Dear Friend and Reader:

This month is dominated by Aries and Libra — the polarity of ‘I am / we are’. This astrology peaks with the Aries Full Moon of Oct. 11. Inside of our relationship dramas, sagas and desires, our DNA and hormones are humming along, giving us instructions to reproduce the species. And at the same time, there is an epic political battle being waged between men and women involving who controls reproduction. ‘Anti-government’ and ‘anti-regulation’ activists make one exception: the uterus. This standoff is illustrated by two little-known planets that the Full Moon aligns with exactly: Aries Moon conjunct Bienor (the strong man of Greek mythology) and the Libra Sun conjunct Haumea, a Hawaiian fertility goddess. We could look at this another way: Who controls creativity? If you don’t take over the creative process within yourself, someone is going to do it for you.

Lovingly,

Revised and Updated! Click for Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You might want to pause and ask yourself what you’re trying to prove. There is little you can accomplish by conquering anything or anyone, and plenty of damage you can do. While you seem to be past the emotional restrictions and frustrations that dominated your summer months, it would be unwise to overcompensate in the other direction. Therefore, I suggest you tamp down any competitive feelings and establish harmony with your environment. People around you will be eager to return the favor. If you push the limits in any situation, you’re likely to encounter a boundary of some kind; notice if that happens, and revise your approach. You might experiment with things like negotiation, using a more creative method (rather than confrontational) and understating rather than exaggerating.

Aries, your birth sign or rising sign, is getting some of the most potent transits of them all right now. I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and a tarot card reading for you. Learn more by visiting this page.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be feeling out of your element, but be gentle with others when you feel inclined to blame them for your feelings. There is an easy solution — that’s likely to be the one you think is too ‘easy’. But that’s the whole idea: there is a relatively simple and direct approach to what may seem like a complicated or exaggerated emotional situation. Meanwhile, I suggest you do what you can to keep your emotions in perspective. Ask yourself how important something really is before you make a big deal out of it. Don’t look for conflict where there is none to be found. If you look for the common ground you share with others, you’re likely to find it, and that in turn is likely to lead to some rewarding episodes of unexpected growth.

I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It’s information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — If you have an intuitive feeling, follow it. It may be an idea, it may be a caution of some kind; if you think something is worth doing, it probably is. If you have an uneasy feeling about going somewhere, or doing something, I suggest you take that under advisement. You may run into a situation where the decision you want to make ruffles the feathers of someone because it’s based on no special information other than what your own inner senses are telling you. Then you’ll have to pause and determine whether you want to have the approval of someone for doing what is wrong for you — or whether you want to miss an opportunity that you know is right. You’ve been here before; you’ve already decided this one.

Gemini is one of the most misunderstood signs — and as someone born under this sign, part of your role is to hold a mirror to the world. I’ve recorded an hour of audio for you, plus a 20-minute tarot reading. You can get access to these by visiting this page.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This is an unusual time in your professional life, and aspects this month seem ready to demonstrate just how true that statement is. There are many open doors, and the world’s prevailing state of strangeness, confusion and even chaos can work entirely to your advantage. The one thing to be mindful for is false lack of confidence. There used to be a concept called false confidence, but that seems to be the prevailing state of affairs on the planet. It’s also possible to lack faith in yourself when it’s the most obvious thing you should have. The only way to find out if you’re really capable of something is to try and see if you can do it. This includes taking concrete steps to improve your income. You have the talent. You also have the guts.

I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It’s information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may encounter a mental block when trying to solve a problem, and if that happens, I suggest you take a more disciplined approach to your work. There is something to be said for applying yourself to a project every day, even perhaps several at the same time. Many have discovered the benefits of discipline in turning creative energy into something tangible and useful. Energy is the one thing you have right now. Focusing your efforts in a way that may seem businesslike or ‘un-artistic’ will help you bring in a new vision, one that you’ll be able to sustain yourself with for many years. That’s not going to happen automatically. You cannot catch lightning in a bottle, but you can definitely gather your thoughts and get yourself onto a new level of creative potential.

The 2011 Leo birthday report is 70 minutes of in-depth astrology plus a 20-minute tarot reading for you, exploring relationships, personal growth and your professional life. Visit this page for additional information.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You know best what is good for your health — the key will be listening to yourself, and following your own advice. We all know how diligently people ignore precisely these things; I don’t suggest you do that. Remember that the most important dimension of health involves your mind. Meanwhile, you may be in a relationship situation that is causing an unnecessary stir in your life. That’s something to watch as well, making sure that you’re not engaging a tradeoff of sex for chaos. You have the potential for an extremely interesting sexual journey in these years of your life. It can be something that nourishes you, keeps you young and serves to liberate you. If something is demanding too much time, money or energy, I suggest you really ask yourself whether it’s worth it.

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Dear Friend and Reader:

I’ve prepared a new 12-sign report for you — one that covers the rest of the year. These little projects have proven to be a popular and efficient way to provide extended astrology information. They’re based on the same method I use for my horoscope, but with spoken word it’s also spacious, with most of the readings being about 15 or 20 minutes long.

Eric Francis chez Blue Studio.

Most of my colleagues do weekly 12-sign audio. I am working toward that with these seasonal projects, which go into greater depth than you can usually get in a scripted four or five minute recording. Your 12 signs come with a free half-hour introduction that anyone can listen to. Then you can listen to your Sun, Moon and rising signs, or those of your friends.

As for theme: there is an unusual focus on relationships for the next few months and into the first half of 2012. It goes a little like this. We’re conditioned to find our ‘missing piece’ in relationships with others. Sometimes that seems to be the only option available — until we figure out that we really do want to be a whole person relating to another whole person. That provides something solid to stand on, and the security of knowing that someone else is not basing their whole life on you. Looking at the aspect Saturn opposite Eris, I introduce this theme, among others. I covered this subject in the October monthly horoscope.

The idea of independence and autonomy extends into many areas of life, including the creative and work aspects of existence. Those are, in truth, going through as many changes as our relationships. I cover some of this material as well.

My audio readings are casual, free-style (direct from the chart, not from a script) and designed to get you thinking and choosing rather than designed to stoke up your expectations. While I spend a lot of time listening in my one-on-one sessions, I take advantage of my many dialogs with my readers to get a sense of how to tune my interpretations.

Every time one of these products goes out, we get some amazing responses that always surprise me and encourage me to keep experimenting. Just a moment ago, this message came in: “Eric, I love listening to your voice. Your reading was quite enlightening and confirming. Lots of new information that I can work with. Paired with the reading I was able to listen to for 2010…. Wow! You are a gem in the universe. Love to you and your staff.”

If you’re interested in exploring this report, here is the sales link.

Please let me know how you like this series of readings — and by the way they are guaranteed; if you’re anything other than fully satisfied, just call Chelsea and we will return your payment.

Sending the love right back to you —

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Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You’re likely to show up as the voice of reason and the example of maturity in a close personal situation. This is nothing new, but you may have the feeling that someone has an advantage over you based exclusively on brute strength. That may be true temporarily, but it’s not going to last long. You have the advantage of persistence, discipline and a sense of balance. Make sure you keep your flexibility. The one risk you run is backing yourself into a corner, closing off your options or taking too hard of a line. You can afford to take a mellow approach to existence, and give any situation a chance to play out in its own way. Remember, no matter how hot under the collar anyone may be, or is trying to make you, time is on your side.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The thing you think is bothering you isn’t — but something else is. You seem nervous with how visible you are, and how far out on a limb you have to go to hold things together. It’s as if the people who actually hold responsibility don’t want to back you up, even though you’ve been left to do their bidding. If you suspect you’ve been set up to take the heat for something, you’re probably correct about that. The question is, how can you shift responsibility back to where it belongs? The first step will be by taking no heroic measures to set things right. It will take some chutzpah to let things fall apart, but if you stick to your actual responsibilities and don’t take on anything extra, the truth will be obvious when the cookie crumbles.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You must not take a short-sighted approach to long-term plans. However, it would seem like something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time is ready to happen right now. Before you take action, make sure that this opportunity really does match up with the ambitions you’ve been stating for months or years. Once you set things into motion, they’re likely to stay that way, and take on a life of their own. And more people than you will be drawn into the process. It seems you’re on the brink of a decision, so be clear about what you need to know in order to make the choice that is right for you. Once you understand that, the next step is to take the leap — or to walk away from the matter entirely. Be sure that your choices are aligned with your motives. Hesitating will no longer work.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — I cannot explain your apparent lack of confidence on something that really should be simple — but maybe you can. What I can tell you is that the core issue is emotional (rather than practical). You may have this idea that your identity is not sufficiently stable to take on the kinds of challenges that are being presented to you. But what exactly do you think builds your sense of identity, your confidence or strength to stand up to the challenges and opportunities of existence? That would be direct experience. At a certain point it’s necessary to reach beyond what you’ve done in the past, so that you can do something new, or something that exceeds what you thought were your prior limitations. And when you do that, your ideas about ‘security’ must play second fiddle to the fact of being alive.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Life is not a matter of theory — but the great thing about theory is how manageable it is, compared to what actually happens. What actually happens is different than what you might fear happening (that, too, is a matter of theory). That all said, it seems to be time for you to spark up some actual movement in your life, and your next step should be according to some kind of structured plan. I don’t mean a 100-page business plan; five or six possible steps thought through carefully and written in your notebook would be adequate. Those are different than what will actually happen, but at this stage I suggest you work with a mix of about 10% theory, 85% action and a dash of faith that you’re doing the right thing.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — By several measures, you’re in a phase of re-evaluating the events of this very eventful year, and are considering your various plans for the future. That said, there is something that is demanding your attention now. While others are taking a by-the-books approach, presented with this opportunity, you seem more inclined to take a chance and do things your own way. Get used to the fact that there is no certainty, even though others around you are acting as if there is. It’s precisely the uncertainty factor that is working to your best advantage. You have the gift of flexibility as well, though I will suggest this: you don’t have to work as hard as you think to create one particular goal. You need to apply the right thought and the right effort, but no more.

Dear Friend and Reader:

The Virgo New Moon two days ago set the tone for September. The Sun and Moon aligned with two different goddesses — one being Venus (the bright planet that will soon be visible in the evening sky) and the other being Isis (an asteroid, and the alignment was precise). There is a receptive, intelligent energy in the air; use it wisely, listen before you speak and remember to keep your mind in the ‘on’ position. Mercury has just finished being retrograde (that began August 2) and will take until mid-month to work out. I suggest you still be cautious with investments, purchases and commitments for another week or two. The Full Moon is the 12th of the month and equinox is the 23rd.

Lovingly,

Revised and Updated! Click for Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — So much of life comes back to confidence, and this may be the thing you seem to be lacking the most. A series of trials have left you wondering what you’re really capable of, and why the world seems to resist your best efforts. But I would ask — are you really doing that badly? Have recent setbacks set you back at all, or have they firmed up your commitment and desire to proceed? I suggest you focus on the work at hand rather than worrying about the score of the game as you imagine it to be. A little extra effort, embarked on with faith and a sense of service, will lead to some increasing momentum of success. This will in turn give you the sense of progress that you’ve been missing. Trusting yourself is a conscious act.

Aries, your birth sign or rising sign, is getting some of the most potent transits of them all right now. I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and a tarot card reading for you. Learn more by visiting this page.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — I think you need to figure out how much of life is an experiment. It’s not based on a formula, and relatively little is about confirmed knowledge. This may uproot your preconceived ideas about any situation you find yourself in, which would be a healthy step in the direction of an actual encounter with the unknown. It’s not until you admit you’re in such an encounter that you can actually learn something. Not knowing is the predecessor of learning. So work on your mental flexibility, and catch yourself when you’re either obsessing over, or disappointed by, expectations. Notice when you’re curious, and better still, notice how good it feels to act on your curiosity. Pay attention to what happens when you do.

I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It’s information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — The creation of ideas is not an especially neat process. There is a lot of trial and error involved, and it’s not just theoretical. You seem to be coming through a phase of making up your mind about something close to your heart. You may regret expending so much emotional energy; you may feel like you weren’t fair to others, nor to yourself. The reason for that is you were trying to think with your feelings, when the situation called for rational thought — and it still does. I suggest you take one clear step at a time. Proceed with the sensation of reassembling something about yourself that has come apart. You might want to start with where you live. Cleaning and organizing your home will be a grounding experience.

Gemini is one of the most misunderstood signs — and as someone born under this sign, part of your role is to hold a mirror to the world. I’ve recorded an hour of audio for you, plus a 20 minute tarot reading. You can get access to these by visiting this page.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The confidence we get from aggression is similar to the feeling of being a fantastic driver when you’re drunk. Therefore, I suggest you cultivate your confidence some other way, for example, by listening and thinking. I realize this is not macho, but then, neither are you. The moment you open up to your feelings, you’re likely to be aware of a sense of injury that’s been following you around for a while. You can’t defend yourself against this, but you can take in the wisdom and humility that it has to offer. We would have little need for growth, were there not something to grow out of, and more meaningfully, something to grow into. The story of your life, in a phrase, is balancing your intellect with your feelings. They don’t have to conflict, but that’s a premise you have to challenge yourself.

I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It’s information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Perhaps if we weren’t taught to judge ourselves from the first days of our lives, we might actually know when we’re doing it. I suggest that you figure this out: become vigilant about when you’re scrutinizing yourself, particularly if you notice it’s becoming obsessive. You might want to pause and ask yourself a simple question: is what I’m telling myself true? Do these ‘facts’ check out? Negative emotions and mental patterns tend to be a cover-up for something else; that something may be a quality about yourself you feel will threaten others. I suggest you bring out that aspect of yourself and share it boldly with the world. Take the chance. If you notice yourself experiencing fear, address that directly.

Hello Leo! Your birthday report is now available. I’ve recorded 70 minutes of in-depth astrology plus a 20 minute tarot reading for you, exploring relationships, personal growth and your professional life. Visit this page for additional information.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You can afford to let go of your doubts. You would also be wise to toss the notion that your reality has no validity, until others say you fit in with theirs. That’s never going to work as a metric, unless you’re going for network television. Indeed, you may need to rub up against others who don’t share your views until you work your way into different territory. If you haven’t already figured this out, I suggest that you do this water-styled rather than fire-styled. Be gently persistent, rather than demanding. Approach people and situations where potential disagreements exist from a cool place rather than a hot one. Be calm and direct; the heat you’re carrying will do the work from the inside.

Eric is working on your birthday audio — we plan to have it available by this time next week. Please stay tuned!

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If you look deeper than the surface, you will figure out how good your life really is. That’s the key. Developments taking place now are like seeds being planted for some of the benefits and improvements you want to make the most dearly, and these will require patience. It’s true that from the outside, or judging from certain day-to-day affairs in recent weeks, you might not think you’re getting very far. If you look at any one aspect of your existence, it might not match what the advertisement promised. However, I can assure you that you’re making progress toward any goal you can name specifically. And as someone once wrote, you will soon discover how many small things add up to a lot.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You cannot push your faith or your beliefs on others, and you don’t have to. You seem to have learned this the hard way the past month or so, but you still have good opportunities to take the information on board. It’s not a far stretch to consider that you might do so only if you’re doubting yourself, but I’m wondering what the source of those doubts might be. The mere act of comparing yourself to others, such as assessing who is more successful, will lead to doubt no matter what the outcome of your assessment. If you try to blame someone for your shortcomings, you may be right, but that won’t help. Whatever you may feel, I can pretty much assure you that people in your environment look up to you. That might not be so meaningful if they didn’t have good reasons for doing so.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Not long ago, a career meant you stayed with one company nearly forever, ending up with a gold watch, a retirement and a pension. Now the key to a career is adaptability, and being able to move as quickly as your environment — perhaps even a little faster. Information comes from two places, your external environment and what your mind assembles and creates from what you take in. In planning your next move, I suggest you look in a diversity of places for your information. But you are the missing link that makes it meaningful. You are the one who notices what the information adds up to, and you decide the value that it has for you. This is an intuitive leap. There may not be direct sources to which you can footnote your observations, though I suggest you do your best.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — This latest bout with unusual internal pressure is starting to wane with the summer heat. I wish I could explain in a few words the diversity of ways that you’re trying to burst open, but the key is understanding that you’re experiencing the drive to change as pressure, and potentially as a state verging on crisis. At the moment that condition is easing off, and you have more flexibility and freedom. I suggest you stretch into that a little, but remain mindful of the changes you want to make, and the actions you want to take to get there. At the moment you have an easy opening to fulfill one of your most precious long-term plans. It may not be the thing you want to do the most now, but I suggest you take the opportunity while you have it.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The more you work out the details of a shared arrangement, the better it will work for you. So focus on the fine points, but mostly, focus on the overall goal and notice how you’re getting there. I suggest you maintain a method of going a little at a time, for all forms of progress — including the human contact element, the way you negotiate potential differences, and how you take them as creative opportunities. Remember that the key is incremental progress, and seeing where the aspects of a situation relate to one another. This is different from a sweeping kind of solution, or the sense of dramatically jumping to a new level, lending itself to covering the subtle points much more consciously.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Pay attention to who you meet this month; follow up with anyone who seems interesting. I say this recognizing that you may have come through an unstable or unpredictable phase in your relationships, but at least it wasn’t lacking for adventure — and you have plenty of that mojo left. What your charts suggest is that a new point of contact is opening up with someone. It’s the take-it-gently kind of association, so maintain a balance between keeping your focus and taking a laidback approach. I suggest that you know who you’re talking to at all times, and if you don’t know, find out. Your curiosity will be regarded as sincere interest, and your emotional openness as availability. Listen and feel for these same qualities in others.

Dear Friend and Reader:

July began with the third of three eclipses in just one month, and it was an impressive one. You may be aware that the influential planets Saturn, Uranus and Pluto are arranged in what is called a T-square (three planets at right angles). This has been going on for a while — well over a year, in fact — and from time to time, it’s ‘activated’ by other influences. That’s precisely what happened with the July 1 eclipse of the Sun in Cancer.

Coastal waters in Portland, Maine on July 1, 2011. Photo by Amanda Painter.

We are now on the other side of that event, in a new era of astrological territory. It’s like we’ve entered a new country of time, one offering us different challenges and opportunities. This is a place where you can cultivate an updated version of yourself; let go of old anxieties and outmoded habits; express different qualities of yourself even if you could not express them so effectively before. It can be challenging to leave behind old struggles, familiar emotional spaces that did not serve you, and even physical patterns and commitments that you were already aware in the past no longer worked. Yet this is an opportunity. The next major aspect structure on the horizon is Uranus square Pluto, which is exact for the first time in a little under a year, but which has been gradually warming up. You can think of Saturn-Uranus-Pluto as an experience of compression, and Uranus-Pluto on their own as an experience of unfolding or expression.

This is a ‘power to the people’ aspect — and you’re a people. It’s a time of a new horizon of awareness, and you’ve said many times you’re seeking such a view. Gradually let go of the feeling of what you want to let go; gradually embrace the feeling of what you want to create. This horoscope, a monthly for July 2011, offers some ideas about how to do that. I’ve also presented them in a greatly expand form — about 30 minutes per sign — in my midyear report.

We’ll see you with a regular edition on Friday. Of note, Gary Caton has joined our lineup of writers. You’ve read two of his articles here; he will be covering the Full Moon for us each month. He’s also collaborating with me and Amanda Painter on Daily Astrology & Adventure, which posts each night at midnight Eastern Time. See you there.

Lovingly,

Planet Waves Inner Space Horoscope – July 2011

Revised and Updated! Click for Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — It’s one thing to be spontaneous; it’s another to be reactive or impulsive. There is a fine line between the two right now. What side of that line you land on seems to involve where you place your priorities. This is the time to ask yourself: what really matters? If you are in reaction to something, run that question past the conscious part of your mind. If something is meaningless or trivial, treat it that way. If something has actual consequences, meaning or potential, treat it with respect and give it time and space to develop. Certain events may seem beyond your control in the early part of the month, but they are certainly not beyond your influence. One of the most meaningful things you can do is set limits and boundaries, particularly on your own emotions. Be cool, and evaluate the influence of the past on anything you might be experiencing now.

Click here to order your 2011 Aries Audio Birthday Report.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The many benefits of experience, of learning and even this elusive thing called ‘good fortune’ do not come automatically; we have to make them real, take advantage of what we have available to us, and make the most of our lives as a matter of will. This sums up your situation right now. Yes, we live in times when it’s necessary to breathe consciously, make decisions every time we eat, and even to choose the way we feel as a matter of moment-to-moment awareness. This process will work on the largest scale you can imagine — or the deepest. Jupiter is in your sign now, and it’s aligned with some of the most potent forces known to astrology. Learn to handle your own mind skillfully; learn to see the opportunity in everything. The potential to make the most of your life is right with you, and in you — but it’s up to you to perceive it accurately, and to use the decision points you encounter as ways of bringing your potential to fruition.

Click here to order your 2011 Taurus Audio Birthday Report.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Powerful influences of the past may still be lingering around your awareness, or be present in your life. These influences, strange as they may be, present the opportunity to encounter them consciously, and to resolve anything from the past you’ve left hanging. They may range from powerful emotions of love and attraction to feelings of anger or resentment. Indeed, you may be mystified at how things that seem to exist in the distant past have such potency in your life in the present. The short explanation is, this is how perception works, until we take over and update our minds. We do have the capability to ignore what from our back files is calling for our attention, and we have the capability to resolve it and free up our energy. Many people live their lives dragged down by the past. I know you don’t want to, and I’m here to tell you it’s not necessary.

Click here to order your 2011 Gemini Audio Birthday Report.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — A partial solar eclipse in your sign on July 1 may have you reassessing very nearly everything and everyone in your life. The key to doing this productively is to see yourself as something other than boxed into your circumstances. Most of the factors that seem so influential lost their power many months ago; you’re just realizing it now. More to the point, you’re being invited to see your immediate opportunities for what they are, and to use the creative force of your mind to see them as authentic. You’re past the point where it’s even vaguely productive to doubt yourself. You may be confronted by how many people you care about invest their creative energy doubting themselves, and I suggest you look to them as an example of what you don’t want to be. Then, quickly look for examples and inspiration of what you do want to be, and by that I mostly mean look within.

I’ll have the Cancer 2011 birthday report for you soon!

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Over the next week or two you’re likely to notice that your fears were exaggerated, based mostly on information you were missing. It is ignorant to think that ignorance is bliss. Knowledge may not, in itself, be blissful, but it can help us focus our reasoning abilities and see what we’re actually confronting and what our real potential is. Most of what you’ve been concerned about is emotionally driven. When you get your mind into the act, you tend to see things a lot more realistically. But at the moment, you need to assess information carefully; some factors are much smaller than they seem, and others are much more useful than they seem. Therefore, think, but think carefully, adjusting your mental process as you go.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Leo, please go to this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — One sure way to find out whether your sexuality is your own is to try to do something you want with it. It’s one thing to think we’re totally in control of our desires and our pleasure as long as we follow the rules that everyone else has set for us, and to which we have tacitly agreed. But once we step outside of those rules and experiment with our ability to make choices, we get a reality check. Part of how we get by in the world is telling ourselves we’re free. How we actually get free is by experimenting with what we want, and consciously engaging whatever comes up as a result. If you don’t feel ready to experiment in the real world, try doing so in your imagination. Let yourself think, want, need or indulge anything or anyone you want, and then observe your responses. One last item, under the general heading of ‘reality check’: what do you feel confident telling others? Why or why not?

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.

To discover how these changes influence you personally, check out the Planet Waves 2011 Midyear Report by Eric Francis.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — In this world, we tend to work for our achievements. But when they arrive, often it seems like some circumstance we had no clue about or could not have predicted influences what we accomplished — or rather, like we would have seen it had we been paying attention. Your role now is to notice those ‘unforeseen’ factors, use them to your best advantage. You may get caught by surprise, but even then you’ll still benefit from a little advanced preparation — and mostly from being open to some unusual form of success. However, I suggest you not think of success as something you work for as much as prepare yourself for. This is a moment to reap the rewards of what you’ve built on, and part of your preparation means being open to recognition, visibility and willingness to take some chances — kind of like you’ve been doing lately, but from a deeper place.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Belief systems are dangerous things, mostly because we don’t see them for what they are. We tend to think that ‘we believe what is true because it’s true’ rather than we think something is true because it’s part of a pattern that we adopted. There is an easy way to test this theory. Identify one of your assumptions. This might take some thought, but find something you believe is true, then check it out. Determine how right or wrong your belief was. Once you do that a few times, you may decide you had better test every assumption that you make, particularly if it involves what you think of as a ‘belief’. Every time you hear yourself say that word, pause and ask yourself what you really mean.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Jupiter, your home planet (the gorgeous, enormous orange and yellow one with 63 moons) has taken up residence in Taurus for the next year. This will help you solidify and stabilize your plans, your finances and get clear about your desires. You may feel less ambitious, less hot to burst into the next phase of your life, and cooler in general. But from the aspects Jupiter is now making, I trust that you can see that you have the potential to make some excellent decisions in the next few months. The thing is, these will be deep decisions, and therefore ones that affect your life. Remember to look for the place where the outcome you want the most fits the thing that works best in the world around you. It is a fact that your personal constellation aligns with the greater movements of the cosmos. Feel gently for that opening.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — An eclipse in your opposite sign, Cancer, may be giving you the feeling that you are at the mercy of the fates. You may have a knot in your stomach that you cannot control what anyone else feels, what they want, or how they respond to you. You will feel better when you embrace this lack of control; by better, I mean you will feel emotionally free, and free to move around in the world without the constant sense of an emotional burden. The people around you are giving you the opportunity to put that emotional burden down. You may on some level equate this with abandonment; it is nothing of the sort. Indeed, this moment is about you learning to embrace rather than abandon yourself. When you make this one simple choice, you will feel much more secure in your relationships.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Do you ever have the feeling that people are holding out on you, as in not telling you what they know and what you should find out? It’s not usually intentional. Social conventions prevent us from saying too much to others; the emphasis on ‘mind your own beeswax’ gets in the way of ‘please don’t hesitate to tell me what I need to know’. So, while you may feel like you get some news too late, actually, it’s right on time to be useful, as long as you don’t fret over not knowing it sooner. Then, you can adjust your own standards for what you want to be told in advance, as well as what you diplomatically mention to others. Remember, these are situations where the messenger isn’t always appreciated, but you at least can afford to honor reality for what it is. Thank people for keeping it real.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You have a lot of, and I do mean mucho, creative energy available. The more you use it, the more you will have. This is contrary to the usual laws of the Earth where the more you use, or give, something, the less of it you have. Everyone benefits from what you are offering, and the more you go full-spectrum, the more benefit you will create. This works personally for you as well. The best way for you to get into abundance consciousness is to be generous with yourself, put energy into what you have passion for, make sure people know what you’re up to and keep one eye focused on peace and justice at all times. You have every reason to have faith, and every reason to let go of the lack of faith that has been so irritating for so much of your life.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Wednesday is the Gemini New Moon and a partial eclipse of the Sun. This is the first of three eclipses: the next will be a total lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on June 15, followed by another partial solar eclipse, this time in Cancer, on July 1. Remember the pattern-setting quality of eclipses. Make sure you do something that you really deeply love to do, or want to do, on each of those three days. Take the day off from work if you can, or at least shape your working life around your preferences and talents as a kind of experiment.

June also brings the Cancer solstice — the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere (beginning of summer) and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere (beginning of winter, but winter down under is not exactly like it is in Siberia). Solstice is one of the biggest turning points of the year, and how quickly it arrives. Here up north, it seems like just yesterday that we were snowed under by perpetual winter. As the Sun moves into the sign Cancer on June 21, it immediately aspects five outer planets — in order, Neptune, Uranus, Chiron, Pluto and Saturn. While we could say this represents yet another wakeup call, this one looks more like “wake up and express yourself.”

Awareness is a cause and not an effect; but it has effects. The result would be more like taking a step toward openly shining out for who you are. Some influences will provoke you, and others feel more like an open flow of inspiration. If you allow one to lead to another, you’ll make many discoveries, in particular how flexible your creativity can be.

Yours & truly,

Note to Readers: I’ve covered tomorrow’s eclipse in two entries in our new Daily Astrology series — the May 30 post and the May 31 post. I’ll wrap up coverage in Wednesday’s edition, as well as on the Planet Waves FM weekly podcast that also posts Wednesday. — efc

Note to Aries and Taurus: Your extended birthday audio reports for 2011 are just about done. They’re recorded; I just need to produce them into the final product — coming soon. I plan to finish Gemini with the Sun still in Gemini. — efc

Revised and Updated! Click for Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You’re going to learn how to feel safe amidst all of the unpredictability of your life; that’s a given. To do that, your concept of ‘safe’ has to change. Looked at one way, safe means free from any sense of threat, change, disturbance or instability. Yet that’s not what your chart is about at the moment. It’s about learning to hold your center even as you’re confronted by inner upheaval, complex relationship situations, high goals and deep aspirations. Most people would rather sit on the couch and chill. You don’t have this option. Safe for you translates to adaptable, aware and one who takes pleasure in rising to the occasion of life. Yes, somewhere in there is making sure that you have a home base. But it’s a place to advance from, more than it’s a place to retreat to.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aries, please go to this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You seem to be having a kind of psychological crisis over your finances, without recognizing how much you have going for you. Money is the tool and not the goal; you are the thing of worth, rather than it. The crisis involves having several sets of values going at the same time. You can make this work for you, say, by having a set of ideas that relate to separate situations in your life. It can just as easily become a source of conflict, where priorities from one aspect of your life, or time in your life, conflict with something more important. Indeed, of all the issues on which you tend to be divided against yourself, money is first among them. I suggest you take this opportunity to reconcile your values systems. You don’t need two. You need one.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Taurus, please go to this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Love and anger are often presumed to be bedmates, but one excludes the other. Where there is anger present, how is there room for love? Where there is love present, anger fades from importance and disappears into forgiveness. Remember that as you move through life this month. Remember as you consider whether you have ‘divided feelings’ about someone. It’s more likely that your feelings about yourself are in conflict, and you’re missing something obvious about someone you know you care about. It would seem that you’re not quite noticing someone’s benevolence because you’re only seeing your own feelings. I suggest you apply logic to the situation: if you have concerns about someone, look at their track record. Look for actual evidence of their intentions. Ask if your outdated ideas about life are clouding how you see the world now. They don’t have to.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Gemini, please go to this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This is the moment to meet life face to face, at full strength. I don’t mean that in terms of drama and conflict, but rather as making contact with your inspiration, with your highest goals and with how deeply certain individuals in your life influence you. Remind yourself how much you influence the people around you — open your eyes and you’ll see that this is obvious. Think of all of these potentials not as externals but rather as extensions of yourself. Your creativity is a magnet for human contact. Your passion will drive your success. Your ideas will inspire your whole life — and many people around you. Your happiness is not yours alone. As you improve your life and follow your heart, many around you will see and be inspired by that light. Start with happiness and then focus on cooperation.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Cancer, please go to this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Think of yourself as a good luck magnet and that’s what you’re likely to be. This works for you, and for anyone you associate with. There’s a protective quality about you, and some element that has the ability to manifest good is a kind of rare fortune. This is not a passive thing about you; rather, there is something in the active process of your thinking, observing and synthesizing facts that adds up to much more than is obvious on its face. Work with that — let’s call it the intuitive factor. There will be times that you just know something, or a method, or a solution; you’ll have ideas that seem to come from nowhere special. You don’t need to account the source to anything more than an open mind and loving intentions. It’s not an accident that those things get actual results.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Leo, please go to this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You say you don’t like too much public exposure, but I suggest you grease yourself in SPF and take your place in the spotlight. What you have going for you is a communication gift — the ability to express or explain in clear language something that others have a hard time getting out. You can not only see, but integrate, both sides of a seeming polarity. You can do this because you know you embrace within yourself the opposites that others perceive as inevitable. This has something to do with gender; it has something to do with acknowledging that you’re not at odds with the world around you, but rather an integral part of it. These things are easy for you to see, and you often take that fact for granted. It’s a lot more challenging for others — and you have the ability to make it clear.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Saturn has been in your sign for a while, and it’s been retrograde for most of the year. You may feel as if plenty of life has passed you by. It hasn’t, and now that Saturn is returning to direct motion, you don’t need to catch up. What it would be very good to do is let go of certain elements of the past that you’re holding onto. I’m talking about the ones that you haven’t noticed. They might show up as traditions or rituals; they might appear as nostalgia or a tense relationship to change. Clearly, you want to make progress, and progress is about updating your files and living in the present. You’ll have many opportunities to do that in the coming weeks, and if at any time you’re experiencing confusion or struggle, bring yourself into the actual moment in which you’re standing. That is where your power is.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Suddenly, a relationship is showing a lot of promise. Looked at another way, you have many options, and you may not want to limit yourself. Those are not contradictory values. Indeed, the idea that they conflict is the value that gets in the way of everything else. Be on the lookout for any situation that has the mark of ‘do or die’. Beware of any circumstance where you might think, ‘if I do that, then this is the inevitable result’. The chances are you want that result but are afraid to admit it to yourself. Your charts suggest that you have impressive attractive power. Like many people, that can worry you, if you wonder: what if I act on a possibility and then live to regret it? That is what I would call starting from a place of regret, when adventure is the very thing that is calling you.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — What attracts you to someone? This is often a complicated issue. There seem to be two distinct ways your mind perceives desirability. One is mental clarity, a kind of gymnastic talent of the intellect. You’re definitely someone for whom the brain is a sex organ. The other quality that draws you in is nourishment and compassion. Now, while mental agility has its place, your point of sexual contact is more typically the nourishment attribute. But is that still true today? At least ask the question. These days you are at a kind of maximum compatibility with others. You can relate to people on many different levels, and there seems to be no shortage of people available to exchange energy. You’ve long lived your life based on identifying what you need. Now is the time to notice and act on what you want.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Notice the influence that you have on people. I’m not suggesting you accept my theory on its face; I’m proposing that you observe people, and listen to what they say about how they feel about you — and why. As for the ones who don’t say anything, observe them carefully and listen between the lines. At the moment, and for the foreseeable future, you’re a kind of evolutionary flywheel, with momentum that can carry many people along. Yet to appreciate the full benefit of that, I suggest you notice the special intensity of your growth process now, and how many people are trying to plug into your energy to get a little of what they think they lack themselves. Be flexible. Let go of your opinions based on what has happened before. This is actually a new moment in history.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Treat your life as a wild experiment. Figure out what that notion might have meant to you right up until this moment, and then devise a way to go over that little hump. The experiment of your life is about stretching who you are. That’s a question of gender; it’s a question of what you say, and exploring the impact that it has on people; and it’s about stretching your idea of what you think of as fun. Things that you were sure would be fun for others but could never be fun for you might seem especially attractive. There’s a little something about swinging both ways. In the background of your experiment is a shift in attitude about what you think is possible. Experiences in relationships that seemed improbable, impossible or out of your league are suddenly looking pretty real. They might even be.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Keep your energy flowing. Whether it’s with physical activity or some kind of especially strenuous mental exercise, keep moving. You may encounter resistance. Pisces, the most ethereal sign, has a natural antipathy to anything that is physical, and what is rational can take some getting used to. Push both of them a little more every day. Stretch your potential. Feel yourself make progress, and observe all of your emotional inconsistencies as you work through them. By the end of the month, I propose that you’ll have the distinct feeling that great things are possible — greater than you ever imagined. If there is one factor on which your success depends, it’s accepting parts of you that seem to be in opposition. They’re not, really — they have the same goal, but they do things different ways.

To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.

Dear Friend and Reader,

A friendly French cow. Photo by Eric Francis.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, May is the season of Beltane, also known as Midspring holiday. The theme is love and abundance, explored consciously as part of our relationship to the planet. No matter how weird things may get on Earth, we are still in a relationship to the planet, and Beltane is the time to take that in a positive and creative direction. The timing is when the Sun reaches the midpoint of Taurus, usually on May 5.

It’s a tipping point in the year, a moment of concentrated energy to set intentions and manifest what you want for the coming seasons and through the inevitable winter. This year, we have the Taurus New Moon two days ahead of Beltane, so if I were the astrologer to the High Priestess, I would be suggesting Beltane celebrations begin the evening of May 2 and continue through the week. Some traditions take the whole month, and the festival is known as The May. There is a lot of fire in the Beltane chart — the Sun is in Taurus and many other planets are in Aries.

Lovingly,

Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may still be feeling hesitant from the recent retrograde of Mercury in your sign, but the winds of fortune are strong against your back. You can afford to act on your confidence, as long as you’re proceeding with sincerity. You have so much drive and passion, those are the last things you need to concern yourself with. The idea is to make sure you’re pursuing your heart’s desire. The time has arrived to be absolutely real — no faking, no delaying your true priorities, only moving from an authentic space. You may be thinking, How do I know what I really want? I would say: you do know. If you set aside all your excuses, all your rationalizations and you don’t let your mother make your decisions for you (overtly, or covertly) you will be on solid ground with yourself. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aries, please go to this link.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Many factors seem to be influencing you — if only you knew what they were. But what if you knew? What if you could see through all your doubts and seeming confusion? Stop and listen to yourself. If your inner monologue has been louder than usual, listen to what that voice is saying. Literally, what do the words mean, and what do the images you’re seeing show you? It may seem overly simple, but ‘knowing thyself’ actually does involve witnessing the contents of your awareness. The key is slowing down long enough to size up what is helpful, what is destructive, and giving yourself a moment to make a choice what to respond to. By choice, I mean a mentally oriented decision rather than being pushed or pulled by your emotions. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Taurus, please go to this link.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You go through phases of searching for your own identity among the people around you, and after what you’ve been through the past month, I am guessing you’ve figured out that it doesn’t quite work. Besides which, it’s likely that the people you care about are looking to you for some idea of how to maintain their stability in our uncertain times. You actually have a better sense about yourself than most of them have about themselves. How could this be? You’re more accustomed than others to dealing with the many possibilities of who you are. You know that a human mind is complex, and you embrace that complexity. You also know that there are no guaranteed outcomes, and your comfort level with uncertainty feeds your self-awareness. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Gemini, please go to this link.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This continues to be a vital time for emphasizing your professional goals. By goals I mean what you discover at the intersection of ‘I am’ and ‘I do’. You can add to that ‘I want’. It takes a few different factors to make a goal worth pursuing: a sense of identifying with the goal; a love of the activity; and the desire to make it happen, or to invest yourself. Most folks run into problems because what they think of as their goals don’t meet any of the criteria here; it’s possible to fudge and make excuses, but they don’t actually get the job done. Even meeting one would be helpful, though with the planets being what they are, I suggest you go for total authenticity. As you’ve figured out, a learning curve is involved, and this is a very good sign. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Cancer, please go to this link.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — What is possible? Ask yourself that question, and listen to your answer. That will reveal your state of mind. If you want to know who can support you in your goals, ask them what they think is possible and, rather than trying to convince them of anything, listen to what they say. Some people live for yes, and some live for no. Some live for maybe, and others for maybe not. It’s true that if you study the pages of The New York Times or watch CNN for an hour, you may not feel like you have any reasons for optimism. Despite the prevailing doom and gloom of our era, we’re in a moment of rich potential. Part of what is feeding that potential is the chaos. True enough, it takes a special kind of person to see the possibilities when many merely see loss and devastation. Just keep your faith that a new world will arise from what is left of the old one — and part of how that will happen is the vision that you’re offering. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Leo, please go to this link.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — What is an asset and what is a liability? This is the main question you have to ask yourself. I can give you a clue that you’ve probably mixed up a few of these — certain things you thought were helpful are not so helpful and other things you thought were harmful are turning out to be pretty good assets. This is not so much a matter of perception as it is about correcting misperception. Yet there’s also another little issue, which is that most of the time we actually don’t evaluate our lives on the basis of what helps and what hurts. When we apply that question consciously, real information is forthcoming. The deeper question would then be, why are so many people attached to what hurts them, and how are you doing letting go of those things? To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — No matter how much energy is coming toward you, flexibility is the key to keeping your balance. It’s true that you’re under a lot of pressure — more than you thought you could handle. But it’s not merely pressure; you’re being offered energy, opportunity, love and friendship. You’ve got an opportunity to participate in the world like you’ve hardly ever had before. The thing about participation is that it tends to draw in your full involvement. While many would think they are ‘giving up their life’, I would say that the one sure way to have a life is to be involved. Here, we come back to the question of balance, which for you means flexibility. Having options is a prelude to making choices. And one decision leads to the next. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Rest is important, but there are activities more restful than sleep. That’s a good thing, because your life has nothing if not activity at the moment. Notice that some things you do nourish you and some deplete you. Have you started to see a pattern, which is which? If you were to apply one criterion to evaluating everything in your life, this is the one. But let’s define ‘nourish’. I would include things that expand your capacity for achievement; desires that stoke your ambition to do good work; experiences that challenge your idea of who you are; activities that fill up your time in a productive way, and nudge out the things you don’t like to do, or that don’t serve you. What nourishes you may make you a bit uncomfortable — but only a little, and only at first. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The theme of this phase of your life is stretching your creative capacity. I think that to some extent, everyone wants to be creative, but you may be experiencing this as a kind of extreme restlessness that you cannot quite ground. A little focus will go a long way. Don’t worry about meeting your ‘full potential’. Rather, if you have to take out the trash, do it in an interesting way. If you have any kind of assignment at all, figure out a way to take pleasure in the work and do it as artfully as you can. Meantime, pay attention to the ideas that are percolating out of you, and when you feel a juicy one, explore and experiment with it. Take a chance. Allow yourself the space to do something unusual, and keep going till it takes on a life of its own. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may need to toss all your ideas of safety or sanity, but what do you do with all of the stress? If it’s coming out of your psyche in ways that are painful or disruptive and offer you nothing in return, I suggest you make some decisions about how you direct your energy. It may be time for a change, and by that I mean a significant change. One thing your chart is saying is that the past is not what it used to be, and it barely exists at all. What exists for sure is the way you can direct yourself into the future, and this looks like one crucial goal that you may be resisting. Any idea what that might be? Is there something you dearly want to achieve, but you’re having a little denial attack about? Focus on that goal and you’ll likely feel a heck of a lot safer on the planet. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Stay grounded, whatever that means to you. That mind of yours has a lot of activity and adventure running around in it — a bit much to leave you with a feeling of settling into any consistent ideas. In fact the nice thing about your ideas is that they are pushing you out of your comfort zone. Your grounding can come from tuning into a commitment that is truly meaningful to you, and orienting on that. It’s an idea that feels like home, or feels like a solid and meaningful place to gather your emotions. It could be a person, or a relationship. It could be your physical space, or your desire to create a solid home for yourself. Remember that this would best be a container for your abundant energy, rather than a place to barricade external influences away from you. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This is an excellent time to get your financial life in order, and by in order, I mean beginning with a clear concept of the abundance and prosperity that you want. In case you haven’t figured it out, it’s a lot easier to create wealth when you’re not busy talking it down. Having enough is entirely unrelated to greed. Enjoying a glass of wine does not make someone an alcoholic. Be clear with yourself about your ideas here. Recognize when a prejudice is entering the picture, such as the notion that money corrupts someone. The only thing that can corrupt anyone is their own values, so if you proceed from understanding what is important to you and appreciating why that is so, you will have a guiding principle that will be truly useful as you realize just how resourceful you are. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Mercury is retrograde through nearly all of August, from today at about 11:49 pm EDT until the 26th. The theme of this retrograde is, pay attention to what matters. The retrograde begins in Virgo, then Mercury walks back into mid-Leo. It then stations direct and works its way back into Virgo on Sept. 9. This is the layering process I’ve been describing — Mercury working the line between Leo and Virgo, as if starting in our ideas and concepts about who we are (Virgo), then moving deeper into the core reality (Leo). Looked at another way, this is the imaginary line between work and play. It’s also known by some astrologers as the sphinx point, where the cat (Leo) meets the woman (Virgo).

The Tuthilltown Gristmill in Gardiner, NY operated as a flour mill between 1788 and 2002. It is now a restaurant. Photo by Eric Francis.

Mercury retrograde has garnered a reputation for being something to dread, a time when all hell breaks loose. But this is as much about how we perceive things as it is how they actually are. You might think of the total effect as your mental projector being out of focus. The image — the message, or your perception of it — isn’t clear, and that can lead to misinterpretation, frustration and ultimately ideas that take you off course. This is part of what has lead to lists of “don’ts” favored by many astrology resources regarding Mercury’s apparent backward motion: don’t spend money you don’t have to spend; don’t expect communication to go well; don’t count on getting to your destination smoothly; don’t fix or replace things that break until after Mercury moves direct; and so on. Usually this advice works because your own perception is likely to be a little out of sorts; you might overestimate a need, or worry too much about something that appears to be a problem but really is not.

But then the projector comes back into focus. These are the moments that provide a worthwhile opportunity to dive deep into your own psyche. While your outward vision may often be distorted during this phase, working with the sense of backwardness/inwardness is a way to flow Mercury-style and actually get somewhere new — and feel good about it. Like any trip undertaken during this phase of Mercury’s orbit, the internal one requires a little extra patience and preparation, mostly of your attitude and expectations. You’ll want to pay attention to all the inner scenery and signposts that come into view, and keep an eye on your psyche’s dashboard: when you start to rev high or overheat or run low on gas, it’s time to stop. Let things cool down; refill your well; slow down the mental chatter and your reactions to others until you’ve found a little perspective. The idea is to learn about yourself, and that’s hard to do if you’re speeding down the highway yelling at the other drivers. It’s easier if you’re involved in some creative or contemplative activity, but in any case, you would need to apply a little self-observation.

One reminder is — figure out what matters, and when you don’t know, pause. Early in the retrograde, there is a temptation to rebel against something, though you may be working with incomplete or incorrect information. Rather than stage an insurrection against someone who has your best interests at heart, who is devoted to you and helpful, I suggest you take your time and make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Lovingly,

Additional writing: Amanda Painter.

Promo by Chelsea.

The Planet Waves Mercury retrograde report is ready and exploring the Internet. I’ve recorded an introduction and about 25 to 35 minutes of audio for each of the 12 Sun signs and rising signs. The audio introduction to the Mercury retrograde phenomenon in general is available to all readers, in which I give a primer on the basics and describe key details of this one. The product itself is the sign-by-sign interpretation, which I offer in clear, easy to follow language. As you may know, I reach for the point of sanity in the astrology, the solution set to what sometimes seems like an overly complex puzzle. I trust these readings will bring you some comfort, clarity and a few good ideas to work with in these wild and unusual days.

Find out more here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you don’t feel like getting dragged into all kinds of emotional dramas this month, I suggest you proceed slowly and carefully. Make sure you know who has what agenda — and closer to the point, make sure you know your agenda. One potential trap for you is falling prey to your own insecurity, then over-reading into something you don’t understand, which turns out to be based on your own confusion and misunderstanding. It would benefit you greatly to look at your life, and the world around you, through the widest possible lens. Try to see the whole picture, so that you’re less inclined to take things personally when they’re not directed at you. You will have one occasion after the next to realize that what’s happening in your environment is not all about you — which will come as a great relief. Aries, your birth sign or rising sign, is getting some of the most potent transits of them all right now. I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and a tarot card reading for you. Learn more by visiting this page.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — This is a time to stretch, to open up new territory in your life, and most of all to widen your circle of friends. You are changing; it’s time to surround yourself with people who reflect the ways in which you’re growing. Whatever your social role has been in the past (group coordinator, token shy person, the reasonable one) you’re likely to be taking on a new position among the people who are closest to you. To many you will seem like you’re becoming a revolutionary by refusing to put up with the same ridiculous social rules you might have thought were wonderful just a year ago. Don’t make excuses for why you want to take more liberty. Remember, anyone you think deserves to be impressed is unlikely to be worth the effort. I’ve recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It’s information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You know it’s time to make some changes at home, but in truth there is no rush. Make sure you understand what you want to rearrange and why, and carefully consider your options for doing so. You may discover somewhat larger goals than redecorating; you seem to be reaching a psychological limit of some kind. But over the next month, you will be able to see your situation a number of different ways. What seems so dire today may seem a lot less important a month from now, but by then you will have clarified what it is you want to accomplish. Let the impulse phase pass; pay attention to what you keep telling yourself you want to change. Gemini is one of the most misunderstood signs — and as someone born under this sign, part of your role is to hold a mirror to the world. I’ve recorded an hour of audio for you, plus a 20 minute tarot reading. You can get access to these by visiting this page.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Mars enters your sign the first week of the month, which will provide plenty of energy for you to pursue your goals. But I have a few words of temperance and caution, one of which is to make a special effort to get along with women. By that I mean, stand your ground but avoid unnecessary conflicts. Generally you will see people go to one extreme or the other — for example, push people around for the sake of it (not a good idea this month) or back down when they really need to stand their ground. Part of growing involves making sure that you hold open the space to be yourself with the people around you — no matter how powerful they make themselves out to be, or how influential you may perceive them as being.  Hello Cancerians! Your birthday report is ready. It’s more than an hour of astrology plus a 20 minute tarot reading. Please visit this page for more details.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — What seems to be a financial issue is likely to be nothing of the kind. It may start there, but once you get past the illusion that money is the actual matter, or that money sets a limit of some kind, you’re likely to discover that you have many more options and a lot more freedom than you previously thought. Life really is a matter of deciding what is important to you and then being determined to make it happen. Reciting the mantra of a bad economy or bad job market does not create opportunity, it merely blinds you to it. If you find yourself giving yourself negative messages (which are often excuses for not daring to make an effort), there’s always time to stop, think and decide what you really want. Hello Leo! I’m now working on the birthday report for your sign. Watch this space for additional information.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — How can you be sure if a loved one is telling you the truth? Or similarly, how can you be certain that someone you’re interested in is worth the effort? The answer is that it usually takes some time, making conscious observations and then checking your perceptions. Most of the time when we go wrong with someone else, we ignored information that would have served us well. We learn things about people over time, and we don’t use it — and this counts for both the ways in which people reveal themselves to be deceptive, or alternately, loving and supportive. In the immortal words of my old therapist Joe, the thing to do is use what you know. Don’t pretend; don’t ignore; track your thinking and test whether you were noticing the obvious, and whether you’re putting it to work. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — This is a beautifully ambitious moment for you, but timing is everything. You might not be able to act on your plans immediately, for a number of reasons (unusual delays, everyone is out of town, the so-and-so business doesn’t do anything in August, etc.). That said, you will want to be ready when the time comes to take action, so no matter how sleepy or disorganized ‘the world’ seems to be this month, make sure you’re getting your ideas in order, and using your time to understand your most authentic goals. That said, you may find yourself encountering unusual opportunities over the next few weeks, and I suggest you be open to them. But please don’t sign anything or make any big promises until Mercury stations direct on Aug. 26, preferably holding off till a few days later. Till then, count everything as a bold experiment. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — This is going to be an interesting month — promise. Your life will be full of intrigue, surprises and challenges, but I suggest you practice a little healthy detachment. It’s possible to have experiences without getting caught up in them; it’s possible to meet and experience people without getting overly involved. Be cautious of any form of negativity that creates attachment. This is one of the most alluring, dangerous emotional traps going. If you find yourself in an emotional environment that’s not healthy, make a decision and move on. The more you do that, the easier it will be to open up to the flow of positive energy. Intensity, by itself, is not a ‘good’ thing, but it can be an addictive one. Love is gentler, easier and more nourishing. Keep deciding which you really want, and you’re likely to have more of it. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You don’t need to set your professional goals aside — you just need to know what they are, which will tell you where you actually stand. You’re doing a lot better than you think: you’ve made more progress than you think, and attained more visibility than you’ve noticed — if such is meaningful to you. There is an aspect of your design scheme that needs to be reviewed, the basis for which is making sure you’re not trying to live up to your parents’ expectations, or compensate for their perceived failures. Let them free, and set yourself free. They have no place in the life that you’re living now. What you may discover is some of your most annoying hang-ups are not actually yours, and when you discover that, you’re never far from letting them go entirely. You just need to want to. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may feel like you’ve met your match — but I suggest leaving fantasies of combat, confrontation or even competition out of your diet. There are two main influences driving you now — one is somewhat aggressive (which may feel like someone is being aggressive with you) and the other is about mellowing out. You’ve been wound a little tightly lately, and you can afford to relax. I don’t just mean relax and take a day off; I mean relax your mind, and your approach to existence. Any time you feel yourself trying to plan out your whole life, or get control over every situation, remember, you have alternatives. They’re not substitutes — they are better possibilities than pretending to have power that you don’t have. The opposite to control is exploring your options. You have many. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Take a breath; the pressure you’ve been under for the past few years is over. Part of what you were addressing were the constant demands of circumstance. Now, you have the option to focus your energy inwardly. In fact it’s more than an option — it’s a basic necessity of growth, because from this point on, your growth will develop from the inside out. This method doesn’t work for everyone, I know. Most people need to be bullied by their external environment, by people close to them or by encountering worldly limits in order to have the courage to make changes. This is not a luxury you need; in fact it’s not a luxury at all. The more you cultivate and develop inwardly, which includes facing your fears, the more the world will hold out for you. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This is a creative, experimental time for you — and that includes exploring your erotic nature. But how do you explore in a way that’s responsible? How do you address guilt, fear and other forms of negativity? The answer is yes. You are able to respond (that’s what responsible means) and it’s possible to call negativity what it is. Ask yourself: what emotion do you elect to lead the way? I nominate curiosity, with creativity as campaign manager. Let your curiosity guide you. It’s okay to want to know who someone is, how something feels, or to discover how you’ll grow or change as a result of having a certain experience. It’s okay to have that experience rather than just think about it. You’re under no obligation to be a prisoner of fear, and you have plenty of passion to share. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.

Ocher Sea Star and Aggregate Anemomes, Vancover Island, BC. Photo by Bev Dulis waterworksdesign.net

Dear Friend and Reader:

The Sun is now in Pisces for the next few weeks, and Chiron is in Pisces for the next eight years. Chiron in Pisces defines an era of astrology where many will come to terms with the idea, and the reality, of emotional healing. Most of the problems faced by individuals and, when you add that up, by our whole society, come back to unresolved emotional issues. Whether you’re talking about obesity or violence, cancer or depression, the struggles so many face in their relationships or the crisis children are in, the common thread is a need for emotional wellbeing and maturity. When you consider this theme in the context of your own life, what do you come up with? What do you think is holding you back? What is inspiring or driving you to go forward? If there are issues lurking in the past, they’re not as entrenched as they once were, and not as scary as you once thought. Just slip underneath the feeling of resistance (which is on the surface) and find what is there.

Yours & truly,

PS, I’ve just updated the Planet Waves daily page with a new article focusing on today’s Mercury-Chiron conjunction in Pisces — the first since 1967 — which covers several rapidly changing news events. Scroll down and there’s a new Daily Astrology by Len Wallick and an article focusing specifically on the situation in Libya. To track updates to Planet Waves, keep an eye on my Facebook page. You’re invited to send a friend request. –efc

Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Honesty is imperative right now, and so too is managing your emotions. I suggest you ban expressing anger until you’ve cooled off, written in your diary and/or had a session with your therapist. While I am reluctant to ever suggest you not trust your perceptions, this is an extended moment when you have to check them several times from a diversity of viewpoints. You’re living in an entirely new psychic environment than you were just a few weeks ago, one calling on you to be unusually introspective. In practical terms, that means considering for weeks what you might have thought about for an hour; and it means looking for documentation of the basis of your opinions rather than acting on impulse. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aries, please go to this link.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Get to know your inhibitions, so you can address them. I don’t suggest fretting over them, getting caught in them, but emphasizing how much fun you can have if you let them go. You’ve done enough work on this project to appreciate the benefits of having made some space for yourself. You’ve experienced enough in the way of direct, actual, authentic pleasure to motivate you to go the rest of the way. At a certain point you’ll figure out that you’re working through the inhibitions of your ancestors. You’re unlikely at this point to notice that because you’re aware of how much else you have to do. If you focus on what you’ve accomplished, you’ll see that at least half of what you’ve done is throw away or give back issues that were not yours. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Taurus, please go to this link.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You’re embarking on a phase of your life wherein your career goes to the top of the agenda. By this, I mean focus. I mean quitting your bartending job if you’re really an artist, and focusing on acting. I mean that if you’re a songwriter and working as a bicycle messenger, you do something like teach guitar so you have the instrument in your hand more hours a day. I also mean understanding why you must distinguish yourself from people who have less desire to succeed than you do. You have one agenda and they have another, and your sensitivity to their thoughts and feelings will influence your success. You are becoming an influential person, and I suggest you spend your time with people who are creative, optimistic and authentic. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Gemini, please go to this link.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — It sure seems like time for an adventure. Can you get yourself to an ancient site of some kind? You would be surprised how many of those are within a few hours’ drive of home — such as old features in the land, an old monastery or a temple of some kind. I suggest you travel about 100 miles — not so far that you mix up your schedule or incur too much expense, but far enough to be an overnight mission. I suggest you go on your own; the purpose is introspection, to bring you into deeper contact with your movement through life and your relationship to existence. The presence of anyone else will distract you from contacting the silence in your own mind — which is becoming a few shades more beautiful as the days go by. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Cancer, please go to this link. Attention Light Bridge Subscribers: Light Bridge written readings are now available to those who pre-ordered. If you have not signed up yet, you may do so here. Everyone is invited to read the articles on the Light Bridge blog, which will update periodically. Customer reviews of Light Bridge are collecting here. Don’t miss the free audio introduction to the project that explains how I created these seven-year readings. To everyone: thank you for your patience while we completed the written phase of Light Bridge.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You now have some clarity on what may have felt like a betrayal or being deceived in some way. You’re not the type to hold onto things, but your trust can be injured; I suggest you stretch right back into your usual flexibility. Your commitments and the loyalty of others to you goes to an unusual depth for this world, and this is one of your main sources of nourishment. One gift you have is being able to see people for who they are inside, and love them despite the ways they may not love themselves. This is a profound influence on the world around you, and the gifts you give so generously will come back to you if you’re open to receiving them. Focus on that openness and raise everyone’s vibration. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Leo, please go to this link.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your relationship life has had an odd feeling in recent years, as if there was nothing you could depend on. Therefore you had to depend on yourself. It’s not that there weren’t interesting people. If anything they were a little too interesting for you. But if they pushed certain buttons, they also taught you to stretch your boundaries and not be so rigid in your perceptions of yourself and of others. Now, you’re ready for a new kind of relationship. I would caution you from embarking on a search for ‘the one’ but rather viewing each person who enters your life on equal terms, at least initially. People you encounter are likely to have something particular in common with you — and help you stretch into yourself in new ways. You may find that it’s the same conversation you’ve been having, but in a new language. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You seem to be taking risks exploring the dialog between the ‘sexual’ and ‘non-sexual’ aspects of yourself. I used quotes mainly because these are aspects of the same thing, a fact you may be discovering. Sexuality implies much more than itself, and at the moment for you is deeply connected to your ideas of what it means to have a home. When the ‘non-sexual’ side speaks, though, it can imply deeply erotic attributes of your nature, which are sometimes best seen when you filter out overtly erotic feelings. This may all seem like a paradox, though what your astrology implies to me is that you are opening doors to different rooms of your consciousness, and boldly exploring what is there. Each has a feeling all its own. Each reveals something about you. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — We have all heard the term ‘sexual healing’ but few people would know where to go looking for it. The first place to go is within yourself, beginning with awareness. Given the repressive nature of society, any conscious exploration into one’s erotic nature qualifies as both a reclaiming and as an experience of healing. One attribute of your current charts speaks of a new kind of interplay between ideas and experience. If the two have been markedly different in the past, such as if your true desire nature has not quite been matched in your experience, now is the time to begin building a bridge. Let your ideas influence your choices, and let your experiences influence your ideas. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Art is a practical matter, and it’s one of the easiest ways to dial into your growth process right now. I am aware that you may be sitting in an office reading this, with no concept of yourself as a ‘creative person’. I’m speaking to you, not to Picasso. What we think of as the ‘creative self’ is often an attribute of our inner child that we’ve abandoned. When you explore any creative process, no matter how simple or humble your efforts, you begin to awaken this child. Pretty soon, this child is going to come to life with raging passion. I suggest you make some quiet visits into his or her room, and make the awakening gentle. I suggest purple eggs, lemonade and animal crackers for breakfast, with a side of Play Doh. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You are smarter than you think. You make better decisions than you think, even when you’re under stress. I suggest you make a yoga of trusting that. Practice trusting yourself, your perceptions, and your experiences. This will gradually lead you to trust yourself a little more every day. There’s a reason you have an unusual perception of your own intelligence, which is that you have an unusual kind of intelligence. You tend to proceed from the intuitive to the logical rather than the other way around. Instead of playing a game of second-guess, start with your initial perception and verify it. You will usually be right, and learn a lot more in the process of fact-checking and documentation. But as for how you got there in the first place –well that’s a mystery between you and the universe. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — When you open your mouth to speak, what percentage of what you say is actually true? I suggest you monitor this. I’m not saying you need to get down on yourself if you catch yourself in white or black lies, but rather, do a kind of information audit. Fact-check yourself. The thing I suggest you look for is the extent to which what you say is in accordance with your values. That is the real measure of truth. One process that’s about to accelerate in your life is the systematic discovery of what your values are. On the one hand you can be extremely idealistic, and on the other just as cynical about human nature. When you start to parse out that contradiction you will find many shades of faith, fear and knowledge that will inform you of your true perception of existence. For a while you will have more questions than answers. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You may be filled with the sensation that you’re finally discovering who you are; that your self-perception is coming into focus. At the same time, I trust that you’re feeling less of a certain kind of pressure that may have had you feeling like your life was an exercise in holding your breath under water, wondering if you could breathe the stuff if you had to. Now, you can just simply breathe, and I suggest you do plenty of it. You can also focus on the processes that have, in the past year, taken hold of your desire to be healthier and more emotionally balanced. You learned a lot from being in a position where anything could happen at any time, and living a life where there were no guarantees. Anything can still happen and there are still no guarantees, but you’re in a lot better position to create solutions and explore your opportunities. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.

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Eric Francis, the founder and editor of Planet Waves, is an astrologer and investigative journalist. He was working in his first job as a municipal newspaper reporter when he discovered that his editor also owned an astrology bookstore. This began a long relationship between astrology and journalism, which has taken Eric through the pages of many newspapers as a horoscope writer, including the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror plus numerous other venues. Today, Eric covers global turning point events through the lens of astrology. He is a specialist in newly-discovered planets.