Today’s podcast is done. Note, I’ve redone the audio, archiving the previous one — when you click it will go directly to the new version.

In this edition, I look at the Aries Full Moon, part two — there was one a month ago. I also describe Mars square Chiron and Neptune, which is a complex aspect in full force right now. Mars square Chiron is a kind of opposite energy of Mars square Neptune. One gets stuck in its boundaries, and the other struggles to keep them. So it’s an interesting mix of energies.

Most of what I cover in this podcast is the Venus-Vesta conjunction on Saturday, which takes place in Scorpio. I describe the goddess of fire and her servants, the Vestal Virgins, and how this translates to our experience now. I describe the themes of fire worship and how the Vestals were honored in ancient Rome, and how this imagery represents honoring the inner creative and sexual flame that is the organizing principle in a person who is actually alive. This fire needs to be tended continuously, with love and devotion.

Venus conjunct Vesta is also about older women reconnecting with the passion and energy of younger women, leaving their envy and resentment in the fire pit where it can be safely burned off. The conjunction is Saturday, the night after the Full Moon, and I am planning to cover the topic more thoroughly in Friday’s subscriber edition of Planet Waves.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Today’s podcast is ready. It addresses the charts for the Sept. 11, 2001 incident. The occasion is that Thursday’s New Moon falls within the very degree rising of the main Sept. 11 chart — what I call the North Tower chart. This is the first time this has ever happened, and the conjunction is remarkably close — just two arc minutes from the Sept. 11 ascendant at 14+ Libra.

In this podcast, I introduce a topic that I cover in-depth in Friday’s subscriber edition of Planet Waves. You will hear a discussion of the North Tower chart, set for 8:46 am, as well as another chart, the one for the mysterious collapse of WTC 7 that afternoon. We had a brief discussion of that chart on this page on Sept. 11. Here’s a link back to the chart and the conversation.

I make reference to two videos in the podcast. One is of Larry Silverstein, the landlord of the World Trade Center, describing what happened to WTC 7. Here is that video, which is from a PBS broadcast. I have personally confirmed that this segment was in the broadcast, as I’ve purchased a copy of the original from the station.

The second is a BBC World broadcast wherein the reporter, Jane Stanley, announces that WTC 7 has fallen down — while she’s standing in front of it, and it’s visible in the frame. She was 25 minutes ahead of her story. That video is longer, but even watching five minutes will give you a clue.

I take on these issues and others in Friday’s subscriber edition of Planet Waves. See you there.

Yours & truly,

This week’s audio describes the simultaneous conjunctions in Libra and Scorpio. Over the next 48 hours, the Sun is conjunct Saturn in Libra. And we are in an extended conjunction of Venus and Mars next door in Scorpio.

The first conjunction describes our obsession with “proper relationships” and “doing it right.” Saturn is involved — there is a sense of duty and obligation.

The second conjunction describes what we really do, which is get it on, think about getting it on, want to get it on, need to get it on and hopefully get to get it on, despite the rules; despite what is right; despite our image and propriety and whatever else we finally end up not caring about when the time comes to not care about it.

The astrology describes how to work with this setup. Mars in Scorpio, and Venus retrograde in Scorpio, are both illustrations of authentic desire, and Venus retrograde is a deep personal inquiry. So — let’s inquire.

That’s this week’s audio — brought to you by our subscribers. Comments are welcome below.

Yours & truly,

This week’s free audio is done. And, I’ve also revised it in an entirely new recording. Part one, my weekly podcast, covers the Libra equinox followed by the Full Moon. I then look at the Venus-Mars conjunction in Scorpio and consider yesterday’s vote by the Senate to keep in place the “don’t ask, don’t tell” provision of military law.

This allows military brass to go after people just for being gay or lesbian, as if it were possible to root all the queers out of any group of two million people. It’s ridiculous, and politicians are using this as red meat for their political base — but why is it happening? What is the biology and the psychology beneath the politics? In a somewhat froggy voice (apologies) and a slightly foggy mind, I do my best to put this in to the context of the Venus-Mars conjunction in Scorpio.

The second part is a story about horoscope writing and what it means to work in the astrology business on the Internet. That has just been posted. Just reload the audio file page to get that second recording. It’s titled, “So You Hate Advertising.”

Have a great day — see you with a subscriber edition Friday.

In today’s edition of Planet Waves weekly audio, I look at the Venus-Mars conjunction in Scorpio, explore the Moon on the Galactic Center, and look at the chart of Christine O’Donnell, the Republican candidate for Senate who believes that masturbation is against god’s plan. We’ve linked to the video on our audio widget, and you can find her chart (set for noon) there as well.

I’ve also added a 15 minute propaganda audio — about why Planet Waves Astrology News is the perfect tool for astrology students. This is a subject dear to my heart, though I’ve barely mentioned it in the past. Writing Planet Waves, I continually teach astrology and a world view that integrates personal experience, current events and the growth opportunities we have. It is astrology in real life, not in the abstract, not in theory. I give plenty of theory to clarify my ideas, but the idea is to present immediate, relevant interpretations.

The weekly audio is done and posted. This edition covers today’s Virgo New Moon, which is being attended by some asteroids whizzing by; Mercury stationing direct; and a look at the Sept. 11 chart.

For those interested in the Sept. 11 issue, here are some previous articles on the topic. One is called Sept. 11, 1984, a reference to George Orwell’s novel. This is perhaps the easiest approach to the topic.

Here is a look at the chart two years after the event.

And here is my first article — called Mercury Also Rises — published in September 2001.

We have also created a Sept. 11 resources area.

Our weekly audio is back after I took a one week break — thanks for that. Today’s podcast covers how the cardinal cross has dissolved into something new: many moves by Venus, Mars and Vesta in the relationship-oriented signs Libra and Scorpio. We go from the sense of large, sweeping changes in society to deeply personal influences, but which are no less meaningful as the ripple through our emotions, into our households, circles of friends and the wider community.

I look at the chart of Ken Mehlman, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, who presided over the 2006 elections — Ken came out of the closet as gay last week, despite his long track record of making life extremely difficult for lesbian and gay people. We have an example of how the personal is indeed political, and a great example of what not to be.

I also take up last night’s episode on the Rachel Maddow program where her mic goes out in the middle of a tirade on how the Cheney-Bush administration lied us in to the Iraq war. I look at the chart for the Rachel Maddow Show, which is approaching its second anniversary, and also the ways in which the current Mercury retrograde aspected the natal Saturn of the program’s chart, giving the feeling that Big Brother was watching. Clearly, he is, though I don’t think that her mic going out was anything more than a technical glitch. But it definitely spooked her — a truly human moment along the razor’s edge of telling the truth with love. That’s Rachel.

This week’s audio covers Mercury stationing retrograde in Virgo. We are now in the Mercury storm phase — with the little planet closest to the Sun moving at its slowest, about to turn around and give us the illusion of moving backwards for 22 days. This time near the station — a few days before and after can be challenging, confusing days, when it’s possible for a lot of things to go wrong that don’t need to go wrong. So do your best to keep your focus, harness the winds of change in a productive way.

I also cover the conjunction of Venus and Mars in Libra (that carries through to Scorpio, where Venus goes retrograde in October), and I look at the Sun opposing Neptune and Chiron this week before it ingresses Virgo over the weekend.

Assisting me with a programming project for the Mercury retrograde audio report, Tracy Delaney @Serennu created this mini-ephemeris that looks at Mercury aspects from late July through early October, while Mercury is in Virgo. Mercury’s aspects to many minor planets and points in Sagittarius helps explain why this retrograde is so psychologically hot, as in intense, as in a bit overwhelming — with breakthroughs.

Please send your friends to Planet Waves, and if you’re undecided about subscribing to our email service, don’t think too hard — it’s an awesome, entirely unique, excellent service that will teach you about astrology, yourself and current events. And these subscriptions make all this great stuff we do at Planet Waves possible.

Thanks and — comments/questions on the audio are welcome.

In the mix, I offer a review of the Aug. 11, 1999 (yes, 1999) total solar eclipse and grand cross in Leo/fixed signs (of which today is the anniversary) — and I reference the Burning Man series of articles, which you can find at this link. In case you’re interested — this is a long read, but a fun one — it’s a glimpse into the world before the Sept. 11 false flag terrorist attacks, before the year 2000, before Bush and Cheney — a look at the direction things were going. Clue — there was some violence in the air.

In this audio I look at the Saturn-Pluto square coming a little later in the month — which happens at the same time (as in the same day) as the Sun opposite the Chiron/Neptune conjunction. The exact date of that is Aug. 21 and we are very much under its influence right now. Thankfully this is the last of Saturn making stressful aspects to outer planets for a while — we have had enough the past 10 years, as Saturn has opposed Pluto (three events), Neptune (three events) and Uranus (five events) in that order, and is now square Pluto for the third and last time. That’s a lot of Saturn aspects in a short time.

Later today, if all goes well, or mostly well, I plan to do the Leo birthday audio and will send out an announcement tomorrow. If there is any call for the Capricorn birthday report, which would be a bit retro but right on time for the Saturn-Pluto square, please say so and I will do that as well.

Also note, we’ve updated the footer to each blog post on the Planet Waves main blog and it now includes three monthly horoscopes for those who aren’t current subscribers or who haven’t read my horoscopes in the past. I write a different kind of horoscope than you may be accustomed to. You’re invited to see for yourself…

Good afternoon. Planet Waves weekly audio/podcast is done.

This edition covers the current aspects — particularly Mars, Venus and Vesta getting mixed up in the cardinal T-square. I then look at the coming New Moon on Aug. 9, which has the Sun and Moon conjunct Nemesis and Atlantis, opposite two minor planets — Damocles and Nessus. This is about how we address or don’t address our psychological abuse patterns, and how that in turn influences our lives.

In the third segment, I offer some opening thoughts on the forthcoming Mercury retrograde in Virgo (Aug. 20 to Sept. 12). These ideas include working with unfinished healing projects, as well as looking at how our self-criticism detrimentally influences our lives.

Below is the chart for the Venus ingress into Libra on Friday. I’ve removed the points that don’t describe the T-square, with some exceptions — I’ve left in the Sun, the Moon and Eris, as well as the Chiron-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius that I mention. A glyph key has been added at the top of every post. I suggest that you open this in a new window, or print it and put it up near your desk till you at least recognize all the planets and signs.

Venus ingresses Libra.