We're a little old-fashioned. We know you are, too.
New York, April, 28, 2019
Dear Friend and Reader:
Soon after I began Planet Waves, I noticed that the people around me had some old-fashioned tendencies. We all love books -- preferably old ones. Anatoly, our webmaster, has a 5,000-book collection, and once worked on a project translating Latin expressions into Ukranian.
Planet Waves has an impressive library, preserving many old astrology books, herbal manuals, homeopathic texts and a century of Raphael's Ephemeris annual editions.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
Just about everyone here has an artistic hobby or vocation of some kind. Amanda is an actor. Andrew, our accountant, restores antiques. I am a graphic artist from the olden days; each of my desks has a cutting mat, which I actually use. I use an antique steel and glass desk magnifier. I prefer to write in pencil, on paper, in notebooks.
And none of us think the internet is God.
God is eternal. The internet is obsessed with new, new, new. We prefer to honor the way things are, and have a healthy reverence for tradition.
The Internet Has Become a Cold Place
The internet started out as a place where people could learn, connect and express themselves. It's become an ocean of chaos and competition. We have experienced personally the horrors of trolling and fraud.
As people and as writers, we're all disturbed by what we see happening in the digital environment: the takeover of existence by robots, everything driven by the amassing of data, the accompanying breaches, the persistent espionage, and the psychological volatility of humans trying to live their lives in a disembodied state.
Then there are the endless advertisements, which stalk you by topic and location and listening in on your conversations.
The internet has become a dimension of bardo, where most inhabitants wander around like hungry ghosts, disoriented from their bodies, shorn of their morals, and with little concept of the difference between true and false; between being alive and being dead.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
Except for one thing: We know you're alive. We know we're alive.
The Time Distortion
Have you noticed that time has become extremely distorted? Are objects in the mirror closer or further away than they appear? How quickly is that event approaching? Where is the horizon?
One thing we've found astrology to be useful for is keeping track of the passage of time. An astrology chart is a sophisticated clock, with as many hands as you want. In my work, I draw on a palette of about 150 different planets (all orbiting our Sun).
This allows me to model time in a meaningful, helpful way. Rather than balancing on a high-wire, I'm able to help you use time in a way that is cyclical, and where you can experience the points of overlap. Astrology, used this way, is a tool that can help you orient on where you are on your journey, and where your life fits into the context of the world around you.
The Only Astrology Newsroom
As the editor of Planet Waves, I set the standard that we are journalists first and astrologers second. Our statements are grounded in fact. Sometimes years of research go into an article that arrives in inboxes on Thursday night.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
We run our website with the ethics of a solid, honest newsroom. I remain an old-school reporter, who works the phones (or drives to someone's home for the interview) when he has an important story. A group of us are tracking news events all day, seven days a week -- trying to make sense of it all.
Every article we publish goes through several levels of fact-checking, proofreading and what we call a "karma check." We consider the impact of every word of every article both on individuals and on the wider community. We work with purpose.
Astrology is an old art, dating back about 2,400 years in a form that you would recognize, using guidelines that we still depend on today. But it, too, has fallen prey to modernity. Most new astrologers don't study books, and don't know how to use the most basic tool -- the ephemeris. Books are not perfect, but at least they all have editors. Most of the astrology you read goes out unfiltered.
At Planet Waves, our astrologers are versed in many levels of astrology, from traditional through humanistic through psychological through the contemporary mundane astrology we practice in our articles: the astrology of world events.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
The way I think of this is turning the news into a tarot reading. Looking at developments in current events to me feels like turning over cards, and putting them into the context of our lives. This gives meaning to the news in a way designed to take away the power it seems to hold over us.
Astrology as a Therapy Space
It is difficult to find astrology that's dependable and done well. By done well, I mean that has some integrity to it, and some warmth, and a clear voice. I mean astrology that respects your freedom to make decisions, including your ability to choose who you are.
We recognize astrology as a therapy space: somewhere people come for help, looking for compassion and understanding. This is a conscious ethic, in a world where astrology is still used for entertainment, prediction, character analysis and personality cults.
When I write a horoscope column, I know you can't unread it. I know that I don't know your state of mind when you take in my words. This calls for a gentle, objective approach to whatever subject matter I'm describing for you.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
The Problem of Fear
One last thing. Perhaps the most important issue we're facing is fear. This can range from uncertainty to anxiety to outright panic. Many people are freaked out, and trying to hold it in. The world is a very strange place right now, and we're not fully accounting for the problem of dehumanization and what it's doing to us as individuals; what it's doing to our relationships.
Our goal is to provide a space where you can get some relief from that, and consider ideas to help you settle your mind and emotions. This might come in the form of a reasoning process. We might do it through sharing beauty with you. You might find reassurance that you're not nuts; someone else noticed what you're noticing.
We have faith that you want to grow, and engage with life through your curiosity. And while we know that distance prevents us from inviting you over for dinner, we want you to know that we're here for you, working for you, helping you make sense of the world. When you call us, someone will pick up the phone or call you right back.
Please Join Us On Our Mission
With the world facing as many problems as it is today, we know we can only do our small part. We're grateful that you can benefit from our efforts. As you know, we are a 100% subscription-supported service.
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Photo by Eric Francis. |
If you appreciate what we're doing, please renew or revive your subscription. If you're someone who has never been a subscriber but who has watched from afar, please make a small investment in our work, and receive the many gifts that come back to you.
If you're already a member, please consider offering a subscription to a friend as a gift. Everything we do is created by human hearts and hands, working from home. Every subscription adds to the whole. Each person we exchange energy with weaves the world a little more beautifully, and we’re grateful for your involvement in our work.
Your subscription support also means that we're able to be here for many people who cannot afford to pay, or who wander in from the internet looking for some sanity and peace of mind. Our mission is to be available to anyone who needs us.
Here are your options. If you would rather speak to us, please call (206) 567-4455.
Thank you for participating in Planet Waves.
With love,
PS -- We understand that some of our readers are on fixed incomes. Gives us a call and we will help you out. Please reach us at (206) 567-4455.
