Aries (March 20-April 19) — Not only is Saturn in your sign for the first time in more than a generation, granting you something solid and necessary, but an extremely rare conjunction formed a few days ago that has the power to spin society on its finger. It was last exact in the early 1970s, and I believe that its potential was squandered. The alignment involves Chiron (discovered 1977) and Eris (discovered 2005), so neither of the planets were a factor in astrology; and that means they were lurking in the murky depths of the collective psyche. Now, everything they represent is out in the open: the healing crisis of individuals, the chaos of society, plus the resulting instability, the uncertainty, the seemingly perpetual upheaval. The resounding message of this conjunction is to use your awareness. The other message is the warning to not identify as part of a group. That’s a dangerous cop-out, and the surrendering of personal responsibility for your existence. No group actually cares about you. You’re lucky if they don’t want to serve you for dinner.
Looking for guidance, reassurance or company? Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The sign Taurus exists with a significant blind spot. Sure, blind spots are the story of humanity and car design: the driver’s side blind spot on a little Honda can hide a truck. The blind spot in Taurus hides your quest for who you are, subverts it, and can lead to all kinds of spinning in circles. The essential thing missing is a certain kind of self-awareness that (as it happens) is coming ever less naturally to humanity. And the fact that this thing about you is concealed can also become so blazing and bold that it gets your attention in a highly unusual way. This is why so many fantastic artists are born under the sign Taurus. Yes, the Venus principle is in operation: that all of life can be an expression of beauty. Yet to truly be who you are involves an agonizing quest to discover who you are. And most people just cannot be bothered. At the moment and for the long foreseeable future, you don’t have much of a choice. And that means making the best of it, which will be pretty good.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Most people put popularity (or power) above truth and healing. You may be sensitive to the utter folly of that; left to their own devices, most humans would jockey and game themselves to oblivion. Assuming you’re not riding that supposed high, you’re likely to be especially sensitive right now to the games people play. They are unproductive and are designed to avoid intimacy rather than to allow or invite it. There may be situations where you see a diversity of social traumas and disasters. If you’re witness to any of these, count yourself as a stabilizing and healing force. Not a rescuer: that is something different, and it’s dangerous. Your role is closer to fair witness, honest presence and the one who can see all sides of various issues, whether you like the people involved or not. Know that at the bottom of anyone’s stress is their sense of injury, and much that we experience is about social wounding that feels like junior high school with an American Express card.
Astrology that’s better than therapy. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Saturn and Neptune are now in your 10th house of professional activities, an alignment that has not happened in quite this way (according to astrologer Leo King, who did the math) since the Great Pyramid was built. Chiron and Eris are aligned for the first time in more than 50 years. You’re likely to be feeling this as a summons to greater responsibility but also either a) motivation or b) oppression. Yet taking up the mantle of your life is not optional; the time has arrived. This, in turn, arrives with your need to catch up on long-postponed growth and talent development. You have tremendous potential, including the potential to not do much with it. These incredible alignments of planets are taking effect as a failsafe. You have embarked on the great climb of the mountain that is life. You can turn back, but then where will you be? As your credo, make sure what you like to do the least is what you do the best.
Astrology that understands you. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may find yourself especially sensitive to the rather fraught state of the human condition right now. You care at other times, though then there are those moments when you can feel people’s pain poignantly. Merely acknowledging people can do wonders for them; stopping to speak with someone you suspect is in pain can shift their day, their week and their life. The only action you would take is speaking to them for a few minutes, starting with asking how they are doing. This is generally harmless. For other forms of assistance, I suggest applying a metric taught by A Course In Miracles: offer your aid only when you know it won’t harm either person. This can be more difficult to discern than it seems, though after a while you get good at it. And this does not need to be a matter of opinion; it’s best left in the hands of your inner teacher, who will guide you in the right direction. Therefore, let your primary spiritual project be getting acquainted with this facet of yourself.
Eric Francis reads your solar chart. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — What have you been through the past few days? And what did you learn? It’s possible that the dust is still settling on an intimate personal situation, which may still defy your understanding. Yet you can still consider what you’ve experienced and the discoveries you made. I suggest you write them down before you forget them. This includes things that have come to your awareness related to the nature of a relationship and your involvement in it. It’s not easy to relate to others these days. People are living so far outside themselves that most have little notion of how they feel. And what we want seems to be as fickle as the Buddhists tell us over and over that desire really is. In truth you’re working through various situations dating back to your early history that involve confronting limits you were told were real. This cannot be done quickly if it’s to be done meaningfully. Therefore, stay close to yourself, and listen carefully to what others are saying.
Spiritually grounded astrology readings from Eric Francis. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Pay attention to your first impressions as you go through the week: whether people are trustworthy, and whether any one thing that’s said is true or false, relevant or irrelevant. Note that initial observation somewhere you can come back to it, and write yourself at least a paragraph for any significant matter (this way you will have something to refer to). Then, let the situation play out and see what happens. Take evasive action if you must; step back from any needless dramas that may emerge; notice when someone is ensnaring you, whether intentionally or not. Most of all, notice how you feel at all times, as indicated by your breathing. The challenge you face is knowing how to direct your energy with minimal exertion or force to get the result you want. And for that to happen, you must know what the result is likely to be, or at least have some basic ideas about it. You have more power than you think, so notice when you are efforting uncomfortably.
Astrology for the soul. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Vesta in your sign implies that your role is to offer yourself in the service of someone who needs you. I don’t mean texting $50 to some relief effort; I mean responding directly to someone you care about. You may have other priorities on your mind. Professional activities look like they have finally come back to life after months of frustrating delays. Yet your personal, intimate world is more significant than any worldly success. You will recognize the situation I’m talking about because it seems you have to give something up in order to attend to it. This might be your time, it might be your emotional attention, it might be setting aside having your sexual needs met in a relationship. I know there are a few Scorpios out there who will offer anything to the people close to them, though that’s not generally true. And your situation is not calling for ‘anything’, but rather for something specific.
Somebody understands Scorpio. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Be specific with yourself about what you want to accomplish, and honest about whether you want any collaborators right now. Are they really necessary? You are — at least potentially — deep in a space of self-discovery that really does not involve anyone else. Perhaps this is appealing to you; more probably, it strikes some terror into your heart — and if you think it’s about ‘aloneness’, think again. It’s more about making contact with the unique expression of yourself that others may not ever recognize. Yet if you thwart your own growth, you will make the common error of sacrificing yourself for the sake of someone else. If there is such a thing as relational love, it must be built on the reality of who the people in the partnership are. Nearly all the time, it’s based on a fantasy and a projection, which is why so many relationships end in disillusionment. Any potential path out of this situation leads you directly to yourself.
Jim Morrison said Sagittarius is the most philosophical sign. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The planets are blazing out with the reminder to take better care of yourself. You don’t need doctor’s appointments, you need fresh air and sunshine. You don’t need to watch endless videos about viruses, diet, exercise and belly fat; inner contemplation and quiet conversation will help you much more. And I would say that more than anything, your work and workspace must be welcoming to you and useful and helpful to the people around you. You can take the most boring task and make it meaningful by engaging with people personally. Eye contact and tone of voice say much more than words, and people are verging on desperate for any positive encounter. You will find that no matter what mood you’re in, being present for people helps you feel better. Do what you can to feel safe and grounded and then welcome people into that space.
Mature when you’re a child, grows younger as the years go on. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — My therapist Joe used to say that the opposite of depression is expression. Could it be so simple? You may be feeling some mental heaviness, which will be responsive to focusing inward and getting it out, whatever it is. This will be easy as long as you don’t judge the results or your way of getting to them. That judgment is a trap, and it’s easy to sidestep if you just keep going. While expression implies outward, your direction of travel is inward. Allow inward to be guided by the feeling of taking a chance; of being inappropriate; of writing what you would never want people to read. That’s what you want to write — and ultimately will be what you want others to know about. Even with the world in its inside-out space, we are drowning in our own self-secrecy. We grow more cryptic to ourselves by the hour — and you need something radically different from that.
Learn the secrets of Pluto in your sign. Visit the Astrology Boutique.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The solution to any problems you may have is inherent in the situation; it’s right there, waiting to be noticed. You will help yourself by standing apart from the idea that there is some intrinsic worth that you lack. Everyone can do better, though I’m talking about some root problem that is actually a crisis of self-esteem and not of your value to others. Your situation is all about how you feel about yourself. The way through this is not in the future, it’s in the present, and right here with you. Experience the pleasure of what you do for its own sake. Do your work well because that’s the thing to do. Working for a result is a trap right now, especially if it involves impressing others. I know this can be difficult to get out of, or even to see that you’re in. And who knows — you could be fully in alignment with yourself, your activity and your outcome.
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.