Tag Archives: Pluto

Seeking without Hiding, to Stand on New Ground

By Amanda Painter

I completely missed Neptune’s presence in aspect to the Sun (a square) when writing the daily Written in the Planets segments for the second half of this week. Neptune often has this property of slipping under the radar and evading notice, so it’s not entirely surprising.

Exploring the Campuhan Ridge Walk in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia last month. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Yet Neptune’s an important factor to consider, not least of all because its little disappearing act in my awareness this week demonstrates part of why it matters: what we fail to notice can make a difference — in what we choose to do, in what we think our options are, and in how we feel about all of it (and about ourselves).

Although the Sagittarius Sun does not exactly square Neptune in Pisces until Sunday, Neptune has a wide orb. In other words, its influence on consciousness has been part of the picture all week.

With this square happening right at the midpoint of the signs involved, there are two very interesting things to be aware of. One is that the Sun is conjunct a deep-space phenomenon called the Great Attractor. The Great Attractor (GA) is the focal point of a supercluster of about 100,000 galaxies stretched out over 520 million light years. Everything in our region of the universe seems to be contracting toward it (though overall, the universe is expanding).

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The Day of Larger-Than-Life: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Dec. 2
The Day of Larger-Than-Life | 2019-20 Sagittarius Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Values, strategy and security; these over-arching themes in your birthday chart hint at big changes and opportunity on the horizon. Your first order of business is getting very clear about what you wish to grow, and what support systems you’ve actually outgrown. With disciplined effort and shrewd self-assessment, you’re well positioned to draw toward you the resources to support who you’ve become.
— by Victoria Emory

If you have a Sagittarius Sun, rising sign or Moon and could use some insights on real-life matters of life, work and relationships, your 2019-2020 Sagittarius Astrology Studio reading by Eric Francis will cover your ruling planet Jupiter’s conjunction to the Galactic Core, a preview of forthcoming Jupiter in Capricorn, and many other potentially life-changing facets of your astrology.

Written in the Planets

Jupiter wraps up its year in its home sign Sagittarius today, entering Capricorn at 1:20 pm EST (10:20 am PST / 18:20:03 UTC). Capricorn is the home sign of Saturn (and Saturn is there, moving into its big conjunction with Pluto). Jupiter and Sagittarius relate to such things as expansion, vision, spiritual concepts, wisdom and optimism. Saturn and Capricorn relate to themes like structure, containment, discipline, practical application and conservatism (even pessimism).

Ideally, you can blend the best of these two opposite forces. For example, by using your sense of humor to see the absurdity in serious, troubling or restrictive situations. You can also make a conscious practice of expressing generosity and warmth as you harness your ambition to move ahead in your life. Doing so is a tool for keeping your aspirations from morphing into avarice, without denying your goals.

Note also that the Sun and asteroid Pallas are exactly conjunct in Sagittarius in today’s chart. This looks like the ability to tap into and express a broad-view strategy, or political idealism. You can be optimistic, if you personally take action toward making the right thing happen, and have a sense of humor. This is the practical application (Saturn/Cap) of vision and faith (Jupiter/Sag). “The right thing” does not happen by magic, or by magical thinking; it is a choice, backed by action. You have the power to make that choice every day.
— by Amanda Painter and Eric Francis

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 the Underground: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Nov. 11
The Day of the Underground | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for instant access | All Other Signs

You make an impact on others simply by being yourself, but your words could pack extra punch this year, so choose them wisely. Your birthday astrology indicates intense focus on communication and relationships, with your mind firing on all cylinders and burning high-octane fuel. Self-expression in all forms is favored, but resist snap judgements, including assumptions about those you know well. Make a point to bring your keen emotional intelligence to all interactions, and you should be in for an exciting ride.
— by Victoria Emory

Your 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio reading for Scorpio Sun, rising and Moon signs addresses the current jolt to your relationships, as well as the profound thought transformation you’re going through. Eric considers some deep matters of self-identity and where that meets personal healing. Listen to Sample 1 or Sample 2.

Written in the Planets

Mercury conjoins the Sun today — the day before the Taurus Full Moon — marking the astrological halfway point in its retrograde. According to traditional astrology, if you have important business that truly cannot wait until the retrograde is over, this is thought to be a better day for it. In any case, we have the planet of the mind (Mercury) and the emblem of conscious self-expression (the Sun) merging their symbolic energies — though Mercury is looking backward or inward, while the Sun maintains its forward/outward orientation. This describes a potentially interesting conversational dynamic: both expressive and reflective at the same time.

Yet, as a friend once remarked to me, you cannot actively think and truly listen at the same time. We were discussing the challenges we faced in trying to meditate; a teacher had offered this insight to her, along with the advice to focus on listening to all the sounds around her as she tried to meditate. Each time she noticed her thoughts wandering, she’d re-focus her attention on a specific sound. You might consider this dynamic today, especially since Sun-Mercury conjunctions can also describe a blind spot in awareness — such as being a little self-absorbed or talking a lot and not listening to others.

What shifts are you noticing between thinking and speaking, between listening to others and listening inwardly? With Mercury and the Sun also in aspect to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, what you notice, think and express could be quite useful in making certain changes you’re contemplating, or in aligning yourself more actively with goals — whether in the near future, or long-term. The Moon in early Taurus appears to offer an inner sense of steadiness regardless what surprises emerge.

Bear in mind, however, that interpersonal emotions could be running high. If a situation feels especially intractable with someone, patience and listening more closely could help. The way should begin to clear by the middle of tomorrow, after the Full Moon peaks.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of Earthly Temptation: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Nov. 9
The Day of Earthly Temptation | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Your psychic radar should be especially well tuned this year, and able to pick up important information from the subtlest channels. Pay attention to emotional prompts, including dream material, with themes involving partnerships, jealousy, competition and self-esteem. Conditions are right to bring old buried wounds into the conscious light of day, and reclaim a great deal of energy you might not even realize had been held frozen. Revelatory insights are possible that free you from repeating patterns based in the past. I suspect you’re more than ready.
— by Victoria Emory

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

As described in Thursday’s Written in the Planets, Mars in Libra opposes Eris in Aries today. So we have the planet of anger (among other things) in the sign of seeking balance, facing off against the planet of discord in the sign of individual identity. This could describe a situation where one person is acting out attention-seeking behaviors, leaving the other person to decide how to respond.

The main options are to stay disengaged and diplomatic or to get triggered and react in kind. Chances are you know what the more “constructive” choice is; yet if that’s not how an encounter is going, you can still learn a lot about what buttons got pushed and why. Additional aspects today suggest a need to actively reconcile current relationship tendencies with past family patterns and your emerging sense of self. It’s all connected, after all.

Retrograde Mercury in Scorpio sextile Pluto in Capricorn describes the opportunity and incentive to unravel the puzzles being presented to you. Those could include anything from a business proposal to a sexual proposition to some psychological or occult subject — or even a matter of your own health, psychology or spiritual regeneration. Actively inquiring into the matter could reap profound results.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of Actuality: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Nov. 5
The Day of Actuality | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

A birthday square between your ancient and modern planetary rulers signals creative friction around desires. This might register as anxiety or anger that bubbles up without apparent cause, but you’re a natural detective and the instinctual realm is your specialty. You can harness tremendous energy this year by following intuitive trails and tracking your dreams. Buried emotions might trigger either confusion or profound insight, depending on your ability to integrate unconscious and conscious input. Psychic exploration can lead to enhanced self-expression and artistry.
— by Victoria Emory

Written in the Planets

Today’s square between Mars in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn should offer a good deal of energy to get a lot done — especially creatively, or to transform some facet of your immediate environment. Yet this energy could also provoke power struggles, or may signal tripping over loose ends you’ve been disregarding. Whatever you encounter and however you feel today, just don’t behave ruthlessly or underhandedly. Even if you seem to get away with it now, chances are it will come back to bite you down the line.

During most of the day, you may feel yourself somewhat at odds with group endeavors, as the Moon continues to move through Aquarius, which is square the Scorpio Sun. A little after 6:00 pm Eastern, the Moon will slide into fellow water sign Pisces, signaling greater inner (and hopefully outer) harmony. Immersion in the arts, entertainment, or quieter pursuits (anything from meditation to sex, no matter how loud you tend to be in bed) could feel especially good. If you have not had a chance to tune in to subtler realms or to honor deceased loved ones in this time when the veil is thin, the next couple nights appear especially suitable for that.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of Transformation: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Nov. 2
The Day of Transformation | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You’re ready to go deep this year, to seriously dive into intense emotional material and examine lingering issues from the past. This is a profound phase of psychic exploration and healing, essential to your further growth. The more pro-active an approach you take to honestly reckoning with old fears, anger or obsessions, the more you’ll reap the rewards. These amount to nothing less than having more of your innate power at your conscious disposal. Assistance from trusted counselors can play an important role in this process. Think of prioritizing inner work now as a strategic investment in your future.
— by Victoria Emory

Written in the Planets

On a broader, cultural level, today’s astrology suggests some new level of political intrigue, upheaval or shuffling of the deck is in store — though one look at the news is all it takes to know that certain high-profile stories will continue developing for a while. Here’s what’s up: Mercury makes the second of its current series of three conjunctions to the asteroid Pallas today, this time in retrograde motion. The moment it is exact, the Moon will be in Capricorn, making its way between Saturn and Pluto — the two planets starring in this winter’s astrology. So there might be a new thread of political secrets emerging, or a revisiting of an issue that had seemed to come to a dead end previously.

Personally speaking, you can apply the same ideas. Mercury and Pallas were last conjunct on Oct. 21, making that a good touchstone. What information came out then? What were you either trying to express with some detachment or strategizing to keep private? What conversations did you have about potentially taboo topics, and what was left unsaid? What thoughts and feelings have you had about it all in the last couple weeks? Do you need to take a different tack, or simply take notes and keep digging for more clues?

Be aware that the Capricorn Moon’s contact with Saturn and Pluto could intensify certain emotions, such as pessimism or an “all or nothing” attitude. If that’s the case, chances are you’re not seeing the whole picture of a situation. Let the mood pass, and your options will likely open up.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of Organizational Cohesion: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is Oct. 26
The Day of Organizational Cohesion | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You may find yourself drawn to explore your inward consciousness; your dreams, your deeper feelings, your secrets. Keep a dream diary; notice if you experience unusual emotions during sleep, or particularly vivid imagery. At some point there will probably be a significant revelation, on the theme of your essential being, or a concept you hold dear. If you’re open to this potential and hold space for it without judging, you could transform your relationship to yourself.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Several planets making contact around the zodiac appear to be emphasizing relationships of various sorts. Some factors speak of getting quite particular about emotional needs. Those conversations will likely be very incisive, zeroing in on the most fundamental desires and triggers, and cutting through the fluff and bullshit. If you find yourself in a situation like that, you may need to bring in some lightness consciously — though not in the form of evasiveness. Think more in terms of reminders of the bigger picture, and of how amazing it is to keep learning about those closest to you and about yourself.

Other factors suggest a combination of intense passion, an ability to speak about deep or intimidating topics in a rational way, and maybe even holding space for an atypical sexual experience or unconventional relationship. Bear in mind that ‘holding space’ for somebody else’s process implies a lack of expectation of reciprocation; it’s a form of service, and service is a form of love — more in the ‘agape’ sense than in the romantic sense.

Yet with so much Scorpio (and Taurus) energy right now, the healing process that you’re bearing witness to could indeed be fairly saturated with emotion or erotic energy. That’s not a terrible thing, it just might be a lot to handle for some people, or could contribute to confusion about ‘intentions’. If feelings of possessiveness or jealousy are creeping in, that’s a signal that something other than ‘holding space’ is going on. You might need to check in (with yourself and/or with the other person) with direct, specific communication to get clear again.

With Mercury less than a week away from its station retrograde (on Oct. 31), you can’t be too careful when it comes to what and how you’re thinking, what you think you’re perceiving from others, and what everyone is and is not saying. Expect the unexpected all weekend, as we approach tomorrow’s Scorpio New Moon opposite Uranus. Note also that a square between Mars in Libra and Saturn in Capricorn describes feeling blocked and getting frustrated. Don’t let that — or fears that you’re not up to the task of overcoming an obstacle — get the better of you. Just proceed very deliberately, patiently and thoroughly — with everything.
— by Amanda Painter

The Day of Substantive Form: Birthdays and Planet News

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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

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