Tag Archives: Sagittarius

The Day of the Perceptive Critic: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 14
The Day of the Perceptive Critic | Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Your birthday this year plays host to the Pisces Full Moon amid some eventful astrology. You may well find yourself both unusually busy, and in an especially good position to make things happen. It’s likely you’ll easily figure out how to turn an idea into a concrete reality or a practical application, or set a long-term project in motion. The only thing to be wary of is if you have a tendency to self-doubt. If so, keep an eye on your state of mind, and check in regularly with people you trust.
— 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 lays it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio, now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

With the Pisces Full Moon peaking early this morning (12:33 am EDT), hopefully you’ll start noticing some relief if this week has felt a little crispy around the edges yet soggy in the middle. Planets are still opposing Neptune, but the Moon is easing off from its role as emotional intensifier/polarizer. You’ll still want to beware of mind-altering substances this weekend, particularly if you need to drive, do anything physical, or handle hot or sharp items. Easy does it today. There is still a ‘things may not be as they appear’ undercurrent to many interactions and circumstances.

Mercury and Venus are traveling together in a conjunction for a few weeks. They begin the day in Virgo, square the centaur planet Pholus in Sagittarius. Then Mercury enters Libra at 3:14 am EDT, and Venus follows suit at 9:43 am EDT. One thing this could represent is a revelation — either something is revealed to you, or you reveal something (to yourself or to another).

Whatever it is could have effects well into the future, or could point you in a new direction. Mercury and Venus entering Libra may describe an increasing sense of balance or spaciousness in thought processes, and in the emotions that influence them. You can let that buoy you, though stay aware that with Jupiter and Neptune still moving toward their exact square, the reference points for what counts as ‘realistic’ remain nebulous and shifting.
— by Amanda Painter


My readings 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 Fearless Crusader: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 12
The Day of the Fearless Crusader Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Remember that your primary relationship is really with yourself, and fulfillment in every other kind of setting comes much more easily if you can give yourself love. This may sound a little counterintuitive, because society teaches us that we are lacking, and that self-acceptance is allegedly arrogance. Yet in truth, embracing who you are is an important aspect of your wellbeing. Love is not a zero-sum game; it’s more like music. The more you practice on your own, the more you have to offer to others.
— 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 lays it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio, now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

While you might not actually have the Golden Touch right now, you may in fact be able to create some ‘luck’ for yourself today. Yet that’s unlikely to come through impulsive risk-taking, and more through intelligent foresight and planning, with Mars in Virgo making a square to Jupiter in Sagittarius.

Running off with a “so crazy it just might work!” idea could be enticing, and the thought might be just the boost you need to take some initial steps. But Neptune’s proximity to Mars and Jupiter is likely having a slight dissipating effect on what is usually a high-energy aspect. That might actually be for the best. Patient persistence appears to be the more conducive option this week.

Are you experiencing any déjà vu regarding self-critical thoughts or speaking critically to someone else? Mercury and Venus are in a T-square with Ixion and the Galactic Core in Sagittarius, and the asteroid Chaos in Gemini. One of the silver linings to feeling like you keep repeating the same lessons is that each time is an opportunity to make a different choice — one that’s focused on things like ethical behavior, empathy, alignment with dharma, or the highest good of all concerned. That does not always feel fun in the moment. But there appears to be an opportunity to imagine that you’re in the space before all decisions — before any guilt or shame entered into your thinking. From that primordial (or less compromised) mindset, what could you do?

Final note: we’re getting close to the Pisces Full Moon, which is early on Saturday. The Moon enters Pisces today. Keep tabs on any interpersonal situations that are feeling edgy, extra sensitive, or just plain unclear. Gently inquiring about matters is likely better than trying to pin the other person down, though another couple days of patience could be all that’s needed.
— by Amanda Painter


My readings 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 Dramatic Choice: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 11
The Day of Dramatic Choice | Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Like other people, you are ever changing and evolving, and you can’t be expected to remain exactly the same for any length of time. The same goes for the structure of your daily life — your work, your habits, your schedules — which you build around yourself, and have the power to reshape. If you want to change something, if you decide to set your feet on a particular path and are determined to put in the requisite level of effort, there is ultimately very little that could stop you.
— 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 lays it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio, now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

The unusual thought, emotion or impression could be what helps you to get un-stuck in some way today. It may relate to a plan you’ve become emotionally attached to, or to some ‘conventional wisdom’ that does not go deep enough to be useful; or could be an intuitive hint about what’s going on beneath the surface of a situation. The aspect I’m looking at here is an opposition between the asteroid Pallas in Scorpio and Uranus in Taurus, while the Moon travels through Aquarius today.

Bear in mind this is happening against the backdrop of the Virgo-Pisces oppositions that are calling the major tune lately, all square Jupiter in Sagittarius. So if an eccentric, innovative or non-habitual insight comes your way, it’s likely advisable to apply it gradually. Understand it might require some tweaking down the line, as new information becomes known.

Venus is also making interesting aspects of its own. Notice if some kind of second chance is making an appearance. Possible realms where it might emerge could include (but are not limited to): love, friendship, work and work relationships, service, finances, material possessions, and your values around any of these things. Remember that it’s never too late to make a more ethical choice, or one that serves more than your own interests (maybe even the common good). Also, sometimes being in the mystery of not knowing, or of multiple options, is a more productive and less stressful place than committing to something you know does not feel right. Ultimately, honesty is the most liberating action of all.
— by Amanda Painter


My readings 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 Difficult Demand: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 9
The Day of Difficult Demand | Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

You’re likely to have an abundance of opportunities to inject more fun into your daily life, should you wish to. Most of us have some kind of routine, though it doesn’t need to be entirely repetitive or dull; and if it becomes so there are usually quite a few ways to add some sparkle. There’s an art to finding joy in the everyday: this tends to be easier the more time you devote to the activities you love. See if you can set aside room to do just that, as often as possible.
— 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 lays it all out in your 2019-2020 Virgo Astrology Studio, now available for instant access.

Written in the Planets

Mondays can be tricky, but there are ways to make them a little easier. Today that might include giving yourself little reminders that it’s okay to go with the flow. Mars in Virgo making a square to a deep-space anomaly called the Great Attractor in Sagittarius could amplify pickiness over how certain things should be done. As in, that there is a ‘correct’ way, and that it is the ‘only’ way to do something. Any complaints you make to that effect could be especially polarizing to those around you (and vice versa); and other factors indicate that many people may be feeling sensitive in various ways (emotionally, psychically, etc.).

The more often you can pull back to see that many roads lead to the same destination, the easier it should be to stay in the space of serving a collective vision with your efforts. If you find yourself struggling with that, how many of your tasks can you complete solo and uninterrupted? The Capricorn Moon suggests a more conservative approach to interactions most of the day; once it moves to Aquarius in the evening (5:34 pm EDT / 21:23:37 UTC) there may be more openness to new or unusual methods.
— by Amanda Painter


My readings 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.

Publishing Soon!

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The Day of the Puzzling Purist: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 8
The Day of the Puzzling Purist | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs

Imagine you’ve climbed a mountain (or at least a big hill) and are standing at the summit; you can see, clearly, vast swaths of land in all directions. Your concept of the size of the accessible world has changed; with so much of it under your gaze, you might well feel better able to travel farther. This is what you’re aiming for conceptually. If you feel somewhat hemmed in, that’s a sign you may benefit from a broader perspective, which encompasses the whole spectrum of possibilities.
— 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

Where are the lines between doing what you know you can do, pushing your usual limits in order reach a new goal, and simply taking on way too much? Today’s square between the Virgo Sun and Jupiter in Sagittarius describes some invigorating energy that could be used to move some part of your life ahead — if you can be disciplined about it. But it can also indicate going overboard and then falling short of your aim as a result. Neptune in the pattern suggests it could be a little harder to discern where those lines mentioned in the first sentence are located.

Here is one possible way for you to find the sweet spot of using this energy and tension usefully: think of some of your more productive and empowering habits; these are likely to prove even more beneficial if you focus on exercising them to a greater degree. Now think of some of your more self-sabotaging or frustrating habits; these could get exacerbated the more energy you give them (consciously or unconsciously). Of course, the trick may come in being honest with yourself about which tendencies truly help and which hinder. As the old cliché goes, live and learn.
— 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.
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The Day of Unpredictable Fate: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 6
The Day of Unpredictable Fate | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs

As you explore new creative and imaginative territory, you may at times come across some mental or emotional barriers. These are often formed in our youth, possibly in the guise of safeguards or stabilizers. However, if they prevent you from understanding and exploring the full range of your potential, you no longer need them. Be gentle with yourself as you clear your path, though also be firm in your determination. You need to be free to run where you will.
— 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

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” You’ve probably heard these words by French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin — or a paraphrase of them — at least once in your life. But have you ever thought much about the inherent tension in this concept? To acknowledge that one is first a spiritual being is also to recognize how limiting the human experience can be: the density level; the literalness; the pain and separation. Yet there are also moments when we get a sense of how vast and full and connected we are, and we can infuse daily life with moments of that truth.

Today Mercury in Virgo squares Jupiter in Sagittarius (tomorrow it opposes Neptune). Also, the Sun is making these same aspects — along with a trine to Saturn in Capricorn, and a square to the Great Attractor in Sagittarius. There is a combination here of the tension and contrast of the literal, earthy, rational, limited experience and the imaginative, visionary, compelling, grand potentials that characterize the “human” and the “spiritual.”

If you’re feeling at all frustrated in trying to express something huge, long-range and inspiring in very literal, detailed or earth-bound ways, this is the related astrology. Flesh out your vision for the future in broad, vivid strokes; see what practical parts of it you can organize. Maybe don’t jump in the deep end yet; but know that it is there, waiting for you — and that the water will likely only get clearer in the coming weeks.
— 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.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

Read more here.

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The Day of the Fanciful Sovereign: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 5
The Day of the Fanciful Sovereign | The 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio can now be pre-ordered | All Other Signs

This is likely to be a busy year for you, potentially involving lots of action. Any project you have particularly in mind could very well take off; things appear set up so that effort put in will yield proportional results. Just be mindful of your physical and emotional limits, however broad. Watch for burnout, and set some time aside to relax and to make contact with your deeper thoughts and feelings. We all need to wind down occasionally, and it helps keep your ideas fund in credit.
— 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

Mercury is in the process of making a series of aspects from Virgo, one of the two signs it rules. So there’s extra emphasis currently on thought processes, communication, and what you do with an idea once you’ve thought of it. Under normal circumstances, Mercury’s current trine to Saturn in Capricorn would describe an ability to organize the details of your environment methodically. Mercury’s square to Jupiter would suggest the optimism and broad vision needed to plan a long-range goal.

Those statements are still true; they just come with a twist right now. That twist is being provided by Neptune in Pisces. Is Neptune enhancing the idealism you need to achieve an important dream? Perhaps. Is Neptune obscuring certain details and truths that could impact your pursuit of that dream? Maybe.

Yet today Mercury is also making squares to the Great Attractor (a deep-space phenomenon in Sagittarius) and an object called Altjira (in Gemini). There’s something here, I think, about the need to think beyond simple polarities (yes/no, good/bad, black/white, possible/impossible); and also about understanding who stands at the gate of your dreams (hint: it’s you). You could certainly get caught in minutiae and easily forget to look up. But it might be just as easy today to push against the details of reality and let your mind expand toward a vision of what’s possible. It doesn’t matter if you never reach it; the point is to let its potential suggest new pathways forward from where you are now.
— 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.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

Read more here.

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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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