Category Archives: Daily Astrology

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The Day of Ups and Downs: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 20
The Day of Ups and Downs | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You’re coming to terms with many elements of your past, which will aid your endeavors to leave them firmly behind you. This phase is an important part of your development, which cannot be overlooked or rushed. Once it’s over, you will find it much easier to move on to new and brighter adventures. For one thing, you’ll likely have a better sense of your capabilities. Many people limit themselves unnecessarily; this process will help you remove any barriers you’ve placed in your own way.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

If you feel compelled to pass judgment on someone or something, be aware that one of today’s aspects describes the potential to do so rather harshly. Words might not be sticks and stones, but it’s still wise to use them gently in most cases. This could be a matter of being self-critical, as well — particularly about past choices and statements, such as the ways you’ve communicated your feelings or caring for another person.

Remember that in a frame of mind of this sort, there is a difference between assessing yourself so you can make healthier choices in the future versus simply beating up on yourself. If the situation in question relates at all to some kind of perceived second chance regarding your sense of purpose or ethical considerations, you might have to make continual small adjustments for a while to get to a place that clicks.

Note also that Venus in Cancer is moving into an opposition to Pluto and the centaur Chariklo in Capricorn, and both are square Eros in Libra (exact tomorrow). Do you feel like you’re in (or chasing after) emotional intensity in a relationship? If so, are you able to see where the boundaries are between the intimacy you seek and the personal space that allows the situation to stay balanced and life-affirming?

In other words, watch for signals of co-dependency, especially if you have an urge to ‘help’ the other person in some way. If you realize things have gotten blurry in that area, you may have to be the one to take initiative in redirecting your powerful feelings toward creative change in your life. This is best done directly; manipulative tactics such as guilt will serve nobody involved.
— by Amanda Painter

In These Times graphic

The Day of Controlled Movement: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 19
The Day of Controlled Movement | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Mercury returning to your sign on your birthday suggests that you potentially have an opportunity to go over old ground. Are there any particular aspirations or dreams you laid aside in the past that you might now be free to take up again? Or perhaps you feel inclined to restructure your daily life, so as to allow more time for what is most important to you. Either way, remember that only you ultimately have the power to determine where your energy is directed.
— by Amy Elliott

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

With a fair number of planets in water signs currently, do you feel like the current keeps shifting? That could apply to your inner emotional tides, or to what’s going on with the people around you. The primary sources of dry land right now — astrologically speaking — also speak more of change than stability (specifically Uranus in Taurus, and the building Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn). Can you hang a little loose, and go with the flow?

By that, I mean keeping your expectations of yourself and others loose, while still letting a general vision for what you want guide you. Venus and Neptune are assisting with the imaginative power needed for that. Yet with Mercury retrograde — and leaving Leo to enter late Cancer early today — it’s wise to remember that your thought processes might not be as precise as you’d like. Mercury returning to Cancer looks like a signal to remember your emotional intelligence: keep a finger on how you’re truly feeling (and how to express it rather than react from it), and stay as aware as possible of others’ emotions.

Do your best to say what you mean and mean what you say — while understanding that the person you’re talking to might not be quite as vigilant on that score. Asking direct questions the moment you realize you’re unsure of someone’s intended meaning is likely the best policy, even though (or maybe especially because) the sky’s emphasis on Cancer describes a tendency to proceed sideways or indirectly, based on intuition, empathy and one’s own sensitivities. That strategy has its place, but looks potentially more unreliable than usual right now. If you encounter an intense romantic or sexual situation, the need increases to integrate those softer forms of perception with conscious communication. Tonight’s Pisces Moon favors artistic pursuits and entertainments, whether you seek them out on the town or cozied up at home.
— by Amanda Painter

In These Times graphic

The Day of Conviction: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 18
The Day of Conviction | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

It’s possible you’re lately feeling stretched a little thin. If so, make a point of keeping in mind that your time, energy and funds are all precious and have their limits. Everyone needs to withdraw from the bustle of the outside world sometimes, even the most flamboyant of extraverts. You can be unapologetic about taking a little more space for yourself when you need it, and you can delegate where necessary. There’ll still be more than enough to keep you busy.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Today’s trine between Venus in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces suggests a pretty thorough soaking in all things day-dreamy, fantasy, intuitive and sensitive. Yet it’s been in the works all week — so rather than getting suddenly doused, chances are it’s been more like gently wading deeper into the warm waters of your more romantic or sentimental inclinations. If that has felt at all worrisome (or too soggy to be able to stay on top of practical matters), know that this is the peak and the effect should begin gradually evaporating in a few days.

Trines do not speak of an urgent need to express oneself as with a square; they’re not confrontational like an opposition. Even so, if you have any creative leanings — or simply a desire to move your life in a new direction — you might see if you can funnel some of this imaginative juice into a tangible form you can play with. The Moon in Aquarius today could describe the potential to do so in a group setting, particularly if there’s an unusual project that meshes with your inner musings.

Stay aware that Mercury is still very much retrograde (through July 31). If you noticed that it felt especially trickster-like in the buildup to the Full Moon on Tuesday, you’re not alone; take it as a reminder not to be too quick on the trigger with emails and verbal assertions. Today, Mercury makes a trine to retrograde Ceres, which is in the first degree of Sagittarius. If some person or situation has been gently, subtly teaching you things about yourself, related insights might be especially accessible today.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Career Concerns: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 17
The Day of Career Concerns | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You’ve worked hard to get where you are today, against some arguably formidable odds. Now it’s time to follow through, and take full advantage of the space and the platform you’ve gained. You have a unique contribution to make in the world, and this is a great moment to offer it. Be bold, therefore, and exercise your powers of innovation and originality. It’s impossible to please everyone, but that’s always true, and the critics are not the ones who matter.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Now that the eclipses are over, where are you standing? Has your position shifted at all, or does the landscape seem less familiar — whether inside you or around you? It may take a while to be able to assess this fully. Also, with two more weeks of Mercury retrograde, it’s possible another layer of missing information has yet to emerge. That’s a reminder to keep a deliberate pace in most things you do, especially communication.

Even though the Moon has moved on, the Sun is still in the eclipse degree, offering a reminder that your choices matter — both in the short term, and in the long term. Any need to express yourself can take a creative or a destructive form; the greater your sense of inner security, the easier it is to choose wisely, even in the face of someone else’s defensiveness.

Venus is moving into contact with the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, opposing Saturn exactly today. This can describe a classic showdown between duty and pleasure. Traditional wisdom says that you might as well get work out of the way first if work you must, since blowing it off to play with others — no matter how emotionally compelling the relationships — will likely just cast a shadow over the fun or make your obligations a drag later on. The tough part may be staying focused, since Neptune is doing its best to soften everything up into a pleasant daydream. Can you harness that imaginative power for the tasks at hand?
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.

The Day of the Rising Tide: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 16
The Day of the Rising Tide | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Today’s lunar eclipse marks an unusually important year for you in terms of your personal growth, your maturity in relating to others, and your aspiration toward fulfilling your ideals. Tensions may play out in certain relationships, or within yourself, though this likely represents vital matters being brought to a head. As we change, so necessarily do our interactions and dynamics with others. Ultimately, you need honest people around you who’ll have your back.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Tonight’s Full Moon and partial lunar eclipse occurs in late Capricorn, opposite the Cancer Sun, at 5:38 pm EDT (21:38:06 UTC). This brings to a close the two-week zone between eclipses this season. However, whatever these events signify or describe in your life may be only beginning to take shape. So you might want to consider observing today carefully: your feelings and thoughts; your interactions with others; new information that arrives; things you realize have run their course. How consciously can you go about everything you do today? What are you giving your time, energy and attention, and does it match your greater intentions and priorities?

You can read a little more about this event here, and you can refer also to yesterday’s Written in the Planets. Bear in mind also that typical Full Moon tensions could be afoot, particularly in situations that feel stuck or locked down, or where emotions are complex. Even though the effects of eclipses can take months to manifest, once the Full Moon begins separating, some room might open up in which movement toward resolution of the immediate circumstances can begin.

It’s also worth noting that the Moon and Sun are square Eris in Aries and the object Haumea in Libra. This could describe needing to make a choice between self-serving actions that may cause chaos (for yourself and for others), and acts of creation that could bring some balance to your relationships. If you’re noticing these themes in your life, can you honestly assess which way you’re leaning? Mars in Leo making an aspect to the minor planet Albion in Taurus appears to describe the courage to cross a threshold, if you’re willing to take the steps necessary.
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.

The Day of Material Inducers: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 15
The Day of Material Inducers | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You are entering a state in which it’s near impossible to be conventional, or to please for the sake of pleasing. You’re evolving as a person. This may generate some tension between you and others; it’s possible to work with them through those moments. One way to defuse any conflict is to find the common ground. That said, you are not responsible for how those around you feel, and none of this should prevent you from your mission to live your dharma.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Notice how you’re feeling — really feeling — today. Can you tease out the threads of your emotions and sensations? As in: what seems to be new or related to a current situation; what feels like an echo from the past; what’s really a worry or fantasy based on a possible (but not yet manifested or real) future? If that seems too complicated or daunting, maybe just start with a basic exercise: can you name your emotions? Often they mix together, or one follows another so quickly we mistake them, and react in ways that aren’t as productive as they could be. Once you name them, you stand a better shot at tracing them to their source.

Why does this matter today? Because tomorrow we have a Full Moon in Capricorn (the sign opposite the Moon’s ‘home sign’ of Cancer), and it’s also a partial lunar eclipse. There are some intense factors in that chart, which describe a need to be aware of where you’re feeling intensity, conflict, confrontation or confusion in your life. By all means, notice what sparks joy in you, and see if you can at least touch on those activities today and tomorrow. In the process, you may discover that paying attention to some of the more serious dynamics in your various relationships frees up some space and energy for the more joyful, creative and visionary pursuits.

Also, if you’re formulating a plan, do you rely mainly on established rules, or do you favor your own experiential wisdom? Chances are those two approaches need to be integrated in some way today, as described by a square between the asteroid Pallas in Libra and Saturn in Capricorn. You might also notice whether the emotions of others factor into your process. Do their feelings mirror yours, or tend to crowd yours out? Keeping the ideas of negotiation and dancing in mind may help you to navigate any flare-ups with someone over the next couple days — particularly if you can own your emotions and responsibilities without taking theirs on.
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.

The Day of the Convincing Storyteller: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 14
The Day of the Convincing Storyteller | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | All Other Signs

Remember that relationships and collaborations of all kinds work best when everyone involved is honest and willing to do their share. Don’t wait for others to set the example; make sure you’re holding up your side of whatever agreements you’ve made. Even if you’re not used to taking the lead, this is your moment to do precisely that, and show who you really are. This will help give those around you the space to do the same, to your mutual benefit and enhancement.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

We’re on the approach to an eclipse: the July 16 Capricorn Full Moon and partial lunar eclipse. This is the companion event to the July 2 solar eclipse in Cancer. Typical protocol in the couple days surrounding an eclipse is to do your best to focus your intentions on some goal or life vision you’d like to move toward, and to do things you love and want to cultivate as steps toward that goal. Yet some eclipses also ask us to do some heavy lifting in the process. This may be one of those events, and if so, chances are you’re already aware of that feeling. The Cancer Sun’s opposition to Pluto describes this situation.

Bear in mind that ‘heavy lifting’ does not mean forcing a situation or dictating to others in order to get your way. It might, however, mean making an honest assessment of your emotions and overall wellbeing; and in light of that information, then taking a realistic, ground-up approach to fixing what has broken down — preferably by enlisting the help of anyone else involved and impacted.

The Moon enters Capricorn tonight at about 7:05 pm EDT (23:04:35 UTC). Its immediate conjunction to the centaur Pholus is a reminder that a little may go a very long way right now, especially where reactions are concerned. You don’t have to stuff your emotions and seal the jar tight, since that’s likely to backfire. Just remember that our current sky suggests implementing a delay on all responses that come from a place of frustration, slights to your ego, or old pain being triggered.
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.

The Day of Taken Opportunity: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 13
The Day of Taken Opportunity | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | All Other Signs

Confront your challenges and problems head on. There is no point sidestepping them, or bobbing and weaving, or pretending they’re not there. Your challenges are what build you up, even if there are moments when they seem to tear you down. In the end, this process makes you a more solid person, connected to your inner truth, and courageous enough to speak the truth to anyone. Make sure your ears are open as well. Not everything everyone says contains vital wisdom, but it just might, and it’s worth listening.
— by Eric Francis

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Limitations, supposed ‘rules’, and your own past could be creating some friction with your innate sense of what really turns you on today — thanks to a square between Saturn in Capricorn and Eros in Libra. This could apply very literally to sex, especially if you still have parental voices that chime in and enforce your inhibitions whenever the potential for erotic adventure appears. (Another take: an urge to buck the ‘detachment’ rules around hookup culture.) Or, it might describe something more like The Man crowding your artistic joie de vivre, or some other authoritarian hindrance to your Life Force. Yes, we all have adult responsibilities we must fulfill, but be careful to discern those from guilt trips that aren’t really about you at all.

The Moon cruising by Jupiter in Sagittarius today describes an expanded urge to be free, play and enjoy a few of your favorite things. That should help to balance the Saturn thing to a degree — though focusing your indulgences in a few select, high-priority areas will likely carry the greatest long-term benefit.

If you’re feeling depressed, stressed or in some way stuck under someone else’s thumb, can you see where you’re empowered to make some changes that will benefit both you and everyone else involved? Chances are such an opportunity exists, though it might not become visible until after the situation breaks down in some way. Chaotic as it might feel at first, there’s no telling what unexpected corners might birth a solution if you’re willing to see what’s being revealed — and if you’re committed to not playing games.
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.