In and Out of Sagittarius

Dear Friend and Reader:

Focus in the sky is now shifting to Sagittarius; in particular, the Sun's entry on Friday, and the conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, Ixion (a plutino), and the Galactic Core on Sunday.

	Ukrainian Seat of the Cabinet of Ministers located at 12/2, Hrushevsky Street, Kiev. Photo by Daniel Haußmann.

Scorpio has been exciting, if a little complicated for some. Mercury retrograde (which ended Thursday) has framed the two most significant parts of the impeachment of Donald Trump so far. The House began the official public inquiry on Halloween, the day the retrograde began.

And yesterday, as it ended, we witnessed the most important testimony so far: that of Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, who admitted that everyone knew about the dirty deal with Ukraine. He said it over and over again, and he gave details.

Many questioned whether Sondland would take the 5th (meaning, refuse to answer, so as not to incriminate himself). Last week, his previous testimony was proven to be false by another witness, David Holmes, and he was called back before the Intelligence Committee. It seemed he did not want to meet the fate of so many former Trumpeters, i.e., getting thrown in prison for lying to Congress or federal investigators.

In a moment that maybe only Aaron Sorkin could have made up, during testimony on Friday, Roger Stone, the Republican advisor with Nixon tattooed on his back, was convicted by a federal jury of lying to congress and witness tampering. That provided a jolt of truth serum for all future witnesses.

The Group: Lots and Lots of Amigos

The "everyone" in "everyone knew" means everyone. What they knew was the trade-off: pressuring the new president of Ukraine into spreading phony dirt about presidential candidate Joe Biden in exchange for a personal meeting with Trump, and military aid. The group who knew included Mick Mulvaney, White House acting chief of staff; Vice President Mike Pence; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; the other two of the Three Amigos (Kurt Volker, former special envoy to Ukraine, and Rick Perry, the energy secretary, former presidential candidate and former Governor of Texas); the Fourth Amigo Rudy Giuliani (also an engineer of the deal); and of course, The Donald himself, who directed the whole thing.

	David Holmes is a United States Department of State official who serves as a counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. In other words, he is a specialist on the internal affairs of Ukraine. He testified today before the House Intelligence Committee. Holmes overheard the cell phone call between Sondland and Pres. Trump in a Kiev cafe. Photo is from pool video via NY Times feed.

It was a big "oops" moment the day that Mercury stationed direct, which through my reporting career I have noticed is associated with the truth revealed.

This testimony came from Sondland, who was directly involved in setting up the deal and who was keeping everyone up to date via email and cell phone calls from al fresco cafes in Kiev. There is no going back now.

Republicans on the Intel Committee were reduced to arguments like, "We want the whistleblower," a reference to the CIA officer who essentially dialed 9-1-1 to report the bank robbery, or claiming the whole proceeding was less fair than a witch trial in Salem (yes, Republican loud mouth Devin Nunes actually said that).

One of the most exciting bits that came out was that Trump didn't want an investigation into Joe Biden's son Hunter; he just wanted an announcement, which likely would have come on CNN. He wanted something he could spin on Fox News: Biden is under investigation. The lie also included how Ukraine would "investigate" how it was Ukraine that meddled in the 2016 election -- not Russia.

I reckon Sondland will not be charged with lying to Congress, which he clearly did previously. We are still waiting to hear from a great many officials who have defied Congressional subpoenas. They will have to testify or be charged with obstruction of Congress. We are all waiting for John Bolton, the former national security advisor, who called the whole thing a "drug deal." And we are waiting for Mike Pompeo, the current secretary of state, a kind of drug kingpin in the current scenario.

There are no more witnesses scheduled before the Judiciary Committee, and the Democrats may not want to enter a legal battle with Bolton or others. However, they seem determined to fight to get key documents from the White House and the State Department.

For days we do not publish, I keep everything up to date with commentaries and updates on my personal Facebook feed. There's lots of good stuff there, and my friends from around the world are chiming in.

As For All That Sagittarius

The Sun ingresses Sagittarius at 9:59 am EST on Friday, Nov. 22. When you look at the Sun (which you can only do during the day), you are facing toward the Galactic Core and another deep space point called the Great Attractor. At night, the winter sky (at least up here in the Northern Hemisphere) has a somewhat desolate feeling as we look away from the core and the local group of galaxies, and into intergalactic space.

	Fiona Hill is a former official at the National Security Council specializing in Soviet, Russian and European affairs. She has served several United States presidents, including Obama and Trump. Photo: Washington Post.

Upon entering Sagittarius, the Sun trines Chiron and Salacia, forming a bond between the spiritual attributes of Sagittarius and the healing and sexual maturity elements of the Chiron-Salacia conjunction.

The Sun's presence will power up the conjunction, and open up an energy flow that will help blend what we think of as sexuality and what we think of as spirituality. The two inform and support one another, and verge on irrelevant or easy to misconstrue without one another.

The Congress chart features a number of deep conjunctions that are currently developing. Conjunctions represent the beginnings and endings of cycles, and other significant aspects.

We know that in the background of all of this is the Saturn-Pluto conjunction (a three-time-per-century event). This takes place in less than eight weeks, and will coincide with the impeachment trial before the United States Senate. This is a fitting aspect, as the U.S. is also in its Pluto return, which has never happened before. (Pluto's orbit is 248 years, so Pluto has not yet returned to its natal position in the U.S. chart. It is now close enough to be in full effect.)

Jupiter on the Galactic Core

More immediate is the last major event of Jupiter in Sagittarius (Jupiter ingresses Capricorn on Dec. 2). Currently, Jupiter is aligned with the Galactic Core. On Sunday, Venus makes a conjunction with Jupiter. It would be a challenge to think of a more optimistic aspect. This blends the tangible, worldly, physically and emotionally grounded nature of Venus with the knowledge and truth nature of Jupiter.

	Artist’s representation of the Milky Way Galaxy with the Andromeda Galaxy. The core of the Milky Way is in late Sagittarius. Astronomers believe the two will eventually merge into one body.

Behind them is the Galactic Core, what I consider the spiritual homing signal of our local cosmic home-base. The core is the center of our spiral island, the Milky Way.

At the center is a supermassive black hole. As one approaches the core, the scene is chaotic; stars are orbiting rapidly, colliding with one another, and the heat and radiation are intense.

Conditions at the core lead one to appreciate the relatively placid cosmic weather we experience where we are, 25,000 light years away.

In sum, this is an aspect of illumination -- and a rare gem, despite Jupiter's relatively short orbit of 12 years. For example, the most recent Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Sagittarius was in 1995. (There were two in that year, the earlier one at about 7 degrees and the later at about 20 degrees.) There was a triple conjunction of Mercury, Jupiter and Venus in 1971, also away from the core (at about 11 degrees). So a major Jupiter event on the Galactic Core is itself a generational event.

Yet in the current alignment is Ixion, a planet I've been watching since shortly after its discovery. This was one of the discoveries that was being publicized by my late colleague Jonathan Cainer in the early 2000s, and which new discovery specialist Phil Sedgwick has taught about frequently.

Squanderer of Second Chances

Ixion describes something troubling in the human psyche -- the impulse to murder, and the squandering of second chances. Ixion was a human and mortal, a king who was in Greek lore the first human to commit murder.

Taken to Mount Olympus for rehabilitation by his friend Zeus, Ixion then plots to rape Hera, Zeus's wife and queen of the goddesses.

One could hardly come up with a worse idea. Hera creates a decoy -- an image of herself in the clouds, which Ixion manages to rape, and becomes father to the race of centaurs (besides Chiron and probably Pholus, who are of a different lineage).

	Ixion, king of the Lapiths, deceived by Juno, a c.1615 painting by Peter Paul Rubens. On the left, it shows Ixion and the fake Juno (Hera) sent by Jupiter (Zeus) to avenge himself on the seducer. On the right the real Juno, with her peacock, moves toward Jupiter.

To me, Ixion represents the concept of amorality. This theme has been a troubling factor, at least to my sensibilities, for all the years that Ixion has been moving through Sagittarius and entering the core.

(Note, Ixion was discovered in 2001 in early Sagittarius. It makes its first ingress into Capricorn in late February 2020, joining an impressive grouping there. After returning briefly to Sagittarius in May 2020, Ixion enters Capricorn on Dec. 28, 2020, to stay for many years.)

Ixion represents the morality play of our times. Trump, who has admitted he aspires to be a murderer (of a constituent, on 5th Ave.) and who is widely presumed to be a rapist (based on his own admissions of committing sexual assault), is the perfect representation of Ixion.

Among Trump’s many squandered second chances include basically getting away with colluding with the Russians to mess with the 2016 presidential election.Trump’s now famous call with Pres. Zelensky of Ukraine occurred the day after Robert Mueller, the special counsel who investigated him, testified before Congress. He also has frequently squandered the “clean slate” kind of second chance offered by bankruptcy.

He is now in the intense spotlight of truth and justice, represented by Jupiter and the Galactic Core. Venus is present -- the Greek goddess of love and sexuality.

A point called Nephele is also in the pattern, in Gemini, opposite the conjunction. The “cloud” created by Hera as a decoy was actually the nymph Nephele. It’s as if she has shown up as a witness to testify to what happened to her.

Your Relationship to Truth

Everyone knows what has happened in this sordid scenario involving people at the top level of government. Everyone knows what is happening. For a rare moment, the right thing is happening.

How does this relate to any of us as individuals? Well, what is your commitment to truth? What is the risk you will take, to tell the truth, and stand up for the truth, and to call out someone who is lying -- for example, lying to you?

To speak what you know to be the truth involves taking a risk. Those who traffic in lies do not take kindly to those who speak up honestly, or who display any honor at all. Yet the fear of reprisal is only one part of the truth equation, and it is often an excuse.

Another side is experiencing what it feels like to exercise your most basic human power -- the ability to state honestly what you see, what you feel, and most of all, what you know. This can be frightening, because you feel the shocking reality of your own existence.

With love,
INTELLIGENCE: Landmark Planet Waves Annual Edition

Dear Friend and Reader:

To put it simply, we are in the midst of some unusual astrology — and it's about to dial up rapidly.

Unusual means something different for everyone; how you experience it will depend on your preparation, your density level, and how you respond to circumstances. My role as an astrologer is to help with the preparation aspect of things. This, in turn, can influence how you respond.

For 25 years as an astrologer, my job has been to help people get through challenging transits. Earlier this year, I wrote what I consider to be my landmark annual edition, called INTELLIGENCE.

This reading is an analysis of how the Saturn-Pluto conjunction manifests for each of the signs and rising signs. It's also deeply informed by Chiron in Aries, a placement which offers profound opportunity for growth. Seen one way, INTELLIGENCE is an astrological guide to self-actualization, based on the astrology of our moment.

And it is available now.

The reading includes extended, chapter-length, book-quality readings. Each of these takes about 12 to 14 hours to prepare, plus a lifetime of experience. Part of why it takes so long is that I am writing in clear, easy to follow language, so you can actually benefit from what I am presenting.

This reading also comes with a review of 2019, in audio format.

The astrology of 2020 is so significant that I have devoted two years to covering it. At the end of the year, I will be releasing RESPECT, which is a second look at 2020. This will be in extended audio format with original music. I will get into details that I did not cover in INTELLIGENCE, including the retrogrades of Venus and Mars.

This will be followed up in early spring by RESPECT: An Aquarian Age, a reading for 2021. That will cover Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Aquarius for each of the signs — a must-have publication.

The Planet Waves annual edition is an enduring tradition in my life and among my clientele.

I consider it my best astrological work, designed as both an astrological reading and also as a record of the times in which we are living. All 21 prior annual editions remain published and available.

For 2020, you have several purchasing options.

INTELLIGENCE 2020 with a review of 2019 is now $122 for all 12 signs, and starts at $44 for individual signs. You will have immediate access to the finished website, the recordings and the sign readings as PDFs in both American and European formats.

RESPECT and RESPECT: An Aquarian Age are available on pre-order for $133 for all 12 signs. The final price will be $222 for all 12 signs. We will keep the $133 price through the Sun's entry into Sagittarius on Nov. 22. NOTE: Backstage Pass holders will remain at the $111 price level.

You may get both annual editions, covering three years, for $166.

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

With love,

PS — You may order by phone by calling (845) 481-5616. If I am here I will answer; if not we will get back to you soon. Thank you again. This Week on Planet Waves FM Mercury Station Direct in Scorpio

Dear Friend and Reader:

This week's Planet Waves FM [play episode here] focuses on Mercury stationing direct in Scorpio, which occurs on Wednesday. Just ahead of that, Mars enters Scorpio. Think of the syntax of that: the motivation precedes the decision. Let this astrology influence you at its own pace, probably a little slower than you would proceed otherwise.

	Photo by Lanvi Nguyen.

This week I have two interviews -- one with Samuel Dean, a friend who is an obsessive news watcher, avid and deep reader, and scholar of the law; and Michael Elia, a political science professor and attorney. Here are Sam's impeachment notes, as a PDF.

We discuss the implications of the impeachment in a calm and reflective way for quite a while. The interviews alone go for two hours.

Then I offer the last of the Scorpio Tantra Studios, on the theme of power. This includes handling what happens to you as you gain sexual awareness and align with your personal truth.

Music is by Vision Quest, produced by Daniel Grimsland.

I am planning to take two Sundays off from the program, in service of completing the RESPECT audio readings. That may change. Check Planet Waves (meaning PlanetWaves.net) for updates. I will have the Thanksgiving music special, once again featuring Bob Dylan, in cooperation with our friends at Special Rider Music.

Planet Waves FM is published by Chiron Return, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. We are an affiliate of the Pacifica Radio Network. Please consider becoming one of our monthly sponsors. If you cannot afford to, you are most welcome to share this page and tell people about Planet Waves FM. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far.

I am open to connecting with a "major donor" who will help Chiron Return, the nonprofit that publishes the program, with seed funding to help us build our organization and increase our visibility.

Thanks for tuning in.

With love,

Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

Your extended monthly horoscope for November was published on Thursday, Oct. 24. We published your extended monthly horoscope for October on Thursday, Sept. 26. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) -- You may be prompted in forthcoming weeks to re-evaluate or revisit certain life goals. In doing so, it would be worth taking into account any new ideas you've recently learned, and also noticing if you're inspired in a particular direction. Keep your options open, and be cautious around any concept that you need to persist in a specific path purely because you began it. Some pursuits do take effort and perseverance, and if that involves a vocation or passion, you need no other justification to do whatever is required. This is ultimately about your self-actualization, and letting nothing stand in the way of the purpose to which you are called. -- By Amy Elliott Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Mercury stationing direct in your opposite sign yesterday may have revealed some truths about your relationship world, and how you interact. The unveiling process might be ongoing, as the messenger planet gets up to speed. One way you can assist is by reviewing the nature of intimacies past, possibly from the very beginning of your dating life onward, and checking for patterns. Does anything stand out? The Sun in your 8th house, aided by Chiron, may shed light on deeper feelings and motivations that you might have avoided seeing. Take courage and open that door to yourself. What you know, you can work with. -- By Amy Elliott Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- The Sun will soon enter your relationship zone, and this could well be accompanied pretty speedily with opportunities to meet new people, or add some extra zing to current partnerships. If you're hesitant or feeling low in confidence, it might be worth putting that aside for now, and heading to some new places. Be open to possibilities, and they are likely to show up. You're exuding charm, and there's a sense that you have an instinctive key to getting through to people just at present. In part, this will be due to your accumulated experience, and your ability to listen to people and acknowledge them, as well as a certain comfort with your own desires. -- By Amy Elliott Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Like many facets of life, service is really about quality rather than quantity. Your energy is finite, and it pays to be discerning in terms of where you bestow it. Before investing your efforts in a large-scale project, ask yourself what you want from it, and what will be the likely result. The two answers may differ, which is your first clue that something about the plan might need adjusting. Potentially, you'll find it easier to begin from the end point -- that is, to start by defining your ultimate goal, and then figure out the best route to getting there. This is likely to require some initial investigation, albeit with a net saving of your time. -- By Amy Elliott Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- Tomorrow the Sun, your ruler, enters your 5th house of creativity and play. With Mercury also having recently changed direction, you may feel like a coiled spring about to be released. If so, stretch right out and leap high. Get out into the world and soak in all its beauty. There is an increasing gravitational pull toward your zone of work and service, and eventually you'll return to Earth with a decisive onward path in mind. But not yet. You need space to dance and sing and run around, to gather your strength, to get the artist in you thinking. Practice paying attention to your senses, and drawing in the data they provide as nourishment. -- By Amy Elliott Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- Though Mercury is now direct, you may still benefit from considering certain elements of your past in the weeks to come. In particular, aspects you perhaps hid from yourself for whatever reason -- whether because of the emotions involved, or so that you could move forward. You're on stronger ground these days, and able to reflect on former times without walking back any of the progress you've made. The important thing is not to judge yourself for any previous mistakes; we've all made them, and what matters is where you are now, and what you can learn from this exercise in retrospection. Be sure to notice also how far you've developed. -- By Amy Elliott Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- One of the wonderful things about the human brain is that it doesn't lose the capacity to receive new information and form new pathways. We need never stop learning unless we choose to. It helps to open your mind and leave room for the possibility of error. On specific matters, you might experiment with uncertainty, and with researching different perspectives. Avoid the assumption that you've discovered everything there is to know on any subject; there is always more. Discernment and critical thinking are always useful, though remember there is a difference between healthy skepticism and blanket dismissal. -- By Amy Elliott Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- With Mercury still working through its change of direction in your sign, it might be useful, especially over the coming few days, not to rush into any new project. You might treat this as something of a stocktaking week. First, you could slow down and review how you're feeling within yourself -- that is, in your physical and emotional body. Then carry out an inventory of your resources, which includes checking your funds in the event you're tempted to make a significant purchase. If anything particular has transpired following Mercury retrograde, take what time you need to absorb the new data and recalculate your plans accordingly.
-- By Amy Elliott

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Everyday Secrets: Sagittarius Astrology Studio

Dear Friend and Reader:

I will soon have the Sagittarius Astrology Studio reading ready. It will cover Jupiter's conjunction to the Galactic Core, a review of Jupiter in Sagittarius and a preview of forthcoming Jupiter in Capricorn. I will 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.

You may pre-order here for $44. Gift purchases welcome.

Thank you for your business.

With love,

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Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- As the Sun makes its way into your sign and kicks off your birthday season, you may be feeling the urge to hold off on the partying for the moment. Part of this is likely due to a sense that you need to wrap up certain matters decidedly before shaking it loose. Jupiter is about to move into Capricorn, on Dec. 2. It would almost certainly be useful for you to take some time and review all that has happened in the past 12 months; in particular, all the ways in which you've developed as a person. Your new year is beginning a little early; if you have particular aspirations, keep them in mind, and don't hesitate to grasp opportunities as they come your way. -- By Amy Elliott Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- Increasingly, you're being pulled into a space of introspection and self-reflection, and aligned with your intuitive wisdom. It's as if the noise of all the activity in your sign, instead of drowning out your inner voice, has canceled itself out instead. As a result, your sensitivity is at full strength. You might also be feeling the various battles we can all see taking place, in microcosmic form, inside yourself. This is a lot to deal with, so be sure to allow yourself the time and space you need. There's a chance for some deep healing work to happen, as well as important messages from the Divine realm to come through. Listen closely. -- By Amy Elliott Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You're likely to experience a broad change in mindset over the next few days, with a more decided drive toward your ideals and major aims. Part of the form this takes may be in reviewing the people and communities with whom you currently associate. Is there any factor in your social environment (whether online or in the real world) that is working against your development or providing a distraction? Are there other areas you feel the need to invest in more heavily? Follow your instincts, which are at present tuned in closely with the nobler sympathies of your nature. If you're true to your principles, you'll know where to go. -- By Amy Elliott Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Gradually you are rediscovering the thread of former trajectories, and renewing some subtle connections with the more refined aspects of yourself. You have the capacity to look out into the world and recognize much of its beauty and abundance, despite the current environment not being especially conducive to that end. This will lead you to opportunities -- potentially for major expansion of your purview in some respects. Though these may look daunting, I suggest you take the position that all things are possible if one can only find the path. You have many resources: remember this, and be sure to make use of them. -- By Amy Elliott