Watching the Detectives Mercury Conjunct Retrograde Venus

Dear Friend and Reader:

This week arrives with one of the more symbolic encounters along our current Scorpio journey: Mercury conjunct retrograde Venus. That occurs Monday at 4:20 pm ET.

Early suitors in America's love affair with the police -- Officers Reed and Malloy from Adam-12.

The most recent previous encounter was retrograde Venus square Mars in Aquarius. That was how last week felt -- halfway between the Twilight Zone and a hostage situation.

The square was what I've been calling "the handoff" from the previously retrograde Mars (which took place most of the summer) to Venus (covered extensively in Empathy-Pathos). Interpret that any way you wish: like passing the baton in a relay race, a clash between the sexes, or Venus accepting the responsibility for introspective movement from Mars. Maybe a little of all three.

Our society is both terrified and in love with Mars energy. We are terrified of what we term "aggression," which is more often self-assertion, desire and the willingness to stand up for oneself. I keep hearing from the mothers of young adult boys say what a harrowing time this is, as all the sensitive ones are worried about being called aggressors (this is not funny, not helpful, and it's not politically correct in any sense of that concept).

At the same time, we as a nation are in love with gun dealers, guns, the right to "keep and bear arms," and the right to sell the Saudi Prince $100 billion in weapons because someone has to (make all that money). We are in love with wars, and always cheer on the next one and/or stay riveted to CNN as it develops. Books about war, war movies, war documentaries, war memorabilia, war memorials, war memorial highways, Memorial Day parades, war veterans -- all apple pie.

But smiling at someone is considered aggressive and intrusive.

We are seemingly in love with mass shootings, because our society does nothing about them. It is possible to convince a majority of American voters (at least) that the right to have a weapon is more important than preventing school shootings, or that somehow preventing school shootings would require an infringement on someone's rights. But that's like saying that DUI checkpoints prevent you from having mimosas with your Sunday brunch.

Why is it so difficult to convince Americans to take action on school shootings? Above, Emma Gonzalez, who survived the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting last year.

We are in love with cops, and hail them as heroes. We are in love with police dramas on TV, where the average actor-cop shoots his or her gun more times in one episode than most officers do their entire careers (most rarely, if ever, draw their weapons in the line of duty, much less kill a person).

But desire? Get ready for a panic attack. And these days, men (an image of Mars in Aquarius), take all the blame. You cannot really think of any way that society in its current form -- as we are seeing it reflected to us in most media -- admits that women want sex. I mean it -- look closely. Women, under the current mythology, are either forced, coerced, aggressed, transgressed, trafficked, paid for their services, lured, tricked or manipulated into sex.

None are supposed to just want an experience. What is the source of this bias? Why has the conversation and the cultural mythology gone in this direction?

Men are the alleged crazed maniacs who purportedly think of sex every .03 nanoseconds (to which many women are currently saying, "I wish" or at least, "I wish they could hold that thought for 20 minutes").

The Church Militant (what a great name for a website, I want to be the Kingston correspondent) reports that nearly as many Christian men watch porn as do non-Christian men. OMFG.

However, Fight the New Drug (another friendly name for a website) reports that lots of women are also into porn.

And they panic at the very notion, writing, "What we're seeing is that females are just as into porn as men, and as we know from the science and research, it's harmful for both. Pornography rewires the brain, damages relationships, and contributes to prostitution and sex trafficking. Society needs to understand that porn is not just harmless entertainment and that it's having a negative impact on real people, regardless of gender."

Stormy Daniels, shown here in a 1999 calendar photo obtained by the New York Times, has made porno into a legitimate career -- merely by being recognized as a player on the national stage.

Note, you could probably never footnote that paragraph convincingly, begining with the fact that there are no wires in the brain (and it would be good to drop the term "rewires the brain" for that reason). The brain is a big hunk of fat. Our brains are not "wired."

So let's recap. Watching porn is supposedly bad for everything, but watching the detectives when they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot (borrowing a line from Elvis) is perfectly fine. Watching 2,500 sorties a day during the Persian Gulf War and all its sequels is wholesome family entertainment. Heck, watching five days' nonstop coverage of one mass shooting is good for your immune system!

Which brings me to Mercury conjunct Venus retrograde. This is about speaking the unspeakable. We get the speaking part from Mercury. We get the unspeakable part from Venus retrograde (which has an aura of inward-focus) in Scorpio (fantastic at the secrecy thing, especially when planets are retrograde).

We keep being told that the thing not being said involves a certain variety of transgression or aggression. I would say, though, that there is a lot more that's not being said. A whole lot more. And with Mercury forming a conjunction to Venus, now might just be the time to speak up.

Such as about what you want, who you want, what you do, what you've done, what you're curious about (Venus retrograde in Scorpio could be very, very curious), and how you feel about life -- as in, all of life, or any facet of life you would be inclined not to share your opinion about. Cancel the press release (about men, Mars in Aquarius) and let's look at the actual notebook, the primary sources, the emails and the text messages: all that is going on in Scorpio, including the wisdom aspect, suggested by Jupiter's remaining month.

I've spent most of my adult life listening to women talk about their innermost reality. It never ceases to be necessary, enlightening, interesting, intriguing, informative and healing, even if it's at times difficult or mixed with struggle and grief. That difficulty is worth embracing, for a deeper look at the truth we so rarely see; for that precious thing called understanding.

With love,

There's no turning back -- and we need just one thing

Dear Friend and Reader:

Life would be easier if more people used the full capacity of their minds. That goes for all of us. As we go deeper into this most unusual, challenging and potentially troubling phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most.

That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves. How can we tap into our ability to find creative solutions to problems? How can we envision, design and create a better future than the one we seem to be heading for? How can we handle our personal growth in a way that is sensitive and efficient?

I'm getting ready to record and write the 21st annual edition of Planet Waves. I will be setting aside all but the most essential other work to write what amounts to an astrological adventure novel.

The answer is intelligence.

For the past 20 years, I've been offering annual readings that bring top-quality astrology direct to you for an affordable price. Recent editions, THE ART OF BECOMING and THE BOOK OF YOUR LIFE, have been remarkable bestsellers and helpful to my clients.

Tonight is the initial purchase offer for INTELLIGENCE, my 21st annual reading, published by Planet Waves. This letter contains important information about the discounted pre-order phase, which will be relatively brief compared to previous years. This is in part to avoid excessive email, to save staff effort, and to allow us to focus on what promises to be a truly exceptional annual edition.

Tonight we are offering a discounted purchase for all 12 signs, for Backstage Pass holders, Core Community members, and Horoscope Lover subscribers. For Galaxy Pass holders, the annual edition is included. Full price for all 12 signs, once the written portion is complete, will be $222. Tonight and for the next week, we are offering INTELLIGENCE at a substantial discount to our most dedicated customers: only $99.

Unlike in previous years, I plan to deliver RESET 2019, the first section of the reading, by New Year's Eve. Additional sections will follow in January and February, and there will be updates throughout the year. I will use written, audio and video formats, and the reading will feature an original soundtrack by Vision Quest.

The Astrology: From Jupiter to Eris

These are comprehensive readings based on the solar chart. I am one of a very few astrologers who can do a thorough, relevant and in-depth reading without the need for a natal chart. I am able to provide helpful, healing, and most of all motivational information. The motivational piece is essential: many people are feeling burned out, and many are struggling to have a positive view of the future.

My job is to help you see the possibilities, have faith in yourself and get some spring in your step.

I will be developing the stories of three new transits: Jupiter in Sagittarius, Uranus in Taurus, and Chiron in Aries. This alone would be astrology worth pausing to consider carefully, and to be the subject of expert but also life-affirming guidance.

Since beginning my astrological adventure in 1994, I have focused especially on Chiron, and this will be a centerpiece of the reading.

Chart for Saturn conjunct Pluto, and square Eris. Eris is the red ellipse with the arrow pointing down, on the left side of the chart. That has a number 23 next to it; follow the numbers. Now look at the top of the chart, at the planets starting with the 21 (the Sun), through 23 (Mercury). Between them are Ceres, Saturn and Pluto. This is a chart of the world being transported from one phase of history to another, bringing all of us along with it. I will be using 12 different versions of this chart (and many others) for INTELLIGENCE, your 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves.

Information on Chiron is too often speculative, needlessly negative, or hit-and-miss; I bring 23 years of study and experience, including personal instruction from Melanie Reinhart, Barbara Hand Clow, Dale O'Brien and other Chiron pioneers.

But there is something more important: on Jan. 12, 2020, we have a one-time conjunction of Saturn and Pluto, which will set the tone for all of 2019 (we're already feeling it now) and then will come with a kind of pivot as the aspect comes into full focus. This aspect pattern is square the new planet Eris, and making sparks in the U.S. chart.

Be prepared to read negatively polarized, verging-on-apocalyptic interpretations of this aspect -- elsewhere. Be prepared to let them roll off your back and to allow in something more creative. I am taking the Saturn-Pluto-Eris pattern as a wakeup call, summoning us to full integrity, maturity and discipline.

We have one year to prepare: to lighten our load in life, to work through family material, and to focus our true calling. Those will be my focal points.

Early Purchase Discount

We reward our customers for getting on board early. This reduces stress at the end of the year, and helps us do something we are committed to, which is sending fewer emails.

Through Monday night, Oct. 15, we will be offering INTELLIGENCE to current subscribers -- the people who make Planet Waves possible -- at a price comparable to previous initial purchase offers. This price includes all facets of all 12 signs, plus extra materials such as video presentations on the astrology, and a Q & A feature, which I will handle in audio or video. Also expect at least one live session via our conferencing system, probably in the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

On the night of Monday, Oct. 15, we will introduce the first tier of price increases, always favoring early purchase.

You may pre-order here at a member discount. You may also order by phone, by calling (845) 481-5616. If you can order online, please do.

INTELLIGENCE will be included with the 2019 Galaxy Pass (which grants access to all products and a consulting credit -- and an extra password to INTELLIGENCE to give as a gift). If you are interested, please email or call (845) 481-5616.

Please note that 15% of all revenue from INTELLIGENCE will be donated to Chiron Return, Inc., the nonprofit corporation that publishes Planet Waves FM and The Gemstone File, and which will soon be offering the class Investigative Reporting from the Kitchen Table.

PLEASE NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SAVE YOUR LOGIN INFORMATION IN A SAFE PLACE. Give it its own folder in your email system, or print it and hang it over your desk.

Thank you for your purchase, and thank you for trusting me as your astrologer.

With love,

PS -- The Planet Waves annual edition is an internet tradition. You may see all of the past editions here (2018 is still under password; all the rest are open access). 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

Your extended monthly horoscopes for October were published on Tuesday, Oct. 11. We published your extended monthly horoscopes for September on Thursday, Aug. 30. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) -- It can be easier than you think to misinterpret what someone says or does if it falls outside of your expectations; even (perhaps especially) when the person is close to you. We all have moments when our buttons are pushed and we feel a strong urge to lash out. Try to avoid reacting impulsively, and try to set out with an attitude of trust, and giving others the benefit of the doubt until there is incontrovertible evidence that you should do otherwise. If you get a sense of being provoked, weigh carefully the consequences of any possible response, remembering that there are things you cannot undo once done. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Uranus in your sign may already be working its influence in your life. At times this can feel exhilarating; at others, downright unsettling. At heart, Uranus has a knack for bringing the unexpected, and waking us out of complacency or stagnation, much like cats do in the morning with their unsuspecting humans: you might want to stay in bed, but that cat is going to get her breakfast. The accompanying challenge is to make the best out of each day even when things don't quite go as planned, which will likely take practice. Over the coming months, you'll have the opportunity to get used to this new way of being. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Keep your mind on what's most important to you. Distractions are ubiquitous and most websites these days are rabbit holes. You have too much on your to-do list to lose time wandering in a labyrinth of links, or getting stuck in arguments with random online entities who are too entrenched in their viewpoint to engage in a rational debate. In addition, be wary of any impulse to compromise the accomplishment or goal you're seeking in exchange for an easier one, even if that might get you quicker rewards. You have the capacity to reach for the skies, and if you maintain your focus you're very likely to get there. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Like many people these days, encouraged by seven- or ten-point lists and therapy-by-soundbite, you might be inclined to seek quick and simple answers to any challenges you may be facing. It's not necessarily the case that every real solution to emotional or spiritual issues must by nature encompass many years. However, that work which in particular involves breaking out of early programming is often complex, multi-layered and long-term. This process can even be life-long. Yet keep forging your new understanding with the universe -- if for no other reason than dedication to finding the truth. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- In almost all the consequential choices we make, and a good many of the lesser ones, there is an ethical element: a decision as to whether we obey our ego, or listen to our higher beliefs and impulses. There is, unfortunately, no metric for determining which is which; one way to suss this out in a specific case is to weigh up each option and see how it makes you feel. That will help you trace where the ideas originate, based on similar choices you've made in the past. Try to keep an ear out in general for the voice of your conscience -- which is not, by the way, the same thing as guilt -- and consider the guidance it offers. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- This week, try to figure out what it is you're not saying. That includes any time you mount your hobby-horse and wax lyrical on a subject you know well or are passionate about; any time you feel provoked into an argument; or any time you experience emotions that seem too strong to articulate. These are all ways we trick ourselves into not communicating what we really need, want or feel. Even if the difficulty seems impassable, there's usually a way to break it down into bite-size chunks. Consider what you already know. Write down as much as you can, if only for yourself; then get to work on the analysis. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.


Libra Birthdays and Rising 2018-19:

"Today I was listening to last year's reading and I kept feeling that I needed to get this year's reading; I'm so glad I did. It answered everything, or at least helped me to realize I'm okay and actually very excited. The past few years have really been building up and my life has been a pure reflection of it all throughout the years...this reading is so inspiring."

-- Rhonda Benson, on a previous Birthday Reading

If you have a Libra Sun, rising sign or Moon, you can still get your complete Libra Astrology Studio (formerly the Libra Birthday Reading) for only $44. You'll get instant access to both astrology segments, and we'll send you an email as soon as the tarot portion is ready.

Listen to a brief audio sample of your reading here.

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Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- Venus seems to be inviting you to view the world in all its rich complexity and nuance; to notice the subtle interplay in the colors of the sunset, to hear the movements of sound and rhythm in music, to see and feel the endless variety in permutations of the human character. It's very easy to look at any issue simplistically, in binary terms; however, the reality tends to be rather different. Try to view any topic under discussion from as many perspectives as possible, and comprehend likewise the multiple layers of feeling and thought underpinning your own response. This is seeing things as they really are. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- Uncertainty is not an easy sensation with which to sit, and introspection is not an especially comfortable task. Yet the recently completed retrograde of your classical ruler Mars has given you some practice at looking within and holding space for ideas you might not previously have considered. Mars has now handed off this task to Venus, retrograde in your sign until it re-enters Libra Oct. 31, then stations direct mid-November. Part of this next phase of operations for you involves reviewing the boundaries between you and the world: where your life intersects with others, and at what point you establish your separate identity. Let these ideas develop for a while. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- There are plenty of problems in the world that need fixing, and thus plenty of causes you could take up. However, be discerning in your choice of where to devote significant portions of your energy. In particular, watch for language or imagery designed to sway the emotions rather than engaging you in rational dialogue. You need clear information on the issues, and it's perfectly okay to decide that you don't know enough and need to learn more, or to examine possible flaws in an argument, however well-intentioned. Your own experience of the world is also a perfectly valid, if not intrinsically complete, source of data. Get your full Sagittarius reading here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- As part of a culture steeped in the Abrahamic tradition and infused with Greco-Roman values, pretty much everyone in the West is brought up in fear of that nebulous beast known as sin. In an orthodox sense, this is a concept that goes far beyond that of actually harming people: it includes natural human impulses and feelings that we all sometimes have, such as pride in our achievements, or desire, which has the effect of making us all guilty in some form. Whatever your personal beliefs, or whatever you might think of such ideas, perhaps ask yourself how far you can benefit from an ideology that operates mainly through shame. Get your full Capricorn reading here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If you feel yourself getting caught up in a heated discussion, try to take a step back and cool off, until you regain your equilibrium. There are certainly times when anger or passion are appropriate responses, though in the arena where such conversations are normally taking place, it can be difficult to avoid wasting energy on an argument that ultimately goes nowhere. Similarly, engaging in these forums is a neat method of distracting oneself from one's personal journey and healing process. Try to ensure that your intellect holds the reins as much as possible, and don't hesitate to withdraw from a debate if you need to. Get your full Aquarius reading here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Keep doing what you must in order to maintain your wellbeing, emotional and physical; this is a crucial yet often underrated factor in spiritual and personal development. Take sufficient time to yourself, and continue to be discerning about the company you keep; you would benefit from those with whom you foster your most intricate relationships being wise, cordial and helpful. Most especially, their presence should improve your self-esteem and confidence rather than denting it. This is also a useful principle to apply to food: try to consume what nourishes and sustains you, rather than makes you groggy or moody. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

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