By Jen Sorensen
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.
If Your Birthday is Aug. 27
The Day of Social Ideals | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs
Everyone has something unique to bring to the world, and that certainly includes you. Just now you have an opportunity to offer these personal gifts more openly. This might not seem easy, especially at first; it may involve confronting some early conditioning. Yet in truth the freedom to be oneself is a necessity, rather than an option. When confined, it is human nature to try and break away. Therefore, cherish that spirit of liberty within you, and take courage.
— by Amy Elliott
If your Sun, Moon or rising sign is Virgo, You are heading into a most unusual solar year, set up to do the thing Virgo is designed for: integrate the elements of your being, find your direction and purpose, and act on it. Eric will lay it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio.
Written in the Planets
Remember that interstitial phrase from the old Monty Python TV show? “And now for something completely different.” If that phrase has not popped into your head in the last couple days, it may during the next few. Venus and Mars are still making a trine from Virgo to Uranus in Taurus, suggesting a certain attraction to people, activities and ideas that stray from your norm. Mars in particular increases the potential to be willing to risk certain consequences to achieve desired new experiences.
Yet with Venus and Mars still in a conjunction, and with various other planets in Virgo as we approach Friday’s New Moon in that sign, there’s also an emphasis on inner integration. That is, see if you can recognize the ways you contain exactly what you seek. By all means, pursue the new encounters you crave. In the process, however, you might take a little time to notice what you’re discovering about yourself. There may be quite a bit worth cultivating and harvesting.
— by Amanda Painter
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.
The continuing momentum of this week’s Scorpio Full Moon is likely to have you feeling confident and thirsty for life. You know there are real possibilities, and you know that you have the option to sink your lips and teeth into some of life’s must nourishing fruit. One possible hitch is worrying what other people will think about you — other people as in your circle of friends, your acquaintances or your social set. If your solar chart is any indication, you seem to be grappling with the question of, “What if my deepest truths were known to everyone?” And I would ask you in earnest: What if your deepest truths were known to everyone? Play out that scenario as fiction. Choose one or two of those truths and imagine that they are sent to your whole address book. What would be some potential scenarios? How would you feel?
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.
If Your Birthday is Aug. 26
The Day of the Supportive Partner | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs
What do you think of when you imagine your ideal social group? It’s true that you have certain goals in mind, and would most likely benefit from support among your peers. Without forming a comic-style superhero troupe, is there anything you feel you specifically need from your friendships? If so, this could be found by venturing into some unfamiliar places, where you’re likely to find new people. Alternatively, perhaps the qualities you seek are actually within yourself.
— by Amy Elliott
If your Sun, Moon or rising sign is Virgo, You are heading into a most unusual solar year, set up to do the thing Virgo is designed for: integrate the elements of your being, find your direction and purpose, and act on it. Eric will lay it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio.
Written in the Planets
Your ability to see through issues and beneath surfaces appears to get a boost today, as the asteroid Pallas enters Scorpio. If there’s something you need to get to the root of — especially about yourself, given other current aspects — you could get some real traction with it if you make the effort. When it comes to workplace dynamics, think in terms of strategy and understanding the psychology of any puzzling situations.
Venus and Uranus in contact with each other describe seeking stimulation through love and friendships — or even just looking for after-work entertainment that’s different from what you usually go for. If the unexpected or unconventional arrives in your immediate environment (or is suggested to you by a partner), it might be worth exploring.
On a related note, Mercury in Leo and Vesta in Taurus are in a square to each other today. Are you just talking about sex, or are you truly making — and honoring — the time and space deserved for such a core part of being human? It might be time to put your body where your mouth is, so to speak (or where someone else’s mouth is, though you can adapt that idea for solo action just as well). In fact, since we’re really talking about the inner creative spark, the sense of tension in this square could relate to artistic desires, too. Ideas are great, but sometimes action not only speaks louder than words, it also gets more done.
— by Amanda Painter
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.
A total eclipse of the Moon in your birth sign is taking you below the surface ideas you have about yourself. The thing is, you may have already thought you were aware of what was going on down there, and I don’t doubt you’ve made some helpful observations about yourself. Yet there is always deeper you can go, and you may surprise yourself as you make contact with what I can only describe as your real agenda. One thing that’s clear is that your attachment to the past is starting to fall away like so many autumn leaves, and something new is sprouting like so many springtime buds. You have also placed a high value on independence in your relationships. You’ve been willing to confront the factor of instability that’s often necessary on the way to making some space for yourself, though the real message of this weekend’s eclipse is that you are the most stable and dependable presence in your own life. Therefore, count on yourself.
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — You have many facets to your nature, and you’re in a position to experience several of them now. Yet where you look, where you seek your information, and which experiences you explore, all matter. The region of your life to search for understanding is the everyday, rather than the unusual. Therefore, you need only look right where you are, not the past, not the future, and not some remote location or concept of your life. What do you actually do? What do you like doing? Most significantly, your astrology is asking the question: whom do you serve? Bob Dylan was right: you gotta serve somebody. And you’re tied into the karma of whoever, or whatever that is; whatever purpose that is. So what you’re really asking yourself is why. Notably, this is not a question you can pose to any other person and get a relevant answer. You can only ask yourself. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — From every angle, your astrology is calling on you to burst free: of your routines, of your ideas, of your ideologies, and of your expectations. While you’re at it, set yourself free from the scourge of seriousness. It’s not that life is but a joke, but rather you must approach the conditions of your own growth, and the circumstances of the world, with a light heart. Heaviness is not going to get you anywhere right now, and as Robert Anton Wilson taught us, convictions make convicts. So take it light, and use a creative approach to your own existence. You can afford to take some chance you might not ordinarily take, meaning allowing yourself to use a creative approach to a problem. The truth or idea you seek exceeds concepts. Nobody could write a song with all the music theory in the world (and nothing else). Anyone could write one without it. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Monitor your anxiety level as the next week or two proceed. Notice what in your environment provokes you, and then see if you can figure out why it’s irrelevant; why the problem is about something else. Notice whether what you’re experiencing is mental or emotional. Notice whether you feel better alone or with others, or if this varies from situation to situation. Drink more water and see how you feel then. You will need to keep experimenting under the astrology you’re going through, which includes asking the same question many different ways till it lends itself to some kind of interesting answer. It would seem, though, that the most pressing issue is: what are you trying to resolve? Directly related is, what do you need to clear out of your way? This also includes asking yourself about who does, and who does not, belong in your environment. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Make every effort to get along with your neighbors. Perhaps you already do, though you can be (or seem) self-absorbed at times, and give the impression that you don’t care. The way to demonstrate that others make a difference is to engage in communication about the details of life, the small things that rarely seem to matter, and most of all, ideas. You have a brilliant analytical mind, though one potential problem you face at the moment is going down the wormhole of minutiae, rather than seeing the clean, elegant lines of concepts. Practice translating your thoughts and feelings into a form that others can understand. You may be overwhelmed with mental activity, or data coming in so fast you cannot handle it. The tool you will want to use is pattern recognition. Rather than analyze every single detail, look for topics and ideas, and the shapes that they form. When in doubt, listen to music, preferably instrumental. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your life at this time is all about your priorities. What is really important to you? This is the most obvious question in life, and one that is too rarely asked. Yet it’s the only question at the moment, subordinating all others. This may require some sorting out. When doing that, it helps to have a guiding principle, which would best be: what is it that harms you, and what is it that helps you? What about your existence is beneficial to others, and what is not? The answers will be pretty simple, when you’re onto them. Despite appearances, there will not be a lot of layers to your result; and you’re experienced enough to know what is helpful. However, when you come across something that is a temporary expedient, put it in a special category. Those are potential traps, because they might seem beneficial in the short run, but will not be over the course of time. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — We are now experiencing one of the most impressive Virgo alignments in many years. A New Moon is approaching consisting of the Moon and Sun joined by Mercury, a Chiron-like point called Transpluto, plus Venus, Mars and asteroid Juno. Here is the question: do you live your life in pieces, or do you live as one being? Are there some circumstances where aspects of you are not welcome, and others where they are? There is a virtue to being who you are, all the time. Sure, presentation matters. You will probably want to wear a black tie for the black tie dinner. But you’re still yourself, despite the circumstances, setting or costume called for. While “whether to be real” is often cast as a matter open to debate, ultimately, you cannot be anyone other than yourself, so the real question is, why try? Well, you might not feel like you know what to say or what to do. And being real might feel like jumping off a cliff. But you’ll still be standing right where you are. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Planets are gathered in a place called your 12th solar house — Virgo. Even if you know your rising sign and it’s not Libra, you want to know about this; you want to track your solar chart (and this also serves, if Libra is your rising sign). This may feel like a whole lot of pressure, as if the room you’re in were being submerged under an ocean or a lake. Everything is dry, but your ears experience the compression. It might be difficult to sleep, since your environment doesn’t seem the same as it usually does. You could feel there is some vast mystery at the center of your life, to which you are somehow not privy. The answer to these mysteries is found by turning your awareness inward. Listen to yourself, which means to your dreams, and follow the winding thread of your imagination. There may appear to be too much to track, though this is an illusion. I suggest starting with the notion that there is one thing you need to know, which will reveal itself in an odd and unexpected place and time. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The first politician I ever worked for was a guy named Bob Hayden, of Buffalo, NY. That’s a good story in itself but I always recall one thing he said on the way to an event: stay three drinks behind the crowd. Now, I rarely drink in public but I love the strategic wisdom of that idea. You can apply it to more than alcohol. You’re in a position where you can move around certain social circles that may usually be sealed off from access. If you find yourself there, make sure you listen. Speak only enough to get people talking. Be yourself; that’s disarming. If you get cocktail sauce on your blouse, just continue the conversation and let the dry cleaner take care of it. If you have to exchange information with someone, scribble on a napkin or scrap of paper; leave your phone in the car. And as I was saying, your phone — leave it in the car. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You have a lot of goals; a lot of things you want to do; many more things you’re capable of. You may not know what to choose. You may be feeling whelmed or overwhelmed or maybe a little underwhelmed. Anyway, your options are not on the internet. They are in real life, with real people, who have eyes that you can see and a voice you can hear and you may be able to smell their cologne or perfume or breath. When you shake their hand, it will be warm or cool or sweaty or dry; it may be limp or they may squeeze you. At this time, though, I suggest you follow what I consider to be my first rule of investigative journalism: let your assignments choose you. This is not about taking a passive role. It’s about being receptive and attractive. You will know when the right person, thing, idea, or opportunity knocks on your door. It will mysteriously sound like a bell. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You cannot really plan the future. But you can look in its direction; you can consider the possibilities; you can set some wide goals for yourself. Most of all, you can describe your vision. This is a personal exercise, not for publication; do not click “share” and do not expect anyone to click “like.” In fact, keep it out of digital form, unless it’s a voice memo to yourself. There is a lot in your life that is changing. There is a lot that seems to be caving in, giving way, or yielding to the presence of time. That is going to create space and bandwidth you can use. So while you’re going through all this Saturn conjunct Pluto stuff, and I know there is plenty, invest yourself in imagining what is possible. First, do this in a few broad strokes, and then fill in the details. Use pencil, so you can erase any mistakes, but first look at whatever you put onto the paper. Today it may seem like a doodle. In a few weeks, you will see the shapes and the patterns; you will get the message. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Our lives are about what we exchange. That means being willing to offer yourself, and being willing to receive others. Often exchange seems to be about things of value, though really, a material object of any kind is a token of one’s self. So keep it on that level. It does seem that the real crisis is about receiving what is freely offered. Many people who are the “taker” kind struggle to accept what is offered with kindness. Others who are the “giver” kind have a difficult time receiving what is sent their way out of generosity. Here’s one clue though: once given, the destiny of a gift is no longer in the purview of the giver. Nobody should ask, “How do you like it?” We have all heard the phrase “forgive and forget.” I would say, give and forget — though more to the point, receive, and remember. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Planets and the Sun have gathered in your opposite sign Virgo. Note the ways your total environment is changing as this happens. Circumstances are presenting you with options. You’re being reminded that you are not as isolated as you’ve felt under the long influence of Neptune in your sign. And it seems as if people are coming to you rather than you having to go to them. Yet Neptune presents a vulnerability and an opening that can be exploited. So pay attention to what you see, feel, say, do and most of all hear. I suggest you make no commitments merely by way of the internet, but rather keep your contacts solid and on the physical plane. And while Neptune presents an opening that others may be able to exploit, it also presents aggressors with a hazard. Be aware that the floor is slippery around you, and that you have the ability to shape-shift or even disappear if you need to. Use these powers judiciously; accept and embrace that you carry some true protection. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.
Significant objects and points have been filing into Virgo this past week — all in preparation for the Virgo New Moon on Friday. This Virgo lineup would already carry a strong message of integration, on its own.
Photo by Amanda Painter.
But at the time of the New Moon, these objects will all be opposite Neptune (and Nessus) in Pisces, which brings in a related theme: dependency (such as on substances) and co-dependency (in relationships).
We have a significant — though largely unspoken — issue with alcohol in Western culture, and particularly in the U.S. Consider how much socializing centers on so-called happy hours at bars.
If Your Birthday is Aug. 25
The Day of the Unabashed Extrovert | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs
If you discover that you’re struggling a little with demands on your spare time, it may help you to take a firmer hand in organizing it. Make sure you have enough room to relax and to feed your soul, as well as enjoying your friendships and social engagements. Most people need some kind of balance between introverted and extraverted activities; look for the one that’s suitable for you, and also offers you an ongoing enrichment of heart and mind.
— by Amy Elliott
If your Sun, Moon or rising sign is Virgo, You are heading into a most unusual solar year, set up to do the thing Virgo is designed for: integrate the elements of your being, find your direction and purpose, and act on it. Eric will lay it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio.
Written in the Planets
What makes you feel nurtured? How do you feel when you are the one who must nurture yourself, rather than receiving that care from a partner or parental figure? If someone close to you desires you to feed, teach or care for them, how do you tend to respond? These and related questions could emerge today, described by Venus and Mars in Virgo square Ceres in Sagittarius.
Square aspects are about needing to take action, and it looks like that action could just as easily be the decision to allow yourself to receive as it could be the decision to ‘do’ for yourself. Maybe a little of both? You might also notice if you have a ‘philosophy’ of sorts about this issue that is currently at odds with your actual needs. Consider whether the models for nurturing and nourishing that you grew up with are working for you; it might be time to seek a new mentor or model for this facet of life. Being willing to analyze what’s really going on for you and then trying something new may relieve some tension, and also offer a new way forward — in your self-care, and in your relationships with others as well.
— by Amanda Painter
It is difficult to feel good these days; it’s challenging to focus on your growth and self-care, or even to relax. We are pulled out of ourselves constantly, and often distracted from our core purposes. IN THESE TIMES, the Planet Waves autumn reading, will help.