I explain this week’s charts in STARCAST/Planet Waves TV. Here is the link to The Family Hunger Game article.
This Week’s Photos — Solar Eclipse in Valencia
Today’s ocean-themed images are of the Mediterranean Sea. When I lived in Europe, I took every opportunity to travel. In October 2005 I went to Valencia in southern Spain to see an annular solar eclipse. Well, it was low on the horizon and it’s not always possible to see an annular, but the photos are still beautiful. I’ve been digging through photos from the early phase of my digital photography career and these long—missing images came up. The series ls called Daybreak in the Path of Annularity. Here is the Wikipedia page for the eclipse.
Preview for Astrology Studio in Pisces
This is the first 15 minutes of an hour-plus reading focusing on events in Pisces plus Saturn and Neptune moving into Aries. My readings are good therapy and will help you get oriented in our chaotic times. You may find this and much else at the Astrology Boutique. There are many previews and other features to keep you entertained and enlightened.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — We have arrived at the big moment when Mars, the planet of Aries (and sometimes called Ares) stations direct. It’s been retrograde since Dec. 6, and this whole event has delivered quite a lot of energy, disturbance and potential. The deep theme for you is whether you feel safe in the world, and what it is that helps you feel confident and protected. Ultimately, this is a spiritual question, by which I mean that it’s between you and your inner teacher; between you and existence. Ultimately, no matter how materially well-off a person is, they can feel like they don’t have enough, or like their walls are not thick or high enough to ward off danger. There is never enough food, no matter how much food there is (and though no health gurus are saying this, I suspect this may be a factor in our society’s collective weight-gain issue). So the question is, what do you do to feel safe? Some vigilance and attending to business is certainly a good idea, though this can also lead to “never enough” territory. Really, on the daily level, your safety is a matter of trust. You learn to trust yourself, and you determine who you can trust in your environment — and you build from there. You learn from experience who to let into your private space and who to keep out. But there is one more thing. Most people are dragging around a lot of their parents’ and grandparents’ fears; and a lot of fear from childhood. There is a skill to acknowledging this and letting it go. It takes learning and work; it does not happen on its own — and is worth focusing on.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — For all of March and through April 12, your home planet Venus will be moving in retrograde motion. And the exciting news is that it’s doing so in the angle of your chart that conceals a vast blind spot that you have about yourself. It’s as if you contain this fenced-off territory within your awareness and your memory and it’s just not so easy to get inside. Well, I have news for you: you’re there. And you’re being taken on a tour of all of the unusual places that make you a little queasy — and that also reveal your greatest assets. To have your full strength, you need to claim everything about yourself, including all that lurks in the hazy shadows. The thing about Taurus is your ability to put on an impeccable front. Your living room might appear ready for Elegant Homes magazine, yet there is stuff piled under the couch. This retrograde phase is your opportunity to empty and sort out all that stuff. Do it slowly; start now, as Venus enters shadow phase and contacts all the planets that it will rub against two more times. Take it in layers. The bottom line in all of this is the truth about your sexuality: your desires, your experiences, what you’ve done and what has been done to you — all of it. You cannot deny any part of this and have another. It’s an all-or-nothing kind of situation, and in accepting that, you will discover yourself to be a whole person with your full emotional capacity.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — As the world gets more complicated, it’s not becoming any easier to know what you want, or what you want to do. It’s no easier to define success, or to know it when you feel it. This has probably been an especially foggy matter for as far back as you remember, though I’m talking about the time that Neptune got involved with this topic in 2011. You are now at a crucial juncture: the air is about to clear; your view will soon be much less obscure. And you may find that a diversity of forces have guided you in the right direction even though you may feel like you’ve been blown ever further off course. Certain external or structural restrictions have helped you regain some focus and make better decisions. However, what matters most is what you want, or what you need. For your purposes, they are about the same; they both represent guidance and direction coming from your inner authority, not some external one. Mars turning to direct motion also describes a situation where you must know your principles and stick to them. It’s always possible to delay, or to compromise based on some seeming external requirement that you do the right thing on someone else’s terms. It is high time that you honor what is right and true for you on your own terms, and put it to others to adjust to your agenda. Yet at the same time, you know that the world exists on mutual agreement and you have a part in supporting the existence of others. The big change is that you are counting yourself in.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The action is now in your fellow water sign Pisces, though it is steadily moving in the direction of Aries. Now is the time to explore the ideas and possibilities that lead to action. The next 200 words may be a map to the next year-plus, which will be one of the highest-initiative times in your life — no matter what else is going on in the world. So it would be advisable to build on a solid foundation. And that foundation is the vision that you have for your existence. By vision I mean what you can visualize, and even feel; this implies the use of your imagination and not just your cerebral mind. Now is the time to let yourself play with the possibilities, and more significantly, to notice which you prefer. When planets — large and small, slow and fast — take up residence in Aries, you will want to take action. The question is what action you take, and on what basis. Now is the time to orient yourself on your choices being powered by what you prefer. I realize this can get confusing in the kaleidoscopic digital age, where everything seems simultaneously possible and impossible. The question is, when you get up in the morning, what does your body gravitate toward? What do you want to do? What do you wish you could be doing? And moreover, what do you actually do when you have the freedom to do anything? Something is calling you — and calling in a bold way. You will know what it is because you like it.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — There are certain realizations about yourself that you’ve delayed or put off, which it’s now time to make friends with. The honesty called for most is the only one that matters, which is what you acknowledge to yourself. You don’t do this overnight; one element of truth and awakening will lead to another. You might say this is about a process of reconciliation, with yourself and others. I use this word in both senses: that of to restore union or friendship and to bring together; and to work out discordant facts and to make actions and conditions consistent in one another’s minds. But this must start with you coming out of denial about any situation you’ve left in “time will tell” mode. Time is now telling; the end of a long era of your life is arriving. Even if you don’t make friends with certain truths about your life, the time has come to admit that they exist. Then, once you have taken that information on board, you have the duty to act on your personal truth. Nobody else will do this for you; nobody will look at your life from the outside and decide what is best for you. However, part of your mission involves aligning what is best for you and the greatest good for all concerned. There are situations where you can find a workable situation for everyone, and some where you will lean one way or another. This is why you must know where you stand with yourself on every important matter.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Particularly where your relationships are concerned, you enter a new phase of your life between now and late April. It looks a little like a fog lifts, which in turn reveals a hidden barrier you were banging into for the past couple of years. But at least you found that boundary, which is the divider between you and someone in your life, or in your intimate relationships generally. While this block has been annoying, it’s much better than it not being there. At least you can figure out where you stand with someone; and that, in turn, will provide you with more confidence to show up for your relationships in a consistent way. Notice carefully any signs that you may be in rebellion against someone or something. Any sense of being riled up is a scrim that conceals a deeper truth within you. It’s also probably a hint that an angry inner child within you wants attention — and expects partners to be as enormous as your parents were to you at one time. You could say that the entire direction, purpose and meaning of your relationships is how to relate to other people as an independent adult. You bring the self-awareness and vulnerability to any such situation — and as with anything on this planet, there are no actual guarantees. However, the surest result you can count on is that if you are sincere, you will find out who you are in ways that you have never imagined. Just be mindful of trying to convince yourself that what you’re feeling is about someone else.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Do you feel the ground of your being rumbling? How are the people around you expressing themselves? We are now entering the rare, concentrated astrology of The Awakening. While this is happening in your relationship house (Aries, the 7th place of Libra), it’s about you and not about them. Yes, it may surely seem to be about all those people you know and may be surrounded by. But look deeper. They are the expression of an underlying environment, and that is what’s changing. Most of this is invisible to normal perception, yet at the same time is the product of your self-awareness. You can trust this, and keep moving yourself in the direction of your inner focus. Whatever may seem to be happening, that’s where the action is…and where the energy is moving. The drama of the world is a distraction from discovering your true purpose. You now have the perfect excuse to set it aside and place your emphasis on what you want to create. If you can master mental self-guidance and come back to the source of your awareness, which is within you, you will tap into significant creative power. Therefore, emphasize what is true, and what you want or need the most — for our purposes, they are similar, though it’s important to emphasize the desires that are close to being needs. You may find that you become aware of others who are in a position to support you, to collaborate or help you focus your intentions. Even then — focus on your creative source.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Venus begins retrograde motion on the 1st, and you may be wondering what an intimate partner or close collaborator is thinking. This is your opportunity to provide unconditional support for someone’s inner experience. If you cannot see into it, then being present for them may feel like an act of faith. There are times when that’s what a relationship must be. Trust, at least, that someone who is inwardly focused is involved in their personal work of the soul. You might say this is an exercise in not taking things personally. Yet it’s also a mirror, a hint that you’re seeing a reflection of yourself that reminds you to turn your attention toward your deepest being. You have questions about who you are. You owe yourself the experience of asking them, and sitting with the mystery until your awareness produces a sincere response. You cannot rush this; and rather than asking many questions, there are one or two that are calling for inquiry. This may take weeks; stay with yourself. This is a little like drawing tarot cards and leaving the spread on your dresser for a month or two, coming back to it every day until you get a sense of what the cards are saying because you see it unfold in real time. As part of this whole experience, you may make a beautiful discovery about the true nature of any relationship that I seem to be describing: a discovery that can only happen when you sincerely respect yourself and someone close to you as distinct individuals.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — While yours is regarded as the most visionary and philosophical sign of the lot, you certainly do struggle to keep an open mind. You might not see it that way; you probably just feel certain and like you have no special need to question your perceptions. Yet that is the essence of creativity: to have a gentle and free hand with the brush, to see the light reflecting differently on every surface, and to see the measure of truth even in positions you strongly disagree with. At least set aside the concept of perfection, and replace it with more useful ideas such as sincerity and discipline. You are still in a phase of existence where you’re being invited to expand, explore and experiment. This can include trying out collaborations with others just for the experience. And if you feel good, and the feeling is mutual, you’re welcome to continue — though that is not the main purpose. Your motive for any experiment is to exercise your curiosity and see where the results take you. And in curiosity there can be no perfection; all you need is the desire to know and to understand. You might find that the freedom of this experience is a little daunting. For all your potential, you tend to limit yourself with conservative ideas, adhering to tradition and rules you think you must follow. What if none of that was true? You are supported by a strong inner core. Yet to have integrity you must be flexible. And you must respect the unknown and unfamiliar within you.
Capricorn Astrology Studio 2024-25 is now available.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Throughout March and half of April, Venus will be retrograde in the innermost region of your worldly life: Aries. There has been a long setup here, and some of the themes are likely to have emerged already, even if you have not given them a name. What I suspect you are in the process of learning is how closely your family constellation describes your relationships, both currently and historically. The dramas you experience are all reruns. Nostalgia plays a crucial role in how you organize and experience your feelings. The truth of who you are is much more immediate and accessible. Yet if you connected with yourself for a moment, your known world — that house of cards would rock and shake. I propose that’s exactly what you want and what you need. Most of your energy is trapped inside you, seeking a means of expression. Rather often you associate expression with perfection. You back off from the risks that would provide you with the most abundant opportunities to live boldly and experience the kinds of fulfillment that are so elusive on our planet right now. And then of course there is the matter of false loyalty. That’s your agreement not to grow, change, or challenge known reality allegedly because you’re loyal to the people — parents, among others — who trapped you in your inner maze. Make no mistake: you would betray them directly by breathing the fresh air of your own existence, and having the courage to do what they never would and never could.
Aquarius Astrology Studio 2025-26 has been released, preview available.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — When all is done, and all is said, and when all is either accomplished or left unfinished, you and you alone are the sole authority of your life. Notice how many cultural games and interpersonal games are associated with surrendering your power to some external structure. “Just tell me what to do” has long been one of humanity’s favorite songs, and this usually does not end well. Only you know what you really need, and only you know who you really are. That alone is the basis on which you are called to make your choices, which implies that nobody can do this for you. Yet the implication is that you are responsible for the results of the decision you make consciously. There would be nobody else to blame — and that is what we are taught to always have ready. You are too old for this charade, in any of its countless forms. You are too smart to let yourself get away with fooling yourself. And you seem ready to concede that denial is not a viable way to guide your life. If someone asked you, “Are you ready to wake up to your own existence?,” how long would it take for you to answer? There are benefits to staying asleep and drifting through life, though if you knew what they were, you might not want them. The past five years you’ve been through a long and seemingly endless maturing process. It’s time to claim the benefits.
Pisces Astrology Studio 2025-26 has been published. Preview below.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The other day I randomly opened the book Working Days: The Journal of The Grapes of Wrath to the entry where John Steinbeck was about to finish the novel. He was a Pisces, of course, and that tells us a lot about him and astrology. Steinbeck was up to the closing scenes and sick to his stomach, which he knew was a matter of being on edge. “I only hope it’s good,” he scribbled in pencil. “It simply has to be. Well, there it is, all of it in my mind. And I hesitate to get to it. Maybe I’m afraid I can’t do it. But then I was afraid I couldn’t do any of it. And just day by day I did. So that is the best way to finish it. Forget that it is the finish and just set down the day by day work.” We might use this as a parable of the last stages of both Saturn and Neptune in your birth sign. It’s also a parable of moving through the fraught world we’re now living in, where I think it’s more important to do what you must do rather than what you want to do. By must, I don’t mean what seems to be demanded of you by your material circumstances. Rather, I mean what is shaking you from the inside, your soul’s calling, and the core necessity of your existence. Such is not to be confused with a luxury. Yours is the sign not of karma — the accumulated results of actions — but rather of dharma — your understanding of your existence which drives your sense of commitment and necessity from an inner place. You will know you’re there because it’s the exploration not of the same old, but rather of unfamiliar and even daunting territory.
Visit The Boutique — New from Planet Waves. Excellent products for all 12 signs and rising signs, all subscription options, chart casting service, personal consulting and more. Note, I’ve scrapped most ads around the horoscope to make room for more photos. You will find what you’re looking for, including tons of audio previews, by tapping the banner below.