After the rock ‘em, sock ‘em cosmic ride of September, with
double eclipses and Mercury retrograde, October will feel like an oasis of
calm. The next four weeks offer scant
planetary activity, giving us a break from the constant push and pull tug of
war we experienced last month. Other
than the Moon (which changes signs every two days), only one planet, Venus, switches signs during October while
Messenger Mercury finally turns direct. That’s it folks!
Good thing, too, that this month will be calm celestially. I for one welcome it. But it's not like we won't have anything to do. No. We will need every bit of peace and quiet
as we walk out and survey the wreckage following September’s planetary storm. September flipped over the tables. Time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business. While havoc may not have swept across your doorstep (good things do emerge now as well), quite a lot has been churned up for us to deal with and manage. Perhaps your entire approach to living requires adjustment since our perspective, the lens through which we look at life, has pivoted. Maybe wildly. So whether you are facing a big ol' TO DO list or figuring out how to put one foot in front of the other on this radically new landscape, we may feel daunted by what faces us.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start at the beginning, and start small: What needs attention first, second and third in your life? What pockets have you ignored? Where have you lied or deceived yourself? The good news is, first, with Saturn now firmly planted in truth-telling Sagittarius, we can clearly see the tasks ahead. Let the great clean up begin! Nothing like the Great Taskmaster Saturn to call us on the work to be done: to hear our truth, speak our truth, live our truth. Anything less will not stand. Second, as a direct result of being who we really are, living our true selves, there are decisions to be made and followed through with. A word of caution here: do not expect to be liked or admired for some, any or all of your choices as you honor your soul.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start at the beginning, and start small: What needs attention first, second and third in your life? What pockets have you ignored? Where have you lied or deceived yourself? The good news is, first, with Saturn now firmly planted in truth-telling Sagittarius, we can clearly see the tasks ahead. Let the great clean up begin! Nothing like the Great Taskmaster Saturn to call us on the work to be done: to hear our truth, speak our truth, live our truth. Anything less will not stand. Second, as a direct result of being who we really are, living our true selves, there are decisions to be made and followed through with. A word of caution here: do not expect to be liked or admired for some, any or all of your choices as you honor your soul.
As October opens, these two key directives are
highlighted: honoring personal truth and
working through the consequences and choices of honoring your
personal truth. These directives remain
the primary message the entire month long.
Saturn in Seeker Sagittarius helpfully aligns with the lunar North Node,
calling us to step up and stick to our True Path.
All month, the North Node is at an attention-getting degree of Libra,
bolstered by Messenger Mercury and the Sun (our will) to aid our
decision-making.
In the light of day, as difficult as some of the choices
confronting us are, it is essential, imperative really, to listen and follow
your internal guidance, your natural GPS, otherwise known as intuition. Ignore the Truth now at your peril. For the next two years, Saturn in Sagittarius
demands we honor our truth and promises consequences for those who do not.
Helping us sort through our lives the first week of October,
Generous Jupiter and Motivating Mars pair up in industrious, health conscious
Virgo and align beautifully with transformer Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn. Projects, work, health care concerns offer promise
now if we apply ourselves. Virgo rules
the future and we are assured a stable and healthier life if we commit to a
plan during this time. Sketch out ideas,
create a pro-con list, outline a step-by-step guide to your goal(s). Then once Mercury turns direct motion on
October 9th, sign the deal, move ahead with your plans.
The very same day that Messenger Mercury turns direct, Venus
changes signs from dramatic Leo to reliable Virgo, joining the Jupiter-Mars
duo. This troika in hard-working Virgo
offers abundant opportunity by
underscoring the need to form good habits and healthy routines now. Your efforts will be rewarded so go to
it! One rather large stickler to this
energetic trio is their opposition to nebulous Neptune. This is tricky stuff. On one hand, at its best Neptune clarifies
even further the work to be done by the three planets in Virgo. At its worst, Neptune wants to do what it likes most: run for the hills and escape
the quest for perfectionism and honest details insisted on by the Virgo
trio. However, it will be really hard to
run away from the work at hand this month as it is glaringly, unmistakably
HUGE. Remember that massive to do list from
September’s storm? If left unattended,
it will only pile up. So as always with
planetary challenges: balance. If you do the work, one bit at a time,
Neptune will welcome you with relaxation, music, tranquility.
Meanwhile, it only gets harder to
ignore the work in front of us. Saturn
in Sagittarius insists on the Truth.
Won’t let us get away with a thing, much less escape into Neptune’s hazy mists. There is not a lot of room for deceit
now. Little to no wiggle room to wiggle
away from reality – harsh as it may be.
Venus’ challenge to Saturn at this same time, October 9-12, guarantees
that. Our relationships and money
(Venus rules worth and self-worth) may be
picked apart in finite detail (Virgo) as Sagittarius Saturn seeks to weed out
the Truth of what’s really going on
with our bank account and relationships.
In other words, the very essence, building blocks and cornerstone(s) of
our lives are under scrutiny and possibly up for grabs if we stand by and do
nothing to fix what needs attention. After the turmoil of
September, the New Moon on October 12th offers us a clean
slate. So set your intentions with
honor, integrity and soul baring truth.
The Virgo drive for accurate information and attention to detail increases at mid-month when Jupiter and Mars tightly conjoin from October 15-19th,
offering greater purity, clarity, pristine understanding of yourself and the
situation(s) you find yourself in.
Healer Chiron in Pisces directly opposes Jupiter-Mars, gently insisting
on the highest and best interest for us to mend our deepest wounds. Where do you need to connect (or re-connect)
to your hurt, abandoned child? It is not
only OK to take care of yourself and your needs, it is essential now – critical
mass as they say. Past high time. Yes, you may surprise some and tread on the
toes of others who expect you to stick to the same old drill. So if you make changes, put yourself first,
being disliked is part of the process.
Really, truly,it is more than all right to lose parts of your life
where you are taken for granted. But to
stay the course and risk lack of growth, to wither on the vine, what could be
worse?
From a different angle, using
different words, Chiron underscores the same
theme Saturn in Sagittarius harkens to. Where Chiron says “attend to your
deepest needs”, Saturn says “honor thy truth”.
Do it. This energy only continues
to build during the third week of October, 20-27, as we approach the Full
Moon. It is incredibly important to stay
grounded now. The Full Moon in Taurus
greatly helps keep our feet firmly planted, helped by the convergence of Venus, Mars and Jupiter
in down-to-earth, pragmatic Virgo.
Wherever Virgo falls in your chart, good health and work habits soak up
a great deal of our energy at this time.
Remember: the purpose is to bring
each of us to our highest and best Self.
Honor your Path. Do the
Work. Your soul’s work. There is nothing less at stake.