Chiron and Pluto: An Evolutionary Moment

Dear Friend and Reader:

Today's edition is a shorter one -- I've designated the last week of the month the "cool our jets" week, wherein we get to take a breath and work on a few projects that get lost in the gust of astrology and news. This week's horoscope was written by Genevieve Hathaway, who is roaming Egypt; I have done some light revisions. In a few moments I also have some information for you about this weekend's astrology, which features Chiron and Pluto.

Boitsens Restaurant in Kingston, looking at the Catskills. Photo (from the Red Goat benefit) by Eric Francis.

Earlier in the week we distributed the monthly horoscope. On Tuesday we will distribute the Inner Space horoscope online only. It will not be sent to your email account. We will post it to the subscriber area and send out a reminder by email, along with a product key update. We're doing this because we want you to get into the archives to see what is there -- one of the most amazing astrology libraries on the Internet, which is included with your subscription.

Speaking of, we're starting to make progress on our subscriber area that has individual passwords and many more features -- please be patient. Obviously these kinds of projects don't happen overnight, but we have foregone "outside contractors" who bid the project in line with the cost of an RV, and we are doing the job ourselves. We still have some programming and presentation puzzles to crack but we're on the way to opening up a beautiful new dimension of Planet Waves for our subscribers.

One other thing while I have your attention. Sunday evening we're going to send out a letter inviting you to invite your friends into Planet Waves, on us. We know that many of you forward our editions all over the world; that can be helpful, though we have a better idea, which is to get some of those folks onto the list proper and into the renewal cycle, so that we can keep improving the service you receive, building the Planet Waves daily publication and keep feeding the tree.

So -- look for that Sunday night. This is an offer limited in time but not in how many people you can send it to. The thing is, it has to come from you, to them, and then back to us -- a direct referral. The details will be in the letter from Chelsea that you receive Sunday evening.

Here are some details of this weekend's celestial events, beginning with a question: Can you imagine astrology without Pluto or Chiron? It wasn't long ago that many astrologers doubted the influence of these planets, and not much earlier that they were discovered (in 1930 and 1977, respectively). They are distinctly modern reminders of how we can think of a person: as having depth and an inner life; as being capable of growth and healing; as wanting more out of life than the superficial.

The Sun (in yellow, lower planet) aspects Chiron (orange key) and Pluto (red golf tee) for the next few days. Also shown is Neptune, the blue trident. This setup blends the qualities of these planets, with the Sun energizing and expressing the healing and growth-oriented energy of Chiron and Pluto. This is as gentle as a wake-up call gets.

For the next few days, the Sun aspects both Pluto and Chiron. While these two planets are often associated with enforced growth, they are now aligned with the Earth and Sun such that their influence is gentle, penetrating and effective. The Taurus Sun is moving into a trine with Pluto in Capricorn, opening up the flow of deep inspiration. And the Sun is sextile Chiron, a call to awakening that puts clarity and healing within reach.

Chiron and Pluto are now in a long sextile -- a 60-degree aspect that will help them integrate their qualities. What happens to one basically happens to the other, since for the next year or so, any faster-moving body that aspects one of them will aspect the other. They are similar agents in the psyche but work differently.

Pluto often acts as an unconscious influence: as something working deep beneath the surface of awareness. Then all at once it manifests as a turning point. Chiron usually strives to get our attention all the time, using a series of measures that gradually grow more intense, until it finally reaches through the waking dream. Both almost always point out areas where we are striving to grow, or where we need to invest the most energy into growth. Sometimes they indicate where we are already making the most progress.

Both have a way of accelerating progress, when present in any situation or chart. We can be sure, at least, that something meaningful is going on when either of these critters is in the equation -- and through the weekend, both will be in aspect to the Sun. This is an image of vitality with deep roots, with passion and intensity, striving to draw the vital force up from the core of our being, and to allow it to soak into any dry places. Many people experience resistance around Chiron and Pluto; the way this alignment is set up, that really should be at a minimum. At least it will be easier to let it go.

Though the word is used a bit too much and could use clarification, you could call this an evolutionary moment. There is an opening for those who want more out of life, who want greater depth and meaning, and who are willing to take the emotional and psychological risks to get there.

The turning point is illustrated other ways. Mars in Virgo is gradually gaining speed after its long retrograde, and is about to form a square to the lunar nodes. The nodes (currently in early Gemini and Sagittarius) are like a spiritual current that moves through our human constellation like the air in the jet stream -- with strong, solid determination.

Juno is in Sagittarius, conjunct the North Node, and it too is taking a square from Mars: This is a compelling invitation (or firm push) into getting clear about the role of relationship partners in our lives. It's a challenge to be alert and awake to the pitfalls of the relationship structures that we take for granted -- the rules, the expectations, the double standards and on some level the drive for balance.

Juno on the North Node describes a yearning and pull into marriage that exceeds a religious vow and takes on the sensation of something more appropriately described as a cult. Retrograde, though, there is a question as to the meaning and relevance of this desire. And Mars square both Juno and the nodes is asking: What do you really want, and how much of it can you get from a relationship as you think of it? What about your drive for independence and autonomy? What is the balancing point of these themes in your life?

Lovingly,





Friday, April 27, 2012. Weekly Horoscope #901 | Eric's Zodiac Sign Descriptions

Our new zodiac glyphs are by Neisha Hirsch.

Taurus Birthdays This Week: Points of Contact

If your birthday is anywhere in the vicinity, you have Chiron and Pluto working on your natal Sun, which is serving to awaken your passion and your sense of mission. You may feel like you're finally making actual contact with who you are and what you really want. Both of these planets can impart a sense of soul making itself known to you, of awaking, of the quest for healing your life. Whatever they touch, Chiron and Pluto go deep, and they get results. Even when aligned to your natal Sun by trine and sextile, they may not be easy -- because you'll have to go the challenge points, the hurt places and the leftover material from the past on the way to reaching down into your core -- but you will get there. Even in a longterm growth or healing process, there can be immediate results: the choices you make in the moment are more relevant to who you actually are. You can release the things that drain your energy and thus have more to do what you want, and share with whom you want. Mars is pushing you to make decisions not just about a relationship but about the whole way you think of relationships. The decisions you make now can set you free for the next wave of progress, as Saturn gradually makes its way toward your opposite sign Scorpio and you begin a new phase of getting real with yourself and with others. -- By Eric Francis

I've covered these topics in detail in the Taurus birthday reading, a truly inspirational, motivational (and juicy) session created using astrology, Tarot and my vivid imagination. You may treat yourself to that here.

Aries (March 20-April 19) -- Feeling good about who you are is the most important stepping stone to building your vision of a successful life. But how do you get there? I suggest you continue to work and rework a tangible concept, which you may have discovered just recently, that applies to how you experience self-esteem and the ways in which you honor the importance of valuing yourself. As you push into this area of your psyche, notice any resistance that comes up. Examine what you find in terms of your mother's attitude toward existence and her self-worth, and what she passed along to you. Her personal philosophy is the first one you learned as a small child, and the foundation from which yours grew. Acknowledge any of her ideas that do not fit with your own. You will be able penetrate a blind spot involving how your emotional body experiences the sensation of honoring your intrinsic value. In other words, upcoming aspects suggest you can actually feel how loved and beautiful you are. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Aries -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Having a healthy relationship with your community is vital to having a fulfilled existence. But how many people have that? Who even considers the issue? Your solar charts suggest that you've adjusted your behavior with the people around you to fit in with their expectations. This has brought you the illusion of stability because your group structures did not change like they would, had you asserted your creativity, passion or authentic self. Eventually illusions crack, and yours is doing so as you re-evaluate what is truly nurturing your highest needs. As your personal identity shifts in relation to your network, the community around you will change. I suggest you see this less as a disruption to your inner state of calm and more as a sign of progress toward a more authentic life. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Taurus -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Gaseous elements cannot be touched, felt or examined without special equipment. But if that gas is brought into solid form, you can hold the material in your hand. This is happening to a number of ideas that have been just beyond the reach of your awareness. Like the process of centrifuge, this material is getting stirred up so fast that the critical pieces of information are able to crystallize into solid form. What is taking shape are ideas surrounding your calling in life and others' roles in the development of that process. Your life is your own, though others are available to help you. For you, any discussion of an idea involves more than one concept or perspective; your mind works best by seeing things from multiple points of view at the same time. I suggest you work with this multiplicity of your highest goals and achievements and not see them as mutually exclusive. Not only can they co-exist in your life at the same time -- they support one another. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Gemini -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- As the week progresses, spend time out of the house meeting new people. You are in a period of forming new bonds and connections with individuals, groups and the environment that contains them all. I understand the world is filled with a lot of groups whose purposes range from meaningless to having ideals and values that do not support yours. Yet you only need to discover what will actually serve you, which is relatively little in contrast to the whole. And, there is another process in motion -- a subtle shift is bringing more individuals into contact with an idea you embody. You could say there's a tribe bonding together around unhindered acceptance of each other's true self as the thing of mutual value. Proceed from a place of seeing each new person you meet as a possibility for connecting with a larger group united by the idea of caring for one another. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Cancer -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- Before achievement is reached, a period of buildup occurs. Many times, work is done without necessarily fast advancement. That's not a popular idea in a society where people line up to buy lottery tickets, but it's a true fact. Real accomplishment is not instantaneous, but rather based on exponential growth. This type of progress appears to remain static for a while, though there is quiet multiplication going on behind the scenes. When the process reaches a threshold there is a burst of energy that moves events along quickly. Your projects, many which have appeared stalled, are approaching this point of acceleration. As the pace increases, maintain focus on the details. Harness the increased energy by applying it back to your work. Feed the tree, and remember your purpose. What you're doing is producing work that has a long-lasting quality. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Leo -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed). If you have more questions than answers, consider this. We will soon figure out that it's actually 2012. The recent retrogrades of Mars and Mercury seemed to create a delay, but really this winter and early spring has been a phase of gestation. Over the next four weeks, the energy starts to pick up pace dramatically, and we will discover where we are and that something unusual, and beautiful, is happening. Even as we approach the truly beautiful potential of the astrology that's developing, many people are struggling with their day-to-day lives. There are more questions than answers; the economic and political situations seem hopeless; the pace of existence is going so fast that there seems to be nowhere to get in a little meaning, or seek some peace of mind. Here is where astrology can help. Astrology looks at the longer cycles, and the deeper themes -- and can help you see your life in context of the present moment, no matter how chaotic it may be. Context means a sense of where you fit in that will help you see your potential and make better choices. For years, I've been helping my clients prepare for making the most of the astrology of the 2012 era. Based on this experience, and many years of study, I've prepared a set of readings for all 12 signs (and rising signs, and Moon signs) that guides you through this astrology, step by step. I cover the most challenging and energized developments of this spring, which includes eclipses, Venus retrograde, the Venus transit of the Sun, and then a few days after the Sun ingresses Cancer, the Uranus-Pluto square. I suggest you get this report in its current form, where you have access to all 12 signs. This way, you will be able to listen to your Sun, Moon and ascendant, and gain added depth. You can listen to your opposite sign and learn something about how this astrology will influence your relationships. Each sign gets a half-hour discussion. These came through loud and clear, with strength and meaning. I spent a week designing and recording them, and I am grateful to be able to offer them to you as a tool to help you guide your decisions, as you seek deeper meaning along your journey. Spring 2012 is a kind of checkpoint along the way to wherever you are going. But really it's a calling into the adventure of existence, a bold invitation to go beyond your past limits and explore something truly new about yourself. All 12 signs are now available for $19.95. Next week they will go on sale for $9.95 each with no discount for multiple signs. The report is getting rave reviews from people who are currently working with it, including these words from a customer named Donna: "OMG -- thank you thank you thank you -- just spent this morning listening to my [Spring Report] info, and am so blown away by the accuracy (and relief!) in this experience. Thanks so very much for your part in supporting this work and for showing up in the way that you do!". Here is the link to order. Individual signs will be available soon -- please drop us a note if you want to be notified of when, or if you have any other questions. Lovingly,
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- Your instinct when it comes to sudden change is to hang on even tighter to what you know as tried and true. That is not to say you're afraid of change, more you hold yourself to such high standards that you want to ensure a 'perfect' outcome -- and in your eyes that is done through controlling every aspect. Lately, your ability to find the tried and true methods of the past may feel compromised. This might feel like a sensation of being out on an edge with no map back to stable ground. Resist the urge to scramble around frantically for something to grab. What this experience is leading you into is the idea and the reality of flexibility. You're learning how to bend and how to move with the flow of events. Once you do this, you might notice a seeming paradox: how well adapting blends with your love for preparation. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Virgo -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- For an agreement to be mutually beneficial both sides entering into the exchange must give and receive. This doesn't have to be an equal exchange, but more of an equivalent one, based on what's possible for everyone involved. As long as everyone feels that the contributions are fair, then that is fair enough. You can think of jointly profitable contracts in terms of a word you know very well -- balance. Your special sensitivity to this aspect of life (not everyone has it) is one of your resources you have to offer to your current situations. With a short break in personal planet retrogrades, now is a good time to consider any contracts or agreements you've been delaying. You're in a unique position at the moment to see all angles of the issue, and help craft an agreement that benefits all parties. More importantly, you now possess all the knowledge you need to make a good decision. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Libra -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- A close partnership is currently offering you much in the way of stability and nourishment. The challenge for you is slipping into a state of receptivity. Ask any therapist and they will tell you just how many people struggle with receiving, because receiving implies being open. I suggest you think of this less in terms of being vulnerable and more as allowing someone to walk with you. This is a simple idea. Your emotions are a complex layered web that often seem too murky and interwoven for you to be able to separate and explain. Don't let this overwhelm you. Start small -- your partner or someone you care about is not looking to see the entire web of your emotional sphere at once. Begin with the uppermost level, the piece you understand most clearly. This will provide you with the confidence you need to relinquish a measure of control over the outcome. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Scorpio -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- Projects that have been on hold will move forward rapidly this week. The past few months may have felt like you were a horse at the starting gate of a race waiting for the gun to crack so you could burst forth. A kind of limbo settled in over your life surrounding your projects. What had the sensation of being stuck was in fact a building of energy, which is releasing in a series of stages. In terms of work and creative projects, proceed steadily and methodically. This will keep you from exerting energy in too many different directions. Energy spread out laterally is often wasted, yet energy focused like a laser can carve and craft and shape the world to your desires. This same formula will influence your personal life. Focus on the situations that you want the most, and that you think will be the most fulfilling -- not on the rest of it. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Sagittarius -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- With Pluto moving through your birth sign, you are in a prolonged period of deep introspection. At times it may come with the sensation of being pulled so far into yourself that the light from the outer world does not reach you. Yet the Sun's light is essential to feeling warm, strong and alive. Recently, you have started to make contact with that light, and have entered a period of revitalization. There will be a boost to your emotional resources, a chance to infuse your soul with the liquid light of Vitamin D. Take time this week to indulge in activities that make your highest sense of self feel alive and connected to the universe. Get out into the sunlight. Resist the urge to do more work (or housework). When you've fully charged your fuel cells, work will have an effortless feeling, and being introspective will be replaced by the sensation that you actually exist. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Capricorn -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You are currently working the fine edge of a question that has been drifting through your subconscious for some time. It's not necessarily that you're closer to having the answer -- but with a well-considered question you're most of the way there. The subject involves the nurturing you received as a child, and how this influenced everything you believe about yourself. Many people discount this transaction -- but it's one of the most potent in the universe. This material has been subtly crystallizing out of your subconscious, making the themes and issues easier to work with and consider. You'll know you're making headway processing this material when you run up against some tangible resistance. That's a metaphor for blocks that were imposed on you long ago; it's like you've reached the limit that was set on how you could define yourself. Once you get there, you'll know where the edge is -- and then you will figure out a way to cross the boundary. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Aquarius -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Like your symbol the fish, you are one with your environment. You absorb into your psychic system the people, places and environment around you, and you radiate an influence that has more of an effect than you think. This is both a gift and a challenge. On one hand, you receive much information from your environment and can utilize your surroundings to nourish your soul. Conversely, your environment can also drain you and overload your sensitive psychic body. Over the next few days, notice who and what is around you, and tune in to how they influence you. Be specific -- your home, your neighborhood, the people you interact with on a daily basis. Assess each in terms of how it nourishes your connection to your vital life force. Some do this better than others; some influences are depleting, and the time has come to be certain of the difference. You're approaching a truly unusual -- maybe one of a kind -- intersection along the path of your life, and this skill will help you make the best choices. -- by Genevieve Hathaway Hello Pisces -- Eric has written a new description for your sign that you have access to from this link (no password needed).