Tag Archives: Aries

The Day of Substantive Form: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 25
The Day of Substantive Form | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

New options and new concepts are available to you, and will make themselves known as the year progresses. The most important service you can offer yourself is to be open to receiving them. At first you may be in some doubt; using language like ‘should’ and ‘ought’ is a signal. If you catch yourself doing this, stop and reconsider. Make sure you’re not telling yourself a story about who you or loved ones think you ought to be; instead, start with what you really feel and want.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you ever feel like your Scorpio Sun, rising sign or Moon gets a bad rap from astrologers? Eric Francis understands the potential held in your depths — and can walk you through how the planet Uranus in your relationship zone might be stirring things up. Pre-order your 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio reading (offered now at its lowest price!) to move past the stereotypes, and meet your life at full strength.

Written in the Planets

The theme of the day appears to be ‘going deep’. Now, perhaps you were hoping to skate through your workday and make a beeline for happy hour and the weekend, but several factors — relating to activity in the sign Scorpio — suggest that getting beneath the surface of an issue or being willing to ‘go there’ in some other way will actually be more satisfying. That said, encounters might not take the shape you were expecting. How are your reactions to upsets, surprises and secrets based on the kind of environment and family patterns you grew up in?

Emotional connections with friends and lovers may deepen today, thanks to a Venus-Pluto aspect. Experiences in those realms are unlikely to be superficial. And anybody being evasive is likely to be met with persistent digging for the truth. Chances are taking an active role in this dynamic will yield the greatest results.

As mentioned yesterday in this space, a Ceres-Jupiter conjunction in Sagittarius brings some good mojo for any situations where mentoring, adventurous learning, or ‘soul food’ in any form have been offered and received. Everybody teaches all of the time, as the wise saying goes. And Eris in a trine to Ceres and Jupiter looks like a reminder of just how valuable this kind of contact can be, especially in person, in this age when everything is so fast and fractured in digital media. Nourishing oneself and others can be as fun as it is essential to our flourishing.
— by Amanda Painter

In 2020 we have not one but two conjunctions that mark the turn of a generation, and of an era in history. On Jan. 12, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn form their once per 33-year conjunction. Then on Dec. 21. 2020, Jupiter and Saturn, both now in Aquarius, form a conjunction in the first degree of that sign. Read more here…

The Day of Precarious Balance: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 17
The Day of Precarious Balance | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio now available for pre-order | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

What excites your curiosity? What drives your desire? These are things always worth pursuing, though society has a way of frowning on anyone who looks like they’re having too much fun. Yet this makes doing so all the more important. By brushing off ridiculous moral codes and openly dancing to your own rhythm, you’re providing an important public service, because others will notice your example and some will follow it. In any case, though, this is the most honest way to live.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, Eric has much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality. in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for instant access. Check out the video preview for the reading here.

Written in the Planets

You may find yourself in the role of peacemaker or of trying to get things started today — potentially in response to someone who’s being less than direct about their needs. Manipulative or attention-seeking behaviors are the thing to watch for. Can you respond by taking a stance that is fair and balanced, yet still cuts through the bullshit? This kind of thing calls for being specific; that is, being able to identify why certain behaviors are counterproductive. You can do this with understanding and empathy, rather than as a punitive or shaming act.

Ask yourself: What’s it like to set boundaries and make corrections, yet allow a person to maintain their dignity? Does that generally happen best in public or in private? How do you maintain your own healthy boundaries, and not get sucked into enabling or codependent dynamics, passive-aggressive retaliation, or game playing? (Libra Sun opposite Eris in Aries is the aspect du jour.)

On the flip side, if you feel like you’re having a hard time this week, how are you expressing that? Are you able to articulate what is triggering you, what the trigger is tapping into (usually something from the past), and what you feel like you need in response? It’s the inability to acknowledge these things to yourself (or an inability to speak it to those you’re interacting with), that can start to come out sideways. When that happens, we often sabotage the very things we desire most — namely: healthy, functional, trust-based, respectful relationships with others, and with ourselves.

Everyone is under a lot of pressure these days. It takes patience and awareness to navigate its effects; for most people, this is a lifelong learning curve. Luckily, the universe is more than happy to oblige with as many opportunities as we need.
— by Amanda Painter

Chaos, Balance and Birth

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By Amanda Painter

Mercury may still be two weeks from its station retrograde in Scorpio on Oct. 31, but I feel like I’ve been noticing its effects all week. How about you? Hopefully this means the retrograde proper will be less about glitches and more about rewarding (if intensive) introspection and evolution — though that’s always partly a matter of personal intention and perspective.

Fire engine abstract #2; Photo by Amanda Painter.

Against this mercurial backdrop, the sky is offering some additional prompts to assist you on your journey of self-awareness — and in just trying to get by. Given the chaos and confusion the world is throwing at us (such as Pres. Trump escalating conflict between Syria and Turkey by turning on allied Kurdish rebels — on a dime, and apparently on a bluff), sometimes just trying to get by constitutes a day well lived.

Today’s major aspect is an opposition between the Libra Sun and Eris in Aries. On one level, this is the ‘other shoe’ dropping in our fall preview of the January Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, which will be square Eris.

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The Day of Judgment: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 16
The Day of Judgment | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio now available for pre-order | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

How you conceive of yourself and your capabilities is changing and becoming broader, if subtly. You’ve grown in several significant ways from a few years ago, and correspondingly you’re noticing your life gathering a new shape and purpose. You might not have the same aims or desires you used to, though you’re likely to find the path you are now on much more congenial. If you still have questions about your direction, this would be a good year to work through them.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Toward the middle of today in particular, you my notice an inclination to claim, safeguard or even add to whatever makes you feel secure and at ease. It could be something internal — such as your creativity, an ability to take things at your own pace, or a sense of physical strength and wellness. Or this might be something external — such as a central part of your home, your possessions and finances, or the people closest to you.

Wherever you locate this physical or emotional space, can you see a way to appreciate and tend it without letting possessiveness creep in? The art of devotion to the creative spark and metaphorical hearth that Vesta represents relies partly on an ability to share it without fear of losing it (or of losing yourself). The Taurus Moon brings some of our less conscious undercurrents into contact with Vesta today, and emphasizes both the emotional and material sides of what it signifies.

Note that this is against the backdrop of the Libra Sun opposite Eris in Aries (exact tomorrow). Sun-Eris appears to describe a situation where one person is stirring the pot — perhaps in manipulative or covert ways — and another person is doing their best to please everyone and find the point of balance. If you find yourself in the Libra Sun position, staying in contact with that inner sense of ease and grounding just mentioned should help your internal equilibrium, even if things seem out of whack externally. If you’re in the Eris position, can you own up to whatever insecurities are getting triggered? When you can articulate that in a more constructive way, you allow others to meet you more cooperatively. It’s a win-win.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of the Tough Cookie: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 13
The Day of the Tough Cookie | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Given that your birthday is marked by the Aries Full Moon closely square Pluto, it’s safe to say this is likely to be a big year for you. There’s a lot you can get done, and you may well find yourself holding the torch to help guide friends and loved ones into the next phase of your collective experience. Not only do you possess unique wisdom that you can share, but you also seem to have a finger on the pulse of our time in history, and a means to lead the way forward into the future.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Tonight’s Aries Full Moon, which is exact at 5:08 pm EDT (21:07:45 UTC), brings the January Saturn-Pluto conjunction to the forefront. Full Moons are one of the most palpable astrological events we experience — both internally, and through witnessing others’ behavior. This one is like running the essence of Saturn-Pluto in through an IV line. In other words, it could feel particularly intense and marked by an inner sense of pressure to make some changes — such as letting go of unproductive behaviors and emotional habits. This is in addition to whatever friction or stalemates you may encounter with other people.

For interpersonal situations of any flavor that seem genuinely intractable, consider calling a truce on pushing it until after this evening. You can’t avoid addressing important issues, but you can be conscious about holding a space for them that’s running less voltage.

That said, sometimes things just need to get out in the open where they can be dealt with consciously. Kind of like how it’s not always obvious that a machine needs maintenance until it’s clearly not working well. Often how we address issues is just as important as the fact of addressing them in the first place. Knee-jerk reactions can fan flames rather than move people toward solutions; same with manipulative tactics, which tend to backfire in the long run.

Yet Jupiter in Sagittarius is exactly trine the Aries Moon and sextile the Libra Sun today. This offers a little buoyancy to what could otherwise be a heavy (and heavily polarized) situation — it’s the comic relief of, say, Trevor Noah and John Oliver as they observe political events, or your ability to see the absurdity of a personal argument while you’re in the midst of it. Jupiter in this position might also describe an ability to take the long view on your struggles: to connect some of the dots between current pressure or upheaval and the growth needed to achieve your broader goals. Gears are in motion, and they are inviting you to move with them.
— by Amanda Painter

My autumn readings, called In These Times, offer a place of refuge, an opportunity to suspend self-judgment, and my careful reading of the charts. I offer you reasons to be motivated, and strategies for handling the strange complexity of society at this time. To this work, I bring all of what I have learned as a journalist, editor, astrologer, spiritual student and man of the world; and I offer it to you for an affordable price. Read more here.

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The Day of the Grand Gesture: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 12
The Day of the Grand Gesture | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

You may find your one-to-one relationships gaining a touch of extra zing this year, whether that involves meeting exciting new people or getting some pep injected into current connections. Variety being known for its relish, visiting some unfamiliar places or trying a different hobby will almost certainly encourage a sense of freshness. The thing to remember is that any particular change you wish to foster can start within you; you can set an example for those around you to follow if they wish.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

With the Moon entering Aries in the wee hours this morning, the day could be marked by especially impulsive responses and behaviors — whether yours, or those of people you’re interacting with. Tomorrow’s Full Moon (opposite the Libra Sun) won’t be exact until that evening; but with Aries and Libra signifying ‘the individual’ and ‘relationships’, you can expect any situation to be amplified where those concepts are central.

This is on top of today’s opposition between Venus (love, emotions, relationships) in Scorpio and Uranus (surprises, upsets, awakening) in Taurus. Remember that encountering the unexpected in a relationship (especially one that’s set in its ways) can actually be refreshing, invigorating and conducive to rekindling passion. Of course, shocks to perceived stability can also exacerbate tensions and anxieties; more so if the people involved have been ignoring certain matters that have gotten stale, stuck or were left on autopilot for too long.

If you’re partnered, can you seek out some new stimulation together, and appreciate each other’s zest for life, curiosity and willingness to grow? Adventures that feed the individual soul also foster a greater sense of inner abundance; and this can be shared openly with others to mutual benefit.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Gracious Ease: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 11
The Day of Gracious Ease | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Regardless of how long it takes you to get there, what you are currently aiming for is within your power to achieve. You might think doing so will necessitate some deus ex machina, but you already contain all the resources you require, in terms of skill, knowledge, character and sheer guts. Even if this isn’t immediately clear to you now, certain tools tend to become visible as they become necessary. Take courage. You have everything you could possibly need to draw on, and then some.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Mercury enters its pre-retrograde ‘echo’ or ‘shadow’ phase in Scorpio this evening. The actual retrograde begins on Oct. 31, and could signal a few more Halloween/Samhain hijinks than usual. Between now and then, you may get a little taste of what this retrograde is about, beyond SNAFUs and confusion. With the planet of the mind in the deep-feeling sign of mystery and intensity, you might frame this as your chance to play Private Investigator in your own psyche. What truths are you ready to uncover, and then put to use in your process of becoming?

Note that with the Aries Full Moon approaching on Sunday and a Venus-Uranus opposition tomorrow, certain interpersonal situations could feel loaded — whether with challenging surprises and exciting new possibilities, or with an urge to make big changes, or both. You can roll with it, though a little flexibility, a sense of humor and curiosity will help. The more conscious you can be about how you direct your energy and creativity, the more empowered you’ll likely feel in the face of any pressures and worries that may be cropping up.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Prudent Economy: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 10
The Day of Prudent Economy | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Were there not sufficient time for pauses and smelling the flowers, our lives would be rather dull. Society seems to place little value on such moments, but you know better; you’re aware that finding something in each day to enjoy is the summit of human experience. Make sure you keep that understanding in mind this year, especially during those times when you’re at your busiest. Let the child and the artist in you out to play often, in order to kindle and rekindle your love of the world and its many beauties.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

As we get closer to Sunday’s Full Moon in Aries, you may notice certain relationships are intensifying — along with any of your usual Full Moon effects such as sleep pattern shifts, changes in emotional responses, or needing to negotiate a situation that’s starting to feel a little stuck. Even though the Moon is not even in Aries yet, the Libra Sun is making contact with Pluto in Capricorn and Ceres and Jupiter in Sagittarius — all of which will be directly in aspect to the Full Moon.

Jupiter’s presence may be greasing the wheels of any potential power struggles (especially with authority figures) that you might be navigating currently. Normally a Sun-Jupiter sextile is considered ‘lucky’ and good for social interactions of all kinds, but Pluto’s a pretty serious heavyweight. So rather than leaning on Jupiter to push your luck in risky ways, perhaps think of it as just enough of a buffer from the full pressure of Pluto to allow you to do what needs to be done — with careful reflection on your plans. A close look at any attendant fears or other emotional issues could also offer significant benefit today and through the weekend.

With Ceres there, we get an image of how we can teach by example, and learn from the examples and mentorship of others. What new lessons are you learning now, both from your inner grappling and from your interactions with people — including those you might be in a position to guide? What feels like a bit of an adventure, or is otherwise nourishing to your spirit? Who might be looking up to you, taking notes on what you say and the choices you make? Who are you seeking guidance from, and in what form? The more actively you can engage these questions and processes, the more you’re likely to get out of them — and the more you’ll have to give in the balance.
— by Amanda Painter