Dear Friend and Reader:

Later today (overnight Friday in some time zones), Uranus leaves Pisces and enters Aries to stay for the next seven years. As the astrology picture of 2012-2015 assembles, this is one of the biggest pieces — the presence of Uranus representing the energy surge; the impulse to enter the future. This has been warming up for a few years, but now is the moment we go into warp speed. In the words of Richard Tarnas, Uranus is Prometheus, the awakener.

The two sides of the planet Uranus, as viewed in this composite image, by the Keck II Telescope at near infrared wavelengths. These new images of the seventh planet from the sun promise to help scientists unravel the mysteries of the weather on Uranus. Photo credit: Courtesy Lawrence Sromovsky, UW-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center.

Bringing Uranus into such a prominent place as the first degree of the zodiac amplifies its influence, and Uranus is already pretty hot: its characteristics include fast, surprising developments; future-oriented thinking; moments of revolution; and shocking surges of awareness. As Uranus approaches its first exact square to Pluto in June 2012, we’re only going to see this whole process accelerate, bring in more communities and wake up more people. In a phrase, 2012 is about everything, all at once.

For some the awakening associated with this aspect will be extremely uncomfortable, challenging their old ways and pushing many out of their comfort zones. To do this astrology fully, it’s necessary either to challenge or break away from everyone who is not. For many, the developing energies will be the most exciting thing that’s ever happened, the moment of real involvement and participation. A lot of others will watch and shake their heads at how crazy the world is going. I reckon a good few will feel alienated and wish they could do more, having no idea how to.

Uranus in Aries actually began warming up its act last year, when Jupiter and Uranus briefly visited Aries and made a conjunction on June 8. That conjunction was in the first degree of Aries — the Aries Point itself, the first degree of the astrological wheel. The location of the conjunction was one of those clues that our personal lives and the seemingly inaccessible, usually abstract realm of public existence were going to merge rapidly and in a large way. We had a clue that the effects would be international — that was the presence of Jupiter. Sure enough, it has all happened.

I’ll tell you this, though. Whenever I write about politics, I’m fully aware that for most people their contact with government consists of parking tickets, filing taxes and possibly watching television (which is the new scholarship).

Handcuffs on the doors in the state capitol building attempt to lock out protesters. Photo by Robin Davies.

Most of us neither understand nor appreciate what happens in the wider society, and we’re pretty confused about it, too. How are we supposed to tell what’s important when there’s always a lot of action on TV? From what I could tell there were as many photographers outside Lindsay Lohan’s 10-minute hearing Thursday as there are in Madison, Wisconsin, where we have a revolution brewing. The fiasco at the Lohan court appearance (for a troubled rich girl attempting to steal an expensive necklace, to me representing all that’s wrong with the world) is part of a dumbing-down process that either creates distractions or makes us not care about what really matters.

It was fun watching Contessa Brewer on MSNBC Thursday afternoon get openly, vocally pissed off at her producer — talking through her earpiece — who informed her that she had to describe Lohan’s dress because people care. The obvious question is does anyone care, or are they brainwashed into thinking they care?

In Wisconsin, right now, we are witnessing a struggle over the future of the American labor movement, which is the only voice in politics large enough to compete with what can be understated as a right-wing corporatist movement: that is, banks and corporations taking over everything. Labor unions, which are traditionally very powerful in Wisconsin, are the backbone of the Democratic Party, the American equivalent of the Labor Party in other countries. When despotic right wing legislators want to gut the right of unions to exist, they’re saying they want all the marbles. And in a word, having all the marbles is tyranny.

When we look at the mess in politics (which primarily involves how sold out to corporate interests so many politicians are), any person with a shred of sensitivity will be repulsed; merely seeing the face of Scott Walker, the Tea Bagger puppet governor of Wisconsin (whose boss is a multi-billionaire oil and chemical guy from Texas), makes me a little nauseous. That, too, is part of the assault on common sense, empathy and humanity. What we’re witnessing in Wisconsin is supposed power that will stop at nothing. We are also witnessing an agenda. And we are seeing it everywhere, as an old concept of might makes right tries to hold on in a world that is about to deliver only change.

You may not have heard about this, but in Michigan, the state legislature is now passing a law that would allow the state government to enter a fiscally stressed municipality or school district, kick out the elected officials, take over — and strip union rights. Gee, what a coincidence.

Protesters in Madison carry a picture of Gov. Scott Walker as the masked man/bandit/sidekick a la Robin. Walker is a puppet of the Koch brothers, the oil and chemical billionaires from Texas who funded and helped create the Tea Party movement that swept a bunch of right-wing pseudo Republicans into office last November. People who voted for them in good faith are starting to realize they got duped. Photo by Robin Davies.

Other places, on seemingly less important matters, public officials are digging in their heels and pushing their will on people, lying to them, often successfully convincing them that they’re powerless and basically doing anything to convince themselves they actually have power over others. This seems to be on the level of sport; something done for its own sake. In my own city I’m involved in an issue and one of the most perverse things I’m seeing is certain members of the community gloat that they are getting over on others — or so they think.

One problem with having a politically illiterate population is that hardly anyone can see the larger agenda. In fact most would deny there even is one — that all this movement in, shall we say, certain political directions is kind of a coincidence. People who espouse most of Ronald Reagan’s views today would be considered liberals (they are not).

We here in the United States have put up with a lot during the past 30 years that the Neoconservative movement has been rising to power, and we have said so very little. There has been war after war, and giveback after giveback (civil rights, privacy, standard of living, reproductive rights). There was a fraudulent presidential impeachment, two stolen elections and a false-flag attack that has been used to justify anything anyone feels needs some justification.

The U.S. is sitting on $14 trillion in public debt (nearly all of which went into private hands) that our children will either pay back or default on. Just about all the manufacturing jobs have gone to Indonesia and Mexico and China. We have seen the treasury looted again and again. Banks that were bailed out and profitable are sitting on trillions that they won’t lend to businesses. Four hundred people have as much wealth as half the U.S. population.

There is a faction of American politics that will not be satisfied until every real job is shipped overseas, till everyone works at Wal Mart, till nobody has health care, and until women’s rights are gutted entirely. What we’re seeing in Wisconsin is, in two words, resistance to that agenda, and progress toward the new.

Police in Madison escort a protest march. Our reporter in Madison says that with rare exceptions, the cops have been extremely cool. Photo by Robin Davies.

Yet all of this can still seem so abstract. I ask you — why are so many people on antidepressants? Why do so many resort to fundamentalist religion? Why are so unbelievably many people drunk so often everywhere in the world? Why is there so much rage? Why are relationships so fragile? All of this relates to the political environment. Cause and effect are never separate; I cannot tell you which is causing which — but there are many connections.

In case you’re wondering about 2012, have a look around, and a look inside. Consider what is going on in your own life and see if you can discern a relationship to the wider world. That really is the exercise; at this moment, that’s one point of growth. Deeper in, there is, as I’ve suggested, a ubiquitous need for emotional healing that may affect every single person on the planet.

Meanwhile, outer circumstances keep getting our attention. Perhaps you have been, or will be, affected by a layoff, a foreclosure or a bank failure. You may have lost a loved one in one of these disgusting, illegal wars, which would certainly shape your worldview. You may personally be experiencing the effects of climate change.

Maybe your Social Security or disability will be cut because someone wants a new yacht, or holds in disdain those less ‘fortunate’ than themselves. You may be eating Corexit with your shrimp chow mein. Probably, though, your personal point of contact to the wider world will come in forms that differ slightly from someone you see interviewed on the news. (Then again, what you think of as the news may be coming to your town, your street or your living room any day.)

Some kind of a protest thingie in Madison that sums up the feeling of Uranus-Pluto aspects. Photo by Robin Davies.

Maybe you know you’ve contributed to the problem over and over by not speaking up every time you’ve known you wanted to; every time you saw injustice — on whatever scale, including right in front of you — but decided you were powerless or that you didn’t want to bother. I promise you it’s not too late to care, and to take action on whatever level feels right. One thing that will make this easier is that others around you will be getting involved. You won’t need to feel like you’re the only one who cares.

For most people, the revolutionary surge of Uranus square Pluto — the epicenter of 2012 astrology — will arise as a sense of restlessness, as the awakening of conscience, as the desire to influence the world in a creative way. Maybe that, in turn, will be about growing into some of the potential you keep feeling, that keeps calling you, begging you to respond. You may wake up one day and decide the truth really does matter: on whatever level you take that concept. Apparently the people of Wisconsin heard the wake-up call.

“I never thought I’d be covering a pro-democracy movement in the United States, much less in my city,” said Elizabeth DiNovella, an editor for The Progressive. “I think people here really have this awareness of how money has spoiled politics. Even today a lot of people at the protest were chanting, ‘The banks got bailed out; the people got sold out’.”

The protests by far have been some of the most vibrant and sustained in the United States since the 1960s, with tens of thousands of people in the streets day after day, and an occupation of the capitol lasting for three weeks.

Warm and sunny in Madison, WI? Fox News shows scene of police and protesters scuffling, claiming that it’s in Madison, WI. The only problem is that it’s warm, sunny and there are palm trees. The footage was shown in a segment with Bill O’Reilly whining about how people say Fox News is lying about the protests. The palm trees were spotted by some of those professional leftists who of course have a keen eye for trees.

DiNovella said that the whole experience has taught people a lot. “The propaganda of the right no longer works on the people of Wisconsin. People are aware of what’s going on and they recognize that something is wrong.” She gave as one example how Fox News, during a rant about how the protests were being staged by “professional leftists,” showed footage of violence at a union-related protest purportedly in Madison. The problem was that there were palm trees in the frame.

“Now people are carrying inflatable palm trees at protests,” she said. “The energy here has been so positive and people have been so creative.”

DiNovella has helped with protest movements in many parts of the world. “I’m so glad I didn’t have to build a low-power radio station. Compared to other places, we already have the infrastructure.” She said that recently the pipefitters union gave away 14,000 bratwurst and hot dogs, feeding hungry protesters — many of whom have spent days on end out in the cold.

“Wisconsin has its own progressive tradition, especially involving unions, that is part of the American fabric. It’s funny watching these reporters coming in from out of town who are surprised that this could happen here, including in the independent media,” she added.

Uranus square Pluto is not just about addressing external oppression. It’s also about an inner revolution over dark mother and dark father: the oppressive forces that we’ve internalized over the years, and from which we seek freedom. It’s about breaking free from the structures that merely eat energy and feed negativity. Revolution is about getting out from under the shadow of the past, from guilt, and from the urge to suppress every creative or erotic or loving impulse you feel. Revolution is about figuring out you’re actually alive, and doing something about it.

Yours & truly,

Tsunami waves in Japan earlier today. Photo: Reuters.

Biggest Quake in 140 Years Hits Japan at 8.9;

Tsunami Warning Issued for 20 Countries including U.S

Uranus in Pisces is certainly going out with a bang. It’s been rippling through the political spheres for weeks. Today a magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck near the city of Sendai, just north of Tokyo on the northeastern coast of Japan. This is being called the most powerful quake to strike Japan in 140 years. A debris-filled wall of water as high as 30 feet has washed over some cities and farmland.

Chart for quake off the coast of Sendai, with the coordinates corrected for the actual location off the coast. Note the packed 8th house, including Chiron, Mars, the Sun, the Black Moon Lilith, Mercury and other points in Pisces (the 8th house by whole sign houses). Centaur Nessus is prominent in this chart — it’s angular on the 7th house cusp.

There are no known death tolls at this time; it’s impossible to estimate so early in the situation. One witness said the quake was so intense that it was impossible for him to stand up. First he and his wife clung to the outside of their house, then they had to curl up on the ground. Major aftershocks are expected. Train lines are down in Tokyo, a city of 13 million, and highways are closed. The quake happened in the mid-afternoon local time, with many people away from home and children in daycare centers.

Witnesses say this was an unusually long quake, with tremors lasting several minutes. It’s being called the 5th largest quake in the world since 1900, rivaling the Chile quake in 1960, Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1964 and the Sumatra quake of 2004. Remember that the Richter scale, used to measure quakes, is logarithmic; a 5.0 quake is 10 times more intense than a 4.0 quake. This increases proportionally as you go up the scale such that the energy increase from 8.0 to 9.0 is much greater than from 4.0 to 5.0.

There are four nuclear power plants in the area. CNN is reporting that one of the plants has a fire and one has a shutdown of the cooling system. CNN is also reporting that the International Atomic Energy Agency has said that the plants where shut down safely, so this is a potentially conflicting report.

Tsunamis have already reached Taiwan, and warnings are out for as far away as Hawaii, the entire West Coast of the United States and Canada, and coastal Chile. But only small waves are expected in these outlying areas. Due to the prevalence of video cameras, there are astonishing videos of both the quake and the waves in Japan. CNN is reporting that there are evacuations underway in coastal areas of Hawaii. Images of piles cars sitting in a harbor, an explosion at a refinery and other vivid images of devastation are being broadcast on television.

These are the planets on a 90-degree dial aligned approximately with the Mars-Borasisi conjunction. In other words these are the points that are conjunct, square or opposite the conjunction.

Let’s take a look at the chart. We see a powerful 8th house in Pisces — with Chiron, Mars, Black Moon Lilith and Uranus present. Sometimes astrological symbolism can be glaringly literal; the 8th is the house of the ’cause of death’ and here we have many planets involved with a water sign, including three of the higher-impact ones — Mars, Chiron and Uranus. With Uranus just 3 arc minutes from Aries (where it arrives later today), this is an Aries Point event. Such a potent 8th house speaks to the possibility of both loss of life and economic impact. There is a lot of concentrated wealth and industry in this part of Japan, so the impact is being felt in markets and will be experienced by the insurance and reinsurance industries. (Reinsurance is an insurance policy held by an insurance company.)

The ascendant for the Japan chart comes up arc minutes from the degree of the total solar eclipse of Aug. 11, 1999 — demonstrating that eclipses can be active for many years after the event. This eclipse was also present in the Sept. 11, 2001 chart — Venus, the chart ruler was there.

In addition, the Moon’s South Node in the Japan chart, as mentioned in last week’s edition, is now in Gemini and in this chart is conjunct the Moon’s position in both the Sept. 11 chart and the Banda Aceh chart. The prevalence of this degree in global-scale disasters is pretty weird; I covered it in a recent article on Wikileaks.

The Moon phase is first quarter, which is unusual for such a large quake; they happen more often at new and full phase. The Moon had just entered Gemini and was in a close square to Chiron at the time. Last week we read about Borasisi; at the moment of the quake, Mars was (and remains for the moment) in a close conjunction to Borasisi.

Both points are square the Great Attractor, which is a force that magnifies the influence of whatever comes in contact with it and is associated with far-reaching effects extending beyond what can be readily perceived. Looking at a list of minor planets, we see the a concentration in the mutable signs around Mars-Borasisi, including Hopi, something that speaks of events with a rapid onset. One description of the quake that I heard a little while ago included the unusual sound of thousands of buildings creaking simultaneously. The asteroid Siwa, right in the mix (opposite the Great Attractor), is associated with sound.

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Weekly Horoscope for Friday, March 11, 2011, #852 – BY ERIC FRANCIS

Eric’s Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Self is not static. Indeed, it’s about the most dynamic element in nature. It would help if we could distinguish self-concept from self. The thing that tends to get stuck is our idea of who we’re supposed to be, which has some relationship to who we were yesterday. I don’t suggest you get lost in the theory of this, except to remember that what tends to seize is an idea and what tends to flow is your actual being. With Uranus entering your sign today, you can pretty much forget the past and get ready for some nonstop motion. It will help if you allow your idea to be free, so that when the actual person you are finds itself in the midst of sudden progress, you can minimize inner conflict and go with the flow of existence. You’re unlikely to have any choice in the matter of whether your life takes some giant steps, though you have plenty of influence over what direction you choose. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aries, please go to this link.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — To the extent that this is a moment of inner awakening for you, it’s also a moment of seeing what you’ve been missing. You’re being presented with an inner view that may be shocking, strange or feel like something to celebrate. It will help if you remember that what you’re experiencing is indeed an inner experience. Most of the people you meet every day have neither affinity for nor attraction to this thing sometimes called an inner life. If they do it’s often dressed in the garb of outer life: situations, personalities, physical objects, goals, etc. There is another inner life that is attached to none of those symbols. You could think of it as the clear essence of being; as pure energy; as your sense of presence within the universe. It’s what we think of as ‘alive’ the moment that concept has any meaning at all. To experience that on our planet at this time can be pretty shocking. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Taurus, please go to this link.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — One good idea will lead to the next. One interesting encounter will point the way to the next, and the two are related. You’re being invited to feed your imagination on people: on their presence, what they say, and those to whom they introduce you. But don’t wait around for that; don’t be shy. Make your presence known, and pay attention to your environment. You’re in an unusual space where your circle of friends is growing outward and reaching into unfamiliar social patterns. People you never would have expected are positioned to reach toward you. One thing you might notice is that you’re no longer the weirdest person in your environment. Indeed, you may think you have some competition, but fortunately your life is more about collaboration than contest. If you keep that perspective you’re likely to make some very good friends over the next few days. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Gemini, please go to this link.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This is a particularly brilliant moment for your professional life. Do your best to set aside the sensation of ‘too much’ and put your intelligence to work making the most of the volume of events and of energy flow. Then open your mind to some of the possibilities that you actually have considered but have never quite given yourself credit for being up to. At the moment, just about everyone else thinks you are. You don’t need to do much except get out of your own way and not send yourself your usual litany of negative or questioning messages. Cancer is a yin (feminine, receptive) sign by nature; you are now embarking on one of the most yang phases of your life: a time of expression and what looks like wild innovation and creativity. The most important thing you can do is stay emotionally grounded: not stuck, but present in your feelings, even as they move at their unusual current pace. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Cancer, please go to this link.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — As the next few days unfold, feel yourself approach a tipping point in a financial or partnership situation. This is a moment when the balance of inertia shifts toward being a thing in motion rather than a thing at rest; toward clarity rather than the soupy fog that has enveloped some aspects of your life; toward the future rather than lingering in the past. A doorway is opening for you, and it’s opening a lot wider and into a more interesting space than you may realize at the moment. You may feel like your horizons are widening, but what is really expanding is your idea of who you are and what you’re doing in the world. When that particular perspective takes on its full dimensions, the world itself seems to change. Remember, and remember again: it’s you who is bursting into full color. The world has always been this wild. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Leo, please go to this link.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — I’m here to remind you once again that everything is negotiable. I know that hardly anyone lives this way except for a few billionaires and con artists, but I’m telling you that — with rare exceptions, which probably have many exceptions — everything is up for discussion. That includes every agreement or commitment you ever made; every seemingly intractable situation; your entire concept of your finances; and the way you project yourself into the world and seek identity in the people that you meet. How they see and experience you is entirely up for grabs, and you get to set the terms of the discussion. One last — you’re not alone. There’s that old song that says two is the loneliest number, after one. This moment is your opening to meeting many kindred spirits, as long as you are authentically, unequivocally yourself. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Virgo, please go to this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You’re being a gem with someone you work with who may be getting on your nerves or going through a difficult emotional time. You have a way of channeling your energy into creative directions, which really is the name of the game. And you actually have a life. Yes, there may be a lot of movement, unpredictable developments and perhaps a bit more energy than you would prefer, but in actual fact you have a rich existence and I think you know it. That provides you with both reassurance and a cushion. But I suggest you stay as far outside of your safe zone as you can, because that’s where you’ll find your maximum creativity. You tend to like stability and you’re thriving on it at the moment; events may seem to conspire to draw you out of your comfort zone and into what may feel like an entirely unfamiliar place. The way your chart is set up at the moment, you can have both. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Libra, please go to this link.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may have to assert yourself against someone close to you. This person’s reluctance to speak up, live up to a commitment or respond to your needs has been a cause for concern. I would caution you against exerting too much energy their way; a little is all it will take. There are many other influences that are sending the same message in his or her life, and I assure you that this person feels like they’re in a bit over their head. There are aspects to their life that you don’t know about yet. I would not go so far as to say that they’re actually living a double life, but there is likely to be an element of that. Because of your proximity, you’re likely to be someone to whom they respond. So I suggest you make your feelings known in the form of a direct request rather than a hint of some kind, and then listen to what you hear. Leave the door open. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Scorpio, please go to this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Many things exist in potential: talent, ideas and your ability to project yourself into your goals. What makes the difference is action, and on that particular score I can give you a clue: you may never quite feel ready for what you want to do, or what you plan to do. You may never meet all the prerequisites, have enough knowledge or be certain enough. And you know what? That doesn’t matter. You’re not exactly unprepared at this point; in fact you have far more experience than you think, and that experience is worth more than you imagine. Still, you may think that makes little difference when you don’t have the certainty or the confidence that you need. It’s true that some of the most worthwhile accomplishments in the long story of humanity have happened when they were good and ready. Most of them seized the lives of people who had little preparation and no idea what they were getting into. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Sagittarius, please go to this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your astrology offers several different images for what might be coming. One is you transform your basement into a laboratory and start working on those inventions you’ve been planning all these years. Or, the Cirque du Soleil arrives in town and you’re the host to the fire-eaters and sword swallowers, who stay for at least three weeks; while they’re living with you, they teach you all their tricks and you join their troupe and go on the road for seven years. Or you buy an old summer camp in your area and found a special program for child prodigies. In any event, expect some new energy to come into your home; reconsider what it means to feel safe in a time of rapid change. At the very least, consider redecorating, remodeling or moving to bigger digs. And if you currently live with your family, get ready to consider some much better options. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Capricorn, please go to this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Having the life you want is suddenly no longer a matter of power or resources; it’s a matter of people, and you’re person one. Normally we think of success as being upwardly mobile; for you it’s more about being able to extend yourself among your peers. You practice a kind of lateral success, which is another way of saying weaving community. You may have a sense that you’re at the center of that community, but that’s only true from a limited perspective. You’re participating in a much wider cosmic project of re-weaving the human family. I am sure you’ve noticed how fragmented our communities are and how alienated so many people feel. I promise you, you’re one of the people who feels less estranged. That’s a special distinction. And you don’t have to let on. Just keep weaving. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Aquarius, please go to this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — With everything else going on in your sign (and thus your life), you might not notice that Uranus is slipping into Aries this week, ending a seven-year spell of rampant whatever-it-is that you’re probably sure is not over. However, I have a question: Have you ever had one of those revelations wherein you realize the one thing you need to do is relax, cease from exerting so much effort and energy, and allow ‘pure mind’ to get your results? That is, to allow consciousness to be the potent activating agent that it is, and then experience the universe responding in its quantum way? I thought so! Well, it may take you a few weeks to get there. You can start by making the conscious choice to gear down, even if your life doesn’t respond in 10 seconds. Obviously many things would be easier if you had no concerns about where money was supposed to come from, and if one aspect of life is poised to respond to the whole quantum mind-power thing, that’s the one that’s gonna happen first. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.