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Dear Friend and Reader:
IN MY YEARS OF COVERING ECLIPISES, I’ve discovered many ways to describe how they feel and how to handle them. We have an impressive total solar eclipse in Sagittarius set up for Monday, Dec. 14th. This occurs in the final hours of Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn, before they make their ingress into Aquarius the 17th through the 19th and form their once per generation conjunction on the 21st.This is all such remarkable astrology — coming on the heels of two conjunctions this year involving Pluto — that we might get the clue that something unusual is happening in the course of human events. It surely is. Though as Bob Dylan said of Mr. Jones (who was a reporter for Time magazine) there are a good few people aware that something is happening, but they don’t know what it is. And the problem with that is this: not knowing usually means not knowing when you don’t know.
Were I to offer a motto for the Aquarian Era, it would be, “Know when you don’t know.”
Video has killed a lot more than the radio star. Radio, video and digital killed the book as a source of transformation in society.
The challenge is honesty, followed up by a degree of intellectual rigor that feels like a dusty contraption here in our barely-literate age.
It’s not that people cannot read. It’s that the ground of literacy has been eroded by electricity.
Video has killed a lot more than the radio star. Radio, video and digital killed the book as a source of transformation in society. This, in turn, has demolished or evaporated a vital sense of inner awareness long cultivated by centuries of the book being the primary means of learning, therefore, of learning about oneself.
In our time, “not knowing” often translates to being consumed by fear, or pretending to be asleep. “Not knowing” is also about having been driven out of body by electrical and digital technology, and therefore, radically destabilized. For many, this means associating the body with fear and only fear. You know you’re back in your body when you’re not worried, scared or terrified.
It is that narrowing of the way plus increase in velocity that gives eclipses their feeling. This results in sudden internal pressure drop, which creates suction and introduces something new to the mix.
My Favorite Eclipse Metaphor
Over the decades, I’ve experimented with many metaphors to convey the feeling of an eclipse. I’ll get into the concepts in a moment, though my favorite metaphor is the Venturi Effect. I know this from understanding a little about how a carburetor works. That’s the thing that mixed the air and fuel in old cars. Liquid gasoline does not burn; it only burns as some form of vapor.
The principle is simple: when air is passing through a tube, if the tube narrows, there is an increase in velocity, and a drop in air pressure. The air rushes through the narrow area. It’s at that point that the pressure drop sucks the fuel into the mix, turning it into particles small enough to burn.
It is that narrowing of the way plus increase in velocity that gives eclipses their feeling. This results in sudden internal pressure drop, which creates suction and introduces something new to the mix.
A lot is happening in a small place. There is the sensation of going from one side of something to the other, and also a sense of inevitability. I’ve been using this idea for eclipses for a while, and just thought to look up the chart of the man for whom it’s named, a physicist, scholar and diplomat named Giovanni Venturi. He was born a few days before a solar eclipse, just as the Moon was making its final approach to the Sun, as is happening now.
I was curious why the pressure drop also comes with a temperature drop. I don’t understand the equations but here they are.
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Spiritual Principles of Eclipses
Way back in 1999, I wrote, “Eclipses are astrology we cannot deny.” Ancient astrologers were vexed by them. Modern astrology has learned how to use them, and takes a much more positive approach than predicting blights and locusts.
However, we have reason to be cautious, as there are serious problems on the planet now, all of them caused by people rather than by mere circumstance.
The first property of eclipses is concentration of experience. A lot happens in a short time; time itself becomes distorted.
We need to open our minds, and the Sagittarius eclipse may help. We need new possibilities. However, the presence of the eclipse close to the Galactic Core suggests that vast and largely invisible forces are at work. When you think of the Galactic Core, think of macroeconomics, of urban planning, and geopolitics.
Eclipses move us as individuals, and as society, from one place to the next. An eclipse in Sagittarius has the sensation of a vast new realm of thought and potential opening up.
The first property of eclipses is concentration of experience. A lot happens in a short time; time itself becomes distorted. This works on an individual level, and on a collective level. Of course time and events move so fast now that we might not notice the acceleration, but you will if you pay attention, and make a conscious choice to work with it.
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Matters Seem Karmic or Predestined
Events seem karmic or predestined. They may not be, but they certainly seem that way. A lot of how that shapes up depends on your relationship to the ideas of karma and destiny. It’s better not to push the river, but rather to guide yourself with intention and as much clarity as you can muster.
Eclipses come with a sensation of discontinuity. Things are often vastly different on either side of an eclipse. It helps if we work consciously with the process of change. The world often seems to plow forward on its crazy way, and yet nothing ever seems to really change; eclipses are the remedy. In the process of the Soul evolution of the planet, and in our individual lives, these events represent critical transition points without which there would be very little progress.
Therefore, another characteristic is a distinct sense of transition. We move from one space of life into another. Personal relationships, including marriages and lover relationships, are particularly susceptible to rearrangement. The change can be deepening of stronger relationships, and shake-ups in weaker relationships, many of which are likely to change dramatically.
On the Other Side of the Venturi
The Aquarian Era is on the other side of the venturi. What is that about? Well, the usual peace and love definition of Aquarius does not hold. Rather, the pattern-formation property of Aquarius is what to keep track of, as well as the social order and organization property.
This is all mingled up with technology. Digital is getting smaller and smaller, plenty small to be inserted into the brain, the blood and other organs. I will not go into detail, but one result of 24 years of Aquarian astrology (if we include Pluto, from 2022-2044) is transhumanism: the merging of humans with computers. We are already close to this, in consciousness. The final frontier is the physical body.
“What’s happening today are the last gasps of literacy, represented here by Science. As the ground for Literacy is gone, (or Literacy as ground also) so Science has lost its foundation and so, its infallibility and people’s confidence.”
We must never forget that one of the first uses of computers was to keep track of concentration camp victims. We must never forget that the “Turing test” (originally the imitation game) is named for Alan Turing, who saw the potential for computers to imitate human intelligence, consciousness and existence.
The Turing test — devised in 1950, 70 years ago, when computers were the size of a building — is about whether a natural person can distinguish android consciousness and presence from a human.
We must be particularly careful, as science has been turned into a religion, though it’s one in which people are rapidly losing faith. As Andrew McLuhan recently wrote to me in an email, “What’s happening today are the last gasps of literacy, represented here by Science. As the ground for Literacy is gone, (or Literacy as ground also), so Science has lost its foundation and so its infallibility and people’s confidence.”
In the immediate sense, we will see some stabilization after Jupiter and Saturn change signs. The mad rush feeling we have now is natural this time of year, though magnified by a conjunction of the two largest planets. It is time to remember that science is a method, not a claim of validity, or a brand, or a lady in a white coat. The opinion of a scientist is not the finding of a scientific experiment. That has been skipped over.
Meanwhile, we are in the acceleration zone of the Venturi Effect. This is the feeling of the land-grab on every front. You know, what’s the big hurry?
How about this: people are waking up. Better to grab them and jab them when they are still in a daze, and still terrified. In fact, let’s make spreading terror official policy.
Not so fast buddy. Not so fast.
Achtung, baby.
All Of Us Here – Astrology for Our Moment
In honor of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius, the 2021 Planet Waves annual readings are called ALL OF US HERE. These are audio readings for all 12 Sun signs and rising signs.
For the next few days, we will be offering all 12 signs of ALL OF US HERE for $88.These extended audio readings will synchronize you with the astrology of the forthcoming year.
They include a video introduction wherein I describe the charts — done by Dec. 21, the day of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.
There is also a separate written reading called AN AQUARIAN ERA for $88, which covers Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Aquarius from 2021-2024 – this is available for pre-order for all 12 signs. It is your best introduction to Pluto in Aquarius (2023-2044).
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Every week or so, I do a new edition of Planet Waves TV. Usually these focus an astrological topic or chart in detail. After initially being resistant to video, I now love doing these. The more people click on them the more I will do — and I am interested in your suggestions. The link to PlanetWaves.TV redirects to our YouTube channel for easy access. We also post to Facebook, to our front page, and include one with the weekly newsletter.
Going back to February, I’ve developed a portfolio of essays, investigative articles, videos and audio presentations on the Covid situation. These include articles about the astrology of the situation, hand sanitizer, holistic care, social critique and a wide diversity of other topics. We’ve recently added a selection of my satires, such as CDC guidance on blowing kisses. This is a truly comprehensive look at the issues, written from a worldly, nonpolitical standpoint. Here is the link
Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes
Your extended monthly horoscope for December was published on Monday, Nov. 30. We published your extended monthly horoscope for November on Thursday, Oct. 29. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign.
Monday Evening Horoscope #256 for December 7, 2020
By Eric Francis Coppolino
Aries (March 20-April 19) — The spiritual journey does not follow the usual laws of physics, or of society. That’s part of why its teaching value is so high. You find out what is possible when those mundane principles are suspended, which is de facto evidence that they are not the bottom line. Yet one persistent issue is that no matter how many miracles one witnesses, doubt can still run the show. And this blocks many good and loving things from happening, as they are deemed impossible before they have a chance to manifest, or before they are witnessed. Now that we have that out of the way, no matter how strange, chaotic, unpredictable, or negative things may seem, none of that blocks what is possible. You can do that, through denial, withdrawal of faith, or fear. So use your power of prayer to ask that your mind be cleansed of fear and its effects. Then be open to the possibilities. Have some sense of the right direction things might go, and be aware that there are possibilities better than you are aware of.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may take an optimistic view of relationships to the degree you bring forth total honesty. That alone will lower the pressure you are feeling; much of it is created by what you’re withholding, and also by a negative approach to the situation you are in. That negativity is creating a ‘sense of the inevitable’ which does not need to be present. You could just as easily be sensing the possibilities, envisioning them, or creating them. There is something odd in your solar chart, though, which seems to be having an influence on the situation and your ability to speak clearly about it: public perception. Is it possible that your position is being shaped by not wanting to be seen a certain way? You may need to peer in a layer or two, or admit something that you’re currently masking in a little shroud of fog. How you are perceived is not the issue. That you may care is the issue. And this may run in both directions: consider carefully what you believe, and consider whether belief means anything at all. Most of the time, it’s a concept that masks over denial. Stick to the truth, even if you don’t like it.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Whatever pressure you may be under, whatever strange circumstances you may be facing, you can handle them. You possess a precise instinct at the moment, yet the key is this: do not depend on your own power. Rather, depend on your small willingness to have the right thing happen. This is an inner maneuver, and once you learn it, you will have it to work with. It’s especially helpful in impossible situations, since there’s not much you can do to actually change matters — though you can invest your faith in the right thing happening. You can ask for assistance, and most of all, you can ask to be directed. When you get the right information, you know it. It’s not so much that it feels like swaggering confidence — not at all — but rather, something you simply understand to be true, and true enough to act upon. We’ve all had those moments when we felt moved to go a certain place for no apparent reason, only to meet someone significant, seemingly at random. Remember that small choices count as much as large ones now. Chief among them is whether you allow yourself to be debilitated by fear, from moment to moment, decision to decision.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Focus your efforts, intentions and choices on getting things in order at work. The details matter; they count for everything. There seem to be forces in motion outside of your control. Yet your guidance is necessary, and your awareness of all the people and circumstances involved even more so. Calmly, pay attention to everything and everyone meekly relevant to your sphere of influence and responsibility. There are some delicate situations, and you want to handle those gently. That means starting with inquiry: asking direct questions, and seeing what direct answers you get; as well as listening for clues, reading between the lines, and tracking where people are coming from emotionally and spiritually. Be aware that over the next week, the pace is going to pick up, and you need to be at your focused, balanced best. This is one of those moments of chaos from which you will emerge in a whole new place, with a new sense of purpose. You must, however, make the trip in good form. Depend only on those who are dependable. Do not accept second best.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — The riskiest approach may be the best one. Leos tend to be averse to taking needless chances. However, this may be one instance where you decide you need to put something on the line in order to get a result. It may also be that you don’t feel like you have a choice in the matter; that there is only one viable option. If that’s true, I suggest you suss out other possible paths you might take. I would note, however, that there is no rush — and you don’t want to be in one. Though it may seem like you have to make fast choices, that is unlikely to be true, and you don’t want to be pressured. I suggest you commit to riding through something, until you come out the other end, then see where you are at. In the space of about one week — from the Dec. 14 solar eclipse to the Dec. 21 great conjunction — the entire landscape of the world, and of your life, is going to rearrange itself. Yes you have to be an astrologer to see this coming, though if you listen you can hear the sound of the lord shuffling the big tarot deck in the sky. That’s all the current commotion.
Tailored for Virgo Sun and rising, this new audio reading by Eric Francis introduces you to your astrology through the autumn of 2021. We will take maximum advantage of the power you are drawing from the Earth signs at the time of your solar return: Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, as well as Uranus in Taurus. This is a grand earth trine, and the thing to do is gather momentum in the direction you want to go, and then point yourself there. Eric describes the influence of Jupiter and Saturn ingressing Aquarius later this year. The reading looks closely at Chiron in Aries, accompanied by Mars retrograde in Aries — your most important relationship house. Now with full transcript. Order now for instant access. This reading is included with the Backstage Pass.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — At a certain point, the past must become the past, and by that, I mean the distant past. You are in a process of clearing that out, and it may be destabilizing. By “distant,” I mean early childhood, old stuff handed to you by your ancestors, and possibly, some past life-related material. It can all seem very real and ominous in the moment, yet it’s essentially a figment of your imagination, held up by the memories in your cells. You now have the opportunity to pull the plug and drain the tank. It is time. If you’re holding onto something, you might apply some curiosity and figure out why that is. Many people construct their whole character on attachment to their problems. In that case, not having them would be exceedingly disorienting. We all do this a little, until we don’t. So ask yourself honestly if you have a use for some grudge, opinion, or negative experience that you’re clinging to. This includes your beliefs, many of which are emotionally rooted but masquerade for ‘spiritual principles’. There are times when it’s really, really fantastic to be wrong.
Notes to Myself is Ready | Astrology Studio for Libra
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Make sure you get to the bottom of a partnership situation involving your money. There seems to be something brewing. There is a matter here of owning what is yours. In that case, do two things: take a common sense approach (who bought it?), and go to the contract (what is the commitment?). Yet it may not be an issue over a material thing. It may involve an emotional attachment, or some kind of jealous episode. The general heading is attachment, which seems to be interfering with some kind of transformation. This kind of issue can have a tendency to linger in a fog, though you’re approaching a moment of clarity. You are likely to reach a point where you cannot deny what you’re feeling; you may be there now, trying to sustain the belief that something else is going on (and that can be stressful). You might stop trying to convince yourself of anything. Instead, perhaps take the approach: what if this possibility is true? And then try a new possibility and game out that scenario. In the end, you will have a very good idea what you’re dealing with and how to proceed.
The Scorpio File: Astrology Studio 2020
What’s in the Scorpio file? Does anyone really know? This year for your solar return, Mercury is retrograde in your sign. Adding to the mystery, Mars, your classical ruling planet, is retrograde in Aries, about to station direct. Then Jupiter forms a conjunction with Pluto, which takes the story to the level of your soul’s mission on Earth. In this 76-minute astrology reading, Eric Francis unravels the secrets of your sign, and helps you guide yourself through this strange new time we are living in. Price is $44. Original music by Vision Quest. Get instant access here!
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You may need to take up the cause of another person. If you do, proceed with caution and consider starting behind the scenes rather than as some kind of public advocate who gets involved. It’s important that you not get drawn into any public dramas at this stage, or challenge any authority figures in an open way. That leaves a diversity of other options, including an advisory role, advocating privately, or coordinating for others. However, you have plenty on your plate at the moment, much work to do, and some tricky territory to navigate over the next few weeks. You will need to avoid controversy in your own life and also advocate for yourself when necessary. Mostly, I suggest you make sure that you’re keeping up with your work responsibilities, and pacing yourself so that you don’t get stressed. Any time you encounter an obstacle, the question to ask yourself is: am I working with this, or working against it? There are going to be things too big to push into and actually move. You can save yourself effort and grief by considering your goals and strategy carefully.
The most exuberant astrology reading ever.
Astrology Studio for Sagittarius, 2020-2021
Dear Friend and Sagittarius Sun, Moon, or Rising:
Without Sagittarius, we would all be lost. Home of the two centers of our local universe (the Galactic Core and the Great Attractor), Sagittarius is the homing signal in the zodiac. It reminds us of our cosmic origins, and this is a role you serve in the lives of many.
Sagittarius season is particularly exciting this year, with two eclipses involving your sign, including the Dec. 14 eclipse conjunct a planet named for the Goddess of the Stars.
The image above is as close of an image as we can get to the Galactic Core, which is packed with millions of whipping stars jammed so close that it’s light out all the time, in every direction.
And you are invited to view this new video on why I think that Sagittarius is the most interesting sign.
You may order here. This is a 70-minute audio reading featuring original music by Vision Quest. This reading is ready and available for instant access.
Thank you for your business and your trust.
With love,
PS — This reading is included with the Backstage Pass. If you have questions about that, please give us a ring at (845) 481-5616.
Here is a sample of your Sagittarius reading — Live from the Galactic Center
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your sign is the vortex toward which everything is spinning. This is about more than the deep-space points that make Sagittarius what it is. A total eclipse of the Sun is about to take place, on Dec. 14th. This is a South Node eclipse, so there is something about the past that is finally giving way to the present and the future. It would not be overstating your astrology to say that events at this time in your life are propelling you into becoming the person you are destined to be. It’s like a shell is cracking off, your mind is coming into focus, and you are getting a grip on your sense of mission. Stay present rather than orienting toward the future. There is a future, but right now is the portal: not planning, not considering distant goals, but being relevant in this moment where you are. Do what you actually want to do, and what you feel called to do. Do not distract yourself by projecting into the future. Stay grounded. You are on an interesting and meaningful ride. Make the most of it.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You’re about to be released from what may feel like a body cast you’ve been in for a few years. This will come with the sensation of being able to roam free for the first time in a long time. Yet before you get there, take note of the forthcoming eclipse of the Sun in the most sensitive angle of your chart. The thing that is awakening in you is not so much the ability to be physically free to move and make choices, but rather an inner spiritual sense that may have lain dormant for a while. That is about to come on like the tide at the Bay of Fundi, rising to a new height and intensity with unusual speed and momentum. This is likely to push material out of your shadow areas, out of your zone of denial, and challenge you to accept the truth about something for what it is. Like the ocean, this is not a force you can resist without getting hurt. So you need a way to ride the waves and currents gently. When you discover that you are free to move in a new way, take it slowly, and tread lightly, remembering what you know.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Keep your focus inward for now. There may be fireworks going off in other aspects of your life, though they are only distractions from the birthing process you are in. I would not be surprised if you’re feeling nervous and edgy about something. The whole world is, though it’s affecting your chart in an unusual way. That’s because the action is in Capricorn, the most sensitive zone in your chart (the 12th house), and where the world-shaking events of the past year have taken place. We are all in a delicate in-between moment now, though for you, this is a point of rebirth, and of your life taking on a whole new shape and form. While this is happening, you may feel ungrounded, out of bounds, or like you cannot steer your life. This is disorienting but it will not last long. However, when Saturn arrives in your sign on Thursday, Dec. 17, the urgency to have additional structure around you may feel like it’s coming on all at once. You know it’s time to make changes that you’ve been working up to for a long time. Saturn is a demanding influence, but if you respond, it always gives more than it takes away.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Events of the coming week, which presage many years ahead, streak across the most visible and public angles of your chart. This is all in the style of signs ruled by Jupiter and Saturn, which happen to be the planets directly involved. No doubt you feel the transformation in all areas of your life and your consciousness. Allow this to manifest as confidence, and as enhanced awareness of your inner and outer environments. If you are interested in guiding the course of your life, your awareness is your most valuable and vital resource. That means being alert to who people are and what they say. Seek a true understanding of the state of society in this time of immense change. Due to the origination of your chart (which means your spiritual or existential perspective), you have a rare vantage point. At the moment, you are also entrusted with considerable public responsibility. That will translate to different people different ways, though the essence is that you are a beacon, a witness, and a participant to some great change that’s taking place. You are not in this alone. Remember that.
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