Greetings from Rainy Upstate New York —
Today’s weekly horoscope covers the midpoint of retrograde Mercury, followed by Mars entering Libra. I describe the astrology in the accompanying Starcast, above. As a paying reader you help cover the costs of those who cannot afford to subscribe. Thanks to all those who sponsor and take advantage of my astrology. Ideas mean more if you invest in them.
With love,
Your faithful astrologer,
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Coming Soon from Planet Waves…a written + video reading that covers how the midyear sign changes of Jupiter and Uranus can help you shape your awareness and your journey.
Two new readings for Leo Sun, Moon and rising…
Still fresh as morning from Planet Waves…The Awakening, your 2025 written readings with audio supplement…these are satisfying, literate, relevant essays that will help you stabilize and orient…
Aries (March 20-April 19) — Your family has (and previous generations had) a lot of hangups that you don’t want and don’t need. But you may be habituated into them, and your phone or social accounts may serve as a funnel of their neuroses into your life. There are probably several different ways they get their influence — though I’m also describing the input from long-dead relatives whose life patterns, beliefs and experiences influence you on a daily basis. While there is no easy way to address this, the most important is to notice their thoughts and expectations entering your mind. That does not resolve the issue but you cannot begin unless you are able to observe yourself. The fastest way to a solution is to notice the role that alcohol played in their lives, and the role that it plays in yours. That is the common thread.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — It’s easy to give up something you never liked much. It’s not so easy to give up someone or something you want, need or have an attachment to — even if their influence is unwholesome. This probably involves a relationship, and the thought of detachment may be daunting. One thing I’ve found is that it helps to make peace with the possibility, if not the reality. Understand that your most important objective living on this planet is to be a whole and complete person. Anything that obstructs that objective needs to be set aside in service to your growth and fulfillment. We are trained constantly, over and over, that we are not complete without another person. This one concept, reinforced by every facet of the environment, is responsible for most of the human misery on Earth. There is a better way.
Taurus Astrology Studio 2025-26.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You have something to say, but you’re not sure how. It is a fact that speaking up — especially in a public forum — requires more courage than nearly anything else. This is why so many people remain silent about important matters; they remain silent when serving on juries; they remain silent when injustices occur at work; and generally find it difficult to stand up for themselves. I’ve seen women freeze in a workshop exercise that involved saying what color a man’s tie is — with no risk at all. This helps explain why people are so obsessed with commenting “anonymously” on the internet. But your basic truth is not such a big deal, after all. The feared consequences usually have little basis in reality. What you’re up against is yourself — on an internal quest for your personal truth.
Astrology that’s better than therapy. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Let’s talk about this thing falsely called “artificial intelligence.” It really should be called “artificial I,” because the result will be people turning themselves into fakes. It seems to be serving two purposes. One is to disabuse people of the labor of thought, which has a lot to do with writing. Not that people were such great writers under the influence of Twitter (and most of Substack is birdcage liner). But now, you can seem to be a writer and do no work; which means that if you play this game, you will squander your ability to think. And right now, Mars in Virgo is saying: you must use your mind. You must use your writing capacity. And if you do, you will set yourself up to accomplish great things. But that is strictly optional. As for the second use of artificial I, tune in next week.
Astrology that understands you. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — A squaring-up of accounts might come in the form of a series of conversations where you and a close loved one or partner study where you align and where you do not. People get squirmy about these kinds of conversations, so you might want to go into observation mode first — especially of your own attitudes and approaches to life. Avoidant people usually avoid acknowledging those facts about themselves; it would be the antithesis of their MO. So ask yourself: is this your perception or is it true? This is best worked out on a situation by situation basis: for example, discussing what happened, or what something was about. You don’t want a showdown and the way you would sidestep that is by owning up to your own situation. Take it gently. The factors involved are three powerhouses — Mars, Chiron and Eris. Do what you must; fulfill your responsibilities to yourself.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You may make some profound discoveries about yourself over the next few days. The challenge will be remembering them. This is similar to remembering a dream that you woke up from because it was a little weird. Yet no matter how odd or disconnected your discovery may seem, it will be of spiritual value. And I suspect that a moment of true clarity is possible, one that contains actionable information. You may not be told what to do, but the choice should be fairly self-evident, self-affirming and also help you see beyond the often dark view you have of the world. Your whole life right now is about transforming a false perception of existence into a true perception of yourself. One is the tail and one is the head; pay attention to what your senses — and your inner senses — are telling you.
Spiritually grounded astrology readings from Eric Francis. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Healing comes with necessities. Too often, people want the results without taking the essential steps to get there. The first of these is self-awareness, which in our moment is being replaced by Grok and ChatGPT. By self-awareness, I mean inner awareness and also being in contact with your ‘witness’ state of mind. This is about observing yourself without judgment, or noticing the judgment, and letting the next thing float into your mind. Mars in Virgo is still stirring up old anxieties, but now there are distinct points of action available. You can ask yourself, “What do I really need?” Pro tip: this is not about someone else changing their behavior. It’s about some necessary nutrient you need or adjustment you know you have to make. You can ask for help, though making demands will not be productive.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your reputation is your most valuable possession. Therefore, do not play fast and loose with the truth, especially in your associations with authority figures. You can — it will be easy — but you will pay an immediate cost you were not expecting. For example, do not take credit for what you did not do, and give credit where it is due. Understand the ways in which informal social relationships are as important as the formal ones (often, far more so). Step away from head-to-head confrontations, which are unlikely to work out well for you even if you are absolutely right. And in the words of Johnny Cash, “When they say who can? You say I will.” You’re not in the slog you think you are. You and what you do are visible, which means that who you are is visible. Pay attention to detail and to integrity.
Somebody understands Scorpio. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You can afford to be more generous with others, especially with your creativity. There are those times when you would sacrifice a finger before you helped someone with your ingenuity or artistic ability, though if true, this is a ridiculous tendency. As a Sagittarius and de facto disciple of Chiron, you are innately a teacher. A teacher’s job is to both convey ideas and set an example. Never let yourself take pleasure in anyone else’s struggles. This feeling can be sly, disguised as a variety of other emotions (such as ‘knowing what is good for someone’). You know that you’ve been the beneficiary of the generosity of both friends and strangers many times. Therefore, be responsive to your environment. If you’re called on to provide creative input, see the project through. Do your best work. Offer several potential solutions.
Jim Morrison said Sagittarius is the most philosophical sign. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — To avoid making a bad financial decision, slow down the making of all such decisions. I’m not saying stop cold; I’m saying ease back on worrying about what matters less and consciously assess what matters more. There is likely to be one thing that gets your attention, calling for an unconventional approach. You tend to have good skills with money and what some would call good luck. This tends to work better with other people’s resources than your own, though you now understand the common ground. Anyway, there is something that, though it may not seem too valuable, actually really is; and there is something that may seem quite valuable but not have much worth. While this applies to material and financial issues, a close re-evaluation of certain affairs of the heart is in order. Listen carefully to yourself.
Mature when you’re a child, grows younger as the years go on. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may be tempted to overwork or overthink. Notice when you’re doing this and take a breath. That’s the time to reprioritize — the moment you get the feeling that you’re ‘efforting’ (borrowing a term from Hakomi therapy). That’s when the more you do, the less you get done. This is an effect of Venus square Saturn, which is also a reminder that, at the moment, money won’t solve the problem. And you might not even have a good sense of what you’re actually addressing, especially if it involves not understanding what’s happening in a relationship. For that, you will have to do something seemingly dangerous, and speak up. Show your willingness to communicate and gain some understanding by expressing your openness in words (not hints or clues). And try not to make it about you. Inquire truthfully.
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Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You are starting to shake off a certain obsession with negative expectations. These are difficult to work through because they are imprinted emotionally and do not lend themselves well to merely changing your mind. This is true even if they seem to be coming from your mind — which is only an illusion of thought. Fear or dread of karma coming back to you or expectation of negative outcome are emotionally oriented. This is like strong currents running through water. No matter how much mental wind or keen trimming of the sails you attempt, the water is still moving. But sometimes the tides turn and the currents shift, or you sail for long enough to get to a new part of the ocean. Take this moment to embrace some new loving and creative habits, while you are fresh in this new opening.