New York, Nov. 14, 2016 | View as Webpage | Get Your 2017 Reading
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Arnica montana in its natural habitat. Photo by Stephanie Kroos. |
Arnica and the American Dream
Dear Friend and Reader:
People are in shock. I've been communicating with friends and readers in my community, and online, and that's the prevailing emotion. You might want to take a dose of arnica and let that guide you back into your body as you regain your composure.
Depending on one's level of political sophistication, and intuition, and sensitivity to history, you may understand the nature of the predicament we are in.
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This symbol means something different to everyone. What does it mean to you? Take some time and you may get an interesting response. |
There has been yet another coup by the political right wing in the United States. This is not any kind of new trend. It keeps happening. Every last shock event ends up pushing the country deeper into the political right.
Now, with all three branches of government about to be in the hands of this new Republican "big tent" coalition, as diverse as a Knights of Columbus lodge meeting, there are no checks and there are no balances as the framers of the Constitution intended them. I guess a few senators could put holds on various laws and nominations, but that's not very powerful. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren can take turns reading from the phone book for four years. That might do it.
Conservatives should be happy. Against all odds, your candidate won, and won both houses of Congress. If all goes according to plan, the Supreme Court will be a conservative institution for yet another generation. We've already seen the gradual tearing down of many protective barriers once put in place by previous generations: on voter rights for blacks in the south, reproductive rights for women everywhere, on corporate involvement in politics, on sane concepts of gun regulation, and on and on.
I get that there are political views other than my own. I also get that one of those views is that there is no balance necessary: that one viewpoint can and must be the dominant one, in all instances. This view holds that there's no room for compromise, and that compromise is unacceptable and even dangerous. Those willing to compromise have it used against them as a weapon.
Meanwhile, we're about to have a climate change denier as head of the EPA -- right in the moment when we need to act, as individuals and as a society, against an actual global threat. We are about to have a Supreme Court that knows they better get a move on and knock down Roe v. Wade while they have a chance.
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Sample of old rendering of the I Ching. |
The police are already too powerful, and too many people are getting shot. There are already too many guns, and too-easy access to guns. Press freedom is undermined not so much by government action but rather by corporate policy, which is not covered in the Constitution. Corporations are already too powerful, and a scant few now control 90% of what you see, hear and read, everywhere from your Facebook feed to the billboards along your local highway.
We have a guy with direct ties to Russia being briefed in all of the deepest military and espionage secrets of the United States. I assume that they'll reveal one thing I'm aware the new president is briefed on, which is the UFO situation. Maybe Trump will tweet about Roswell and we'll finally have some fun.
The fact that any political candidate lost the "popular vote," meaning the actual vote, and will not only take office but head a government where there are no checks and no balances, is a serious problem. I don't care who that candidate, or now president-elect, is. A president who did not receive the most votes has no moral obligation to the people he or she supposedly serves.
The viewpoint that there should be checks and balances, contrasted with there being one group in charge of everything, are not equivalents. Not moral, legal, social, logical or any other kind of equivalents. The first job of any open society is to protect the rights of the minority viewpoint, because the majority viewpoint (or the one in power) does not need protection. It already has the power. And now it's about to have the power in extraordinary concentration at a truly sensitive time in history.
If nothing else, we have a potential moment of awakening, or moment of clarity, as it's called in AA. We have hit a political bottom. Yes, the winners do not think so -- though they have merely bought a product. They have not unwrapped it yet to see what's inside.
For those who are awakening, it's time to throw off the grogginess of early morning, and to get sober about the challenges we face. If you are a conservative, and you're happy about what has happened, I reckon you may need as much soul searching as anyone else.
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Hexagram 43 is composed of two trigrams: above TUI, the Joyous, Lake, and below, CH'IEN, the Creative, Heaven. What is interesting is that water is seeming to float above heaven, though this also describes how below every lake is the Earth and below the Earth, more of the heavens. |
If you believe in the United States of America, and you believe in its ideals and its Constitution, what future do you see for your society, and what, to you, is the meaning of freedom?
One of my editors tonight asked, "Part of the problem is there seems to be so much that has to change on all sorts of issues it's like being faced with a room full of clutter; you have to start somewhere -- but where?"
We start with ourselves, and the people closest to us. No matter how much shock you're in, it will help if you listen. You're not going to change anyone's mind, so you may as well not waste your energy. It will be better spent inviting people to unravel their complaints. Yes, you may be listening to people who just won the big prize -- total control of government -- and are still unhappy. You may have plenty to say back to them. Instead, you might ask their vision for society, and for their own lives. Be patient, and remember what you hear.
You are now in that moment where you get to choose whether you're going to be part of the solution. Give yourself a chance to grieve, and take some responsibility for how we got here. Then I suggest you commit to the long haul. Think of how we're going to get information and skills into the hands of Millennials and their kids.
I'll handle the Full Moon below in a separate item. For this letter, I will leave you with the wisdom of the I Ching, from Hexagram 43: Breakthrough-Resoluteness.
In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited. Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. Third, the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion. Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil become dulled. For the same reasons we should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them, they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.
Catch you Tuesday.
Yours in friendship,
Taurus Full Moon: Moment of Illumination
The Taurus Full Moon, exact at 8:52 am EST, is a moment of reckoning of the urgencies and the awareness of life and death matters. The Sun is in Scorpio, and the Moon will be in Taurus. These two signs, so deeply connected to issues of attachment, are also about surrender.
Happening at 22+ degrees of the fixed signs, this Full Moon is in a direct dialog with the Uranus-Eris-Ceres conjunction, which is both describing and provoking an ongoing shock to awareness.
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Vera, from Book of Blue. Photo by Eric Francis. |
We may be in a crisis of self-identity and having our extended trip to the astral plane with the help of digital technology.
Yet Taurus/Scorpio confirm that we have two primary modes of existence: in-body or dead. Yes, there is life beyond the body; though even that awareness, here and now, depends upon physical consciousness. We can speculate and fuss and dream and theorize all we want; if you're in-body and your heart is beating, you have a mission.
Part of that mission is addressing these elemental matters of life and death. A mature, or even maturing, person has a conscious relationship with their body; with death and decay; and by extension with change. Once that relationship is grounded, then it's possible to establish your values and get a handle on your power of decision.
It's rare that people are in actual, conscious, articulate contact with their values. The Taurus Moon is a reminder that this is possible and it's essential.
Most people do not have their power of decision taken from them; they give it away.
Most of us do not have a conscious relationship with death. It lurks in the background of consciousness like some creepy mystery that actually might be real. Death is typically papered over by religion. Most people struggle to have a conscious relationship with sex. This is handed over to religion and also to the actual religion of our culture, marketing.
The meeting of the Taurus Moon and Scorpio Sun is a reminder -- cosmic, biological and symbolic -- to remember to take charge of these matters for yourself. If you want to be more confident, raise your level of consciousness. The Sun in Scorpio, in our darkening time of year, is still holding open the resonance with the other world. The Moon in Taurus is a reminder to be in your body while you have one, to feel, to love and to celebrate life as a conscious gesture.
-- Eric Francis Coppolino
The Book of Your Life -- Have You Ordered Yours Yet?
As Eric puts it, "The same astrology that is behind the madness and fragmentation is also offering ideas for how to restore our sanity and peace of mind. The same astrology that is scattering the sense of what a person is, is also taking us to a deeper level, one where we can recall our wholeness of character and integrity of spirit."
We often hear from readers how Eric's interpretations of the current astrology and environment have been the only thing that makes sense in a volatile and uncertain world. The support of useful guidance is becoming more necessary than ever before, and Eric's annual readings provide that thoroughly, accurately and in a way that's easy to follow.
If you've been inspired and bolstered by our Daily Almanac, you're going to love these richly informative written readings for all 12 signs. Pre-order your copy today.
Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes
We published your extended monthly horoscope for November on Thursday, Oct. 27. Your extended monthly horoscope for October was published on Thursday, Sept. 22. We published the Moonshine horoscope for the Scorpio New Moon, by Len Wallick, on Thursday, Nov. 3. Your Moonshine horoscope for the Aries Full Moon was published on Thursday, Oct. 13.
Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign.
Monday Morning Horoscope for Nov. 14, 2016 | By Eric Francis Coppolino
Aries (March 20-April 19) -- The best sex is always a little chaotic, a bit messy and unpredictable. Never fold your clothes when you undress. Toss them off with abandon and just make sure nothing lands on a lit candle. This is the way to live your life right now. You are the seducing influence in every situation. Your presence will lead people to reveal themselves, and to get in contact with their desire. Yes, you may get some unwanted advances, though that's part of being attractive -- at least you have your options, and just about everyone has something to offer. Mostly, the thing to do with your portable disinhibited zone is to have fun. You're free to flirt wildly with people and take pleasure in what they say to you and how they look at you. You may wonder how it is that you're prompting everyone to reveal who they are without really doing anything, and the answer is Scorpio Power.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Venus in Capricorn might bring out your conservative streak, but let's not forget the devilish quality of that sign. This would be conservatism in the style of the saucy one in the turtleneck with the modest skirt -- and a steamy mind. There's no such thing as pure or puritan. You're an earthy person. You like being in your body and you like adventure. All week long, Venus is working its way toward Neptune, which will help you melt your inhibitions and stoke your imagination. It's the blend of physical presence and fantasy that will make you happiest. Meanwhile, work is also calling you. You may be expected to take leadership and you would be wise to rise to the calling. Bring your passion, charm and charisma to your professional environment and you will be met with respect and recognition. People love who you are; that is, who you really are.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- All is not fair in love. It may be fair in war, but they're not the same thing, and the competitive situations in your life are far from combat. As for love, you need to be guided by your personal code, and decide consciously when you choose to bend or amend it. In other words, when faced with something you consider a temptation, consider the consequences and make a conscious choice. It may be worth the risk -- only you know. One question that will be floating around is: what is the meaning of marriage? If that one appears on your radar, ask the question honestly and from as many viewpoints as you can. It would be beautiful if there were not winners and losers in love, and in truth that is actually possible. Along the way, you have the strength to be kind to people, and honest with them. That will lay a strong foundation for the future.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Monday's Full Moon will shine the light on you and what you're doing. Worry less about what you're wearing and more about keeping a smile on your face and your heart wide open. As I roam the world, I keep noticing how socially awkward people seem. It's as if they have no sense of their own presence, or think they're being judged by everyone. If you feel this way, remember it's all in your imagination. Feeling good is a matter of choosing to do so. Being loving is a matter of summoning the love you're capable of and letting it out. It's not a finite substance; and you will feel less vulnerable, not more so, if you're open, positive and affirming of the people you interact with. Said another way, you have only to gain by being positive and friendly with the people around you. This more than anything is what they will know you by and love you for.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- You must be true to yourself. What are you waiting for, and why would you want any other option? Go straight to the point. This means acting with commitment. You could read your current solar chart a few different ways. One take is that a romantic adventure gets serious. The greater path is commitment to your art; that is, to creation along your own personal edge. Art is your spiritual path. It's about staying connected to yourself, and disconnected from the madness of the world. It's about making your own way in life, and making your life into what you want. This is often spoken of but rarely embarked upon with genuine sincerity -- and you can do it. Yet this takes commitment to yourself. And in a sense this precludes commitment to others, but only of a certain kind: the neurotic kind.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- You'll get a look at a reflection over the next few days. Look gently and know that you can change what you see. Most of what you're seeing is, in a sense, your own personal history. Yet it'll be easy to think it's something else. So, when you encounter a situation that you find challenging, perplexing or painful, ask yourself some questions. One might be: how would this conversation sound if I expressed my real needs? Ask yourself of whom and what the scenario reminds you. You have an opportunity in your hands to uncover, identify and reveal something that you have long wanted to heal. It's about how your family background colors or taints your intimate relationships. Healing is possible anytime, though sometimes there is an alignment of circumstances with awareness; and this allows you to go deep and make some real progress resolving something -- if you make the connections and use what you know. Step one is stop blaming people who are in your life now and recognize they are actors on the stage.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- Insecurity is a drag. You don't need to be ruled or even influenced by it. Yes, that may seem like a tall order, here in the land of the touchy, the shaky and those hanging by a thread over thin ice. The world is currently an uncertain place. I will let you in on two ancient secrets: one is, it always was uncertain. Two is, you don't have to let your fears get in the way of anything, or stop you from doing anything, though that requires taking a risk. Here's what that looks like: if you find yourself getting bogged down in any form of fear, worry or rumination, go into creative mode. Focus on the present, face toward the future and plot your way forward. Fear may seem like an affliction. Actually, it's an attachment, or a kind of self-feeding addiction. Beyond everything you fear is an actual creative opportunity, though for that to be real, you must fully engage that idea -- and you can.
2016-17 Scorpio Birthday Reading
Illuminate the Year with Your Scorpio Reading
Today, on Nov. 14, the Moon in Taurus opposes the Sun in late Scorpio for a Full Moon. What will it show you?
That remains to be seen. But what you don't have to wait for is the first two segments of your 2016-17 Scorpio Birthday Reading. Eric recorded the two audio segments last weekend -- which means those portions are ready for instant access when you order the full reading for $29.97.
That price also includes a forthcoming video tarot reading for this next solar year. When the tarot reading publishes, the price will increase again, so don't wait too long.
If you're on the fence (or you're new to Eric's audio-video readings), you can listen to a short, complimentary audio preview here.
Note: Eric designs these readings to work for anyone with a Scorpio Sun, Moon or rising sign -- and they make a beautiful, practical, inspirational gift -- one that's transformative in the best possible Scorpionic sense.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- You are your lover, your spouse and your domestic partner. You are your own best friend, and if you don't feel that way, it's time to make the commitment. This means focusing on your point of origin: your consciousness is the source of all that you experience. Right now, your consciousness is urging you to be self-aware and aligned with your own best interests. Doing this is often the single most relevant turning point in a person's life, and the most challenging. Many other false loyalties must be questioned, put on hold, or severed (usually in that order). When you do this, confidence is easy; in fact you could say that the lack of confidence is caused by not aligning with your best interests. When you make this switch, when you choose to align with yourself, you can experience a seemingly miraculous boost in your sense of personal power.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- Money is not a matter of luck. It's not a matter of position. It's a matter of wanting the stuff. If you want it, and you use your intelligence, you can get it. Problems arise when your desire for money puts you in the position of going against your moral code. That's the place to start. If your ambition (or desire for wealth) exceeds your knowledge and your ethics, you can have a real problem on your hands. You would be wise to temper yourself until you've got that clear, and focus on doing the right thing. This means focusing on the task at hand, for its own sake. The question of the right thing to do is answered in what you would do, were you not getting paid. If you are doing anything for the money, especially if you consider it a lot of money, it's time to reflect and meditate. If you're in a rush, ask yourself what that's about.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Now is the time to engage your plans. For a couple of months you've gradually attained a wider, brighter and more interesting concept of your own possibilities, and therefore, your own future. Dreaming, plotting and planning are one thing; taking action with your hands and feet is another, and it's now time. You have an opening to connect productive action to your ideas about your future. This will last a little while, though it won't last forever. The thing to do with these astrological windows is to initiate your choices by action. That's a form of commitment, and it's the kind that we move toward, and providence moves toward us. In other words, your chart is the meeting place of personal choice, action and what seems like some spiritual agency at work. Keep at it.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You are letting go of some old ideas about yourself, ideas that don't work for you. Some could be called delusions, and others could be called illusions. Some were lies you were told about yourself and others are ones you made up. They're all the same thing; pull the plug and drain the pool. A lot is said in supposed spiritual circles about how the past no longer exists and it's an illusion and all that. If that's true, how come the world is drowning in its own history? Why ever that may be, you can allow and cooperate with releasing your own history. Your desire and your willingness to do so are the catalysts. Then you must align yourself with the process at the same time you take concrete steps forward. You must be bold because this is a bold moment, and you are being summoned to leadership.
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