Editor’s note: this is the full PW members’ edition, featuring your weekly horoscope by Amy Elliott, and more; Planet Waves FM is on a brief hiatus.

“How will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?”

— Meno, in one of Plato’s Socratic dialogues

Dear Friend and Reader:

On Saturday we come to the last quarter Moon: the Moon in Taurus making a square to the Sun in Leo. This marks the halfway point between the July 27 lunar eclipse in Aquarius, and the corresponding Aug. 11 solar eclipse in Leo.

Spring Point Lighthouse, South Portland, Maine; photo by Amanda Painter.

Like any last quarter Moon, this is a reminder (with assistance) to move a project toward completion. But what if you aren’t sure what that project is, or how to move it forward?

You might be; it could be perfectly clear to you what your primary goal is right now, what vision of your life you’re heading for. It’s also possible that you feel like you’re in some kind of limbo or stasis: aware that you’re in a process, but not entirely sure what exactly it is.

You may feel like you’re moving more energy than usual, or you could be waiting for the wind to fill your sails again so you can know how to respond to it.

A lot gets written about conscious visioning and making choices to release things during eclipses. But what if you feel a little lost in that? I suspect that sensation makes good sense, given that we have the planet of action and motivation (Mars) and the planet of thought processes (Mercury) both in retrograde motion (Mars in Aquarius, Mercury in Leo).

Even one of those could pose a challenge to clear forward navigation and momentum. Having both those planets retrograde is a good reminder to be gentle and patient with yourself if your path ahead seems unclear, or if your steps feel like they’re moving you backwards or laterally. And if you do happen to be riding these eclipse waves like a California surfer who’s ‘in the zone’, keep trusting yourself and looking where you want to be. (Actually, that’s a good strategy no matter how things are going for you.)

As with all eclipse periods, there’s the “relinquishing a pattern” phase of things, and the “do what you love / keep your eye on your goal” phase. Those processes tend to merge and intertwine, and the eclipses associated with each can come in either order. With the Sun and Moon in fixed signs for the lunar last quarter (and for the second and third of our current three eclipses), there’s some extra perseverance available. The shadow side is that the fixed signs also tend to reinforce staying attached to things that might not facilitate your next steps in life.

Thankfully, for Saturday’s last quarter Moon, Jupiter is in the mix, receiving a square from the Sun and an opposition from the Moon. You may find it easier to tap into some extra energy to get ahead (or go deeper — Jupiter is in Scorpio, after all). Jupiter can magnify both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ elements of a situation, though, so it will be up to you to notice which side of the coin you’re focusing on and feeding. You might ask yourself, “Where could I use a little push to help me round a corner?” And then see if you can train your attention on things like gratitude, goals, desires and — perhaps the most important of all — possibility.

Chart for the lunar last quarter on Saturday. The Leo Sun is near the top; the Taurus Moon is on the lower-right. Venus in Virgo is near the top-left, and is square the Galactic Core (GC). The GC has no glyph in this chart, but is located in late Sagittarius, near Pholus (the green golf flag) in the lower-left quadrant. View glyph key here.

Note also that during the last quarter Moon, there’s a square between Venus in Virgo and the Galactic Center in Sagittarius. I think one way to read this is as a question: where do you get caught between concrete details or having to ‘get it right’ and the overwhelming unknowability of the mystery of life, of what comes next?

We all have to do what we can with what we have where we are, to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt. Details do matter to a certain extent, because they’re part of the foundation of how we can get started. But that foundation is meant to give us something to build from, not to limit us.

It can be hard to trust ourselves to move from the details of ‘now’ to the big picture of ‘someday’, but that path can unfold — not usually how we envisioned it — if we take some small, first steps. Pholus hanging out near the Galactic Center suggests those small first steps right now could have a bigger effect than you’d imagine — especially if you can embrace steps that do not seem ‘perfect’.

I had this dynamic in mind (and the astrology) late Monday night when I ran across the quote at the beginning of this piece. I read it in an essay by Rebecca Solnit titled “Open Door,” in her book A field Guide to Getting Lost. She writes that she first encountered the quote when a student in a workshop shared it with her. Solnit goes on to write:

The question she carried struck me as the basic tactical question in life. The things we want are transformative, and we don’t know or only think we know what is on the other side of that transformation. Love, wisdom, grace, inspiration — how do you go about finding these things that are in some ways about extending the boundaries of the self into unknown territory, about becoming someone else?

That is the question, isn’t it? I wish you well in exploring it between now and the Leo New Moon and partial solar eclipse on Saturday, Aug. 11. We’ll have more to say about that spectacular chart in the days to come.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

Tarot and Astrology Studio Readings Available

Dear Friend and Reader:

We are all going through a lot with Mars and Mercury retrograde, and a series of eclipses. And I have some astrology and tarot for you, if you want it. Audio samples are included, so you can get a feeling for the vibe of the reading.

Prior to taking a month or so off, I’ve nearly completed my backlog of overdue readings. I’ve done these through the past eight days or so, working very early in the morning, when the world is quiet. I want to get them to you, and I don’t want to return to a backlog — I plan to hit the ground running.

The readings are enhanced by the fact that I’m not doing any astrology writing at the moment, so I’m living a human schedule. I’ve cleared up some space in my mind, and I’m working rested, in a quiet place — perfect for doing this kind of reading.

I’ve taken the opportunity to redesign my tarot readings, which are now called Tarot Studio. In the future, they will be included with your astrology reading with pre-order only; then the two sessions will be offered separately.

We got this response last week to one of the readings: “Absolutely amazing. Beyond words how pertinent this tarot reading is for my life right now. Even more powerful the second time. So much love and gratitude.”

As ever, I think it’s amazing that this stuff works at all, though it certainly seems to. I offer these readings in the spirit of helping you make the best decisions you can make.

Thank you for your business, and for trusting me as your astrologer.

With love,

PS — You may access birthday readings for all the signs here. If you’re having difficulty ordering on the internet, you may call us at (845) 481-5616. Give us one to two working days to get back to you, and make it easy for us to reach you! It’ll probably be sooner. Thank you again for your business.

PPS — We will re-mail this a few times, to make sure we catch everyone. Please check out the audio samples!

Read more…

The Sacred Space of Self

The Perfect Video Readings for the Eclipse Zone

“You’re the best! I love your readings and I appreciate this; share so much as a Cancer with Cap rising, especially. Lots of insight! Thank you so much.”

— L.J. Innes, on the Sacred Space of Self sampler video

Dear Friend and Reader:

I just wanted to be sure you’ve had a chance to watch the sample videos we have available for the Sacred Space of Self spring reading. If current events have you feeling overwhelmed or a little raw, you might find some solace and inspiration here to keep plugging away at whatever challenges you face now.

Currently all four of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are compiled in one video. We’re working on separating those into individual samples — although, if you have one of those signs as your Sun or rising sign, you’ll definitely get great insight from watching the whole compilation.

The fixed and mutable sign samples are available individually (each is linked from the sign name). The cardinal sign links go to where the sample for each sign begins in the compilation video.

Aries		Taurus		Gemini	Cancer		Leo		Virgo
Libra		Scorpio		Sagittarius	Capricorn		Aquarius		Pisces

Please note that those are only very short excerpts of the Sacred Space of Self readings! Each sign’s complete video is a full 30-50 minutes long.

You can order individual signs of the Sacred Space of Self here. Or, go all-in for the complete 12-sign set, and you can watch the videos for your loved ones, too.

“I enjoyed these videos and all of them are surprisingly, completely in-depth. Well, not so surprisingly if you have heard Eric speak on other subjects.”

— Samantha Hampton, on the 2018 Sacred Space of Self readings

If you have any questions (including questions about arrangements for financial hardship), please email us at cs@planetwaves.net — or, call us at (845) 481-5616.

Wishing you well,

Amanda Painter

Dear Faithful Listeners:

While Eric is taking his brief sabbatical from his usual grueling work schedule, he may or may not record Planet Waves FM programs. This week he was unable to put together a program, but you are invited to peruse other current astrological coverage on our website.

Thank you for your understanding and patience, and for your continued support.

Planet Waves FM is part of the nonprofit Pacifica Radio Network, and published by Chiron Return, a 501(c)(3) corporation. Thank you for your tax-deductible contributions. You are invited to help us pay our way with monthly or one-time donations. You help us keep the lights on and the new programs coming.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

Listen to Vision Quest on Live Stream

Planet Waves has an in-house music ensemble, called Vision Quest. We have a 38-hour loop of our music, which you can listen to any time. Included are finished pieces, rehearsals, live concerts, drum grooves, and spoken word recordings. I consider it a kind of musical divination. Click in randomly at different times of day and see what you discover.

Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscopes for July on Thursday, June 21. Your extended monthly horoscopes for June were published Thursday, May 24. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Thursday after the Sun has entered a new sign. That schedule is on hold while Eric takes his much-needed sabbatical; however, Monday’s horoscope by Amy Elliott was written with the month of August in mind.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — We usually think of maturity in terms of taking on the many dull yet necessary duties of adulthood, such as managing one’s accounts or keeping up with the housework. Yet there are other qualities also, one being the ability not to take life too seriously. However paradoxical that sounds, it relates to a commitment to learn and grow throughout life, to treat it as an ongoing adventure, and to avoid general complacency. Regardless of what other people do and think, it is not your business to be satisfied with the dull. Give yourself time and space to frolic.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The question of what we would say to our younger selves can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we can more easily see what we’ve learned since the year specified. On the other, it’s possible to feel regret for what one might consider missed opportunities. All that said, the present-day you is the younger self you could address in the future. Likewise, there are plenty of ambitions and dreams that it’s never too late to fulfill. If there’s anything you regret not having learned, ask yourself whether you could start now.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — In the public eye, the right to freedom of speech currently seems most often to be associated with its abuses, perceived or real. Yet its importance as a cornerstone of democracy cannot be underestimated. This is similarly true in terms of individual self-actualization. Too many of us have been silenced in one form or another; prevented from expressing ourselves as we need to. If there have been obstacles to you doing this, now would be an excellent time to root them out, face them, and begin knocking them down one by one.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — With self-publishing tools like Facebook and Instagram so readily available to everyone, it’s no wonder that there is confusion between the concept of living right and that of appearing to. It’s expected that successes, failures, and the good and bad of each person’s character are displayed in full public view. Yet you know, really, that doing good in the world and acting in accordance with one’s principles does not depend on ‘likes’. You have nothing to prove, and can value your conscientiousness regardless of who else sees it.

Leo Birthdays 2018-19:

Eclipses, Retrogrades and You — Oh My!

“For what it’s worth: never heard anything so right on, dead on, aligned with what I am looking at, aware of, dealing with, leaning into — especially professionally and emotionally. I can’t even list them all — so many subtle angles and aspects that all resonate and add up. Affirming experiences, potentials, challenges. To a T. Wow. Will be getting these transcribed so I can read them over and over.”

— Robyn Landis, on a previous birthday reading

Dear Reader with Leo Sun, Rising or Moon:

Big things are happening in your sign right now. Can you sense it? Are you feeling energized and excited, on edge, perplexed, stuck, like you’re right in the sweet spot of your flow, or just plain curious?

Remember last year’s big eclipse in your sign? Smile — you have more coming! Photo by Amanda Painter on Aug. 21, 2017.

Any of those responses (and more) would make total sense: Mercury is now retrograde in your sign, and on Friday, July 27, there was a total lunar eclipse in your opposite sign (and relationship zone) Aquarius.

But that’s not all! Soon, we’ll get a partial solar eclipse on Aug. 11 — in the same part of Leo where a storied eclipse took place in August of 1999.

Your solar year is getting off to a dynamic start — and the events and energy of these weeks will ripple out, develop and influence your life for the next six to twelve months. That’s why no matter when you listen to your newly published 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading, you’re sure to discover a wealth of helpful and inspiring insights you’ll be able to get to work with right away.

If you’re new to Planet Waves and Eric’s audio readings, you’re invited to listen to last year’s reading as a gift. The 2017 Great American Eclipse occurred in your sign last year, and it has been reverberating ever since — so listening to your 2017 reading is sure to help you review your year and get oriented on what’s to come.

When you order your 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading, you’ll receive access to two audio segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) and an extended description of your sign, plus custom-selected music by Vision Quest, the Planet Waves musical ensemble.

“Planet Waves has been crucial for me lately as I navigate this topsy-turvy landscape; life is in transition on so many levels and it’s been an incredible resource in my life, especially now.”

— Ronny K.

Thank you again for your patience, faith, and for being a valued Planet Waves customer in these wild times.

Wishing you an excellent eclipse season,

Amanda Painter

P.S. If you have any questions or prefer to order by phone, please call us at (845) 481-5616; you can also email us at cs@planetwaves.net. And don’t forget: the 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading makes a fantastic gift.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — As we approach the zenith of your birthday season, feel free to take some moments to relax and experience pride in all that you’ve accomplished, especially in the past year. Despite the cultural messages we usually receive about pride, it’s normal and healthy in moderation, like many other things. Let the child within you out to play; spend some time on activities you really enjoy, and bask in the sunlight for a while. Your natural effervescence draws people to you, and your good cheer may well brighten their days as well as yours.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — The most potent healing certainly feels challenging, and may even be somewhat scary. That’s because the deeper sort of growth tends to involve confronting what holds you back, which usually comes in the shape of fear or guilt. This is an ongoing fight for many, and there are invariably both triumphs and setbacks. The thing is to persevere. As you do this, be gentle with yourself; pay attention to how you’re feeling, and explore those emotions as fully as you can. More often than not, the rewards are proportional to the difficulties.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If you’ve been feeling challenged, tense or unlike yourself recently, that should take a turn for the better this week. If there’s something you need to get off your chest, however, remember that there’s probably at least one person willing to listen. People need one another, regardless of how many judgmental types would have you believe otherwise. When you are grappling with any problem, input from others — even if only advice or moral support — can often be of material use. Take courage, and confer with a trusted friend or three.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — While Mercury being retrograde comes with certain cautions, usually around making purchases or big decisions or signing contracts, this doesn’t preclude flights of fancy or inventive concepts from forming at all. Indeed, the general slowing down that this phase tends to make requisite means that people sometimes have more room for their imagination to take wing. Yours could well be on point this week: be sure to jot down any ideas that come to mind, even if they seem quirky. You may view them in a different light later on.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Finding oneself in new surroundings affords a certain amount of license, rather like a blank sheet of paper, since old habits and limits are essentially no longer relevant: in effect, you can reconstruct who you are almost entirely, if you choose to do so. All this depends on what you want, in the deepest sense of that question. Consider your most fundamental desires and highest spiritual aims alike; assume you can fulfill them, and sketch out a plan for how you might get there. You are a child of the universe. Much is possible.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The problem with ingrained patterns of behavior is that they can be activated more easily than changed. By that I mean: if some former figure in your life tended to make you feel small or lacking in power, it may take effort to prevent that happening again. The good news is that you can do it, even many years later. The main point is consciously to practice loving yourself, trusting yourself, and giving yourself permission to live your life. You can make great strides in that this week, and it will likely lead to a new sense of peace with the past.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) —
Part of the delight of relationships and of sex is the opportunity to have fun together, to be playful, to experiment and to relax. There’s also the ability to be completely yourself in someone else’s presence, which is an extraordinarily liberating experience. Of course, everyone involved needs to hold space for each other, which requires mutual trust. Surround yourself, this week, with people who are willing to do precisely that, and for whom you can do the same. Give yourself real opportunities to be saucy and/or creative.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — It’s possible that a good work-life balance, especially on a daily basis, may be more important to you than any other sign. This week might be a particularly helpful time to weight that scale on the side of play, though that can include anything productive that helps you to feel enriched as a person. When at your most organized, you can get the more mundane tasks out of the way pretty quickly. Go to places where the nurturing, loving energy of the Earth is tangible, and draw on the support of those who are happy to take care of you.