PLANETS TOUR On the first page of Genesis it says, "God made the Sun to rule the day and

the Moon to rule the night and to be for signs and wonders." To the ancients, the Sun was known as Shamash, Ra, Apollo "breaker of family curses" and Tonatiuh, "dispenser of fate". The Sun gives you light and life. It also represents how and where you shine. The Sun is the star of self-expression, ego-identity, leadership, honor, glory and pride. SUN The illustration for the Sun features a corona, which literally means "crown." Solar flares are it's key visible features. The sunspot cycle of 22.22 years constitutes one heart beat/drum beat for the Sun. As such, it is the chief symbol for the circulatory system and the pulse of life. TIP: When you come to terms with your solar power you become a star. MOON Astrologically speaking, the Moon is an instinctual force. It is an ever-changing symbol of your emotional life including such things as home, family, mother, dreams, feelings, the public, women and your early childhood. The Moon represents your environment, the one you were born into and the one you create for yourself. It also talks about your support system, and your "involuntary nervous system." More than that, the Moon symbolizes your unconscious life. The Moon represents what happens while you're sleeping. The Moon is the intermediary between the Earth and the universe, and you're somewhere in the middle. Because of this positioning, understanding how the Moon figures in your life is essential for happiness and personal growth. One thing that was very striking to the astronauts on the moon was that they were able to look back and view the Earth. That's why the illustration includes a reference to Planet Earth in the background. Also, very much like Mercury, the moon's surface is excessively made up of craters. The craters were drawn to overlap to suggest expanding ripples of water drops. Historically, some of her names are Isis, Diana, Artemis, Selene, Hecate, Sin, Nanna, Mona, Heng O and the Moon goddess. MERCURY Astrologically speaking, the planet Mercury is the conceptual force. It is a symbol of your mental life and such things as your mind, ideas, analytical abilities, as well as your sense and style of communication. Mercury describes patterns of thought, of learning and of assessing reality. Consequently it affects your self image and the force of your thought. It's what Dr. Timothy Leary calls "laryngeal manual dexterity" - which is the ability to manipulate symbols and artifacts. Mercury also represents the respiratory system. Mercury is youthful and it is the symbol of wit and levity. The planet Mercury is pretty much featureless except for craters and, in fact, circular mountain ranges of craters. There is a major circular mountain range like a "bull's eye." The illustration uses this feature for the head phones. Other than that, the features represent astrological information. The extra mouth and eye is unexpected and makes you do a double-take. Mercury is the symbol of titles and it's appropriate that Mercury is known as: winged messenger, herald, arbiter, scribe of the gods and inventor of writing. He also has many names including

Loki, Nebu, Trickster, Piltzintecuhtli and Hermes. More than ever in this age of multimedia information and disinformation, understanding the limitations and advantages of Mercury's placement in your chart heralds both survival and success. VENUS Astrologically speaking, the planet Venus is the force of affinity. Venus represents a good part of what you attract, cherish, enjoy and are receptive to. Venus describes much of what makes your life worth living: love, civilized sex, seduction and creativity. Venus is also an indicator for many of the qualities you look for in a mate and your sense of femininity. More than a symbol of your values, Venus represents beauty, devotion to pleasure, appreciation of art and romantic longings. Venus rules such things as skin, hair & kidneys. The planet Venus is swathed in layers of sulfuric acid clouds. In the illustration, her hair looks like swirling formations of clouds. If we were to be able to get beneath the layers of the clouds, the surface would look very much like the older face. It is volcanic, hard and cracked. The sunrise and sunset suggested in the two corners are there because Venus is referred to as the "Morning Star" and the "Evening Star." The stars are in her eyes for the same reason. The young face seems relevant to the more conventional images of Venus. In fact, women have a different kind of power when they are younger than when they are older. Both are pertinent to the personality of Venus astrologically. Femininity has many aspects to it. This "goddess of beauty and lady of battle" was an historical personage known both as Ishtar and Indira. While Venus first and foremost loves her pleasures, she also knows that it is sometimes necessary to prepare to go to war to secure them. To gain deep rapport with Venus, study her ways in one of the glorious cities named in her honor such as Vienna and Venice. MARS Astrologically speaking, the planet Mars is the force of motivation and mobilization. It is a symbol of your drive, action and energy. The placement of Mars in your chart influences the condition of your muscular system. Mars is associated with a lot of "A" words: aggression, anger, arousal, ardor, and appropriate assertiveness. Mars also represents things that are urgent, things that trigger your temper, and things that you furiously pursue. Mars indicates many of your issues with men and the "male ego." Mars is the father of Cupid or Eros. Lusty love and passion are Mars driven. To the Greeks and Romans, Mars was the divine consort for Aphrodite and Venus. Mars is a strong protector and defender of hearth and home and his devotees. Mars has very striking volcanic craters and canyons that suggest that rivers have flowed over the surface in the past. The illustration includes a reference to the famous "face and pyramids on Mars." There are dark areas on Mars that are used as the eye patch. Mars is also seriously bombarded, pitted and scared which fits the personality of the warrior. Indicated here also are the two moons. One of them is striking him on the cheek and the other one is floating above the surface.

In times past, Mars was known as the "god of fire and war." It is a symbol for armed forces and the issues and values for which you fight. JUPITER Astrologically speaking, the planet Jupiter is the force of encouragement and expansion. Jupiter is the biggest planet and possibly a sun in the making. No matter what, Jupiter measures up big. It is a symbol of your success, luck, optimism, generosity, blessings, good fortune, adventure and opportunities for growth. Life is a bowl of cherries and more is never enough for Jupiter. In its expansive sense, Jupiter also represents how you can become over-inflated, hot, greedy, over-zealous, righteous and extravagant. Jupiter is made up almost entirely of gasses. In the illustration you see bands of clouds swirling around in ovals. The "red spot" on Jupiter was turned into a cigar. Jupiter has also been observed to have one ring which was turned into a tilted halo to suggest both a benefactor and a rapacious one. His 16 moons are seen in orbit. Jupiter, "the dispenser of law and giver of gifts," also known as Jove, Zeus, Marduk, Thor, Tlaloc, "Lord of Rain and Earthly Paradise," also represents your fondest beliefs, your knowledge, your path or calling and your sense of personal direction. Jupiter is a social, communal force. It's very much about assimilation. Jupiter's placement indicates your most important beliefs and opportunities for glory. SATURN Astrologically speaking, the planet Saturn is the force of discipline. Saturn defines your duties, responsibilities and the structure of your life. Saturn also represents the heavy hand of authority, fear, inhibitions, constrictions, restrictions, reservations, anxiety and limits imposed. It is a symbol for the force of gravity. Words like "must" and "can't" relate to Saturn. The planet Saturn is relatively featureless, aside for it's rings which are, of course, spectacular. Saturn spins faster than any of the other planets and is therefore the most flattened. It bulges out around the equator. The illustration depicts gasses in sweeping bands parallel to the equator. There are at least 18 moons circling Saturn. Saturn is illustrated wearing a clock face because clocks are strong representations of the way that we structure our lives. The clock is covering his head to make reference to the caps that cover the heads of religious figures. Hard work and perseverance are also saturnian concepts and that's not all bad. "The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." Saturn represents mastery, seasoned professionalism, efficiency, consolidation and dependability. This Khronos, Odin, "star of limiting the place" also represents daddy, and Jehovah complexes. URANUS Astrologically speaking, Uranus is the force of liberation. It's no accident that Uranus was rediscovered in the period between the American and French revolutions with their emphasis upon liberty. Uranus is where you change unexpectedly and are surprised. It's where you are unusual, eccentric and extraordinary. Uranus represents the new ideas that you are open to and where you are disinclined toward cohesion. Uranus appears totally

featureless. But, part of the concept of the artwork was suggested by the fact that Uranus is tipped over on its side as it circles the sun so that we end up looking at its poles. The television screen personality is based on astrological characteristics and is tilted head first like the planet itself. Uranus is also a symbol for electro-magnetic energy and, naturally enough Uranium. Uranus represents disruption. It only takes one brief flash of uranium to make a big boom. The root word of Uranus is "Anu," the first supreme being in Sumerian cosmology who changed the course of the world by affecting mankind's evolution. NEPTUNE Neptune represents fads, impressionability, style, glamour, imagination and inspiration. Neptune, Poseidon, "The Artful Creator" also represents your charisma, creativity, and your spiritual life. Neptune is a symbol of your immune system, parts of your aura and subtle body. Until the Voyager fly-by, almost nothing was known about Neptune. Interestingly enough, the planet is made up almost entirely of water and is blue. Neptune is also the windest planet. In the illustration, the eyes and cheeks are drawn to look like wind swept weather patterns. Neptune's rings look like the ones shown in comics to convey drunkenness. Ditto with it's moons. Neptune is the force of deep space and the force of consciousness expansion. Neptune can be spirits in a bottle of one sort or another, the communion of the saints, and a great shroud of fog in between. Neptune describes where and how you yield, suffer, escape and waver. It also describes where you are confused and self-deluded. PLUTO Astrologically speaking, the planet Pluto is a symbol of what the ancients used to call the "secret parts," including reproductive and elimination systems. Pluto is the force of cleansing. Are we talking about taking a bath or enema? Are we washing our hands or confessing our sins? There are physical cleansings such as a juice fast which can be spiritual cleansings as well. There is therapy combined with meditation. Pluto is still unvisited by spacecraft. It's appearance is extremely mysterious. One thing that is known is that Pluto has a moon that rotates around it. So far from the Sun, Pluto is a dark world. In the illustration, both Pluto and it's moon receive slivers of light. The woman looking through the keyhole give personality to Pluto's sense of mystery. Pluto is the death goddess and ultimate controller of unseen, forbidden and underworld forces. Words that are rooted in Pluto such as plutonium (a deadly radioactive poison) and plutocracy (the secret rule of the wealthy class) leave little trace and yet tell much to those who seek. Pluto represents trust and violation of trust, control, obsessions and power struggles. Pluto is the force of intense transformation, so make the most of it. Analyze your situation and deal with deep psychological and political sludge. Much fate is associated with Pluto, not many choices. When Pluto reaches out to touch you, you must restructure your self and your life, or Plutonian fates may give you a terminal nudge. Pluto is also the force of technical manipulations. In addition, Pluto represents "living hell" stories, second chances, rising up from the ashes and resurrections.

THE NODES The nodes represent points in space where the moon's orbit crosses the orbit of the Earth as the Earth orbits the Sun. That's a mouthful, but the key point is that the nodes represent points of "interchange." These are powerful meeting places, somewhat like heavenly crossroads. It's for this reason that the nodes have long been associated with reincarnation and past and future lives. The illustration represents the crossing of two orbits. The past is in one direction, the future is in another. At the point where they meet, information about other possible lives becomes accessible. Visiting this place can be like hanging out in a cafe where people meet one another and exchange information and take a break from the rush of their lives. Talking about past lives, whether you believe in reincarnation or not, can provide an elegant, entertaining, practical and helpful model for living in this life. CHIRON Discovered in 1977, Chiron is a relative newcomer to astrology. Named after the halfbrother of the Greek god Zeus, Chiron is a comet from outside our solar system, according to the latest scientific findings. In Greek mythology, Chiron was tutored by the Sun and the Moon (Apollo and Artemis) and, in turn, taught the offspring of other gods. In the illustration, Chiron's hair suggest the tail of a comet. The earring represents Chiron as a maverick who likes to do his own thing. Chiron taught special skills such as astrology, philosophy, ethics, music, medicine, horseback riding, and weaponry. These skills where thought necessary for gods, and humans, to achieve their destinies. The position of Chiron in your birth chart denotes what and where you may teach or be taught. It is also where you can be healed and how you can heal others. A Centaur, who is part human, and part horse, Chiron is a half-breed. His higher self sometimes struggles with his own animal nature.