are. Just being present for yourself will build your confidence. Hang in with yourself — there is no rush. When the psychic tide turns, you will know it, and you may feel called to express yourself in an especially bold or daring way. Your chart depicts you as the ‘true artist’ at the moment — whose inner life, creativity and outward expression are mingled into one idea. Few others might grasp how this works, or how necessary it is for you to be this way, but that hardly matters. Your journey is your journey — and that is the rare beauty of Sagittarius.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your solar chart has the look and feel of home renovation. You might not be diving into Angie’s List this weekend, but let’s take the metaphor in ways that would work for you on the physical and psychological levels. It looks like you want to change things around. It’s often relevant to rearrange your furniture, or to clear out a room and use it for something else; it’s also relevant to rearrange your priorities and make sure that you’re doing first what you want to do and need to do most. That alone can be liberating, not just of time and of energy but also of your sense of freedom. Yet there’s something else — perhaps more appropriate for outdoors, by the water, on a rooftop or in a quiet space: pause, invoke the silence, listen and receive. What you would be listening to is yourself. You have something interesting to say, though it’s subtle — so you’ll need to tune in.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Rarely mentioned about Aquarius is your sign’s deep commitment to service. You might be into socializing, cars, clothing or your recording studio, though the bottom line of your chart is your humanitarian values. Two things are happening to bring this out. One is that the sky is still swimming in Pisces energy (that’s the water in your urn). At the same time, the Sun is about to meet up with a planet you love: inventive, oddball Uranus. You have a sense of what the people around you need, and you have the ideas and intelligence to do something exceptionally useful. Trust your ideas. Trust yourself. Whatever scale you’re working on, I would encourage you to make the contribution that you want to make. The reward for you will be the exquisite feeling of fulfilling your purpose, which has a way of opening doors both in your mind and in the world around you. Open is not merely good, it’s excellent.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The theme of finances has been on your mind lately. Rather than being optimistic, I suggest you work on your confidence. The ups and downs of your personal economy have taught you a lot the past few years. You have learned how to stand on your own feet, and you’ve learned how to take leadership. And now you have a mission. What’s interesting is that this may be an old mission into which new life is being breathed; something you’ve worked at for a while and have discovered the value of. As a Pisces, it can be difficult for you to feel bold and strong every day. But now your sensitivity is your greatest asset. Your understanding that the world and many people in it are struggling for sanity is your secret power. Your role is to rise above the emotional level of the struggle, to rise above the problem and see your role in the solution. Feel, be clear about what you’re feeling, and remember that emotion is energy in motion. So keep moving.
Dear Friend and Reader:
Today all eight remaining members of the Supreme Court disqualified themselves from ruling on whether the phone records of the ‘DC Madam’ should be released to the public. Deborah Jeane Palfrey, who ran an escort service that catered to the Washington elite, amassed thousands of clients, 812 of whom are listed in a phone register obtained from Verizon that is currently under seal by a lower federal court.
DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey and her attorney Montgomery Sibley outside the US District Court in Washington DC in September 2007. Her list of clients is scheduled to appear on the Internet within 72 hours using a timed device in case something happens to Sibley.
Palfrey died after being convicted of various crimes in 2008, and since then her attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, has been under a gag order not to release her client list.
However, Sibley has argued that not releasing the list will deprive voters of information they might need in making a selection for their presidential candidate of choice in this November’s election.
Sibley filed a motion with a lower federal court to reverse the gag order, but the court refused to accept his application. So he petitioned the Supreme Court to compel the lower court to accept his motion. Then suddenly, all eight remaining members of the court recused themselves from the case due to a potential conflict of interest.
SCOTUSBlog, which covers the court exclusively, speculated that
either the justices were on the list, or that they had friends who were. [One source said that recently deceased Associate Justice Antonin Scalia had a preference for young women in bunny suits prancing around his hotel suite — though never undressing or engaging in any sexual contact.]
Dear Friends:
Despite the joy brought by seeming birds of omen to an already exciting U.S. election process, the recent pair of eclipses has surely ruffled some feathers. Eclipses are anything but boring, and on the Aries Point they can be — to say the least — somewhat more edgy than usual.
Fortunately, the tide has begun once more to ebb, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief, dust off, shuffle our papers and get on with the adventure.
On Friday, Saturn helped begin this process by stationing retrograde in Sagittarius. Saturn is usually looked upon with some side-eye, as if cast as the mustache-twirling villain of astrology. Yet Saturn has a lot of benefits to offer if we choose to take them. In the present case, the planet of order and method bestows welcome stability, and gives you the opportunity to take this calm, peaceful energy within yourself.
In an ancient Egyptian prayer, the author describes hearing “the quiet, still voice of the gods.” This means being still and quiet enough to let the messages of the divine reach you.
Set aside a few minutes (at least) each day to embrace this gift of tranquillity; meditate, visualize or just sit in silence. This is a worthwhile exercise at any time; but at this moment it’s likely to prove an especially effective tool to help you get the most from your week.
With love,
Amy Elliott
Planet Waves Client Services
Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may feel ready to move on a plan that you thought would take much longer to enact. Take the first steps that lead toward your vision, though stay flexible as to the long-range timing. Whatever you have going on, you don’t want to over-plan. Indeed, a strategy of minimal strategizing will leave you open to adapting to unforeseen changes in your environment. You want to proceed more like a dancer than like a train running down the tracks. One essential ingredient is leaving yourself open-minded enough for intuitive hunches to enter your thought process. This means listening to yourself, and keeping your mind updated with the latest observations. Meeting long-term objectives always happens as a result of many smaller steps, and it is those steps that need your attention now. Keep your eyes open and facing the future. Keep your facts and your mind in order.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — How to leave the past behind is a mystery for most people, but it can be done. I suggest reducing an element of the past you want to move on from to a token or souvenir. In other words, remember a little to forget a lot. It’s a way of saying, “Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt,” which you wear every now and then as a reminder. Taking the process of moving forward consciously also helps you maintain perspective and some context. It’s important to honor where you’ve been and who you were as a means of being aware that you’re no longer that person, and you don’t need to be. There’s something especially meaningful here on the subject of how you feel you’re perceived by the public, whatever that word means to you. Stay a few steps ahead of the crowd rather than playing to the crowd.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Do you take your own neurosis as a given? This is a word we don’t hear much any more, though it’s a helpful concept that means conflicting mental scripts. For example, imagine someone likes to stay up late, needs to wake up early and also needs their beauty rest. Those instructions-to-self are in conflict, and something needs to give. Most of the time we live with these things for years, though it makes as much sense as walking around with your shoes tied together. Notice the ways you may have desires or intentions that conflict with one another, and then sort out the appropriate action to take. Often these conflicts are subtle, but sometimes they are glaring if only one would look. Once you solve one or two of these riddles, you will gain a sense of accomplishment, and feel like you have some power to improve your life. Three of them would be a worthy goal for the week.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Drink water; look at pictures of water; visit a lake, stream or ocean; take a bath; and don’t forget to water the plants. You have a lot of fire in your chart this week, and water will help keep you in balance. Fire is important right now: you are reaching for some ambitious goals, and it’s fire that’s going to get you there. It would not, however, be helpful to burn out or to overextend yourself. The more you’re reaching for, the more balanced you must be. If you’re aspiring to concrete ambitions, remember general ideas such as being generous and empathetic. Every action must be backed by a deeper spiritual or humanitarian value. Your goal is never merely to succeed; it’s to succeed in a way that serves the greater good for all concerned. This is not always 100% possible, but right now you can come close.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Dare to allow yourself to be driven by a creative idea. This may show up as an impulse of some kind, or daring yourself to do something you really want to do for the pleasure of doing it. You will know you’re in range of a real idea when you say to yourself, “I’m not sure how this is going to come out, but I really want to try it.” One emotion that’s taken a beating in the Internet Age is passion. This is the exact opposite of being powdered and rehearsed, cool and smooth. Passion means connecting feeling and action. I suspect you have an idea good enough to persist with once the initial rush of desire and intention fade to your usual level of ambition. If you like what transpires from your first attempt, then consider committing to a longer experiment and notice how it develops, say, over the next month.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — What will it take for you to allow love into your life? It would help if you didn’t spend so much energy being angry at yourself, convincing yourself that you’re unworthy. That above all other factors makes it difficult for you to have the feeling that anyone cares about you or accepts you for who you are. While self-acceptance is a valuable exercise of its own, it’s important to understand the influences that shaped you to believe what you do about yourself. Only then can you decide that they were not accurate or true and have no part of your present-day self-assessment. There is also something about expectations showing up. Expectations are emotional habits that block and blind you to much greater possibilities. You will be happier if you allow people the space to be who they are, which will remind you to let yourself be who you are.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If you put something in writing, you can say anything and not worry about the effects. That’s because you have the power to revise and edit. I suggest you put a 24-hour delay between what you want to express to someone and the moment you push the ‘send’ button. This will allow you to get in touch with your feelings; in particular, your anger. The thing to remember is that your anger belongs to you. If you have a grievance with someone, it’s preferable that you take ownership of your feelings. There is more to this picture than meets the eye, and it will take some thought and reflection to figure out just what that is. It will, however, be worth your effort, because as I read your charts there is a gift beneath all the layers — understanding something surprising about what you want, and why you want it.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You might think you need to make some important financial moves, and that is true. Much of the theme of 2016 for you is getting clear about your relationship to money. Remember, though, that money is an abstraction. It has no inherent value. It’s barely real, it’s a volatile form of energy, and way too much emphasis is placed on its supposed importance. The same astrology is reminding you to be true to who you are. Be true to your most deeply held values. You might feel uncertain about this, and it would be wise of you to consider your values as a question, riddle or mystery rather than something that’s set in stone. You are on an adventure of finding out what they are. I suggest you treat it that way, and honor the fact that you change as you grow, and different things become important to you. As Joni Mitchell said, “I’m not sure who I am but life is for learning.”
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Mars, the planet of motivation and desire, is doing something special in your chart: it’s about to be retrograde. This happens every two years, though rarely in Sagittarius. Yours is the sign of the spiritual quest. Often this is lived outwardly, as a passion for travel, curiosity about anything exotic and the love of all things mystical. But now your attention is being turned inward; your quest is about to become a true adventure into the mystery of who you are. Three themes are likely to arise. One is gaining an understanding of your desire nature. You will have the opportunity to make peace with what you really want. The second is getting clear about what you believe — or rather seeking a deep understanding of what is true for you. Finally, you will reach deep into your underlying motives, including discovering something about why you were born and why you chose to come to this particular planet.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Can you imagine life without fear? You do a lot of negotiating with that emotion, but really, it’s entirely non-negotiable. When fear seizes your mind, its grip is total, and it takes you out of control of your life. When you decide that fear is meaningless and is not going to influence you, you are powerful, which means free to make choices. I would propose a psychological exercise. If you feel paralyzed or as if you can’t decide something, trace that backwards into the fear that’s leading to your state of mind. There will always be a fear, but you will rarely articulate it — that’s why you have to go looking for it. Then do something bold: give your fear a voice. State what you’re afraid might happen in the worst-case scenario. Then ask yourself the chances of that really happening. You don’t have to be a slave to fear, though the only way out is clarity and courage.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — There is some irony in that you are born under the sign associated with groups, but you’re the person least concerned about whether you’re popular. Said another way, it’s natural for you to simply be who you are, and that has a way of getting results. The world could learn a few things from you about why, for example, it’s so ridiculous to be pretentious. Right now you’re at your individualistic best, though I see you on a mission. This is less about being you for its own sake and more about using your talent to get some important and lasting results. This process will go on through most of the year, so I suggest you take it slow and take the long view. Persistence will pay off, and — as I’ve been suggesting — your work really is about establishing something of lasting value. Here is a clue: figure out what people believe, and work with that rather than against it.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Venus is in your sign for another week or so, which means good times for Pisces. Take advantage of this astrology and go for what you want, without any delay. Be open with people. Allow your face to reflect your inner feelings. When you meet someone, proceed with the trust of a child. It’s true that there is plenty going on in your house of career and ambition, but let that take second place to the purely personal dimension. One thing your charts are suggesting strongly is that now is the time to claim what was yours in the past. Remember the gains you’ve made, remember who you’ve known and who you’ve loved, and even more importantly, remember what you’ve learned. Most of all, claim dominion over your own life. It is, after all, your life to live. Claim all of it as your own, which makes it yours to share, because that’s what you love to do.