New Challenges Need New Solutions

Dear Friend and Reader:

Hopefully you've felt a sense of last week's pressure easing some, now that the Full Moon and lunar eclipse has dissipated and Mercury is firmly retrograde in Leo. That said, this week's astrology brings its own energetic peak -- one that might give you a boost as you try to initiate any new patterns.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

The aspect in question is retrograde Mars in Aquarius making a square to Uranus in Taurus. This is exact on Wednesday at 10:39 pm EDT (2:38:51 Thursday UTC).

Mars-Uranus aspects can feel disruptive -- yet the intensity of that effect depends on the context in which it's operating. I'm referring specifically to the context of your life rhythms, and your relationships to habit and self-reinvention. What might be called your psychic or emotional 'density level' comes into play, too: how agile you tend to be within yourself, and how sensitive you are to the energetic and other unseen facets of your environment.

Generally speaking, the more attached a person is to 'things as they are', or the more you've been resisting and repressing a need to change something, the more disruptive a Mars-Uranus square can be. Conversely, if you tend to aim for a process of continual creative evolution in your life and how you approach it, you might find that Mars-Uranus invigorates that process.

In terms of where we are astrologically -- in a series of three eclipses, one of which was conjunct retrograde Mars on Friday -- Wednesday's Mars-Uranus square looks like it could jump-start the next phase of whatever process you're in. The time between eclipses is often one of letting something go and moving toward something new -- that is, changing a pattern.

Yet here's the thing about changing a pattern: going about things the way you always have generally will not work, because those habits and strategies mainly reinforce what you've always done and how you've always done it. New challenges need new solutions.

With Mars in the sign of crystallized social patterns, and Uranus in the sign of routine and resistance to change (among other things, for both signs), the tension between these planets and what they represent in this aspect gets emphasized. Notice where you're digging in your heels the most, and why. Then notice where you're feeling the most restless, impulsive, rebellious or restricted by others (whether a group or an authority figure, real or internalized), and why.

Chart section showing Mars in Aquarius (red circle with arrow near the top of the chart) square Uranus in Taurus (blue H-like glyph near the bottom). Note the Moon in Aries, just past a conjunction to Chiron. The Moon is in Pisces currently, and enters Aries at 6:54 am EDT (10:54 UTC) on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Do you feel like you can really be yourself? What do you feel you have to suppress for your life to 'work' and for you to 'fit in'? You might want to give that a thorough review. It is possible to find a middle ground between total revolution and no change at all. That's likely the sweet spot you're aiming for.

If you find you're acting rashly (or have the urge to), consider it a sign that you've been suppressing something you've needed to address. Tempers flaring with an authority figure or with someone you're close to are another signal that you may be ignoring something below the surface. This might happen especially with people (or about situations) from the past -- something emphasized by the backward-looking nature of Mars right now.

Mars is also in a square to the object Typhon in Scorpio. If you tend to categorize your more difficult or tempestuous emotions as 'monsters' you try to keep hidden deep down, that could add to a sense of restlessness.

Expressing those feelings will likely help you to transform and integrate them better, with one caveat: 'expressing' and 'lashing out' are not the same thing. The idea is to discuss how you're feeling so everyone involved can understand something better, not to blast someone with a fire hose of raw emotion.

Thankfully, retrograde Mars is also in a sextile with Chiron in Aries (exact Friday). This brings in an element of courage -- the "sacred warrior" archetype, according to Barbara Hand Clow. Mars-Chiron here also suggests the possibility of a breakthrough of some kind. If you're actively trying to initiate some change and honestly reassess your desires (possibly in the context of a social pattern), that's more likely to open the way for new awareness or a lucky break.

Remember, we're moving toward the last of our three summer eclipses. That happens on Aug. 11, with the Leo New Moon conjunct the asteroid Pallas. Pallas is the goddess of wisdom and strategy. Chances are, accessing her gifts will be easier if you can harness Mars and Uranus constructively this week. When you get clear about where you are and what needs to change, you open the door for a plan forward to emerge.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter The Sacred Space of Self The Perfect Video Readings for the Eclipse Zone

"You're the best! I love your readings and I appreciate this; share so much as a Cancer with Cap rising, especially. Lots of insight! Thank you so much."
-- L.J. Innes, on the Sacred Space of Self sampler video

Dear Friend and Reader:

I just wanted to be sure you've had a chance to watch the sample videos we have available for the Sacred Space of Self spring reading. If current events have you feeling overwhelmed or a little raw, you might find some solace and inspiration here to keep plugging away at whatever challenges you face now.

Currently all four of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are compiled in one video. We're working on separating those into individual samples -- although, if you have one of those signs as your Sun or rising sign, you'll definitely get great insight from watching the whole compilation.

The fixed and mutable sign samples are available individually (each is linked from the sign name). The cardinal sign links go to where the sample for each sign begins in the compilation video.

Aries		Taurus		Gemini	Cancer		Leo		Virgo
Libra		Scorpio		Sagittarius	Capricorn		Aquarius		Pisces

Please note that those are only very short excerpts of the Sacred Space of Self readings! Each sign's complete video is a full 30-50 minutes long.

You can order individual signs of the Sacred Space of Self here. Or, go all-in for the complete 12-sign set, and you can watch the videos for your loved ones, too.

"I enjoyed these videos and all of them are surprisingly, completely in-depth. Well, not so surprisingly if you have heard Eric speak on other subjects."
-- Samantha Hampton, on the 2018 Sacred Space of Self readings

If you have any questions (including questions about arrangements for financial hardship), please email us at cs@planetwaves.net -- or, call us at (845) 481-5616.

Wishing you well,

Amanda Painter

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Listen to Vision Quest on Live Stream

Planet Waves has an in-house music ensemble, called Vision Quest. We have a 38-hour loop of our music, which you can listen to any time. Included are finished pieces, rehearsals, live concerts, drum grooves, and spoken word recordings. I consider it a kind of musical divination. Click in randomly at different times of day and see what you discover.

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Our Gifts to You: A Little Something Extra

Dear Friend and Reader:

It took me a long time to figure out what kind of gift to offer for new and returning subscribers. Tee shirts seemed too complicated; you need at least six sizes to get started, and not everyone wants a shirt. Tote bags are useful but kind of boring.

So I thought: journals. I love notebooks, and just about everything I write starts scribbled down on paper. I know my readers are a little old-fashioned, so this seemed like the perfect thing.

Black smaller, pink larger, embossed with the Planet Waves logo. There are a few hand painted sketchbooks left, with heavy, acid-free paper.

Then...I researched embossed journals for about six months. That’s how long it took. I requested or purchased samples of the best that suppliers had, and all kinds of stuff came floating in the door. It was more challenging than I imagined to find a nice one, though finally I did.

Everything had to be right: the paper, the lines, and how the book feels in your hands.

However, the one I selected was being discontinued. I ordered as many as we could reasonably afford. We now have two main options: small black ones, and larger pink ones (these are new).

Together, they are the approximate color of Good & Plenty candy. I am one of these people who loves anything pink (sweatshirts, nail polish, headbands, a hot pink Squier guitar that I gave to Zosha a few years ago). We also have a few hand-painted notebooks left, which are acid-free sketchbooks.

You can get an embossed notebook with any monthly, quarterly or yearly membership to Planet Waves. If, by the way, there's a calling for hand-painted ones, I will make one more-or-less to your preferences (for those who sign up for a full-year Backstage Pass).

Continue reading this letter here.
Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscopes for July on Thursday, June 21. Your extended monthly horoscopes for June were published on Thursday, May 24. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign. That schedule is on hold while Eric takes his much-needed sabbatical; however, last Monday’s horoscope by Amy Elliott was written with the month of August in mind. Aries (March 20-April 19) -- It would be pleasant if reputations were actually based on the things we say and do, as opposed to the sometimes-unjustified opinions that people can form. Gossip is rife and rational thinking is, by contrast, at a premium. None of that should prevent anyone from living their life honestly. What others perceive or believe is usually beyond our reach and almost always beside the point. Be true to your own values first and foremost. Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Aligning with the next phase of your career path may take its time, but don't let yourself sink into a stupor. Rest is invaluable and you must use it when you need to rebuild your strength; but once refreshed, keep going. If the main point you wish to gain is proving elusive, do something else for now that may help you get there, even if indirectly. Clear out some clutter. Learn an auxiliary skill, or test your memory. Your innate gifts must be backed up by concrete effort. Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Mercury's ongoing retrograde journey is inviting you to turn your receivers inward, to listen to the flow of your soul and the dreams of your secret heart. This concept may well terrify any Gemini, but actually you're probably far more capable of intuitive insights than you realize. Yet what if you don't quite trust that your intuition is a valid part of you? For starters, don't try to stereotype or caricature yourself. Acknowledging your real character is one step on the path to fuller self-acceptance. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- A common thread of several philosophies is "everything in moderation." This doesn't just refer to food, alcohol, Facebook or whatever. It means that when we do anything impulsively or excessively, the results will usually be chaotic. Try to interpose a pause between feeling and action this week. You might consider that moderation also means a work-life balance: ideally, you'll have a reminder of that handy where you can see it. Leo Birthdays 2018-19: Eclipses, Retrogrades and You -- Oh My!

"For what it's worth: never heard anything so right on, dead on, aligned with what I am looking at, aware of, dealing with, leaning into -- especially professionally and emotionally. I can't even list them all -- so many subtle angles and aspects that all resonate and add up. Affirming experiences, potentials, challenges. To a T. Wow. Will be getting these transcribed so I can read them over and over."
-- Robyn Landis, on a previous birthday reading

Dear Reader with Leo Sun, Rising or Moon:

Big things are happening in your sign right now. Can you sense it? Are you feeling energized and excited, on edge, perplexed, stuck, like you're right in the sweet spot of your flow, or just plain curious?

Remember last year's big eclipse in your sign? Smile -- you have more coming! Photo by Amanda Painter on Aug. 21, 2017.

Any of those responses (and more) would make total sense: Mercury stationed retrograde in your sign early Thursday morning. And on Friday, July 27, there was a total lunar eclipse in your opposite sign (and relationship zone) Aquarius.

But that's not all! In less than two weeks, we'll get a partial solar eclipse on Aug. 11 -- in the same part of Leo where a storied eclipse took place in August of 1999.

Your solar year is getting off to a dynamic start -- and the events and energy of these weeks will ripple out, develop and influence your life for the next six to twelve months. That's why no matter when you listen to your upcoming 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading, you're sure to discover a wealth of helpful and inspiring insights you'll be able to get to work with right away.

You should be aware that since Eric is taking a dearly needed and hard-earned sabbatical for a few weeks, your Leo Birthday reading will likely be delivered a little later than usual -- so we thank you tremendously for your patience, and your faith in Eric's ability to deliver a professional and spiritually clear reading as soon as he's recharged.

As part of our gratitude to you, all purchasers of the 2018 Leo Birthday Reading will also receive the Leo chapter of the Art of Becoming, Eric's stunning 2018 written annual readings.

If you're new to Planet Waves and Eric's audio readings, you're invited to listen to last year's reading as a gift. The 2017 Great American Eclipse occurred in your sign last year, and it has been reverberating ever since -- so listening to your 2017 reading is sure to help you review your year and get oriented on what's to come.

When you pre-order your 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading, you'll receive access to two audio segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) and an extended description of your sign when the reading publishes -- all for just $33 (the price will increase when the reading is ready).

"Planet Waves has been crucial for me lately as I navigate this topsy-turvy landscape; life is in transition on so many levels and it's been an incredible resource in my life, especially now."
-- Ronny K.

Thank you again for your patience, faith, and for being a valued Planet Waves customer in these wild times.

Wishing you an excellent eclipse season,

Amanda Painter

P.S. If you have any questions or prefer to order by phone, please call us at (845) 481-5616; you can also email us at cs@planetwaves.net. And don't forget: the 2018-19 Leo Birthday Reading makes a fantastic gift.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- Since there is so much going on in the sky during this extraordinary month, you'll benefit from making sure the people you associate with can nurture and sustain you. In turn, you should feel able to support them and contribute to a generally peaceful environment. Whether given or received by you, the ideal form of love is trusting and unconditional. Your natural generosity is an excellent basis for teaching this by example. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- There is a growing body of people who discount, on principle, the existence of any paranormal phenomena. Since you're reading your horoscope, it's unlikely that you're among them; though you might well have a healthy store of skepticism. At this moment, however, you'd benefit from attending to your intuition, which appears to be more potent than usual. It's an irrevocable part of you, in any case; accept it, and treat it with respect. Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- Young ladies of the early 19th century were expected to cultivate "accomplishments," such as playing an instrument, singing or drawing, that they could trot out during parties, usually to gain marriageability points. At least in some ways, we have now moved on from that period, so it's possible to practice art for art's sake, and to gain in skill for your own fulfillment rather than to impress someone else. To that end, consider quality as more important than quantity. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- The past is not the present. Nostalgia pretty much requires as a compulsory ingredient an ability to gloss over less-pleasant memories. If you're feeling at all sentimental about past glories, or you seem to be stuck in old ways because of habit or tradition, one way to turn this around is to acknowledge the grime of bygone days as well as the gold. Be honest with yourself about that, and you may soon recognize that you've moved forward, and that it's a good thing, too. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- Your ruler Jupiter, having stationed direct not long ago, is beginning to recover the ground it walked back, and to move toward your sign at last. You may be experiencing this as if waking out of a long sleep. Don't rush yourself. Listen to your body and your feelings. If you're troubled by an apparent lack of progress, remember that slower, gentler phases, like the tides, have a purpose and a place. These usually reveal themselves at the right moment. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- If a project is worth doing, it's worth taking time over. Trying to force yourself to produce a result because you want something to show for your labors is unlikely to bring you anything except a bunch of false starts and wasted energy. Your value as a human being is inherent and independent of anything you create, and ultimately it doesn't matter how prolific or otherwise you are: the key thing is doing what you love, and loving what you do. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If our distant ancestors somehow appeared in the present day, you can pretty much guarantee that they'd find our lives incomprehensible. To some extent, the same is true of our parents. Some social changes, after all, don't take very long; and right now the world seems to be moving faster than ever. All this is to say that you don't need to take the judgment of a parent, or any authority figure, as gospel. Your opinion is the one that really counts. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Some people who profess to be spiritual really give the concept a bad name (and JP Sears, for one, does an excellent job of satirizing them). Yet faith that's sincere and loving can involve some thorough benefits in terms of healing and strengthening. Perhaps more clearly than most, you know that we humans are complex and holistic creatures, with a need to nourish our souls as well as our bodies. Keep the mystic in you well fed this week.

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