“To have a disease without its symptoms is to be immune. No society has ever known enough about its actions to have developed immunity to its new extensions or technologies. Today we have begun to sense that art may be able to provide such immunity.”
— Marshall McLuhan
Dear Friend and Reader:
In his landmark 2006 book Cosmos and Psyche, Rick Tarnas describes the problem of the disenchanted world brought on by the so-called scientific revolution. He describes how the beauty of nature and the cosmos is explained away and demystified by science.
The mystery of the soul is essentially dismissed by psychology and all of its fancy terms and findings.
Science always seems to be saying, “There, it all makes perfect sense. We’ve proven it.” (And in psychology, “Here is your diagnosis. You are officially suffering from a bad case of 302.3.” This sometimes makes people feel better when they think, “At least now I know.”)
Human Experience is Different
But that is not the human experience. Nature does not file itself into tiny little categories cited in studies or insurance paperwork.
Rather, a person with an open mind lives in an active relationship to existence. What is this thing that makes us human? Maybe it’s the capacity for wonder, for discovery and for personal revelation. Turning everything into an explainable phenomenon of physics or chemistry takes away something vital from who we are: the quest for meaning.
Plus, the problem with science is that it’s usually wrong, especially when it’s controlled by government and industry (almost always true). Any pursuit of truth is displaced by the drive for profits. Most of what we call science is technology, revered as a god.
With all that we call science, there is no room for your personal experience of reality. Your observations are not allowed into the discussion. After all, you can’t prove what you observe, can you? You are told what is true, even if it contradicts your observations. Few people bother to read the fine print (such as the methodology section of a study, to see if it matches the claimed conclusion).
Those who dip into the details of science often learn how irrational are most claims of absolute truth.
Allowing the Mystery into Life
Astrology has a way of bringing wonder back into basic observations about life. First, it presents itself as a complicated puzzle that you need to solve. This calls for engaging your mind creatively with something you don’t understand, and learning gradually over time — always a wholesome exercise.
Once you start playing with charts, it doesn’t take long before seemingly impossible synchronicities start to appear — such as aspects or placements that describe your friends down to funny details, or show the connections between people, or teach you something about the timing of important events in your life.
Any astrologer who is true to the art is going to invest plenty of thought in wondering how this could all possibly work (and about how consciousness itself works.) Thankfully, there are no easy answers.
Any spiritual path calls for a healthy relationship to the unknown. The rush to explain everything, and leap to instant, easy conclusions, shuts off curiosity and spoils the pleasure of personal discovery. Astrology (and other divination arts) has a way of opening up one’s desire for discovery, and teaches the patience necessary for true learning. In divination, the answer often comes as a riddle.
This is exactly the opposite of taking the first result in Google as the absolute truth. The bold explorers of our day make it to the second page, and might even tap a link.
And this way of not thinking has many people in their thrall. They may feel the momentary stirring of curiosity, and it’s over before they’ve looked at half an inch of their phone’s screen. A sincere quest for truth is much more interesting.
The Siren Song of Technology
It’s easy to describe technology itself as an enchantment. This includes most of what we call science. From its oldest use, an enchantment is about magic or witchcraft; a spell. The root is chant — to sing, a little like the siren’s song that calls sailors toward the rocks. (Much of what typical consumers do with technology is listen to music.)
We are now in the New Age of “artificial intelligence.” Suddenly, thousands of articles are appearing about how wonderful it is. What they are not telling you is that the age of AI goes back decades, as computer programs have been used to “help” people figure things out and make decisions all the way back to World War II.
But we’re now being fed this stuff as if it’s some new innovation that has not already impacted our existence. The lie is that this technology is something new (rather than what caused the 1987 stock market crash, among other problems).
It’s usually subtler than this. For example, many people use GPS to find their way places. This takes away the pleasure of studying maps, paying attention to landmarks, and figuring out how to navigate the actual landscape.
And still, many people are caught in the spell — the enchantment — of how wonderful this is, and is all going to be. All what? When computers do all the thinking and make all of the difficult decisions and write your term papers and your legal briefs and poems you can use to seduce someone if you even care enough to bother.
Delegating Human Experience to Technology
What is falsely being called artificial intelligence is the further delegating of human experience to silicone. There is a term from virology — in silico. That is a genetic sequence made up by a computer and then presumed by nearly everyone to be real.
This is your mind on AI. And the marketing campaign is coming on fast and furious. I recently compiled some headlines from the past month, that seem to go on and on. Remember that most humans have been so weakened and dumbed down by the previous 30 or 40 years of exposure to AI that they are extremely vulnerable to it. And now tech companies and the media are announcing that it’s something new.
Well, it’s got new branding and it’s being rolled out as a consumer product, just like the PC, the iPod and the iPhone once were. But it’s been quietly trying to run your life for many years, and it may be succeeding. If you’re wondering why you’re so stressed out, consider the possibility that it’s from overexposure to all forms of artificial thought, memory and decision making.
Consider that some part of you has been made numb or placed in a trance, and the restlessness and angst that you’re feeling is the deep desire to wake up. The good news is that you still can. There is still time. The revolution is not complete.
With love,
NOTE TO PLANET WAVES SUBSCRIBERS ON OUR IN-HOUSE SYSTEM
— The July Monthly horoscopes are being distributed by email to the Planet Waves house lists, and are now in your My Account area on Planet Waves. All of the other signs are below the paywall and accessible to Substack paying subscribers. Thank you for your involvement, appreciation and support. — efc
CANCER — Your solar chart is a map to how you can integrate yourself into the good works going on around you, and invite people into what you’re doing. There’s a delicate balance necessary here, and it’s becoming more difficult to find — which is energy exchange. That means mutual support and investment. The ethics of the internet have largely taken over physical life, including lots of getting something for nothing. Nobody needs this; it’s terrible for the world, and for self-respect. Negotiating a relationship where everyone benefits is not always easy, and many are off-put by the discussion. Therefore, first, look for the places where it comes naturally and emphasize those relationships. Second, look for the places where there is an imbalance and address that directly, if tactfully. Living an ethical life is not quid pro quo. It cannot be. However, such is a substitute for understanding that everything exists in an ecosystem. You must create your own, based on solid principles and with some sense of urgency. What you are doing can serve many people; and there are others in a similar position. Your quest is to determine who has the intelligence to respond in a way that dependably builds the world and holds it together.
Monthly Horoscopes for July 2023 by Eric Francis
Check your sign and rising sign. If you don’t know what these are, please reply or write to cs@planetwaves.net.
ARIES — The influence of family is quite strong at the moment, though this looks more like a gathering of the ancestors than like a typical holiday. Or more like their guidance and influence is thundering in and in some way shaping your every move. This is coming through people whose names you know, and others so far up your genetic lineage you cannot conceive of them. Whether you feel it or not, your connection to your predecessors is the source of your strength and your influence. Do your best to consciously honor and stay in contact with them, and you will never feel like you’re standing alone. Guidance can come in the form of a beacon rather than specific instructions. But you can also seek opinions and perspectives infused with the wisdom of the past, and specifically, of tradition. In times of chaos, spiritual reference points, and honoring the passage of time, are vitally important. You hold the connection, the golden thread that joins you to all whose existence led to yours. Among those whom we call the living, this is a special time of taking family leadership for you.
TAURUS — Your solar charts present a picture of your life in balance, where you have meaningful and mutually supportive relationships with other people. This includes those you would consider intimates and those you know through various aspects of community. Is this true? If it’s not, you have the resources to make it so. Though you may not recognize it, you’re doing better than nearly everyone else. Through some dark and difficult times, you have learned many adaptation skills and have been the beneficiary of the support and generosity of others. Along the way, you’ve gradually been finding yourself in places where your leadership is called for. Do you respond? Do you speak up, and do what is necessary? It’s easy in this world to grant yourself a pass, and assume that someone else will take up certain vital responsibilities and necessities. Doing one’s part can be inconvenient, even if someone is capable. We live in a time in history that is calling for people to step up to challenges from which they don’t personally benefit except from the satisfaction of doing the right thing — and even that can present a temptation to rely on personal benefit. Be the leadership you seek in the world.
GEMINI — The most important gift you can offer to yourself, and others, is to live your truth. There is a process involved here, made necessary because life on our planet is so complicated. What is living your truth? It means knowing what you value, which is to say, what is truly important to you, and making your decisions on that basis. Living your truth is living in alignment with yourself. If you say something or someone matters, then you treat them as if they matter. One version of the split that leads to personal conflict is making decisions contrary to what one holds to be true. To align yourself may take a little effort, though you will find that it’s pretty easy once you get going. In fact, you may wonder what you’ve been doing all along — and the chances are, it’s been acting on what other people have said is important (and their own interests). Part of acting on your own priorities is the potential that you will annoy people through your independence. These interrelationships make an interesting study in how things get to be the way they are. You know what matters to you. Have the courage to act on your own self-awareness.
CANCER — Your solar chart is a map to how you can integrate yourself into the good works going on around you, and invite people into what you’re doing. There’s a delicate balance necessary here, and it’s becoming more difficult to find — which is energy exchange. That means mutual support and investment. The ethics of the internet have largely taken over physical life, including lots of getting something for nothing. Nobody needs this; it’s terrible for the world, and for self-respect. Negotiating a relationship where everyone benefits is not always easy, and many are off-put by the discussion. Therefore, first, look for the places where it comes naturally and emphasize those relationships. Second, look for the places where there is an imbalance and address that directly, if tactfully. Living an ethical life is not quid pro quo. It cannot be. However, such is a substitute for understanding that everything exists in an ecosystem. You must create your own, based on solid principles and with some sense of urgency. What you are doing can serve many people; and there are others in a similar position. Your quest is to determine who has the intelligence to respond in a way that dependably builds the world and holds it together.
LEO — With Jupiter and Uranus going across the midheaven angle of your solar chart, you’re likely to be on a winning streak. You are visible and recognized. This is an excellent time to build your reputation though working for genuine accomplishments (not merely being seen). Yet borrowing a phrase, the question of your charts is more about what you can do for your country than what your country can do for you. You can do plenty, though there’s currently a trend in the world luring you (and everyone else) to hold back as much as you can. A mean spirit is permeating the social and political environments, and yet you have the capacity to respond with kindness. People are looking to you for an example of how to conduct themselves, especially when there are ethical gray areas involved. So, what you say and do matters more than you think. One way to consider the theme here is “how we use our power.” First you have to know what it is, and then you would respond to situations where you can have an influence. There will be many, and some of them will be a pretty good fit. Perfection is not necessary.
VIRGO — You may experience the temptation to push against an immovable object, or to take part in some other futile exercise. You have far better options. Yet the difference between now and the past few years is that Saturn in your sign will hold you to the reality principle. You’ve had a lot of room to wiggle, which means to accept what you want as true. But there is now a filter through which all the light is shining. If that is presenting obstacles, they are perceptual: you are being asked to look at the world differently, and make your assessments on a different basis. And that would be the question, “What is true?” This is the question that we are being conditioned every day to avoid and deny. Yet you must recognize when someone is telling you a story. It’s essential that you know when you don’t know, so you don’t respond by jumping to what seem like easy conclusions. This is asking for more than most people can offer right now, but not more than you have. What do you have? Intelligence, a measure of faith in yourself, and the ability to be flexible. Put all that to work and you will do just fine.
LIBRA — Your ruling planet Venus turns to one of its rare retrograde phases later this month. This happens in what has become one of the most complicated houses in all of astrology — the 11th, that of groups, and contact with the limited public. Something strange has happened in the age of social media, which is that nearly everyone has been thrust into being some kind of public personality, as apart from their actual person. This is becoming a painful split. It’s difficult for many people with a lot of experience and a good reason for being known. You may already be feeling the instinctual guide to carefully curate what you present publicly. This practice will help remind you that what goes out to the public — small or large though it may be — is a performance or presentation, and that your actual life cannot be one. For sure, aspire to total sincerity. Be artful in all that you do. Taking actual risks is a sign that you’re alive and conducting your life force through what you create. The retrograde will give you an opportunity to read the public, as well as to retreat into a more deeply self-aware space. The two will go together well.
SCORPIO — In a few weeks, Venus will station retrograde in the angle of your chart associated with your reputation and professional aspirations. That will be in Leo, which describes you as always wanting to be seen in a positive light. Yet the retrograde may have the effect of you turning your back to the Sun, all the better to see what is in the shadows. You may discover that it’s not a good idea to attempt total control over how you’re perceived, or to resent those who get the wrong idea. The essential message of Venus retrograde is to focus on your professional partnerships. Those are the relationships that matter, and you can be grateful that you have them. Remember that nobody owes you anything unless you both agree that they do. In many ways, Venus retrograde will be an exercise in practicing fairness and equanimity: balance, born of wisdom. Remember that other people have their struggles too, and you are often in a position to offer your assistance. Do you? Do you expect something in return, even if you don’t need it? In our time especially, it’s vital to remember that price is not the only measure of value.
SAGITTARIUS — The Sun moving through one of the most sensitive areas of your chart is going to test some of your relationships. This soft-spot is the sign Cancer, which covers situations where there is usually a mix of financial and sexual intimacy. The challenge is that the Sun is making many different tense aspects to planets in closely related signs. So the result is likely to be the need for honest discussion and a mutual agreement on what is truly important. In a relationship of two, it’s impossible to work on the basis of “majority rules.” Decisions must be either based on consensus, or one person overpowering the other (which will not work for long). C.T. Butler taught me this: Agree first on the underlying values, then make decisions based on them. So the focus needs to be on finding common ground and then working with it. There will often be points of disagreement, though you may ultimately decide that they don’t matter. Working toward shared goals and supporting one another’s ideals is what does. And you have plenty to work with, though at first it would be best to keep it as simple as possible and start with high-level priorities.
CAPRICORN — The Sun’s journey through your opposite sign can be a challenging time of year, though it will be easier if you know what to look for. Cancer is also called your “solar 7th house” and is a kind of cosmic mirror where you can see what is going on with you below the verbal or mental level. You can look at life as a diorama of your own thoughts and feelings. Make sure you see this as a kind of show, rather than a reality being imposed on you. Keep just a little distance, and take the opportunity to observe. The Sun will make many aspects along its course the next few weeks, which will each reveal something new about your existence. You can use this information to make decisions, adjust your point of view, and see your options. There will be a series of juncture points — events that might manifest as a little crisis, or a chance encounter, or a situation where you’re presented with a decision to make. Treat each one of these as if it matters: as if each is a significant intersection point where which way you turn matters. Know when you’ve reached one, and proceed with full awareness rather than the usual techno half-sleep of our society.
AQUARIUS — Later this month, something unusual happens in your relationship angle that may come with a touch of nostalgia or a reminder of how good the past was. This might be a feeling you have generally, and it might pertain to a specific relationship. It’s the kind of transit where past partners and old squeezes might show up. If they do, there’s one thing I’ve found that’s essential — don’t have any expectations about the result. It might develop into something; more likely, it’s a moment of reconnection. You won’t know where someone is at until you listen to them for a while. The chances are it’s a very different place than where you left off. Generally — apart from an old squeeze returning — the effect of Venus retrograde tells you something about your relationship to the past. In times of chaos like we are in, people cling to what they remember as the good times. However, those past times were often as hectic and even as chaotic and stressful as what we are living through now. Okay, perhaps a bit less chaotic but we’ve always been surfing along the edge of nowhere. The message of Venus retrograde can be summed up in two old expressions: Be here now, and love the one you’re with.
PISCES — You may feel like you’re under a lot of pressure, but you’re also getting a lot done. Pisces experiences everything from a psychic and emotional perspective first. This creates a distortion when you have the sense that the walls are closing in, but really, you’re a little behind or short on cash. The effect is Saturn in your birth sign. I suggest you work with it, because if you do, you can transform your life — slowly but dependably. Saturn is about taking on responsibility for yourself and authority over your affairs. It’s also about the wise and respectful use of time, and respect generally. Along the way, you may feel like you’re in the squeeze — like you don’t have enough, or like time is running out. Under the influence of Saturn, time must become your ally. This will teach you to stay a step ahead of yourself, and to prioritize what must happen and what you want to happen rather than what you think you’re supposed to do. Though Saturn is not about “consciousness” generally, responding appropriately is all about raising awareness and learning how to make decisions. And with Saturn, the greatest of the taskmasters, you can accomplish what you set out to do.
Digital and AI — From Disenchantment to the New Enchantment