The Way We Look to Us All Dear Friend and Reader: I just cannot wait for Donald Trump to place his hand on the Bible tomorrow. I've been anticipating this moment eagerly: both seeing whether he can actually touch the thing, and to witness the proper beginning of his administration.
Perhaps it's true, as Frank Zappa once said, that politics is the entertainment division of the military-industrial complex. But even in entertainment, there are contractual obligations, there are laws about things like fire safety and taxes, and there are customs. The audience has expectations; and performers, as Zappa knew, must have a commitment to their art. And then there's the bit about the nuclear suitcase, the one with the codes, and someone having five minutes to determine whether something is incoming missiles or a flock of geese: that's not exactly entertainment. This is where the Trump phenomenon is going to get interesting. This is when the reality check begins: when politics becomes governing. When real decisions have to be made, decisions that influence the fate of the Earth and the many of us who live here, that's not a show. I've been trying to keep the perverse, sadistic side of my nature in check these days. During the campaign, I would console myself with the notion that being president would be the ultimate punishment for a guy like The Donald. I want this experience to be painful for him, and for the people who believed his lies. I want to see these illusions explode. That is not, however, in the spirit of what's necessary now. It would be playing right into the reality-show aspect of what's happening to watch with glee as the new pseudo-president becomes more deeply ensnared in the webs of lies and cruelty that he's woven around himself, and as it occurs to people who once supported him that he's a con artist. Trump built his political career on the idea that Pres. Obama was born in Kenya, and nearly everything else he said has been approximately equally racist or in some way hateful. Those who discover the con game will be taken deeper into their rage and cynicism, which already exist in abundance. It will be an ongoing excuse to abandon any notion or desire for progress. It's also clear that the failings of Donald Trump will quickly be blamed on his predecessor, on the 'liberal' media, or liberals, or activist judges, or on something or someone. Hey, we didn't elect him -- the Electoral College did!
Many are wondering: is he borderline, bipolar, a clinical narcissist, or DSM 1.001: cuckoo? We're all supposed to pretend that this one person doesn't really have the ability to blow up the world with one instruction. It's worked well so far, I guess. Pundits are writing little essays with themes such as, "When we catch him lying, shall we call it a lie, or shall we politely critique it as possibly true but having a few veracity issues, and then tentatively conclude that it may have been intentional?" Then there's the fake news issue, which is not about phony articles designed to fool people. Rather, the problem is about anyone calling anything they don't like fake news. This is all painful to watch. It was appropriate this week that The New York Times published a report showing that global temperatures have risen steadily since the late 19th century and have surged since 1980. There are credible analyses that say this problem cannot be reversed and is not going away. All we can do is adapt. Let the Akashic record reflect that in these days when the complex problems we face are becoming manifest, a bunch of self-serving, self-aggrandizing simpletons are taking control of the world's most powerful nation, its largest economy and the potentially most significant force for good. Let the record reflect that the new bosses intend to squander even more precious time creating more problems rather than solving anything. Let the record reflect that many people just love this. When I was an investigative reporter, I was a mediator between the lies of corporations and governments, and the people who believe them. My primary coverage area was fraud related to health and the environment. I had two phases of shocking revelations doing this work. The first was wrapping my mind around just how trusted institutions can blatantly deceive people; by which I mean harm them, threaten their lives, and even succeed at killing them.
Fraud is a special kind of crime, because it's self-concealing. The intention is to deceive, and painstaking efforts are taken to cloak the truth in something that seems plausible. Then I would read the testimony of a GE manager who said he went to 100 funerals for his employees who died of "head cancer and lung cancer" and figured out something was wrong. One hundred funerals? That's what it took? Once someone knows that fraud is being committed, their legal status changes and the clock starts tolling on the statute of limitations. At that point any additional fraud that occurs is more like codependency. Gradually I figured out that people seem to want and need to be lied to. I was compelled, as someone deeply interested in the human condition, to confront the fact that there are two halves to any deception: one provided by the teller, and one by the believer. I am not here to absolve corporations or political leaders of their obvious responsibility for deceiving people. Rather, I am here to say that there's something in people that seems to thrive on being deceived, and that this was by far the more difficult part of the equation for me to work through. It's one thing to look at a public official and know that he or she is lying; there are obvious motives: protecting one's job, avoiding prosecution, avoiding lawsuits, making money and so on. It's another thing to look at someone who already knows they may be exposing themselves to danger and pretends it does not exist. There's a much more complex set of motives involved. It's true some of them involve a form of profit (someone's spouse beats them, but a car is included in the deal). Yet the inner psychology is much more sinister.
All of the dynamics involved in being subject to corporate and state power are extensions of what happened in our childhood households. These dynamics are replayed in our current home environments, if left unresolved, and then collectively it becomes what we call society. Getting underneath the appearance level -- the one where someone pretends there's no problem, or identifies the wrong thing as the problem -- takes courage. That's nothing other than the willingness to face oneself and one's problems. Our whole society is based on avoiding doing this. There's always some seeming external solution, or diversion. One important role the president of the United States plays is as an example. Examples serve as models, which means as permission to be someone or something. Part of the example function involves certain behavior being associated with a certain reward. There is an obvious problem with someone who displays such blatant disrespect for people being given this much power. It's proof that you really can get somewhere being that particular way. Anyone who has taken care of children, animals or adults has figured out that example spreads virulently. It's the most effective and efficient form of teaching. Now many people are looking at an example of what they don't want to be, and don't want their children to be. Even many supporters of the incoming president recognized there's a problem here. Plenty are making excuses, and are silently appalled. Many have been listening to his hateful speech and deciding consciously that they need to be better people.
Adiaha Ruane: While I foresee a new world where chaos and confusion reign because of the "deals" that will be made, I think it is important to remain positive. A tone which inquires about the probabilities of outcomes may be appropriate for your publication. You'll want to leave room for things to turn out differently. Ann Elizabeth Byrne: I am trying to fight the urge to wish the next four years away. Each of us should not lose an hour of this precious life to fear. Instead double down on leading with love to all and especially to ourselves. Cheryl Wade: This is a perfect time to step into our individual sovereignty and accept that there is no 'savior' to rescue us. We must each decide what kind of world we choose to live in and then maintain that reality every day and in every moment in the conscious choices that we make for ourselves and for humanity. We must stand up and defend those that are defenseless, stand for compassion and empathy for all beings, otherwise we will be victims of the potential hell on Earth that seems to be rising up from the darkest depths of the collective consciousness. Marian McQuinn: This is intriguing. Looking back on the late '60s we see lots of protests but now we are so much more savvy and hopefully wiser. It is also so surreal. My feelings are that something dramatic may happen as we reach a tipping point of some kind. I am very aware that everyone on the planet can make a change in thought and deed where we are. Anything could happen! Bardet Wardell: I call on US, you and me, to become more active in communicating with each other, with local, state and national reps and figuring out what we personally get up each morning to do and feel in a day. I would say that the time we spend doing this "conversation" would take some time away from TV and other screen addictions. Thus the unconscious would be less accepting of violence, isolation and judgment of the other. It is all in the conversation that we find meaning, connection and some comfort. I went uptown in tears the other day. I met friends who cared and gave me conversation and eased my angst and completely turned my day around. Len Wallick: Everybody wants to be understood. Not everybody seeks to understand. It's a common desire to hold others accountable. It is less common to be accountable. Nearly all of us could afford to be more understanding and accountable. I know I could. With love,  Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday and Thursday evening in Kingston, New York, by Planet Waves, Inc. Core Community membership: $197/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Special Project Designer: Lizanne Webb. Finance: Jonathan McCarthy. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Astrology Fact Checker: Len Wallick. Copy Editor and Fact Checker: Jessica Keet. Eric's Assistant: Gale Jazylo. Client Services: Amy Elliott. Media Consultant: Andrew Ellis Marshall McLuhan. Music Director: Daniel Sternstein. Bass and Drums: Daniel Grimsland. Additional Research, Writing and Opinions: Amy Jacobs, Cindy Ragusa and Carol van Strum.
 Pre-order 2017 Reading: All 12 Signs | Individual Signs Read All 18 Past Years' Annuals! A Tradition, a Feeling, and Great Readings: The Planet Waves Annual Dear Friend and Reader: Each year at this time, I am busy creating the Planet Waves annual edition. It's an Internet tradition but it's also a tradition in my life. I also consider it an invention: a way to get you a solid, detailed and authentic astrology reading, with information that makes a difference in your life -- astrology that you remember and come back to -- for a very modest fee. It's actually a rather astounding document that gives you access to 18 years of annuals so you can research your life.
The Planet Waves annual is one of a kind. There is nothing else like it in the business: an alive, immediate, accessible reading of the astrology that is happening right now and in the coming few seasons. The readings work for your Sun sign and your rising sign. It's a full-service offering. I write and record the readings to be motivational and inspiring, as well as factually informative about the astrological influences you will actually experience. I also think of it as a kind of yearbook, recording the story of our moment, the issues that were occupying our thoughts, and the breakthroughs in astrology and astronomy. Every annual is created taking into account the newest planetary discoveries of the era when it was created. Each annual has its own ambience, music and feeling tones that I associate with it, and memories of the place it was created. The Planet Waves annual has been a forum for developing the astonishing talent you see on our staff -- a kind of learning laboratory and easy way to get involved, a place to try new ideas and, in truth, to invent the craft of astrology as we go. Read more...  What If 'Age of Aquarius' Is a Choice? By Amanda Painter Today the Sun enters a new sign: Aquarius. We've reached the middle sign of the winter season here in the Northern Hemisphere, one day before the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States. Does that event feel like a fresh, revolutionary beginning to you? Or more like the crystallization of questionable (or disturbing) cultural and political trends from the past year? Interestingly, either sensation could be an accurate illustration of Aquarius.
Saturn signifies the force that concretizes and limits. Uranus represents the force that surprises and shatters old forms. It would be easy to cast one as the 'bad guy' and the other as the 'good guy'. How often have you heard people speak of Saturn transits as 'hard', or you've had difficulties with authority figures and restrictions? How often have you longed for freedom, or wished that something would come along to shake up systems that no longer work? Yet neither of these planetary energies is 'just bad' or 'just good'. In fact, we need both forces working together in proportion to live in balance -- to grow, to establish clear structures, and then to open them up and grow some more. Notable astrologer Isabel Hickey published her classic book Astrology: A Cosmic Science back in the early 1970s -- when the culturally tumultuous events of the ‘60s were still reverberating, and their impact just becoming clearer. In the section on Aquarius, she says of the dynamic relationship between Uranus and Saturn: If we can understand these two energies we will understand what is happening in the world today. Without the responsibility inherent in Saturn the force of Uranus can cause destruction and chaos. Without discipline (Saturn) there can be no real freedom. Freedom without responsibility is license and not liberty.Continue reading →   Becky Robbins, a dear friend of mine, shared this photo and poem combination, after last week's Wolf Moon on Jan. 12. Here on the day before a new president about whom many of us have doubts, outrage and downright fear, it felt like a perfect thing to share. You can view more of her photo-and-poem pairings at beckrobbins.com. Photo of the 2011 Wolf Moon (above) by Becky Robbins. -- Amanda.
   Radiohead: Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Thom Yorke, Phil Selway, Jonny Greenwood.
This Week on Planet Waves FM
Welcome to 2017, Where the Political is PersonalDear Friend and Listener: When I was studying 20th-century women poets at Rutgers University, I was introduced to the idea that there is no private life that's not in some way deeply influenced by the wider public life. At the time, that seemed like a radical idea. Today, where all politics is designed as some form of personal affront, personal crisis or reflection of someone's personal views, it seems like common sense.
By reader request, I take a close look at the chart for Saturday's Women's March on Washington, which is similar to the inaugural chart but has Pisces rising instead of Taurus rising [see both charts here]. Before I go there, though, I analyze an article from The New York Times last week, about why women voted for Donald Trump, called "You Focus on the Good." I return to the question of the objectification of women and how we might get out of this pattern after basing our entire civilization on it. My musical guest is Radiohead. I sample my favorite work spanning from 1995 through 2007, from My Iron Lung [Amazon | iTunes], The Bends [Amazon | iTunes], Amnesiac [Amazon | iTunes], OK Computer [Amazon | iTunes] and Hail to the Thief [Amazon | iTunes]. If you're already a Radiohead fan, you will love this program, which honors the band as bringers of late-breaking news, and if you're not yet a fan, I've designed my song choices so that there's no turning back. Planet Waves FM is part of the nonprofit Pacifica Radio Network, presented without commercial interruption. Our program is published by Chiron Return, Inc., and distributed by Planet Waves. We are sponsored by your memberships, subscriptions and reading purchases. Tune in every day for Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. With love,   Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes We published your extended monthly horoscope for January on Thursday, Dec. 22. We published your extended monthly horoscope for December on Wednesday, Nov. 23. We published your Moonshine horoscope for the Capricorn New Moon on Thursday, Dec. 29. Your Moonshine horoscope for the Cancer Full Moon published Thursday, Jan. 12. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign. Short Monthly Horoscope for February 2017 #1135 | By Eric Francis
         Attention Sagittarius Sun, Moon and rising folks: You can get instant access to your two segments of audio astrology, and the tarot reading will be ready shortly! The entire Birthday Reading can be yours for only $24.97. But hurry: the price will increase again when the tarot publishes.
 Attention Capricorn Sun, Moon and rising folks: You can get instant access to your two segments of audio astrology, and the tarot reading will be ready shortly! The entire Birthday Reading can be yours for only $24.97. But hurry: the price will increase again when the tarot publishes.
Ongoing Inspiration for an Unpredictable Year
"Planet Waves readings have always been exceptional, illuminating my interior landscape. They provide ongoing inspiration for those times throughout the year when I feel curious about circumstances of the moment. Bless you, Eric."Dear Friend and Reader: Today the Sun entered your sign, beginning a new solar year for you. As Eric explains in one of your upcoming readings, your true calling is leadership. But if you don't currently feel like a leader, what do you do and where can you find sound, inspirational guidance?
"I never gave Sun sign astrology much credence until I opened myself to your readings. Thank you!" -- Mary, on a previous Aquarius reading If you have an Aquarius Sun, Moon or rising sign, you have some significant options now and going forward. But you'll need to activate them consciously. This might mean focusing on your self-esteem, your sexuality and relationships, your career, your spiritual health and healing, or another facet of your life. Your Aquarius reading will touch all the most important bases. You can lock in the lowest discount price Planet Waves offers (only $19.97) by pre-ordering your 2017 Aquarius Birthday Reading here, and step into your new year. Yours & truly,  Amanda Painter Planet Waves Astrology Editor P.S. Your audio Birthday Reading makes a perfect compliment to the written readings of the 2017 annual edition -- in fact, Eric approaches the two types of readings very differently -- and it makes an amazing gift.  
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