The eternal tragedy that was Michael Jackson ended today when the performer died of cardiac arrest at age 50. TMZ reports that, “Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We’re told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

Michael Jackson as a child.

“A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived.

“Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.”

Jackson, a Virgo, died during his Chiron return. He has also had many aspects from Saturn, including a conjunction to his Sun/Pluto setup in Virgo, and a long opposition to his 12th house Pisces Moon.

It is that 12th house Moon that has been the essence of what we think of when we think of Jacko: someone who is larger than life, with half his world invested in pure fantasy — but what a fantasy it could be. Remember this video? It’s the perfect illustration of a 12th house Pisces Moon, representing an alternate reality.

Other particularly powerful aspects that define this time in his life include Eris transiting his 1st house, making a conjunction to his south node and Black Moon. [1992 QB1 is right there, I am adding as an afterthought...QB1 being the outer planet version of Vesta, but focused not on holding space and inner core fire at the center, but also on the processes of death, birth and orgasm. She is the Thresholder. Vesta lights the way for her arrival.]

Though often subjected to ridicule, and often deserving it, Jackson did not have an easy life; his chart is a profound study in the intersection between astonishing talent and the devastating loss or lack of self-esteem that characterizes so many great artists. He was indeed one of the great performers of our era of history, though his attempt to define himself is also something that is distinctly postmodern. Jackson in a sense went from an organic virtuoso to a monster created based on the distorted image he had of himself in our image-driven society.

Much of his crisis surrounded the fact that he was black, who transformed himself into a pseudo-Caucasian. I am sure this is a profound story told in the minor planets, some kind of racial dynamic — which would be indicated in the sky as a factor of Aquarius: the sign of many things racial. In a sense he tried to cross the black/white barrier by becoming white; which parallels many other personal choices that would have seemed incredulous just a few decades ago.

Note, I have just updated this page with Fe Bongolan’s latest Fe-911 article, ‘Her Name Means Voice’, posted immediately below. -efc

Dear Friend and Reader:

Valencia, Spain. Photo by Eric.

Today the Moon is making a lot of asepcts in a cluster, which could manifest as turbulence, stress, or a call to action. I’ll go over the aspects, which relate to two features I’ve mentioned many times — the Venus-Mars conjunction in Taurus, and the triple conjunction in Aquarius. Those two events are related by the way — Venus and Mars are both gradually sailing into a square aspect (90 degrees, fixed sign to fixed sign) with the triple conjunction. Can you visualize that? First Venus (the faster moving of the Venus/Mars pair) will square the triple conjunction, starting on July 1 when Venus squares Chiron then four days later, Mars squares Chiron.

From now until then this process will be building its energy, and there is a lot of energy to build. The individual, emotional, personal, sexual energies of Venus and Mars will be encountering the collective, era-defining, social energies of the triple conjunction. You will see cheesy horoscopes use the word ‘clash’ to describe the square. This or any similar language would be an inaccurate overstatement; the effects, which are currently developing, are subtle, and personal. I’ll say more about this as the events develop and we get more reports in from our readers, many of whom actually do have a handle on how these energies manifest.

Just remember, Neptune is involved, and Neptune is subtle. It has an extremely wide orb of influence — the widest of all the planets and minor planets, and we are well within range of Neptune’s orb — which I would put at at least 15 degrees on the applying side of an aspect (that is, before the aspect actually perfects, as it’s developing).

However, that’s not what I planned to write about today — that story is the background. Today the Leo Moon is about to square Venus and Mars; and then overnight and tomorrow, it’s about to oppose the triple conjunction in Aquarius. So we get a little warm up of what it might be like to have Venus and Mars plunge into a square with Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune.

Moon square Venus and Mars is often experienced as emotional, or a bit over-emotional. The magnanimous quality of the Leo Moon can come into some conflict with the needs presented by the Moon-Venus square. I would say let your needs be real. The important thing is to take them where you can get them met. Often we know our emotional or spiritual needs and pick someone we think can meet them, who unfortunately cannot. Our values around relationship have become rather clingy and loaded with expectation in these ‘neoconservative’ years — and we need to be alert to this fact; we need to notice who is not dancing with us and find someone who will.

Yes, this means change, but if you ask all these squares and oppositions in the sky and in our souls right now, change is the name of the tune. Take action.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Her name was Neda Soltai, or Neda Agha Soltan.В In Farsi,В neda means “the voice”.В On June 20, 2009, Neda was shot in the chest, you might even say, in the heart — В killed by Basij militia while taking part inВ Iran’s post-election demonstrations.

TheВ Basij orВ Baseej, whose name means “Mobilization of the Oppressed” В is a voluntary paramilitaryВ force founded by the order of theВ Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini November 1979. Contrary to their name, the job of the Basij has evolved to repress dissent from activists, writers, and rival factions, and, typical to an oppressive regime — to quell student protests.

Early estimates say around the time Neda was killed, 19 have died, over nine times the number of those killed during the last Iranian Revolution in 1979. В More have been killed since then. Most first and second levels of opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s campaign leadership were arrested or at least detained and held for questioning. Dissenters have been beaten, some say tortured. In the midst of what is growing into a heavily armed crackdown against civilian dissent, you would think the last thing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the ruling mullahs would want isВ martyrs.

As Eric reminds us in his recent post about the Saturn-Uranus aspects of the Iranian protests, what was once revolutionary — twentieth century theocratic Iran whose stern rule is reminiscent of centuries before –has become a flash point for the next iteration of the Iranian Revolution. It is Revolution 2.0, with the dissent of brave men and women made globally accessible by You Tube, Twitter and Facebook, and it feels like the revolution ofВ night versus day.

Continue Reading »

Hello again,

The Moon is drifting through the last degrees of Cancer till 12:50 pm ET when it moves into Leo. Moon voids are perfect times to coast: catch up on old stuff, don’t start anything new, don’t spend money except maybe on a sandwich, and avoid making commitments. It’s a lot like Mercury retrograde only it lasts a few hours every few days; and the feeling is more intuitive than mechanical.

Valencia, Spain. Photo by Eric.

Moon void of course has odd properties. For example, you can have a huge fight with someone during one of these phases, and then it has no effects whatsoever; it’s like it didn’t happen. The same is true with ‘important’ things you accomplish, so save those for when the Moon has just reached a new sign — soon enough.

We are still reverberating with Monday’s New Moon conjunct Vesta and opposite Pluto. No doubt this sent some emotional shockwaves through many individuals and some communities. The Sun remains in a close opposition to Pluto, as does Vesta.

As faster planets do, Venus has begun to pull ahead of Mars in Taurus, and from looking at the charts, it’s clear that a new Venus-Mars cycle has begun. This is refreshing energy, on many levels, and it often takes humans a little knock to get them to wake up. It seems like many people are getting those knocks, and the message is, live like you’re actually alive.

My query for today is: do you feel more alive, or more dead, when you keep secrets?

I’ll be back when the Moon is in Leo, and we’ll be hearing from Fe Bongolan then too.

What do recent (and ongoing) events in Iran say about the thing we’re calling 2012? What aspects are involved in radical steps forward in social progress? How do the changes that individuals are going through relate to the changes that a whole society goes through? Astrology is one of the few places we can look to actually find such an intersection.

In tonight’s edition of Planet Waves Radio, we will check in with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, the Uranus-Pluto square and the Saturn-Pluto square — all of which add up to 2012, and all of which add up to revolution. Far from being in the future, we’re in this energy dynamic right now.

What do you do if you feel it? What do you do if you don’t? Join me for a real conversation about this astrology tonight at 10 pm ET, Tues., June 23 on Planet Waves Radio.

Note to Readers:

This post previews three signs of the July monthly horoscope, which is available in full to Planet Waves and Next World Stories subscribers. Horoscopes appear for the water signs because the Sun is in Cancer. For instant access to your monthly horoscope and much besides, use the subscribe links at the left. If you sign up for even one sign of your 2009 annual edition (as part of Next World Stories) you get a 3,500 word writeup for your sign, and several monthly horoscopes each month.

Pre-Order Your Special Midyear Horoscope Edition

Eric Francis in Brussels.

I am currently preparing a midyear horoscope special edition that will cover all 12 signs with an introduction. These are extended horoscopes for the individual Sun and rising signs that look closely at the astrology of the [Northern Hemisphere] summer and early autumn. They also work great for those down on Oz, South Africa and New Zealand, like all our products. We are offering packages of Aries through Virgo, Libra through Pisces, or all 12 signs. The report will be published July 1. Here is a more focused description of the project and why it is special.

Astrology Sessions

We are in one of the richest astrological moments I have ever seen, and the sky is getting more of something — interesting, intense, fruitful, challenging — with each passing season. This astrology engages and activates each of our charts in a unique way. Looking at the astrology offers us opportunities and a perspective might have otherwise missed.

The current reorganization of society is creating both turbulence and opportunities for all of us. Despite the rampant pessimism we’re exposed to in the media, I view this as a time when we can focus on our true agenda, cut waste and re-craft our lives in the direction of what we truly want to do.

If you are a prospective astrology client, there is limited time this year to get a session. Each year I pause in early November to facilitate finishing the annual edition, and I recommit for the following year after the annual edition is published. This letter explains my availability. Please call Chelsea for more information.

And now, housekeeping completed, here is your monthly horoscope for July 2009.

Yours & truly,

Dear Friend and Reader:

This season we have two New Moons in the sign Cancer, the second of which is a total solar eclipse, and two penumbral eclipses of the Moon (each at the time of the next two Full Moons).

Image by Jude Valentine.

This highly unusual combination of solar/lunar events will seem to spin the world on its finger. The first Cancer New Moon coincided with the Cancer ingress of the Sun by one day, on Monday, June 22 (the Cancer solstice). This was conjunct the asteroid Vesta, the revered erotic high priestesses of Roman mythology.

The second Cancer New Moon is a total solar eclipse in the last degree of that sign on July 21, which will be covered shortly in a Friday edition of Planet Waves Astrology News.

While not an eclipse, this week’s Cancer New Moon is no ordinary lunation, arriving close to the solstice and consequently touching the Aries Point in a square aspect. Energetically, it is very close to an eclipse, in part because it sets off the degree of a powerful total solar eclipse that occurred on June 21, 2001.

All told, this is astrology that pushes us into an acceleration curve. You will need to devise strategies for feeling like you are in control of your life. You probably are, but the feeling that you are not may stalk you at times.

In the background is the feeling of reaching for deeper and more meaningful connection to the larger world. The sign Cancer is one that is associated with pushing our way into physical incarnation, which we do mostly with our feelings. Yet Vesta teaches an element of detachment, as if we are being called upon to express devotion without much promise of a result.

Apropos of Vesta, I would be cautious about offering yourself up for too much sacrifice, and I suggest you keep questioning the whole concept, which the Course in Miracles tells us is the one and only thing standing between us and our freedom.

Yours & truly,

BY ERIC FRANCIS

Cancer (June 21- July 22)
A great deal will hinge on a single fact. You may well know the fact, and whether you take it into consideration is part of the issue; the rest involves how you apply it strategically. Pay attention to what you think is too trivial to make a difference. Look off to the sides of your consciousness. Listen to your intuition and your dreams for clues. As you maintain vigilance for this one seemingly small thing, you’re going to come into a lot of other data, and you need to pay attention to that as well. Live as if there is no such thing as a secret, particularly from yourself. I know plenty of other people live as if what they don’t admit to themselves doesn’t matter, but this has never been a luxury you could afford. Part of what you are looking for involves some hint from yourself about what you want the very most from life, and by that, I mean your life as an experience that nourishes you in the deep way that you nourish others. The issue seems to surround a fear that there exists some inner block too intractable to ever resolve. It’s usually considered simpler to pretend that it’s not really your most profound dream. In one sense, this is the story of our times, but it doesn’t need to be the story of your times.

Coming Soon: the Planet Waves Midyear Horoscope Edition. Here is signup information for the midyear edition horoscope by Eric Francis. And if you haven’t read your Next World Stories annual edition, it’s still waiting for you! Sign up here.

Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 22)
The planets seem to be playing an odd game with you. You keep seeing yourself in someone else, then you morph into them, then you morph back — as if you’re having both sides of the relationship yourself. (Note to Taureans, this may apply to you as well, and I suggest that Scorpios check in with the Taurus entry.) There is an often-described mirror effect in relationships, and it’s going to be having some decidedly unusual effects this month. They all involve not just your ideas about relationships (which, in our society, are usually based on too much unfounded theory and not enough action) but also your concepts of sex and of gender. You not only contain your opposite, you are your opposite. I suggest you work with any question of relationship as an inner phenomenon as well as an outer one. You can start with the most pressing questions that have affected your relationships over as long back as you’ve noticed the pattern. How would anything you’re experiencing in relationship to another person, particularly where sex is involved, translate to an inner emotional or psychological dynamic? There is more to this question than you may imagine, particularly as you aspire to the Holy Grail of sex: experiencing it as a spiritual phenomenon that draws all people to one common ground. Not two people: all people.

Coming Soon: the Planet Waves Midyear Horoscope Edition. Here is signup information for the midyear edition horoscope by Eric Francis. And if you haven’t read your Next World Stories annual edition, it’s still waiting for you! Sign up here.

Pisces (Feb. 19- March 20)
The Sun’s ingress to your empathic water sign Cancer will come as a relief, and with a dash of faith, open some doors for you. On many different levels you’ve been spreading your psychic wings; yet at the same time, you’ve been processing a lot of feelings, data and karmic material. This has made it difficult for you during the past few weeks to get any emotional grounding. The planets are now providing a gush of water and direct attention. They’re also reminding you that if you want satisfying contact, with yourself and with others, you need to tend the space constantly. Start by keeping your physical space as impeccably clean as you can. Listen to your emotions for signs of when you are feeling trust or mistrust; when you identify a need; and when it’s appropriate to take a chance. I suggest you make a yoga of taking risks without the expectation that any one of them will work out — just that it’s worth trying, if for no other reason than without reaching out you can be sure. Part of the flame you’re being called upon to tend involves balance; it involves being aware for when there is reciprocity in a relationship, and emphasizing that experience above the others that may seem to be available. The results, as always, will speak for themselves.

Coming Soon: the Planet Waves Midyear Horoscope Edition. Here is signup information for the midyear edition horoscope by Eric Francis. And if you haven’t read your Next World Stories annual edition, it’s still waiting for you! Sign up here.