Of Restlessness, Retrogrades, and Choices

Dear Friend and Reader:

How is this Mercury retrograde going for you? We only have about a week of it left (not counting a few days for things to shake back into place after it stations direct on Dec. 6); so hang in there. Personally, I feel like some of the other current astrology is contributing more to a sense of restlessness; but really it's all part of the same environment, so it's hard to say for sure.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

For one thing, we have several objects in the last degree of their respective signs, or about to be. In zodiac order, these include: retrograde Uranus in Aries, Venus in Libra, Mercury about to retrograde into late Scorpio, Pholus in Sagittarius, and Vesta in Capricorn.

Planets in the last (or 'anaretic') degree of a sign are often said to feel a little edgy; kind of like how we human beings can get a little edgy in anticipation of a big transition in our lives. Add in that some of those planets are making oppositions or squares to each other -- aspects of tension -- and the restlessness factor increases.

Plus, we have the Sun in the last sign of a season (Sagittarius), the civil-calendar year is almost over, and Mercury is retrograde in a sign that's partly about forward intention (in a long series of inner-planet retrogrades this year). The sky seems to be reflecting a general sense of just wanting to get on with it -- whatever 'it' might be.

So we end up with some questions. What absolutely ought to wait till Mercury's direct, so that you don't make more work for yourself than is warranted? What must you address or take steps toward so you can channel this energy creatively, rather than repressing it in unproductive ways?

What can you get started on -- such as research, preparation, getting organized, making repairs, reviewing your progress -- that might put you in a much better position to take bigger steps in the near future? What's the different between being wisely cautious and giving in to crippling self-doubt or paranoia?

And perhaps most important of all: what have you been learning about yourself during this year of retrogrades, and how can you use it to empower yourself and grow into who you're becoming? No matter how introspective you've been this year, there appears to be room for a little more.

All of that said, I'd like to take a quick look at a few specific aspects and events happening between today and the weekend. For starters, the Moon enters Virgo today, on its way to the last quarter Moon (exact overnight into tomorrow). This is the Moon square the Sun in Sagittarius. Do you feel as if you're turning a corner on something?

One interesting thing about this lunation is that it's in a T-square with Mars and the centaur Nessus in Pisces. If you're feeling any tension, is it coming out as anger that feels 'old', or like it's not actually about the thing that's setting you off? Can you own it and understand what it's telling you about yourself, rather than projecting it onto someone else? Virgo Moons can sometimes feel a little critical, so be sure to channel that energy into productive, tangible work.

We also have a T-square made up of Vesta in Cap square Uranus in Aries, and Venus in Libra square Vesta and opposite Uranus. Actually, if we add in the lunar nodes (symbolic points that are just one degree away in Cancer and Capricorn), it's a grand square.

Chart for Vesta (purple chevron, top of the chart) ingressing Aquarius, with the Moon in early Libra and Mercury in the last degree of Scorpio (green critter just below the bold horizontal line, on the right). Venus and Uranus are still opposite each other in Libra and Aries. View glyph key here.

So we have some last-degree edginess involving Uranus, the cosmic sparkplug, along with the dharmic/karmic sensation of the lunar nodes. The aspect pattern also indicates a mix of inner tension and a self/other dynamic.

One thought about this is that looking for new approaches to the things you're devoted to might help alleviate any restlessness. Whether it's devotion to family (and family traditions), to an intimate relationship, or to something more abstract like your sense of justice or your creativity, how can you experiment to find greater alignment within yourself? There is a difference between devotion to an ideal or value and being wedded to a habit. One will lead you to seek growth and better ways of expressing what matters most to you; the other stunts growth and closes off your options. 

Also, be aware that this is the third (and final) Venus-Uranus opposition in a series that began in September. You might want to consider changes in your relationships in that time, particularly the risks you want -- or may need -- to take in order to guide them forward. What (or who) is sparking your creativity, and how daring or strange does it feel?

Finally, it's worth noting that on Saturday, three objects change sign. First, Mercury retrogrades back into late Scorpio at 6:12 am EST (11:11:55 UTC).

Are you ready to dig into one more inner mystery? I'm toying with the idea that whatever it is might relate to a more intellectual understanding of something that came through emotionally during the recent Venus retrograde. Venus may be in Libra now, but it spent most of its retrograde in Scorpio -- and it's about to retrace its steps there in direct motion. This looks like the final stage of the 2018 Inner Planet Retro Relay; if you have notes from the month of October in particular, they might prove useful over the next couple weeks. (Given that Mars is the ruler of Scorpio, themes from its summer retrograde could even be in the mix.)

Then, at 9:49 am EST (14:48:33 UTC), the Moon enters art-and-harmony-loving Libra. This should help smooth social interactions this weekend. Finally, the asteroid Vesta enters Aquarius at 3:39 pm EST (20:39:04 UTC).

Will Vesta moving through Aquarius indicate a greater sense of service to the wellbeing of humanity? Or does it represent fealty to a ruling class?

Given what I am seeing unfold in the world this week -- border police tear-gassing asylum-seekers, per Pres. Trump's orders; the continued twists regarding responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey; Trump's hypocritical response to a report on devastating climate change effects delivered by his own government -- I know which interpretation I prefer. I also know it will take every person in this group we call 'society' making an actual, individual choice.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

Last Call for Combined Discount on 2019-2020 Annual

Dear Friend and Reader:

As you may know from scanning the astrology websites, 2020 promises to be quite a year -- and 2019 is preparation for those events. They include the Saturn-Pluto conjunction and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction -- two world-changing aspects in one year.

The 2019-2020 annual reading is called INTELLIGENCE. That's the one thing we need to make it through the global crisis, and for many, their individual crisis. It's the one thing we need to make the most of our lives.

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 and record what amounts to an astrological radio serial and an astrological adventure novel.

In that edition, I'll be looking at the astrology up to the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of Dec. 21, 2020. In this edition I am returning to the format of audio and written, which I have not done for a couple of years.

For the first time that I know of, I'm planning to have the audio format, called RESET 2019, ready by Dec. 31, in time for New Year's Day listening. Then the written portion, looking at 2019 and 2020, will be out some time in February.

Tonight is the last call for the combined 2019-2020 annual edition, including both years at one price, which is now $111. The audio readings include original music by Vision Quest.

Soon, I will be splitting the two projects, and offering each separately for $99 or combined for $144. Individual sign sales for each year will begin at $44. So tonight's offer is a significant discount on what promises to be a beautiful, helpful and reassuring astrology resource.

You may also place your order by phone, by calling (845) 481-5616.

This will be my 21st annual edition, coming at the end of the 20th year of Planet Waves. If you're curious about past annual editions, you may visit them here. (Scroll down and you will see the list of years.)

Thank you for being a Planet Waves customer, and for trusting me as your astrologer.

With love,

PS -- If you upgrade to a Backstage Pass, you will be eligible for a special discount on the INTELLIGENCE annual edition. Write to us, or call (845) 481-5616 and we can upgrade you by phone. It may take us 24-48 hours to get back to you, but we will. Be sure to state your phone number twice.

Sagittarius Secrets Revealed: A Vast Migration of Souls

Dear Friend and Reader:

I'm enclosing some writing that's focused on Sagittarius but intended for everyone. Tuesday night I recorded and distributed part one -- and I've just today recorded part two -- of the Sagittarius, Sagg Moon and Sagg rising reading. In this reading, I look at how Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are working together to help you create balance in your life, and to work with both the energies of expansion and structure.

This is top-quality professional consulting, in the form of an audio presentation. I describe the astrology and what it implies carefully, patiently and in language you can understand. Part one is about 50 minutes. You may listen to a sample here. Part two will be available tonight.

Eric Francis.

You can now get instant access to both astrology segments of this reading for $44. When the tarot portion publishes, we'll increase to the final price point of $55 for the full reading (including the tarot).

A Vast Migration of Souls, from The Book of Your Life

The astronomical details of Sagittarius are breathtaking, and you deserve to know them. They will shed light on who you are, and what you're doing on Earth. Typically, astrology ignores the features of deep space (dwelling on the Sun, the Moon and the larger planets). Features of the signs are based on some mythical sketch that appears in patterns of stars, spun into myths that have no actual reference to anything in reality.

There's not actually a bull in Taurus. There are no fish in Pisces. However, Sagittarius is different from all other signs in this regard. There is something there, and that something has everything to do with both the classical and modern delineations of your sign. Ancient astrologers -- the people who came up with the system, starting around 400 BC -- described Sagittarius as the sign of things foreign and exotic; of religion, and later, spiritual matters; of the higher courts of justice; and as the sign of long-distance travel.

We got some confirmation of the long-distance bit when the Wright Brothers flew their airplane for the first time with the Sun and Moon making a stunning conjunction to Uranus in Sagittarius.

Read more... Planet Waves FM: Listen Again Robert Schmidt Discusses the Inventor of Western Astrology

Dear Friend and Listener:

This week, we're giving you another chance to listen to Eric's interview with Robert Schmidt from Project Hindsight, on his breakthrough research into the foundations of Western astrology [play program here].

Robert Schmidt in 2006 at the Baltimore NCGR convention.

Sadly, Robert is currently hospitalized and in critical condition. Students and friends have set up a GoFundMe to help with his medical costs, on behalf of himself and his wife Ellen. You can find that here.

From its beginnings in 1993, Project Hindsight tasked itself with the translation of ancient astrological texts, so that astrologers would have them to use and learn from. Up to that point, the translations were nonexistent or poorly done, and the origins of Western astrology were hazy.

Eventually, as his collaborators Robert Hand and Robert Zoller went in their own directions, Hindsight under Schmidt's leadership stuck exclusively to Greek astrology, starting with documents from the 4th century BCE. Those include something called the Thema Mundi, which we discuss in the interview.

Through extensive reading and translation of the literature, Schmidt deduced that there were both founders and a founding era, and his research all points to a Greek mathematician and astronomer named Eudoxus of Cnidus (c. 390–c. 337 BCE) as the leading founder.

Planet Waves FM is published by Chiron Return, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which is part of the Pacifica Radio Network. We are supported by your generous contributions, large and small, which are starting to add up each month and cover the costs of the program.

With love,

---

Not a Red Flag, Just a Red Light Revue
By Amanda Painter

People sometimes get a little squeamish about the curveballs Uranus can throw -- especially in aspect to Venus, when those curveballs might emerge in an intimate relationship. Change and disruption tend to scare people, despite the fact that it's impossible to keep growing without them. 

But with Mercury in full retrograde Trickster mode, maybe tomorrow's Venus-Uranus opposition will take an un-serious -- or even enjoyable -- form. Like in this SoulPancake video of a Red Light Serenade.

A young man named Mark Gagnon, accompanied by his friend Ryan on keyboard, decides to make the morning commute a little more romantic (or, at least, amusing) by singing improvised love songs to drivers stopped at a red light -- male and female, solo or in pairs or groups. He offers kind (if not always poetic) and unexpected words, making a routine drive anything but -- and bringing some very genuine smiles and laughter to the people in the stopped cars. The world could use more impromptu connection like this.
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. 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 November on Thursday, Nov. 8. Your extended monthly horoscopes for October were published on Thursday, Oct. 11. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign.      Editor's note: In place of Amy Elliott's horoscopes this week, we're offering a second look at Eric's Monday Morning horoscopes for the current week, as they are still relevant. We'll have a fresh new horoscope for you in next week's issue.  Aries (March 20-April 19) -- It's time to see the connections that exist between problems and their causes, and between people who facilitate them. Your participation in creating solutions begins with seeing your personal involvement in any situation that you might want to improve or resolve. Set aside any excuse about "victim blaming," and get busy understanding your circumstances, using an honest assessment of the facts. This will begin with analysis though it will ultimately come down to understanding your state of mind and how it influences your personal affairs and your relationships. Note the distinction between blame and responsibility -- one that is lost almost entirely at the moment, in nearly all public and many private discussions. Even if someone else is "to blame," you may have 100% of the responsibility for solving the problem. The person who is blamed rarely does the work of rectification, and trying to make them do so can feel like hitting your head against a hard object. You are where the buck stops. Admit that, and focus on tangible solutions. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- You may feel like you're in an odd situation, confronted by forces outside of your control, or larger than you can deal with. Yet you have an understanding of what you may be facing, because you have enough in common with the people involved to see through them. You already know who they are and how they think. In fact, you know more about them than they know about you (which is part of the original issue). Nobody is going to hand you a key that magically frees you from the constraints of your past. Rather, this is about you self-actualizing, which is another way of saying becoming self-aware enough to know that your life is your business and that of nobody else. Too often this is seen as some kind of privilege or luxury ("if only I could be free to live my own way!"). Yet it's really the bottom line, physically and metaphysically. It's not an option, no matter who may pretend that it is. No matter what the weather or the psychic conditions, you still make the decisions. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- If you're angry with anyone or anything, the chances are it's not about what you think. All indications point to something from the distant past bubbling up to the surface, disguised as something immediate. Therefore, pause before you express concerns with present partners or friends. Do so long enough to detach yourself from your immediate circumstances and start to investigate lines back into the past, primarily through your own feelings and memories. If you experience anger coming from your environment, do your best not to take it personally, but rather size up potential sources. This may prove to be difficult, especially if someone tries to make it personal in your direction, or involve you in something that's not really yours. So no matter how you look at it, you will need to take some arm's-length distance on your immediate situation, and contemplate matters long enough to get a sense of what is going on. That may take a few days. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- All spiritual matters come back to love and respect. There is no such thing as theology, despite the vast sections of libraries that house many books on the subject; that's all speculation. Where love is concerned, there are just two kinds: grandmother love (unconditional at all costs) and telling the truth. Be aware of anyone who offers you any proposition where one person lies and the other swears to it, or where you look the other way when you see something that troubles you. It may not be advisable to take up the role of moral authority. Rather, know your own limits, know your own values, and abide within them. This especially applies to your own decisions and conduct. However, within your personal sphere, you have the ability to transcend your frustrations and actually work through the problems you see. Don't get hung up on the past. Understand what you need to happen, and why -- and then take action. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- Creative approaches are almost always the result of addressing something that has already gone wrong. There's another (less functional) approach, which is to collect problems like precious things, and sit on them like eggs, hoping they will hatch solutions (that's more likely to be about holding onto the past). However, for best results in life, it helps to see issues before they arise, and address them preventatively. Therefore, if something seems to go wrong or get snagged, don't just solve that particular problem. First, make sure it really is a problem. Then look at the potential implications and address everything in the environment that could cause a similar issue. Think of this as the "while you're here" approach. If you fix a leak under the sink, clean out the cabinet at the same time, and then check all the other sinks in your home or apartment. If something is wired poorly (such as your desk), tidy up everything in the vicinity as you address the primary issue. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- Your situation is not as complicated as you might think, though you may have the notion that there is nothing but complexity. How you see things will shape how you respond to them. The actual underlying reality is somewhat less important in this case. It matters, but less than your prejudices and your judgments. Make an inventory of those, so you can see what's blocking your view of what you really need to address. Look at your ideas about the "right way" the world should be, since those, too, obscure your view of the real issue. This will take some detachment, particularly emotional, and also some optimism. This may seem to be a stretch, since you have a tendency to get so absorbed, and to take a worst-case scenario approach to challenging situations. You will feel better when you make peace with what you cannot change. That, in turn, will help you to see what adjustments you can make. And for now, most of them involve your attitude or state of mind. The important decisions will follow soon after. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- Allow any confrontations over the next few days to awaken you to your complacency. Said simpler, don't take anything for granted -- and notice when you're doing so. You just don't have that luxury now; the world is too uncertain, too much is changing, and you personally have a need to be alert and aware. Ideally, you would be a few steps ahead of yourself and of the people around you, anticipating what you need to do in the medium and long run, and setting things up for those moves to go as smoothly as possible. Yet there's no way to do this without some form of envisioning the future, and not just that, but the future that you want. Even if you define the future as something different from the past, you must do your part to remove obstacles, particularly any mental blocks you may possess (and one of those distinctly involves looking ahead). It's true that you've been disrupted so many times the past 10 years that you may believe nothing constructive is really possible to sustain. But now that is up to you. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- There's a reason people are so risk-averse these days, though only in their personal lives. At the moment it's rather vogue to take risks for others, which means indulging in collective dangers (climate change, surrendering political power, and others). When you consciously take a personal risk, you also embrace the possibility of personal failure, though this is really a scrim. Looking behind that veil is something about the creative process, and any encounter involving honest sexuality -- and that is a confrontation with your limits. That's not exactly failure; rather, it's an encounter with whatever stands (or lurks) between you and what you want to accomplish. That 'whatever' could include any form of insecurity or self-doubt; secrets that you fear might be revealed; or the idea that what some call creative really means exposing your deepest personal truth. You're very likely to be presented with an opportunity to express yourself in some unusually deep way this week, and if you're hesitating, now you have some notion as to why. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- Monday's Sun-Jupiter conjunction is the only one in Sagittarius for this 12-year Jupiter cycle, so it's an exciting day for you. It points to the substantial potential that is your personal resource for the future. Yet to tap that potential, you will need to look beyond any complications in your life stemming from the past. This calls for making a commitment to yourself not to perpetuate or entrench those situations, which is an act of daily devotion. That alone would be enough, if you could really do it. You have tremendous potential, and if you're committed to being your own best friend, you will do everything in your power to remove the stumbling blocks from your path. It matters less who put them there, or what their intentions were. We're talking about your life journey -- your very existence. A development, discussion or situation may emerge this week that offers you a direct look at what stands in your way. Be bold about taking on the challenge, not of going around it, but of removing the obstacle entirely. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- You have protection around you, and substantial opportunities available, if you can keep your anxiety under control. This is a significant challenge for many people in our times. I wish there was more discussion about it, so I'm doing what I can here. Many people are living their lives along a kind of survival brink (little to no savings, for example). Others have kept secrets they're afraid might come out, and which could have real consequences. And others yet experience bursts of fear that seem to have no connection to anything tangible, except the fact that the world itself is coasting along a brink that few people are acknowledging. When we ask the question, "what gives?" the answer is often: fear. There's plenty to go around, and we're vulnerable to it. At the moment, your astrology is pointing you inward, toward the source of all of your thoughts, emotions and ideas. You might feel like that's the last place you want to direct your attention, though you will feel better if you fly into the storm. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If there's something in your past that you don't feel good about, now would be a good time to address it. By 'now', I mean today, this week and this month. Don't let the opportunity for healing slip away. True, there will be others, though you're in a particularly deep moment, where you can take personal responsibility for something, and also see the ways that your family environment contributed to the issue. Yet no matter what may have happened in the past, your own actions and choices are what will determine how you feel about yourself. It's exhausting to skip over important details of your own life, to live with concealed truths, or to be running an agenda that you are embarrassed to talk about. Start with a commitment to be honest with yourself about how you feel and what you want. Then, no matter how challenging it may be, you will need to open your heart and open your mouth and speak honestly to others about your one reality. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You have some bold plans and, if such is possible, many assurances of success. But this week, keep your plans to yourself, and sidestep any controversies that may emerge. If you're in a leadership role, take it lightly, and make direct orders seem like you're asking for a personal favor. If you're dealing with those in a position of authority, be sure to gently press them for clarity about what they want and when they want it, and make sure those demands are realistic before you agree to them. Should any matters involving ethics come up, you're the guardrail in the equation; you are the one responsible for being your own conscience, and that of the people around you. Too often people go into child mode and do whatever they feel like, regardless of the consequences. That cannot be you; you must be the one pondering the effects of your actions, and any that you take part in. This will leave you plenty of room to have fun and be creative. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.