Planet Waves for Nov. 1, 2001 by Eric Francis

Moon & Stars | Composite Image Credit: T.A. Rector, I.P. Dell'Antonio, NOAO, AURA, NSF

These are days to tread lightly over the face of the Earth, because the planets are treading unusually heavily on all of us. If we, as individuals or as a society, made big mistakes heading into Sept. 11, now is the time to not make them again, and it's actually possible. The infamous Saturn-Pluto opposition is exact for the second of three times on Nov. 1, and the Moon moves into the picture with a direct eclipse of Saturn the following day. Mars is conjunct Neptune as well. Now is the time to deal with problems by telling the truth, staying clear and sober, and facing your fears consciously. Then, good fortune awaits thee.

For the Faithful

Sign dates below are approximate. They now overlap by one day -- this is the day the Sun changes signs in 2001. The date and time of the Sun's ingress to the new sign changes a little each year, so check with an astrologer if you want the exact positition of your Sun. The reason for this is that our calendar is still not accurate, or rather, natural.

Aries (March 20-April 21)

Though social gatherings may have an unusual appeal this week, the real juice is more likely to be squeezed from moist one-on-one experiences. There's no reason you can't play in both worlds, but it's abundantly clear that if you want sober, passionate and unusually direct loving communication, leave the party before things turn depraved and while you've still got some energy in you. You know what you're looking for -- now you just need to know when you've found it.

Taurus (April 21-May 20)

If you focus on your work and not your career, you'll get a lot further in both. In other words, outer appearances and the seemingly big picture count for a lot less than putting quality and attention into everything you do. And worrying about money is a little like getting upset over who's going to win the 2007 World Series. There is magic afoot in your life, and the only way you're going to feel it working on you is by keeping a light heart and a clear mind.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)

Okay, go for it. If you've been hesitating or delaying for the past few weeks, that was smart. If you have been pushing and rushing things, take one day slow, then make your move. The vibe is: sweet, friendly and don't forget, you're feeling hot, which is just about the right temperature. Which is to say, it's a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Something is about to change, in the form of a limit being removed, or you catapulting yourself right over it. What seemed like an insurmountable challenge, anyway, was in your mind, for the most part, but to the extent that it existed in the world, you have a vital opportunity to succeed at a difficult task, with style. I'll take a few words to remind you to mind your manners, say thank you and please, and do everything on time -- and if you freak out for a moment or three, take a few deep breaths. Breathing is good.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 22)

The pressure is on. You have no choice but to deal with it, and to do so creatively, and with discernment. People are unlikely to be who or what they seem, whether it be overly good or excessively evil, so the best thing you can do is delay any decisions until you've worked out some of your inner conflicts. But there is one development that should be pretty clear, which is that a long-standing stalemate of some kind will finally give way.

Virgo (Aug. 22-Sep. 22)

Your money nightmare was a bad movie, after all, and it's now clear that what seemed to be delays actually created several distinct advantages for you. You can use them well, if you remember that your task in the next week or two is to keep your mind on the cash. Busy work, overwork, and for the most part, work, will be more likely to set you back than get you ahead, so do as little as Virgoly possible. Money: remember.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)

Nobody else has what you need, and if they seem to, you're being fooled. Was it not believing you were lacking something important that got you just into this kind of situation before? Just remember what you have to give. You may feel like having made one mistake that another is inevitable, or that you're suffering from an addiction to one particular person. The human experience is, it seems by necessity, somewhat dramatic, and these are great moments for poetry and passion.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)

This is as a good week for dreams to come true as it is for your worst fears to become real. Your emotional state counts for a lot in making the distinction, and whether you allow yourself to indulge in fear. In other words, fear will make nothing better, safer or more secure, but will rather serve as a convenient gateway for negative forces. Speaking of force, easy does it. In most of the situations in your life, you have every advantage on your side, as long as you don't forget.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)

It's funny how all the chaos and utterly bizarre developments in the world have you feeling like you've got the clearest purpose in a very long time. This is not to say that our new extra-stressful life with a few cherries on top is not affecting you, but you're in an unusually safe position, and you have just about all of what it takes to find your way (most of which is faith). In the process, you'll be able to light the way for many others, which is a gift you were promised long ago.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

If you've learned something crucial in the past three months, I would say it's how to look after your own interests, or maybe it's to get out of the way when you sense something is amiss. The danger now is thinking that something is weird when it's really not. You know the theme of these hours, days, weeks and years is change. Just about all change is within you. Upcoming aspects reveal that before long, you'll have a lot better insight as to what you want to keep believing, and what you clearly cannot.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

If you are feeling extra-powerful and like you have X-ray vision, I would say take it easy with your newfound abilities. If you are feeling weak, fearful or like you're starting to flake apart, I would say get some rest, and space and time away from the world. If you are feeling incredibly imaginative, I would say keep filling your notebooks and sketch pads. In any event, this is an introspective time, when inner vision is the most important form of bearing witness to what amounts, in truth, to an awesome time after which nothing will be the same.

Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

Fear is a drug. We use it to get high, because feeling threatened makes us feel alive. Though fish people of all varieties need to be extremely judicious on the use of any mind-altering substances, at the moment, paranoia, anxiety and ordinary panic are about the worst, this particular week. They are all the more so because not only do you have exceedingly little to actually worry about, but any fog of negativity could easily blind you to a couple of rather shockingly beautiful opportunities headed your way.

Additional Research: Angela Mahan