Dear Friends:

This week we get the build-up to Mars stationing retrograde in Sagittarius, which happens next Sunday, April 17, at 8:14 am EDT (12:13:47 UTC). The retrograde period lasts two months, and this forms the basis of Eric’s 2016 Spring Reading, which we’re publishing soon.

The Mars Rover, doing what it does best. Where will your journey take you? Artist’s rendition from NASA/JPL-Caltech.

At around midnight on Thursday, the waxing half Moon will closely aspect Mars (that is: the Moon is square the Sun, and they both make an angle to Mars called a sesquiquadrate).

This might be regarded as a precursor to the actual station retrograde: a preparatory moment. The chart itself looks like an arrow is pointing at Mars, which is an astrological hint equivalent to waving the Red Planet in our faces with a huge klieg light saying “LOOK HERE.”

So what are you actually looking at? Well, that’s for you to decide. Here are some clues, though: What is your life calling? What is your deepest, most passionate desire? What really gives you enthusiasm and makes you get up and go? More to the point — what are you doing to get to that place you want to be?

A moment like this can be like an electric jolt, sending a surge of energy to wake up our brains. You might experience this as a sudden inspiration, a dream, an intuition, or simply a wish for something. Follow the trail of that inclination, and see where it leads. If it leads to you moving forward on your personal mission, you’re probably on the right track. (If it leads to you thoroughly enjoying life in all its beauty and glory, you’re definitely on the right track.)

Feel free to nudge your patron deities or guardian angels for advice — and pay careful attention to what they say. If you feel in a rut and tempted to remain there, you might like to have an honest conversation with yourself (and/or said beings) as to why. Obstacles can be good for you, but usually that’s in the context of getting them knocked down and building up your strength in the process.

Mars may be the god of war, but this week — as the purveyor of both desire and the energy to fulfill it — he can be the arrow that points you in the best possible direction.

Your weekly horoscopes by Eric are below.

With love,

Amy Elliott

Planet Waves Client Services

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You seem to be going through a transformation process that is calling on you to have some help birthing your new self. You will still do most of the work, and all of the growth; whoever is assisting you is more in the role of midwife. Please don’t be too proud to accept assistance, however great or modest it may be. You’re under the influence of potent aspects, which could manifest several ways. One is an extreme sense of confusion. Another is going from that feeling to resolving inner conflicts that have stalked you for a while. You have the potential to make astonishing progress in the coming seasons of your life, though taking the ‘go it alone’ point of view is more likely to slow you down than it is to ease your way. Give credit where it’s due, to collaborators and even to those who help you in some passing way.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Keep a pulse on yourself. You have so much going on, including important concerns in a personal partnership, that you could lose track of your priorities. It will help if you express yourself in words, if only in a notebook, so that you have some idea what you’re thinking as you think it. Yet it also would be beneficial if you maintain contact with someone close to you, by which I mean updating one another on your daily progress. Communication is essential, and if you persist gently and steadily, you will figure out what an important turning point this is for you. The thing to remember is that you and a partner are going through different kinds of evolutionary steps; yet there is some important common ground, which you will need to discover. When you need it most, that shared space will come in handy.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You have the mojo working to make quite an impression on the people around you, so I would recommend practicing the art of understatement. You don’t need to push your point, or any ideas; you merely need to speak in a normal tone of voice, and people will hear you loud and clear. It’s essential that you not underestimate the impact of your words or your example. I know that in the current version of the world, it’s possible to feel as if you’re never really heard or appreciated. Whatever anyone’s reaction may seem to be, you are, at least, serving as a catalyst. Therefore, choose your words carefully, and think more slowly than you usually do. Consider that there may be several ways to interpret anything you say, and do your best to account for that. More than anything, delicately sidestep direct confrontations. If you must fight, keep it subtle.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — When you look back on this time in your life, you will be impressed how much progress you made in professional development. Yet now you are living in this moment, and you still have the chance to make the very most of it. I would recommend a few things. One is to be assertive. Rather than waiting for anyone or anything to come to you, go to it. Make your presence known. You may have an aversion to being your own pitch-man, but that’s how life is these days: you have to be your own best promoter. Throw off any self-consciousness you may have about doing this; or modesty, whether true or false. Just forget it and tell people what you have to offer them, with full confidence in your talent. Be articulate and just a little pushy. If you’re going to talk to anyone, make it the head honcho.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your long-term vision may not be what you thought it was; be glad of that fact. Indeed, this week you may have a series of revelations not just about what you want, but also about who you are. The two are integrally related, and as you explore that relationship, you will make many bold discoveries. The key to success is not limiting your imagination. People are often inclined not to think about something, or not to want it, because it seems impossible or unlikely. Yet I suggest that you consider those very things. Get over the first obstacle, which is yourself. Be ready to be persistent, and to take the long view, by which I mean what you want to accomplish before your next birthday. You don’t need to probe centuries ahead of yourself; you just need to see yourself substantially beyond where you are now, and remember that anything is possible if you have faith in yourself.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Recent developments are giving you the hint that your relationships are all about you. Yes, this contradicts the supposed otherness of romance, the supposed focus on the beloved. Yet you tend to do most of your best self-discovery through others. And that aspect of your personal journey is under excellent aspects now. I suggest you be honest about this with the people you care about. Tell them that you’re learning about yourself and you want their help doing so. Focus on your own desires in an open way rather than a covert way. You may find that people exceed your expectations when it comes to meeting you right there. The exchange in this equation is your gratitude, your appreciation and your unabashed enthusiasm for life. It actually makes other people happy to see and feel you happy. So let yourself shine.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — People in your life are presenting you with a powerful reflection. It’s almost a magnifying mirror, where you can see your tendencies enlarged before your eyes. This will give you the option to choose what you want and what you don’t want. While you’re doing that, I suggest you go gently on yourself. It’s good to do that anyway, but remember that you’re in a kind of echo chamber, where things seem much louder and more vivid to you than they do to the people around you. As you look, listen and feel, you will begin to find new points of contact with your intimate partners. The key here is new — a conversation that has never happened before, a desire that you’ve never expressed and want to experiment with, or something that you want to offer to someone because you care about them. One excellent result of self-discovery is the ability to share yourself.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You seem to be concerned about money, and would benefit from taking an approach on the structural level rather than the level of acquiring the stuff. By structural, I mean things like knowing your fixed expenses, considering how to best handle debt (such as whether to refinance) and having solid methods for tracking income and outcome (that is, the results you get). Yet there’s something deeper going on, which is a series of reminders that your methods of acquiring money must be in tune with your actual values — which is to say, what you actually hold true and dear. Current aspects leave you little room to say or do things you don’t believe in, only for pay. And you’re being guided solidly in the direction of accomplishing something you’ve long desired: connecting who you are with how you earn your money. “It’s just a job” is a thing of the past, especially your past.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are learning how to focus your intention. If you don’t feel that way, you might give it a try, because it’s likely to be easier than ever. The precursor to this, however, is knowing what you want. You may be hesitating, since it’s possible to invest in what you want, and then to change your mind and not want it anymore. This is all part of a process of figuring out authentic desire. There is no way to do this other than to experiment. This includes with people. We’re living through another one of those ages wherein people treat one another as disposable or as married from the first date. There’s a lot of territory between those two not-so-useful polarities. For the next few months, your experiments in desire will take you closer to your core. There are a few surprises waiting for you there, too.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — My therapist Joe once asked me: if you can’t be naked in your own home, where can you be? Translation: can you be yourself where you live? Can you say what’s on your mind? Can you actually be transparent with the people you share your space with, or who come into your space? If the answer is no, it’s worth asking yourself why you’re there. You’re outgrowing needing people around you to set limits on what is appropriate. In fact you’re shedding all kinds of skins that previously held you in your place. It’s true — that will leave you in a vulnerable position, which is entirely the point. Weaving yourself into a cocoon is getting old, and you seem to want people to actually know and understand who you are. That will involve taking a chance, or deciding you have no other viable choice.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — In the phrase, “Think globally, act locally,” the first operative element is thinking, and the second is acting. That is what your chart is about right now, in a glorious way. You’re naturally an ideas person, but you and everyone else would benefit from trusting your ideas and putting them to work. This means getting out of the realm of theory and into the realm of trying something that you think might work. There’s a debate in astrology about whether Aquarius really is a humanitarian sign. I will say this — you have actual potential to develop that aspect of yourself, and it’s burning bright right now. You play an important role in your community, and you have the ability to focus that into some truly positive contributions, better than you’ve ever done before. Think of yourself as an inventor on a mission to solve something both vexing and obviously needing attention.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — One of the deeper (and prevalent) struggles associated with your sign is self-esteem. And you have the opportunity to blow that apart right now, and to be born into the world with rare confidence. Yet this is not some transient phase; you are finally figuring out that there’s no reason at all not to feel entirely faithful in yourself, your abilities and your place in the world. This comes down to two things: valuing yourself and what you have to offer, and your natural leadership ability. The two are closely related. Honoring the gift that you have to offer is a form of leadership, but there’s something more happening right now. When it’s time to take charge of something, do so with clarity and with focus. Learn the trick of self-respect and you will master the art of respect in all other forms. And that will get you far.

Does astrology seem too intellectual to make any sense? Then this edition of Planet Waves TV is for you. Eric Francis describes the Aries New Moon after giving a basic rundown on the lunar cycle itself. This New Moon revives our old friend the Uranus-Pluto square, and brings in the Uranus-Eris conjunction. Play episode here.

There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye;

There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.

— William Cullen Bryant

Dear Friends:

This week, there is the potential for substantial leaps in insight and perspective. The astrological patterns are…intense, certainly; and deep, for anyone who wants or needs to go there. They are also vivid and splendid and inspiring, like a Van Gogh painting or a Beethoven symphony.

I most unashamedly confess to being a total sucker for fractals. This gorgeous specimen is Forever Fire, by Nis86.

This is true of the Aries New Moon chart in particular. That takes place on Thursday, 7:23 am EDT (11:23:37 UTC). The meat and potatoes of this moment include the New Moon being conjunct Uranus-Eris (as Eric mentions above) and square Pluto.

This might seem incredibly ponderous. Yet the asteroids Haumea and Altjira, both primal creation deities, and the divine enchantress Circe are also involved. The end result is something like godhood bursting forth on the Earth along with the spring; the actual idea of beauty taking form and blossoming beside the flowers. If nothing else, notice the beauty of life and of the world around you.

This week, if you so choose, you can reach out and touch the web binding together all that exists on this wonderful Earth. That web can never be broken, despite all that humanity does to divide itself from itself. The threads are in your DNA, and in the atoms that form the living body of you.

If you are able, now is a very good time to wander out into your local bit of nature (in person, rather than on Geoguessr). You could also work on artistic endeavors, make love, eat good food — anything that reaffirms your connection to life and the creative principle.

Make a concerted effort to break down the barriers hiding that connection, especially if they happen to be electronic. I say hiding as opposed to blocking, because at any time you have the power to lift the veil and step through.

Bask in the wakening of spring, or the myriad colors of fall. Have a good time, relax and soak in the joie de vivre. If there is anything you need to avoid, it will be activities that involve excessive risk, or are prone to cultivating escapism. What you actually want is to be able to lift your eyes to the stars, plant your feet in the soil, and feel the love pulsing through the radiant universe.

With love,

Amy Elliott

Planet Waves Client Services

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Use your imagination and figure out what you want from life. Tap into your dreams, your secret desires and your creativity. If you were writing a movie and you were the leading character, what would you have happen? Later this week, you’ll experience a New Moon in your sign, which happens just once a year. Between now and then, the Moon will be in Pisces, which is luring you into your inner vision for yourself. While you’re in there, you might notice a difficulty, past hurt or some factor that is urging you not to trust yourself or what you want. Rather than fight that thing, I suggest you engage in a direct dialog with the feelings surrounding it. At a certain point, what was done to you in the past must cease to predict what will happen in the future. Yet you are the only person who can intervene and alter the flow of events, by making conscious choices from among real options.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — One of the rewards of your current life is getting to be of service. I suggest you claim this reward with a joyous heart, because you have plenty to offer, the world has plenty of needs, and the meeting of the two is proving to be beneficial to everyone. When you have a point of focus, you can orient on that and organize your world around a real priority. This will work with physical space as well. Imagine that you place a hearth in the middle of everyplace you occupy, whether it’s your desk, your living room, your kitchen, your bedroom or your office. What is the source of heat and of your sensation of being home? Your metaphorical hearth could be an altar you place on your desk; it could be your stove (the altar of culinary pleasure and nutrition); it might be the place you make art or make love. Define your personal center and orchestrate your life outward from there.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Spend more time listening than you do speaking, particularly at work. Tune into your environment, and notice what people in positions of leadership and management are concerned with. If you take your time with this, and take some notes, and sleep on what you’ve observed, in a few days you may come up with the winning idea that is eluding all of them. If you’re self-employed, you have a free pass to re-think and re-envision your business plan, matching it to some new real-world goal that has come to your attention. It will help immensely if you trust what your intuition is telling you. Listen to yourself; and, rather than second-guessing, give any inwardly discovered information a few days to bear itself out. There is no rush to start the new story, and your time would be well spent tying up old commitments and finishing old projects, the better to make room for the bold adventure that is just ahead.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — In hindsight, these months and seasons may turn out to be one of the most successful times of your life. Therefore, take hold of the moment while you have it within reach. That means getting clear on what your most important goals are. I don’t mean last year’s goals; I mean the ones that are exciting to you now. You might notice that some of them have followed you through many incarnations of your work, even if you didn’t do anything about them along the way — those are the ones to notice. Right now you’re imbued with the power of invention. Inventors work with an idea, and then embark on a process of trial, error and success that helps modify that idea. In trying something, you’re not committing to it for life. You are, instead, embarking on a journey, and you might have little idea where it will lead. Give yourself permission to be bold, and trust synchronicity.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You have the ability to see far into the future. This is a gift of the current moment, as if you’re standing on a high mountain and can see the landscape in every direction, all around you. Take a week out of your usual approach to life and really look into the distance — checking out every possible perspective, remembering what you see. Imagine the different choices you might make, different directions in which you might proceed, and project each one five years into the future. Once you come down from that mountain and continue your journey, your perspective will be different, much closer to the ground. You will benefit from bringing your perspective with you, remembering how you felt when you saw into a particular direction of future arrival. If you have commitments or complications today that you think might prevent going any particular way, do not be hindered or discouraged. You have the power to resolve them, and nothing will stop you.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — This week it’s essential that you claim for yourself what is yours, and return to others what belongs to them. In particular I’m talking about psychological or emotional needs, including your healing agenda. It’s easy for the past material of others to intrude on your thoughts and feelings. It’s also possible that you will assign to others what is really your own, and which you can resolve with some self-honesty, love and determination. You may discover some places where what is yours and what belongs to a partner seem to overlap. I suggest you treat any shared material first as exclusively your own. Then consider a way to bring up the subject with anyone else who might be involved. This is an important boundary issue. What is in your consciousness and in your life belongs to you in the first instance, and is shared material in the second instance. While there are no absolutes, keeping things in the appropriate order will help you simplify your thinking and facilitate healing.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Be mindful of negativity in your environment, and make the conscious choice not to take it on. From birth, you’re someone who does what healers call ‘somaticize’ — that is, you can easily transpose emotions to physical experiences and body ailments. However, this is working with greater emphasis in the current extended phase of your life, so you must be especially mindful at this time. Tune into every environment before you dive in, just like you would size up a lake before diving in head-first. Before you eat anything, ask yourself if this is really what you want or need. If you can take care of yourself this way, you’ll turn your exceptional sensitivity into a productive, creative force. Your greatest strength right now is not your time or your labor, it’s your ideas. You can see things that nobody else can perceive. This includes problems and it includes brilliantly creative solutions. Though others will want their say, be sure to trust yourself first.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You have reached a maximum point of expansion. Soon it will be time to draw your energy inward, which I think will come with a sense of relief. You seemed to be headed toward a limit that it would be helpful to stop well in advance of. If we take your story back approximately two years, do a review and consider what you’ve left unresolved (whether emotionally or in your commitments to others). If you’re focused and efficient, you can tie up the loose ends in about two or three months. In that time you’ll make some decisions and set some new priorities, and proceed with far greater confidence than you have right now. It’s likely that a financial reorganization will be part of this process. Look at every account carefully. There are places you can stop needless spending, and others where you can consolidate and refinance debts. Be thorough and get second opinions as you proceed.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your sign is a magnificent blend of sensitivity and courage. Both are going at full strength at the moment. I suggest you emphasize your sensitivity for the first few days of the week, and then plunge into the courage side of the equation. Phase one is about feeling how deep your ideas go, and feeling how deep your emotions are. Just being present for yourself will build your confidence. Hang in with yourself — there is no rush. When the psychic tide turns, you will know it, and you may feel called to express yourself in an especially bold or daring way. Your chart depicts you as the ‘true artist’ at the moment — whose inner life, creativity and outward expression are mingled into one idea. Few others might grasp how this works, or how necessary it is for you to be this way, but that hardly matters. Your journey is your journey — and that is the rare beauty of Sagittarius.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your solar chart has the look and feel of home renovation. You might not be diving into Angie’s List this weekend, but let’s take the metaphor in ways that would work for you on the physical and psychological levels. It looks like you want to change things around. It’s often relevant to rearrange your furniture, or to clear out a room and use it for something else; it’s also relevant to rearrange your priorities and make sure that you’re doing first what you want to do and need to do most. That alone can be liberating, not just of time and of energy but also of your sense of freedom. Yet there’s something else — perhaps more appropriate for outdoors, by the water, on a rooftop or in a quiet space: pause, invoke the silence, listen and receive. What you would be listening to is yourself. You have something interesting to say, though it’s subtle — so you’ll need to tune in.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Rarely mentioned about Aquarius is your sign’s deep commitment to service. You might be into socializing, cars, clothing or your recording studio, though the bottom line of your chart is your humanitarian values. Two things are happening to bring this out. One is that the sky is still swimming in Pisces energy (that’s the water in your urn). At the same time, the Sun is about to meet up with a planet you love: inventive, oddball Uranus. You have a sense of what the people around you need, and you have the ideas and intelligence to do something exceptionally useful. Trust your ideas. Trust yourself. Whatever scale you’re working on, I would encourage you to make the contribution that you want to make. The reward for you will be the exquisite feeling of fulfilling your purpose, which has a way of opening doors both in your mind and in the world around you. Open is not merely good, it’s excellent.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The theme of finances has been on your mind lately. Rather than being optimistic, I suggest you work on your confidence. The ups and downs of your personal economy have taught you a lot the past few years. You have learned how to stand on your own feet, and you’ve learned how to take leadership. And now you have a mission. What’s interesting is that this may be an old mission into which new life is being breathed; something you’ve worked at for a while and have discovered the value of. As a Pisces, it can be difficult for you to feel bold and strong every day. But now your sensitivity is your greatest asset. Your understanding that the world and many people in it are struggling for sanity is your secret power. Your role is to rise above the emotional level of the struggle, to rise above the problem and see your role in the solution. Feel, be clear about what you’re feeling, and remember that emotion is energy in motion. So keep moving.

Dear Friends:

Despite the joy brought by seeming birds of omen to an already exciting U.S. election process, the recent pair of eclipses has surely ruffled some feathers. Eclipses are anything but boring, and on the Aries Point they can be — to say the least — somewhat more edgy than usual.

Fortunately, the tide has begun once more to ebb, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief, dust off, shuffle our papers and get on with the adventure.

On Friday, Saturn helped begin this process by stationing retrograde in Sagittarius. Saturn is usually looked upon with some side-eye, as if cast as the mustache-twirling villain of astrology. Yet Saturn has a lot of benefits to offer if we choose to take them. In the present case, the planet of order and method bestows welcome stability, and gives you the opportunity to take this calm, peaceful energy within yourself.

In an ancient Egyptian prayer, the author describes hearing “the quiet, still voice of the gods.” This means being still and quiet enough to let the messages of the divine reach you.

Set aside a few minutes (at least) each day to embrace this gift of tranquillity; meditate, visualize or just sit in silence. This is a worthwhile exercise at any time; but at this moment it’s likely to prove an especially effective tool to help you get the most from your week.

With love,

Amy Elliott

Planet Waves Client Services

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may feel ready to move on a plan that you thought would take much longer to enact. Take the first steps that lead toward your vision, though stay flexible as to the long-range timing. Whatever you have going on, you don’t want to over-plan. Indeed, a strategy of minimal strategizing will leave you open to adapting to unforeseen changes in your environment. You want to proceed more like a dancer than like a train running down the tracks. One essential ingredient is leaving yourself open-minded enough for intuitive hunches to enter your thought process. This means listening to yourself, and keeping your mind updated with the latest observations. Meeting long-term objectives always happens as a result of many smaller steps, and it is those steps that need your attention now. Keep your eyes open and facing the future. Keep your facts and your mind in order.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — How to leave the past behind is a mystery for most people, but it can be done. I suggest reducing an element of the past you want to move on from to a token or souvenir. In other words, remember a little to forget a lot. It’s a way of saying, “Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt,” which you wear every now and then as a reminder. Taking the process of moving forward consciously also helps you maintain perspective and some context. It’s important to honor where you’ve been and who you were as a means of being aware that you’re no longer that person, and you don’t need to be. There’s something especially meaningful here on the subject of how you feel you’re perceived by the public, whatever that word means to you. Stay a few steps ahead of the crowd rather than playing to the crowd.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Do you take your own neurosis as a given? This is a word we don’t hear much any more, though it’s a helpful concept that means conflicting mental scripts. For example, imagine someone likes to stay up late, needs to wake up early and also needs their beauty rest. Those instructions-to-self are in conflict, and something needs to give. Most of the time we live with these things for years, though it makes as much sense as walking around with your shoes tied together. Notice the ways you may have desires or intentions that conflict with one another, and then sort out the appropriate action to take. Often these conflicts are subtle, but sometimes they are glaring if only one would look. Once you solve one or two of these riddles, you will gain a sense of accomplishment, and feel like you have some power to improve your life. Three of them would be a worthy goal for the week.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Drink water; look at pictures of water; visit a lake, stream or ocean; take a bath; and don’t forget to water the plants. You have a lot of fire in your chart this week, and water will help keep you in balance. Fire is important right now: you are reaching for some ambitious goals, and it’s fire that’s going to get you there. It would not, however, be helpful to burn out or to overextend yourself. The more you’re reaching for, the more balanced you must be. If you’re aspiring to concrete ambitions, remember general ideas such as being generous and empathetic. Every action must be backed by a deeper spiritual or humanitarian value. Your goal is never merely to succeed; it’s to succeed in a way that serves the greater good for all concerned. This is not always 100% possible, but right now you can come close.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Dare to allow yourself to be driven by a creative idea. This may show up as an impulse of some kind, or daring yourself to do something you really want to do for the pleasure of doing it. You will know you’re in range of a real idea when you say to yourself, “I’m not sure how this is going to come out, but I really want to try it.” One emotion that’s taken a beating in the Internet Age is passion. This is the exact opposite of being powdered and rehearsed, cool and smooth. Passion means connecting feeling and action. I suspect you have an idea good enough to persist with once the initial rush of desire and intention fade to your usual level of ambition. If you like what transpires from your first attempt, then consider committing to a longer experiment and notice how it develops, say, over the next month.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — What will it take for you to allow love into your life? It would help if you didn’t spend so much energy being angry at yourself, convincing yourself that you’re unworthy. That above all other factors makes it difficult for you to have the feeling that anyone cares about you or accepts you for who you are. While self-acceptance is a valuable exercise of its own, it’s important to understand the influences that shaped you to believe what you do about yourself. Only then can you decide that they were not accurate or true and have no part of your present-day self-assessment. There is also something about expectations showing up. Expectations are emotional habits that block and blind you to much greater possibilities. You will be happier if you allow people the space to be who they are, which will remind you to let yourself be who you are.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If you put something in writing, you can say anything and not worry about the effects. That’s because you have the power to revise and edit. I suggest you put a 24-hour delay between what you want to express to someone and the moment you push the ‘send’ button. This will allow you to get in touch with your feelings; in particular, your anger. The thing to remember is that your anger belongs to you. If you have a grievance with someone, it’s preferable that you take ownership of your feelings. There is more to this picture than meets the eye, and it will take some thought and reflection to figure out just what that is. It will, however, be worth your effort, because as I read your charts there is a gift beneath all the layers — understanding something surprising about what you want, and why you want it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You might think you need to make some important financial moves, and that is true. Much of the theme of 2016 for you is getting clear about your relationship to money. Remember, though, that money is an abstraction. It has no inherent value. It’s barely real, it’s a volatile form of energy, and way too much emphasis is placed on its supposed importance. The same astrology is reminding you to be true to who you are. Be true to your most deeply held values. You might feel uncertain about this, and it would be wise of you to consider your values as a question, riddle or mystery rather than something that’s set in stone. You are on an adventure of finding out what they are. I suggest you treat it that way, and honor the fact that you change as you grow, and different things become important to you. As Joni Mitchell said, “I’m not sure who I am but life is for learning.”

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Mars, the planet of motivation and desire, is doing something special in your chart: it’s about to be retrograde. This happens every two years, though rarely in Sagittarius. Yours is the sign of the spiritual quest. Often this is lived outwardly, as a passion for travel, curiosity about anything exotic and the love of all things mystical. But now your attention is being turned inward; your quest is about to become a true adventure into the mystery of who you are. Three themes are likely to arise. One is gaining an understanding of your desire nature. You will have the opportunity to make peace with what you really want. The second is getting clear about what you believe — or rather seeking a deep understanding of what is true for you. Finally, you will reach deep into your underlying motives, including discovering something about why you were born and why you chose to come to this particular planet.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Can you imagine life without fear? You do a lot of negotiating with that emotion, but really, it’s entirely non-negotiable. When fear seizes your mind, its grip is total, and it takes you out of control of your life. When you decide that fear is meaningless and is not going to influence you, you are powerful, which means free to make choices. I would propose a psychological exercise. If you feel paralyzed or as if you can’t decide something, trace that backwards into the fear that’s leading to your state of mind. There will always be a fear, but you will rarely articulate it — that’s why you have to go looking for it. Then do something bold: give your fear a voice. State what you’re afraid might happen in the worst-case scenario. Then ask yourself the chances of that really happening. You don’t have to be a slave to fear, though the only way out is clarity and courage.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — There is some irony in that you are born under the sign associated with groups, but you’re the person least concerned about whether you’re popular. Said another way, it’s natural for you to simply be who you are, and that has a way of getting results. The world could learn a few things from you about why, for example, it’s so ridiculous to be pretentious. Right now you’re at your individualistic best, though I see you on a mission. This is less about being you for its own sake and more about using your talent to get some important and lasting results. This process will go on through most of the year, so I suggest you take it slow and take the long view. Persistence will pay off, and — as I’ve been suggesting — your work really is about establishing something of lasting value. Here is a clue: figure out what people believe, and work with that rather than against it.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Venus is in your sign for another week or so, which means good times for Pisces. Take advantage of this astrology and go for what you want, without any delay. Be open with people. Allow your face to reflect your inner feelings. When you meet someone, proceed with the trust of a child. It’s true that there is plenty going on in your house of career and ambition, but let that take second place to the purely personal dimension. One thing your charts are suggesting strongly is that now is the time to claim what was yours in the past. Remember the gains you’ve made, remember who you’ve known and who you’ve loved, and even more importantly, remember what you’ve learned. Most of all, claim dominion over your own life. It is, after all, your life to live. Claim all of it as your own, which makes it yours to share, because that’s what you love to do.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Wednesday morning we have an eclipse of the Moon. This follows, by two weeks, a recent eclipse of the Sun. If everything is feeling a little more manic than usual — if time seems to be whipping by, people are coming and going from your life or if you’re suddenly making big decisions — think: eclipse.

Partial lunar eclipse over Colorado. Photo by Steven Bratman.

Eclipses represent turning points, or what you might think of as threshold moments — where you may transition from one phase of your life to the next.

You might be swept up in events, or you may consciously invoke changes. The idea is to keep making conscious decisions and to correct any errors you make as soon as you can.

Eclipses come with moments of what used to be called quickening (in older New Age parlance), where the energy speeds up, the molecules of existence have a little more room between them, and there is the potential to mix, blend and balance the flavors of your life.

If you’ve been feeling stuck or as if you need to groove on something new, now is the moment to get your energy moving. We have been repeating the refrain “act on your intentions” — this is the time to vote for yourself with what you do rather than what you think. I’m saying that the inherent difference between thought and action is more meaningful right now.

I’m also suggesting we’ve done plenty of thinking and it’s time to shake it up. Full Moons of any variety are great tools for resolving situations that have come to an impasse, and we have an excellent one on its way.

Today’s horoscope is a reading of the lunar eclipse chart.

Lovingly,

2016 Spring Reading by Eric Francis

Mars Retrograde in Sagittarius and Scorpio

Dear Friend and Reader:

I have an unusually exciting spring reading for you this year, something that feels like I’ve been waiting all my life to create.

Between April and June, Mars will be retrograde first in Sagittarius, and then in Scorpio. This brings together two signs that influence us all in profound ways. Mars represents desire, initiative, innovation and the drive to persist.

Valles Marineris on Mars, taken by Viking 1 in 1980.

Sagittarius describes our personal spiritual quest. It is the hunger to learn, to grow, to understand and to see the world from a perspective of meaning. Traveling in Sagittarius style is not tourism. It’s about a journey to the holy land, the promised land, the sacred ground.

As any such traveler knows, no matter where one goes, the quest is really about traversing an inner landscape. That’s the place in consciousness where we experiment with questions of faith, the higher self, and the quest for meaning and truth that is at the heart of any well-lived life.

It is fair to say that any conscious person has some true desire to experience Sagittarius in a real and direct way. It is the journey that we must take, no matter what. And with Mars, the most personal of planets, retrograde in that sign, this we will get to do — as an inner quest.

Mars will then make its way into the very first degrees of Sagittarius, and then it will enter Scorpio. This is one of the home signs of Mars, in its watery nocturnal expression.

Scorpio is the realm of the deepest human exchange. It’s the realm of bonding, of exchanging genetic material, of sexuality and of death and surrender. It’s also fair to say that any conscious (or even unconscious) person experiences Scorpio as a profound inner urgency — one that influences the most elemental aspects of life: relationships with others, with resources and with existence.

Read more…

New Planet Waves TV: Aries Equinox and an Eclipse in Libra

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You seem poised to make a discovery this week, but it’s something that you knew all along. So this is more about using your existing knowledge rather than gaining new knowledge. You might ask how or why it took you so long to figure out something that will seem so obvious, though the timing seems appropriate. One discovery appears to be about the value or condition of a relationship, which is likely to show its true colors. You may have had reasons not to acknowledge what you otherwise would have seen clearly. Another discovery may be an attachment, which can have way of blinding people to some deeper reality. Yet now you seem ready to see your life from a deeper place, and to acknowledge what is at the heart of the matter. Relationships rarely end; they just change forms, and you have plenty of influence in how the current transformation takes shape.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — It may seem that your whole life is about service to others, when what you really want to be doing is having a good time with friends, or at least doing your own creative thing. Yet whatever assistance you provide to others will in turn inspire you to reach for something unusual or beautiful you might not have tried otherwise. You might consider that service really is the essence of life, and that everything flows from it. In any event, it’s a useful organizing principle to live by, because we need to learn how to help one another, and to be helped. The deeper message involves keeping in mind the idea of a win-win situation. These are often spoken of but rarely sought out or committed to. If you look for the point of mutual benefit in every transaction you have with another person, you are sure to find it.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Are you somehow feeling left out of the action? Do you have this sensation that huge events are developing around you, and yet you can’t seem to connect? Have no fear. By which I mean that fear is a distraction from the perhaps-subtle information that’s coming, or from a point of contact that can immediately deal you into the game. Yet that point of contact may not necessarily come from someone who hands it to you; the greater lesson here seems to be about how you can make your own success. In that project you’re excellently situated because your words and ideas have extra influence right now. Therefore, I suggest you guide yourself out of survival mode, or any concept of existence that pits you against the world. Strive for communication, clear exchanges with others and, most of all, emphasizing a cooperative spirit in everything you do. More than anything, remember that your words and your ideas count.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — With Mercury about to move in your favor, be on the lookout for significant news of a career development this week. Yet don’t act too soon, because one development will follow another and you’ll need to take the sequence of events as one story rather than as unrelated developments. It’s just as necessary that you base any decisions on how you feel as much as on what promise the situation seems to hold. Fame and fortune are not everything; indeed, they can be a distraction from the real work. The ability to enhance your reputation or get your message out can be productive. It will be, as long as you remember that how you experience something internally, intuitively and emotionally must be the deciding factor for you. Attending to your inner needs, and your family relationships, will influence your future success more than anything else.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may feel unsure whether to worry yourself sick, or to declare that your life is headed in the best possible direction. When you have seemingly opposing or contradictory thoughts, it can help to let them stand face to face for a while. You have no need to resolve the seeming paradox, and you will learn plenty this week that helps you sort out the approach you want to be taking. If your source of anxiety involves a relationship, you might ask yourself whether your level of dependency is healthy or appropriate. You might also consider whether certain factors that seem to be set in stone really are negotiable. Yet you must be the one who sees the highest possible potential and actively seeks a solution that works for everyone. This is a creative act and, in your life, you are the source of that creativity. Therefore, be bold and take leadership.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — If you’re wondering what is the ‘thing of value’ in your current situation, particularly if it involves some contractual arrangement, consider that it is you. If you’re the goose that lays the golden eggs, it’s not the eggs that count. You don’t have to announce this to anyone you’re negotiating with, though it will help considerably if you know it in your heart and soul. Holding this knowledge close to you and with full awareness will help you see the whole scenario as it really is, which means acknowledging your influential role. It’s understandable enough if you have some anxiety attacks, though those look more like they are being driven by an abundance of emotional or creative energy rather than a shortage. You have what you need, and it will help if you remember that there is a trick to confidence: acting like you have it. You have the goods to back it up.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You may seem subject to many forces beyond your control. Yet life is rarely about control, and much more often about influence — and of that you have plenty. Remember this, should you find yourself in an edgy state of mind, or fretting over some perceived uncertainty. In any situation, ask yourself where you have some role to play, or somewhere you might interject an idea. Closer to the point, remember that the power of decision is your most important freedom in this world. You will feel better if you give yourself more choices, particularly where you saw only one before. The way you do that is by pausing, looking at the situation and asking yourself clearly, “what are my options here?” Then start listing things off, beginning with “do nothing,” and including every other possibility from the most sensible to the most outrageous. From among that selection you will see some clearly viable possibilities.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — There is plenty going on in the world and in your world, and you can think of lots of reasons to worry. Yet sometimes that’s the very best time to focus on the pleasures of life. I don’t mean mindless diversion. I mean emphasizing what you love the very most; what you’re the most passionate about; the experiences that lead you to feel the most complete. This would qualify as a way of keeping things positive, but there is more than that. Times of instability and uncertainty can be converted into the most productive, the most creatively lavish, and those where you experience the greatest breakthroughs. You need to keep your energy flowing in a constructive and creative direction, and everyone around you will benefit from your doing so. Your personal growth projects are all about sticking to what is the most important to you, and I would propose that this qualifies.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Do not be intimidated by the seeming complexity of your life. Emotionally you may feel like you have a few too many fish swimming around your inner aquarium, and you can’t keep their names straight; plus, they all have so much to say. However, there is a clear line of thought that will serve to guide you to where you want to be. There are priorities that stand out high above many other smaller concerns, and I suggest you identify those and focus on them. You have set some significant goals for yourself, and it’s clear that in order to accomplish them it will help to set aside less important activities. Be honest with yourself about what’s the most important to you, and about what you know you’ve set out to accomplish. Then don’t allow anyone or anything to get in the way. Focus, prioritize, achieve.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Whatever scenario or drama is unfolding in your professional life, you might consider it in the context of your early childhood. It seems like you may be confusing the power relationships you have with people today, with events when you were much younger and had far less influence over the course of your life. It’s easy to get caught in situations where people appear to have the power of your mother and father, but really they’re just your fellow humans. From the look of your chart, plenty of changes are in motion, and you might consider that there is no development that you cannot put to positive or creative use. But you have to see your opening and call the shot, and not wait for someone or something to act on you. You have the integrity and the foresight to stay several steps ahead of the game, and right now that counts for a lot.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — These days it may seem like you have so much to offer that you don’t know where to begin, nor have a clue what will be most acceptable or useful to others. You might consider doing less, with greater emphasis on quality. Ultimately you will bring all your talents into the work that you do, though you don’t need to emphasize or even mention them. You seem to have one special project that you’re working to get recognized or even get a foothold with. You are closer to that than you may think, and if you look carefully at what you’re doing, you will see signs of success. While you’re doing that, an unexpected event may point you in the direction of a method or pathway you had no idea existed. Yet it does exist, and the best thing you can do for yourself is keep your eyes open, focusing on the environment around you as you are focusing on your own idea.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Events around the time of the solar eclipse in your sign two weeks ago are now starting to show results. Things are building to a crescendo, but one thing is clear: your life is moving, and it’s moving in some interesting directions. Even though the Sun is now in Aries, there are many planets remaining in your sign. These represent personal resources that you can use for anything you want. You have every reason to be self-confident now; so, therefore, you can take those chances and opportunities that require self-esteem. Having faith in yourself does not mean you have a perfect life or are a ‘better’ person. What it means is that you have the courage to face the challenges that arise and to take the opportunities that you see. One topic that’s opening up now involves money. The planets are encouraging you to be as self-sufficient as possible. You don’t have to depend on others. You have what you need, or you can get it.

Dear Friend and Reader:

The Moon is now approaching first quarter phase, halfway between last week’s New Moon and next week’s Full Moon. However, the New Moon was a total solar eclipse in Pisces, and the coming Full Moon is a lunar eclipse.

Still from Dominic Alves’ CGI video sketch of the Infinity Mirrored Room by visionary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Speaking in practical terms, this is the moment to act on your intentions. It’s true that in our great, vast, creative universe, everything is possible all the time; though there are especially lavish moments, and the ability to see them is why we use astrology.

We could call out many themes from this pattern of eclipses (I have described the recent Pisces eclipse in this article).

The space between two eclipses is a moment when the physical world is particularly flexible, and subject to creative intentions. Eclipses are moments to both establish new patterns and release old ones. That’s what makes them especially fertile events.

We are building toward a Full Moon, which means you can hitch your wagon to that pony and pick up the momentum. Grab anything in motion while it’s within reach.

Your weekly horoscope is below.

Lovingly,

Miracle Hour Episode 6: The Illusion and the Reality of Love

Dear Friend and Listener:

In today’s edition of The Miracle Hour [play episode here], I look at Chapter 16 of ACIM, titled “The Forgiveness of Illusions.” Part IV, The Illusion and the Reality of Love, discusses the differences between love and hate, and their relationship to reality.

Miracle Hour is distributed weekly to the Pacifica Radio Network and is a project of Planet Waves FM. Music, as ever, is by Vision Quest. The program is 59 minutes.

Lovingly,

Pisces: Immersion in Vivid Potential

I absolutely love all of you at Planet Waves. Love the writing and information. Love how you make us think! Keep up the Great Work! Lifelong Fan & Customer! — Lois Dovico, Galaxy Pass Holder and Pisces

Dear Friend and Reader:

There is so much happening in Pisces right now that I added an extra section to your birthday reading. This is a series of four recordings, which look intimately at the themes that are likely to be arising in your life.

The seemingly bottomless Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize. Photo by Eric Pheterson.

In the first section, I do a kind of guided meditation and overview of what makes this turning point so distinctive. This is likely to be a moment of culmination of many years of effort, crisis or delay. I take the territory gently.

Oooooooh Eric, this is brilliant. Like you are in the room with me talking about the goings on in my life and psyche. — Ramona Thiessen

Then in the second section I cover the vast array of planets in Pisces. I give enough detail to make it interesting to those with astrological literacy, but never so much that someone not trained will lose the narrative. This covers personal and relational matters.

In the third section I focus on the 10th house — Sagittarius, which represents your professional aspirations. Saturn is making its once per 29 year visit to your career house. And Mars will soon be there. Finally, in the fourth section, I cover the Uranus-Eris conjunction — and then I do a tarot reading for you.

I know many people have said this and it’s a unique value and point of pride for Eric and Planet Waves, but I’ll say it again myself: this reading feels astonishingly like it was written absolutely personally for me. To a pretty miraculous extent. — Robyn Landis

Your reading is immediately available; you may sign up here for just $27.97. If you’re curious, you can now listen to the whole first segment at this link.

With love,

Forge photo by Kevin Wood.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you have the sensation that something unusual is brewing, or that you’re about to reach a major turning point in your life, you are correct. Yet you may not have a clue how brilliant a moment this can be, or how excellent an opening you have before you. The best way to prepare for this opportunity is to be aware of what you usually forget or brush aside. For example, make a list of all the patterns that seem to hold you in their grip, the ones you always say you want to change. The most important will involve relationships. I can sum up your three-month outlook as such: you seem to be growing larger than your relationships can contain. Either you must shrink (not really an option), your relationships must grow, or you must admit that they are outgrown. Growth — in ginormous leaps and bounds — is what’s happening. You and the world must take notice.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Your guiding planet Venus is now in one of its favorite spots, Pisces. Think back just a few years and consider how far you’ve come in a short time. Consider the options you now have open, and the gifts you’re able to give and receive. Some of them involve friends. Others involve supporting yourself doing what you truly love. If you don’t feel that way, be bold, and first admit what you want. Remember what you’re good at, and what you love. Then take the step of actually doing something about it. People are likely to be receptive now in ways they may not have seemed so before. Do not wait for opportunity to come knocking. You are the one who must push the door open and explore the new spaces of your life. Clue: start with the people who you know care about you the most.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — As someone once wrote, in the empire of the senses, you are the queen of all you survey. Therefore, take total responsibility for your destiny. As the captain of your own ship, you determine where you sail. As the CEO of your own life, you set your agenda and your mission. It’s true that this is the thing everyone dreams of doing, but that so few actually accomplish. You might ask yourself whom you would be betraying if you were to step up to the challenges of living and take control. Do not fear the jealousy of others, and brush off any resentment others may project at you — or that you fear others may be harboring. To really live takes courage. You must do for yourself everything that your parents did not do. Most of all, it’s necessary to stop waiting for some moment to arrive and decide that you have arrived in this very moment, ready to embrace your existence fully.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The astrology of the past few weeks, and of the foreseeable future, is encouraging you to let go of your old concept of what your life could be. A new vision is ready to throw its arms around you and welcome you. To accept that offering will require an act of faith. Or, said more accurately, you must inspire yourself with a daily expression of your faith in yourself, which involves being courageous in the face of what seems to be unknown. You actually know more than you think you do. You possess greater wisdom than you imagine as of yet, and the potential for accomplishment on another scale of reality than you are accustomed to. Practice taking a wide view of your life. Look from side to side instead of just straight ahead. Consider the possibility that everything you have learned so far has been preparation for a time in your life marked by truly beautiful achievements.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Keep simplifying your affairs. Remember what is really of actual value, which begins with companionship, a dry roof and food to eat. If you have that much, count yourself not just lucky but as extremely fortunate. You will send a message to the people closest to you about what really matters. Notions of commitment, abstract ideas about money, and people passing their burdens to you need to be seen as the irrelevancies they are. Simple means sticking to what is tangible. If you are happy, you have the power to be even happier. If you are in any way struggling or feeling burdened, you have the potential to get clear and make clear decisions. Give back to others what belongs to them. Take on only responsibilities that are truly your own. The concept of net worth is meaningless in comparison to the value of your soul, and what you have to offer the world.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It may take some time for the recent revelation about a relationship or partnership to sink in. But don’t let it take too long. You know everything you need to know, and you very likely know what you want to do. Only you can grant yourself the freedom of choice. Nobody will hand it to you; nobody can give you permission to live your life, except yourself. Ask yourself what you actually owe people; think this through a few times, and if necessary, pay up. It’s essential to remember that you are not responsible for the burdens or the karma of others — unless you choose to be. And in that choice you would need to be guided by a really good reason. It’s more than enough that you are wholly responsible for your own life. Most people never even get to that point of maturity. You have arrived.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — I would remind you yet again that your physical health and your emotional health are one and the same. Remember this for all your days, but especially remember it now. The feelings you feel have direct effects on your physical state of being. To get a handle on your physical health, you must begin with your emotional health — and that is now more tangible and accessible than it’s ever been. The main thing to address is resentment. If you’re holding onto past grievances, you might try letting them go and moving on. That’s where you will find the justice you seek; that is the only true correction. You might also ask yourself in earnest if you are doing the work that you really want to be doing. Your attitude toward not just your daily activity but also your work environment is one of the most important ingredients that factor into your emotional wellbeing.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The Sun and many other planets moving through your fellow water sign Pisces are reminding you that this is one of the most creative moments in recent memory. Yet passion, an eye for beauty and a sense of what you might bring into being all depend on your being open to experience and flexible in your opinions. That may be easier said than done, though being motivated will help a lot. You have many new experiences enticing you to open up, relax and go with the flow of existence. To paraphrase Shakespeare, far more is possible than you ever dreamed of, and you are more creative than you ever imagined. To tap into all this potential, you merely need to get out of your own way, and be willing to take a few chances on yourself. The odds are stacked strongly in your favor.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Mars is now in your sign, and is having two effects. One is to motivate you, and to put a little extra thrust in your rockets. The other seems to be stirring up some family baggage that is so old you’d assumed it would be around forever. In asserting your will over your own life — in short, by doing what you want — you are making great strides toward healing this lingering issue. You know you’re on the right track when you feel like you’re transgressing someone else’s boundary when you live your life, your way. Just in case you need to be reminded, it’s nobody’s role to set the limits on your bliss. If you had your own mind to make up about this — and you do — you would set no limits at all. Yet to step out of those past patterns and the emotional residue in your family pool, you must be bold, courageous and determined. Good thing you already are.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may have so much going through your mind that you have no idea what you want, what you believe or what to do next. Thankfully this is a problem of abundance rather than lack. However, I don’t think it’s so strange or mysterious what you really want and need to do. It’s the thing that you’re passionate about, but which you’re afraid is going to upset some applecart. You might ask yourself what role guilt plays in your life and, closer to the main idea, where guilt comes from. This may be the single greatest spiritual and psychological question of our time in history. Do you really need some internal governing device to keep you in line? Do you need to meet any standard of ‘good’, particularly if it’s at the direct expense of being real? What is the worst thing that could happen if you make some honest decisions? Make peace with that and you’ll set yourself free.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You have so much to offer, people are wondering where you get it all. Yet do you really feel this way? Your solar chart is reminding you that the more you give, the more you will feel like you have. If you go to a show and love it, and afterward you meet the musician, try buying all of the artist’s CDs instead of just one. We’re not talking about a lot of money, but it will make a difference in the life of that artist, and you will feel wealthy enough to make that real. You can do this many ways and stay within your means. The same is true with your talents. Many people have the idea that they establish the value of their talent by how much they charge. I would propose that you will experience the priceless quality of what you offer the world by actually doing it. As my mom used to say, make yourself useful.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Venus, the planet of love, abundance and attraction, has joined the impressive lineup of planets in your sign (more than nine in all). This is adding what, for you, is the essential ingredient in your life, and I suggest you milk this moment for all it’s worth. Once you know what you want, it will be easy to seek it out, or to draw it to you. Here is the catch: When you get what you want, be grateful for what the universe is offering, rather than resentful. For example you might think, “I wish I’d had this before.” Yet that would be missing the point entirely. Instead, try something like, “I’m so happy this (experience, person, object) has come into my life, and if I feel good in receiving it, I’ll draw more to me and be even happier.” A way to say this simply is that you’re responsible for all the good that you draw to you.

Stay tuned to Planet Waves for special coverage of the solar eclipse this week. I’m planning to dust off Planet Waves TV, and will have a special edition of Planet Waves FM that we release a little earlier in the day Tuesday.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Tuesday’s total solar eclipse in Pisces is far beyond the ordinary: for an eclipse or any other astrological event. It’s a centerpiece of what is by any measure a truly extraordinary time, and much of what’s so, well, now about now involves Pisces.

Mediterranean Sea, from a series called Daybreak in the Path of Annularity, in Valencia, Spain, 2005. Photo by Eric Francis.

By now I mean all of 2016 and well into 2017, the first new epoch after what I’ve been calling the 2012 era, that being 2011 to 2015. Notice the palpable change of feeling tone, the sense of unpredictability, the sense of uncertainty, the lack of any tangible grounding.

Eight years of Pluto in Capricorn has been like living in an earthquake zone, especially as Uranus in Aries has squared it seven times. To that we add living on a flood plain with a tsunami rolling in every week or so. But now, despite the seeming chaos (which is really change), a new kind of focus is available. Things that seemed utterly impossible are now within reach. It’s no longer necessary to be driven madly in some direction, disconnected from purpose; indeed, purpose and action are now right within reach.

For Tuesday’s eclipse, many planets are gathered in Pisces, including Mercury, Neptune, Chiron, the South Node of the Moon, the Moon itself, and the Sun. There are also lesser-known planets that I’ve been writing about: centaur Nessus, Borasisi and Manwe in the Kuiper Belt, and an asteroid called Memoria.

It’s genuinely noteworthy that we are having all of this happen in Pisces with Neptune, the modern planet associated with this sign, right there. It’s like Pisces itself is working at triple strength. The result is oceanic, vast and encompassing every dimension of life.

What is happening now is a sea-change that is more than just the daily turning of the tide. It seems to be referencing a phase of history that takes us back more than a generation. An ideology that has driven American society and indeed been an undercurrent in British and European culture has begun to dissolve. We are seeing it before our eyes. And the same astrology that is describing this series of events is also illustrating a quickening of the energy in our own lives.

There are people for whom this is just too much: too much change, pressure, confusion, chaos. There are people struggling, people lost in uncertainty, and some who feel like they are drowning. Even if you’re doing pretty well, you have many days when you feel overwhelmed, because that’s how life is right now.

If you’re one of those folks who is really struggling, I suggest a few things. You might not need to tune out more; you might need to tune in more. That could start with tuning into yourself. All water is connected; and if you have a bathtub, you might fill it up, add some salt and slip in and feel the vibes.

Avoiding all the bad news of the world has a way of being its own trap. I think that it’s essential to have some point of contact, some one issue you follow and understand. And/or, you might try opening up your aperture a little and allowing in more of something — music, art, conversation, ideas, an orgasm or three. If you are a practitioner of any sort of art, dive in.

“Golden Spiral Hearts” by Swingjingle.

We are talking about water energy here, and water is about going with the flow. It’s also about riding with the wind, and keeping your hand on the rudder. It’s better to direct movement consciously, but remember that here in the deep element, you move differently; it takes less energy to assert a change in direction effectively.

It takes a heck of a lot of energy to go against the tide.

For those who are riding this energy like the crest of a wave, I suggest following an idea given to me by a surfer one day when I was on the beach in Portland, Maine: Look where you want to be. When you’re riding that wave, fix your eyes on your destination, and your movements combined with those of the wave will deliver you there.

This is astrology that calls for some solitary time, some inner inquiry and opening up of your introspective senses. Pisces delivers most of its information from within. There are several planets delivering vital themes in this eclipse. Borasisi is urging us to come out of denial. Chiron is also a specialist in this particular art.

Yet the planet of any sort — in this case an asteroid — that’s the closest to the exact eclipse is called Memoria. One thing I’ve noticed as the Internet Age as progressed is that while more information and more facts are available, it’s as if a kind of amnesia has set in. I know that Americans in particular have a lot of things they would rather forget about the past 20 years.

The message of this chart is that it’s time to remember. Remember what? Start with the obvious. Start with what you’re prefer to forget. But there is more, which is about remembering something of profound importance to you.

A solar eclipse in Pisces is the perfect image of an unveiling. The combination of factors now developing has the sensation of pulling back a curtain or a scrim. It’s as if something is about to be revealed. Please pay attention.

Your horoscope for the week is below.

Lovingly,

Miracle Hour Episode 5: Mind and Spirit: Clarification of Terms

Today’s edition of The Miracle Hour covers the theme of mind and spirit. Haven’t you ever sat around wondering what the difference is, and pondering whether it was your mind or your spirit that was trying to figure it out? This edition looks at the “clarification of terms” located at the back of the Manual for Teachers, and explores this interesting theme. Miracle Hour is distributed weekly to the Pacifica Radio Network and is a project of Planet Waves FM.

Are you born with your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Pisces?

Hello and welcome to our incredible Pisces moment. Last week I completed the reading for Pisces. There is so much happening in Pisces right now that I added an extra section. This is a series of four recordings, which look intimately at the themes that are likely to be arising in your life.

In the first section, I do a kind of guided meditation and overview of what makes this turning point so distinctive. This is likely to be a moment of culmination of many years of effort, crisis or delay. I take the territory gently. For the first half-hour session, I barely mention astrology.

Then in the second section I cover the vast array of planets in Pisces. I give enough detail to make it interesting to those with astrological literacy, but never so much that someone not trained will lose the narrative. This covers personal and relational matters.

In the third section I focus on the 10th house — Sagittarius, which represents your professional aspirations. Saturn is making its once per 29 year visit to your career house. And Mars will soon be there, stationing retrograde and working its way back into Scorpio.

Finally in the fourth section, I cover one astrology afterthought: the Uranus-Eris conjunction — and then I do a tarot reading for you.

You can binge listen, or listen to one section per night. You can download this and play it in your car or riding the bus or train. You can play it as you fall asleep and allow it to work on a deeper level. This is relevant, clear-headed and thoughtful astrology, accompanied by brand new music composed and performed by Gregory Schofield.

You will be very happy to have this information and point of view, to help you focus your efforts, heal your relationships, update your files and do whatever beautiful thing you’re wanting to do.

You may sign up here for just $27.97. By the way — there will be a Pisces conference call wherein you can speak with me personally, as I’ve had several requests. That will be included. Thank you for your participation in Planet Waves, and for trusting me as your astrologer.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Remember what you’ve learned the past few months because it will come in handy. You may feel set free from an emotional entanglement, which is offering you a sense of what freedom the future holds. Yet you need to be mindful all the time, and make sure that you don’t recreate scenarios of the kind that you know are no longer right for you. I suggest you feel the wider, brighter, lighter space that you’ve entered — that is, notice how good it is to have room to be yourself and to make some long overdue decisions. While you’re doing this, be mindful of situations that remind you of the past you’ve evolved from. Listen carefully and respond to new messages and new ideas with your full awareness and attention. The future does not just happen. You stretch into it and work it until it fits beautifully.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Keep your focus. It will be easy to feel mentally overwhelmed or to let your imagination run away with your mind. You have a lot happening right now, though only a few items on your agenda are of real importance. Therefore, think your thoughts, rather than letting them think you. Orient yourself on specific goals and objectives rather than on abstract concepts of what you want or what you’re supposed to do. Work from a plan, even if it’s something you sketch out in 10 words and a diagram on the back of an envelope. Whatever you may do, whatever your talent is, you would be wise to stick to your personal truth and to avoid playing to your audience. If you’re true to yourself, you will make the impression on others that you want. Remember, the success you’re seeking is not about perfection; it’s about being real.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Avoid power struggles at all costs this week. To do that, say little, and listen with rapt attention to what people around you are talking about — especially those in authority. Statements you make can be taken the wrong way, or push emotional buttons in others that you didn’t know existed. Save yourself the trouble, and keep your options open. Listening to people and actually hearing them will help you map out the psychology of your environment. Many changes are going on around you; and once you get the lay of the land, it will be easier for you to see your role, and to plan your timing and your moves. Those opportunities will come, sooner than you may think. You have the feeling something is in the air. Keep your sixth sense tuned in, and wait quietly like a kitty cat for the right moment to pounce.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Think of this time in your life as a setup for developments in the mid- to long-range future. Plenty is happening, and you undoubtedly feel the sense of movement. Yet it’s essential that you take the long view, and work with a larger sense of scale than you’re accustomed to. The potential you feel is real. The diversity of your talents is authentic and rare indeed. Forget that the world is obsessed with results that it wants yesterday. Keep your perspective and remember that the thing you need the most now is good information. Let everything you learn, discover and observe factor into how you shape your concept of the future. You may not know how everything will manifest, or how your ideas will translate into reality; but the more you learn and focus on learning, the more clearly you will be able to see your opportunities.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Proceed with caution on financial issues this week. Don’t let anyone rush you into anything you’re uncertain of, or don’t understand well enough to explain clearly. Any nagging hint of doubt you may feel is worth listening to, and indicates there is some missing information. Few things of any real importance cannot wait a week or two. No person of any real significance would fail to respond to your need for clarity, especially if they are expecting you to make a commitment of any kind. If someone makes the case that you could lose an opportunity, you can be sure it’s not an opportunity you would want, anyway. If you’re looking for a real margin of safety that will help you get to the bottom of things, what you learn around the time of the Full Moon eclipse of March 23 will be golden.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — There’s a lot happening in your environment. It may be confusing and you may wonder what your role is supposed to be. Here’s what the planets are suggesting. Your presence is providing a balancing influence. You don’t need to say anything or do anything; merely being in your environment is helping to keep things stable. The less you do the better, and you don’t need to say much, either. Yet because you have what may be described as the most objective point of view of anyone involved, when you do offer your views or your opinion, it will be taken as a kind of oracle. That said, let people go through what they need to, in order to figure out that they really would benefit from the ideas of someone with a clear, intelligent mind. From this experience you are likely to discover a true gift you possess.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Your chart is the picture of where mind meets body. This is one way to understand your sensitivity, and it will help you access your deepest gifts. When you feel something, or think something, your body responds, and it can be profound. When you take care of your body and your environment, and when you make sure that you’re feeling good, your life changes dependably and you’re at your best. Now is the time to work this with relationships. The next couple of weeks present an opportunity to clear negativity from your life, take steps to feel better, and as a result, step into a lavishly productive and creative time. Cleaning your living and working space counts for double right now. Stretching out, drinking water and eating good food count for triple. Indulging art in any form gets quadruple life-improvement credit. Feeling good is a habit, and it’s calling you now.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — This is an abundantly inspired and erotic moment for you, though it’s stretching all your boundaries, your limits and what you think of as your potential. Take the ride, and take it as far as you can. Whatever uneasy sense of risk you may be feeling will be replaced by a sense of quest and adventure, something you’ve often said you live for. The difference between the way you’ve lived until now and the way you can live beginning right now involves making flow and flexibility your most readily available modes. Where you feel stiff is the place to lean into. Where you feel frozen is what you want to melt. Existence is moved forward by the feeling of yes, and saying yes to yourself. The brainwashing of no, no, no has been pumped into our minds for decades now, but nothing of value was ever created that way.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Pace yourself. Some things you want to do can happen fast. Others can and must take time. You need the wisdom to know the difference. When in doubt, avoid acting on emotional impulse. Said another way, the best thing you can do right now is to understand your motives. This will not take 10 years in psychoanalysis. Know when you’re motivated by desire, by a creative impulse, by anger or by wanting to make something right. If you can keep those motives sorted out, you will have more energy and find yourself in less conflict. You seem to be keeping your most important goals in sight; you know you’re going somewhere. The theme of the next few weeks will be tending to your inner needs and your emotional wellbeing. More than you need to accomplish something in the future, you need to resolve something from the past.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Friendship is more than a concept. It’s something that you demonstrate. When someone is your friend, you’re willing to go out of your way or inconvenience yourself. I suggest you translate your feelings into action any chance you get. The point is not reciprocation; in fact, that expectation has a way of detracting from the experience of demonstrating your loyalty just because you feel like it. I suggest you make a project of extending this to whatever you think of as your immediate community. Some of that will be physical and some will be in the online world. Make yourself a resource. Be strong for the people you care about, and understand their needs. Then be patient and notice who responds to you, who expresses gratitude, who offers you what they have. Let your mantra be, “Act as if to hold the world together.”

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may be tempted to avoid your feelings or to translate everything into an idea, though you would be missing the beauty of the moment. You don’t need to analyze or even ask the question ‘why’. Rather, tune into your senses and see what they tell you. This is the best way to get your priorities in order, which itself is one of your highest priorities right now. Using your senses and your feelings will at least help you decide what you’re not interested in at all, and what actually does mean something to you. Once you have everything that you know is irrelevant out of the way, then a little mindfulness and time management will help you refine your order of operations. One message is coming from your current solar chart: there may be something of genuine significance that you need to remember. You’ll recognize it immediately.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — On Tuesday, March 8, there is a total solar eclipse in your birth sign. These are rare, happening perhaps once or twice every decade. They tend to be ‘before and after’ moments: that is, in retrospect, you were living one kind of life before an eclipse, and another kind of life in the months and years after. Now would be an excellent time to tune in and make some adjustments. How would you characterize your existence for the past few years, or for however long it’s been the way it is now? What do you want to change? Then, imagine your life the way that you want it to be. What is it that you want, what do you need, and most significantly, what is your vision for yourself? How does your life actually look, and feel, when it’s the life that you want? Be bold, and be clear. Keep your vision in mind, so you can make the decisions that will lead you there, one choice at a time.

Dear Friend and Reader:

We’re in the midst of one of the most full-on Pisces alignments so far this century. Planets are rapidly gathering in the last sign of the zodiac, the one that people don’t necessarily recognize is their favorite.

Fractal with Teal Waves, by Dev Moore.

Whatever you may think of Pisces people, the subjects of Pisces include music, movies, romance, fantasies, your favorite beverages, photography and your favorite art. What’s not to love?

For the next few weeks, everyone is an honorary Pisces, especially with the Sun close to the Pisces-related planet Neptune right now. This is opening up what you might call the ‘psychic field’ and we’re all being invited to tune into the sixth sense, to notice beauty and to feel some of the comfort of being in a body.

Indulge in the pleasures of your choice. Use your imagination; it’s longing for your attention. Take some time away from the grind, even if it’s just a few hours. Pisces energy tends to put people in a good mood, and the world is a little softer.

The currents in the direction of the ocean of the zodiac are growing stronger. Soon Mercury will enter Pisces, and then the Moon, and there will be a total eclipse of the Sun. The eclipse won’t be visible in North America, though it will have its effect on the energetic level.

Here’s my reading: Trade things that are not true for ones that are. Give up some form of deception, in exchange for some form of revelation. Look at the inner reality of things and make your decision based on how you really feel, rather than what’s expected of you.

Your horoscope for the week is below.

Lovingly,

Miracle Hour Episode 4: Everyone Teaches, All the Time

In today’s edition of The Miracle Hour [play episode here], I provide an introduction to the teacher’s manual in A Course In Miracles. Here is an excerpt from the opening passage of that document:

The purpose of the course might be said to provide you with a means of choosing what you want to teach on the basis of what you want to learn. You cannot give to someone else, but only to yourself, and this you learn through teaching. Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what you believe.

Music is by Vision Quest. The program is 59 minutes.

Here is the interview with Kenneth Wapnik that I linked to last week — it’s so good that I felt compelled to share it again. Note that even Wapnik does not endorse uncritical acceptance of the text.

How Do You Read These Things, Anyway?

That is the question, isn’t it? No matter how many books about the tarot you read, that does not assure being able to read them. Then people who have never read a book can come up with amazing interpretations.

The tarot is a visual language. But reading the cards is a ritual, whether you’re doing it for yourself or for someone else. In my first online tarot class, this coming Saturday, I will introduce that ritual and how to work with it. Information is being conveyed long before the first card is read. Merely sitting with the client begins to address their question; if you’re working alone, the choice to make an inquiry begins to invoke the response you need.

This class will cover three main topics: one is the setup, which we call “divination.” That’s the ritual of considering what you want to know, and of making the space to get your response.

Second, we will learn a method for understanding a card. We will compare several of the same cards from different decks, and learn the visual language of the tarot. This will be applicable to any deck.

Last, we will learn how to read the cards in the context of one another. This is the real art of interpreting. You bounce the cards off of one another and get new ideas. This is the thing I’ve never seen covered in a book.

The class will be three hours, from noon EST to 3pm EST on Saturday, March 5. Access will be by teleseminar. It’s easy to use; you can dial in, use Skype or listen from a website.

Materials will be distributed by email. This is important — if you plan to participate, please be attentive to your email so you get the materials in good time.

Then we will have an email list discussion that goes on for as long as people are interested in participating.

The class will be available for review as a recording, and will also include a one-hour interview with Sarah Taylor, the Planet Waves tarot writer, on the subject of how to handle sensitive material about sex and relationships using the tarot.

I look forward to seeing you there! Here is the link to sign up.

Moon jellyfish photo by Alexander Vasenin.

For Pisces, an Excellent Time to Know Your Astrology

The Sun is now in Pisces, and if you’re born with this as your Sun or rising sign, this is an excellent time to check in with your astrology. I was born with the Sun in Pisces, and I’ve been reading charts a long time — and this year’s Pisces charts are impressive on a lifetime scale.

That’s quite a cluster you have there. Chart section of the forthcoming solar eclipse in Pisces, showing Venus in late Aquarius; then (in order) Nessus, Mercury, Neptune, the Moon, the Sun, Chiron, the South Node, and then Uranus and Eris in Aries. When the South Node (the orange horseshoe) or its opposite is close to a New or Full Moon, that means it’s eclipse time.

Said simply, this is a potentially brilliant moment for you, one where you can make up for lost time, retrieve things from your past, and clear old goals out of the way.

All those planets with the little pink Pisces glyph next to them are in your sign or rising sign, or will be any moment now.

They include fast-movers like Mercury, the Moon and the Sun; as well as slow movers that set the feeling tone of a generation or era in history: Neptune, Nessus, Chiron and several others not shown here.

At the center of this alignment is a total solar eclipse in Pisces, on March 8.

Eclipses translate to acceleration, concentration of events, and a sense of being transported from one place in your life to another. You might say eclipses are before and after moments.

Yet how you think of “before” is vital, as is the way you think of where you want to be, where you’re going and who you are becoming. Eclipses are magnifiers of experience. They set patterns.

So that miraculous effect of taking you somewhere else is dependent on how you think of where you are now. Said another way, to get anywhere you must start from your present location — and that includes how you feel about that place.

This eclipse is conjunct Chiron, the planet of awareness, healing and teaching. Chiron has been in your sign since 2010; though this event is a kind of checkpoint, which will help you see your progress and show you how much remains on your current agenda of wholeness, personhood and spiritual growth.

Before this event, I’ll be recording your Pisces reading. This is your solar return or birthday reading for Pisces Sun, and a rising sign reading for Pisces rising (similar to how natal charts are read).

Bringing two decades of work on Chiron to the reading, I will help clarify the healing themes of this planet, as they influence you today. Chiron’s presence is distinctive in one’s life, and it helps to have experienced information available. Chiron transits are some of the most meaningful and helpful a person can experience, ever.

I’ll be doing your reading before the eclipse, so you have it to work with, for the purpose of setting intentions. Think of this reading as a one-hour meditation on your life, complete with custom music. Then I’ll add a half-hour tarot reading that looks at the themes from another viewpoint.

You can get your reading now for just $19.97 — an hour of astrology, half an hour of tarot, Pisces music and additional resources.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you’re feeling anxiety, especially at night, you can rest easier. While the pressure you’re experiencing isn’t quite imaginary, your causes for concern are not as real as they seem. You need an emotional vent, or some way to let off psychic pressure. Dancing would work well, where you can break a sweat, flood your senses and get your mind out of the mental realm. Anything where you experience physical and emotional passion but without emotional entanglement would be perfect. That said, there are many factors calling you inward — toward the world of your deepest feelings, your dreams and your imagination. The more you honor that subtle space, the better you will feel. Your dreams may be especially revealing now, describing your concerns, your desires and your understanding of your life in symbolic form. Do not be intimidated. Watch the movie and notice how you feel.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Keep your focus on your actual goals — the ones you keep coming back to consistently. It will be easy to get distracted, whether by social invitations, the opinions of your friends or a world around you that has never been a more extravagant entertainment center. By all means have fun. Yet don’t sacrifice what seems to be a vital, and beautiful, mission that you’re on. You are in a position of leadership, which means keeping your focus, setting daily goals and most of all being the person who is deciding on points of strategy. Others may insist they know more than you, or that their agenda is more important than yours. I would call that distraction. You possess a plan to get yourself from where you are now to where you want to be. Others are depending on your clarity and devotion to intelligence.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Personal development is usually a quantum process. You might work for a long time, focusing on issues, guiding yourself toward important goals, and nothing special happens. Then all of a sudden everything happens at once. You feel yourself advance both emotionally and in worldly affairs. Multiple opportunities emerge at the same time. That’s what your charts look like now. You will need to prioritize. You will need to make choices. Yet that’s not really about what to give up or delay. If you are observant, you will find ways to combine your goals, your talents and your ideas such that you can accomplish several things in one gesture. Look for the opportunities that demand the most of your talents and present the greatest challenges. Select an occasion that you have no choice but to rise to. And when you do, that will feel like success.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — What exactly does it mean to plan? I would say that it’s a process of envisioning. If you can imagine yourself going somewhere, or doing something, or meeting someone, you can describe it into existence. Your solar chart is particularly creative in that way now. The imagery that your mind conjures has a particularly fertile quality now. It’s so potent that you might pause and watch what your thoughts are showing you about your own potential. Don’t worry about the practicalities of how you might make something happen. That’s not the point at all. This experience is more about seeing the impossible and taking the hint that it might be real. Experiment with feeling the reality of what you want to become or where you want to be. If you want to go to Vienna, imagine yourself strolling around there.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Does strategy have a place in relationships? Usually it’s a sign of someone wanting to control the flow of events. Planning and creating the setups for things to happen can be a signal that you feel like you have no power. Yet there’s a deeper layer to this, which is about everyone having their agenda out on the table. If you or someone close to you says you don’t have an agenda, that would be the first misunderstanding. Your agenda is what you want to happen. I suggest you be familiar with just what that is. And if you notice that you don’t fully understand someone else’s agenda, this would be an excellent time to ask about it. Events over the next two weeks will have the quality of signing you up for a new plan that will last for months to come. Make sure this is 100% fully conscious.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — See your part in everything. Notice your influence and feel the way that you affect people and events around you, whether in subtle or obvious ways. If you are observant, you may be surprised at the influence you have. Also notice how your environment influences you. You might be doing a lot of processing for people around you: feeling for them, thinking for them, or in some way taking on their responsibilities. This is often a role you play, though it’s especially potent right now. You may want to set some boundaries. Choose with awareness what you’re willing to take on. Decide if something is too much for you. Don’t be afraid to suggest that someone think through the issue on their own. You have your own plans and your own desires. Save some of your bandwidth for yourself.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Keep the conversation moving. You have a lot to say, as do the people around you. This is not about gossip in any form, but rather diving into actual ideas. The effect of the group mind, in its best expression, is at full strength right now. Yet you are the one who will guide things to the next level, which is the actual physical world. You know you’re on the earthly plane of reality when you have to do something with your body, such as make something, go somewhere, or physically do something. If an idea seems like it would be fun, helpful or in some way interesting, take the step and test it out. Skip the part about anything being in the future, and try it right now, or on the very next available day. See who brings their body and shows up with you — that’s the one sure sign of commitment.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Keep your cool. What may seem like an offense, some urgent matter or a wildly pressing need will have faded into obscurity by the end of the day. Therefore, use your ninja psychological skills and direct your mind to think about what you want; then give yourself some of it. You aren’t helping yourself, or anyone, by being rigid or demanding. You’ll have the most positive influence on your own life and on your environment by flowing with the tides of life and choosing to have fun. Imagine how great your life would be if you had nobody to impress, if you didn’t care about your image or what people think of you, and if you lived in the way that feels best rather than ‘right’. That’s what you have open to you in this truly creative, spiritual and — best of all — sexually rich time in your life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Let your emotions inspire rather than drain you. You are feeling a lot, and it will be easy to get overwhelmed. Think of yourself as the sailor who stays on the boat rather than falling into the water. Certain family or household matters may be giving you the feeling that you’re going to go overboard, though that’s not necessary. Allow the facts to come out. Notice the way that many different scenarios add up to one environment that’s affecting you. If you commit yourself to truth, by which I mean accepting what is so, you will see the ways in which certain other people are in denial; and you’ll see how others are more interested in the actual facts and what is truly relevant rather than what pushes their buttons or those of others. How you feel is the most important feedback you have at any time.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your ideas are not as controversial as you may think. That works at least two ways. You don’t need to worry about how shocking you are to mainstream sensibilities. It’s unlikely anyone will think you’re going off the rails or have lost your mind. Which leads to the other side of the equation: you can afford to invest yourself in something edgier, something that stretches your capacity to learn and grow. You can afford to take greater risks than you’re taking, especially in your ideas and your creative process. It will help if you don’t obsess over what’s appropriate, or how others might perceive you. That’s a trap. Nothing worth much of anything is acceptable in the moment it’s thought up or proposed; that’s the whole idea of change and progress. You might even strive to be unacceptable or outrageous, as long as you’re being true to yourself.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You seem to be in some kind of mind/body dilemma. Something that seems as if it might be fun or productive in theory might appear too strange to do in reality. One theme of our times is that certain activities are best left for the Internet. Yet the theme of getting physically involved in one’s own life is raining from the sky right now, though it’s especially strong for Aquarius this week. You don’t want pictures of water; you want the real thing. Rather than video games, you might try an actual round of backgammon, chess or kicking a soccer ball. Rather than the fantasy or video of that intriguing thing, you might figure out how to actually have it happen, sooner rather than later. Tell the universe what you want and what you want to do by in fact indulging yourself in that very thing.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — In about one week, there is a total eclipse of the Sun in your sign. This is a real moment of transition for you. Vast energy is moving — many planets are gathering in your sign for the occasion. You have your options wide open right now. It’s always good to know that in advance, so you can scope out the possibilities. I would say that anything is viable right now, more so than usual. Part of what you need to access that potential is to get outdated ideas out of the way. This includes plans you’re no longer interested in, goals that no longer match your values, and most of all, ideas about yourself that are no longer true. When you discover these things, be consciously willing to let them go. Liberate yourself from the past and point your heart and soul toward the future.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Today is the Full Moon in Virgo. (It’s exact Monday, Feb. 22 at 1:20 pm EST / 9:20 am PST / 18:20 UTC.)

What opportunities will this Full Moon bring you? Photo by Mr Seb.

Think of the Full Moon as a peak of energy, like a wave coming to its crest. You may feel energized by this astrology, and many people tend to get a bit of insomnia when the Moon is full — a throwback to when the bright nights were the time of the hunt.

In a modern context, the Full Moon has some exciting properties. One of them is that it helps resolve conflicts, or deadlocked situations. The key to using this quality is by gently — very gently — guiding things in the direction you want them to go, and then letting the momentum help you get to where you want to be.

For that to work, you need to know what you want. You need to identify the things you want to resolve or work out; and, rather than pushing toward a goal, look for an opportunity to get there.

Today’s Full Moon in Virgo makes many oppositions to planets in Pisces. You could have a series of unusual encounters with people today and through the week. There’s a hint of mystery to this, where the purpose of the meeting might not be obvious right away. Let the story unfold; let people reveal their secrets to you.

There’s one other thing. Someone you meet might hold the key to a deep inner question you have, or an emotional challenge that has seemed impossible to work out. It might involve needing to know how to forgive yourself, and to be more approving of yourself. Listen carefully to what people say about how they relate to themselves, and how they untangle the knots to get themselves to a more loving place.

Your horoscope for the week is below. It’s based on the Virgo Full Moon.

Lovingly,

PS — The Sun is in Pisces and the Moon is in Virgo. For Goddess fans out there, here’s an article on Virgo, Gaia and agriculture, making reference to Esoteric Astrology by Alice Bailey.

Moon jellyfish photo by Alexander Vasenin.

ATTENTION PISCES! The Sun is in your sign, which means your 2016-17 birthday reading is now available for pre-order. You can get that here.

Miracle Hour Episode 3: Nothing I See Means Anything

We’ve just posted the third edition of The Miracle Hour, a weekly program that I’m doing for the Pacifica Radio Network.

This edition is an introduction to the Course in Miracles workbook. I describe the basic purpose of the workbook, take you through the first 14 lessons, and give some ideas about how they work. I also read a piece of poetry called At This Point from a 1989 volume titled 313.

Music is by Vision Quest. The program is 59 minutes.

The Soul, Wisdom and Mastery, from the Charlie Lemay tarot. Charlie will be joining us in the class.

On Saturday, March 5, I’ll be holding a live three-hour class, Introduction to Tarot and Divination. In this all-level class, I will convey three basic concepts. First, how Tarot is a subset of divination in general. Second, we will learn how to read a card visually; I do this by comparing three different decks: Charlie Lemay, Rider-Waite, and Crowley’s Thoth deck. Third, we will learn how to read the cards in context of one another, which is the key to getting the whole message. You may sign up for the class here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You seem to have figured out once again that your worst fears are not true. Yet have you noticed how much creative energy that fear consumes? It might help to look from the other direction — when you’re at your best, when you’re accomplishing the most and relating to the people you care about, there’s no anxiety involved. The solution to the riddle of fear is being conscious about what you do with your creative energy, and keeping it positive. Engage your mind with thoughts of what you want rather than what you don’t want. Focusing on something is like watering a plant. If you choose what thoughts you want to grow and give them attention, that’s what you will nourish. If your thoughts go astray, gently guide yourself back to where you want to be. Remember: you have the power to choose.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Now is the time to put what you’re doing in front of an audience. Show the world the best of what you have to offer, in whatever you’re doing. If you want to advance your career, you’ve got a fantastic opening to make your reputation known. I suggest, however, that you keep this on the human level. If you’re looking for a better opportunity, do everything you can in person rather than online. Work through people you know. If someone can’t help you, ask if they know someone who can, and follow the web of human connection. Making a phone call is closer to ‘in person’ than emailing; so too is mailing a letter or delivering it yourself. When you can, let people see your friendly face and hear your lovely voice. Most of all, use your ears and listen.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — It’s helpful to flow with your emotions rather than analyzing them. You know you’re analyzing based on how you feel; for example, if you’re feeling self-critical, that’s a clue. If you’re imagining someone else is being critical of you, that’s also a clue. You may need to wake yourself up a few times and snap out of it. Anything that’s set in motion today will gather momentum, so be careful what you emphasize. I suggest you put some energy into having the basics of life covered. It’s always helpful to be grateful for having food and a dry roof; be grateful for the people who care about you, and if you need reassurance reach out and say so. Feeling safe is a discipline. It’s the first cousin of feeling self-confident; one will lead naturally to the other.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Negotiation is an art, and it’s one you can now do well. Art is more about feeling than it is technique. The first thing to do is to feel where people are coming from. This is the most valuable information you can have in your possession. People do what they are motivated to do. Once you know what gets them going, you can offer them that. If you know what someone’s agenda is, you can work with it; the best thing to do is to ask. By negotiation I don’t mean the hardcore style, but rather the friendly, arrangement-making kind. Keep in mind that we all have similar needs. If you can do that, it’s easier to find the common ground and guide yourself and others in that direction. You’re in a situation where everyone can come out a winner.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Monday’s Full Moon is emphasizing financial matters. The message of the chart is that you need to understand your interdependencies with others, especially close partners. The first thing to check for is that everyone is being honest about money. Then look around and notice whether you and those you’re close to have an exchange you both can abide. Ask yourself if you’re being generous enough or whether you’re holding back. If you feel yourself withholding, there’s a possibility this is about your self-esteem. The better you feel about yourself, the more generous you will be with the people you love and care about. Yet it works the other way too: the more generous you are, the better you will feel. All of this may relate to sex every bit as much as it relates to money.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Once a year there is a Full Moon in your birth sign, and Monday is the day, though the feeling will ripple into the whole week. There is a mystical quality about this event. There are a few possibilities how this could work. You might notice that your thoughts manifest more quickly into results. You might get the feeling that you’re looking into a cosmic mirror where you see yourself reflected in interesting ways. I suggest you observe the patterns of how ideas translate into tangible events, and how what you feel about yourself is reflected back to you in the attitudes of others. This is going on all the time, but it will be especially noticeable now. One thing you learn may be to guide your mind carefully, because what you think really does affect how you feel, how other people feel, and what happens from moment to moment.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It’s time to have fun. You probably don’t need an astrologer to tell you that, but I am telling you — the time is right. But not just any fun: the exact, specific kind of celebration you want. Whether it’s going to the movies or making a movie; going to an art exhibit or getting out your paints and canvases; going to a rock concert or tuning up your guitar; or reading a romantic novel or having a romantic tryst — go for it. The feeling you’re looking for is a little like cutting out of school to go to the beach. Trade in some responsibility that doesn’t really need your full attention now for something really excellent that you will love. Your solar chart suggests you might want to do this with a few close friends, but if you go solo you’re likely to make new friends wherever you go.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The things you learn now matter; the discoveries you make at this time in your life count. You are in a special extended moment for doing deep work on yourself. Here’s what the astrology is describing: you are in a learning process that will reveal itself in layers. You may be experiencing things now that you don’t notice or don’t understand; you will then get a few chances to review these things. However, the more aware you are now, and the more you accept what is revealed to you (especially about yourself), the further you can take this journey as it evolves through the spring and into the summer. Do whatever works for you to be reflective, whether you prefer to write, go to therapy, develop your spiritual practice or spend time in places that put you in contact with your soul. You have a wealth of knowledge available to you if you do.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Contrary to what you might read in many astrology books, yours is one of the most detail-oriented signs. I have no idea where anyone came up with the thing about ‘big picture only, don’t bother me with the numbers, the punctuation or the boring theory’. Actually, you know that success comes from making sure the fine points are covered. However, right now, I suggest you keep your mind on larger goals, and the widest view you can attain. There’s a potential trap in getting caught in petty concerns, and a special reward if you consider your most precious desires, objectives and ambitions. Focus on what matters, on what feels productive and, most of all, what feels good. That will be the best mind-food you can give yourself, and you will get results. If anything you think seems like an idea, write it down and remember where you put it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your financial strategy must involve communicating with others. Any economy is a community affair; your personal economy is no different. What is distinctive about your solar chart is the extent to which your personal wealth is directly linked to the people around you. Your role is to reach out and to take initiative. Rather than expecting others to come to you, make yourself, your intentions and your needs known to them. Another distinctive feature you possess is the extent to which your value to others is in your ideas. However, in order to make money with your ideas, you need to cultivate and develop them, which means integrating a wide diversity of sources. And you must be flexible; it will help to consider the way that any idea is applicable to any situation. Life doesn’t have separate subjects; it’s really one vast ocean of experiences.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Venus has entered your sign, joining Mercury and a beautiful asteroid called Pallas Athene. This has you at your most Aquarian, tapping into your streak of genius, your love for ideas and, most of all, your ability to motivate people. The real gift of this astrology will be to do the thing that Pallas Athene is best at, which is to come up with a strategy for living. This is the time to brainstorm a plan to do the big things you want to accomplish. It will help if you consult other smart people one by one and put a few questions to them. Then morph the best ideas into your own personal plan of action. No goal is too difficult to meet, and no problem is a match for the ingenious power of your mind. Remember that, and don’t forget.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You don’t need to do much to get the results you want. Let the momentum of your life carry you; allow the things you’ve already set in motion to take their course. This may take some trust, but you can at least give yourself some space to work a little less, and put less emphasis on outcomes. This is especially true if they involve other people. Ease back and let them make their decisions. If there is some unresolved matter, know that the ball is in their court, and be ready and available to listen. One thing that’s clear is that if you don’t get the exact results you want, there are other, better possibilities that could easily manifest for you. Invest your energy in going with the flow and doing some of what Pisces is best at: enjoying the good things in life.