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Mercury: Getting To the (Aries) Point
Dear Friend and Reader:
If you're a regular reader of Planet Waves, chances are you know your Mercury retrograde pretty well. You know that it happens roughly three times per year, and that it usually entails taking extra care over a variety of matters; mostly to do with finance, communication and technology. Mercury retrogrades are often easily navigable by following those steps, although each of these phases has a unique signature -- and can still be quite frustrating.
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I just couldn't resist this reference: the 1988 cult classic, 'They Live' -- a movie all about hidden messages and unraveling the truth. |
Mercury will station retrograde on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 9:04 am EDT (13:04 UTC), in the very last degree of Virgo.
In other words, it stations on the Aries Point (the very next degree of the zodiac begins Libra, and activity in the first degrees of all cardinal signs counts as Aries Point activity). Yet another unusual quality: Mercury will station retrograde just two days prior to a total solar eclipse.
What that would seem to translate to is this: pay attention. Listen, record and remember -- and, of course, don't forget to make backups. Notice the subtext of words and actions, and where matters in your personal life correspond to the wider field. I'd advise that you keep an eye on said wider field as much as you can stomach without spontaneously combusting: not easy in the midst of election season, but quite possibly worth it in terms of the patterns or themes that might reveal themselves.
It's likely the events of this week could lead to big changes, in the sense of the future being virtually unrecognizable from the past. You have the ability to steer this transformative energy in the direction of your choice. That's an opportunity to watch for once Mercury is back on track; right now, you have the chance to ensure your choices are as clear and informed as they can be.
With best wishes,
Amy Elliott
Planet Waves Client Services
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Our beautiful home galaxy, photographed over Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, by Pervisha Khan. |
BALANCE, Eric's 2016 Midyear Reading, is now complete and ready for instant access. You may order all 12 signs here, or choose your individual signs. Here is a preview video, featuring brief clips from each of the sign readings (and a couple of adorable appearances by a movie star in the making, Jonah Kelly Francis).
Monday Morning Horoscope for Aug. 29, 2016 | By Eric Francis Coppolino
Aries (March 20-April 19) -- Anything is possible, though usually you must do the work to make it happen. There are times when your efforts seem to count for more, and others when they seem to count for less. At the moment you can harvest the benefits of efficiency and leverage. You have a little something extra going for you. Investing relatively modest amounts of energy will get unusual results. Following your astrology, here is what I suggest: for the next couple of days, work on resolving old business at the same time you plant the seeds of new business. Tidy up the past and, in the same gesture, move any obstacles you find out of your way. This might include clearing physical space, commitments and lingering issues with others. At the same time, clear out your mental space. Make room for new ideas. Be happy to let go of what was not working, experiment with different approaches, and keep your focus on that one thing you know you want to make real.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- There is that moment in the course of any creative project, or work project, when it seems to take on a life of its own. At that moment it becomes woven into the organic pattern of your life. This usually makes things easier, simplifying the experience of commitment. It's more of a mutual thing than something you have to push or make happen. What you must do, though, is give yourself over to the process. Said another way, you surrender to becoming someone new, because that's the experience of creation or of truly mindful involvement in something. Many ingredients are currently brewing in your consciousness. New talents are emerging, which are made from combinations of previous experiments and discoveries, and something truly special about this moment. Note that as you get this going, you're likely to turn on (as in: light up, provoke or arouse) the people around you. Accept that gift.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Mercury, your home planet, is about to station retrograde. Typically this is classified as the astrology of inconvenience. For you, and for those you influence, this will be an unusual one, rich with discoveries and a major personal breakthrough. For this to serve you best, you need to remember something you've learned many times, which is how to stay open-minded. This extends to being open to your own feelings, and to your feelings changing. Pay attention to your tendency to have to understand every single emotional impulse before you let it in. You're likely to be feeling so much, particularly the next few days, there's no accounting for it all. If you open up to your own mental and emotional flow, you'll feel better, you'll feel more grounded, and you'll get more done. The one thing I suggest you give up on is control. This is the primary message coming from your chart: relax a little and let life happen.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- On the offhand chance you're a writer or aspire to be one, sharpen your pencil. This is the perfect moment to commit yourself to an ambitious project -- one that you may have thought was over your head or beyond your talent. For everyone else, I would remind you that our civilization was built on the written word. Our ideas about ourselves, and the communities that we live in, are based almost entirely on literacy. You're a distinct individual before you're a member of any tribe. You are a person with an inner sanctuary, a place in you that you know to be real. And you're someone with a unique point of view that only gets stronger as you explore your own perspective -- and physically move around and see things from as many angles as possible. All of these things relate to the power of the written word. When you take this skill into your hands, recognize its true role in society, and bring your full integrity to the task.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- This week's unusual astrology is about your relationship to money. This theme has been coming up for you over and over again, though you may not trust the earning potential that you feel. That would call into question your relationship to all forms of your potential. It's clear that you may be seriously underestimating your ability to convert your talent and ideas into money. You're being invited to open your mind to those ideas, which is another way of saying that you must assess your value in a practical way. For most people accustomed to working for wages, this feels like manifesting something out of thin air. It's nothing of the kind, though you must get over a tendency to think small; that’s another way of thinking bigger. You have many gifts and personal assets. Converting that into revenue is a matter of aligning your skills with the needs of others, and assessing a fair price. This will be approximately double what you would be likely to estimate in the first round.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- A total eclipse of the Sun takes place in your sign this week. This suggests a few possibilities. One is that you've reached a point of no return in your personal growth. You must now take the step that you know you've been looking toward, and be happy that there is no turning back. If you've been consciously working toward this, then now is the time to solidify your commitment, and fully live out, explore and embrace this new phase of what might feel like your destiny. Yet I don't think this is a point of destination as much as it is one of embarking. You are at a beginning, and a beautiful one it is. You are in a position to connect with and acknowledge your innate gifts, which are one and the same as your sense of purpose. That's another way of saying you really can live your life your way. It may take a little time to get there; but carry on, overcome any setbacks and keep going.
Virgo: A View From the Inside
"Thanks for putting your heart and soul into what you do. Without a doubt, your work and love enrich my life." -- Ellie
Dear Friend and Reader:
As a student of astrology, I know there is something to love about each of the signs; something unique and beautiful, a crucial piece of the picture. Yet I must confess that with Virgo, my rising sign, I enjoy an unusually profound connection.
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Our ruling planet Mercury, captured in a delightful false-color image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. |
I'm not a Virgo Sun native, but I generally pay the most attention to Eric's readings for this sign, because they seem to resound most powerfully for me. And as someone who identifies strongly with Virgo, I can tell you this: Eric understands us through and through, and his incredibly accurate readings reflect that.
The 2016-17 Virgo Birthday Reading will appear following the total solar eclipse in Virgo. This, paired with the imminent Mercury retrograde and Jupiter leaving our sign, means the forthcoming solar year could be a big one for us. And that makes Eric's friendly and useful advice all the more important.
I heartily recommend you pre-order yourself a copy of this reading. As always, the pre-order price is the best one -- just $19.97. Truly a great bargain to secure an invaluable guide for the year ahead.
With best wishes,
Amy Elliott
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- Keep your focus on work. You may have lots of social opportunities, and by all means have some fun. Yet maintaining consistency and devotion to your professional activities, and to your professional image, are essential now. You're at a turning point where many facets of life are concerned, though especially your work. This can turn out very well for you. Yet your success requires prolonged devotion and dedication. That means persistence, which includes sidestepping turbulence and unhelpful people, and staying on track. Be mindful of the fact that you are, in a sense, on public display at all times. People are looking to you for leadership and as an example. That makes you a focal point of your community, and someone whose ethics are an important part of the message that you send. Stay sober, negotiate rather than get involved in conflict, and at all times remember what you want.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- In astrology there are two houses devoted to one's professional activities. One is the 6th house, which is about going to work every day and doing what you're supposed to do. The other is the 10th house, which is about aspiring to do what you really want to do. Right now planets are collected in your solar 10th house, which is Virgo, and an eclipse is about to happen right there, this very week. This suggests that events at this time in your life are in some way indicative of your highest calling. The price of admission to the 10th is taking total responsibility for answering that calling, and for taking every step that must be taken to get you there. That might mean focusing on the details; it means keeping your mind on your vision for yourself; and most of all it means making decisions consciously. Most people never get as far as the 10th house. You're there now. Accept your mission. Moreover, love your mission. It's yours and yours alone.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- If you have spirituality on your mind, you might consider whether you actually have sex on your mind. This is a fairly typical reversal, and not everyone cares. From the look of your solar chart, you're determined to find out the truth about something. Yet if that is coming up as the craving for mystical ideas or experiences, I would propose that what you truly want is something more emotional, biological and physically satisfying. That means self-discovery in reality rather than in abstract theory. Your body knows what is right for you, if you will only listen. Your dreams may also be telling you something. If stepping in this direction feels at all edgy, nerve-wracking or comes tinged with guilt, you can be sure you're following your true calling. You have no need to be pure or holy, only real, which means real with yourself. This is a special moment for you to place your focus here: an excellent time to make friends with desire.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Try to keep things simple, especially where joint finances are concerned. You seem to have a lot of proposals on your desk, or maybe bills, or both. It will help significantly if you prioritize. That means recognizing what is the most important, the least important, and everything in between. As a great songwriter once said, you have to know your plastic from your cash. You might set a priority on being financially solvent (honorable enough), though you might set another one on figuring out how you can take advantage of your current situation to further your own goals. There are some potential partners with whom you can have a mutually profitable relationship. But check them out carefully first. Make sure that anyone you're doing business with can actually keep their commitments, and -- closer to the point -- that they want to do so. Not everyone has your integrity, or your drive to succeed in an honest and meaningful way.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Amidst all that's going on in your life, and the many people who surround you, one specific situation stands out as especially meaningful. Whatever it represents is an actual transition in your life. It includes an ending and a beginning. There is a review of the past, and an opportunity to explore the future. Take things one step at a time, though be aware that one step may come on the heels of another. It's essential that you keep your focus and not lose yourself in anyone or anything. It will help if you give people plenty of room to make their own decisions, with as little attachment as possible to the choices they make. You may feel like you're in a position only to respond, rather than be proactive. What's emerging is the result of your being proactive in the past. Keep responding in a creative way, focus on collaboration, and be as patient with people as you can.
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