Thoughts Like Shooting Stars, Mysteries Like Home

Dear Friend and Reader:

Tomorrow (Monday) Mercury finally leaves Scorpio, where it's been since Oct. 3 thanks to last month's retrograde. It enters Sagittarius at 4:41 am EST (9:41:26 UTC). Mercury being the planet of the mind, this activates awareness of what else is happening in Sagittarius, and other activity that relates to it.

	Composite image of shooting stars taken near Munich, Germany, during the 2018 Perseid meteor shower, with the Milky Way. Photo by Luis Calçada (flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0).

Notably, the Sun is currently traversing the second half of this sign: the zone between the Great Attractor at 14+ Sagittarius (a deep-space phenomenon toward which our region of the universe is moving) and the Galactic Core at 27+ Sadge (the center of our Milky Way galaxy). These are both very large features of space, far enough away that we cannot see them directly.

It's no wonder the natal placement of Mercury in Sagittarius tends to describe focusing on what is far-off and/or broad in scope, sometimes to the detriment of the details.

Yet people with this Mercury are apt to be direct and sincere, even if sometimes a little thoughtless about what flies out of their mouths. Astrologer Isabel Hickey writes, "Their thoughts are like shooting stars" — perhaps one of her more poetic and inspiring descriptions.

After all, who has not made a wish on a shooting star, or felt the sighting of one to be some kind of 'good omen' or synchronous message from the cosmos, even if only as a child? Although shooting stars have no direct astronomical connection to the Great Attractor or the Galactic Core (at least, not that science has discovered yet), it's hard for me not to see some kind of resonance in these associations.

At this time of year, the Earth and the Sun are facing into the galaxy and into a larger galactic structure, focusing us on the Big Questions of Existence — both on a felt/intuited spiritual level, and on an intellectual level. The kinds of questions that probe who you are and why you're here; what you have to learn, and what you have to give; how the planet and the universe came to be; birth and death and truth and love and soul. You get the idea.

	Chart section showing (L to R): Mercury, Pallas, the Sun in Sadge; Pholus, Jupiter, South Node, Ceres, Venus, Saturn and Pluto in Cap.

Connecting a little differently to Sagittarius: that sign's ruler, Jupiter, is in early Capricorn. It is currently making a square to the centaur Chiron in Aries (and a conjunction to the centaur Pholus in Cap).

Jupiter square Chiron is provoking action. This is not the theoretical aspect of spirituality — it is the bold and experimental version. In other words, it's time to test your knowledge or your theory. Test your experience against what you learned in the past.

Many years ago, when I was struggling deeply with what I wanted to do for work (which was masking my need for a sense of purpose), an artist friend and fellow Taurus said to me, "You cannot think your way into knowing what you want to do. You just have to try things. If something doesn't work out, try something else." Jupiter square Chiron has that feel: getting experience rather than just thinking about something.

Moving a little deeper into Capricorn, Venus enters the Saturn-Pluto conjunction during the second half of the week. It makes its exact contact with Saturn on Wednesday (though you're probably beginning to feel it) and meets with Pluto on Friday.

On one level, this is an image of the ongoing Saturn-Pluto pressure showing up in your intimate relationships somehow. It may describe some intensity or seriousness. Venus-Saturn in particular could indicate an element of loss or perceived loss/loneliness. Yet there is also the potential for contact here — as in, a practical, grounded approach to relating. Or an awareness of how much you have learned and grown in your relationships.

Speaking of relationships: that most tangible of all interpersonal events — a Full Moon — peaks Wednesday night into Thursday. This is the Gemini Moon opposing the Sagittarius Sun. We'll have more about this later in the week (check the Written in the Planets daily dispatches). For now, note that the Sun and Moon will be aligning near the midpoint between the Great Attractor and the Galactic Core.

Who is mirroring the Great Mysteries of Existence back to you? And can you see yourself in them?

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter
-- with Eric Francis

P.S. Back when Eric worked for Jonathan Cainer in 2005, he wrote a two-part series called Sagittarius Secrets Revealed. You can read those essays here and here.
Respect is Underway. Recordings Will Include Transcripts!
Last Chance for Pre-order Pricing on 2020-2021 Readings

Dear Friend and Reader:

The Saturn-Pluto conjunction is upon us, just weeks away. While this event will happen two or three times in the lives of most people, this particular event is a moment of convergence and reckoning for the world and for us as individuals.

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	Steps of Stackers by Lanvi Nguyen.

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Transcripts of Recordings Are Included!

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With love,
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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, Dec. 8, 2019 (The Day of Abandon) Draw upon the wellspring of inspiration bubbling up from your psychic depths to help dispel confusion or uncertainty. You're on the verge of a conscious breakthrough, and clarity will emerge soon enough. Creative work of some kind looks promising in terms of your quest for greater financial security, just don't waste time chasing rainbows. Your open heart works best with open eyes. Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 (The Day of Flamboyance) Let your touchstone in the coming year be an enhanced ability to perceive yourself objectively. Work-related demands and building financial security will require sustained effort. Yet opportunities seized now can lead to substantial, long-lasting results. If commitments trigger resentment, or the balance of power in relationships impacts your self-esteem, analyze underlying issues. With awareness and focus, you can initiate effective and necessary communication about sensitive topics. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019 (The Day of Inner Fervor) The intrepid quest for truth is a core motivation for Sagittarians of any stripe. Truth and freedom are inseparable, yet to live in terms of those ideals requires hard-won self-awareness and self-acceptance. Your path this year calls for honestly addressing mounting tension in some area of your relationships or support systems. Fortunately, you're well equipped to tap your highest capacity for insight, objectivity and skillful communication. Take the reins on your busy mind and steer with intent. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 (The Day of Intensity) A breakthrough in key relationships will require piercing through remnants of self-deception, guilt trips or confusion. You've got what it takes to do just that, and can liberate a tremendous amount of your innate power in the process. A need to restructure partnerships, or your approach to self-worth and security, is another signature in your birthday chart. Recognize this as a rite of passage, rich in opportunity if you trust the process. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 (The Day of Body Language) Intimacy and values go hand in hand, and this year your dharma involves understanding more deeply what and who you choose to invest in, and why. A profound transformation is underway regarding self-worth, and how you approach material security. Let this ignite true awakenings with respect to your sense of identity and creative agency. Soul-level communication with those you trust, especially relations with whom you share resources, will be well worth any initial trepidation. Friday, Dec. 13, 2019 (The Day of Exacting Craft) You're ready to dive into deep emotional waters and unlock a few karmic mysteries in the process. Passion, obsession, the meaning of real intimacy, and core-level foundations for security are all on the exciting menu to explore this year. Tremendous creative potential lies in courageously examining instinctual drives and needs. Power dynamics in personal or financial partnerships have an underlying history. Uncover those roots to strengthen self-confidence forevermore. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 (The Day of the Selective Exhibitionist) Yours is a tribe of teachers. Wisdom and understanding are soul-level needs that must be satisfied. Inevitably, that leads into challenging territory, but teachers worth their salt seek truth wherever it lies. This year that involves confronting deep emotional imprints around your foundations for self-worth and security. Examine resentments or wounding patterns with the knowledge that you're on the precipice of a genuine breakthrough that can rock your world. Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 (The Day of Expansion) Your birthday chart indicates real opportunities to enhance financial stability through a combination of innovation and elbow grease. Now's the time to present ideas to higher-ups; just ensure you're focused and process-oriented in approach. The more willing you are to embrace unexpected changes on the job, perhaps involving travel or education, the readier you'll be to seize the day. Fortune favors the bold, so roll up your sleeves and go for it.

— By Victoria Emory Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscope for December on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Your extended monthly horoscope for November was published on Thursday, Oct. 24. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) — Keep in mind how ridiculously easy it is to wade into a conflict and choose a side implacably, however complex the matter in question actually is. Any subject under discussion can be reduced to soundbites, though generally doing so involves sacrificing much of its nuance and humanity. Resist such temptations firmly, and take extra care with your communications, as Thursday's Gemini Full Moon approaches. This is good practice for anyone, though for you in particular at this time it relates to your ongoing personal growth. Pay attention to the calling of your higher mind, and resolve to honor the truth no matter what it is. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Recently you've been asking some searching questions about your trajectory, which is somewhat due to the ongoing party in your 9th house. Relatively few people end up devoting their whole life to one specific purpose, so there's no need to feel anxious if you haven't yet heard a calling in a clear direction. For the time being, it may be most useful to do the work in front of you, and let this lead onward organically, while keeping your ears open for messages and signs. This is not guaranteed to bring fame and fortune, though it certainly answers a desire to be of service in the present, and is as valid a route to self-actualization as any other. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Monday, your ruler Mercury enters your opposite sign Sagittarius; then on Thursday there will be a Full Moon in your sign. Both of these events describe the more profound connections between you and loved ones. That is, how you see yourself as reflected in them, and how their movements and words around you, and yours around them, reveal the shape of your mind. None of this detracts from your sense of self, nor should it; what you perceive merely adds another dimension to what you already know. Recognize your own uniqueness, and that of each person in your life, and notice all the ways you enrich one another's world. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — There is no fast-track route to self-fulfillment. There is no hack, no single action that can be applied in order to bring you in alignment with the divine spark within you. Yet there are many paths from which you can choose. If any one factor unites them, I would suggest it is agape — that sacred, universal love that embraces all alike, and from which derives the Golden Rule. If you're uncertain where to invest your energies, invoke this love and let it inflame your soul; open your mind to the cosmos, and pay attention for any messages or synchronicities that emerge. This will surely produce some results. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Yours is a fixed sign, which means you sometimes need to watch for stubbornness or a tendency to get stuck in certain patterns. The approach to this week's Full Moon features themes of this nature. In particular, notice if you're experiencing reluctance to ask for the help you need, especially if you know your friends would come through. True, doing this means having to admit you're only human after all. Yet the only person passing judgment on this undeniable fact is you. Take your courage in both hands and speak up. The sooner you get past this point, the sooner you can move ahead at full speed, with the knowledge you are supported. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Remember that the past and its lessons are what brought you here to the present moment, just as what you do now will help forge the future. Even when recalling less pleasant times, how you dealt with circumstances then can inform your understanding of who you are today, just as the strength you've gained from past challenges supports you ongoing. Your memories are a piece of the puzzle of you, an essential component of the whole truth as well as a resource to draw on when necessary. From this can come a more complete acceptance of the person you were, as opposed to judging yourself with convenient hindsight. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Though there is still a decided emphasis on the area of your chart reflecting family, home and the past, the Full Moon this week will reconnect you with a desire to look forward and set certain aims. Your encounters with former challenges and emotions have resulted in a new strength, a sort of imperviousness to potential obstacles, and a most healthy determination to celebrate the good things in your life. Why not? Pleasure is no sin; it does not intrinsically harm others or oneself. Spending at least some time enjoying yourself will refresh you, and probably also embolden you to strive for your aspirations more decidedly. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your charts this week describe the multiple healing effects of intimacy and of allowing yourself to be vulnerable with someone you trust. Physical affection can work many positive changes to your body and mind, and you would certainly benefit from gathering the courage to reach out should you need it. One crucial key with any sort of intimate relationship is to walk the narrow path balancing love and independence. This especially means taking care not to lose yourself in another person's world, nor to absorb them into your own; yet it also requires a willingness to be open and share the light and warmth of your soul. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

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Everyday Secrets: Sagittarius Astrology Studio

Dear Friend and Reader:

I have now published your Sagittarius Astrology Studio. It covers Jupiter's conjunction to the Galactic Core, a review of Jupiter in Sagittarius and a preview of forthcoming Jupiter in Capricorn. I focus on the Saturn-Pluto conjunction and many other exciting facets of your astrology. My readings are easygoing and easy to follow, and address real-life matters of life, work and relationships.

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Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The forthcoming Gemini Full Moon describes you learning something significant about a loved one, and most likely about yourself also. Because close relationships tend naturally to involve at least some projection, we might erroneously assume we know how a partner will respond to a certain scenario. Recognizing this, when it happens, can be of significant help toward understanding who you are, because the projected reaction comes from somewhere within. Should you notice anything like this occurring during the week, use it as a sort of flashlight to help you see more clearly into the depths of your mind. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — If this week's astrology has one particular message for you, it's that you need some fun. Make sure you set aside a reasonable amount of time, preferably daily, for relaxing and enjoyable activities. Get out of doors in the fresh air, and meet up with friends when you can. There's a lot of pressure on Capricorn right now, as you are no doubt palpably aware. Yet also present in your sign are both the traditional benefics, Venus and Jupiter; they're helping you open a curtain in Saturn's dark hall, so that heat and daylight can flood the room. Let their visit sprinkle a little extra charm into your everyday existence. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — One of the most beautiful things about creative self-expression is its capacity to bring about emotional healing, in a way that's both organic and constructive. The approaching Full Moon in your 5th house of art and pleasure affords an opportunity for you to experience that blessing. This process requires you to be vulnerable, which usually feels somewhat risky, especially if your chosen work skirts the edge of what's considered acceptable, or challenges norms. A lot of good art does this in some way. Yet the payoff is like nothing else; you can craft an entirely new relationship to yourself, to your self-image and to your memories. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Thursday's Full Moon in your 4th house suggests that the facts you already know are more relevant than you might think. When it comes to answering a particularly puzzling question, your lived experience and previously established wisdom can supply what you need. Said another way, it's your perspective that's important here. Make sure you give it sufficient weight, and watch out for the appearance in your conversation of soundbites and talking points peddled by others. The truth is almost always more complex than a sweeping or simplistic idea can allow for. And it's the truth you're after, no matter how deep you need to dig. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

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