Tag Archives: Relationships

The Day of Exciting Instability: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 24
The Day of O Exciting Instability | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Now is the moment to begin turning your ideas into concrete results. You have a solid grasp of your thought processes and your aims, and enough passion to help you get past any challenging scenarios. Along the way, keep honing the skills you possess as a singer exercises their voice. You never know when any item in your toolkit might prove useful. With any long-term plan surprises have a way of occurring, and they often have the function of showing how much you’ve learned.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have a Leo Sun, rising sign or Moon? Your last couple years may have left you reeling trying to figure out which path forward is best. Hear Eric’s thoughts on expediting your post-eclipse process in your 2019-2020 Leo Astrology Studio reading.

Written in the Planets

Tonight into tomorrow, retrograde Mercury conjoins Venus in Cancer. Simultaneously, we reach the last quarter Moon: the first Moon phase following last week’s Full Moon and eclipse. Those two events suggest engaging in a specific form of review today. Any Mercury-Venus conjunction blends the intellectual and emotional realms together, often through an ability to see the patterns in your experience and then connect the dots of your perception. In Cancer, the emotional or intuitive layer to that equation may be the stronger piece.

With Mercury retrograde, you could find your attention pulled toward past experiences more than present factors; thought the last quarter Moon occurring concurrently indicates one possible timeframe of particular focus: the two weeks between this month’s eclipses, and the time since. When you think about anything that emerged or received some closure near last week’s eclipse, how far back do its roots reach?

Simply noticing what your mind is drawn to today and how you feel about it could offer enough insights. Artistic experiences might be very useful in helping you to synthesize your understanding (whether that means listening to certain music or painting your experience, and anything in between).

Mercury-Venus conjunctions also can describe an atmosphere of emotionally open communication — such as telling someone you love them, or discussing certain facets of a relationship with genuine understanding. The one caveat here is that Mercury’s retrograde condition cautions that any such conversations occur at a gentle pace, with few distractions, preferably in person (or phone; not via email or text), and with the expectation that the message could get a little garbled and require some clarification. That’s nothing to be afraid of; it’s more like seeing the signs for a curve in the road and for the speed limit, and then driving accordingly.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Uncertainty Resolvers: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 23
The Day of Uncertainty Resolvers | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Keep your mind turned toward the wide and open horizon of your ideal visions. Some may find this freedom of thought disconcerting, and try to confine you within convenient boundaries. Yet your power lies in this capacity you possess for bold exploration, and the ability to see what’s real, without the filters of social or authoritarian pressure. Don’t let anyone, especially you, box you in. You’re beginning to understand just how far your mind can fly.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have a Leo Sun, rising sign or Moon? Your last couple years may have left you reeling trying to figure out which path forward is best. Hear Eric’s thoughts on expediting your post-eclipse process in your 2019-2020 Leo Astrology Studio reading.

Written in the Planets

The Sun entered the sign Leo overnight, signaling the core of the Northern Hemisphere summer. Leo is ruled by the Sun, offering an important reminder that just as solar light and power can create and warm life or damage and destroy it, so can our own light and power. What makes the difference is whether your heart or your ego is directing those forces.

Venus passes through last week’s eclipse degree via Cancer today, ringing the bells of Haumea in Libra and Eris in Aries. Given the recent contact Venus just had with Pluto (and the centaur Chariklo), you may want to keep tabs on how your emotions — particularly feelings of love, sexual desire, a need for attention or to feel ‘helpful’ — are influencing your choices. If you notice a need to be needed by someone, what’s that really about? Holding space for someone in a helpful or healing capacity ideally is not about what you will get out of the experience.

That agenda is something else, and probably signals that it’s time for a frank heart-to-heart with yourself about what you might be projecting onto a situation that you could (and probably should) be finding and recognizing within yourself. You appear to have a choice right now: birthing new ways of relating that are well-balanced, even if they seem to come from unusual places; or resorting to game-playing — however subtle and seemingly innocuous — to get the emotional response you crave. The Leo Sun’s trine to Ceres in Sagittarius reinforces the abundance of nourishment available to your heart and soul right now. All you need to do is let it shine in.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Occupational Fluctuation: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 22
The Day of Occupational Fluctuation | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You may be developing a new perspective on your career trajectory, and what your vocation means to you. Perhaps your work is evolving along lines you did not anticipate, but by which you are nonetheless intrigued. It’s also possible you’re more inclined to take a daring path, which might involve some risks but would certainly afford you more room to be yourself. Only you can determine your best options, though remember that your potential for growth never ends.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

The Moon enters Aries early in the day, but the big news is the Sun leaving Cancer and entering Leo. That happens at 10:50 pm EDT (2:50:14 UTC Tuesday). You might notice that impulse control is a little trickier today, between having the Moon in a fiery, action-oriented sign and the Sun making its way through the last degree of Cancer. Having the Sun in the last degree of a sign can have an edgy, ‘let’s just get on with it’ sensation.

If that describes how you’re feeling, beware of letting it come out through harsh or judgmental words. The Sun’s square to an asteroid called Rhadamanthus suggests this dynamic. Yet it’s Mercury’s retrograde condition that describes potentially complicated misunderstandings or unnecessarily hurt feelings as a result. (And don’t ignore the ways self-judgment can be just as difficult to navigate.)

Integrity is important, and must be expressed when core values are at risk of being compromised. Integrity does not, however, mean inflexibility or a lack of empathy. Think of suspension bridges: they balance strength of structure with an ability to flex with the wind. In doing so, they enable us to get where we need to go — efficiently, safely, and in the company of many, many other people.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Tragicomic Controversy: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 21
The Day of Tragicomic Controversy | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

It would seem you’re becoming better aligned with yourself, perhaps more closely than ever before. Your mind is opening to wider dimensions, which previously would have been beyond the confines of your knowledge. You are discovering exciting new concepts and ways of being. Keep track of your progress, and record everything, including dreams if you remember them. So long as you’re willing to dare, you can make this year an inspiring and profound adventure.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

You might feel especially talkative today, but are you saying what you mean to say? Are you being heard and understood? What’s actually coming out of your mouth, and where is your mind? It’s also possible that you’re feeling a little more thoughtful today — but mainly about yourself and how other matters relate to you.

This could make communication a little one-sided, unless you and the person you’re speaking to (or texting, or emailing) make a conscious effort to comprehend what each other is saying. Bear in mind that with the sign Cancer prominent now, “understanding” will mean not just getting the facts straight, but also perceiving the emotional tone and intention being used.

All of this relates to the conjunction between the Sun and retrograde Mercury today in Cancer (exact at 8:34 am EDT / 12:33:51 UTC). This marks the astrological midpoint of Mercury’s current retrograde. Traditionally, this is supposed to be a decent time to finalize a deal or purchase or sign documents if you absolutely cannot wait a couple more weeks to do it. You’ll still need to triple-check the details, however; and be prepared to make adjustments later on. Today also marks Venus in Cancer exactly opposite Pluto in Capricorn. You can read a little more about that here, and also in yesterday’s Written in the Planets. If relationship stuff is feeling powerfully influential, this aspect would describe that.
— by Amanda Painter

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The Day of Controlled Movement: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 19
The Day of Controlled Movement | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Mercury returning to your sign on your birthday suggests that you potentially have an opportunity to go over old ground. Are there any particular aspirations or dreams you laid aside in the past that you might now be free to take up again? Or perhaps you feel inclined to restructure your daily life, so as to allow more time for what is most important to you. Either way, remember that only you ultimately have the power to determine where your energy is directed.
— by Amy Elliott

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

With a fair number of planets in water signs currently, do you feel like the current keeps shifting? That could apply to your inner emotional tides, or to what’s going on with the people around you. The primary sources of dry land right now — astrologically speaking — also speak more of change than stability (specifically Uranus in Taurus, and the building Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn). Can you hang a little loose, and go with the flow?

By that, I mean keeping your expectations of yourself and others loose, while still letting a general vision for what you want guide you. Venus and Neptune are assisting with the imaginative power needed for that. Yet with Mercury retrograde — and leaving Leo to enter late Cancer early today — it’s wise to remember that your thought processes might not be as precise as you’d like. Mercury returning to Cancer looks like a signal to remember your emotional intelligence: keep a finger on how you’re truly feeling (and how to express it rather than react from it), and stay as aware as possible of others’ emotions.

Do your best to say what you mean and mean what you say — while understanding that the person you’re talking to might not be quite as vigilant on that score. Asking direct questions the moment you realize you’re unsure of someone’s intended meaning is likely the best policy, even though (or maybe especially because) the sky’s emphasis on Cancer describes a tendency to proceed sideways or indirectly, based on intuition, empathy and one’s own sensitivities. That strategy has its place, but looks potentially more unreliable than usual right now. If you encounter an intense romantic or sexual situation, the need increases to integrate those softer forms of perception with conscious communication. Tonight’s Pisces Moon favors artistic pursuits and entertainments, whether you seek them out on the town or cozied up at home.
— by Amanda Painter

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Where We Are Now

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By Amanda Painter

Tuesday evening the second of this season’s two eclipses came and went with the Capricorn Full Moon. On an immediate, practical level, I noticed this event arrived in a way that highlighted or seemed to exacerbate situations with a distinctly Mercury retrograde flavor. I’ve heard from a number of people in the last several days who’ve been wondering why they’ve felt a little ‘off’, down, thwarted or disempowered, and so on.

Seaweed pointing the way; photo by Amanda Painter.

Seaweed pointing the way; photo by Amanda Painter.

Does any of that describe your experience at all?

Collectively, we’ve been through a lot this year; Mars moving through Cancer and igniting a couple different aspect patterns — and the global events illustrating that astrology — was followed immediately by Mercury stationing retrograde. Add in these eclipses, and it has been a lot to handle.

Yet any astrology, no matter what in your life it describes or coincides with, is a reminder to notice consciously and integrate what you’re learning — particularly about yourself, but also about the people around you, your relationships with them, and your overall environment. So, regarding the last two weeks and the two eclipses bookending that span of time: what did you learn?

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The Day of Career Concerns: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 17
The Day of Career Concerns | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

You’ve worked hard to get where you are today, against some arguably formidable odds. Now it’s time to follow through, and take full advantage of the space and the platform you’ve gained. You have a unique contribution to make in the world, and this is a great moment to offer it. Be bold, therefore, and exercise your powers of innovation and originality. It’s impossible to please everyone, but that’s always true, and the critics are not the ones who matter.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Now that the eclipses are over, where are you standing? Has your position shifted at all, or does the landscape seem less familiar — whether inside you or around you? It may take a while to be able to assess this fully. Also, with two more weeks of Mercury retrograde, it’s possible another layer of missing information has yet to emerge. That’s a reminder to keep a deliberate pace in most things you do, especially communication.

Even though the Moon has moved on, the Sun is still in the eclipse degree, offering a reminder that your choices matter — both in the short term, and in the long term. Any need to express yourself can take a creative or a destructive form; the greater your sense of inner security, the easier it is to choose wisely, even in the face of someone else’s defensiveness.

Venus is moving into contact with the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, opposing Saturn exactly today. This can describe a classic showdown between duty and pleasure. Traditional wisdom says that you might as well get work out of the way first if work you must, since blowing it off to play with others — no matter how emotionally compelling the relationships — will likely just cast a shadow over the fun or make your obligations a drag later on. The tough part may be staying focused, since Neptune is doing its best to soften everything up into a pleasant daydream. Can you harness that imaginative power for the tasks at hand?
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.

The Day of the Rising Tide: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is July 16
The Day of the Rising Tide | Order Your 2019-20 Cancer Reading | The 2019-20 Leo Astrology Studio is available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Today’s lunar eclipse marks an unusually important year for you in terms of your personal growth, your maturity in relating to others, and your aspiration toward fulfilling your ideals. Tensions may play out in certain relationships, or within yourself, though this likely represents vital matters being brought to a head. As we change, so necessarily do our interactions and dynamics with others. Ultimately, you need honest people around you who’ll have your back.

Hear Eric describe the impressive eclipses involving your Sun sign or rising sign in your 2019-20 Cancer Astrology Studio Reading — now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Tonight’s Full Moon and partial lunar eclipse occurs in late Capricorn, opposite the Cancer Sun, at 5:38 pm EDT (21:38:06 UTC). This brings to a close the two-week zone between eclipses this season. However, whatever these events signify or describe in your life may be only beginning to take shape. So you might want to consider observing today carefully: your feelings and thoughts; your interactions with others; new information that arrives; things you realize have run their course. How consciously can you go about everything you do today? What are you giving your time, energy and attention, and does it match your greater intentions and priorities?

You can read a little more about this event here, and you can refer also to yesterday’s Written in the Planets. Bear in mind also that typical Full Moon tensions could be afoot, particularly in situations that feel stuck or locked down, or where emotions are complex. Even though the effects of eclipses can take months to manifest, once the Full Moon begins separating, some room might open up in which movement toward resolution of the immediate circumstances can begin.

It’s also worth noting that the Moon and Sun are square Eris in Aries and the object Haumea in Libra. This could describe needing to make a choice between self-serving actions that may cause chaos (for yourself and for others), and acts of creation that could bring some balance to your relationships. If you’re noticing these themes in your life, can you honestly assess which way you’re leaning? Mars in Leo making an aspect to the minor planet Albion in Taurus appears to describe the courage to cross a threshold, if you’re willing to take the steps necessary.
— by Amanda Painter

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 31, 2009. Photo by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

New in the Special Readings Series
Magnum Opus on Eclipses, Now Through Late 2020

Eric’s new 90-minute discussion of all things related to eclipses, in any sign — with a focus on Cancer and Capricorn eclipses, from the current pair through 2020 — is available now for instant access. Part audio reading, part astrology class, it offers you a lot of help processing the solar eclipse on July 2 and the lunar eclipse on July 16, and features original music. Hear it as part of the 2019-2020 Astrology Studio for Cancer, or purchase the Eclipses Reading separately for only $33.