Tag Archives: Uranus

The Day of Organizational Cohesion: Birthdays and Planet News

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

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

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


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 Substantive Form: Birthdays and Planet News

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

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

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


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…

Secrets and Surprises

By Amanda Painter

In one week, on Oct. 31, Mercury stations retrograde in Scorpio. On the way there, this Saturday, the Sun and Moon make a conjunction — the Scorpio New Moon — which is opposite Uranus. One translation of all this: the next seven-plus days may well be characterized by secrets and surprises. The question is: what determines whether such things feel like tricks or treats?

Illuminated offering at the 2016 Sacred and Profane Festival, Peaks Island, Maine. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Illuminated offering at the 2016 Sacred and Profane Festival, Peaks Island, Maine. Photo by Amanda Painter.

The short answer is, “you.”

More specifically, it’s things like your perspective, attitude, agility in responding to new information, and emotional attachments (whether to people, to certain ways of doing and thinking about things, to the familiar, to what you think you know about yourself and others) that will contribute to whether life feels like an enticing mystery that you’re unraveling, or a haunted hayride you didn’t want to go on in the first place.

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The Day of Conflicting Karma: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 23
The Day of Conflicting Karma | 2019-20 Scorpio Astrology Studio available for pre-order | All Other Signs

Whatever your aims in life, one thing that really helps is to surround yourself with people who not only support you, but also help you grow. You get to choose your friends, and likewise to choose where you give your time and energy. Just now, you need your social milieu to be a bullshit-free zone, as far as possible. Ideally, the company you keep will also challenge and stimulate you on a frequent basis. This will help you get your brain thinking, and give you an ongoing sense of being awake.

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

Scorpio season begins today, with the Sun’s ingress at 1:20 pm EDT (17:19:36 UTC). We’re entering that time of year when the realms of the living and of those who have passed on are said to be in closer contact — though I’ve heard a report from one especially sensitive, witchy friend that the effect may have started early this year. (Possibly in relation to Mercury slowing down in Scorpio prior to its Oct. 31 station retrograde?) Often there’s a deepening of mood that occurs during solar Scorpio; a willingness to consider topics that normally are unnerving, intimidating or outright taboo — sexuality and mortality topping the list.

The most immediate aspects the Sun makes from Scorpio are a reprisal of its sextile to Pholus (see yesterday’s post), though with a shift in tone and themes; and an opposition to Uranus in Taurus. Sun-Uranus won’t be exact for almost a week. But knowing Uranus and its high-voltage ways — combined with the fixity of Taurus and Scorpio — starting now you’ll want to be ready for anything. Which really means: be ready to practice how flexible and fluid you can be. Remember that Scorpio is also the sign of transformation, via flushing out what has stagnated and grown toxic.

Mercury’s opposition to Vesta in Taurus today suggests a conversation in which you physically and emotionally hold space for someone else’s process. You might also find yourself on the receiving end of this kind of service. The asteroid Pallas is involved, offering some insurance that the encounter can be detached in healthy ways. In other words, there appears to be less chance of jealousy, possessiveness or other codependent habits interfering with the potential for healing. Consciously invoking this as a priority should also help.
— by Amanda Painter


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 Moderation: Birthdays and Planet News

If Your Birthday is Oct. 14
The Day of Moderation | Order the 2019-20 Libra Astrology Studio | All Other Signs

Yesterday’s magnificent Full Moon in your opposite sign is still resonating, and its power is helping you to clear the path ahead. It’s time for you to dispense with old lingering doubts and other such bullshit, so that you can proceed without interruption. Keep your promises and act as compassion requires, but otherwise be firm if anyone or anything acts as a hindrance. You will want to invest as much of your time and energy as possible in the work you most need to do.
— 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

Though the reverberations of yesterday’s Full Moon should be softening, the Libra Sun is still exactly square Pluto in Capricorn. So you may still be feeling some internal pressure, of the kind that requires you to be very honest with yourself about what parts of your life are not working. That can feel a little scary, but it has a significant up side: moving away from behaviors that keep tripping you up opens the way to focus on what is going well, and on your highest priorities. Mercury and Saturn in aspect to each other describe an ability to identify exactly what you need to do. And challenges that you succeed in tackling today may emerge as sources of strength you can call on in the future.

The Moon moving through Taurus during the second part of the day offers a more relaxed emotional tone and overall pace, which could come as a relief if you prefer to move deliberately — though Uranus may still throw a curve ball or two. Perhaps, however, Uranus simply indicates that you’ll surprise yourself with an ability to take it all in stride. Not everything that we expect to be upsetting turns out to be so. Usually this is a sign that we’ve been growing without even realizing it.
— 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!

In These Times graphic

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!

In These Times graphic

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!

In These Times graphic

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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