In this little resting place between Mercury stationing direct and Mars turning retrograde, Eric checks out our current astrological territory. He reminds us that changes happen in society because they are stirred within us first. With explosive unrest erupting in Ukraine, Venezuela, and Thailand on the larger scale, Eric discusses the underlying themes of transformation and liberty affecting our personal world.
Saturday, March 1, is the Pisces New Moon, exact at 3:00 am EST — right between Mercury stationing direct and Mars stationing direct and Mars stationing retrograde, at a kind of potent still point or moment of suspension. It's an unusual and perfect moment for some deep Pisces work.
If your week has gotten off to a slightly glitchy or confusing start, you're not alone. At the end of this week, both Mercury and Mars change their apparent direction; right now, it's as if the sky's gears are clanging together as we move toward the time to shift.
This monthly column marks my 20th anniversary as an astrologer and my 50th anniversary being on the planet. I'm happy to have made it half a century, though I am equally grateful to have devoted two decades of my life to daily study of, writing about and teaching astrology. I'm especially grateful to be a Pisces astrologer, because to me that means I have an understanding of all the rivers (that is, the signs) that flow into the ocean.
Who does Eric Francis see when he looks in the mirror? You'll have to read this edition to find out. In celebration of his birthday, Eric shares a synopsis of his travels on the road to now. Following a path of investigative journalism and astrological discovery, he found a way to integrate both and continue his journey of learning.
You may notice that the sky begins feeling a little softer today, and hopefully that comes as a relief to you as the Sun enters empathic, creative, populist Pisces this afternoon. You'll still want to keep your awareness sharp, however, since we have about a week and a half left of Mercury's retrograde.
Quite a doozy of a Mercury retrograde we're in! With Mercury in the fixed air sign Aquarius, Eric encourages us to stay flexible and resist 'fixing' our thoughts in a specific pattern. With all the fuss and frustration out there, stay loose and observe what happens when you take one simple step at a time.
This year's Leo Full Moon coincides with Valentine's Day — when romantic expectations run high and many people struggle with their self-worth, thanks to artificial retail, media and social hype. In other words, you or those around you might be feeling extra sensitive to the increasing tension of a Full Moon this week. But if you can treat yourself and others with a little extra compassion, it could go a long way — and could ripple out pretty far for the better.