From the Bubbly to the Gritty

Dear Friend and Reader:

Monday's Libra Equinox chart contains two plot lines that converge at this crucial turning point of the year.

Since early January, we've been under the influence of Jupiter square Neptune. This unusual event — Jupiter in its native sign Sagittarius, and Neptune in its sign of modern rulership, Pisces — has been like living in a bubble. Jupiter square Neptune happens about every eight years, though it's the sign placements of the planets this particular time around that make it unusually nebulous.

	Analemma by Anthony Ayiomamitis, at the Temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth, Greece. Full caption here.

The Jupiter-Neptune square has that bubble-like feeling, of being in a separate reality where it's not easy to tell what is real from what is not; what is worth doing from what is worth letting go of; what is idealistic and what is truly helpful. You might not have even known you were there — that's one of those Neptune things.

This has, for sure, been a year of what Stephen Colbert famously called "truthiness," by which he means lies that sound good or that people tend to accept. Mirages have risen before our eyes; there have been ongoing dashed hopes (the Mueller investigation comes to mind).

Due to the retrograde of Jupiter, the third of three squares for this cycle was Saturday, Sept. 21, and the aspect is now separating (the first two were in January and June). So you might be feeling that the fog is finally lifting, and that it's easier to make decisions.

I strongly suggest re-thinking anything truly important that you were certain of any time in the past nine months or so. Apply your needs in the present and the future, rather than your beliefs about what things meant in the past. Note that what seemed like a good idea in January or at any point in the past few seasons may still be a good idea, but you will have to make that determination carefully and base it on the facts, the figures, and your awareness of what you want.

With the Jupiter-Neptune bubble having burst, we are now on the final approach to the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn [covered in the Thursday edition]. Saturn stationed direct last week on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and Pluto stations direct on Oct. 3. The conjunction (a one-time event with no retrogrades involved) occurs Jan. 12, 2020.

This sets the tone for a most important election year, and represents a big peak of the Pluto in Capricorn story (2008-2024).

The quality of Saturn conjunct Pluto in Capricorn is as close to the opposite of Jupiter square Neptune as you can get. Now we must move onto this tangible ground of reality and focus on whatever Saturn-Pluto represents. Bear in mind that such a potent conjunction means the ground is shifting. There are tectonic forces at work. Some important elements of our reality are readjusting, changing, quaking and, ultimately, settling into place.

This settling enters a new phase in March, when Saturn enters Aquarius for the first time in nearly three decades. So think of the period between now and March as a distinct segment of your personal history, where you get to address bottom-line questions involving the structure of your life, the karma (meaning issues) of your family, and your professional activities.

Saturn and Pluto do not mess around. This is a time for the currently least popular thing in the world, which is personal accountability. It's one of those things where you take it, or it takes you.

I'll have more to say with the October monthly horoscope and article, planned for this Thursday. This week I return to the Monday Morning weekly horoscope; thank you to Amy, Amanda and Victoria for covering for me the past couple of weeks.

With love,
Get Ready for Get Real

Tomorrow — Monday, Sept. 23 — the Sun enters Libra, heralding the equinox. It's the beginning of a new season (autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, spring in the Southern Hemisphere), and therefore a natural check-in point.

As such, the Libra equinox is arriving as a pointed contrast to much of the energy that has colored recent weeks — and, really, much of the past year. We've essentially been living the life of Jupiter in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces this entire time: those two gas giants made their first exact square on Jan. 13, the second was June 16, and the third and final exact contact was yesterday (Sept. 21).

	A student at the Portland, Maine, Climate Strike last Friday quoted teen climate activist Greta Thunberg. Photo by Amanda Painter.

In a year described by such slippery, expansive energy — all glowing intention and vibrant imagination — it's possible you've gotten a lot done to move toward a future you thought could only be a dream. It's equally possible you've been sidetracked and distracted by a fantasy that has tenuous basis in reality.

Perhaps those two ends of the spectrum have intersected or influenced each other, taking turns at being the primary mode of operation in your life over the last nine months or so. As in, however these planets have manifested for you personally, it's unlikely to have been entirely delusion or entirely enacted ideals.

Really, all that matters is that you've been learning about yourself and applying what you're learning, hopefully in a form that opens the way for further growth. Sometimes that occurs through unexpected successes lighting a new trajectory forward. Sometimes it arrives after disillusionment (and grieving 'what is not so') has a chance to clear space to see the truer current path.

Wherever you stand (and it could take some time to sort that out fully), bear in mind that Libra is a cardinal sign. Cardinal signs are all about initiative.

If you've been in some kind of a bubble, the Libra equinox looks like a reminder — and the impetus — to pop your own bubble yourself. If you think about it, that's almost always easier than having it popped by someone else. At the very least, taking this matter into your own hands means that you're stepping into the role of authority in your life; you're claiming some of the power you have, rather than giving it all to someone else or to circumstances that could feel overwhelming.

Why is this important? Because just as the Jupiter-Neptune square is beginning to wane, the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn is moving into position. That event is exact on Jan. 12, 2020 — though it, too, has been working gradually in the background this past year.

	At the Portland, Maine, Climate Strike; photo by Amanda Painter.

We have less than four months until that conjunction is exact; just a little more than the next whole season.

Capricorn is one of the more grounded signs. Saturn and Pluto are both about getting real: about what is not working and what needs to change; about who holds the power and authority in your life, and the consequences of that dynamic.

To put it in a more global way, we see Jupiter-Neptune in people freaking out about Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's questionable choice of makeup worn as a fictional character at a costume party as a young adult. Saturn-Pluto is reflected in the rampant effects of climate change, the corporate and governmental greed that has led to it, and our relative collective and individual failure to take the necessary action in response.

It's especially easy to get distracted when the distractions have some basis in Something That Matters. Sensitivity to racial injustice is important. So is figuring out how to focus our individual energy into tangible, meaningful action rather than letting it dissipate into every internet argument available to us.

We have some reckoning to do. The current sky and fast-approaching events (astrological and global) say that it's time.

As for tomorrow: in early Libra, the Sun meets up with an interesting cast of minor-planet characters: Bacchus, Hidalgo, and a galaxy called M87 in Libra; Quaoar in Capricorn; and waiting just inside Aries, Chiron and Salacia. One theme coming through this cluster is the idea of being some kind of 'maverick', or of setting yourself free in some way.

Being a maverick and setting yourself free are not easy for most people. It can feel dangerous to stand out, to stand up, to rock the boat, to step into a space of honesty unprotected by the bubble. It might feel sad. Bubbles can be beautiful — until that moment when you realize that it is, in fact, just a bubble.

All equinoxes and solstices represent a tipping point: either toward more daylight or less. Yet even though Monday's ingress of the Sun into Libra represents the solar balance tipping toward more night than daylight (in the Northern Hemisphere), there's no reason — and few excuses — to stay in the dark about yourself.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter In These Times — 2019 Autumn Reading It has called forth all of my knowledge, experience and wisdom to do this work. I have proceeded in the spirit of therapy, knowing that most people do not or will not go. That spirit first involves seeking refuge, becoming aware of your situation, ordering your priorities, and then making choices. But the single most important factor of therapy — and of old school spiritual mentorship — is not giving answers, but helping the client find them for themselves. What I have to offer you are 12 readings of approximately one hour each, which use astrology to address the matter: the one about how to orient yourself to make the most of the difficult and challenging times we are in.

All 12 signs are currently $111. I am keeping that price low to encourage having access to all of the work. Individual readings are $44 for the first and $22 for each additional. Daily Birthday Readings from Planet Waves

Here are the next week's Birthday Readings; if it's your birthday this week, many happy returns to you. Please note you can also read these entries as daily posts on our Intelligence website. Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019 (The Day of Restless Drive) There is a time for work, and a time for play. You can surely rely on your innate sense of responsibility to carry out what has to be done. The chances are you would benefit from erring on the side of pleasure, hobbies and social contact. Make a point of setting aside regular periods to relax and recharge. Spend lots of time with friends who get you laughing from your diaphragm upwards and, if you so desire, lovers who bring you delight in even more places than that.

— By Amy Elliott Monday, Sept. 23, 2019 (The Day of the Breakthrough) Think in terms of what you want to birth into the world. In a little over a year, a major new cycle focused on your personal creativity clicks into gear. This impacts you directly and, if approached with intention, can propel you far — in terms of both vocation and self-identity. Prepare the ground by tending to old business relative to aspects of your past or your home. All creations need a space within which to grow. That process inevitably creates an internal pressure that may register as anxiety or fears on a subliminal level. Fortunately, you seem to have just the kind of nurturing guidance that you need, and closer than you may realize. Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 (The Day of the Wanderer) Bold thought, backed up with action, invokes aid from forces mightier than oneself, to borrow from Goethe. Think big; your vision and sense of what's possible are lit with a fortunate ray. This is a year to explore new conceptual terrain, and capitalize on a new level of heightened mental acumen. Communications of all kinds are especially favored: writers take note. The more discipline you bring to bear, the more you'll take advantage of opportunities that open up. Reread that line twice. Allies in your community can play an especially helpful role in this process. Make a list of your fans and engage. Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019 (The Day of the Symbiotic Satirist) Some kind of re-appraisal of domestic situations, perhaps family history that weighs you down, may call for your attention this year. Whatever the specifics might be, keep sight of your own personal aspirations for the future. Old baggage may need to be unpacked and what you've outworn given away to Goodwill; free up the bandwidth necessary to actualize what matters most to you as an individual. Adjustments in relationships are often essential to personal growth. Strong friendships seem ready to step right up, so don't hesitate to reach out. One door may close while another opens wide. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019 (The Day of Patient Practice) Opportunities to bring healing to old relationship patterns is a signature theme this year. The more willing you are to recognize your role, the more you'll actualize this potential. Clues can be found in power dynamics, and any obsessive need you may feel to impress your point of view on others. It's not always easy to observe your thoughts, but doing so is a key to unlocking facets of past imprinting that you're ready to resolve. Your perception is particularly intense right now, and the more you turn that light inward, the freer you'll feel. Friday, Sept. 27, 2019 (The Day of the Ambiguous Hero) This is a year to clear the decks and wrap up old business related to your past, your family, or your base of operations. Future aspirations need an open floor-plan in which to unfold. There's a lot going on just beneath your conscious threshold that may register as a subtle feeling of pressure, or vague anxiety. You should find that the more you clear out and bring closure to pending situations, the less oppressed you'll feel. Old imprints around partnership history likely play a role in what calls for resolution. Your communication skills can serve you extremely well, and go a long way toward laying the groundwork for the new cycle that lies ahead. Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019 (The Day of the Heartbreakers) The New Moon on your birthday signals opportunities to initiate a significant new cycle in your quest to realize ambitions. This leg of your journey may require adjustments related to financial interests or partnership issues of some kind. Express yourself with as much conscious awareness as possible. You can further your interests or instigate unnecessary conflict, depending on your agenda. Creative expression can open important doors, yet to maximize that potential will require your focused discipline. Social engagements likewise should work in your favor, and certain relationships with those in your immediate network could move to a whole new level. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 (The Day of the Charged Reactor) You're well-positioned to tap your psychic reservoir, to activate the devotion necessary to further aspirations this year. You have direct access to both right and left brain intelligence, and the more you follow intuitive prompts, the easier you'll navigate your way. A strong, yet subtle blend of rational strategy and spiritual commitment is a key resource now. Faith and discipline are necessary in equal measure. When in doubt, center your compass on the true north found in what can only be described as your heart. Therein lies wisdom. Your efforts have momentum behind them.

— By Victoria Emory Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

Your extended monthly horoscope for September was published on Thursday, Aug. 29. We published your extended monthly horoscope for August on Thursday, July 25. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) — You need to frame your reality in terms of how hurt, offended, or uncomfortable you feel. Chiron in your sign will, at times, have a tendency to emphasize the most challenging elements of your awareness. Then you may be inclined to “identify with” them. The thing is, you would need to have something better, more interesting or more useful to identify with, as an alternative. Or, you would need to get bored or annoyed with emphasis on the negative. On one level this is a matter of emotional attachment. On another, it's a matter of framing. A close partner may have a better idea for how to understand your reality: a better, more humane frame in which to conceive of yourself. This may come through direct participation in the relationship, or you may be offered an example of a more compassionate way to think of your reality. It is time for an upgrade. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The way to evaluate everything is, first, based on its beauty and elegance. A sense of order and organization will serve you well. Mostly this will be visual, but ultimately how all your senses make you feel. Apply this to work, to physical environments and to people. Feng shui is about energy flow, and also about the organization and presentation of physical space. Notice this wherever you go, whatever you do, and in how you present yourself. This is about more than appearances. It is about more than the visual sense alone; I am talking about noticing your relationship to your environment, what it does to you, and what you do to it. The relationship is more dynamic (mutually influential) than you may recognize. You are emitting plenty of energy, thought and feeling, and you're ultra-sensitive to your surroundings. Tune in and useful information will come to you. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — The Sun joins Mercury and Venus in your 5th house — the one about pleasure, play and adventure. Most people use the potential of this house for entertainment and diversion. I suggest you do something more substantial and nourishing, and do something creative that challenges you. If your chart means anything, your whole being is calling out for a way to express beauty and ideas. This is the opposite of being a consumer. Rather, the thing you will thrive on is some experience of changing the world in some small way, by expressing yourself. You still might be in the mood for domestic maintenance — digging in and cleaning, and that would be good use of this energy, as long as the result is a more beautiful place. But at the moment, the full spectrum of earthly delights is summoning your attention. Choose what you want the very most. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You will feel more grounded, balanced and even-keeled when the Sun enters Libra on Monday. You will have many opportunities to tidy things up, resolve old business and tie up the loose ends. It will be much easier to make a decision that has been nagging at you for a few weeks. This is likely to be about setting yourself free of the small details and seeing (and feeling) the bigger scenario for what it is. The message of the planets, as I see it, is to think holistically. Consider your whole situation, the direction of your life, and what you want to create, and ask yourself what facilitates the creation of that environment. It's important to recognize that the world seems to be descending into deeper chaos by the day, though most of this is mental and emotional rather than physical and tangible. Your reality begins and ends with you. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If you have something to say, then say it. You've been thinking about it long enough. The open question is how you would express your thought or idea, and you have a lot of possibilities. If the matter is personal, then a one-on-one conversation is probably the most appropriate. Take a gentle approach, and one where you do one third of the speaking and two-thirds of the listening. If your statement is some a public or community comment or artistic expression, consider the best vehicle of expression. Think about how you want your message to be received. Consider the idea you are conveying but mostly, consider the way you want your recipient to feel when the message is delivered. Some feelings are best conveyed in paint and others in audio. Sometimes a photograph works, and sometimes video is better suited. Take up the role of the person receiving the message and test the different approaches. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You may feel like you have a lot of priorities to get in order, though that will be easier if you have a guiding principle. For example, if you want to have more free time, then you start by eliminating anything unnecessary from your schedule. If you want to have more money, you eliminate needless costs (of which there are many) and find ways to enhance your income. In both of these scenarios, there is a guiding principle around which you organize your decisions. Problems may arise when you have a conflict; for example, you want to do more and also have more free time. Notice when that is happening; you will be able to tell because you feel the strife within you. That's the time to step back a little and do some meta evaluation. You might go to the level of need rather than of desire. Part of evolving spiritually means being able to make a determination between the two. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here. Astrology Studio for Libra: Short Pre-sale!

It's not easy feeling safe these days; it's not easy feeling like you belong anywhere, though astrology has some ideas for you. You're invited to the pre-sale for the Libra reading, which will be ready Monday evening. Therefore, the $33 pre-sale price will last about 24 hours. This reading will cover your process of grounding yourself in the wild world of the Digital Age. You need some physical reality, and my reading of your chart will suggest where to look for it: primarily at home. I will have much to say about stabilizing your relationships in the chaos of the internet, getting some traction in your career, and most of all, how to frame your own reality.

Pre-order price is $33. Increases to $44 Monday night and $55 on Friday. Reading includes an hour-plus astrology session, a tarot session and a special astrology extra, Self and Society. Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — The Sun enters your sign Monday, at long last. This happens in a conjunction with the asteroid Bacchus (the Roman rendition of Dionysus). He is not just about grapes and wine; the deeper concept is liberation. So the question to ask in this season of your birthday is, what sets you free? Be mindful of the ways that relationships in particular do or do not liberate you. Do you find yourself entering a maze of confusion when you're with someone, or are you lifted out of the labyrinth? We live in a time when people wear their injuries on their sleeve, but often don't do anything about healing them. So one factor to evaluate is whether people are more attracted to their pain or to their healing process — and what your role is in either case. You might ask yourself the same question, in part based on what you see reflected back to you in your most intimate relationships. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may be figuring out that the only thing you actually have power over is your mind — and even that seems to have a life of its own. And if that is true, you would be well-served to become more familiar with that quality, which is in truth your inner life. The more you emphasize others and what they do, the less you will feel in control of your experience. The more you draw your awareness inward, the easier it will be for you to coexist with everyone — especially with yourself. To that end, you may use any friction that manifests in your social or intimate interaction as a guide to your inner life. This is a kind of mind experiment. What role do you see people playing? Who do the various actors and actresses in your life represent? If you were writing the script, what would you have them say? Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — This week brings the Libra equinox, which is a rather bold invitation for you to re-emerge as a social being. On a subtler level, something else is happening: Jupiter has completed its square to Neptune (which happens about once every eight years, and rarely with Jupiter in your sign). This will result in a gradual clearing of the air, a potential increase in your ability to think straight. The could you have been surrounded by is some form of delusion, illusion or confusion, and you may have spent considerable time wondering how you even got there. That question is still worth a good think-through, but significantly, where to go from here is the more important matter. However, that starts with recognizing exactly where you are and what you are doing. Many people allow themselves to be confused or deceived because it seemingly offers a pass from confronting actual existence: your potential, your problems, your life. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The planets in your sign are beginning to move in direct motion. Saturn has resumed forward progress; Pluto is soon to follow. Gradually, these planets will reach critical mass, culminating in their conjunction this coming Jan. 12. Said simply, the time has come to take action, in particular, to act on the decisions you made long ago. You have had time to work out your plans and to consider your options, and the bell is now ringing. Start with the most elementary practical matters first. Yes, there is deeper material; there are true matters of growth, and of making contact with the core layers of your being. Yet the practical choices you make will lead you out of where you do not belong, and to where you do belong. What counts as "spiritual" is not a separate matter. It is related to everyone and every experience. Soul is not a thing; it is not a destination. It is a process involving absolute honesty, and you are beholden to it whether you want to be or not. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — An inner shift is taking place; you may have noticed it. It might have felt like part of your brain squirmed into place; or perhaps you had a dream that symbolized some kind of release from bondage. Yet this is only the beginning; you have many more steps to take along this journey. You are working your way toward inner reconciliation, which might be said of the whole human race, though you are in a moment of special focus. The key to your freedom is refusing to accept that you are a victim of circumstances, particularly of your family. There's plenty else to be victimized by, which is advertised on television and the internet, and you don't want any part of it. That very thing is what got you and many of the people around you into the situation you are in. It may be that you are the first and perhaps only person in your immediate sphere who will be responding to this particular calling; you may face considerable pressure to accept your supposed lot in life. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You are beginning to see the light of day on a number of crucial issues that will in many ways shape your future. Yet you are the one doing the shaping, and before you make any decisions you cannot easily reverse, you must be as certain as you can that you're seeing matters as they are. And you must be equally confident that you know your own mind, and your own feelings. But more than that, you must know what you want. That is the thing to focus on. I don't mean this in some intermediate sense of the idea; I mean what you actually, ultimately, and sincerely want for yourself. You are in a rare moment of gaining awareness at the same time your horizons are opening up. Be aware that this may come with a measure of fear, which is (in our current environment) a “natural” response to experiencing your potential. Yet this is upon you, and the moment of decision is approaching. Meanwhile, it would be wise to bide your time and use it well. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

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