Now Playing: Planet Waves Mercury Retrograde Report

Dear Friend and Reader:

The Planet Waves Mercury retrograde report is done. I've recorded an introduction and about 25 to 35 minutes of audio for each of the 12 Sun signs and rising signs. The audio introduction to the Merc Rx phenomenon in general is available to all readers, in which I give a primer on Mercury retrograde and describe key details of this one. The product itself is the sign-by-sign interpretation, which I offer in clear, easy to follow language. As you may know, I am always reaching for the point of sanity in the astrology, the solution set to what seems like an overly complex puzzle. I trust these readings will bring you some comfort, clarity and a few good ideas to work with in these wild and unusual days.

Analemma & the Tholos, Delphi, Greece. Photo: Anthony Ayiomamitis.

Mercury retrograde is a challenging event for many people. I do my best to counter those challenges with creativity and the intelligence made available by a careful reading of the charts. Whether you're looking for work, sorting out your relationships or trying to turn a corner in your life, I trust you will find these readings helpful.

I've had an amazing time creating this report all week in the midst of much other activity -- it seemed to create itself as the days went on, and I was a little wistful letting it go as I finished the 12th sign, Pisces. Now it's on your hands -- and I'm happy to offer it to you. If you'd like to hear the general introduction, you may listen to the audio above. (Please note one correction -- when I say that the retrograde is 88 days, I mean the full orbit of Mercury around the Sun; the retrograde is usually 24 days.)

One thing about this particular Mercury retrograde is that it crosses the line between Leo and Virgo. We got the first such crossing in direct motion on Thursday. Then we get another in retrograde motion on Aug. 8, and a third in direct motion again on Sept. 9. Some astrologers describe the Leo/Virgo line as the sphinx point -- where cat (Leo) meets human (Virgo). The crossing of house/sign cusps blends themes and helps us navigate unfamiliar territory. There are planets hanging out here -- Transpluto on the Leo/Virgo line, and Neptune on the Pisces/Aquarius line. This adds some intrigue and depth to the circumstances surrounding this retrograde.

Leo/Virgo is the line where play meets work; where self-expression meets service; where passion meets the details of creative process. For each of the 12 signs I explore that relationship. You will find out what this means in your chart -- whether you know your birth time (and hence your rising sign) or not. This report is brimming with personal guidance, strategy points and hints that will help you benefit from this retrograde, based on my experience covering (as in writing about) the past approximately 51 Mercury retrogrades.

If you're vaguely interested in studying astrology, all 12 signs will be worth listening to because I go over all of the house cusps in one place. The house cusps are each a special zone of their own, each having unique qualities (like an extra 12 houses).

This is a one-purchase-gets-all-12-signs product, so you can read your Sun, Moon and rising sign -- and those of your friends and loved ones. You may download or listen as many times as you like. There are some special offers included on the project's homepage, in case you want to expand your self-inquiry. We've also included last year's audio and the prior year's written report (The Electric Tide), for the super-curious.

Here is how to get instant access. Or, listen to the free introduction.

Lovingly,




Weekly Horoscope for Friday, August 5, 2011, #870 - BY ERIC FRANCIS

Revised and Updated! Click for Eric's Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Aries (March 20-April 19) -- In case you're feeling like you really have to do something about someone or something, and do it fast and all at once, I suggest you take a breath. Instead of taking impetuous action, make a list of your possibilities and give yourself one month to consider them. That consideration would be emotional (what does your body tell you, what are your instincts saying?) and it would be mental (what would the logic be, what outcomes can you predict, does this make sense?) Actions you take now are unlikely to turn out as you've planned. I'm not saying they will turn out badly, but there is such a wild unpredictability factor, combined with plenty of skewed signals, that a delay would be more likely to stack the odds in your favor than anything else. Meanwhile, plenty is about to happen that will give you so much information that when the time really comes, the right choice will be obvious. Aries, your birth sign or rising sign, is getting some of the most potent transits of them all right now. I've recorded an hour of astrology and a tarot card reading for you. Learn more by visiting this page.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- With knowledge comes responsibility -- that's why so many people walk around acting like they know nothing. With values comes the desire to make conscious choices, which is why so many people deny that anything in particular is important to them. You seem to be aware of something that's evoking a deep sense of commitment to yourself; that in turn may be the source of some conflict. You want this particular condition to be resolved; you don't want any new information delaying that. I suggest you cut this whole discussion short and commit yourself to knowing the truth, and by that I mean the truth about yourself. Set aside what you may perceive as inaccessible because it exists outside of you. Self-knowledge is available; indeed, it's inevitable. As you gather that knowledge, it will become increasingly compelling. I've recorded an hour of astrology and done a tarot reading especially for you. It's information that will help with your relationships, your professional life and your personal growth. Visit this page to find out more.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Your ruling planet Mercury is positioned in such a way that you have an unusual perspective on your early family life. This includes a kind of periscope into the lives of your paternal side of the family, that is to say, your father and his fathers. You have an opportunity to demystify some qualities of your family life with basic truth and logic. If you do this, you're likely to discover certain things you were told that were not true, and be able to work your way toward the corresponding actual reality. Looking into this particular genetic line is like cleaning your roots. It's necessary to be aware of the past and what it does to us; we draw on its energy all the time. Yet too often the past is not what we think it is, and the people have played different roles than we assigned to them based on family mythology. What you discover will help set you free. Gemini is one of the most misunderstood signs -- and as someone born under this sign, part of your role is to hold a mirror to the world. I've recorded an hour of audio for you, plus a 20 minute tarot reading. You can get access to these by visiting this page.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Tune into the urge you're feeling to break free of everything that has ever held you back. This may come with a wide diversity of emotions, from passion to rage to grief. I suggest you not fully indulge yourself in these feelings, but rather feel their existence and approach them from the edge. Imagine you've arrived at a body of water and you don't know what's on the bottom. You don't know what lives in there. It would be more prudent to approach from the shore rather than to walk out on a pier and dive in headfirst. By the same token, it's important that you don't make up your mind about who your enemies are. There are numerous distortions, both mental and emotional, acting in your solar chart right now. These might confuse certain facts, exaggerate your feelings, or goad you into action. The moment is right for careful fact-finding, which in the end will work out to be a personal inquiry. Hello Cancerians! Your birthday report is ready. It's more than an hour of astrology plus a 20 minute tarot reading. Please visit this page for more details.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- One of the great quests of the physical plane is what to do about fear. There is certainly plenty to worry about, and anxiety has a way of running loose in the psyche, attaching itself to anyone or anything that it pleases. Good thing it's extremely rare that any of our paranoid fantasies come true. That said, on the other side of every fear is an idea. Fear is misdirected creative energy; therefore it's the opportunity to channel that same energy into a positive direction. This requires some vigilance and mental discipline. It's helpful to recognize all mental or emotional energy as inherently creative. Then you decide that you're the one electing what to do with that energy; and as you do this you're likely to encounter the idea that lives wrapped inside any negative thought. There's a word for this process -- and that would be healing. Hello Leo! I'm now working on the birthday report for your sign. Watch this space for additional information.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- Self-awareness is the pearl of great price -- and it's yours for the having. Well, it is if you're willing to work for it. You seem to be making some big decisions about yourself, though I would suggest asking what the basis of those decisions is. Be careful about any observations you make that include another person. Part of the mirage is that this is about you and someone else, or you and your desire to be with someone else. Indeed, a central theme of this moment of your life is learning that 'special relationships' cannot be the focus of your existence. The time has arrived to orient on yourself. I don't mean to be selfish or cut others off -- I mean understanding that you exist, and that your autonomous existence is the only place from which you can relate to others on equitable terms. And to get to this point, you may have to sort through a lot of illusions; or maybe it's just one. 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) -- Don't believe everything you hear, but I suggest you take under advisement something you do hear that sounds incredulous. The more inclined you are to reject something as unbelievable, the more carefully I suggest you analyze it. Pay attention to the implications of whether you believe or don't believe something. They actually exist; you're essentially in a situation where what you believe will have consequences. You don't have to act on that belief right now, but I suggest strongly that you consider the scenario as if that something were true, and keep your mind open to the various possibilities. The dangerous thing is to be dismissive, especially if someone makes a remark involving what might happen in the future. Listen, pay attention, and sit with it for a while. 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 will need to keep a handle on your emotions the next few weeks. Mars, your traditional ruling planet, has entered water sign Cancer, which for you is about your most passionately held beliefs. It may happen that these beliefs come under question, or that you encounter people with whom you clash. I'm not suggesting that you stuff your feelings or not be clear about what you stand for, but it's essential to your happiness and wellbeing that you observe yourself continuously while doing so. Do your best to identify with your adversary and to learn something from their point of view. That would be an example of 'keeping a handle'. The opposite of that would be acting in any kind of rage; trying to convert someone to your beliefs; or going on a crusade. Be especially careful with those in positions of government or corporate authority. Walking away and saying nothing are better than the 100 other options you might have. 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) -- You have nearly everything going for you right now. Therefore, don't exaggerate your problems. Don't exaggerate your potential. Do what you do, do it well, and proceed one step at a time. You don't have to come out ahead every day; it's the overall average that counts. Most people learn only from their mistakes, if they learn anything at all; I suggest you learn a few things from what you've done successfully, and be grateful that your errors have only done limited harm. You may think you owe the world something for your misdeeds and mistakes of the past; that's one notion I strongly suggest you drop, and drop quickly. Focus on the effects of what you are doing now, including and particularly their influence on you. You seem driven to succeed these days, but it's only success if you feel good doing it. 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) -- You are in no mood to be challenged, but how would you feel about being desired? Just be sure to sort out the difference between the two. You may not think you're capable of telling one form of passion from the other (not everyone is). As for how to make the distinction -- well, I'm a big fan of curiosity. I suggest following that. If you feel curious, then you're not being repelled. Even if you feel a mix of repelled and curious (the intriguing but slightly creepy factor), you can afford to trust that curiosity, and make use of what you learn as a result. In other words, if you're sniffing around a possibility and something happens, or you discover something, that's useful information. There is little risk in finding out, considerable risk in acting out of ignorance, and actual danger in not using what you know. 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) -- Neptune has just re-entered your birth sign. It was there since December 1998, then it finally went into Pisces earlier this year, and now it's back for one last gesture of completion. This completion phase lasts until February 2012. That's not very long. During that time, I suggest you do an assessment of all the times you've believed something that was not true; every time you've been deceived; every time you fooled yourself. I mean the important moments, by the way, involving the significant changes you've been through. I also suggest you review how, during this past decade-plus, you've gradually softened the sharp edges of your preconceptions to something smoother and more pleasant to the touch. Remember how much effort it took to balance thought and feeling -- which, by the way, is a wholesome path to honesty with yourself. 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) -- One of the prime questions of the week is, in what ways do the people you encounter mirror you? We talk a lot about mirroring when relationships are discussed in any meaningful context, though we don't usually remember that reflections present what is known as a mirror image. It's similar in appearance, but everything is reversed. You are facing into a reflection, and it's either showing you something specific, or you're looking for something specific. It may be an example of what not to be; it may be an example of what you're not. You may see an example of who you want to become, or more likely, certain traits you want to adapt. The key is to look into this reflection, and actually notice what you see. The image will change even under your gaze. You will notice things from the past, and you may glimpse at the future. Yet what exists right now is the most interesting of all. To order Light Bridge, your full-length 2011 reading including written and audio segments for Pisces, please go to this link.