October Highlights
Welcome to October, with it’s cooler temperatures and earlier sunsets., a reminder that we have entered the Fall months in the northern hemisphere. We start the month off under the umbrella of the Libra Sun, still seeking harmony, beauty and balance around us, especially in our personal relationships. The Moon is in Leo on the 1st and 2nd, setting us up with a pleasant start to our weekend. The challenge on Friday comes in the guise of a Mercury/Pluto square. It is advisable not to fixate on the opinions or prodding of others and to avoid any compulsion to say something you’ll later regret. This aspect is somewhat assuaged by a Venus/Pluto sextile that becomes exact on the 2nd and allows us instead, to focus our attentions on those partnerships and commitments where we can see positive growth.
Use the airy energy of Mercury retrograde in Libra harmonizing with Jupiter retrograde in Aquarius on the 3rd, to take a more philosophical approach to what is happening all around you. Develop a broader approach to your interactions and keep agreements on a daily basis while brainstorming with your colleagues and friends. Both planets turn to direct motion on the 18th. Be patient.
As a reminder, the planet of communication and interaction is Mercury and it is indeed retrograde until midday on October 18th. Mercury retrograde is the ideal time for research and reviewing our plans. Trying to make anything new happen, especially in haste during these 3 weeks, unless already well thought out and something you are just following through on, could be a mistake. Take your time, watch your words and be kind. I have seen that things have a way of working out when we are willing to take a step back while the planetary shifts are occurring.
See my Blog page on this site for insight into the Libra New Moon on October 6th. Each month, I cover the New and Full Moons individually in their own Blog there!
On October 6th, Pluto stations to turn Direct at 24° 19’ Capricorn where it has been drawing attention for many weeks, and will only move to 25° by the end of the year. As a point of reference, Pluto moves very slowly through the zodiac and will only have advanced to 28° 36’ Capricorn before retrograding again on April 29, 2022, then returning to 26° 07’ where he turns direct again on Oct. 8, 2022, moving ahead incrementally to finish out 2022 at 27°38’ Capricorn. This detailed look at Pluto’s roughly 2 degree advancement per year is to help you understand just how slowly some things change and how long we can be feeling the repercussions of a breakdown in order to experience transformation.
Wherever Pluto is in your birth chart, you’ll have been feeling the repercussions for quite some time. Intense feelings of the need for change to regain your personal power seems miniscule when compared to the larger picture of unscrupulous control of persons and situations welding authority over the rest of us. Yet, it is on the personal level where we must make a difference in our own lives. The changes we each make in our daily lives will ripple out into the middle of the pond and have an eventual effect. Where can you make a difference in your life… at work, at home, in your relationships, or in your own attitudes and behaviors?! if you don’t initiate the necessary changes in your own life, there will be situations that take the reins from your hands and create the upheaval that you then must respond to.
On October 7th, Venus leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius where she may seek adventure or a much needed escape from the heavy realities Scorpio laid on her doorstep in the last four weeks. Venus in this fiery sign puts her money into her passions and that’s often education and learning, anything to broaden her horizons. The Goddess of beauty and love wants to share her adventures, so long as its someone who will join in the fun and make her laugh! Her inclusive attitude attracts others who resonate with her optimism and expansive nature right through to November 5th.
The Sun and Mars come together on October 8th at 15° Libra, the mid-point of this Cardinal Air sign, sometimes thought of as the fulcrum and known as “the Ides” in ancient civilizations. This alignment of vitality and drive can enthuse us to accomplish a lot of whatever it is we have been seeking, helping us to reach a certain marker in our progress. However, if the energy is unbridled it can run away with us and we could find ourselves missing the mark or cleaning up a mess, as opposed to creating the harmony we desire.
Not to be left out, Mercury Rx aligns first with the Sun, then with Mars at 16° Libra on October 9th. Networking, correspondence and interacting with others are likely to be at the forefront of your activities now. Tipping the scales to include some socializing, especially as it involves people you haven’t been in contact with for awhile, is getting a green light now. There may be a lot to discuss as the mind is stimulated with various topics. Speech may be quick and directed toward personal aims, but if its harmony you want, be sure to listen to what the other person is saying. Avoid trying to fit too much into one conversation, instead, set a date for a more personal visit or phone catch-up. Venus in Sagittarius aligns with the South Node, thereby opposing the North Node, putting emphasis on our communication skills; try not to defer to past interactions, but stay in the present and be thoughtful of your words.
Saturn, the planet of responsibility and hard work, turns to Direct motion on Oct. 10th after almost five full months in retrograde motion. All those projects and concerns that you have been working on steadfastly during Saturn’s retrograde phase, and others have relied on for your dependability and trustworthiness, are about to make a turnaround. That means you ought to see some forward progress as you persevere in your efforts over the Fall and Winter, and into the first 5 months of 2022.
Jupiter & Mercury Do An About-face
Both the largest planet in our Solar system, Jupiter, and the Messenger of the Gods, Mercury, have come to a standstill and will turn Direct tomorrow, Oct. 18th, joining Pluto and Saturn also having ended their retrograde motion earlier this month. Things that have been on hold, blocked or needing further investigation, will soon begin to move forward. Because of Jupiter's current position in Aquarius and his expansive nature, there is an air of optimism in matters of friendship, group concern, science or technology. It does well to remember that Jupiter doesn't just make a big deal out of positive or beneficial concerns, it will enlarge any issue or situation whether for good or ill.
Hopefully, Mercury's reversal through Libra and direct station tomorrow won't confuse whatever issue you've been dealing with involving relationship or fairness over the last three and a half weeks. It takes time for Mercury to move through it's shadow phase and begin to make sense of whatever information has been uncovered before starting to make sense about the direction to move in. Things probably won't feel balanced right away, so it's important to be moderate in our behavior and speech. This includes listening as well as speaking. Perhaps what you hear will be the missing bit of information that fills in the blank.