Quicksilver Gem: Mercury Conjunct the Sun

Dear Friend and Reader:

Tuesday morning, the Sun ingresses Gemini, with Mercury close behind. The Mercury-Sun conjunction forms a fraction of a degree into Gemini at 9:06 am EDT. There is an elegance in Mercury aligning with the Sun in the first degree of Mercury's own sign, and this gleams out of the chart.

Be aware that until then, the Sun is void of course, making its way through the last degree of Taurus. The Sun and Mercury will form a conjunction to Alcyone, the primary star of the Pleiades, which has different connotations in traditional and New Age astrology.

Alcyone a bit closer up, surrounded by other stars in the Pleiades. Image by Roberto Mura, NASA, ESA, AURA/Caltech and Palomar Observatory.

Today, most people take the Pleiades (the Seven Sisters, though really a cluster of hundreds of stars, somewhat local to our Sun) as a gateway to higher consciousness.

Alice Bailey writes in Esoteric Astrology, "The energies coming from Alcyone impregnated the substance of the universe with the quality of mind. As a consequence of this most ancient activity, the same force was present at the time of individualization in this solar system."

She continues, "For it is in this system, and primarily upon our planet, the Earth, that the major results of that early activity have made themselves felt."

What I read here is that she's saying Alcyone impregnated the physical stuff we are made of with consciousness, and that this is associated with the property of individualization -- and that is one of our primary tasks on Earth: to evolve into individuals. In that process, Bailey suggests that Alcyone is our guiding star.

Mars Moving Through the Grand Cross

While this is happening, Mars is moving through the grand cross, described in the most recent Thursday edition, and last week's Monday Morning edition.

Mars, the ruling planet of Aries, is one of the best-known astrological symbols of individuality. It's also seen as the planet of aggression. The philosopher Marshall McLuhan made the connection between the two: it is through asserting oneself, and the bump and grind of human interaction, that we find out who we are. The experience of conflict is essential to self-discovery. He says this works on the individual level, all the way out to the way that nations handle their affairs.

When people don't know who they are, they tend to become aggressive, which serves as a means of self-discovery.

Mars is the planet of both aggression and desire. I have a modification on this theory: healthy sexual desire can take the place of aggression. When people are sexually curious, that is another way of saying they want to feel and understand who they are, through the process of relating and interacting with others.

The Vulva on Mars -- the Valles Marineris. This image was created from over 100 images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. Image by the Viking Project, USGS and NASA.

At the moment, Mars is doing lots of interrelating. It recently formed an opposition to the Pholus-Quaoar conjunction in Capricorn. This is a tap into ancestral reality that will inform the rest of the transit, if anyone is listening. What we think of tradition -- in all of its many forms -- has deep roots that we can trace back through our grandparents and to the origins of humanity.

We're now in the second phase of the transit: Mars square Chiron and Salacia in Aries (the sexual healing aspect) and outer planet Logos in Libra: how one frames one's reality, particularly where relationships (Libra) are concerned. Logos represents the process, logical or otherwise, by which concepts are formed.

With Mars so active in the sky right now, I suggest we be aware that society has Mars issues at the moment. Mars is the planet of masculinity. When we remember that Mars represents both desire and aggression, we are a short hop from the concept of "toxic masculinity."

The thing is, Mars is not just about men. Everyone has Mars in their charts; everyone has whatever Mars represents. But what typically happens is that women project their Mars onto men, and men project their Venus onto women. Projection is a way of disowning something inside you, and seeing it outside itself.

And per Jungian psychoanalytic theory, what is usually projected is shadow: fear, guilt, shame, rage and related emotions.

Mars making squares is saying that the projection can be called back and the qualities of Mars taken personally as your property, not that of someone else.

I'll have more to say about this on Sunday's Planet Waves FM. This program includes an extended interview with a juror in a recent landmark case against Monsanto involving Roundup -- an edition not to be missed.

With love,
Call the Astrologer! Your Spring 2019 Reading by Eric Francis

Dear Friend and Reader:

When things get really, really interesting, who do you call?

When everything goes sideways and pear-shaped? When things get super intense? When you’re trying to figure out what to do? When you want to know what that really strange dream meant? When you want to do more with your life? When you see an opportunity you were not expecting?

You call the astrologer!

The 2019 Planet Waves Spring Reading will be ready by Monday night. This binge-worthy set of half-hour video readings covers all the Sun, Moon and rising signs using my friendly, easy-to-follow and actually relevant approach to astrology.

Read more... Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

Your extended monthly horoscope for May was published on Thursday, April 25. We published your extended monthly horoscope for April on Thursday, March 28. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) -- In order to confront a situation or problem that you want to resolve, you'll need to relax a little and not be so judgmental of yourself. The expectations you place on yourself get in your way, particularly a kind of perfectionism that has no meaningful way to express itself in the world. Yet to "relax a little and not be so judgmental" may feel like a loss of some kind. That is true: the "loss" is giving up being emotionally aggressive with yourself. This is a choice, and then it's a choice you make over and over again until it's habitual and the natural way to proceed. Steer clear of anyone you consider judgmental, because they can have a way of taking on the role that you might ordinarily have for yourself, which will be a distraction. Remember at all times that you're entitled to feel how you feel. That also includes if you don't like how you feel, in which case you can take steps to shift your inner environment. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Investigating a financial matter will take you someplace you were not expecting, into a new region of self-understanding. The topic may start with money, though you can follow the trail toward a spiritual matter that has been trying to get your attention for some time. By spiritual, I mean relating to the essence of your existence. You have, at the moment, the power to scrape away the beliefs about yourself that others imposed on you. This is part of a long process, though your tools are especially sharp and useful now. It's not merely that many of those notions were untrue. Some were intentionally so, and it is the intent that you are after, because this will help you connect with and motivate the quality about yourself that you were being steered away from. Uranus in your sign is jolting you to experience yourself in new ways, and make fresh observations based on those experiences. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Everything will be clearer when the Sun enters your sign on Tuesday, though you don't want to take that clarity too far. The answers you're seeking may not be based on the real questions you need to be asking, and in that case, clarity can be a false friend. Therefore, if you find yourself in the state of mind where you think you understand exactly what is going on, pause, and see if you can suspend that thought. The other side of false clarity is sincere curiosity. People who are "absolutely clear" about reality tend not to be so curious; it would challenge their foregone conclusions. The kind of curiosity that would benefit you most would be about yourself. Here is a quote from a gem called The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are: "Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way." Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Mars in your birth sign is providing you with encouragement, motivation and energy. You may feel like you can take on the world, though for the next week or so this is something you'll want to do gently and thoughtfully. Mars is provocative, compelling and difficult to control. With Mars in your sign, just your presence will have a way of pushing people, and getting them to notice qualities in themselves that they may not like. Mars is currently involved in a complex aspect pattern that is connecting your presence to every important facet of your life: your household and family; partnerships of all kinds; and your professional aspirations and reputation. This is a good time to maintain inner awareness, which will help you be more sensitive to the internal conditions of others. People close to you are going through deep transformations, and more is influencing them than you may imagine. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- Now is the time to keep no secrets from yourself, and at the same time to share relatively little with others. There are many things you're seeing, feeling and experiencing that would make for interesting discussion at parties, or social media posts, or emails to friends, though I suggest you maintain a policy of containment -- particularly about creative ideas you have. You have much more brewing inside you than you may imagine, and you have not even made contact with a small fraction of it. The less you say to others, the more you will be able to keep your focus on what you need to do, and want dearly to do. The place you may want to open up is where you sense that someone you meet is a person of genuine depth; someone who seeks self-understanding. However, do what you can to let them do most of the talking. Open up mainly by listening. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- The image in your chart is that if you let go a little, and relax into your feelings, you'll burst into flames that will never go out. What if that's true? What if submitting to your reality will start you on a journey you've never been on? Well, you may be feeling some inhibition at the same time: like there is some authority figure poised to unload on you if you're too sincere, curious or creative. However, your astrology is rife with mixed feelings and crossed signals. Rather than trying to sort those out, listen as an observer, and then speak to yourself in a calm and supportive voice. Remember the child you once were, and how you felt about life, and all the things you wanted to do, but somehow could not. You are tapped into a deep source of energy, and energy must go somewhere. As always, the question is, will you direct it in a constructive or destructive way? Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- You may have the notion that you must give up one of your most cherished goals, though you are really in a transformation process. Current aspects are driving you to rethink and update all of your priorities, intentions and aspirations. This is something you must do from time to time, and now is an excellent opportunity given how many elements of your life have changed during the past year. What I suggest you be careful of is letting other people set your goals for you. It could easily happen, on a sly or subtle level. Therefore, make sure that when you feel like you want to accomplish something, it's really you that's doing the wanting. Not, for example, a partner, or the lingering residue of a parent, or the seeming conditions of society. Think this through carefully. Look for evidence of what you truly want, including a track record of having reached for something several times in the past and still wanting to do so today. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- Pay attention to the ways in which your beliefs are driven by emotional reactions such as anger or resentment. Emotions place a dense filter over what you perceive as real, as valid, or as existing at all. And they are famous for being sticky; that is, prone to attachment. This colors your perception of the past, of the current moment and, based on the movement of Mars in your chart, your vision for your own life. The more intensely you're driven by your emotions rather than an objective assessment of what is true, the more you will seem to collide with various factors in your environment: the will of other people, circumstances at work, and how you feel physically and psychologically, among them. For a clue, listen to the words you use. Pay attention to what feelings make you inclined to speak, and more significantly, notice what you don't talk about. As you listen, notice whether it's the past that is speaking through you. Then, see if you can find the present. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- You're poised to make a discovery about a close partner, which may have you feeling exuberant. Then it's likely that your doubts will take over. Try not to let this happen, or at least, notice from the sidelines if it does. Your doubts are not reality; they are a level of thought or perception. You don't need to call witnesses to prove your case. Your experience is the best teacher that you have, by which I mean your ongoing, unfolding observations about your reality rather than what you know from the past. This almost always presents a special challenge, which will compel you to pay attention: in particular, to what is said to you, and how it comports with what you think someone means. When in doubt about a person's meaning, ask them to explain themselves, and then give them what is called the benefit of the doubt. Then, observe the relationship between their words and their actions, as carefully as you observe your own. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- Much of the dense astrology of our times is originating in the sign Capricorn, and you may be particularly susceptible to it. For this reason, I suggest you find ways to vent your energy that are positive and that do not involve dwelling on yourself or your personal situation. You have many options open and available for creative expression and having fun -- and express is the thing that you want to do. Look for friendly, interesting ways to direct your feelings, which allow you to stay connected to yourself (writing rather than bungee jumping; painting rather than watching a football game). Make sure that your hands and your heart are involved: that you're shaping or touching a physical substance, and that you care about what you're doing. Do your best to avoid lowering yourself to the level of certain conflicts that seem to be finding their way to you. You have better things to do. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You may be living with a near-constant feeling of something irritating you: something you cannot give a name to, or put your finger on, but it's there. It may surface in the form of anxiety, restlessness, or what you think of late at night. Your astrology describes the pressure as coming from activity in your neighboring sign Capricorn. Those familiar with astrology know this is a 12th house effect: something lingering or lurking in a psychological blind spot. In fact, you are going through an important series of inner shifts in preparation for rebirth into a new phase of your reality. You cannot rush this process; it's necessary to take it one day at a time, for real. Remember this when you're about to write a future commitment into your day planner or enter it into your device. Leave yourself as much room as possible to experience today's challenges, goals and feelings today, and be open to what comes tomorrow. You don't need to predict that. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- This is one of the most exciting, challenging times in many seasons. Despite whatever obstacles you may seem to face, you have the creativity, the talent and the commitment to use them to your advantage. This must be a conscious choice, however. There are potential distractions in the environment: for example, engaging in any form of public debate. That will take you off of the path of your inner journey. Beware of any potential siphon of your energy, drain on your time, or source of needless conflict -- particularly if it involves who you are or what you do. Focus your energy inside your home. The Sun is about to enter the most personal, inwardly focused angle of your chart, and an unusual conjunction to Mercury on the first day of the Sun's new sign is saying that beautiful things are possible. If you have not done your spring cleaning, it's time to wash the curtains and wipe down all the window sills. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

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