Mars, Claiming its Individuality from the Mass Dear Friend and Reader: A few years ago during some incident of racial hell popping, I wrote to my American Studies professor at SUNY Buffalo, Dr. Robert Knox Dentan, and asked him what he thought was going on. He wrote back and said that this is all easier to understand if you accept that the South won the Civil War.
Of course, the way we tell the story historically, the North won, the Union was preserved, the Confederacy surrendered, and slavery was abolished. When you look at the country as it is today, where squads of police have the power to execute unarmed people and then seize the evidence of what they have done, it's a little easier to grasp that the South won. When you remember that one in three black men will serve prison time, it's a bit clearer. When you remember that while in prison, a person is effectively a slave used for free labor, it's obvious. It's just a lot less obvious if you're not a target of the policy. This morning on Democracy Now!, Norm Stamper, the former Seattle police chief and a published historian of law enforcement, said that policing in the United States has its early origins in slave patrols. It has never grown out of that mentality. [See episode here.] On a similar note, a friend recently sent me a document from the Roger Williams University School of Law called "The Hidden History of the Second Amendment," which explains how the Second Amendment, the Bill of Rights article which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms, was a compromise with the South that made sure members of those slave patrols could carry guns.
Let's not forget that "separate but equal" was going on within the lifetimes of many people reading this article: that is, separate bathrooms, water fountains and restaurant areas for 'coloreds' and 'whites'. By the way -- Prof. Dentan would begin his introductory American Studies class by explaining that nobody is black or white; those are lies. We are all some shade of brown or pink. That we call one another black and white just adds to the confusion and polarity. It's a blatant deception. This whole crisis we are witnessing has its roots in slavery. There has never been a time when African Americans had parity with European Americans in the cultural or economic life of our nation. "Prior to the Civil War southern slavery was America's most profound and vexatious social problem," wrote Kenneth M. Stampp in The Peculiar Institution, a 1956 book on the history of slavery. "More than any other problem, slavery nagged at the public conscience; offering no easy solution."
It's so concerning that I've read that even the NRA has called for an inquiry into the recent shooting deaths of Alton Sterling, 37, in Baton Rouge, and of Philando Castile, 32, in Saint Paul. It's even understandable why someone could be so outraged he would take aim at the police, as Micah Johnson did last Thursday night, killing five officers and wounding seven. You and I don't approve of that; few people do. Yet nobody is at a loss for why it happened. Even so, the past is usually concealed from view. In contemporary times, we live next to a memory hole that makes even events of last month seem like a hazy recollection. Unless we consciously live with the effects of the past in the present, it may as well have never happened. We are now living with those effects, right in this moment. What is usually an invisible background, especially to the most modestly affluent Caucasian people, is now too obvious to ignore; too grievous not to grieve. Mars is Still Center Stage This is reflected in the astrology that we've been watching for months and which is now brightly lit. Today, Mars, the planet of individuality, desire and aggression, in direct motion in Scorpio made its exact 150-degree aspect (called a quincunx) to Uranus in Aries. This aspect has been in place for a while; it's now separating and Mars is moving on.
The quincunx is an interesting aspect, incidentally, one discarded by traditional astrology. It's often described as an aspect of adjustment, requiring give and take. More accurately, it functions as we expect an opposition would, which is to make the positions of seemingly opposing parties apparent. The 180-degree opposition aspect can be mired in projection. With an opposition you might confuse your issues with those of someone else. For this reason and others, an opposition can seem to disappear. Or it's just how you think things are and always were. The quincunx pulls focus. It describes the tension between two seemingly (but not really) opposing forces in a way that can be addressed tangibly. (By the way, I've been explaining this on video, and you can see one such discussion here.) I've been describing the Uranus-Eris conjunction of 2016 and 2017 as an electronically induced identity chaos. In summary, electronic media -- which took hold right at the last Uranus-Eris conjunction about 90 years go -- tend to turn people inside out, blowing apart the notion of an inner life. Their other effect is to tribalize people, that is, individual identity is given up for mass identity. On this note, I owe you a clarification. I've been describing the effect of electronic media as something that induces group consciousness. Previously I've differentiated between mass consciousness and group consciousness. It's a relevant distinction; mass consciousness, what we get from mass media, is more like the crowd at a football game. A group is a group of individuals who maintain their identity while in the group; that is the thing we need. Yet to get there, people must already be individuated -- that is, self-actualized -- and this is a process that seems to be running rapidly in reverse in our times.
This is similar to the mockery of the internet substituting for subtle forms of communication, such as empathy, intuition or what used to be called telepathy. The internet is merely a substitute for these natural human capacities, though rather than being warm and reassuring, it's often cold and frightening. No robot can replace the mind, and that's what much of the internet is trying to do -- or what we're trying to do with the 'net. When outer planet events are joined by inner planet events, a special condition is created. Outer planet events, such as Uranus-Eris, last a long time; often five or 10 years. When an inner planet joins the mix, a rare, special condition is created (or revealed), and that is what's happening now. Mars, an inner planet, is in Scorpio, where it has some extreme potency. For one thing, Mars is the classical ruling planet of Scorpio. Mars was traditionally considered a malefic planet (meaning, it usually had negative effects), though I read something interesting this week from Project Hindsight.
Mars in Scorpio is symbolic of claiming back individuality from Uranus-Eris in Aries. It's about discerning one's identity from the tribe, and taking possession of it. There are several ways to do this. As described by Scorpio, there is a process of transformation involved. The death aspect of Scorpio seems to be the most pronounced. This is manifesting as claiming identity through violence and confrontation. We might find some common ground in the fact that everyone is born and everyone dies. That admission would level things out a bit. Yet it is the denial of this basic fact of existence that seems to be provoking violence and hatred. Then there is the sex dimension of Scorpio (in classical astrology, Scorpio rules the genitals). Consciously exploring sex is a profound way to cultivate identity without resorting to death and violence.
Sex with a partner is the conscious choice of two people to shape one another's reality. Sex with oneself can be a truly introspective inner confrontation that gets results as well. Self-sex is a potent force for individuation, which is why it's so frequently forbidden. This is not a popular topic of conversation, and its message is as easily lost as the reality that we are all created through sex; and therefore, sex is the root of all creativity. When sex is used as a commodity or as a tool to gain power, we run into problems with it. When it's used creatively and lovingly, it's a much more regenerative experience. Never forget that we live in a time when murder is considered normal and natural, and sex is still sold as a moral abomination, or treated as taboo. This reminds me of the newly-adopted platform of one of our major political parties, wherein burning coal is clean, and 'dirty' pictures are a public health epidemic. But let's face it. Would you be more comfortable describing in detail how someone died, or what you did the last time you made love? All yours,  Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday and Thursday evening in Kingston, New York, by Planet Waves, Inc. Core community membership: $197/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Designer: Lizanne Webb. Finance: Victoria Pomante. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Astrology Fact Checker: Len Wallick. Copy Editor and Fact Checker: Jessica Keet. Eric's Assistant: Cortney Britton. Client Services: Amy Elliott. Media Consultant: Andrew Marshall McLuhan. Research, Writing and Editing: In addition to those listed above, Planet Waves is produced by a team consisting of Fe Bongolan, Kelly Janes, Amanda Moreno and Carol van Strum.
Portrait of a Leo: Your 2016-2017 Reading Dear Friend and Reader: Leo is the only sign of the zodiac ruled by a star. The Sun is at the center of our solar system, and that gives Leo special relevance to both astrology and to the world. Yours is the sign of leadership, and it's also the sign of service in the sense of the Sun holding all the other planets in orbit. Your life often feels that way, though now you have some help and some unusual options open to you.
It's not really accurate to describe this just as an astrology reading, though. Rather, I create a highly informed motivational presentation, using your astrology as a foundation. These cost less than Anthony Robbins workshops, though we are now using a new pricing structure. The first pre-order price of $19.97 will be valid until Friday, July 22. Then the price will go up to $29.97. We'll hold the price till the reading is released, at which time it will increase to $39.97. The idea here is to reward early purchase. It's worth every penny and much more. My customers have profound and beautiful reactions to this work. I am able to use my skill as an astrologer, as a consultant and as a presenter in a way that provides you not with answers but rather the tools to come up with your own answers. I will offer you information that helps you tune into your environment, see opportunities and resolve problems. In future letters I'll describe a bit of what that's about, though you know something about our high-energy moment from following Planet Waves. It's a pleasure to serve as your astrologer, and I'm looking forward to doing this work for you. Remember, order now to get your reading at half price. With love, PS -- Birthday readings are available for all the signs. They differ from the annual edition in that I am working with the astrology in the moment, while it's happening, rather than far in advance. Each birthday reading has its own theme and message. If you're born under one of the other signs, look for your reading here.  When the Whole World Feels Like a Scraped Knee By Amanda Painter What do you do when you have a cut or scrape? Do you ignore it or keep picking at the scab trying to form? When resources, knowledge, motivation -- or a value on healing -- are lacking, those can seem like the only two options. But there are others. Depending on how severe the wound is one might need stitches, or surgery to remove a foreign object; maybe a simple lancing to release the pus.
Perhaps you're the type to research the wound thoroughly and ask everyone you know what they would do. If you're a child (or feeling small and tender and in need of some TLC), a loved one might kiss the boo-boo -- and whether or not it heals the wound itself any faster, you feel a little better. It's hard to measure that effect, yet it's real. People in the US and elsewhere are in a lot of pain right now -- psychic, energetic, emotional pain -- and that could describe you. Specifically, the events of last week feel rather like someone has picked the scab off a giant wound we've been trying to ignore; one that has been festering to various degrees for decades or even centuries. And suddenly, none of our usual methods of dealing with it seem up to the task. Ignoring it sure as shit won't work; that's partly what let it get so bad. Cutting into it with more violence will not work, despite the seeming need to remove something from the situation. We can't just cover it over and leave it alone -- though a bandage made of empathy, a desire to understand, and the willingness to take responsibility for whatever part of it belongs to each of us might form a container in which healing can begin. Ancient wisdom -- whether in the form of energy work or the most heart-centered religious and cultural teachings ("Love thy neighbor" comes to mind) -- certainly seems to have a place. Yet to be effective, that wisdom must be put into physical, active practice on an ongoing basis. That takes effort and awareness and devotion, and that can be exhausting.
I'd even say that we all need to engage in some self-care and extra compassion for each other when the news (or life in your own community) is seething with images of violence, and the fear, hate and defensiveness that go with them. It's not about being parental or childish: it's about interrupting the constant firing of the adrenal glands so that you (or another) can relax a little and let your mind and heart do their jobs from a clearer space. Which all brings me to the current astrology. The sky has been busy as we grapple with, seek to resolve and try to stay sane within the context of last week's murders of two black men by white police officers and the subsequent murder of five white police officers by a black man. Race and class are complicit in a culture that is far from ‘black and white', yet the unhelpful pull to polarize the situation is strong. The Cancer Sun is squaring the Uranus-Eris conjunction (exact Friday through Saturday; Sun squares Eris first and then Uranus). You might say this is where we see the illustration of the compulsion to do something: to take care of the situation in some way; to care for yourself and those you love; to assert your identity. This might be especially true if you have felt marginalized culturally, or if you are surprising yourself with how willing you are to question national identity tropes (and question your friends and yourself on social media). At the same time, the Sun is in a grand water trine with Mars in Scorpio and Chiron in Pisces (exact Saturday through Sunday). Trines are all about flow, harmony and ease. Yet, I can see how this particular trine could keep some people swirling in circles with all the pain in the air, since water signs are all about emotion. But self-care is not the same as withdrawing from the world and ignoring the wound; ideally, self-care allows you to reach equilibrium again to facilitate engaging the world and active healing. In fact, noted astrologer Barbara Hand Clow writes that Mars trine Chiron "cuts down on the general tendency for trines to be lazy," and instead can facilitate breakthroughs. She says that Sun trine Chiron attunes us to transmutation and "encourages a very creative view of the universe." Her words are not a magic wand, but they are encouraging. Finally, Venus (the planet of love) entered Leo Tuesday and Mercury, planet of intellect, did the same yesterday (early Thursday UTC). As Len Wallick pointed out, this would be a good time to emulate Venus and Mercury in the sign ruled by our life-giving Sun: let your mind follow your heart. Stitches and band-aids and kisses might be good for scrapes. But in the realm of deep societal wounds and the personal pain we feel as a result, love and empathy must accompany awareness and action if we want to heal -- even if we're not done uncovering the severity of the infection yet.   We're all in this together, so we might as well collaborate and create, right? Three of the dancers participating in Mitchell Rose's "Exquisite Corps" film: Jamey Hampton, Sidra Bell and Faye Driscoll.
Going with the Flow Your Own Way By Amanda Painter Grand trines are all about flow. And while the red shirts worn by the dancers involved with a video made by Mitchell Rose might seem better suited to fire signs, our current grand trine involves the three water signs: Cancer (the Sun), Scorpio (Mars) and Pisces (Chiron). Rose's video "Exquisite Corps" comprises 42 American dancers/choreographers performing one dance, with each person beginning where the last one ended, then letting their own unique set of movements emerge from that point. It's a dance version of the Victorian-era Exquisite Corpse parlor game, in which someone writes a bit of story, folds the paper down so only the last sentence is showing, and then hands it to the next person to continue it with only that fragment to guide them. And no, "corps" is not a typo in the video title; it's a play on the term corps de ballet (from French, meaning body of the ballet), which refers to the group of dancers who are not soloists and make up the background. Here Rose and the dancing collaborators, who represent a variety of ages, ethnicities and genders, turn that idea on its head: by coming together in this way, they do not form a background and neither do they set off a chosen few; rather they create a whole greater than its equal, unique parts.  This Week on Planet Waves FM The Astrology of Wake Up and Pay Attention Dear Friend and Listener: Events of the past week have been inspiring -- such as to make a pillow fort at the back of your closet and hang out with your cat. What we're seeing and feeling in the world is related to Mars (still barely advancing in longitude, after the long retrograde) hanging out in a seemingly endless aspect to Uranus-Eris.
Mars quincunx Uranus is exact Thursday, and it's pulling unpleasant facts of life into focus. It's also a rare kind of inspiration to make changes based on what you actually see and notice. This week's edition [play episode here] comes with two classic songs from what most people call Bob Dylan's protest era; I call it his journalism era. I play and tell the stories behind "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," and "Only a Pawn in Their Game," which references the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. I work with these songs as reference points in history, as a reminder that none of these issues are new. But we need to think in new ways, getting a message that was urgent and essential half a century ago when Dylan first wrote and performed them. I make the connection between the stolen election of 2000, the 9/11 incident and subsequent wars, and the police brutality that we are witnessing here in the United States. Planet Waves FM is non-profit radio sponsored by your subscriptions, memberships and reading purchases. Your options are below. I'll have information about BALANCE, the 2016 midyear reading, later in the week. Thank you for tuning in. With love, Planet Waves TV: When In Doubt, Go Within
This week's aspects deliver one message above all: when you're feeling doubt or fear, check in with yourself. Find your inner sanctuary. The world, particularly news from the United States, has been painful and stressful. Yet if you're in contact with your feelings, you will lessen the effects and make some helpful discoveries. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.  More information on the Summer Sale is available at this link.
Don't forget to take advantage of our Summer Sale on Vision Quest, the spectacular 2016 annual edition, and the audio-video Spring Reading on Mars retrograde. We've knocked down the prices for individual sign purchases and for the complete readings, making this a bargain simply not to be missed. If you already have the readings, why not give them as a gift?Spring Reading: Purchase all 12 Signs | Purchase Individual Signs Or get both full readings here for just $67.  Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes Your extended monthly horoscope for July was published Thursday, June 23. We published your extended monthly horoscope for June on Thursday, May 26. We published your Moonshine horoscope for the second Sagittarius Full Moon, by Len Wallick, on Thursday, June 16. Len's Moonshine Horoscope for the Cancer New Moon was published Thursday, June 30. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign. Full Moon Moonshine Horoscope for July 14, 2016, #1108 | By Len Wallick
    How Are You Feeling, Leo? "Your reports are always so comprehensive and illuminating. Thank you for your wisdom and insight."-- Rochelle Leal Dear Leo: Your fellow fire signs have been hot with activity, stoking your own inner flames by association. What kind of steam will you make when the Sun enters your sign next week and encounters the Moon in Pisces? More importantly, how do you feel about your life and its direction this year?
In two audio sections of at least 30 minutes each plus a video summary and tarot reading (so you can watch Eric place the cards), Eric will cover some of the most productive ways you can open up to your life and get it working better for you. Whether you feel like you’re looking for courage in the Land of Oz or you’re ready to roar onto the scene with a full heart, your 2016-17 Leo Birthday Reading is not to be missed. You can pre-order your reading here for the discounted price of $19.97. After July 22, the price will increase.        
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