Tag Archives: sex

Photo by Amanda Painter

Evolutions of the Heart

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By Amanda Painter

Even though Venus has not yet entered Taurus — its own sign — to resonate with the Sun, it figures prominently in this week’s primary aspects. So that’s an immediate indication to notice where you’re at in your relationships (especially the ones where love, lust, and other big emotions reign).

Photo by Amanda Painter

Photo by Amanda Painter

You may have felt a little introspective in this regard beginning the week, as Venus in Aries squared Saturn in Capricorn. With the late-week aspects Venus is making, you may notice a shift to needing to express some energy around these topics. But how might that look?

We can get some clues from the other major aspects Venus is making. Today into tomorrow, it enters the Pluto-Eris square (squaring Pluto in Capricorn and conjoining Eris in Aries). Venus also makes a trine to retrograde Jupiter in Sagittarius (exact today).

One way to look at this overall configuration is that it’s asking a question about receptivity in our current moment — a question that relates to some much longer-term activity. If you’ve read and listened to the INTELLIGENCE annual readings for 2019-2020, you know that Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all factor heavily in the marquee aspects that define late this year and next year. So you could think of this early contact by Venus as a way of warming up your most personal feelings about any process of growth and development you’re in currently, or which you think you might be headed for.

With Venus in Aries, we get the idea of initiative: what it feels like to just go for what you love; how to get started; the act of expressing emotions that put us in vulnerable or exposed positions. What’s at the heart of that? One answer might be: being seen and received for who you really are. How do you feel about that?

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The Day of Practical Awakening: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is May 5
The Day of Practical Awakening | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Celebrate your grounded persistence. Not everyone possesses the fortitude and sheer determination you seem to tap into on a regular basis, particularly in the face of inner struggles. Yet here you are, beginning a new year with your creative fire burning bright and a lust for life sparking something in your unconscious. And while it’s true that all wealth comes from the Earth, it’s how you channel that wealth — in terms of your considerable life force and how you offer it to others — that will enrich this next year the most.

Written in the Planets

Do you want to do All The Things today? That’s a distinct possibility, given an opposition between Mars and Jupiter. With those planets in two signs particularly prone to split attention and scattered energy (Gemini), and the big picture and a need for freedom (Sagittarius), the ante gets upped.

Can you stay self-aware in any needs and desires that you feel to tackle everything? Can you keep from sliding into defensive selfishness in the face of anyone or anything threatening to restrict you? Do beware of domineering behaviors and overestimating your abilities. But if you can stay mindful of the legitimate limitations of your physical and mental energy — and understand the full scope and many facets of your situation — you may very well succeed in your efforts.

Also note that the Taurus Sun this Beltane is square the asteroid Psyche in Aquarius. Sometimes stubbornness has its uses — one of these being persistence in pursuing one’s mental and emotional healing. Infusing that process with a sense of genuine devotion to your inner spirit, you could make some real progress, especially if you let an eccentric or innovative idea give you a nudge. Make and hold space for all of who you are — including your identity as a fully sexual being alive on planet Earth at a very curious time, indeed.
— 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.

The Day of Nurturing Support: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is May 4
The Day of Nurturing Support | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Take advantage of any idea or event that inspires you to master a particular skill, or to develop yourself in general. A birthday is always to some extent the beginning of a new cycle; however, this year you may find yourself with an entirely blank slate, and the freedom to fill it as you please. Aim for subjects, occupations and goals that really light up your passion, and pursue them unapologetically.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Today the Sun and Moon conjoin for the Taurus New Moon. Occurring at the midpoint of Taurus, this is happening at Beltane — the ancient Pagan cross-quarter holiday that marks the middle of the current season and celebrates our connection to the Earth itself. If you have actual seeds to plant, this is traditionally a good time to do so — and of course, the same holds for the metaphorical seeds of your intentions and desires for this next lunar cycle. Some general themes to keep in mind: anything relating to your body’s senses and your relationship to your body, sex, your values, the material resources you possess and those you’d like to cultivate.

Yet this New Moon is also in aspect to a curious array of minor objects. It appears that if you’ve been wrestling with a feeling of stuck-ness in some regard, there’s an opportunity to begin to move beyond that feeling — even just a little, and even if you’re convinced that’s not possible. Uranus is doing its part to surprise us all out of old habits, but let’s face it: sometimes that’s not enough by itself. After all, we tend to get by with a little help from our friends, and other objects in the New Moon chart suggest people who may be able to help lift you up or facilitate next steps. It’s also possible that in filling that role for someone else, you’ll indirectly energize your own cause.

Either way, see if you can get out in nature today or tomorrow. Make actual contact with the ground if weather and location permit — as in, bare feet or bare belly directly on the earth. Can you feel just how solidly you are being held by this planet, and offer some thanks to it in some way? Collectively, we’ve spent many years doing the opposite, but Uranus appears to be linking us to some ancestral support today if you feel inclined to invoke the wisdom of many generations past.
— 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.

The Day of the Social Realist: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is May 3
The Day of the Social Realist | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Tackling whatever challenges you face from the ground up may give you an edge this year. That means starting on the most basic physical, practical level. Take care of your immediate surroundings, bodily health, finances and other such matters, and ensure all of these are functioning as well as possible. Then you can deal with more abstract questions. You will probably find at this point that you’ve already advanced farther than you expected.

Written in the Planets

Mercury meets up with Eris in Aries today. Do you have any ‘crazymaking’ tendencies when it comes to how you think (which might only affect you) or what you tend to blurt out (which obviously can have social repercussions)? The Moon passes through the conjunction during the wee hours of the morning (Eastern time); so if you happen to be awake and in contact with others then, you might feel an emotionally reactive undercurrent that’s hard to pinpoint. Can you track its source?

Also note that Mercury and Eris are still in close contact with Pluto in Capricorn and retrograde Jupiter in Sagittarius. Pluto brings in the potential for obsessive thought loops, which you may want dearly to speak about no matter how much they might throw things into chaos. It also raises the potential for coercing someone via subversive means if you repress the need to speak your truth. What to do?

See if you can lean in the direction of Mercury’s trine to Jupiter. There’s an openness to new ideas available there, along with a broader understanding of your situation, and its potential. The moment you feel like you might be over-focusing — whether on a particular thought, desire, or fear — see if you can take a few metaphorical steps back. Perspective is likely everything today, and should help you to guide your communication toward that middle path — the one where you can speak your mind constructively and with consideration.

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.

The Day of Human Observation: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is May 2
The Day of Human Observation | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Keep your aim in sight, and remember that the point is to get there rather than moving above a certain speed. Haste without deliberation may result in your needing to retrace steps; instead, plan your route carefully, and draw as much information as you can from all sources. There will likely be moments when you have a clear road in front of you; at these times, you should be fine to forge ahead.
— by Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

As we approach Saturday’s Taurus New Moon (which is smack-dab in the Beltane zone), the Sun makes a rather auspicious aspect to help you warm up for any weekend festivities. Specifically, the Sun is conjunct Lempo, an asteroid rather recently named for the ancient Finnish goddess of fire and fertility. (You can read a little more about her here and also here.) Get fired up — but if you’re not actually planning to celebrate your fertility by making full use of it, do remember to use a condom (that is, if you’re in a hetero situation and not honoring the goddess on your own).

Today’s sky also features a square between Mercury in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. This looks like a reminder to beware of obsessive thoughts (possibly sexy thoughts in particular — channel that energy physically rather than getting stuck in your head about it). When dealing with others, try to keep an open mind in important matters. Do you really need to coerce someone to your point of view, or can you let them have their opinion? If you can use this energy to get introspective about hidden parts of your psychology, you may reap a deeper awareness that’s truly useful.
— 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.

Photo by Amanda Painter; Orkney, Scotland, 2018.

Breath and Butterflies, Blue and Beltane

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By Amanda Painter

On Saturday, we have a New Moon right at the midpoint of Taurus — the Beltane zone, when the ancient Pagans celebrated the fertility of the Earth by having sex out in the fields. I’m supposed to tell you all about this interesting chart, and I will; but to be honest, I’m still ruminating on some of the events and recurring themes I encountered last week while I was away, during the Sun’s first conjunction to Uranus in Taurus.

Photo by Amanda Painter; Orkney, Scotland, 2018.

Photo by Amanda Painter; Orkney, Scotland, 2018.

So if you’ll pardon the indulgence, I’m going to start there and will make my leisurely way to the astrology. You know how a Taurus hates to be rushed.

With the gracious support of my Planet Waves colleagues, I was just immersed in a weeklong intensive class in Orkney, Scotland — a particular method for freeing the breath and voice for theater — taught by its 83-year-old originator (and fellow Taurean) Kristin Linklater. It was a rather spontaneous opportunity, though it built upon my 2018 trip there for the same purpose.

During last year’s class, Uranus — “The Awakener,” the cosmic sparkplug — made its preliminary ingress into Taurus. During my trip this year, the Sun made its first of its annual conjunctions to Uranus in Taurus between now and 2025. I already knew before I got the email for the class (three weeks before it started) that it was exactly the way I wanted to return to the sense of ‘being in process’ that had marked last spring; the moment I noticed the Sun-Uranus conjunction would be occurring, it was like a bell rang.

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The Day of Ironic Insight: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is May 1
The Day of Ironic Insight | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Reconsider your ideas as to what is and is not possible, and make room for approaches other than the solely pragmatic. That is to say: do not dismiss a hoped-for or intended outcome on the basis of what seems achievable in this moment. Take confidence from what you have accomplished in the past, and from your sense of devotion to what is truly important. You have both the passion and the capability you need to make it happen.
— By Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

Can you take some initiative today with tasks that require discipline and a lot of mental energy? Mercury is making aspects to Mars and Saturn today that suggest this course of action could prove effective. The more you can own the project and your efforts, the more likely you are to enjoy the benefits. This may mean focusing on a personal goal or project first, to generate a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. After that, moving on to the obligations you have to others could feel a little easier.

Also note that we’re in Beltane territory — the ancient Pagan holiday associated with honoring the fertility of the Earth, which occurs when the Sun reaches the middle of Taurus. Plus, May is Masturbation Month. So how do you want to get your freak on? Venus conjunct Vesta in Aries today may be signaling an ‘unorthodox’ sexual relationship or encounter, but could also be prime energy for ‘tending your hearth’ solo, if you know what I mean. The Moon entering Aries is a reminder to watch impulsiveness — especially with your temper or libido, if either one is feeling the heat. There are plenty of ways to express both energies that take their impact and potential consequences into account, without bottling them up.
— 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.

The Day of Dutiful Overload: Birthdays and Planet News

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If Your Birthday is April 30
The Day of Dutiful Overload | Order Your 2019-20 Taurus Reading | All Other Signs

Watch for insights regarding your vocation or mission in the most profound and spiritual sense of those terms. You may experience a flash of intuition, which reveals a pattern underlying various events and features of your life. This is likely to be drawing you in a specific direction in terms of what to do next. Verifying whatever information you receive will be useful; meanwhile, keep your mind open, and leave room for more details to emerge gradually.
— By Amy Elliott

Written in the Planets

With Venus and Vesta in Aries making a trine to Ceres in Sagittarius, there’s some serious goddess fire on tap. Your inner flame — be it creative, sexual or simply your joie de vivre — may feel like a warm, nourishing undercurrent to the day. Perhaps try tending to it directly (such as with some kind of solo activity, though sharing the love — or lust — might feel similarly enriching; just bear in mind that Venus in Aries can come on a bit strong).

If you want to take things to the proverbial next level, you might consider how this energy connects to your overall healing journey. The centaur Chiron is conjunct the asteroid Salacia today, focusing the issue one way or another. How is your awareness being drawn to some facet of your sexual experience, or your sense of identity as a sexual-yet-spiritual being? Notice your feelings about it, and take some notes or make some art in response. Chiron tends to reward documentation, and Aries is the sign of ‘get started’. So what are you waiting for?
— 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.