Dear Friend and Reader:
 
WHILE I AM deep into the Small World Stories research and writing, I want to share a little about the process and how I go about doing the astrology for all 12 signs for an entire year. I assure you it's a little weird, planning the universe like this -- until I remember I'm doing astrology and it seems natural again. For months, there is the feeling of breaking new ground, seeing unfamiliar placements, working with planets that have been named in the past year and gradually getting acquainted with the new landscape we're all going to be traveling.
 
I swim or more accurately drown in the astrology for a while, drawing chart after chart partly by hand (much like the one at the left), and then eventually I reach a saturation point where the feeling and influence of the transits gets into my body and soul. When I no longer need to look at the charts, the project more or less writes itself.
 
I'm aware that there are ethical issues involved with writing astrology forecasts. It's questionable whether I should explain another person's choices or potential to them as if I actually know what I'm talking about. Certain therapists and scientists do indeed feel that it's a breach of free will. Yet I know that astrology is part of an ancient tradition of divination and storytelling. I keep the ethical question in mind as I write, taking care to point out options, describe the terrain and define issues from a compassionate and clearheaded standpoint. I never forget that it's your life I am considering when I write a horoscope.
 
Even though the full version of Small World Stories is a separate subscription this year, all subscribers will receive a shorter version of the annual horoscope on Dec. 28, New Year's weekend. It's substantial, at about double the length of a normal monthly horoscope (about 350 words per sign). I finished that yesterday, and it was a turning point.

In the words of A Course in Miracles, I strive to define questions in a way they can be answered, and to describe any problem in such a way that it can be solved.

The full-length editions go into depth on your professional and creative growth, relationships, sexual evolution and financial themes. I have many astrological tools to extract details and ideas. I don't just look at romance: sex is one of those themes that needs some airtime, and you know I pay attention. I don't just look at your career -- I look at the ways you can grow as a curious creative critter.
 
I am (as I am sure you are) concerned with how we cannot only stay sane in an insane world, but also how we can make our way toward peace of mind. My job is to figure out the ways that the astrology is on your side on these key issues, and what wisdom it has to offer. In the words of A Course in Miracles, I strive to define questions in a way they can be answered, and to describe any problem in such a way that it can be solved. The key to astrology is not about predicting; it is about seeing potential and pointing you toward it, and seeing challenges and describing them in advance.
 
Astrology grants a perspective that allows us to see our lives from a different angle, and to consider the influences that are acting on us. Everyone will experience Pluto in Capricorn in a personal way, and we will also see and feel it as a society. Pluto is one of those "small worlds" that means a heck of a lot.
 
I am starting to get a sense of what Eris is about, a planet bigger and further than Pluto that was discovered in 2003, and named in the summer of 2006. I take a complex view of this planet; she is one of the first female archetypes to be recognized as genuinely important by the community of mostly male astronomers. She represents the parts of the feminine psyche that society likes to cast off: the intense, the willful, the one striving for independence. For everyone, she is about healing the fragmentation of our self-concept that is so rampant at this time in history. There is a lot about Eris in Small World Stories.
 
Then there is Chiron and a number of other planets in his group (including Pholus, Nessus and Chariklo). Small World Stories goes into depth on what these planets mean for everyone, presenting in-depth descriptions, psychology and mythology.
 
Small World Stories is a perfect combination of "tell me about me" astrology and an in-depth study tool that anyone can dive into. It's been incredibly satisfying to put together years of research into minor planet portion of the project. There will be careful, easy-to-read descriptions of about 15 planets, and the project will grow through the course of the year.
 
Subscribers to Small World Stories get an excellent perspective on 2008, yet are also helping to create a first-of-its kind resource. If you never thought you could be passionate about something called 1992 QB1 (the little-known first-ever planet discovered beyond Pluto), I think you may change your mind.
 
What I'm really aiming for is passion about your life, your possibilities, your choices and the many original developments that will emerge during the next four seasons on Earth -- the smallest world there is.
 
Here's how to sign up today. The price is still $19.95 through Monday morning.
 
Yours & truly,