Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may not consider yourself a creative force of nature, though the time has come to not just experiment with that notion, but to step into it like you’re boarding a vessel of light. Your chart has Leo in the vibrant, illuminated 5th place: the art studio of the zodiac, the creative space where the spark of life is transacted from one person to the next, and one generation to the next. This is more than a physical space; it’s like a transport beam that will carry you, through your own creative process, from one experience to the next, from this phase of your life to the next, from your current idea about yourself to the next. Yet there is one requirement, which is your full participation in your own existence. You must admit that you are connected to core source, which is within you. You personally are not that source, nor do you want the burden of being so. Yet you contain it, and can access your strength as a source of energy that feels distinctly like who you are at your best. Bring the small willingness to engage with the strength that you contain. This strength is one and the same as your sexual energy. Saturday’s eclipse may come with a temporary dimming of the light, as if you’re resetting yourself, reforming your personality, or preparing to take some great inner risk. Do not hold your breath. Rather, keep breathing.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Where is home? Who is home? What is family, and where do you fit into the constellation of your own world? The answers to those questions are changing, and if you’re living consciously, so will the questions themselves. Think of these things in the widest sense you can imagine: not, for example, your immediate relatives or your neighborhood, but rather that you live on a planet orbiting a star, somewhere in the deeps of space and time. In such a formative moment of your life, you need perspective, broad enough to contain ideas you might not normally experience. I say experience because with Uranus in your birth sign, ideas are less likely to come floating along as little concepts you can pluck from the air and scribble down, but as full-on confrontations with existence. You may suddenly come face to face with vast new possibilities for yourself. You may wake up to the experience of needing to liberate yourself from the world that you currently inhabit, with the accompanying feeling of thunder in your heart. As one born under the sign Taurus, you value stability above all else, and yet you have fire within you. Make room for new possibilities, and welcome them. Some of those will be revelations for how to transform your current existence into something on another level entirely, as if you’ve suddenly solved some vexing puzzle.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — The world we live in seems to be abandoning reason and rationality in favor of being driven by raw emotion. This is probably not your idea of progress, though it’s easy to either get caught up in, or to experience as something crashing over your head. I suggest you use a method taught to all children who grow up near the seaside: when you see a wave coming, dive straight into it, and you will come out safely on the other side. This takes some faith the first few times, though it works. Now, consider this as a model, as a technique upon which you can base others. You’re at a time in your life when you need a clear plan. This is not always true. Sometimes it’s necessary to throw yourself to the four winds and let them take you wherever they may. Now, however, you need, at least, a sketch; a rough draft; a few notes scribbled onto a paper bag, on which you can build. Your chart describes an urgent calling to express yourself. You know you have a gift for this, a natural inclination to put your ideas into words. This is true even if you’re an artist, musician or potter. Indeed, the less you normally transact your life in sentences and paragraphs, the more this applies to you. Keep your pencil sharp.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Your ethics are your values. Your values are your ethics. Your value is what is right and true for you, and that is the basis of your existence. In reality, you can have no other, so trim away everything in your life that is no longer reflective of your actual being, and emphasize what supports you from your core. What you focus on will grow. Therefore, feed the tree that is at the center of your being, and spend a lot of time in its shade, and feeling its love. Think of this as learning how to value yourself. When your value in yourself is strong, you are strong. Yet in truth, we’re talking about something that’s one of the greatest challenges for nearly everyone, in our time in history: establishing self-trust, self-respect, and the primacy of your existence above all else. For someone as service-oriented as you are, it may be helpful to think of this as being the only way you can be of assistance to others. Yet at the moment, this must be secondary: let that be OK. Allow your central purpose in existing to be the organizing principle of your life. If you can do this for a while, you will find real freedom. You will liberate inner resources, and you will get to decide how to allocate them. It is clear from recent events that the winds of change are blowing, for you and for the world around you. In such a time, you need a clear point of orientation. And that would be what you know to be right and true.

Leo Birthdays 2018-19:
Eclipses, Retrogrades and You — Oh My!

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

— Robyn Landis, on a previous birthday reading

Dear Reader with Leo Sun, Rising or Moon:

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

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

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

But that’s not all! In just two days, there’s a partial solar eclipse on Aug. 11 — in the same part of Leo where a storied eclipse took place in August of 1999.

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

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

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

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

— Ronny K.

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

Wishing you an excellent eclipse season,

Amanda Painter

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

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Let’s travel back in time to the summer of 1999. We can only do this in our imagination, though that may be plenty to observe what you need to get from the experience. First, before you remember any specific events, remember where you lived at the time. Then, consider how you felt: about yourself, and most of all, about the future. It’s likely that things didn’t turn out exactly as you envisioned them, or planned, at the time. You probably faced greater challenges and achieved more than you were expecting to. Today, you’re nearly two decades older, which naturally changes your sense of the future. But I would ask you: where are you today, and how do you feel about your existence? And what do you feel is the journey ahead? Are you still able to envision bold possibilities for yourself? This is vital. Stretch your mind. Push yourself to consider your potential. Now that you are older and wiser, you know that you must use your time efficiently, and meaningfully. I suggest you set some boundaries about what that might mean for you, in a tangible way. For example, you might resolve to spend less time online, and therefore devote a smaller proportion of your life expectancy to anti-social media. You might decide that, above all else, it’s time to travel. You probably have the inclination to drive your life in the direction of one major achievement. Choose well, and one will lead to another.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — There’s a whole chapter of A Course in Miracles devoted to “the fear to look within,” and there are many other references throughout the work to this issue. The situation, as described by this particular work of spiritual psychology, involves some potentially wrenching anxiety about what you might find in there. This stands as a barrier between you and yourself, a kind of primal fear to see yourself for who you are. To embrace your own power of witness, though, you need to set this fear aside, and enter your own self-awareness courageously. Let me be the next person to remind you that shadow is only a temporary blockage or absence of illumination, and you contain a river of light, the source of which is beyond you. Yet it’s possible to block one’s view of the entire universe merely by wearing a blindfold. So remove any blocks to your vision, which in this case would be the willingness to see, and dive into your reality and see where you emerge. Let the world vanish for a moment: the one made of petty fears, squabbles, disputes, and misunderstandings created by ignorance. Let a greater world open up, which you will recognize mainly by your own peace of mind. This is a journey, and it may require daily meditation or communing with nature or with your artwork. Yet if you dependably give yourself some time and space beyond the mundane world, and focus inwardly, you will arrive within.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Your role in your community is expanding, evolving, changing: whatever word you like. Yet this may be accompanied by a temporary dimming of the light, and an experience of discontinuity. There is a shift of some kind happening, one that you cannot exactly control, but you can assess and evaluate. Use this to your advantage. In times of change, you can make adjustments to your position and your purpose that will scarcely be noticed by others, but which will make a big difference for you. In essence, a solar eclipse in Leo is about realigning your relationship to your community, however you define that. You may want to do more. You may want to do less. You may want to be a more private person, or a more public one. The change you make will feel natural and at the same time, like a little stretch, or a push, or a leap. It’s not as far as it may seem, and you have the advantage of a wrinkle in time to shorten some of the distance between you and where you’re going. While you’re doing this, make sure of one thing: that you plan for the economics to work out in your favor. This is not merely a marketing project, but one of establishing a new deal. Do this openly, outwardly and wholly transparently. Your value is established. You must trust in this fact, and work with it, and bank on it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The one thing standing between you and accomplishing great things may be the desire to accomplish great things. Real achievements rarely happen on those terms. America’s Next Top Model is never America’s next top model. Great achievements are never great in their time. They’re usually controversial, annoying, or seen as irrelevant. They’re the book manuscript that was thrown in the trash, or the solution to a problem that nobody else can see. Therefore, if you want to be useful to the world — and this you seem determined to be — work on your vision, and fully inhabit whatever you count as your workshop. Take all emphasis off of greatness and place it on quality. Subtract the ideas of others, including what you presume are their expectations, and develop your vision. Yet this must happen beyond the realm of your imagination. Bring your efforts into physical, tangible form, on a daily basis. Stand apart from your reputation, and invest in your abilities. Never count yourself as a master, only as a journeyman, or even a beginner. Meanwhile, in any situation where you’re summoned to leadership or management, honor the politics of the situation. Rely on informal power far more than formal power; that is to say, extend your influence through helpful people, and gently bring others into your plan. Just remember: at this stage of your life, the real work is solitary: the cultivation of your gifts, the refinement of your ideas, and most of all, taking care of yourself.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Despite all the talk about focusing on the “here and now,” you need to focus on the future. That doesn’t mean in any way abandoning your current projects, talent development, or investments. Rather, your primary task is to trace various trajectories into worlds beyond the one you currently inhabit. In doing this, you simply must have a vision for who you want to become. The old and somewhat annoying job interview question — “Where do you see yourself in five years?” — is really a question about how you envision your future. Right now, you might say that a door is open, allowing you a porthole into your own possibilities, and your own potential. Imagine you’re a science fiction author, describing yourself as a character. Imagine the story is unusual, strange and a little spectacular. Imagine the person you’re writing about has some rather unique talents, which will emerge into some form of rare distinction if they are consciously developed, and if the principle of synergy is activated. This idea means “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” Exclude no aspect of who you are from your vision. Include nascent abilities, longings, and forgotten accomplishments in your assessment. Come up with three vastly different possibilities for yourself: for example, the virtuoso musician who becomes a theater director. The search and rescue team leader who becomes a historian. The devoted mother who leads a nation. This kind of thing.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Tectonic forces are at work in your life. Look up that word. It involves the pressure of one geological plate upon another, which is the power that shapes continents, mountain ranges and oceans. It is the power driving the friction along fault lines. There is no way to understate this idea. As the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 2020 approaches, the pressure will mount, and there will be more frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions. What you need right now is awareness. You will find a vast resource of information by studying late 2001 through 2005, when Chiron was in your birth sign. Consider everything: all of your relationships, your work, and most significantly, your relationship to yourself. You also need self-mastery, though the first step in this process is self-knowledge. I know this concept has taken a beating lately, which is primarily a function of our whole world being driven into illiteracy by digital consciousness. You must go deeper than you ever imagined. One way you know you’re approaching core territory is that your experiences become indescribable, though you’re also met with a pressing need to reveal them to someone. Lay back on that for a while, and let yourself stand in an inner confrontation with the unknown within you — and what, in truth, can never be explained. Consider another possibility: if you think you want to be enlightened, what you really want is to be a mature adult: someone who can make decisions; someone who honors your values and your desires; one who takes responsibility for the course of your own life.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) —
Through much of the year, Mars has been retrograde in your birth sign; nothing like it has happened since 1971. This was accompanied by a total eclipse of the Moon two weeks ago, conjunct retrograde Mars, making this perhaps the most unusual spell of astrology you’ve experienced in your current incarnation. Rare and perhaps strange things are likely to be happening in your physical reality as well. A mix of ‘conscious’ and ‘unconscious’ forces are driving events, which means things you may have been aware of previously, combined with certain facts that you missed. Their combined effort is driving you to find yourself, and to individuate in ways you didn’t know were possible. While Aquarius is famous for its liberal-mindedness and commitment to being one of a kind, too often you fall under the thrall of what you perceive as the expectations of others, of cultural patterns, and the need to be seen as a good person. This is simply impossible now, with Mars (the planet of desire) running roughshod through your existence. There is no conforming; there is only taking charge of your life. Expectations are not merely meaningless, but plainly obvious as the toxic influences that they are. In a few days, Mars will retrograde into your 12th solar house, Capricorn, where it will remain for a month (and where it stations direct on Aug. 27). This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to peer within yourself, to gain a new depth of understanding, and to make contact with the influence of your sexuality as a primary, driving force in everything that you do.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You set the terms of your existence. I recognize that we live in a universe of many forces acting upon one another. Right now, the primary thing acting on you is an internal factor, described as retrograde Mars in your 12th house, and a potent eclipse conjunct Mars two weeks ago. This is a description of an inner condition or circumstance, either resulting in the illusion of an outer one, or describing how your power over an outer circumstance can be gained through inner mastery. It is not an easy position to be in, to command the role of what A Course in Miracles calls “the dreamer of the dream.” Even the most sincere efforts to take responsibility for one’s life and one’s choices can be fraught with peril and seeming failure. And as many have noted, the theory that “you create your own reality” is dangerous, especially when someone is in a tight spot, involving something they cannot control. Yet the Mars retrograde process talks about something you can influence through your awareness. The tone of Mars retrograde is about to change, as it re-enters Capricorn on Aug. 13, and something that is now veiled or difficult to access emerges where you can work with it. This involves your commitment to your values and your ethics. It involves your commitment to your work. You live by one set of rules, no matter what you may do.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You will have an unusually close-up view for one of the strangest shows on Earth, and you may also be a participant in the changes that are now in progress. The first thing to be conscious of is who you consider a friend. This is not an honorary position in your life; the word must have real meaning, which is demonstrated through both correct action and honesty. Most people you know have already established a track record with you. You will need to be aware of what that is, and not pretend it’s something else. A friend is someone who accepts you as you are, who embraces you no matter what you are going through, and no matter what your opinions may be. That may seem like a tall order — and in fact, most of us have very few actual friends. You are likely to find yourself in many situations where you will feel called to go against the grain of what is popular, and this is likely to last through the summer. You are also inaugurating another phase of your life, wherein you live up to your reputation of being the headstrong one who always goes your own way, who sees the world through your own eyes, and who makes all your own decisions.  Pay attention: this is about leadership.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Mars retrograde takes place in your solar 10th house. While this region of the horoscope has many associations with fame, notoriety and profession, it also comes back to your dominant parent. That’s the one who did most of the parenting; and in the 20th century, that usually meant mother. Mars retrograde in Aquarius is about challenging the thought patterns that have, in a sense, ruled your life, or that at least set templates you have tried to follow. Underneath all the activity and the choices and the strange ways that mothers tend to maintain control over their daughters, there is a thought form lurking. This would be easier to find, if anyone knew it was there. It would be easier to address, if you could identify it and maintain a dialog with it. Yet let’s translate that: whatever this notion, idea, or concept is, it lives inside you, although it came from somewhere else. All of the rationalizations and neurotic tendencies that grow from it are meaningless. Even so, this thought form is concealed by them. It is a specific fear or belief. It is closely related to religious ideas, and all the knots they tie people in. Remember that religion is built on declaring sex as its antagonist. Sex is about your body but it’s also about your capacity to love. God is great. Human love is what you need and must learn to trust.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — We are in an era where belief is proving to be extremely problematic. It always was, though we’re entrenched in times when to believe something is to think it’s not only true, but that it must be true for everyone. Questioning one’s beliefs takes courage — and it takes the mastery of certain spiritual and psychological tools. Yet it’s also the work-a-day tradecraft of people known as fact-checkers, who spend their day asking one question over and over: “Is this true?” Translating a little, it means: how do we know this is true? What evidence is there to support this assertion? Is this number or quotation or location accurate? Does the story check out? The way to “question your beliefs” is to spend your day questioning them, in a structured manner. Therefore, the first step is identifying something as a belief. The way you do that is to question all of your thoughts, and you find the ones that are not standing on a foundation of facts and data. This is likely to include anything that you have not personally witnessed, or read about from multiple sources — none of them accessed on a smartphone or through a social media platform. The problem here is that most people don’t recognize their beliefs as such. They’re just simply “what is right.” So that is the place to start. Therefore, strive to prove yourself wrong. You will discover many interesting things: about yourself, and the world.

Cancer Birthdays 2018:
Embarking on Your Actual Path of Discovery

“One property of your sign is that it makes you a pioneer and a leader, at least potentially, when you do the work that you take the most seriously, or that’s the nearest to your heart. It also turns out that your work is where you can do your most effective self-exploration. It’s an actual path of discovery.”

— Eric Francis in The Art of Becoming, your 2018 annual reading

Dear Friend and Reader:

Happy Solstice! If you have a Cancer Sun, Cancer rising or a Cancer Moon, you’ve likely figured out one essential truth about yourself, alluded to by the quote above: you have what it takes to be a leader in the things that matter most to you. This doesn’t mean you need to be ‘the boss’; but it does mean that you’re an ideal candidate to do something meaningful — for yourself, for those you care about most, and for your wider world.

If you’re not entirely sure what your next steps need to be along that path, you can count on your upcoming 2018 Cancer Birthday Reading to contain some excellent ideas.

Saturn, Uranus and Chiron are all in signs with direct and special relationships with your own. Life is on the move. And 2018 is looking like your time to shine: Saturn, Uranus and Chiron are occupying some of the more public and relational zones of your chart.

Eric will be covering what this year’s big planetary moves mean for your relationships, work life, impact on your wider community, deepest calling, family and ancestral patterns, and more. Not only that, but eclipses are on the way: primarily along the axis that describes what you value and your self-esteem (Leo) and your relationship to money and sexuality (Aquarius).

“Ah Eric — just listened to your reading. I was moved to tears by your closing words. Your passion, deep care and love always shine through; and you have the gift of all great teachers, of making one feel that one is being personally addressed, respected and taken care of.”

— Liz Glanville

Your two segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) come with an extended description of your sign and access to last year’s reading. When you pre-order your full Cancer Birthday Reading early, you’ll lock in the discounted price of $33. The price increases when the reading publishes.

If you could use a friendly, calm, motivating voice this year, you’ll find it in this reading. Eric does his best to use plain language, and always brings the best of his decades of astrological, therapeutic and spiritual training to these readings.

Wishing you a beautiful start to your birthday season,

Amanda Painter

P.S. This reading will make a thoughtful gift for any of your Cancer loved ones.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The 8th house is the one that covers ordinary secrets — the kind we tell to others. So it’s not really secret at all; rather, it’s the house of pillow talk, financial arrangements and whisper campaigns. It’s the house of information that’s supposed to stay in the family. Now, we live in a world where the 8th house has exploded, largely due to the internet: the concept of privacy is nonexistent. For this reason, it’s better not to have secrets. The necessity to live transparently has never been more urgent, because if people know the truth about you, you have a much greater chance of setting the terms of your life. For the next two months, Mars will be retrograde in this region of your solar chart, and you will be making discoveries about what you want. You may come up against some seemingly invisible pressure not to desire that person, or experience. This is where you will need to go your own way, which will take some rearrangement of your psychology and possibly your relationships. In essence, your contracts with the people around you, which are one form of your contracts with existence, must permit you to be who you actually are. This will be a process of both negotiation and defiance. Yet you have many options besides destroying your relationships. Try being who you are. Yes, it takes practice.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — One thing that Mars retrograde is likely to bring up for you is the necessity for you to associate with people who have similar belief systems, particularly where religion is concerned. It’s true that not everyone is “religious,” though everyone was impacted by some form of religious tradition. Especially in American society, there has been a false imposition of the beliefs of a certain few people onto everyone, and this, too, presents a condition we must address. Also, everyone has a relationship to
existence, though for some this is dim, and for some it’s more conscious. Consider any changes that develop in your relationships within this frame of reference and they will make more sense. The one thing you cannot do is pretend that you abide that which does not work for you. You don’t need to be violent about this, or aggressive, though you will need to hold space for the ideas that are true to your soul. What you may find out through this process is that you’re discovering what those ideas are; nothing is a given. Nothing is fixed, and part of what you’re doing is challenging fixity itself. The real difference between the beliefs of one person and another may not be the content, but rather whether there is the ability to adapt to one’s circumstances and human environment. One other bit: It’s been said that “sex changes everything,” to which I would add, “sex must always change.”

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You depend on your work patterns to be as productive as you are, and this summer will be an excellent time to make sure that your routines really support you. This is especially important if you are devoted to the work that you do, or to the organization you serve. Your wellbeing and your ability to be of service are closely related. Another factor you may engage with are changing social patterns; and, if those are influencing you, it will help if you go deeper than what may seem obvious. When it comes to the ways that society organizes itself, including on the most mundane social level, things are rarely what they seem. One reason for this is that the perceiver’s point of view is rarely taken into account. We are encouraged to claim that a certain thing is reality, without questioning who is doing the observing and the interpreting. This is what you most urgently need to do. Many factors of your reality are based entirely on your quest to get to know who you are. To do that, you invest yourself heavily in people and in situations. Part of your process involves a measure of conflict, which is understandable if you look at it closely; we really do learn about ourselves through clashing and crashing into others, among other ways. Is that really your first choice, though? There are many methods to work out relationships. Some are more pleasant than others.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — From time to time, people wake up for a moment and question the impact of technology on their minds, and on our society. Now is an excellent time for you to do so. There are two main facets to the question. One is the impact of the technology you use on your ability to think coherently; meaning, in language that makes sense. What have you noticed on this topic, in your personal meditation on your life? I would ask: what is the condition of your writing skills now, as compared to 10 years ago? What about reading? Just checking: what was the last book you read that deeply influenced you? Second topic: creativity. Do you use your technological devices as creative tools, or are you more of a consumer? If you determine that you use the web more for consumption — by which I mean either to read, to view videos, or to make purchases — I suggest you begin to shift that balance. The impact of technology on society is something you can monitor, and observe your part in. Yet your personal experience of the digital environment is something you can do a lot about. Here’s how Marshall McLuhan put it, many years ago: Most people pick up a technology and, because it’s so intense, they numb out. An artist picks up a technology and uses it to stay awake, alert and expressive.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The importance of family and tribe stands out for Scorpio in a way that is unusual among all the other signs, even in our increasingly tribal world. The thing to study is patterns: in particular, where your family of origin’s social and psychological patterns seem to mimic those of your current world. You are in the process of becoming aware of, and clearing away, the tendency of your current social experiences to mimic those of the past, seemingly to no end. Yet you must claim your space, and your right to organize your world in a way that consciously suits you. The question on one level is about patterns; though, on the visceral level, it’s about attachments. If you endeavor to consciously make changes in your world, that will require changes in individual relationships. You will need, therefore, to trust that the loving ties that bind are more valuable to everyone involved than the toxic patterns you are trying to transcend. At first it will seem to require the greatest depth of courage you’ve ever mustered — unless, of course, you’re aware that you’re suffocating or otherwise stifled. Even then, it can take some guts to draw a whole breath and assert your right to some freedom to move about the planet, and the social spheres, on your own terms. Remember: this all comes back to very old patterns, long predating your current life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are rapidly letting go of old thought patterns, which will make room for a new form of intelligence. Yet as those old thought forms crumble, you may feel like you’re losing something valuable; in truth they are no more useful than the outgrown shell that a sea creature is shedding. You are an unusually intelligent person, though certain forms that your mental abilities take limit your ability to perceive ideas. The patterns are too rigid, and need to be challenged, and evaluated, based on their capacity to do what you want them to do. You may, therefore, encounter issues that require you to think in new, different and expanded ways. This is not merely about ‘knowing more’ but rather about how you work with the information and the perceptions that you have. This is likely to arrive in real-time experiments, based on immediate circumstances you may be facing. We have all heard the term “thinking outside the box,” which refers to a specific puzzle you can find in Wikipedia. This is a good example of what you’ll be learning, only imagine this on a three- or four-dimensional model. You can practice this by doing things like physically looking at a circumstance from as many viewpoints as possible. Take one question and get 10 opinions and notice the patterns. Remember that mathematics is an invention of the human mind. You are such an inventor.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You must have some strong motivation to get your finances in order, and I suggest you ride that horse while it’s fresh and the day is young. You can start anywhere: for example, digging out and organizing your old files, or picking a current project. One exercise I advise my clients to do, when money is a question, is to figure out exactly where they stand: determine precisely how much debt, how much cash and how much credit you have. Just the process of doing this will be empowering, and I mean that directly. You must know where you stand. Then, do an evaluation of all of your other resources: a kind of inventory of talents; people who will help you; spaces that you own, rent or can use; ideas you’ve developed; art and manuscripts lying around; undeveloped ideas; and whatever else you might consider an asset. Once you have this inventory going, you will start to get ideas for what to do next. You will also clarify what no longer needs to be part of your life. It’s important to dispose of anything you don’t need, don’t want and don’t use, which can include passing many things forward to others. The overall idea here is to clear the way for what is new, what is alive, and what you really want. This is best done as a conscious act, so that you stay one step ahead of nature.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) —
This summer, Mars will be retrograde in your sign for the first time since 1971. Astrological events gain meaning and influence through being unusual, and this qualifies: it’s describing a truly momentous time in your life, a time not just of re-evaluation, but also re-creation. Don’t be afraid to ask the big questions, and trust that you will get answers. Those answers may not arrive immediately. But they will indeed show up, perhaps in pieces that you assemble, perhaps in layers, and perhaps in the form of revelations or discoveries. I would borrow an idea from A Course in Miracles that you may find helpful: your role is not to seek love, but rather to seek and find the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence. This will entail coming to terms with anger; we are talking about Mars, after all. You will need to come to terms with desire, whether sexual or otherwise. You will need to understand the various shades of assertion, aggression and attack, and gain an understanding of what those mean, and where they are rooted in your psyche. Find a way not to take anger out on yourself. Rather, direct it outward at what cannot be hurt, such as in martial arts training of some kind. When Mars is active in your life, you need to move your energy through you, and learn to focus it as you do. This and many other factors will help liberate you.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Mars retrograde takes place in your 12th house, which is where you keep all your deepest secrets from yourself. So we could say that the theme here is learning to be scrupulously honest with yourself, about everything there is to be honest about. As a Pisces, you have a way of containing the universe within you. My favorite way of describing our sign is to say that the ocean refuses no river. You take on a lot; all the other signs, and what they represent, flow into yours. You have a way of organizing all that you absorb; and now the time has come to clean off the shelves and dig out the closets and the storage unit and all of that. Make that your focus this summer. Lighten up your load, whether mental, emotional or material. This will have results on the spiritual level: that is, your sense of self will come into focus as you pare back what you don’t need and don’t want. You will also notice that certain ways you’ve been conditioned to think — perhaps going back to specific ancestors you can identify — no longer serve you. In sum, the bottom line here is learning how to let go of fear. You will be doing this in a time when there is plenty to be afraid of in the world, and when we live in a time of rampant uncertainty. This will make your efforts all the more meaningful.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you have ever suspected that you are different from others in some significant way, this will be the summer when you test your theory. First, your ruling planet Mars will be retrograde in Aquarius, the sign of groups. This presents a picture of you doing your thing your way, and seeing how others respond. Your purpose here is not to shock anyone or to stir the pot; your purpose is to be yourself. This will teach you how to handle yourself in public situations, and build your confidence. You will learn how to extinguish gossip. Go through this consciously and you will emerge in a position of social leadership. You are empowered by Chiron, newly in your sign: the planet of healing and also of individuality. Chiron will teach you to be a maverick: a person who does what you know is right, no matter what the current trend may dictate. Mars retrograde is what you might call a short-term experiment. Chiron is a long-term visitor to your sign, and you will be using the results of the Mars retrograde experiment for the decade or so that Chiron is in your life. Prepare by paying especially close attention to social situations. Listen to what people are saying, though never repeat it. If you must, go directly to the source, or seek to debunk rumors promptly. The truth is all that matters.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Questions of where your private affairs mingle with your professional and community life may rise to the surface over the next couple of months, though these matters are, in their entirety, your private business. You do not owe anything to public scrutiny; your business is yours alone. The fact that we may live in the age of the internet and everyone expects everyone’s life to be inside-out is irrelevant. Still, you will need to conduct yourself impeccably, and make sure you understand every rule before you break it. Know where and with whom power is vested, and ensure you work with that information. You will need to lead by example, in both your intimate life and your public life — and the place where the two meet, which is your family (where that odd mix of public and private seems to originate for everyone). Handle matters of partnership directly with anyone who may be involved, never with third parties. Go direct to the source, and be willing to hold yourself accountable for your own actions; which would be suitable enough, because you most certainly are. If you recognize that your whole life and all that happens are an experiment in getting to know yourself, you will have your priorities in order and be able to state your position much more clearly.

Reach For Clarity With Your Gemini Birthday Reading

“I am very happy with my purchase of the Gemini report. It speaks volumes to me. I truly do appreciate the time and consideration you’ve put into it. Your work has always offered me food for thought, options to consider and clarity when needed. Thank you very much for what you do and how you present it.”

— Victoria Bouet

Dear Friend and Reader:

With so many outer planets transitioning into new signs, many people are feeling confused and uncertain of what will happen next. As a Gemini, you may be more comfortable with change than most: you understand that your best bet is to work with the turns in the road. Yet it helps to have a map; and there’s a handy one available in Eric’s forthcoming 2018-19 Gemini Birthday Reading.

Eric will cover such topics as Chiron’s move from Pisces to Aries, Jupiter’s approach to your opposite sign Sagittarius, and much more. This valuable reading is designed to equip and empower you for your solar year ahead and well beyond.

“I am so happy to receive the guidance from these readings. The ability to view my life from this lens makes it so much easier for me to understand and accept certain views that are uncomfortable for those around me.”

— Kristin W.

Your 2018-19 Birthday Reading is designed to be clear, focused and user-friendly. It will comprise two pro-quality audio segments of at least 30 minutes each, along with access to last year’s reading and an extended description of your sign.

You can get all of this for our fantastic pre-order price of just $33; note that the price will increase as we get closer to publication. This reading also makes an excellent gift for the Gemini in your life.

With best wishes,

Amy Elliott

P.S. If you prefer to place your order by phone, please feel free to contact us during Eastern business hours on (877) 453-8265, or (206) 567-4455 if you’re calling from outside the US.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — The matter of belief is one of the most pressing issues of our day. We live in a time when to believe something is to think that makes it true. I am not sure where the subtle elements of proof, substantiation and credibility went, though you will want to claim them back. David Bowie in one of his earlier songs admonished his fans, “Don’t deceive with belief,” suggesting that to believe something is a form of a lie. Be careful what you accept into your mind, especially if you notice that others are taking a trendy idea as some kind of mandatory doctrine. You may want to stand up to this, if you need to, or if it feels right. But you can do yourself a service by not allowing belief to be a standard for anything. Stick to the available facts, and dig for the ones that are less available. Understand that people are usually motivated to take spiritual or religious positions most often because they are avoiding the two bottom lines of life — sex and death. You don’t need to guide other people to that level of the discussion, though you would profit immensely from doing so yourself. Take that chance. Examine these bottom-line values, and the way in which they drive your personal quest for reality: the more boldly the better.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This phase of your life is about clearing debris out of the way. You’re chief of the karma squad, and your mission is to wrap up old business so that you have the freedom to live the life you want. This can be intense work, though it is satisfying, and it gets results. The more integrity you have, the better you will feel, so this is a process of building your strength and learning how to feel good. One issue you will want to track closely involves the way that you allow others to set the terms of your most intimate relationships. It’s as if you feel you must live up to some community standard about what is supposedly right and wrong regarding how you relate to others. However, once you have established mutual consent with your partners, nobody else needs to be involved with your commitments or process of making decisions. And to the extent that you are, the discussion would rightly include how you feel; all matters related to sex; and having a grounded understanding of your financial situation. It’s OK if one person contributes more than the other, as long as everyone is cool with that. And, in all matters where intimate partners are concerned, strive to be transparent. The book Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton (the original, not any derivatives) will serve you well.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — In both family and professional matters, you will be in a position of leadership this summer. That, in part, means you are going to help defuse controversy and disentangle conflict. Yet be careful not to apply too much force in doing so; rather, gently coax people into seeing reality for what it is. Work on the level of values. Start by getting people to agree on what is important. Therefore, let others state their priorities, and collect that information. Meanwhile, you must know your priorities and understand your own motives, and begin to look for points where the various themes align. This will not happen overnight. It could take a couple of months of patient listening and discussion before you start to get to a point of resolution. Notice the ways that peer pressure is playing a role. The whole world seems to have degraded to a 4th-grade level akin to South Park, though not usually as funny. You need to be the adult in the room. Not the parent! That is a whole different comportment. An adult recognizes the power and the energy of children; a parent cops an attitude. The goal of an adult is to bring the whole discussion to a mature and thoughtful place. The goal of a parent is to get control, which inevitably fails. Thankfully, you have options.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your sign is most often associated with being effective at work, rather than creativity. You’re the organized one, the problem solver and the workhorse. However, at the center of your taskmaster is a hot, molten core of creativity. It’s this core that you will be searching for as you rearrange your work patterns this summer. Don’t expect much to be the same from day to day; use your skill as one who can adapt and evolve your methods. Yet always remember what drives your efforts and what inspires you to excel. It’s not merely the desire to get things done; it’s the desire to create a better world. And that is a work of art if anything is, fraught with all the perils attending the creative process. For years now, you have been getting the message to honor what is at once your passion, your originality, and your quest for meaningful work. Now you’re about to be drawn in that direction like you’re being carried by a riptide. While you’re keeping your mind on the algorithms and the procedures, and the social politics and what the boss wants, stay busy inventing the best way to do things. See the world as you know it can be, rather than what it seems to be today. If something is really a problem, there is a solution, and the solution is an opportunity.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You have resources: important ones, which can get you through anything. For years now, you’ve been drilling down into the ground, establishing your independence and your stability. It’s time for you to put this all together and step into the challenges you are the most eager to engage. This will mean letting go of old goals and coming up with new ones — or acknowledging the desire you’ve been toting around for years on end. Take them out of your bag and put them on the table. Open your secret box of ideas you want to develop. Get out your bucket list and pick three items, and do them soon. This may all feel risky, like you have to acknowledge something deep and urgent in order to take the step and bring yourself to a new place. You may feel like you have to violate every rule you think you have to live by. You may need to go against the grain of what your friends think is right, particularly those who are engaged in some kind of creative profession. Often they are more bound by convention than they let on, and that is precisely what you are ready to challenge. Set out to do the thing you want to do the most, especially if you think it’s impossible. Then you’ll feel a lot better.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Of all the subjects we must address here in the Western world, family seems to be the most vexing for the majority of people. This tends to get more intense the more independence that you want, whether it’s the freedom to move about the planet, or the freedom to think and feel as you do. They amount to the same thing. Family patterns spread into every facet of life: such as anyplace there is a group present. When you experience a group, you may notice that people fall into familiar roles — someone is like your mother, someone is like your father, others may resemble siblings. You can start by seeing these roles for what they are. Identify people not just by who they remind you of, but also how you feel when you’re engaging with them. Do you feel small or insecure? Do you feel confident and happy? Do you lose your appetite or need to open a window? Do you feel welcome in their presence, and taken care of? Notice these things with everyone you encounter, and wherever you may go. Part of shifting these patterns is seeing them, and part of it is about establishing new modes of communication and interrelation. This is much more on the feeling level: not the words you say, but how you feel saying them; not the words you hear, but how you feel when you are listening.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — One of the most serious problems the world is facing is the deterioration of literacy. This has effects on every level; because literacy is about our ability to reason, to record the past, to express new ideas and, most significantly, to have a sense of right and wrong. Once words and syntax lose their meaning, it’s not long before we’re losing our minds, and our collective grip on reality. That, if you look closely at the world, is exactly what’s happening. You depend on literacy, in its widest sense, to keep your bearings. The structure of ideas matters to you. Logical flow matters to you. What things mean in the context of one another matters to you. We are all experiencing the impact of “new media,” an environment where a tweet might be thought to replace a book and, therefore, a flimsy idea might be thought to replace a solid and tangible one. You will be doing some adapting of your thought process to this new environment, though don’t get too swept up in the tides of change or alleged progress. Remember that, at heart, you are a traditionalist. Progress is all well and good, as long as there is some solid core of respect for the nuances of thought, for ideas that matter, and for the human condition. Said another way, progress is no excuse for disrespect.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You’ll be doing some financial rearrangement this summer, or finishing such a task that you may have begun in early 2017. Yet finances are a reflection of one’s priorities. The record of the money you spend is a mind-map of what you think matters. Rather than trying to change your mind, study the map. Observe how you think, and where you notice your thinking has lapsed. Pause when you run into perplexing questions. For example, you might wonder why you made a certain decision, or why you have a pattern of similar decisions. Pluto has been in your sign for a decade, and Saturn has been with you since last December. These are two influences that are likely to come with some significant changes in the trajectory of your life. Yet these may have come so frequently for a while that you thought you were just following the contours of the landscape. However, when you consider these shifts in direction, what do you notice? If you had to plot your course on a map of the landscape, how would that look? How you handle money, and your twists and turns of fortune, and how you think about your role in the business community, are all part of this. In total, what you’re looking for is evidence of your maturing process. Take that question right into the present moment.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) —
This summer, Mars will be retrograde in Aquarius: significant news for anyone with a major placement there, be it Sun, Moon, rising sign or cluster of planets. One challenge you may face is how to use your energy appropriately. You need to know where to apply your will, your time and your money, and where to back off. You need to decide when to fight and when to walk away. Most of all, you must decide what you want. This is the real question wherever Mars is prominent. Though our society seems to be all about fulfilling desire, that’s not really true, so far as I have observed. It’s true in the context of what we think we’re allowed to want, within narrow parameters. It’s true in the context of what we think is not going to ‘offend’ others who are not actually involved or affected. So one project for you is to notice yourself experiencing desire, and then notice how you respond to peer pressure, both from outside yourself and in terms of what you think others might think. Observe when you find yourself playing to rules and, worse, going against your own values in order to please someone else, in theory or in reality. Should you feel like this is potentially dangerous territory, you have some protection. The Moon’s South Node will be hanging around Mars all summer long.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Amidst all the tossing and turning that is life on the planet in its current state, you are being called to consider your long-range vision for yourself. As a Pisces, you’re already blessed with the wide view, the long view, and the cosmic perspective. So it’s likely that you’ve been considering your next direction for a while now. Based on a study of your ruling planets, Jupiter and Neptune, this is likely to take three forms. One is your notion of your sexuality, which is intimately mingled with your cosmology. Second is where you want to travel. Have you gone anyplace for a while? Jupiter in Scorpio is encouraging you to take a trip sometime soon, and also to dust off your list of places you absolutely must visit. Third is where you’re heading professionally. When Jupiter enters Sagittarius later in the year, it will enter your 10th house of reputation and success. You may not exactly feel like your star is rising at the moment, though a lot will unfold over the next six months, and you will be in a position to actualize some of your dearest aspirations. You must know what they are in order for that to happen. They’re the ones that might seem too good to be true, or the ones your parents said were impossible. That’s the place to begin — and soon.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Chiron in Aries (2018-2027) represents a maturing process for you. Chiron takes the slow approach, sifting through every grain of personal experience, and encouraging you to search yourself in every mirror. You have plenty of those, though the current place to look is in everything you do in the digital environment. How is your digital personality different from your in-person one? Have you accounted for the impact that participating in the digital realm has had on your overall state of mind, psychic health and productivity? The astrology most closely associated with the digital realm, Uranus conjunct Eris in your sign, represents all of society being pushed out of its body and taking up residence on what you might think of as an electronic astral plane. Chiron arrives with a focus on reality, observing and documenting what is so. To the extent that you’ve shifted your reality as a consequence of investing some portion of your life in the digital realm, Chiron is here to bring you back into your body and back into your self-awareness. Additionally, Uranus leaves your sign after seven years on May 15, and its shift into Taurus will come with some kind of prod or jolt that reminds you that the place you belong is in your body, paying attention to what your senses offer you. The rest is froth, fluff and nonexistent pixels.

Taurus Birthdays 2018:
How Will You Dance with the Unexpected This Year, Taurus?

“Awesome, so uplifting and so ‘IT’ — a wonderful birthday message.”

— Eryca Willinger

Dear Friend with Taurus Sun, Rising or Moon:

In just three weeks, Uranus will enter your sign. As Eric described in your Taurus annual reading for this year, “Uranus transits are exciting and a little nerve-wracking. There can be the sensation of a constant buzz running through your mind and your feelings, along with an ongoing dance with the unexpected.”

Eric Francis.

He goes on to explain that, “the alchemy of Uranus and Taurus will create some interesting, exciting effects. If you allow it to, it will bring out the best in you. It seems that to do this effectively, with the least struggle and the most adventure, you need to identify as an agent of change rather than as one who resists changing.”

As you might imagine, in your 2018 Taurus Birthday Reading Eric will be doing his best to get you prepared, limbered up and excited to meet Uranus on solid ground — the kind of ground upon which you can move and think with agility, respond to the unexpected with grace, and initiate new adventures with confidence.

In two segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) you’ll get the motivational coaching, insight, reassurance and practical tools you need to get this new phase of discovery and growth started on the right foot. You can download the audio to listen as many times as you like, and you’ll also get an extended description of your sign.

“It’s like Eric was talking directly to me. Everything he said is what has been happening. The last year has been a tremendous challenge in pretty much all areas of my life, but the birthday reading gives me hope that I really am on the right track. Thank you for such a great birthday reading Eric! Longtime Planet Waves fan.”

— S.R.

If you’re new to Eric’s audio readings or would like an in-depth review of your last year, please accept the gift of last year’s Taurus Reading here.

Also, please note that when you pre-order your Taurus Reading early, you secure the lowest price we offer. The price will increase as publication nears — and then again after it’s published.

Wishing you the best in your role as an “agent of change,”

Amanda Painter

P.S. As always, the 2018 Taurus Birthday Reading makes a fantastic gift, sure to be valued by your favorite Taurus friends and family members.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Yours may be the sign most resistant to change, and now you’re about to have Uranus, the very agent of revolution, with you for the next seven years. This will shift your relationship to progress, movement and, most of all, your attachments to the past. What astrologers call “Uranian energy” has one outstanding property: it’s unpredictable. So this transit means opening yourself up to more possibilities than you might normally consider, including the potential for discovering new things about who you are, and who you are becoming. Uranus is high-voltage, inventive, spontaneous and lacking in all morals. It has a way of provoking the best and the worst from the human spirit. To get the Taurus connection, we need to go deeper than conventional astrology, and check out the work of Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949). She goes beyond the cool, impeccable presentation of Taurus, and describes your sign as the “blacksmith shop of the soul” — the dark and smoky place deep within, where growth actually happens. It would seem that this is the place to tap into your potential, and the place to focus your identity for a while: on your capacity to shape yourself, using the forces of nature and your own nature. The notion of stability takes on a different role, where you now may be relying on the people you love to create a safe container for your process.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — It’s good that you’re so adaptable, because the conditions of your life, and of society, have called on you to use that gift. This is especially true in social situations, where you’re at your best and tend to be a natural leader. Yet the social ground has been shifting beneath your feet. As versatile and as open to new modes of communication as you are, you’ve probably noticed the way in which necessary structures that would ordinarily hold a community together have been shifting rapidly. Were you to go back just five or 10 years, and actually remember the way people treated one another, communicated and got together, what is happening today would seem toxic and insane. You may be noticing this, seemingly all at once. When Uranus leaves your 11th house mid-month, you’ll have a clearer view of your environment, and you’ll be able to perceive things more clearly. And when you do, you will want to make some adjustments to the way you interact with the world. You may feel a strong need to pull in and focus on yourself rather than your outer environment. You may decide you need to be more selective about who you engage with, even on the most casual social level. You might need to set some limits on “social” media, and perhaps commission a thorough review of how it’s changed not just your life but who you are.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Two rare transits are influencing the most public angles of your solar chart — Chiron has entered the responsibility and reputation 10th house (Aries), and Uranus is about to enter your 11th house of social experiences (Taurus). Taken together, these represent a realignment of your public profile, most likely in ways that you were not expecting, and which are compelling you to take a close look at your life. Yet the initial results of these transits will be something quite apart from how they develop over time; and it’s in the long run that you have the most influence over the course of events. For now, the thing to do is to move with the changes, and to pay attention to your environment, meaning your physical and social surroundings. It will help to keep your house in order, though this is likely to be something you already do. Chiron in the 10th house, in particular, has a way of putting a person under a spotlight, and subjecting them to greater scrutiny than may seem to be useful, practical or fair — but you can take it. What you must remember is that while you have some ability to present yourself to the world, you cannot determine how other people respond. Mainly, you have the ability to document your own life, and to be fully accountable at all times — to yourself.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — New developments in your solar chart are calling on you to take authority. Yet you must do this in a way that’s distinct from the world’s top-down models of leadership, which seem to care little about right and wrong. In a world that’s ruled by power, where people do things just because they can, there’s a special necessity to suspend ethics. You, however, must make ethics your first — and, in some cases only — priority. Primarily, this means being in alignment with your own ideas about what is correct and true, and acting only in accordance with them. You have the power to do pretty much anything you want, regardless of whether it works for you or anyone. This is similar to driving a car. You make the choice of how fast you go, what side of the yellow lines you stay on, and your state of mind while operating your vehicle. You can do anything you want; and in what you do, you’re guided by some principle — for example, obeying the law, not wanting to harm anyone, or wanting to get home safely. The time has arrived to apply this kind of idea to your whole life. You need to know where you stand with yourself, and how that sets up the parameters of your choices and actions. The wide world is not watching: it’s you.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You’ve been maneuvering through some complex territory, both in your personal life and in your profession. And as the month develops, you’ll start to get on top of your game. You’ve had the gift of brilliant strategy, though now you’ll get to discover the power of charm and persuasion. You cannot be all warrior, manager or litigator. It’s essential that you harness the power of informal leadership and authority rather than the more structured and official kinds. This will necessitate bringing your feminine side into what you’re doing, which is easy enough for you to leave out these days. To feel, to receive, to express care in tangible ways, all leave you open and what some would describe as vulnerable. Yet if you want some love in the dream, this is where you’ll need to go. You might make peace with one thing: nobody does anything for you because they have to. Those who serve you do so because they want to. You would be wise to set aside any pretense of ‘power’ and embrace the reality that humans are social beings. We share a strong impulse to take care of one another, to protect the brood, and to ensure that everyone has enough to eat. With those things covered, there’s plenty of work to be done. And as one looked to for leadership, those are the only planks in your platform.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Chiron has now moved into your 7th house of relationships; by mid-month Mars will be in your 5th house of pleasure, play, creativity and curiosity. Uranus is about to move into your 8th house, representing sexuality on the deep bonding level, and as a product of relationships with shared finances. For now, let’s consider Chiron, the planet of healing, which will be in your relationship house for nine years. No matter which way we look at your charts, the story told is deepening intimacy, addressing the fears associated with doing so, and taking a more mature approach to your sexuality. Society remains obsessed with that which is salacious, which takes 7th grade emotional development and projects it out over the entire population. Though it may not be obvious now, the maturing and healing process (same thing, basically) will gradually bring this point into focus. It may take time; Chiron always taps on the door before it knocks and then thumps. In any discussion, whether about a private experience you may be having, or some public issue, I suggest you make room for healing, and the potential for any party to the subject to grow and mature. No matter who or what you’re talking about, there is no “it” or “them.” Your life, what you perceive, experience and believe, is all about you, and nobody else.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Uranus taking up residence in your opposite sign will keep you on your feet, dancing the tango and the twist. Lasting seven years, this transit will present you with the kinds of situations you might like to avoid, yet which will be impossible merely to dodge or wish away. Such experiences may span from whatever is happening in society that will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls, to your most intimate ties that bind. Taken on the deepest personal level, one message of this transit is to make sure that you give your intimate partners space to change, to learn and to grow. This would also embrace creative and business partners; and it would describe your environment in general. You’re being summoned to take a more daring, inventive and even revolutionary approach to art, to love and to life; and the more you resist, the higher the stakes will seem. Here’s one way to consider the shift in dynamic: One of the ways you typically deal with change is to get others to do things your way; you use your considerable gravity to bend things in your direction. Uranus will have none of that. You will therefore need to master this energy, and do something we both know you’re capable of: be flexible; and when challenged, come up with a better idea — much better.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — There’s about to be new emphasis on your work life: not your career or profession, but rather the actual work that you do. Those born under your sign tend to walk a narrow path between striving for total creative freedom, and wanting to monitor and control every detail. This is the source of tension for you, and it’s time to burst that bubble. Ultimately what must count for you is your idea and its expression. You’re also the steward of going from one to the other. You will need more room than you currently have, in your current workspace or mental field. You will need to be more experimental, and give yourself the liberty to make mistakes. There will be various gambles involved, where you will embark on projects and opportunities, consciously willing to take a loss. Those are really the only conditions under which you stand to grow in your work, and to profit from it. This process will push you up against your boundaries. First you will discover where they are, then you will evaluate whether they work for you, and finally, you’ll have the opportunity to make adjustments. Yet you cannot plan any of this in advance, without the specific knowledge and experience you’re presented with in any situation. You will need to play by ear, which means listening to the music, and adding your own individual statement.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You’re the kind of person who wants to do everything right, though too often this is about what you think others believe. Worse, you can be a slave to convenience, or to bend in the direction of what you might call the current administration. For you who want to grow into an actualized human being, relate to others from the heart, and perhaps make your mark on the world, those are not sustainable strategies. There may soon come a time when you’re subservient only to your own creative impulses, your curiosity and your desire. Once you accept those factors as your guides, authority will lose its appeal, the opinions of your relatives will be laughable, and conforming for the sake of convenience will feel, rightly, as a form of cowardice. Your true strength will flow from connecting with how your body feels, who you love, and what your soul wants to make. Though you yearn for family connection, Chiron and other factors are calling you deeper than the tribal level, deeper than race or personal creed, and onto the level on which humanity exists as a distinctive entity. The human experience and all of its drama is a vast experiment. Can we take on the creative power of the cosmos? Can we honor and hold space for the distinct entity that each of us is? Do you admit that you exist?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Be sure to keep your emotional responses proportional to reality. It will be possible to overreact, and equally possible to keep a handle on how you perceive your reality. Much of this will require that you focus on the present and the future, and use the past for context. Speaking of: the mystery of certain events that have transpired the past month or so will reveal themselves when Mars enters your sign on the 16th. Yet, despite what you learn, you must react slowly rather than quickly. Mars in your sign will make a square aspect to Uranus, which arrives in Taurus on May 15. That is a potential formula for radical misjudgment, so be sure you interpose a delay, and that you consult with the older and wiser people in your life. Any decisions you make must be well thought out, though the most significant theme of the summer will be figuring out what you want. That’s mostly a process of being honest with yourself, because you know the truth of that, though sometimes you struggle to admit it. That, and you’ve been living much of your life in a blind spot. Suddenly, you’ll be able to see, and to see what you want. Just be willing to listen, particularly to what you find the most irritating. There’s valuable information contained in anti-social viewpoints.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Pay close attention to who your friends are. Your usual policy is to presume the best in people, then give them a chance to prove you right. I suggest you take the opposite approach for a while, which is to assume nothing, and give people a chance to fail. Rather than extending your trust, make sure people earn it, through their actions and not just their words. Then, take care that your actions and words are exemplary. Powerful forces are at work in your life, and it will be your ethics and commitment to truth that puts you on the correct side of nature. This month’s sign change of Uranus from Aries to Taurus will help you stabilize certain aspects of your life, and radically reinvent others — in particular, the message that you send to the world in everything you express. It’s time to up your game, to reach inwardly for the very heart and soul of who you are, and to express only that. Don’t be surprised if you shake things up a little bit; the seemingly simple act of telling the truth or describing reality as it is can cause an uproar. Yet it’s your integrity that will protect you, and will help ensure that whatever you have to say is both received and understood, regardless of any position people may take.

Aries Birthdays 2018
On the Cusp of a New Journey

“I love that he does not just give ‘information,’ like what planets are coming and going, but also what that means for my sign, and how to make the best use of that transit or placement. Like having the issues that might be a challenge, and he offers insight on how best to work it for my highest good. Always informative! Presented with humor, and sensitivity.”

— Laura Garrity

Dear Friend with Aries Sun, Rising or Moon:

Not only is this your time of year, but this year marks the beginning of a uniquely dynamic time in your life. Just a couple days before the Sun leaves your sign, Chiron arrives for a nine-year journey.

Snapshot of objects in Aries when Chiron arrives. Top to bottom: Chiron, Mercury (in direct motion), Eris, the Sun and Uranus (which is getting ready to leave).

As Eric recently wrote to Aries readers, “It’s time to pull your life into focus, and to devote yourself to the changes you know you have to make,” adding, “It represents an extended opportunity to devote yourself to a concentrated, meaningful healing process.”

Whether you anticipate Chiron’s arrival with eagerness to get started on what’s coming next, or you’re feeling nervous about the changes and challenges in store, one thing is clear: beginning the process with Eric’s 2018 Aries Birthday Reading in your pocket could make all the difference in the world.

Eric designs these readings to provide encouragement, reassurance, and actual information about your transits — in language you can understand, and with ideas you can put into practice immediately.

In the two astrology segments (each at least 30 minutes long), he’ll walk you through the opportunities you can expect in your relationships, career, finances, family dynamics, self-esteem and healing process, to name a few typical areas. When you pre-order your 2018 Birthday Reading early, you lock in the lowest price we offer: just $33 for the downloadable audio, the extended description of your sign, and all supporting materials.

Please note that the price will increase the closer Eric gets to publishing your reading.

“Today I was listening to last year’s reading and I kept feeling that I needed to get this year’s reading; I’m so glad I did. It answered everything, or at least helped me to realize I’m okay and actually very excited.”

— Rhonda Benson

I hope your solar year has begun with a surge of energy and creative ways to use it.

Wishing you the best for your Chiron journey,

Amanda Painter

P.S. You can listen for free to last year’s Aries reading here, to review Eric’s accuracy, before you pre-order the 2018 Aries reading — for yourself, or as a gift for a loved one.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You do exist. If you consider that long enough, and carefully enough, you will cause an earthquake. Much of the crisis of our society, its sickness and its violence and its obsession with identity, is all about a struggle to acknowledge existence. There are many ways to do this. Marshall McLuhan, the brilliant and infamous media theorist of the Sixties, said that identity is always established through aggression. I would say that’s true, when other more elementary biological factors are missing, such as living passionately, and engaging your sexuality. Chiron is about to enter your birth sign and, after a brief phase-in, will be there for the next nine years. Along with Chiron is a potent, more recently discovered point called Salacia. Representing all things salty, you might say that Salacia offers the opportunity to grow and evolve through understanding and exploring your sexuality. When you combine this with Chiron — which will be the case for the next few years — you get an extended, though once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity to focus on an aspect of healing that everyone seems to understand needs emphasis, but few know how to approach. And how do you approach it? You just start; and keep reading, having conversations and exploring physically till you catch on to the rhythm. There is a world awaiting you, and the taboo is rapidly falling away. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Inner awareness is a gift, and it’s one you can cultivate for yourself. This month, the very search-beam of consciousness — the minor planet Chiron — moves into the most sensitive and, in truth, amazing angle of your solar chart: your 12th solar house, Aries. I am always amazed when I hear about the lack of personal association with the notion of inner life or inner awareness, as if the whole universe exists outside of us. You, however, are aware that your reality is mostly within you; and though at times you may feel like a hot mess (particularly in recent years, with Uranus passing through Aries), you are very much awake and alert to your existence within yourself. Chiron is going to focus this for you, and make your quest for identity feel like a natural process — if you are willing to cooperate. People tend to cling to ideas about who they are, rather than seeking to understand what exactly they are drawing up out of the Earth, and synthesizing into the fabric of their soul. This is not a conceptual process. It’s not an intellectual exercise. You are a cosmic being, co-creating yourself with the universal creative force that sustains all life. You bring your absolutely unique approach to existence. Chiron will help you let yourself grow, and let yourself shine. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Yours is one of the most social signs. This is partly about your being willing to converse with anyone, such as gangsters, monks, fromageurs, philosophers and space aliens. Yet the more interesting thing is why you do that: you establish and stabilize your presence in the world through social means. It would be nice if everyone did that; we would have more potluck dinners and fewer school shootings. However, there is an astonishing social phobia in the world, which is fueled by an obsession with elitism that is just torturing many, many people. Psychologists have studied ingroup/outgroup phenomena for years, and that has not helped matters much. You can, however. Your healing role through the extended run of Chiron in Aries (which will last into 2027) is that of social ambassador. You are excellent at subverting absurd social rules, mainly by walking up to people and talking to them. In everything you do, you will be helping usher people through the barriers, the security checkpoints and the glass walls of our world. This is the work of a master healer; and if you don’t qualify today, you will embark on that path. At the outset, consider that what benefits others benefits you — and that the secret to your magic is self-acceptance. A fairer, more open and communicative world, without absurd social barriers, will be a much happier world. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Chiron in Aries is the transit you’ve been waiting for. You will either discover your true calling or, more likely, confirm that you’ve been following it all along. The added factor of Chiron is one of leadership. You must be willing to be visible, and to be an example and mentor to others. And it’s essential that you venture into some new territory every single day. You may not think of yourself as a pioneer, though at least you tend to be an early settler in new and unusual country. You are counted on as someone who establishes basic norms, roles and protocols, because your mind works well that way. You might think of these as family traditions. There is more, though. Chiron moving through the 10th has been described in the early literature as taking on the mantle of power. This may be subtle; it may be overt; though one thing is for sure: our world and our society needs a new concept of authority; one that is responsive to people’s feelings, needs and personal gifts, and is not strictly centered on profit as its concept of the greatest good. If all this sounds appealing, the potential downside will be the need to live as if you have a TV camera trained on you at all times. In terms of your ethics, you will have zero wiggle room. You don’t need much anyway. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — The notion of “God” or even “god” has been so abused over the centuries that it’s warned many people off of their natural spiritual quest. Then, looking at things from the other direction, the notion of religion has been turned into a kind of mental virus, turning everything from Coca-Cola to the Republican Party into an act of worship. Yet you have a relationship to existence, and your sense of being and your relationship to the world depend on it. Enter Chiron into your 9th house, which is the astrological sigil of the spiritual quest. This is not about theory or armchair travel: it’s about gaining experience. It’s about the genuine practice of Know Thyself, seek and ye shall find, and learning as discovering that something is possible. There is an aspect to your journey that will benefit from reading and study, though I suggest you go to the old books rather than the new ones. You want literature written by authors, not marketing execs, and that never came close to the New York Times bestseller list. The way to travel places is by yourself, not with a group. You want the independence to spend three days somewhere that a group might spend three hours. Most of all, you need to seek your own understanding of reality and of existence. This is the beginning of a great adventure. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Barbara Hand Clow, author of one of the original books on Chiron, said she had very few clients with Chiron in the 8th house, because they were so secretive. Now, Chiron is about to enter your 8th solar house; after a nine-month transition in, it will remain there for almost a decade, which is similar to a natal placement. One thing we can say for sure is that this will take you on a journey through the mysteries of sex, death, transformation, rebirth and money — all usually cloaked from view or considered too taboo to discuss. Your most vital task in these years will be to practice self-disclosure. Virgo has a way of acting conspiratorially, concealing your plans till the last minute and conducting your life on a “need to know” basis, like in a spy novel. While this focuses your sense of your own power, it limits your capacity for intimacy. It has a way of isolating you, and making you seem self-centered in a way that you don’t want to be. Revealing the truth of your reality, especially to the people you consider intimates, is the very essence of what will set you free. Allowing yourself to transcend any fear that might block you from doing this will help you learn how to be vulnerable; which, contrary to popular belief, is the only way to feel safe. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Have you been able to make any sense at all of your relationships during the past seven years or so? There have been nonstop changes, genuinely odd people coming and going, various misadventures, and perhaps some who have stuck with you through thick and thin. With Chiron entering Aries, your mirror house of partnerships, you will soon feel drawn to engaging in a healing process where close partners are concerned. This will apply to relationships in general, and the way that you see and experience the world (all of which also count for your experience of your environment). Chiron is going to drop a lens in front of this facet of your reality, and all at once you will see what you’ve been missing. I propose one discovery you’ll make is that you’ve learned things you would never give up or do over, even if it meant your life being simpler or more stable. One of the crucial things you did during this phase is a kind of unlearning of patterns and tendencies that may have ruled your life in the past. You now get to re-focus, and redesign your relationships in a way that works for you. Or, at least, you get to set some goals and boundaries, and experiment with whether the people currently in your life are interested in playing along. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Work is a vital part of your life, your growth, your wellbeing and who you feel you are. This is sometimes said to be an American phenomenon, though anyone who likes going to work is extremely fortunate. Seen another way, such people are not wasting their lives — and this is something that you of all people cannot do. Your work must be meaningful to you, and you must be the person you really are, when you’re in your day job. If this does not apply to you, you can still have a good long (or maybe short) talk with yourself about what you really want to do with your precious time and your precious mind. You have a calling. There is something you want to spend your days doing. Does it pay as well as what you do now? If it does not at the beginning, there’s nothing blocking your success in that regard, since you happen to be good with money. However, money is not the issue. Your ability to live with yourself is. Your ability to thrive is. Whatever you do, you will find a way to identify with it. Therefore, invest your energy into what you value, what you can be proud of, and what you can actually love. There is a word for this: Dharma, acting as if to hold the world together. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You’re in something of a personal renaissance. That’s a beautiful thing. From the look of your solar chart, you seem open to all kinds of experiences, which you want in actual, physical form — not in virtual form. You can afford to push your courage, and try things you never would have done, as long as you remember that life is an experiment (which I like to call an experi-o-ment, because it’s about gaining experience). Now, Chiron is about to enter Aries. This is going to push the matter more than it already has been, which is quite a lot, over the past few years. If you’ve been living out your astrology during that time, you may have made a decision similar to my Sagittarius bandmate and music teacher Daniel Marc: you quit being the assistant manager of a little club in upstate New York, so you can play music all the time. This is the moment when your art has to take over your life. Your art is the thing you do where you stay awake and alive the whole time. Your art is where you want to keep extending your awareness, creativity and consciousness into existence, and you don’t want to pull back because it gets too intense. Your art is your passion, your true erotic connection, your sense of personal quest, and validation that you’re alive for a very good reason. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The theme of your life these days involves understanding your family connection. Family is tribe, in the closest sense we as members of Western civilization can get to the hunter-gatherers roaming around Africa eating magic mushrooms a million years ago. You identify strongly both with family and with the concept of the tribe; though, with Chiron’s arrival in Aries, you may start to question that. The thing with a tribe is that it tends to subjugate, or outright ban, too much individuality. And it would seem that the thing you want the most is to live life as a discrete being rather than as a member of a hive or collective organism. One way to do some reality testing is to consider all the things you cannot say to your family of origin or your family of choice (including your closest friends). What you cannot say may be something you’ve stuffed so deep under the surface, in order to conform, that you’ve lost track of it. If you retrieve that feeling, thought or idea, you get a little panicky about whether you’ll still be acceptable to those you seemingly identify with so strongly. Pick the thing that would potentially be the most offensive, shocking or embarrassing, and imagine having a little coming-out party. Could you actually do it? Could you say what you really say, do, feel, want, or know is true? For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Yours is somewhat famously the sign associated with inventors, inventions and technology. That’s another way of saying that Aquarius is one of the signs most associated with ideas. This appears astrologically for you as Aries, the sign of identity, in your 3rd solar house of ideas. You are your ideas; you cannot help yourself. Others may think you’re into abstractions and concepts for their own sake, but they are like food and water to you. Later this month, Chiron will make its first foray into Aries since the late 1960s. Your experience of life as mind as idea as invention will find a new peak and, in particular, a point of focus. Here is a clue: apart from any intellectual pursuit you may spark up, or deepen, the 3rd house is also about your community. It has its origins in describing the little cluster of homes that starts as a family farm and then becomes a hamlet and then a village. This is not community as in all the nurses of the world, or people on a Facebook group; this is the community where you can walk around, open doors and visit people face to face. It’s the community that can have potluck dinners and Scrabble night or contra dancing, or a political event; that can get together and solve a vexing problem requiring the brainpower of intelligent people. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Chiron has been in your sign since April 20, 2010. That was a long time ago. In a certain way, despite much other astrology going by, this one transit has been a defining factor in your life. Chiron (a not-so-minor minor planet discovered in 1977) has a way of doing that: it makes itself known, and the more you acknowledge the subject matter that it’s presenting, the more productive that is. Chiron can also bring crisis (or one after the next), which would be especially possible if you were born between 1960 and 1968 and experienced your Chiron return in recent years. Yet despite any inconvenience, the role of Chiron is to help clarify and resolve the past, and to put you in contact with your deeper being. It is fair to say that in these past eight years, you have made significant discoveries about who you are. Now that Chiron is entering Aries, you’re being called to invest these ideas into yourself, with full commitment. Aries is about taking action, based on what you have learned. You’ve been experimenting with this for a long time, since there’s been no shortage of planets in Aries, going back many years. Yet Chiron’s change of signs will enhance your focusing power, help you identify your priorities and, most of all, guide you to connect with the resources (both inner and outer) to make things happen. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Events this month build toward an unusual unleashing of energy in the professional, career, reputation or mission aspect of your life (however you may think of it). You have the power to initiate ideas that take root quickly, though it would be wise to start only what you think you can sustain. Work with ideas that are sufficiently interesting that you’ll want to stay connected and committed in the long run, and which you value enough to develop even in the face of resistance, challenges or obstacles. This will call for a design scheme, which you could base on nature. One of the ways that humans and, ostensibly, other species are perpetuated is because sex is so appealing. This makes reproduction inevitable. It’s this level of motivation that must be soaked into what you’re doing: drive that is rooted in biology, and that taps into existence with the sensation of insatiable curiosity, and the need to connect. More than the desire to do something, you might let yourself be driven by the need to discover something, using your mind, your senses, your body and your feelings. While this might feel like throwing your body and soul into what you want, remember that relatively minor adjustments can have a significant influence. Pay attention to what may seem too small to even matter. That’s what might matter most. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The story arc of the coming weeks appears to be a gradual moving inward, after a phase of being actively and outwardly involved in the world. You’ll feel better as you incrementally reduce your exposure to the outer world, and pull in for a little while. Yet you’re not there yet. The cluster of planets traversing Pisces through late February and into the first week of March is about being open and available to people — not an intuitive thing to do these days. We live in an era when shutting down is supposedly the answer to everything. But it’s not, and you know it, and so do other sensitive people. A strategy of being closed and unavailable turns life into an excuse for existence. You have strength, self-awareness and a spiritual connection that many people struggle for, or wish they had. This makes your involvement with those you care about even more meaningful. What you say, and how you respond to events that everyone is struggling to understand, can help keep many people aware. March 3-4 looks like a particularly significant moment when you can do just that. And, at a certain point, you will need to pull in and assess your innermost reality. A new solar year is about to begin, and you’ve learned a lot since your last birthday. Take the time to quietly distill that knowledge. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Your ruling planet Mercury turns to retrograde motion just after the equinox, on March 22, lasting through April 15. This occurs in Aries, the most social and extraverted region of your chart. Yet you’ll want to keep some distance between what you say outwardly and what happens within the most intimate spaces of your life. This is not so much about being secretive as it is about giving your relationships space to be themselves, minimizing interference and judgment from your wider environment. It seems as if you’re renegotiating an arrangement within a long-term partnership. It could be strictly business, though this is unlikely — it’s more likely to be an erotic partnership that’s undergoing some change and is not revealing its inner workings easily. It will help if you don’t think of it as a relationship but rather as a discussion between two people’s individual lives. The best approach is to make a commitment to holding space for whatever the other is going through, and whatever needs they may have. This calls for some detachment; but mostly, it’s respect that will get the results. Stand back from the idea that anyone belongs to anyone else, or owes anyone anything, and take up the lives involved as individual experiences. This is a test of faith and of commitment. Hold this space for a while, listen patiently, and what to do next will flow naturally. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You can do anything you want, as long as you leave out any thoughts of revenge, and don’t treat jealousy as a right. This applies to personal as well as professional situations. I know this isn’t really your style; you’re usually too busy taking care of people to let them bother you too much. I suggest that you keep your focus on more exciting, positive and productive things — and they’re available to you in an especially bold way. It will help if you defuse tense situations before they get contentious, and do what you can to convert friction into some form of positive energy. Keep making your own decisions, and don’t try to assert your will on others; figure out what they want, or notice what they’re doing, and do your best to go with that. Looking after your own agenda will help rather than hinder, as long as you ensure that you’re good for your basic commitments. If you can do that, you’ll find yourself exploring new possibilities, new goals and some expanded role in the world as Chiron, the planet of healing and awareness, gets ready to enter your 10th house of profession, responsibility and reputation. A new era of your life is gradually dawning, where you experience more direct recognition not just for what you do but for who you are. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If you tend to your emotional needs, you will find it much easier to get along with people. If you project those needs outwardly, it may seem like others are not so willing to meet them. Yet this is not so much about their willingness as it is about how you’re the only person who actually understands what you’ve got going on. You are more cryptic than you think, even to yourself. You might find it an excellent investment to explain what you think, what you’re doing and what you want. It appears you have some work-related projects that have a life of their own, and you want to devote yourself to them. There may be a place in your workshop for someone you care about. Not all projects can include others, though you may find a mutual meeting-place if a friend or partner is interested in participating. Most people have relationships for their own sake. It’s also worth considering the philosophy that relationships benefit from having a mutually agreed purpose. The problem is that when such is lacking, nefarious agendas can slip in, which is why so many relationships go so badly. This phase of your life is calling for you to live with meaning from day to day, to have clear agreements with people, and to make sure those agreements align with your goals. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — This is an unusual and potentially extraordinarily positive time for your relationships. Yet if you’re caught in a narrow idea of what a relationship is supposed to be, or have to follow strict rules with a partner, you might not be noticing. You’d be well served to relax your ideas about connecting with people, and to encourage partners to do the same. Remember how much of your identity you invest into your primary partnership, which seen one way provides you with an opportunity to find yourself. Yet it also necessitates that the relationship be extremely stable, so that you maintain your sense of identity. Often it seems that the greater the challenges in the relationship, the more you invest, to maintain the structure; in part, because your self-concept is so invested in it. There’s another way to do this, which is to use your evolved individuality to be independent within your relationships. And there’s yet a third way, which is to honestly assess the role that primary partners have served in your life. Are they more like a necessity, or more like a desire? If they’re a necessity, do they deliver the goods, and if they’re a desire, do they leave you feeling satisfied? In April, Chiron changes signs for the first time since 2010, which will focus this line of inquiry in a way that few developments can. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — From now through the equinox on March 20, the energy shifts from Pisces to Aries. That’s another way of saying that before long, a whole bunch of planets get in your face — one way to think of your opposite sign (Libra and Aries face one another). While yours is one of the least confrontational signs, you’ll need to rise to the occasion of these transits, and meet the world with some energy — and with some faith in your ability to make decisions. You have your options open, which means the necessity to choose from among them, and that’s where you might have a potential concern. First, embrace the possibility that when you make decisions, you also make some mistakes. If you set a policy of always being right (or worse, perfect), that translates to being paralyzed. Also, it’s time to confront some unresolved family matters that are influencing your intimate relationships. While you cannot live like it’s 1950 where your mating rituals are concerned, our current context gives us very little to go by in terms of guidance or wisdom. Much that’s considered cool and modern is connected to marketing and political agendas. Your intimate life is about neither. These agendas drive wedges between people, and emphasize differences. You need contact, which is about embracing similarity. We are not so different after all. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may have that feeling of being psychologically on edge, though unsure whether it’s you, or whether it’s everyone and everything. The vibe you’re feeling is in the environment, and it’s a mix of paranoia and uncertainty. Those are understandable responses to life at the moment, though they don’t serve you well. You have plenty of protection around you right now. You’re also at a peak of creativity and sensuality these days, so you have both reasons and opportunities to celebrate life. Yet to have the benefit of any of this, you will need to be open, flexible and willing to explore and experiment. The edgy feeling you’re picking up on is rooted in the rigidity that our environment is pushing on us at nearly every turn. Our devices make us rigid. Our schedules make us rigid. Fear is a stiffening agent, and you can’t take three steps without someone telling you the next thing to be terrified of. To go against this requires courage: to keep your heart open; to engage with what you don’t understand, rather than immediately dissing it; the willingness to have a conversation with someone you don’t agree with; these will all help you feel better, and live better. You want more from life than paying the bills, and to succeed at that requires a sense of adventure, and being open to life. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Financial decisions you make this month will count for a lot. The first thing to be cautious of is being motivated by any form of making fast cash. Ideally, your business plan is a long-term endeavor, which (at least following astrological guidance) should extend out about two years. You can, however, make some small moves this month that have a long-term effect. Most of those will involve how you direct your energy, and how you tap into your resources to get things done. You’ll also benefit from limiting your spending. If there are a few people who think they depend on you in some way, make sure those relationships are in balance, and that you’re not over-extended. You take family loyalty seriously, which extends to your household; it’s one of the most meaningful things in your life. Yet that has to work for everyone to work at all. Under one reading of your chart for the next four or five weeks, you’ll spend money till you run out. Now that we see this possibility, you can invoke others, which include taking care of the basics, setting some cash aside for luxuries defined as such, and making sure you maintain a policy of saving on a regular basis. You have a lot going for you financially these days, though working with that long-range vision is essential. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your chart is like a pressurized reactor at the moment, and you must vent some of that steam and heat. This pressure will only increase, along with your drive, determination and energy level when Mars enters your sign on March 17. Mars joins a newly arrived long-term visitor to your sign, Pholus, as well as Saturn and Pluto. That adds up to so much mojo you might not know what to do with it all. So what exactly does it mean to vent pressure? First, it helps to stay productive rather than just busy. Notice how much you’ve got going on at any time, and how you’re responding emotionally. Saturn in your sign suggests that you’re handling a lot of responsibility, and you must manage that consciously if you’re going to manage it at all. It’s essential that you pace yourself, though you have to do better than taking things one day at a time. You need a clear sense of the past, the present and the future. Mostly, though, Mars is about getting what you want. In our world, you can only get some of that, so choose what is most important. And let’s remember that Mars specifically describes sexual desire, in the focused form rather than the take-it-or-leave-it form. Get that cork out of the bottle, and honor what nature has bestowed upon you. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Yours is already one of the signs most inclined to experience life primarily on the mental level, though this month’s aspects are encouraging you to bring your whole being into whatever you do. For nearly everyone, there are two factors provoking life as a head-trip: one is technology, and the other is fear. One is so pervasive that it’s invisible, and the other is pervasive and unspeakable. It would be helpful if you had someone you could discuss your fears with, whether it’s a therapist or an older friend (you want someone with experience). You need to understand what you’re concerned about and why, which will take you deep into your psychological nature. One of the prevailing themes of your chart, for the far-foreseeable future, is self-understanding, which is a special form of self-awareness. And much of this involves unraveling the internal causes of anxiety, while doing what you can about the external ones. It would seem, though, that the single most helpful thing you can do is stay in your body, and connected to your senses. You will feel better the more you live in the physical world — of human contact, critters, making your own food, tuning in to your senses, and making art, music and love. And it will help greatly if you express your mental restlessness in a tangible way rather than letting your mind feed on itself. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Pisces Birthdays 2018
Saying Goodbye to Chiron, Saying Hello to Yourself

“I have just listened to your Part 1 and Part 2 readings and I am amazed at how accurate it has been. Like you have a telescope watching me shed a skin and transform into a totally changed person in the last 10 years.”

— P.J.

Dear Pisces Friend and Reader:

With planets gathering in your sign, chances are you feel less like a fish out of water and more in the flow of things than you might have recently. Yet this year holds some interesting developments for you — many of which Eric will cover in your 2018 Pisces Birthday Reading.

This is a separate project from the annual edition, different in every way — they make excellent companions. While the annual readings are written chapters of an interconnected set, your birthday reading is a stand-alone audio meditation. It’s something you can listen to over and over, whether you take notes or take a bath as you listen.

Eric’s audio readings are some of the most unusual astrology you’ll encounter. They go deeper than the work most professional astrologers do, reaching the spiritual essence of the chart’s message, though without the need for a natal chart.

For roughly seven years, you’ve benefitted from Chiron’s focusing power in your sign.

This year, Chiron begins the process of entering Aries — leaving other slow-moving planets in Pisces. If you’ve learned the lessons of Chiron, you’ll be better able to embody that focusing power yourself — and you’ll be in a prime position to navigate everything else the next 12 months will bring.

“Eric, as a Pisces I really appreciate all your readings, as they have truly helped me push past the insecurities and become a truly wonderful person with greater strength to become ME. Thanks so much!”

— Susan Andrews

You can pre-order your 2018 Pisces Birthday Reading here, for just $33. We offer the lowest price first; the price will increase as we near the recording and publication of the reading.

You’ll get two segments of audio astrology, at least 30 minutes each. A little while after those portions publish, Eric will record your tarot reading for the year (included in the price).

Wishing you a beautiful birthday season,

Amanda Painter

P.S. If you love a Pisces, make their day: give the Pisces reading as a gift.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You’re probably getting the message to up your game on the financial front, though the first thing to remember about finances is that they’re connected to everything. In astrology there are two houses connected to the money that you earn, rather than what comes to you through inheritance, and both are in the spotlight. Saturn in Capricorn is encouraging you to make a structural review of where your money comes from. By structural, I mean your sources of income and how they connect to your skills and talents; and then determine what happens to the money once it enters your bank account. Also where Saturn in Cap is concerned, make sure that you’re converting your visibility and participation in your community into revenue in as few steps as possible. The next stage, which heats up radically in March and April, is about respecting your abilities, your resources and your contribution to the degree that you feel good about being paid for them. You must have no hesitation here, though this demands that you invest yourself fully in who you are and what you do. Pisces is one of the signs best equipped to succeed financially in relevant ways — that is, in ways that are meaningful to you — though that in itself is the prerequisite for success. Stay close to your purpose, and let your purpose lead the way. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You’re working yourself to the edge of your comfort zone, which is exactly the place you will benefit from being. While you’re there, you can question a whole diversity of social expectations, starting with jealousy and competition in relationships, especially friendships. Navigating the social aspects of life is directly connected to your work-related aspirations, though it’s worth understanding that there are two different spheres of influence with two sets of rules. Those of the social world are usually informal and not structured on an organizational chart. Influence is gained though affinity and charm. In the professional sphere, influence is (in theory, anyway) structured and orderly. However, in our current time, this is reversed: formal structures are crumbling and losing their effectiveness, while informal influence, tribal organization and affinity are gaining momentum (part of a very long trend). If you remember the properties of both spheres, you’ll be able to work deftly within them — just know where you are and what rules you’re playing under at all times. Remember that custom usually trumps law, and the informal social guidelines typically win out over formal power structure. Among your friends, you can take the risk of opening communication; especially if you want to make a change. You have the gift of being an initiator, and you’re persuasive enough to make a difference. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Suddenly it may seem that everyone is figuring out what you already know. Get over any disappointment that it took them so long, and step into your leadership role, the same one you’ve been cultivating for a while. As part of this process, you’ve got some unlearning to do, which mostly involves unraveling thought patterns and seeing beyond the rules of society that people take for granted. Cultivate a keen sense of what works and what does not; of who works for what purpose, and who works well together with specific other people toward a concrete goal. You may be getting the message that the more flexible your thought patterns, the easier all this is. Relax your social expectations of what is proper and what is not, and give people space to experiment with their ideas. See if you can notice the feelings that exist underneath them, and address the feelings first. Then gently apply reason and logic, first to your own thought process as a kind of demonstration. Another dimension of leadership involves the back-room deal. This is not as sinister as it may seem, at least in your situation. It’s about a small group of committed people deciding that something is necessary, and taking the steps to make it happen; then consulting others and building support. Revise your plans where necessary. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) –It’s time to ease yourself out of survival mode. This can seem like a far-fetched notion when so many people are feeling so pushed to the edge. You can take not just solace but encouragement from the degree to which you’ve managed to get by (or do pretty well for yourself) all this time. While we hear reports of the glowing, growing economy and the stock market that knows no limits, fear, despair and a sense of injustice are soaked into nearly everything. To relax, you’ll be going against the prevailing feeling of our society, which calls for strength and faith. Your solar chart describes this as faith in humanity, though that can inform your greater trust in something more transcendent. You can tune into the “greater purpose” of all that you see going on, which will help you see beyond the struggle. Survival mode is a state of mind. It’s time to up your game. You need a definition of what it means to thrive. You don’t face the same kinds of threats or hardships that you adapted to when you were younger. It’s challenging, for whatever reason, to look at yourself and the world around you and to see both as they are today. Notice your friends. Notice your resources. Notice all the important work that needs to be done. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — At the moment, many factors are working collaboratively to shift your orientation on relationships. Certain influences are of the slow-but-steady variety; others are going increase the speed and reactivity of your environment. Certain things that took a long time in the past might happen quickly now. Other factors that previously moved fast will cool off and slow down. Two items are involved. One is the recent arrival of Saturn in your opposite sign, which describes a quest for stability. Don’t be content with the near miss or the close encounter. You want contact. This is not usually possible to create at will, though you can create conditions that will predispose it to happen. Work with structures, such as your time, your physical space, and where you choose to commit yourself. Saturn will help you thoughtfully make changes, and help you clear old baggage and inappropriate situations out of the way. The other factor is Pholus, a small, meaningful (and relatively new) discovery, from 1992, which is an accelerant. Under the influence of Pholus, seemingly small elements can have unusually potent effects. You can use this as a tool, and you must also guard against it. Be careful not to dismiss anyone or anything as meaningless. Take a moment and size that up consciously. Subtle factors can be profound. Watch and listen carefully. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Two eclipses are on the horizon that influence your sign, and will do so for many months. These relate back to the astrology of last summer, and all the events that it precipitated. The first is a lunar eclipse in your sign on Jan. 31. The second is a partial solar eclipse in your opposite sign Aquarius on Feb. 15. Combined, these two events are a balancing process that will help you reorient your existence after an unusually eventful, even tumultuous six months since midsummer. You will probably experience another rapid series of events, after which you’ll get a chance to settle down. The emphasis, initially, is on your relationships. You’re making a transition from primarily one-on-one encounters to circumstances where the group or family is the more significant level of reality. This is especially true where both work- and health-related matters are concerned. You’ll be happier and healthier if you organize support around you, and accept that support without making much of a fuss. For the foreseeable future, the theme of your chart is taking better care of yourself. You are a taskmaster; and, in that, efficiency and collaboration are now essential. The other prevailing message from your chart is food. There are things you should be eating, and other things that you should not be eating. Figure out the difference. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Expressing your need for emotional independence could get some unexpected results. Don’t let that stop you from taking the space you need, whether in your household, from your family or in an intimate relationship. The only way to understand or even document the existence of restrictions, boundaries and unspoken agreements is to test them, and to push their limits. Part of this experiment will involve understanding people’s motives and agendas, which you can try to suss out. Yet you’ll only be able to judge from assessing their words, their actions, and the emotional impact they have on you and others around you. Someone intimate with you may have a problem they are reluctant to discuss, which could include experiencing the effects of a situation in the distant past. This must be handled consciously, if the effects are going to be mitigated and the problem resolved. Left untended, it will get worse; if addressed in an alert and responsive way, the problem will become a gift and an important life lesson. One way to understand the situation is to consider everyone’s definition of commitment. What assumptions are being made? Who has what expectations, and what are they grounded in? The overriding lesson of this situation is that all agreements must be conscious and out in the open if they are to be valid and meaningful. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Something related to your personal healing process has reached the point where you must address it, and you’ll be happy you did. Once you get into the issues, you’ll discover that they’re more tangible than you thought they were. The structure of the issue is “how one thing has led to another.” Events developed in a circular pattern, and one thing to be aware of is where you were at the point of origin. You may think you did something to someone, when it’s more likely someone did something to you. You’ll need to be gentle with that, and orient yourself on accounting for ascribing responsibility rather than placing blame. The difference may seem subtle at first, though it’s nothing of the kind. The emotion driving blame bears no resemblance to what is behind that of understanding responsibility. The first foggy gray area to penetrate is about whether everyone involved acted voluntarily. That may boil down to who knew what, and when. Then, figure out who had a plan, and who did not. Let’s call that the “agenda issue.” What were the different goals involved? If any question this month relates to a health matter, the emotional connection is essential to understand. One remedy here is for you to learn how to say, “This is how I feel,” and state the facts calmly. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — When art and sexuality go deeper than typical everyday consciousness, one of the first things encountered is the ambiguous, shadowy aspect of existence. If you find yourself curious about what’s lurking in the reeds and coves by the remote shores of your mind, you can explore those places. You may also discover that a partner is ready to go to a new depth; and, if so, you must be gentle about this. It’s essential to proceed with caution where feelings, desires and ideas exist in low-contrast rather than in bold and vivid colors. Move ahead with the idea that it’s not only OK but helpful to advance with curiosity and pleasure where taboo experiences are involved. Engaging with emotional contradictions consciously will take away the power they seem to hold over you, and will reveal the pleasure aspects and release the spiritual gifts they contain. This is territory you’re usually well suited for, though you’ll have to make a conscious choice to hold space for anyone you’re intimate with. You don’t need to go all the way into anyone’s emotional body. Being present for whatever someone else is feeling would make an excellent start, and will remind them that there’s a stable and safe place to have their experience. Think of yourself as a kind of “trip guide,” and remember that you’re looking into a mirror. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your relationships may follow some unusual patterns this month. If you’re wondering about what is happening and why, ask yourself what you want. That’s the driving force behind everything you experience, and everyone’s response to you. The challenge you face is being emotionally honest with yourself. One way to do that is to notice where you actually devote your time and energy. You will reveal your commitment by what you do, rather than what you think you want. That said, this is an excellent time to throw yourself into the work that you want and need to do. This may seem to distract you from your intimate relationships, though in reality you will do exactly what you want to do; and the chances are, what you do is what you wanted. Make sure you spend enough time with close partners to have real conversations. That will take less time than you think. Show up and participate, mainly by listening. In particular, tune in and see if you can get a sense of their idea of commitment. Then, consider the extent to which it matches your own. There’s a way to cross any distance between the two viewpoints, and events will proceed at their own pace. You don’t need to push anything or anyone. There’s plenty of momentum that will carry you along. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — As the old saying goes, your chart is all new players in a whole new ballgame. Yet so many factors describing your family constellation are active in your chart, you may not notice the difference. It will be excellent if you do. One way to verify things is to push sexual boundaries. You’ll notice by how people respond whether they’re part of “the family in your head,” or if you’ve expanded into new territory. Where your full-spectrum sexuality is not welcome, you probably don’t want to hang out. I don’t mean to suggest that you should show up to your job on the stock exchange in drag. I mean more in intimate, household and family environments. Everyone who is in some way queer understands the process of coming out as a means of claiming your identity. However, this applies to those whose sexuality is also on the straight side of the spectrum. You may be aware how much energy goes into cloaking your reality, once you discover you’re doing it. If you’re worried that you’re going to make others insecure, drop that load. Their alleged security is not your responsibility. You are, however, responsible for being true to your own values; and you’re not really the social conservative you sometimes portray yourself as being. Deep down, you’re rather saucy, and take some thrill in being inappropriate. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aquarius Birthdays 2018:
Pointing Yourself in the Right Direction

“Thank you. I’ve been a fan for a few years and always feel nourished by every reading — my own and others. This particular reading hit home and felt like a swoop of fresh air pointing me home. Thank you again.”

— Elaine Sonne

Dear Aquarius Sun or Aquarius Rising Reader:

Some of the most noteworthy astrological events of this year relate directly to your sign. Whether this is exciting to you or slightly intimidating, you can consider yourself fortunate: Eric will be covering the unique opportunities and challenges these events may bring you in his usual grounded, reassuring, inspiring and perspective-shifting way in your 2018 Aquarius Birthday Reading.

Eric Francis.

Among the events influencing your year are both of your ruling planets in new signs: Saturn entered Capricorn — the ‘hidden area’ of your chart — in December; and Uranus moves into fellow fixed sign Taurus in May.

As your inner landscape and outer environment take on a new flavor, Eric will be guiding through it all. Also of particular note: in just less than a week we get the first of two eclipses involving your sign.

The Jan. 31 Leo Full Moon will oppose the Aquarius Sun for a lunar eclipse; then on Feb. 15, the Aquarius New Moon will also be a partial solar eclipse. Translation: your solar year is getting off to a potentially potent start, the effects of which will ripple out for months to come. Using his signature blend of astrological experience, therapy training, life coaching, and motivational speaking, Eric will cover these major changes to the sky (along with subtler points) in your upcoming reading.

When you pre-order your 2018 Aquarius Birthday Reading, you’ll lock in the lowest price we offer on two segments of astrology (each at least 30 minutes long) plus a tarot reading for 2018. You can listen to this reading as many times as you like throughout the year — to check your progress, or to receive a little extra encouragement, insight and empowerment to tackle whatever’s come your way.

“I am listening to it again now, and there are so many more gems coming to me. Profound, deep and so thought provoking…inspired!”

— Rhonda Benson

Please note that the price increases as Eric nears publication, and then increases again.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

P.S. The 2018 Aquarius Birthday Reading is distinctly different from the Aquarius written reading available in the upcoming Art of Becoming annual project. It covers your key astrology in a different format and emphasis, capitalizing on Eric’s more intuitive, improvisational skills. The Birthday Reading also makes a fantastic gift for a loved one!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You don’t need a conspiracy theory to understand your life. It’s a fact that the elements of your existence have come together by design, most of which was based on your own intentions, choices and actions. All you need to do is understand that plan, and if you want a different kind of life, you need to make a different plan, followed by different choices. With eclipses now happening along your axis of the zodiac (lunar eclipse in Leo on Jan. 31, solar eclipse in Aquarius on Feb. 15), you have opportunities to make a number of significant changes. First, review what you’ve been saying you want to do for a long time. What have you resolved to begin, accomplish or change at least five times? That’s probably an inventory of two or three goals, which are the ones to prioritize. You may have been involved in a similar process six months ago — check back to this past August for additional details, and remember what you were striving to do. Notice how much progress you’ve made (probably more than you think). Spot a few things you no longer want to do, and consciously take those off your agenda, to save energy. One especially bold factor in your astrology is spending more time with other people, in person. That will make you happy. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You are made up of all of who you are. To be yourself, you must be completely you, and draw on all of your experiences and all of your feelings, and count every need and desire as valid. Be aware of when you try to cast away or disown certain elements of your being. What you may really need to do is integrate those feelings and impulses rather than rid yourself of them. You might think of this as communicating with yourself rather than excommunicating yourself. This extends to the world around you: community is now more important than ever, both for you personally and for the world you inhabit. You can take a strong role in helping create this. What you’re likely to discover along the way is that your sincerity and willingness to be vulnerable will work in your favor. This applies to business and social scenarios, which for the foreseeable future are intimately linked. Do what you can to bring warmth and understanding to your place of work, and use community events and gatherings as opportunities to engage your dharma. We are living through a time in history where life must be lived with purpose. You will know you’re doing that when you connect with an underlying principle that starts to get results. This includes saying and doing things that people relate to. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Most people would rather lose themselves than find themselves, though you don’t have that seeming luxury. Yet with Chiron entering your sign this year (which last happened in 1968), you’ll find that self-discovery makes you bold, and that self-awareness is the first remedy in your quest to heal all that may ail you. Society is going through a mass-scale identity crisis, and you will run counter to that trend. Your best discoveries will come through the work that you do, and the success that you aspire to. There are times when your professional activities are the most spiritually meaningful aspect of life, and this is one of them. Let your work be driven by passion; never complain, only strive to do what you do in the most beautiful way you can. As in your relationships, you don’t need some abstract notion of connecting or oneness; reach for the heat and light of deep emotional and erotic sharing, knowing it’s your most direct path to enlightenment. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Of all the signs, yours may be the one that most prefers things stay the way they are for as long as possible. Yet with revolutionary Uranus entering your sign this year, you will experience the desire to change in ways you might have never expected. You will feel this first as a surge of energy, followed by the sense that there’s much more to life than you imagined. The first place this starts to take up residence is in your intimate relationships. Next is a more tangible sense that, no matter how old you are, you have a future that’s worth building, reaching for and aspiring to. Yet once Uranus is in your sign (which starts right around your birthday) you will want to exceed all limits, and become a master of self-reinvention. Contrast that with your previous mastery of self-preservation and a gift for stability that comes in handy on our planet. With the world in a state of constant upheaval, your ability to transform yourself will be a rare and precious gift. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Your relationships have been something of a whirlwind the past few years; and you’ll be happy to hear that in the coming seasons, you’ll be encountering others not in the air but on solid ground. Most of the difference will come from your newfound desire to commit yourself, whether in business or personal contexts. The key will be engaging with the right people, for the right reasons. Consider following a simple life policy: never make a promise that you’re not fully prepared to keep, which means both willing and able. With that as your guide, you may invest yourself in situations, confident in your identity. When you lose your sense of center, that’s when to take a step back, and spend some time alone. Your planets are describing the potential of having a stable person somewhere in your life, someone perhaps just a little older than you, whom you will recognize by their wisdom. For now, the purpose of your relationships is getting to know yourself. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Yours is the sign associated with cozy homes, good food and families. On a closer look, though, your knack for navigating the complex and competitive world of business is one of your strongest suits. So, too, is your ability to find yourself through the work that you do. These factors are being called forth from your character now, and will be for some time to come. Saturn now moving through your opposite sign Capricorn is an invitation to take your goals and aspirations seriously, and to clear out of the way anything that does not support your chosen purpose. That means engaging in relationships only with people who help create a supportive environment, and those who appreciate the positive influence you have on their life. (This mutuality must infuse every relationship you have, whether personal or professional.) It’s time to focus your efforts on what enhances who you are rather than in any way diminishes you. What for others might merely be “making a living” is for you more about creating yourself. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your astrology is calling on you to create a sense of order and organization in your life. Your creative energy has been all over the place, which has led to some interesting experiments; though now it’s time to be more focused. This includes your personal projects and what you consider your professional work. A little discipline will go a long way. You will find it easier to adopt a more structured schedule and physical work environment, if you make just a little effort. And any movement toward health, fitness or wellbeing needs structure as well. Beginning with food would be a wise point of orientation; walk around all day reminding yourself “you are what you eat,” and that fast-food taco might not seem so appealing. The process of elimination is your best friend: notice what does not serve your best interests, and then subtract it. Once you have cleared away what does not work, it’ll be a lot easier to see what does. Not only that; you’ll feel better, and have more time and more space to maneuver. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — There’s a little child in you who wants to come out and play. Yet that means serious play, the kind that’s meaningful, and which you lose yourself in. It might involve your profession or vocation, but is more likely something personal that exceeds the relevance of a hobby. Your astrology describes you making something, such that there’s a tangible, useful result when you’re done. This is about passion for what you love. In a similar way, your romantic relationships need a job. It’s nice to think that people can get along without a core purpose that unites them, though that’s not usually the case. An example might be anything from raising children to building a business to creating a life that suits your mutual pleasures or interests. Whatever it might be, your connection to a conscious, well-expressed mission will both ground you and help open doors. In practical terms, if you’re dating, look for people who would prefer to attend a talk or go to a museum rather than some form of idle entertainment. We all need diversions, though those are easily enough found. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — For many moons, one of your most important personal growth projects has been emotional independence. This applies to your family and to any other aspect of life where your household or living situation is involved. Pursuing this objective has at times been messy. Perhaps you sent some mixed signals about needing to be free and also needing human contact — though in fact both are true, and they don’t contradict. This year begins a process of tidying up your boundaries. Start with something simple, like making sure all your doorknobs work; and if a lot of housemates have passed through, change your lock. Then clean some closets. Next, evaluate whether you have a space where you can actually enjoy some privacy any time you need it. For as hard as you work, you should have at least that much. Then set some guidelines for how you handle your family. They are not your masters, nor your judge, jury or guidance counselor. Step by step, day by day, build the emotional life that works for you. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Jupiter in your sign is magnifying certain aspects of your life, like living in a house with gigantic furniture, or where your innermost thoughts appear projected onto your living room wall. You’re seeing everything that you’re made of, and you’re also seeing certain missing elements. Cutting to the chase, the central question of your life is: what do you want? Don’t be content with stock answers (happiness, a relationship, winning Lotto). What do you actually want, as relates to your stated purpose for living? Have you even worked that one out? It matters. Events of this year will draw the distinction between thinking you know, and actually knowing. You must go beyond appearances, and get to the heart of the matter. That will involve rinsing off or washing out the programming of the last 100,000 advertisements you were exposed to (all designed to tell you what you supposedly need or desire). You must also get yourself beyond any care you have about what people may think about you — and that will take courage. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You have just experienced three years of Saturn in your sign — an event that happens just two or three times in a lifetime. This may have felt like an endurance test, or a time of enforced growth and maturity. First, evaluate what you’ve accomplished during this time, going back to late 2014. Consider the ways you’ve evolved your relationship to yourself. Consider how you relate to your work and life purpose. Going forward, you must use what you’ve learned during Saturn’s visit to your sign. You have unusual manifesting power, and your reliance on self-knowledge will serve to filter out goals, desires and options you don’t really want. Money becomes an important focal point under this astrology, though there’s an added twist: you’re now on notice that you must fully endorse, and feel good about, what you do for the sake of cash. This is the time to live up to your own values, not to violate them. Based on your experiences the past three years, you actually have the knowledge and power to do this. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Capricorn Birthdays 2018
A Special Year-End Gift for Capricorns

“Your passion, deep care and love always shine through; and you have the gift of all great teachers, of making one feel that one is being personally addressed, respected and taken care of.”

— Liz Glanville

Dear Capricorn Friend and Reader:

Are you looking for an in-depth review of your year as 2017 winds to a close? You’re invited to listen to last year’s Capricorn reading, as a gift from us, as you set your intentions for the New Year.

Once you’ve looked back at where you’ve been (and check Eric’s accuracy), I hope you’ll pre-order your 2018 Capricorn Birthday Reading. This is the reading to get if you have a Capricorn Sun, rising sign or Moon and want an intensive spoken-word meditation on the major astrological events of the year to come.

With Saturn in your sign for nearly three years, you have a powerful ally at your side as you set goals and work toward them. You also may have some questions to answer, such as: How do I take even greater ownership of my choices? And: How can I define myself as an individual and still ‘belong’ to a tribe?

You have a unique set of challenges, opportunities and missions on the way, Capricorn. And you’ll be navigating them in a world where the ground keeps shifting rapidly — both culturally and astrologically, as Uranus enters Taurus and Chiron enters Aries. Luckily, you’re a sure-footed goat — and you have some of the best internet astrology available on the internet at your fingertips.

“The Capricorn 2017 Birthday Reading was expansive and mind-blowing, and absolutely on the money in everything. You helped me immeasurably as I change and change and grow, and change some more. What a time!”

— Linsey

Eric will serve as your cheerleader, thought-provoker, perspective-shifter, inspiration-stoker and deputy problem-solver in two segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) plus a tarot reading that combine the best of his therapy training, life-coaching skills and well over two decades of astrology experience. You also get an extended description of your sign.

You can still nab this reading for only $33. This is the lowest price we offer — the price will increase as soon as the reading publishes, which could happen later today.

Happy Birthday, Capricorn!

Amanda Painter

P.S. The 2018 Capricorn Birthday Reading is distinctly different from the Capricorn written reading available in the upcoming Art of Becoming annual project. It covers your key astrology in a different format and emphasis, capitalizing on Eric’s more intuitive, improvisational skills. The Birthday Reading also makes a fantastic gift for a loved one!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Saturn has returned home to your sign, which will feel good for at least three reasons. You’ll get some relief from your anxieties, which reached a peak in late 2017. Next, a missing part of you is now present and accounted for. Last is that you’re on track for completing many unfinished tasks — and letting go of the ones you don’t need to do. Get that bit out of the way. Unresolved matters, even small ones, are an energy drain and they place stumbling blocks on your path to the future. Yet your most meaningful task for the coming four seasons is defining yourself in a way that’s not dependent upon tribal identity. This is challenging because so much of your self-concept has been intertwined with a concept of family that’s likely to be outmoded. While you’ll still be associating with some of these people, the key to your happiness is being different without having to hide that fact. You don’t need to revolt. Yet you can be yourself at all times, and love yourself for it. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Many factors of your astrology describe de-cluttering: letting go of old patterns, coming to terms with the past, and finding new approaches to relationships. Aquarius is the sign of patterns and how they crystallize. So it will be helpful if you choose a habit to change, then in the same gesture establish a new way of moving in the world. Here’s an example: when you’re coming home from someplace, take a different route from the way you got there. Change something, so that you slip out of habitual behavior. Try this with food, with your social life and with the organization of your living space. Strive to meet new people, and to be accepting of them. Let your life be a dance, and allow yourself to be guided by seemingly random experiences. You know that you have important work to do. You are allowing yourself to have new goals. You also know that you need to love in a deep way. All of this implies change: letting go of what you don’t want, and embracing what offers you love and creativity. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The beauty of your astrology is that you can now see what is possible, whereas before, this was not so clear. You have the confidence to know you can turn possibility into potential into manifestation. This is more like learning how to ride a bicycle than it is fabricating something out of thin air. There are methods involved, and you already know many of them; all you need to do is give yourself a little push and attempt something that you think is just a little outside your known capability. Over the past few years, you’ve established a reputation for yourself, and now you get to use that as a tool, resource or commodity. Focus on the practical aspect of whatever you’re doing, whether it’s building your career, establishing or widening your community, or creating something entirely new in the world. Think of your work as carpentry rather than the expression of some mysterious talent. Imagine that changing the world means building a solid, beautiful cabinet, rather than some abstract idea. Appreciate the cosmic beauty of sandpaper and wood glue. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.