Falling into October

No month is without its challenges; but if you felt as though you were hanging on to the edge of a cliff by your fingernails at the end of September, you were hardly alone. 

The full moon last week combined with three, count 'em three, planets preparing to shift gears into new signs, made the end of last month particularly edgy.  Some of that edge has carried over into the beginning of October.  The Sun, Pluto and Uranus are very prickly until the second week of the month.  Your Will may be challenged every time you turn around.  Parents beware!  Anyone in a supervisory position, at work or home, pause and take a breath.  Measure your words carefully.

Not helping matters is Venus squaring off with Mars.  This is raising the ante in relationships, particularly of the male-female variety.  The challenging angle can certainly add spice to long-term relationships; but for those having any kind of difficulty, this week could serve to heighten rather than calm underlying storms.  Mercury (how we think and communicate) conjoins titanic Saturn at the end phase of Libra, calling further attention to what needs to be clarified and/or corrected in relationships.

However, by the end of this week, Saturn, Venus and Mars make their next move.  In addition, our galaxy's heavyweights, Saturn and Pluto take a turn for the better by creating a complimentary angle that will last for quite some time.  All this means terrific news for launching new initiatives and getting things done.  Hooray!

She might not be at her best in the earthy sign of Virgo, but Venus is super responsible and matter of fact here.  She lines up with Pluto in Capricorn and gets down to brass tacks.  Whatever requires cleaning up and analyzing, now is the time to take full account and inventory in overlooked areas of our lives.  Once you take stock, you'll have a better handle on things and find it easier to make realistic, sound decisions about moving forward.  This power is significantly boosted by two planetary pairings:  the Sun with Jupiter, and Uranus with Mars.

First, the Sun and Jupiter.  This is "your wish is my command" duo.  The energy usually created by these two will be somewhat diminished as Jupiter turns retrograde on Thursday, October 4th.  Nonetheless, there is power to latch on to here; so focus your Will to cosmic abundance, particularly in the arena of communications where Jupiter is in talkative Geminii.

The fiery alignment of Uranus with Mars further strengthens any message we're trying to get across.  Mars moves into freedom-loving Sagittarius on October 7th.  Its powerful energy with Uranus enables us to think out of the box and find new solutions to old problems or where we are stuck.  This can be a time of breakthroughs, at work, interpersonally, and awakenings within our own selves.  If you have hesitated taking a leap of faith, bringing hidden talents out into the open or adventuring into unknown territories, now is an excellent time to go for it!

One word of caution, though, as Mars challenges Neptune; reminding us to check all the facts (the positions of Venus and Mercury will really help you here) before committing to anything.  Read all the fine print before signing on the dotted line.  A hallmark of Mars being out of kilter with Neptune is disillusionment; things sounding too good to be true usually are.  It can also mean water troubles, ie, flooded basements, tears and crying, excessive rain, leaky appliances or roofs.  Children, house and home might really demand your attention around October 18th when the Moon and Mars join together.  Another aspect of this pair will be that both may insist on complete and utter freedom.  Time to walk away from a person, job or problem that is just not serving you; or conversely, break free of that rut you are in and dive into a new relationship or avocation that feeds your soul.  Spirit is at the heart of the matter here:  taking care of your own soul and spirit, as this is a time of religious and spiritual concerns.

As Saturn settles into the deep waters of Scorpio for the next two years, one thing is for certain.  Each of us will be required, yes required, to thoroughly examine and establish a working order in our lives.  Do not for a minute think that you can play cosmic hooky.  The Universe has a way of making us show up for duty, paying the bill.  With the delicious Sun-Saturn alignment to Neptune at the end of October, we should be able to walk in the light that we seek in our lives.  A bit of work on ourselves now ensures very deep healing at the root level.  From there, all things are possible.