Tag Archives: Taurus

The Day of the Grand Gesture: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 12
The Day of the Grand Gesture | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

You may find your one-to-one relationships gaining a touch of extra zing this year, whether that involves meeting exciting new people or getting some pep injected into current connections. Variety being known for its relish, visiting some unfamiliar places or trying a different hobby will almost certainly encourage a sense of freshness. The thing to remember is that any particular change you wish to foster can start within you; you can set an example for those around you to follow if they wish.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, Eric has much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality. in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for instant access. Check out the video preview for the reading here.

Written in the Planets

With the Moon entering Aries in the wee hours this morning, the day could be marked by especially impulsive responses and behaviors — whether yours, or those of people you’re interacting with. Tomorrow’s Full Moon (opposite the Libra Sun) won’t be exact until that evening; but with Aries and Libra signifying ‘the individual’ and ‘relationships’, you can expect any situation to be amplified where those concepts are central.

This is on top of today’s opposition between Venus (love, emotions, relationships) in Scorpio and Uranus (surprises, upsets, awakening) in Taurus. Remember that encountering the unexpected in a relationship (especially one that’s set in its ways) can actually be refreshing, invigorating and conducive to rekindling passion. Of course, shocks to perceived stability can also exacerbate tensions and anxieties; more so if the people involved have been ignoring certain matters that have gotten stale, stuck or were left on autopilot for too long.

If you’re partnered, can you seek out some new stimulation together, and appreciate each other’s zest for life, curiosity and willingness to grow? Adventures that feed the individual soul also foster a greater sense of inner abundance; and this can be shared openly with others to mutual benefit.
— by Amanda Painter


My autumn readings, called In These Times, 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.

In These Times is now available for instant access!

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The Day of Gracious Ease: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 11
The Day of Gracious Ease | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Regardless of how long it takes you to get there, what you are currently aiming for is within your power to achieve. You might think doing so will necessitate some deus ex machina, but you already contain all the resources you require, in terms of skill, knowledge, character and sheer guts. Even if this isn’t immediately clear to you now, certain tools tend to become visible as they become necessary. Take courage. You have everything you could possibly need to draw on, and then some.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, Eric has much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality. in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for instant access. Check out the video preview for the reading here.

Written in the Planets

Mercury enters its pre-retrograde ‘echo’ or ‘shadow’ phase in Scorpio this evening. The actual retrograde begins on Oct. 31, and could signal a few more Halloween/Samhain hijinks than usual. Between now and then, you may get a little taste of what this retrograde is about, beyond SNAFUs and confusion. With the planet of the mind in the deep-feeling sign of mystery and intensity, you might frame this as your chance to play Private Investigator in your own psyche. What truths are you ready to uncover, and then put to use in your process of becoming?

Note that with the Aries Full Moon approaching on Sunday and a Venus-Uranus opposition tomorrow, certain interpersonal situations could feel loaded — whether with challenging surprises and exciting new possibilities, or with an urge to make big changes, or both. You can roll with it, though a little flexibility, a sense of humor and curiosity will help. The more conscious you can be about how you direct your energy and creativity, the more empowered you’ll likely feel in the face of any pressures and worries that may be cropping up.
— by Amanda Painter


My autumn readings, called In These Times, 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.

In These Times is now available for instant access!

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The Aries Full Moon and Friends

By Amanda Painter

How’s your sleep this week? And your relationship to authority figures — the ‘real’ ones and the internalized ones? Where are your thoughts going, and how do you feel about it? What about your urges and responses in your more intimate relationships? How conscious are you about using your energy in a creative, focused way?

The 2015 Aries Full Moon; photo by Amanda Painter.

The 2015 Aries Full Moon; photo by Amanda Painter.

As we end this week, several planetary events are conspiring to drive questions like those. The headlining act is the Aries Full Moon on Sunday.

Before we get there, Mercury enters its pre-retrograde echo (or shadow) phase tomorrow. On Saturday, Venus opposes Uranus to add a little extra voltage. Let’s take them in chronological order.

Mercury entering its shadow/echo phase Friday evening is your heads up to prepare any and all things related to communication, its related technologies, spending, transit, and how you handle your frame of mind in general. As in: back up your computer, tie up any loose ends with contracts and major purchases, and begin to get back into habits that help to safeguard against sending emails that ought not to be sent.

Mercury won’t actually station retrograde until Oct. 31 (Trick or Treat!). But as you may know, things can sometimes get even funkier prior to the retrograde than during it. Mercury will station direct — still in Scorpio — on Nov. 20.

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The Day of the Good Life: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 6
The Day of the Good Life | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

A major new stage in your life is beginning, and it’s time to shake off any lingering doubts or fears regarding how ready you are, or how capable. You’ve proven countless times that you are both, and then some; and once you’ve taken those first few crucial steps, you’ll probably be surprised at just how well and easily you’re adapting. True, in any situation there are challenges, though facing them is how we learn and develop. Gather your courage and take this opportunity with both hands. You’ll be glad you did.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, Eric has much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality. in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for instant access. Check out the video preview for the reading here.

Written in the Planets

Monday might begin the ‘real’ workweek for you, but today’s Capricorn Moon suggests getting down to business with your personal priorities. That could mean inner emotional stuff you need to address, or it might describe taking practical steps with external resources, projects and long-term goals.

Note, however, that with Mercury’s opposition to Uranus in Taurus exact, you may need to take an unorthodox approach to things, or prefer to spend short bursts of time on several tasks. Even then, dealing with the underlying facets of what you’re working on could prove more satisfying than just touching on surface levels. Working with some kind of method (perhaps a new one) could help prevent errors, especially if new insights emerge quickly.

Others may challenge your thinking (and you may find yourself unexpectedly challenging others), which could result in particularly blunt or sharp responses. Sometimes that is exactly what’s needed to move ideas and relationships to the next level. Yet this works best if nobody’s being confrontational simply for the sake of it, and if neither party stays attached to their emotions and preconceived notions.

Also, notice if a need for certain things to be ‘just so’ is working at cross-purposes with a broader vision for what makes a fulfilling partnership. These differences could play out with another person (as in, one of you taking one approach, and the second person taking the other), or might manifest as a purely internal tension. If focusing on the details is not leading to a sense of ease, perhaps leaning toward a philosophy of shared purpose will help reframe specific expectations. We all have our bottom-line non-negotiables, but nothing is perfect.
— by Amanda Painter


My autumn readings, called In These Times, 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.

In These Times is now available for instant access!

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The Day of the Just Cause: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 5
The Day of the Just Cause | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

You’ve traveled quite a distance in the past year, at least metaphorically speaking. Ongoing, you’ll want to continue and consolidate your various achievements and successes first of all. When it comes to the setbacks, look for the lesson you’ve taken from them or the ways in which you’ve grown stronger. You’ve certainly become more resilient and more tenacious, as well as bolder. Perhaps more importantly than anything, you know what you want, and have the determination you need to get it.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, Eric has much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality. in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for instant access. Check out the video preview for the reading here.

Written in the Planets

The Capricorn Moon and Libra Sun square off today for the first quarter Moon — with the Moon conjunct Saturn and the lunar South Node. Along with the kind of tension that may spur you to get moving on a project, this square also suggests a question: where is the point of balance between your need to express and gratify your own aims and desires, and your responsibility to others? Perhaps even more importantly, did you feel an awareness of guilt or habits of self-restriction begin cascading in the moment you even read that question?

We all have adult responsibilities to others that we cannot in good conscience ignore; to do so would actually undermine our own process of growth and maturity, and of taking true authority in our lives. Yet any time guilt is cropping up that’s a signal to pay attention. Are you sure you’re not restricting yourself more than you need to? Today may offer an opportunity to question that actively, in a way that lets you move forward into some new space.

Note also that with Mercury in Scorpio opposing Uranus in Taurus, surprisingly deep insights could pop up. If you’re feeling frustrated with anyone, however, just be careful what comes shooting out your mouth.
— by Amanda Painter


My autumn readings, called In These Times, 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.

In These Times is now available for instant access!

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The Day of Glaring Truth: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 30
The Day of Glaring Truth | Pre-order pre-order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

You are something of a natural in terms of mental exploration, and presently you may be experiencing more curiosity than usual. Yet there is only so much you can grasp from theoretical knowledge. If you want to understand how something operates, interact with it on a practical level, as far as is safe. Along the way, there may be an opening for you to bring your inventive abilities into play: that is, to fix a problem you see, or improve on a working model. This is likely to be useful all round.
— by Amy Elliott

Do you have your Sun, Moon or rising sign in Libra? If so, your sign is directly aligned with the single most significant astrological event beginning 2020. Eric will walk you through the most effective ways to approach your year in the 2019-2020 Libra Astrology Studio, now available for pre-order.

Written in the Planets

If you’ve been wanting to ‘go deep’ in some way, especially with another person, this could be a good day for it. For one thing, the Moon enters Scorpio this morning at 5:42 am EDT (9:41:37 UTC). That automatically signals a potentially immersive or compelling emotional tone, and describes an affinity for getting under the surface. With the Scorpio Moon briefly opposing Uranus in Taurus, this could translate into emotional responses to the unexpected that are a little more intense than usual.

Venus in Libra is exactly square the centaur planet Chariklo in Capricorn, and squares Pluto exactly tomorrow. On one level, this describes a need to seek emotionally or sexually heightened interactions. On another level, this may suggest that it’s time to acknowledge changes in a relationship. Can you hold space for your own mix of emotions and needs, and for those of the other person? Both are real, and both are valid. You may be able to avoid sliding into co-dependent behavior by using tools like active listening (paraphrasing what is said to be sure you’ve understood clearly) and “I” statements. Discerning true needs from strong desires and idealized expectations is also key.

Assistance with that process is described by a trine between Mars in Virgo and Vesta in Taurus. This looks like support for a less personal, truly service-oriented way of approaching some matter of desire, sex, healing or teaching. If you’re finding it easy to connect the details of a situation with some hands-on mental or physical effort and a sense of emotionally grounded purpose, this aspect may be what you’re tapping into.
— 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.

Now available for instant access!

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The Day of the Managers: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 20
The Day of the Managers | Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | You can also pre-order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Who do you want to be? Who could you become? These questions are a fundamental basis for our highest aspirations. Any goal that involves bringing you closer to your full potential is a positive thing to strive for. Making this the cornerstone of your ambitions would probably help you immensely. If you decide you want something, perhaps consider your reasons, and where all that leads you in terms of self-development. You might benefit from taking a somewhat broader view.
— 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

What does it really mean to be of service? There are numerous ways to think of it, but try this idea on for size: allowing the ‘big truths’ of life and the universe (think love, compassion, the unity of everything, what goes around comes around) to spur you into action, but making those actions specific, local, tangible, physical. That is, you might not be able to dust everyone on the planet with universal love. But you can infuse the details of your interactions with the people you know with that spirit.

You can cultivate the core flame of your life force and creativity to be central to your everyday work — no matter how mundane, ‘non-spiritual’, intellectual or detailed it is. Today the Virgo Sun makes an exact square to the Galactic Core in Sagittarius; this is the action aspect. In this case, it could describe feeling a little overwhelmed by the scale of what’s either inspiring you or putting on the pressure. The Sun is also exactly trine the asteroid Vesta in Taurus. This is where the idea of service gets some earthy, visceral support.

Two things this particular idea of service does not encompass are criticism and sacrificing the core of who you are. In other words, it’s one thing to see what needs to be fixed or helped and then put your energy toward that goal; it’s another thing entirely simply to point at what’s wrong and complain (or to beat yourself up for not doing more). Similarly, putting yourself in service to a goal higher than self-satisfaction may entail a sacrifice of some time, entertainment or effort put toward other activities and tasks. That’s not the same as denying your own basic needs, your most cherished dreams, or the right to live a life that feels balanced (however you define that). And it’s definitely not about guilt or shame.

Even if you can’t enact what calls to you today, try to take some notes. Aspects to the Galactic Core can sometimes describe a rather fleeting sense of the bigger message, and having a reminder could be handy down the road. Jupiter and Neptune making their exact square tomorrow might be amplifying the sense of scale or the more nebulous qualities of what your antennae are tuning in to — making concrete documentation and steps that much more useful.
— 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.

Now available for instant access!

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The Day of Perseverance: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Sept. 17
The Day of Perseverance | Order 2019-20 Virgo Astrology Studio | You can also pre-order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Something fundamental would seem to be shifting within you, relating to the way you think about yourself, and about what is possible. You may be opening up to potential within you, of which you were unaware before. If pursuing this takes you outside your comfort zone, that could well be helpful. Dare to trust yourself; and if you have an aspiration you want to follow, especially one that feels unlikely, you might begin with the assumption that you can achieve it.
— 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 Moon moving through early Taurus today brings it into contact with Uranus — The Great Awakener. Something new or unexpected could emerge into your awareness today; for example, something that calls for a change to a routine. Your physical body, emotional body, and sense of what you value are all prime areas of focus for this, with the insight coming through subtle channels.

Yet, it’s hard to be receptive to new ideas and feelings if you hold a great deal of fear. The fear might not itself be related specifically to certain thoughts or emotions, but could be more generalized — such as fear about ‘change’ or ‘safety and security’ or about the state of the world. Many people harbor fears about sex in general and their own sexuality specifically — which can make it that much harder to allow and accept even the types of sexual energy you actually say you want. If you tend to fear change of all kinds, it’s going to be challenging to accept new insights about yourself — regardless whether those insights come through your own introspection, or through some kind of confrontation/mirroring with another person.

Thankfully, many ways to examine fear, specific or generalized, exist; usually this kind of process is great for work with a therapist or someone in a similar role who can hold a safe space for your exploration and reflections. Tools such as Byron Katie’s “Four Questions” can be useful for solo work or in dialogue with someone to examine thoughts and beliefs.

Today, perhaps just notice if anything provokes you, intrigues you, or seems to arrive in answer to a question you’ve had about yourself. Then trace whether any particular emotions come flooding in around it, clouding your ability to sit with it. Venus in Libra opposes Salacia and Chiron in Aries today. Stay alert for inconvenient teachers — either in the form of someone else, or your own responses. It would seem that something is being brought into focus for you this week.
— 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.

Now available for instant access!

In These Times graphic