Threefold Goddess in a Field of Grain, my classic article about Virgo, vintage 2013.
Dear Friend and Reader:
This page includes your monthly readings for September and a video about the Yod pattern in Saturday’s Virgo New Moon. You can see this drawn in blue, below. I go into the history of what old astrologers will call the transiting Yod back to 1950, when it first formed in Leo to Libra.
The affairs of the world are far beyond anyone’s comprehension right now. However, astrology provides some organizing principles that can at least filter out a lot of the noise and give you a clearer perspective on what is happening within you and around you. Once you understand even a little about the astrology, you will feel better. You will have perspective. And you will discover that there is a future, and it includes you.
I’ve started to post readings in the Easy Does It series of video readings. There are two signs and a total of four videos — including the meeting from Monday night, the one-hour preview and then Aries and Taurus. The project is taking longer than I thought and coming out better than I was planning. So stay tuned got your sign and rising sign — Gemini and Cancer are next.
I’ll also have the Astrology Studio for Virgo some time in here soon, tarot and astrology readings for Virgo. These are separate from Easy Does It.
I’ll catch you tomorrow night with a new Planet Waves FM.
With love,
Your faithful astrologer,
Aries (March 20-April 19) — For most of the month, your ruling planet Mars will be crossing through your opposite sign Libra. This will be an eventful few weeks (which have already begun). Mars, your significator, will be making contact with many other points on what’s called the Cardinal Cross of the heavens. This can be restless energy and leave you feeling like you’re living in a volatile world (true enough, but this is a little extra). The pot is being stirred, particularly on matters of family and profession (closely related). It may be difficult to know what you want, because so much disinformation, misinformation and false information is flying around. Mars looking right back at you is an invitation for you to study various concepts of cause and effect as they actually express themselves in real life. I don’t mean theoretical concepts of “causation” or YouTubes about quantum effects, but rather what you do that produces the results that you get. I am proposing no theory other than to study what happens when you do certain things; at minimum this is likely to lead you to take a gentle approach, and to see the many ways that you reap the fruits of the seeds that you plant. Underneath this Mars drama, Chiron and Eris are moving toward their second alignment of the current, rare phase we are in — and you have but one task to honor, which is to know thyself. Yes, against the many stacked odds of our times.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Respect the mystery that is you, and the other mystery of that which is not you. These days and seasons of your life are the time to find out, and that is a living experiment. The results may not seem conclusive; but the you versus not you distinction is more about deciding what methods work for you and which do not, and then honoring that knowledge. Humans do plenty else, plenty of pretending and burying their awareness and seeking any possible means of escape from self-knowledge. If any such methods ever seemed to work for you, they no longer do. You cannot evade, avoid or elude yourself. That’s a ridiculous concept. Yet once you admit this, a certain kind of running in circles would have to stop, or at least pause. This is some morph of chasing your own tail and looking for your glasses when they are already on your head. It is often said that “knowledge is power,” though it will be a fine day when a society acts on this idea. I would say that self-knowledge is the freedom of existence, and herein lies the catch. Freedom demands responsibility, and accountability to yourself. For those with a weak stomach or shaky ethics, this can be daunting and unnerving. It seems easier to float along in ignorance of what is actually the beauty of your true being. We probably agree: there are far better ways to live. And at this time, you are being called to them.
Taurus Astrology Studio 2025-26.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You may finally feel like you know what you’re thinking such that you can express yourself clearly. That would be a miracle, considering that your sense of who you are is going through more alterations than a dress shop in prom season. You’re experiencing just the outer first waves of a long-concealed personal revolution that has been brewing, bubbling and simmering below the surface. Now it’s making itself known, and you have to make changes that set you free from some constraints that have hemmed you in for a long time. It turns out most of these were ideas rather than circumstances; thought forms rather than intractable conditions. But they sure seemed real enough. Anyway, you may feel as if your values are suddenly changing. But what is really happening is that you are catching up with yourself in ways that very likely feel very good.
Astrology that’s better than therapy. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You are in one of the most important extended phases of building your success in many years. This will happen no matter what, though your involvement will set the tone and scale. For the time being, planets are in retrograde motion in your house of professional development. That may seem to represent a delay. However, something else is happening, which is about you refining your vision for what you want to do. There is also the element of what you must do — ideally the two will be closely intertwined. With planets retrograding back into your fellow water sign Pisces, take the time to refine your vision. This does not need to be an exact set of blue prints with a scale model. But you do want language for your ideal professional trajectory. During this stage, complete any lingering projects, get yourself organized, and take time to prepare. Do this intuitively, though you will feel better with your dance card cleared off and your space organized. Use this time to set a new standard; don’t take on anything you don’t want, and keep an ear out for what you are interested in. Later in the year, Saturn, Chiron, Neptune and Eris will station direct, and it will be game on. So keep your mind and your other tools sharp. Be ready to allocate your resources when you know you feel the right calling.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You gain most of your strength and effectiveness through a steady approach to existence. This is becoming increasingly difficult in a world where people fly from trend to trend, and where ideas and structures seem to evaporate the moment they take shape. Right behind that endless drama is the truth that life changes in significant ways over time. The natural environment, including social relationships, changes and evolves. Yet there’s a difference between growth and things designed to be obsolete and transient, along with all that’s intentionally destructive. Your steadfast approach will be supported by noticing the broad strokes of environmental shift. Most notable is your relationship scenario. You’re now looking at the unstoppable force of Pluto all the time, gazing back at you from your opposite sign Aquarius. If you’re evaluating relationships of any kind — amorous, collaborative, formal partnerships, or confrontational, there’s a crucial factor to watch: in considering someone, what is their relationship to the group around them? Try to subtract yourself from the scene, and watch them relating to everyone else. What’s their approach? To conform, to lead, to challenge, to collapse, or to set themselves apart? When you relate to someone, you’re also engaging with the people they sweep into their environment. Do they relate to others as a distinct individual? Can they stand up for themselves when they’re under duress? This will reveal who they are, and describe where you may or may not belong in their life.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You will have the feeling over and over again this month that events are taking you by surprise. You might think there was no way you could have expected that when in truth it’s more likely that you planned and facilitated various outcomes. But why doesn’t it feel that way? Well, the planning came in the form of something akin to, “I know I’m in a new mental/professional environment, and I will need to adapt.” However, adapting is not merely a change in behavior or the words that you use. You have reached the point where you must change on some elemental level. This is not about appearances or language or lifestyle. Actual evolutionary movement pushes out from deep inside you, and there is little you can do about it. But there is plenty you can do with this movement. It’s a form of raw creativity that you can harness as a force to remove what you don’t want, and to create what you do. Yet there is one requirement, which is the product of Saturn and Neptune in your most sensitive chart angle. You must be truthful in all the ways you avoided being so before. Perhaps make a list of what those were — all the ways you skewed the perception of your reality; the ways you didn’t quite let on the terms of your agreements; all the times it was about you when you said it was about someone else. The time has come to stand uncompromisingly in your truth. It’s all you have.
Spiritually grounded astrology readings from Eric Francis. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — One of the sorry states of our society is the decreasing interest in whether anything is true or relevant. And most people act like things ‘just happen’ rather than understanding that they are made to happen by will, intent and action. With that in mind, the planets indicate that you will need to take initiative for the next few weeks, as partners and associates seem to drift off into their daydreams. Since you’re the one with the plan, take advantage of a moment when you’ll face little resistance. Get things started. Then once it’s clear that you have set positive outcomes in motion, you’ll have more cooperation. It’s vital that you know what you’re doing and account for all the moving parts of your projects and commitments. You are responsible for all of the decisions and for initiating action based on the best information that you have. You may need to go outside your usual circle of friends and colleagues to find people with additional information or the ability to make judgement calls. Then when you have your feet firmly on the ground and are confident in what you’re doing, you’ll have an unusual opportunity or invitation some time around the equinox on Sept. 22. Even if you seem ready, wait till the Sun enters your sign and Mars is safely in Scorpio for good measure. Your success will give you well-deserved confidence and self-respect.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — For the next four weeks, Mars will move through your secluded, cryptic 12th house. This began a couple of weeks ago and may have come with some fanfare, a personal revelation or a sense of rising inner pressure. Have you sorted out what it was about? That would be helpful, as would be paying close attention to your inner weather. That’s difficult to do in times when everything seems to be thrown onto a screen upside down in front of us. This is not the world; it’s not your world; and it’s certainly not your inner world. That said, listen carefully any time you say anyone else has done something or is a certain way. These statements are likely to contain projections that it would be helpful to understand. I’m understating my case here. These weeks can, if you want, bring some of the deepest discoveries you’ve ever made about yourself — but you have to want to know. You have to be willing to understand yourself, your fears, and your doubts. It’s easy to act your way through these things or gloss over your innermost concerns. The world’s obsession with “phones” and “porno” and “news” and the rest of it is a denial trip. The fundamental nature of the distraction is from yourself. You have a way back into who you are and what you feel. This is also known as introspection — you’re invited to use it well.
Somebody understands Scorpio. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — A diversity of factors may stir up your insecurities. If you’re aware of this in advance, you will be able to make more productive use of it. The overall theme is secrecy — what you might keep from yourself, or from others. Now, we might ask: is it possible for you to conceal something from yourself? Usually that is categorized as denial. You’re pretty good at it, because you’re a good compartmentalizer. You have the discipline to not talk about what might be troubling you and gradually, you can tuck things aside. However, as the month develops, you will be less able to do so. You will be more aware of what you’re thinking and feeling, deep within any outer appearances. You will be making discoveries, and also remembering facets of your emotional existence that you may have forgotten. You may respond to this by emphasizing what others see; I suggest you forget that and focus your attention inward, where you need it. This may not be easy; there are factors that will try to draw you out of yourself ongoing and you can easily get distracted by them (especially the dramas that other people seem to bring into your life). Recognize these for what they are, and keep in mind that you have a rare opportunity for inner work that will never again show up in quite the same way. Your most important relationship is to yourself.
Jim Morrison said Sagittarius is the most philosophical sign. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — One of the most serious crises the world is facing is the loss of potential. It feels like the future is burning, and we can’t see 10 feet ahead of us for the smoke and haze. However, as part of your essential leadership role right now, you have the assignment of having a vision for what can be, what might be and what needs to be. This is both a skill and a gift; both are related to what I would call your practical spirituality. By practical, I mean that it involves useful ideas that you can act on, rather than theoretical concepts that sound nice. You also have an essential role as a guardian of collective resources. These may come in a diversity of forms: human, intellectual or material, to give a few examples. Part of your role is to stay close to your values and principles and to guide those of some larger group. Now, there is one other thing. I’m describing the influence of astrology in your adjoining sign Aquarius, among other factors. Our society is increasingly coming under the thrall of what I call the robot — the total influence of digital consciousness. Your leadership role is to preserve your humanity, and the attitudes and values that protect people. It’s easy to slip away from this; it’s easy to lose contact with your feelings and your senses. It may not be easy to stay connected to your core being. But you must.
Mature when you’re a child, grows younger as the years go on. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — No matter how old you are, this is a peak threshold of maturity, especially of your mental development. This is happening in a time when the world is being driven even more insane by having thought itself outsourced to computing devices. It’s one thing to use software to file your taxes or a calculator to balance your checkbook. It’s another thing to have a software application write a text message breaking up with a partner — the text message written by a person was a bad enough approach. The day I’m writing this, ChatGPT has announced a special version for college students that will help them cheat on term papers and think they’re smart. Needless to say, you must keep control of your mental processes. Chiron conjunct Eris may be making this difficult, and even painful for you. But to excommunicate your mind and live outside your body — which is what the environment is driving right now, big time — is not an option. This is especially not suitable for you, who are so completely identified with your mental process, your ideas, your concept of who you are and your actual intelligence. Therefore, do the work of thinking, of writing, and of speaking. Stay close to yourself and your ideas. Keep an active dialog with yourself. Once someone is dissociated from their own awareness, it’s difficult to re-establish the connection — if one even notices that it’s missing. Be like Motel 6 — keep your lights on.
Learn the secrets of Pluto in your sign. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Everything is negotiable. It’s rarely possible to say that one single concept can lead to all of your success, but if there is one for you, that’s it. Negotiable implies a few things, such as knowing what you want and what you’re consciously willing to give up. It implies making clear statements and facilitating honest transactions. All of this suggests being a straightforward communicator. If you can handle this, you’ll do very well for yourself. Right now the world is being run on a combination of cold, robotic transactions and systems that are designed only to take from people. Sincerity, reputation, compromise and caring about people are ceasing to be a thing — but we all still want those things. And that is what you have to offer. But I would qualify all of this sage wisdom: be a person of good faith, and restrict your dealings to people of good faith. That is both a legal and a moral concept; look it up. It’s a basic alignment with honesty. Saturn’s brief return to your birth sign for the last few months of the year is about remembering and firming up your commitment to yourself — in tangible ways. Neptune will be making a similar move, and that’s your reminder to reaffirm your vision for your life — the one that took you so many years to refine and consider. Stay with these things…your life begins and ends with you.
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