Tag Archives: People

Who’s Going to Save Us?

By Jen Sorensen

By Jen Sorensen

Your sign hosts the other major conjunction that bookends this year: Jupiter conjunct Saturn, the traditional ruler of Aquarius. That event is exact on Dec. 21, 2020. Before we get to that stunning conjunction, Saturn enters your sign on March 21. So you’ll have much of this year to get busy discovering Saturn’s gifts — which can be considerable.
Your 2020-21 Aquarius Astrology Studio is now available for instant access. The Astrology Studio is a perfect complement to the Respect annual edition, and a great birthday gift for yourself or the Aquarius you love. You may order it here.

Demonize the Eco-Wise

By Jen Sorensen

By Jen Sorensen

If you have a Capricorn Sun, rising sign or Moon and could use some insights about the challenges and opportunities life is sending your way, your relationships, career and more, pre-order the 2020 Capricorn Astrology Studio by Eric Francis Coppolino. Now available for instant access! Some of the most era-defining astrology has been centered on your sign in recent years, and that includes the biggest current astrological events. It also makes an amazing gift for your Cap loved ones.

Navigating an Impressionistic Sea

By Amanda Painter

Have you ever seen an image of an outrigger canoe? Attached to the main portion of the boat is a smaller hull (without seating) that sets out a ways from the primary hull. These boats were developed by early Austronesian-speaking peoples of the Southeast Asian islands for sea travel; the design — and its offshoots, such as catamarans — continue to be popular.

Photo by Amanda Painter

Fire engine abstract; photo by Amanda Painter

Something about this week’s astrology reminds me of an outrigger canoe.

Mainly, it’s that the Virgo planets opposing Neptune are receiving some stability from Saturn in Capricorn. The relationship from Virgo to Capricorn is a trine between earth signs: a relationship of harmony and support, but not great power.

In an outrigger canoe, all the power to move the boat comes from the people in the main hull, paddling. Nobody is paddling in the second hull; it has no seats for people. It’s strictly to help keep the boat balanced and afloat on ocean swells.

The outrigger part of the boat offers stability, but not a guarantee. As we know, the ocean is vast, deep and very, very powerful.

You could say the same about Neptune, particularly in Pisces. It might not be a ‘stormy’ placement. But it can describe a high probability of disorientation. Without landmarks or literal stars visible — such as on a dark, cloudy day — early ocean navigation (pre-compass and sextant) could be incredibly difficult.

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Fireworks or Fireflies? Mercury Stations Retrograde

By Amanda Painter

Mercury stations retrograde in Leo this Sunday, July 7, at 7:14 pm EDT (23:14:20 UTC). This means that we’re now in the ‘storm’ phase: the two to three days on either side of Mercury stationing retrograde or direct. Given the astrological location and cultural timing of this event, you’ll want to approach the next several days with increased awareness.

LED hula hoop in lieu of fireworks; photo by Amanda Painter

LED hula hoop in lieu of fireworks; photo by Amanda Painter

Eric has dubbed this the “Anger Management” retrograde, thanks to Mercury stationing in a conjunction to Mars: a fiery planet in a fiery sign.

With Mars relating to such things as desire, ambition and aggression, and Leo often shining through as pride or drama (though it can also manifest as more heart-based leadership), you can probably start connecting the dots. Add in the mental level represented by Mercury — and the ways that our attempts to communicate and be understood often fall short — and frustration levels can spike quite easily in such an astrological environment. Our increasingly digital landscape adds another layer of disconnect — subtleties get lost; buttons get pushed; egos flare up.

Mercury-Mars conjunctions, when working at their best, can describe great mental and physical energy, especially in a fire sign. You can tap this to accomplish much if you have a goal in sight, or an obstacle you need to overcome.

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A boy from Honduras is shown being taken into custody by US Border Patrol agents near the US-Mexico Border near Mission, Texas, June 12, 2018. Photo by John Moore

Caring in Action: the Cancer Eclipse

By Amanda Painter

Dear Friend and Reader:

Eric wrote at the beginning of the week about today’s Sun-Chiron square, and the collective healing needed to our inner masculine/yang sides. Then I looked at the chart for the July 2 Cancer New Moon and solar eclipse, and started thinking about the daily assaults on our empathy and capacity to care that are being made by the daily news.

Demonstrators gather to protest against the separation of immigrant families at the border in Austin, Texas, on June 14,  2018. Photo by Amanda Voisard / Statesman.com via AP

Demonstrators gather to protest against the separation of immigrant families at the border in Austin, Texas, on June 14, 2018. A year later, things are no better. Photo by Amanda Voisard / Statesman.com via AP

And it all cascaded together in my perception of what amounts to the ongoing psychological and physical torture of immigrant children separated from their families and being held in detention at the U.S. border. I’ll get to the astrology in a moment.

I’ve been seeing a lot about this in my Facebook feed and my email inbox. The strongest recurring theme, however, is an overwhelming sense of paralysis: not knowing what we can do; wondering ‘why isn’t anyone organizing a mass protest?’; asking ‘who is organizing something I can join with?’; feeling completely at a loss regarding which actions will help and which might actually make things worse.

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The Day of the Problem Solvers: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is June 2
The Day of the Problem Solvers | Order Your 2019-20 Gemini Reading | All Other Signs

The message of your birthday chart is clear: wrap up old business, get your house in order, and plant seeds for the future. They will not take long to come to fruition, though they will be fed and fertilized by your vision for yourself. Consider what is possible, and have conscious faith in your potential. Be not overwhelmed by the size or complexity of the world; rather, make friends with these things. You may feel like you’re but a small part of the grand dance of the universe, though you are an essential element of all that is.
— by Eric Francis

Written in the Planets

The Moon enters Gemini today, on its way to a conjunction with the Sun tomorrow: the Gemini New Moon. Your mind may be as busy today and tomorrow as it has been, but it’s possible your thoughts will be directed more inwardly. That’s not to say you won’t talk to anybody; there simply might be more on your mind that goes unsaid.

Multi-tasking looks likely — along with social occasions with more than one goal, especially in terms of communication or a higher/broader purpose than just chit-chat. Even if those activities don’t have the kind of high-energy charge that you’d expect with a Full Moon looming instead of a New Moon, you may still experience a sense of busy-ness.

A square between the Gemini Sun and the centaur Nessus in Pisces brings up the question of duality, particularly where your thoughts and emotions are concerned. The idea with duality-themed signs (the twins of Gemini, the two fish of Pisces) is to find the point of synthesis — which is different from compartmentalization. Whatever you need to express or bring into fuller awareness today, whatever action you need to take to resolve some tension, see if you can do so without hiding or shutting down some other, seemingly conflicting, part of yourself. You are one you; which means all parts of you can coexist consciously. It’s possible this has not always felt the case, but it’s likely time to stop that type of thinking.
— by Amanda Painter

Did you know that Eric Francis just recorded new videos for all 12 signs, specifically investigating Mars interacting with some of astrology’s most influential planets this season? His Call the Astrologer readings are available individually or as a 12-sign set to share with your loved ones. Check out samples here and here.

The Day of Outrageous Flair

If Your Birthday is May 16
The Day of Outrageous Flair | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Communicate your feelings and thoughts as clearly as you can to loved ones. You’re experiencing some deeply transformative astrology, and would almost certainly benefit from the support of those around you as you navigate the various changes. The closer you bring friends into the picture, the more engaged they are likely to be as your allies. An atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence may well aid their growth processes as well as yours.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Focus on practical matters as much as possible today. A trine between Mercury in Taurus and Saturn in Capricorn should open the door to nuts-and-bolts, ground-level work, and the ability to be persistent with it. You might pay particular attention to ways you’ve been needing to re-organize your immediate environment or workspace, especially if that coincides with some inner re-organizing that’s afoot. Mercury in Taurus combined with a Libra Moon could bring your attention to the aesthetics of the situation.

Right around 5:30 pm EDT, the Moon enters Scorpio. This potentially ups everyone’s emotional intensity and the need to get under the surface of something tonight — especially as the Moon makes aspects to several sensitive planets very early in signs. With both Mars newly in Cancer and Venus newly in Taurus (alongside Uranus), this could mean that some form of sexual self-investigation may be on the agenda, whether solo or with a playmate. Finances might also be a prime target for your attention.
— by Amanda Painter

Have you tried the Astrology Readings Channel?

Planet Waves offers readings for all the signs and rising signs. These readings are must-haves among a core group of people who love them, though perhaps you have not heard what Eric is doing. We’ve taken many readings from 2018 and put them on a 24-hour audio stream, which anyone can tune into. Whatever your sign, you will find it interesting no matter when you tune in. If you’re up late and want something soothing and informative to listen to, or if you’re curious about astrology, tune in here. No login is required.