Dear Friend and Reader:

Yesterday at 12:47 pm EST was the Scorpio New Moon. Any time the Sun and Moon come together in the same degree of a sign, the Moon starts a new cycle (which lasts about 28 days). So all New Moons signify a beginning, though each one has its own flavor, its own message and its own themes that you might notice unfolding in your life as the Moon waxes.

A crescent Moon and the thin line of Earth’s atmosphere photographed by a crew member as the International Space Station passed over central Asia Sept. 4, 2010. Photo by NASA.

Among the many interesting objects interacting with yesterday’s New Moon (and still in aspect to the Sun, though the Moon has moved out of alignment by now) are the Trans-Neptunian Object Ceto, conjunct the Sun and Moon in Scorpio; and asteroid Hera, making an opposition from Taurus.

In Greek myth, Ceto was a primordial sea goddess who birthed a host of monstrous children, including various sea monsters. Hera, as you might recall, was queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, known for (among other things) her jealous rages in response to Zeus’ infidelities. You might even think of her as the ‘mother of jealousy’.

In aspect to the Sun-Moon conjunction in Scorpio, Ceto and Hera seem to pose a question: Are you aware of the ‘monsters’ you birth deep in the sea of your emotions when you let jealousy rule (for example, a desire for vengeance, or magnified possessiveness and attempts to control others)? Jealousy is a normal emotion, but it can wreak havoc when not dealt with in healthy ways.

Sometimes, such as with jealousy incurred by insecurity (rather than actual betrayal), compersion can be a way through, as Eric discusses on this week’s Planet Waves FM — though it can seem a Herculean task to engage with the process.

Or to approach the aspect another way: when you are met by the righteous jealousy of a partner for deeds you thought you’d kept secret, what does that confrontation breed? Do you take responsibility, or lash out in defensiveness?

Depiction of Scylla, one of Ceto’s monstrous children, by Anubish on DeviantArt.

Or do you allow this encounter with yourself — in whatever form it takes — to spawn some empathy, compassion and genuine soul-searching?

In many cultures — including the U.S. and other Western countries — jealousy has been viewed as a legitimate reason to kill a partner, called a ‘crime of passion’. That reasoning no longer has the same legal standing in a court of law in the West that it once did, but it has not been banished entirely; women’s rights groups are still working worldwide to change legal codes and shift the perception that adultery (real or perceived) is a justifiable reason for murder.

Yet much of mainstream culture still allows jealousy as justification for all manner of controlling behaviors between romantic partners. It’s often seen as ‘normal’ to make demands on a partner that cross the line into psychological abuse — although those efforts rarely work as a way to avoid this uncomfortable emotion, because they also avoid self-reflection (or intensive therapy).

At the same time, there are limits to what can be accomplished just by ‘sitting with one’s jealousy’, especially without some tools, resources and the support of others (partner, friends, community or therapist, for example). And sometimes jealousy and insecurity may also point to a pairing of people who simply are not aligned well, or a situation that is untenable and needs to be reconsidered and shifted, as part of the process of understanding oneself.

Take, for example, this blog post by writer Clementine Morrigan. She describes her past affinity for polyamory in contrast to her struggle to ‘make poly work’ in her current relationship, due to an abusive relationship in the intervening years that has resulted in complex PTSD. Morrigan notes that the mainstream literature on polyamory does not address the intersection of mental illness with poly relationships; in a comment on the Planet Waves website, Eric has expressed his feeling that the poly movement does not actually address jealousy very well in general.

Whether solo or coupled, monogamous or poly, it seems we still have much to learn from and about this difficult emotion. Though you might not have encountered it yesterday in any clear form, the questions surrounding it are ripe for your consideration as the Moon slowly waxes and wanes over the next four weeks.

As you ponder, two new additions to the sign Libra may assist in keeping interpersonal relations fair and balanced. Venus entered Libra this past Sunday; today at 4:41 pm EST, Mars follows suit.

Iago (Kenneth Branagh) plants the seeds of suspicion in the mind of Othello (Laurence Fishburne), fostering Othello’s jealousy against his new bride, Desdemona, in the 1995 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.

Libra is one of the two signs Venus rules; she is refined and aesthetically at her best here. As a result, Mars is said to be ‘in detriment’ in Libra — though that does not necessarily mean it’s a ‘bad’ place for Mars to be. The energy of Mars expresses best when it can take action directly and with focus. In Libra, however, everything must be weighed and considered thoroughly first.

While Venus in Libra glides along, making things lovely and listening to all sides of every story with charm and grace, Mars’ desire to do everything in a balanced way can actually lead to provocation, as he procrastinates or becomes passive-aggressive, thanks to thwarting his own impulse to act. Yet Mars in Libra can also indicate enthusiastic action in relationships — not a terrible thing at all, especially with Venus lending clarity and directness to our emotions.

So it would seem that as these two personal planets move through Libra (until Dec. 4 for Venus, and Jan. 3 for Mars) one key for you will be to avoid letting your desire for everyone to get along to undermine your ability to be direct about what you want. There are ways to get your point across, to hear others and to move forward that are considerate and yet do not sidestep the important issues. Explore them.

As we head into the weekend, a couple of minor aspects on Friday are offering you support in your relationships, as well as in business and in your overall plans for the future.

Painting of a sea goddess, possibly Ceto.

Venus in Libra sextile Saturn in Sagittarius not only engenders a sense of gratification from serving the best interests of your loved ones, it’s a chance to sit down and ‘get real’ with them in productive — even beautiful or ‘spiritual’ — ways.

Meanwhile, Mercury in Scorpio is sextile Jupiter in Virgo. With mental powers sharp and intuitive, and with a sense of how the details relate to the bigger picture, see if you can use Friday to get clearer on what you want in life. Get curious, and try shifting your perspective (or even just your position or location).

They say that travel broadens the mind, and it’s true. But some days, even just a trip to the coffee shop on the other side of town, instead of the one on your corner, can be of benefit — minus a hefty plane ticket and jet lag.

This can also apply to jealousy: with some support and tools, even the smallest shift can open up a whole new emotional world. Granted, sometimes that can feel scary. But there’s an ocean of difference between actually falling off a cliff into a sea full of monsters, and just feeling that way. The waters of Scorpio are deep and can be dark; yet you have to own them first to be able to plumb their depths for understanding.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

On Seeking Clarity, and the Quest for True Vision

Dear Friend and Reader:

In our moment of history, it’s difficult to see anything clearly — ourselves, our lives, the world, the future, even the past. We live with a feeling of being constantly on edge, or on the edge, often straining for clarity. Respecting this state of existence, my 2016 annual edition is called Vision Quest, and it’s focused on our need to go beyond clarity; my intent is to help you discover and focus a vision for your life. That’s what the planets are describing, and what I am hearing.

Vision Quest.

First, though, I have a short story for you, about the spiritual path we call astrology.

One of the first spiritual books ever given to me was Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. Written by Richard Bach while, unbeknownst to him, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was becoming an international bestseller, this book helped put a lot of people on the spiritual path — maybe even you.

Illusions is the story of an unusual man named Donald Shimoda whom Bach met while flying around the country in his antique biplane, hopping from hayfield to hayfield out in places like Kansas. This was Bach’s version of a Vision Quest.

Shimoda, a fellow barnstorming pilot, has a book of aphorisms containing bits of wisdom for people on the journey of self-awareness.
In it is the idea that “we teach what we most need to learn.”

Each autumn, wherever in the world I may be, I set out on the annual edition of Planet Waves. I prepare intimate, spiritually grounded readings for you, relating to the 12 Sun signs and rising signs.

Each annual comes with a collection of articles and art which I think of as being a record of the times in which we’re living.

Read more…

Vision Quest Pricing and Purchasing Information

This short article will answer nearly all of your questions. We are beginning the pre-sale tonight with all 12 signs offered as a package. The reason to get all 12 signs is so you can read your Sun, Moon and rising sign, as well as those of the people you are closest to.

Chart for the autumn equinox of 2016. Planet Waves readings are one of the few places anywhere to get coherent information about the minor planets and asteroids.

Expected delivery is the first week of January. That can change; I prefer to work well and deliver solid work.

The pre-order price is $77, or $6.41 per sign. This includes all of the audio and extended written readings, the articles and artwork, and a download of the full set of musical compositions that go with Vision Quest. You may pre-order that here now.

Please note: this price will remain valid for one week, till next Friday, Nov. 20. The final sale price will be $127 for all 12 signs, as soon as the readings are published.

For 2016 Backstage Pass and 2015 All-Access Pass Holders

If you hold a Backstage Pass or an All-Access Pass, we will send you separately your discount product code that reflects your membership level. Please check your email for that Friday. We will send it a couple of times. That is $57 now, and it will increase to $77 in a week and we will hold it at that price until publication.

Galaxy Pass holders have Vision Quest included with their membership.

Individual signs will go on sale in several weeks, beginning at $24.95 per sign. For the price of just three signs you can get all 12 — and you will want them.

Thank you for your business. Planet Waves is 100% sponsored by your memberships and reading purchases.

Scorpio New Moon, an Erotic Theory of Jealousy, and IBT 101

Dear Friend and Reader:

In this week’s edition of Planet Waves FM [link to program] — I begin with a reading of the Scorpio New Moon chart. That event is Wednesday at 12:47 pm. In the second segment, I go over my erotic theory of jealousy, which, in a word, is compersion. I reference an article called Jealousy and the Abyss, which represents the ‘other’ theory of jealousy — the not-so-erotic theory. This segment provides some excellent information on the root causes of jealousy, how to think about it and what you can do about it — that is, how to take jealousy as a teacher and spiritual tool.

Tim Curtis Verdosa and Roland Hasbrouck of Black Horse Riders, today’s musical guest on Planet Waves FM.

Finally, in the third segment, I talk about the infamous Industrial Bio-Test Labs scandal of the 1970s and early 1980s. This was one of the most impressive disasters in scientific history, involving a testing lab that generated fraudulent test results for companies such as Monsanto.

My musical guest is Black Horse Riders, a local ensemble based here in the Hudson Valley. Their spacious, haunting music is perfect for this Scorpio time of year.

Speaking of Scorpios — your birthday reading will be ready Saturday. You can still get the pre-order price — a very affordable way to get excellent, real, reassuring astrology. I just received this comment from a Libra reading customer a few minutes ago:

“I have been listening to your Libra reading in 2015. I am in love with it and listen to it to calm myself down. My self identity and values are being reshaped and it’s quite uncomfortable and unsettling and scary.”

These readings are indeed intended to provide both spiritual insight and a place to feel better about yourself. And you’ll get some very helpful information about the past two years of your life — and your astrology going forward into 2016.

Thanks for taking advantage of this — I am sure you will find it both helpful and reassuring.

With love,

Tuesday night, Eric was a guest on Caravan to Midnight hosted by John B. Wells. Eric gave his first comprehensive interview about the history of Monsanto, beginning from day one in 1901. You can listen to the audio from that interview on the current edition of Planet Waves FM.

What’s your vision?

Your Monthly Horoscopes — and our Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscopes for November on Thursday, Oct. 22. Your extended monthly horoscopes for October were published Thursday, Sept. 24. Your Moonshine horoscopes for the Taurus Full Moon were published Tuesday, Oct. 20. Please note, we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — When it comes to mastering artistry, students usually spend time developing skills in formal training before attempting to improvise. Musicians are often trained to follow the score before learning when and how to depart from it. It’s common (but not universal) to require apprentice actors to learn their lines and stick with the script. Many beginning painters start by copying the old masters, and so on. It’s about developing technique before giving free rein to creativity. In your case, the art of living may call upon you to do both in tandem. Learning and improvising at the same time can be a very good thing. The key is to be conscious of the extent to which you are in either role at any given time. Such awareness will soon come in handy as a way to understand your situation. Being aware of the extent to which you are ‘winging it’ will help you to better evaluate any risk you have undertaken. Knowing when you are in a teaching moment will assist you to more fully appreciate rewards you receive. — by Len Wallick

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — A select few probably have the status of VIP (Very Important Person) in your public life. If it is wealth or power that confers primacy in your workplace or community, that dynamic tells you something about the values that contribute to define those places. If significance accrues from skill, experience or wisdom, that tells you something else. Now is a good time to better understand how the VIPs in your corner of the world came to be perceived that way. Assuming you are in touch with your own values, such an understanding will give you a reading on who and what you are in relation to your public associations. You will also better know whether and how you fit into the surroundings and constituency where you labor and live. Furthermore, you will be equipped to act responsibly should any tension develop between you and the comrades or authority figures in your life. That way, any issues that might come up will tell you whether it is you or your surroundings that need changing. — by Len Wallick

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — In many a milieu, women conventionally have bonded and developed trust by sharing confidential information, insights and support. Men, on the other hand, have traditionally formed bonds of trust by engaging in common enterprises to build or achieve something together. Yet very little is conventional or traditional anymore, whether in relationships or endeavors. Additionally, it’s gotten more difficult to forge healthy and functional bonds when so many of us spend so much time in cyberspace and so little time in the physical space apprehended by the bodily senses. Even so, there are places you can go and things you can do that entail being in the same room with other people who are looking to start new traditions and break out of outmoded roles. At the same time, these places and activities also develop bonds that require and rely on both trust and physical presence. The first step in finding those opportunities is to look for them. The second step is actually showing up to give them a try. — by Len Wallick

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — It’s become trendy to make fun of those who practice yoga. In some cases, there is a valid point behind jokes made at the expense of those who believe that a deep and ancient tradition can be accessed through what amounts to superficial means. In other cases, it’s appropriate to satirize anything that is represented as a be-all, end-all. Yet, those who practice yoga in any form for any reason do set at least one valid example for all of us, by combining an effort to achieve both greater erudition and attain better health at the same time. Whether or not yoga is your thing, you might want to begin looking for an activity that results in your being both more well-rounded in personality and a more physically fit person. It could be as simple as taking regular walks to a visit local libraries so that you can sandwich voyages of imagination between discoveries made on foot. The ideal objective is not efficiency (even though there’s nothing wrong with that) so much as it is to explore what makes you tick. — by Len Wallick

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Do you remember the first time your parents allowed you leave home without requiring details of where you would be and what you would be doing every minute until you were expected back? Do you recall what you did with that freedom? In all probability you did some experimenting. In the process you almost certainly defined yourself in ways that you would not have been able to under direct parental supervision. Now, in all probability, you are being presented with some opportunities to define yourself anew. Just as in your youth, these opportunities will probably come with a chance to leave your customary surroundings and try some new things. Even so, it will not be the same. You are a different person now. Taking risks is not the same as when you felt invulnerable. Therefore, make your experiments appropriate for your age. Rather than risk losing anything, risk gaining something. Specifically, risk gaining knowledge about just what in fact it is that does make you a different person now. — by Len Wallick

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Every new generation tends to distinguish itself in a paradoxical way by refusing to conform with their elders, while at the same time hastening to conform with each other. While such behavior is contradictory on the surface, it makes a lot of sense from an evolutionary perspective. Dispensing with the ways and means of those who have gone before enhances the ability to adapt to a changing world. Also, creating and conforming to new standards and ideals fosters community and lays the groundwork for cooperation. It appears that you have reached a point where you may not only be seen as but also justified in being just as paradoxical as a rebellious youth. Only this time it’s not a generational thing. Now it’s seems to be a matter of distinguishing your soul. It would be great, but not absolutely necessary, to find an authentic soul mate so as to have some community and support. In the final analysis, however, this is a very personal form of evolution, which both begins and ends in your most private spaces. — by Len Wallick

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It’s true that familiarity can sometimes provoke contempt. If you have ever been on a long road trip accompanied only by the music you loved the most when you departed, it’s likely that you were willing to hear nearly anything else upon arrival at your destination. Therefore, if for no other reason than to stimulate yourself and even inspire others, see what you can do to change your own tune. Start with the word ‘recreation’. For most people it means relaxing and having fun. For you it can mean that and even more if you will consider practicing the word in its hyphenated form: re-creation. Just look at what happens when somebody you know simply changes their hairstyle for the fun of it. It’s contagious. People get excited about, ask questions of, make suggestions to and just generally refresh their relationships with anybody familiar who shows up looking a little different. Imagine the response if you came up with a way to have a little more fun by trimming, altering or adding a little color to what you do and how you do it. — by Len Wallick

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — When it comes to all the material things you want to possess but do not, allow yourself to indulge an experiment in your thoughts. Imagine possessing anything and everything that appeals to you. Don’t actually move to acquire any of those things, however. At least not right away. Just keep a wish list. Once you have reached a point where you can no longer think of anything more to add to your ‘wants’, itemize all you already possess. Then imagine that you would have to give up something you have before being allowed to acquire something from your wish list, until you get down to a collection of the things you would never want to surrender even in exchange for something you desire. Next, consider what your life would be like if those remaining treasures that you would never want to part with were all that you have in the world. Finally ask yourself what a life with everything you want would cost you compared to a life in which you own only what you need and value most. Would it be worth it? — by Len Wallick

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — What does satisfaction consist of for you? This is no idle question. Current astrology indicates that one of the things you need most in your life right now is a way to meet any given need with knowledge of how to satisfy it for the long term, so that you can move on. Start with the example of food. If all a satisfying meal did was to sate your hunger, the quest for satisfaction would never end. Yet, you know from experience that some exceptional meals remain satisfying for days, weeks and even years later. So satisfaction must be something that can not only be met, but sustained. All of which makes satisfaction more like an achievement that is always yours once you’ve attained it. That’s a clue about how you might want to pursue satisfying any needs you have now. Rather than merely slaking a need with inherently ephemeral means like food, drugs or alcohol, look for a more lasting solution. Seek to create or find a metaphorical home where your needs can rest in comfort, without being compelled to repeat an endless search. — by Len Wallick

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Long ago and far away probably does not refer to a galaxy for you. Yet, if there is anything to the slowly moving wheels of astrology in the present, what is long departed still burdens you only because you give it power to do so. Rather than allow what is now only a shadow to throw weight around your life — weight that it no longer actually has — give this shadow from the past a job. Allow what you were once compelled to serve to be in service to what you are now. That way you will feel no need to expend energy on the past, and the energy of the past will have something to do besides weigh you down. Ideally, the best way to harness the energy of residual reactions to past provocations (and to assert your authority over them) is to let them inspire you. Express them through some sort of artistic endeavor that has no other objective than to get it all out. Take up a brush, pen, musical instrument or any other creative means as soon as you can, and seek to wear it out so that you will no longer feel so worn. — by Len Wallick

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — First impressions tend to last a long time. They are the seeds of reputation. Whether you know it or not, you are now moving into a position to take advantage of how first impressions work. That’s because there are new people and relationships on your horizon. Those people yet unmet have the potential to bring on what amounts to an era of reformation for you and your life. But first you must find them. In all likelihood you will not come across what you are looking for one person at a time. Rather, it will probably be a group activity of some sort through which you’ll encounter others who are looking for new communities with a common objective. So even if you are not religious or a good singer, give choirs a look. Even if you are not an athlete be alert for a team or a league where simply being a body can lead to being somebody. Find a place to practice teamwork in the presence of others, and endeavor to be for them what you want them to be for you. — by Len Wallick

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Consider what it means to be attractive, and what you would be better off attracting. Not in the Madison Avenue sense of attraction, which emphasizes status and the unattainable. Rather, observe how attraction works in the natural world. Rivers do not flow up mountains that stand above them. All flowing waters, without exception, are attracted to the oceans situated below them. In other words, humility makes you more attractive to those who would actually contribute themselves to your life than authority does. Authority is only attractive to those who are looking to strike a bargain. After rivers, consider what makes flowers attractive to bees. The pleasing forms, colors and scents displayed by flowers are not an end in themselves; they are a signal of where nourishment may be found. Translation: being authentically attractive is more pragmatic than aesthetic. When the people of the world eventually do beat a path to your door it will be because they perceive something they want on the other side. — by Len Wallick