What is real and what is not?

Dear Friend and Reader:

That is the question of Mars conjunct Neptune, exact Saturday in Pisces and developing now.

On its way to an extended five-month stay in Aries (June 27-Jan. 6), Mars is passing by Neptune in late Pisces. While the conjunction is exact June 13 at 10:13 am, Neptune has a wide orb of influence, and Mars has been on its radar for a while. Pisces makes a particularly sensitive conducting medium for the aspect. We have been feeling Mars many ways the past few weeks: as protests; as police aggression; as restlessness after the shutdown/lockdown/quarantine.

Neptune represents the imagination, whether sublime or delusional. Sublime would seem to be in short supply these days, so we're getting an abundance of something else, which I think calls for reflection.

Pisces has a boundless quality and Neptune is not interested in boundaries. The job of Mars is to assert itself, differently for everyone. The question is, what distinguishes how it expresses under any circumstance? Some combination of conscious use of will, unidentified motives, and environmental conditions. The Environment Drives Circumstance

Given the supremacy of Pisces and Neptune in this aspect pattern, a seemingly passive environment is more likely to be a driver of circumstance. This calls for mindful use of the will, and makes awareness of motives particularly necessary as we pass through this configuration.

Mars is the traditional ruling planet of Scorpio, and Neptune is the modern planet of Pisces. This scenario is playing out with a few twists in Capricorn. There, Jupiter (the traditional ruler of Pisces) and Pluto (the modern planet of Scorpio) are also in a conjunction. This is actually a triple, lasting most of the year. It's played out since April 4, the first alignment; the next is on June 30; and the last is Nov. 12. So we get another form of Scorpio-Pisces blend, taking place in the sign Capricorn. This series of conjunctions is serving as a bridge.

Contrasted with current events in Pisces, Jupiter-Pluto "the exact same thing in a totally different way." Keep an eye on this witty parallel. We are most likely to notice the political realm of Capricorn and see the big drama that planets like Jupiter and Pluto put on (as it will be broadcast live). By contrast, events of Mars-Pisces are likely to be invisible and internalized.

Pisces developments are in the background; Capricorn developments are in the foreground. Both demand attention and appropriate response. The question is, which of the events we seem to be witnessing -- mostly through a device -- are real, meaning presented and perceived honestly?

One quality of deception worth observing is how often many people forget it happens: there was a reason for writing the line, "won't get fooled again," and why the song is so popular. It tends to happen over and over.

This emerges from a need to believe, which is the kissing cousin of denial. That's what we would be well served to suss out with Mars-Neptune-Pisces: what is that need and how does it manifest? Subverting Belief, as it May Be Meaningless

The antithesis to this scenario would be to subvert belief itself. Set aside the concept and replace it with something like "confidence level in your knowledge." We are rarely 100% certain of anything, though there are thresholds.

Current events call for more than a cursory or emotional acceptance of a viewpoint, whether it's based on what you thought was true as a kid, what your peers are supposedly allowing you to believe, or the party line. Generally there is colossal drama around perceived belief. Belief is popular because it's lazy, but it usually comes at the price of being wrong. It is the original exploding tire.

Yet its existence has the property of being difficult to discern, which can emerge from living in a mild stupor or not wanting to commit to what you know. That commitment leads to the spiritual notion that "action is the fruit of knowledge," and the therapy-savvy "use what you know." Like, put it to work full time.

Necessity would drive these quests nicely, and curiosity would be a big help. One little problem we face both as a society and as individuals includes the ability to reality check. There is at the moment seemingly no way to pin down the four corners of what is so; what is valid; what makes sense. You need reference points, and you probably already have them.

They must be inside yourself, though remaining in contact with a few older, wiser people and lending an ear to at least one kid would serve you. There are people who can see through the fog. You will recognize them because they're paying attention, and are not scared. The Interval of Decision

We now live in the interval of deciding what kind of society, and what kind of world, we want to live in. We now live within the delicate, transitory and formative moment between two major conjunctions: Saturn-Pluto on Jan. 12; and Jupiter-Saturn on Dec. 21. All the events between them (such as the ones described above) serve as a bridge between these two landmarks. We are on that bridge right now.

In terms of getting what you need: it will probably work better to be available than to be assertive. Available has a certain brilliant power when embraced on a conscious level. Know when you are, and when you are not. You may say either out loud; that will give both yourself and others a reference point.

Clue: availability involves active curiosity.

With love,

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New on Planet Waves FM: The Nature of the Beast

Dear Friend and Listener:

The new Planet Waves FM is ready. It usually is at 11 pm or so Saturday night, whether or not I sent a letter. We post first to the program's tab on the new Planet Waves website.

This week's theme is The Nature of the Beast: for example, how it is that police are beating on people who are protesting against police brutality, as if to prove their point for them. That is the point of the protest.

	Eric Francis, in the Planet Waves FM spot.

For this discussion, I am grateful to my American Studies professor and mentor at SUNY Buffalo, Mike Frisch.

On the topic of whether we can trust what passes for science, I have a lot to say about toxins. I tell the story of how dioxin was miraculously detoxified by CDC and the press in the early 1990s.

I refer to several articles, including one by me called Dioxin Critic Sued, as well as See No Evil by Vicki Monks (the impeccable, masterfully written investigative report on the extended New York Times fraud on Dioxin), and my Thursday article called They Were Barefoot in Babylon.

Speaking of science, here's the study saying you should wear a "mask" (cover your face) and not kiss while having sex, even with your live-in partner or spouse from The Annals of Internal Medicine. Next, you will be warned not to share the spoon when eating ice cream.

Many more resources can be found on Covid19 News published by Chiron Return/Planet Waves FM.

Planet Waves FM is published by our nonprofit arm, Chiron Return. The program is sustained entirely by listener contributions. We run on a lot of love and a little money. Small contributions go a long way. Monthly contributions go further. We were recently given a grant by a longtime listener who has a family charitable trust, and two others who have paid for a reporting initiative on a food safety issue.

If you are a benefactor, philanthropist or potential major donor and want to support our forthcoming class on internet literacy, including Investigative Reporting from the Kitchen Table, please get in contact.

Thank you for your involvement and your trust.

With love,

"I just bought the Dharma Spring reading...Just Wow. My Cancer Sun and Rising reading is absolutely epic! This advice is priceless direction-finding, which I absolutely need right now. Thank you."

-- Helen B.

The DHARMA in Action — Free Video Samples Below Repositioning yourself in the next economy.
Doing what is right for you. Tapping your talent.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Whoever you are or whatever you may do, the reshuffling and reset of the economy will affect everyone to some degree. Anyone who plans on surviving and thriving will need to reinvent themselves. Though it's now being compelled of us, this is an excellent opportunity to do what you want to do.

Times of turmoil and change present opportunity. The structure has been crushed, and we know the big players are positioning themselves to make billions. Yet everyone who participates actively has the chance to find their niche. This is the time to make your choices based on your Dharma: your true calling, and acting as if to hold the world together.

	Shirt is Vashon-Maury Green Party. Pendant is by Gail Murphy on Vashon Island, which arrived today.

Much of my work as an astrologer has been as a business and professional consultant.

It is my number one favorite kind of session to do: to help a musician plan their next creative phase; to help someone redesign their career; to work with an artist figuring out where their talents can best be connected to a clientele.

I've worked with many, many doctors and healers (I have a lot of Chiron in my chart), commodities traders, fine artists, attorneys, someone high up in bank security technology, a top-shelf country music star and people in every odd walk of life. I have learned many things from each of them.

This is my mission in The DHARMA, the 2020 spring reading.

Following the sign change of Saturn, Venus retrograde, Mars retrograde and finally the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — all events describing a rearrangement of everyone and everything — I have sketched out the possibilities in detail. I suggest where to look for your talents, your energy and your marketplace.

I guide you to be the connection between someone who has something to offer and a need in society. I take a positive, motivating, passionate approach to each reading.

You may wonder how I can do this in video readings. It's a talent I've developed over many years, combined with my innate ability to see patterns and recognize solutions. My clients and customers know I put all of my intelligence and talent into everything I do. These readings are $111 for the set of 12 signs and rising signs. The way astrology works, one little idea is all you need to get you started, and I do a lot better than that.

People pay me five times that amount for a single 75-minute consultation (most people come in for two initially). I am one of the most expensive astrological consultants in the business, because I get results.

To my astrology talent I bring decades of experience as a journalist covering business, environmental issues and many other specialized fields.

The DHARMA readings will help you orient yourself. I will help you see your personal gifts and your opportunities, and put the two together. I consider your time much more valuable than your money, and use both efficiently and creatively.

The samples below are the first five minutes of each sign and rising sign. The readings go 40 to 45 minutes, and I tend to warm up and get cooking a little ways in, once I catch the groove of the chart.

The world needs your help right now. You have an opportunity to find the right thing to do. Take a positive approach to your situation, and follow your Dharma.

All 12 signs are available here for $111. There is something in each sign for everyone, and you may share the readings with your household.

Individual signs are available here starting at $44 for the first sign.

Thank you for your business, and for trusting me as your astrologer.

With love,

PS — This reading is included in the Backstage Pass. You may sign up for one year or on a quarterly recurring basis. Here are free five-minute reading samples of THE DHARMA:

Aries		Taurus		Gemini	Cancer		Leo		Virgo
Libra		Scorpio		Sagittarius	Capricorn		Aquarius		Pisces

Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

Your extended monthly horoscope for June was published on Thursday, May 21. We published your extended monthly horoscope for May on Saturday, April 25. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) — To be the 'master of your destiny', so much as is possible on the physical plane, calls for having a handle on your spiritual life. That's the bit where you consider your relationship to existence, and seek to understand your fears, and learn where you stand with yourself. It's easy to sidestep this. It's easy to Netflix and chill your way through life. The initial steps require the most adaptation, because old ways do not like to be challenged, nor do the inner identities that sustain them. Sometimes, though, there is a bold sense of adventure. Other times you might embark on something and not be sure what that is. Any of those would serve you, though you must make the connections -- feeling the pull or the opening and allowing yourself to experience that. For a little while, you have access to knowledge that is beyond your direct experience. Listen carefully for that, and notice when you hear it.



The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis

Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here.

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Taurus (April 19-May 20) — What are the bonds that link you to another person? They seem to be shifting; are you observing that fact? It's not that the relationship is 'ending', but rather that its deeper basis, its foundation, is calling for recognition. It will be possible to live under the old terms for a while, though for the relationship to persist, you must grow in ways that you may find daunting, incomprehensible or impossible at the moment. When you have that feeling, consider that you're standing on the wave front of your next reality. You may or may not like this. You might try to compensate by holding onto some values or ideas you have long espoused. If you're doing that, do it consciously, because Venus retrograde is an opportunity to reassess your ideals. Even if you have no special interest in that, it's going to happen; you know that your spirit is moving you, and you must begin to question what you thought of as reality.

You can now get instant access to your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $44. This reading focuses on a professional breakthrough toward the end of the year, and preparing you for this development. Venus retrograde in the spring is preparation. Mars retrograde in the autumn is preparation.

Ultimately this is a spiritual development, yet in reality we are talking about aligning your purpose with action, with a calling, and with an opportunity. Elements of the reading go out to a series of power steps in 2021. Read more.

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Gemini (May 20-June 21) — How is your listening process going? The one about listening to yourself, or reading what you've written? [Please see Gemini in Monday Morning 231.] This is not the kind of thing you do for a moment and move on. It's a skill you're being called upon to develop, so that you have it available when you need it. You can think of this as coming home to yourself, which may require making the discovery that you had, at some point, gone away. You have a tendency to dismiss the body-oriented level of knowledge and understanding, in favor of what 'makes sense' to you. What happens then is you miss out on the opportunity to be with your contradictions long enough to work them out. Notice when you're doing this: when you try to explain something, make it simple, or resolve the tension by taking sides. True maturity comes from being able to live in peace with uncertainty and in the face of the unknown, if only for a while.

Your 2020-21 Gemini Astrology Studio, The Sacred Space of Self, is now available for instant access. The reading covers Venus retrograde in your sign, Vesta in your sign, Saturn in Aquarius, and the momentous astrology at the end of the year.Thank you for your business and your trust.

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Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Last week, I reminded you: for healing to be real, the problem most certainly must have the element of opportunity, otherwise, what is the use? This is the 'other way of seeing things' that is so essential to any progress. Evolution of thought means seeing yourself and your situation from a new angle, particularly one where you notice you have the power to make decisions. That is the moment where and when you engage your true being: the place you see and acknowledge that you can call the shots. As you study this, you're likely to notice how it embraces everything about you, right down to choosing who you are, and choosing to accept who you are. This would be simple, save for all the layers of guilt and denial that are piled on nearly everyone as a child -- particularly an insidious form of self-denial that results in losing contact with one's core being. Restoring your strength comes back to being fully present for your power to decide, and seeing your options.

You may now pre-order your 2020-21 Cancer Astrology Studio for just $33.

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Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Curiosity is your best friend. It's your permission to exist, to search and to feel. Curiosity is your permission to create, just so you can see what happens next. It is a bypass through or around clutter that would serve no purpose but to distract you from taking action. Usually, that clutter is put in place to make people less curious, and thus more manageable, predictable and subject to external control. To engage your motivation and self-authority, therefore, you would be taking the most tangible step beyond external control. Are you ready for that? And how do you know? This would seem to be one of the deepest personal issues, connected to and multiplied into many of the problems we see in society, where so many people, as a mass movement, are united and emboldened by the need to not think for themselves. Then they wonder how certain political 'leaders' manifest, and parental figures, priests and other cops. Could all of this be obviated by allowing yourself to feel sincere curiosity, and acting upon it? Are you curious about that?

Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It's easy to tell who is honest, if you're really interested. If you don't care, it's nearly impossible, because the concept of honesty won't exist. If you fall prey to someone's lack of integrity, it will merely seem like circumstances outside your control led to it. Once you make a choice to be discerning, life may seem a shade more dangerous, because you're acknowledging potential problems that are related to your choice to trust or not trust -- which is an important decision in any relationship. Then, there is what to do if you are not certain. However, this would seem to call for a basic protocol, such as paying attention, and gaining some experience in small ways that don't involve too much vulnerability. That would include listening. People will tell you who they are without much prodding. They will also show you who they are, with all of their actions. The only question is whether you care enough to notice. That is the same question as: how much do you care about yourself?.

Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Make sure you need to do everything you're doing. That will require you to slow down and evaluate whatever you do. This means acknowledging what it is from a purely factual standpoint: I am painting the foyer lime green; I am planting rhubarbs in my garden before the New Moon; I am polishing my headlights. And it means noticing where that action fits into the sequence of events, motivated by something, and headed toward something. I am recommending these very basic kinds of orientation exercises due to a Mars-Neptune conjunction that is brewing, building, and will be exact on Saturday, June 13. This has the feeling of spiritual vertigo, including complicating your sense of the passage of time. To sort out what is real from what is not, it will help to have reference points, which include the calendar, and extend into the kind of rudimentary awareness exercises I suggested. Take care of your health by taking care of your wellbeing. For you they are closely related. Focus on feeling good, rather than feeling safe.

Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your chart has the feeling of melting, as in you melting. This could be a pleasant experience of gently melting into warm water, or a meltdown that is the result of anger. You may find that these two states of mind are closer than you may think, and somehow mysteriously slip from one to another. Wherever you may be in consciousness, be there. Feel what you're feeling, and use that as a point of entry into yourself. The sensations you're experiencing are not the destination or result. Rather, they are openings into a deeper experience of yourself. Your way will be facilitated by not being so invested in your emotions, but rather taking some distance and acknowledging their existence. You may not get any easy answers about what is true and what is not. If you ride the waves and dare to breathe underwater, you may discover you're asking real questions that you're not in a rush to answer.

Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You're in a time where your potential is being revealed to you. Potential, is, of course, just that -- any growth or revelation comes from action. Sometimes it's one thing, like doing something you might not ordinarily have done, which places you in new territory. Sometimes, it's like learning a difficult or unfamiliar dance move, where you just have to keep doing it over and over to get it right. In fiction, there is a concept called 'suspending disbelief'. That's what gets you into the universe of the book or film; you forget it's not real for a while, and do not actively resist your perceptions. That, too, would be a helpful move, though how you get there is the question. You can look for an idea you want to work with. Notice if you have some odd attachment to "the way things are." How does any attachment work or not work for you? Be alert to what serves a negative purpose, such as, "I have this person in my life to interrupt me." Then, decide if you want that purpose.

Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may be noticing another wave of change you cannot control. That's the only meaningful kind. It's the experience that teaches you there's something more creative than control, which is to make up life as you go. Though this may seem either impossible or like it couldn't work all the time, in truth it's an approach and a skillset you develop and learn to use. Many have proposed that, mainly, it is attachment to the past that gets in the way of being in the present. However, the past cannot be dismissed. One place to start is to acknowledge you will always coexist with it, though that its meaning will change over time. It already has. You don't need to fear that if you look at the past, you will get lost in it again. You're bigger than it now; you're not there. You live in a parallel world. Think of your past as an aquarium you're looking into from the outside, and perhaps reconsider your response to anything you may see.

Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The paradox of approval is that it ultimately always comes down to you, for yourself. Others can do something useful, which is to set an example, thereby teaching you newer approaches than the ones previously modeled. Learn the specifics: tone of voice, choice of words. Be sensitive to what you like being said about you and what you don't appreciate, including the subtle shades. Pretty much all learning is by example, so choose the example you want. When you take someone as an intimate, you accept the way they treat you as the way you would treat yourself. This counts for whomever they may be, that is, in whatever supposed role, and however they may speak to you, or treat you. Let this be your guidance on filtering out who you don't want in your life and whom you do. You might say, as others do unto you, you do unto yourself.

Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

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Astrology Studio for Pisces | A New Reading by Eric Francis

This is a momentous time in collective history, and a turning point in your life. As the year develops, most of the movement — including Pisces' ruling planet Jupiter, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction — will be pointing into Aquarius, the most sensitive and innermost angle of your chart. I will also cover the retrogrades of Venus and Mars, and the forthcoming Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in your friendship sign Capricorn. Mostly, I will help you orient on your profound journey, and offer guidance how to harmonize with the world at this unusual time. Get instant access to this reading here.

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Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — I just happened upon this Pisces weekly horoscope from four years ago, in May. It seemed apropos of our moment. "If you feel like you're at a turning point, then keep turning. Your astrology reveals that you have more leverage than you think, though at times you may feel like you're mysteriously stuck. Actually, you're surpassing one limit after the next, though they may be subtle limits, many of them mental. As you do this, it's important to be aware of your significant gains. Pay less attention to the day-to-day ups and downs, and more attention to the longer scenario. Where were you at a year ago? What about two years? Make a list of every challenge and obstacle you've successfully navigated. Consider what you've built, made or created, and give yourself extra credit because it's so challenging to be enthusiastic about anything these days. Yet if you want to get your life onto the next level, it will help if you think of yourself -- not your life -- differently. Your life is not about what you do. It's about who you are, and what you do follows from that."

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