Posted on April 12, 2020 | Link to original
Dear Friend and Reader:
There are two patterns in the sky right now. The first is the Sun passing through the Pluto-Eris square. The second is the conjunction of Venus and Vesta, which is further described by Mercury conjunct Chiron. The first pattern is easier to size up than the second.
I will give a short overview of Venus-Vesta and Gemini in the last section, and if the themes appeal to you, I would suggest you listen to my spoken-word presentation in the third segment of Planet Waves FM. (This begins at time marker 1:19, after the second song break.)
Additionally, I focus this topic, along with the upcoming Venus retrograde, on a special edition of Tantra Studio that I distributed last week. It’s the second program down. There are some things it’s easier to describe than to write about, and Venus conjunct Vesta is one of them. I consider the Venus-Vesta pattern to be of utmost importance for those who are focused on their healing process rather than day-to-day strategy for life. It is a once-in-a-lifetime aspect pattern.
Sun Conjunct Eris in Aries
Early Monday, the Sun aligns in an exact conjunction to Eris. An unusual object with a 558-year orbit, Eris was discovered in 2005 and named in 2006. The goddess of discord became the basis for reorganizing the categories of “planet” in the solar system. It was at that time that Pluto was recategorized as minor planet (134340) Pluto. This has done nothing to diminish Pluto’s influence. We might take the hint that if Pluto is a minor planet, others might be equally influential — and one of them is Eris.
Twelve years ago at this time, I commented on the conjunction of the Sun and Eris:
Eris is in Aries and I think that in many respects, Aries in our era is about Eris. Aries is the sense of self and the right to exist. We do a lot of experimenting with identity these days, but most of it is virtual. It is fast arriving at the point that anything that occurs in the physical world is perceived as, or sold to us as, a kind of threat — unless it involves spending money.
Eris is here to teach us to return to the roots of our identity. I do not mean identity as an abstract concept; I mean identity as the direct experience of self and of existence. We may be so far from this that it sounds like an abstraction.
In recent years, I’ve evolved this theory. My overall sense of Eris is that it involves the impact of the internet on identity. Eris is about who we have become under digital conditions, and who we think we are.
With this conjunction, our total immersion in digital technology has been pushed on us even harder, with most of the world in social isolation. We have already seen that with nearly all of our contacts coming through digital devices, we are becoming dislocated from reality, and living in an out-of-body experience: total detachment from what we used to think of as reality, our physical form, and consequently our purpose on Earth.
What we’re talking about is the same as the difference between porno and actual human relationships. The digital version has nothing to do with the actual experience of love and contact. If we are not careful, we’re going to have our entire lives reduced to the porno version, and I don’t think we’re going to be happy about that.
The Only Safe Space?
As the Sun and Eris align today, most of the world is under stay-at-home orders, quarantine or some form of martial law. Here in New York, I can be fined $1000 for speaking to someone on the street. This has forced us to retreat even further into the digital sphere, and our digital “identity” that is shorn of physical reality. One message of the “novel coronavirus” is that physical reality is not safe; the only place you’re really safe is the internet — where you don’t really exist. Surf safely!
While we’re doing it, we might ask ourselves whether this is a sacrifice we want to make, and do some experimenting with how we might turn back toward actual human existence. The problem, as with most things these days, is one of trust. Now just about everyone is convinced that everyone else is a potential vector of a deadly disease. And oh by the way, you might be killing everyone you meet as well. This thought form has nothing to do with the virus being called SARS-CoV-2. It exists independently of the virus, with a life of its own.
We assume this crisis will end, though if we’re afraid that anyone we speak to might kill us, it’s not over — and this is going to be difficult to heal from. For some, it will be impossible.
We already have enough trouble trusting one another in a competitive society. We’ve already been conditioned for decades that the only way of life is “every man for himself.” Now we’re pretending that wearing bandannas and standing six feet apart is somehow going to alter the fact that we breathe the same air.
Sun square Pluto on Tuesday
Pluto and Eris — two ultra-slow movers — are in a long square aspect. Pluto in late Capricorn is making a 90-degree angle to Eris that spans from early 2020 through late 2021. Really, the time orb is much wider than the exact alignments, so add a couple of years onto either side of that time range.
The Sun conjunct Eris (described above) means it’s also square Pluto. So now we combine the identity disorientation of Sun-Eris with the will to power of Sun-Pluto. One problem Marshall McLuhan cautioned about is that people and countries who don’t know who they are often try to find out by use of violence and aggression. Maybe this will give you a clue if you’ve ever wondered why these things are so prevalent.
Our fundamental problem now is that the internet is disorienting. The primary resource it depletes is sense of self; sense of being. And as that goes away, there will be people who try to find out by way of aggressive means.
Mars is in Aquarius through May 13
During this phase of global lockdown, Mars remains in Aquarius, where it will be until May 13. I have been describing this wryly as “the natives are getting restless.” This is a problem, though. Mars moving through Aquarius certainly implies some antisocial feelings or aggression on the collective level. We are seeing this boil over onto the internet, which is currently the only means people have to express themselves.
The Venus-Vesta Pattern, Including Mercury Conjunct Chiron
I will cover this briefly here; it could be the topic of a major Thursday feature. Time is precious at the moment, and I’ve done two comprehensive presentations on this the past few days, in audio format (free of charge). Please refer to the top of the article for the details, if you find this discussion resonates.
The whole pattern can be summed up as an opportunity to be aware of and heal ancestral-level wounding, particularly around sexuality. Ancestral can be your family of origin and it can be your genetic line or one side of the family.
A lot comes down to us via karma, genetics and the wider society. Many people struggle with the resulting problems without giving them names, and often blaming themselves for the patterns that appear in their lives, which are really inherited from the past.
Venus-Vesta is about nurturing the sacred space of self. Mercury conjunct Chiron is about learning how to communicate with yourself and eventually with others about your deepest personal material.
This is sensitive territory, which would be suited for the therapy room if therapists were educated, trained and personally ready to go there. If you feel learning about this would be of benefit to you, please refer to the audio presentations. You will find them calming, centering and worth your time. On this week’s Planet Waves FM, I describe the stage of my healing process where I entered forbidden ancestral territory, and how that changed my life.
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of My Horoscope
The horoscope below is published on the 25th anniversary of my work as a horoscope writer. I wrote my first column on April 13, 1995. I would love to reflect more on what it’s meant to write this kind of open-source spiritual journal for the world.
For now, anyone curious may read the story of how I got into the work. It’s an exciting, excellent read.
And you are invited to explore a database archive of my horoscopes going back to 1998. It would seem that the first three years are mostly lost to history, but we have records almost to the beginning.
With love,
New Content on Planet Waves Site
Voter Suppression is an Assault on Democracy Itself by Samuel Dean, our legal correspondent, looks at some troubling recent comments by officials about democracy and voting rights. Sam considers the history of voter suppression in the U.S., especially of minorities.
What Happened at the Last Saturn-Pluto Conjunction in Capricorn? by Spencer Stevens, friend of Planet Waves, discusses the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 1518. That event took place amid the Protestant Reformation, and widespread political and religious turmoil.
Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes
Your extended monthly horoscope for April was published on Saturday, March 28. We published your extended monthly horoscope for March on Thursday, Feb. 29. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign. Aries (March 20-April 19) — Telling the truth makes many people uncomfortable most of the time, and some people uncomfortable all of the time. Is that a reason to lie? Is it a reason to couch your truth in a press release, so as not to “offend” anyone? Let’s repeat two of those words: your truth. What you know, and what you’ve experienced, are yours to testify to. Speak in any tone of voice you want. You may speak to be believed, or to express yourself the most accurately, or in a way that you consider natural. You may also write your words. However, I encourage you to consider carefully consider any excuse for not doing so that approximates “I will make someone uncomfortable,” or “I will hurt someone.” It’s different if someone intends to harm or cause discomfort; that is not what we’re talking about. Your truth may be about how much you care. It may be about what you need. It’s always about who you are. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here. Anyone who has encountered it is curious about Chiron. Planet Waves provides one of the few dependable online sources of information on this unusual planet. For the 10th anniversary Astrology Studio reading, I will be covering Chiron in Aries — a momentous event for all those born under this sign, and of high interest to everyone else. Get instant access to this reading here. Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be keeping something from yourself. I don’t mean being in denial. The feeling is more like a dream you had that you’re trying to remember. It keeps tugging at you through the day. Sometimes that’s in the form of a feeling. Other times it’s in the form of an image. You might tune it out or get distracted. I suggest that you take the hints that are bubbling up from the deep part of your mind, reminding you of something that you need to know. Conditions are perfect this week for you to pause, and remember, and raise this thought to consciousness. It is likely to involve a subject so intimate you would never want to talk about it. Yet those are the topics that it’s essential to be honest with yourself about. Your awareness will take away the power they seem to hold over you. That is another way of saying that by admitting whatever this is to yourself, you take possession of yourself. Remember this subtle maneuver. It will serve you well for all of your days. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here. You can now pre-order your 2020-21 Taurus Astrology Studio here for just $33. In this reading, Eric will guide you through the next phase of Uranus in your sign, now joined by Saturn in your house of career and aspiration. Gemini (May 20-June 21) — This is an important few days to remember the difference between public and private. It is a thin, temporary difference. You might think of it as wet paint. When you apply a new coat of paint, it will eventually be durable, and ready to be seen and touched and leaned on, and washed off. While it’s going on, and while it’s drying, you don’t want others to mess up your work, or get any on them. The same is true for a certain personal matter that you’re working through. Your relationship to the outer world (by public, I mean the people you know, and potentially beyond) might be reluctance, fear of being exposed, some form of discomfort or desire to tell the world — anything but a neutral thought. I suggest you hold your energy, and work on your painting, in the seclusion of your studio — meaning your inner being; your feelings; your mind. Tap into what may be the profound pleasure of being vulnerable to yourself. You must give something up. You will gain much. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You are not delivering a message; you are the message. Your art is merely getting out of the way all that stands between you and who you innately are. There are words involved, but mostly the example of your thought patterns, your choices and your actions. Evaluate everything on the basis of whether it is aligned with your calling or not. You may not know what your calling is, or think you don’t, and that may be a sticking point. However, the process of evaluation using your mission as a basis will help you figure out what your calling is. This will work whether we’re talking about an X-factor, something you know but don’t yet trust, or a deep agreement you have with yourself. In any of these events, the inner quest will be the same. I assure you that you most certainly have a calling, and it’s a potent one, whether you’ve discovered it or not, acknowledged it or not, value it or not. You do not need to struggle. Just evaluate. Ask yourself what is true for you. Think through each thought that you intend to connect to an action, slowly. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here. Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — The Sun is in rare form right now, which is saying a lot, given that it’s the Sun — a little star with close to a million known points orbiting it. Some of those little rocks and ice cubes mean more than others, and right now the power is ramped up. You must hold your spiritual center, and conduct yourself in a calm and thoughtful way. Be cautious if you experience any aggression at all, or obsessive feelings. Back away from whatever is triggering you and reflect on your circumstances for a moment. You probably have much more important things on your mind: for example, an urgent decision that you need to make. Here’s a clue about that: it seems bigger than it is; there is an exaggeration involved. It is merely a decision, though it’s the one that’s on the top of your priority list and must be treated as such. I suggest you work out your choice, and wait two days, if you can, and see if you still feel the same way. If you do, it will be a calm feeling, without pressure. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — One of the dominant themes of your sign in this era is working out the way you tend to seek your identity within your relationships. Your astrology is now a full reversal from that position, though this is a gradual process of extraction and learning your independence. One potential obstacle is that to gain your mental and emotional autonomy, you would have to admit that you somehow were lacking in it before. If that is true, just admit it and move on. We are all subjected to endless conditioning by our families, which amounts to being conned into existing as someone other than who we are — and I do mean we; this is a culture-wide problem. You at least have tried to rebel within the system, or attempted to reform it from within. You succeeded to a degree, but it was a lot of work, and it didn’t entirely cut you loose from the conditioning. Suddenly you have the awareness and the tools, but you also have something else: a healing project that only you can accomplish, and for now, you must do this on your own. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here. Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It’s often difficult to tell if someone is presenting you with their true personality and thoughts, or with everything they’ve been programmed to be. You might notice the same theme in yourself. In your drive for security, you often take the route of conforming to what others expect of you — or perhaps better said, what was expected of you in the past. Those influences are strong right now; it’s like there’s a vortex trying to drag you back into ancient history. Be aware that this is not an influence of the present; it is one of the past. There are, however, other factors in your environment that are real and immediate right now. They are calling you to be present today, in this moment, and stand apart from whatever is trying to draw you back into ancient history. The feeling tone is entirely different. The immediacy of what you are experiencing may be different and present you with certain challenges, but it has a distinctly refreshing feeling. Not like a basement. Not like an attic. More like a meadow. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Be mindful of putting anything resembling peer pressure onto someone, or anyone, particularly an intimate partner. That means no pressure to conform, or to do things the way they were done in the past. This may require you to step away or pause the conversation. Someone close to you is deep in an introspective healing process. They may not be sending out press releases about it, though. And at the same time, they are highly suggestible and can be influenced by what they believe others think. You might invest your energy in guarding their door, so nobody bothers them. It’s not easy when someone close to you is in a self-searching process; you might feel excluded, or like you’re not needed. Still, you need to offer time and space to anyone who needs it. Looking ahead at the astrology later in the year, you will be involved in a similar process. The wisest approach is to listen and take notes. Check all your prejudices outside. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may be feeling many mixed emotions now. You also have options for how to be in the world, or how to feel, and for what to choose. Look in the direction of someone who may seem to hold out a kind of purity: of being, of purpose, of choice and of action. Allow their focus on their purpose, and their sense of resolve, to guide you in a positive direction. You may be experiencing deep passions, drives, and some anger. You may feel like you’re going to explode. It will help if you find a way to let off some of the pressure, in a constructive or at least benign way. The example being set for you is to tend to your inner needs; to call your awareness inside yourself, and remember who you are. This is not a dramatic or loud or bold thing to do. It’s so subtle you might not even notice when you’re doing it. Yet many factors are calling you to draw your energy inward, and focus there for a while. If you feel a door open, you may step through. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — This thing known as spirituality is often mistaken for its accessories: candles and incense and books. It’s sometimes thought of as a tranquil or loving feeling, or a state of calm goodness and of peace and oneness with the world. That’s the Hollywood version. The actual journey to wholeness involves confronting deep personal challenges. This can be messy and painful, and the struggle can go on for a while. If you put that in the ad, it would not be appealing. Nobody would sign up. But what you’re experiencing now is not optional; you’re here, and you are being summoned to participate actively in your own healing process. For you, the bottom line is trust. The central issue you are learning to address is an injury to your ability to have faith and fidelity in yourself first, and others second. That is the order of operations. Start with yourself; there is nowhere else. But you do have help. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Mars and Saturn in your birth sign may seem to be sending you conflicting signals, which may feel like a blend of charge ahead, and stay put right where you are. I am saying this in the spiritual sense, since at the moment nobody is in a position to fly to India and visit an ashram. You need an outlet for your energy and your creativity, which you have in abundance. The world may seem to be offering you the opportunity to make little origami flowers when you want to weld half-inch steel plates together. However, I reckon you will settle down some the moment you are involved with some activity that engages your intellect, and invites you to get into the flow of your thoughts. Gentle will work. Solitude will work. This is a good moment to take some time to yourself and do what you love, because you love it. Much else will melt away. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Keep your perspective. There are some distortions and exaggerations in your personal world. The big questions you may have can be addressed by asking relatively small ones. You can sort out the priorities for your whole life by addressing your priorities for any given day. Work from the small to the large; from the micro to the macro. Take care in the seemingly minor things, and that pattern will expand into the greater ones. If you address the matter of quality, the cosmos will address the matter of quantity and scale. Be precise in your thoughts and your speech. Yes, this is a matter of discipline, training and karma yoga. Yet there is also a practical matter involved, which is that what you do now, and how you do it, are what will be amplified and magnified as you move into the future. Therefore, do not aspire to any form of greatness or worldly achievement. Rather, aspire to do well what you do every day, and in particular, what you do today. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here. 
The Journey of You and Chiron | A New Reading by Eric Francis
