This Autumn begins with the Autumn Equinox and the Sun’s entrance into the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra on September 22nd. At the time of the Autumn Equinox, one planet is in a Fire Sign, two planets are in Earth Signs, five planets are in Air Signs and two planets are in Water Signs. There are six planets in Cardinal Signs, one planet in a Fixed Sign and three planets in Mutable Signs. There are six planets in Positive Signs and four planets in Negative Signs. By Sign, there are two T-Squares, one in the Cardinal Signs, the other in the Mutable Signs. The season begins with a Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign with four planets in Venus-ruled Libra with the Sun, Mars, Mercury and Venus itself.
Relationships and a sense of filling a void in order to seek completion are strong as we begin this autumnal season. There may a great deal of hot air — any surprise with elections occurring in the US and in Canada? People could be offering ‘fix it’ approaches that conceptually seem grand but may have little staying power.
The volatility of these times continues with little letup. With Saturn opposed Uranus, exact on November 4th Election Day in the US and its continuing influence into 2010, we may find ourselves caroming between old and new. We might also find the so-called stability and security of the past to be but a mirage, a worthless image that holds no bearing for our present, much less our future. All of us may feel as though we had stepped into a surrealistic world whereby making sense of anything could be difficult at best. We might also come to realize that in the acceleration of these times, what holds true today is false tomorrow, as our beliefs and understandings go through dramatic and sudden changes. Yes, the whipsaws may prove extreme and the challenge during these times is to avoid knee-jerk reactions.
The Fall also begins with the last days of Pluto’s transit through Sagittarius that began back in 1995. Before the Fall is over, it would be wise for us to consider our philosophy of living and what we might define quality in our living to be. Life and living are not the ways they were in earlier times. On the contrary, there could be times when we feel that we are on a runaway train hurtling into the darkness, not knowing where we are going or how we are likely to deal with the process. It is important that we constantly remind ourselves of two universal axioms: [1] that we never get more than we can handle and [2] that we cannot master the universe as much as be co-creators with the universal energies.
Coming from our integrity, emphasizing the true meaning and purpose in our lives, having humility and being adept at adaptability are all essential characteristics for a successful future.
As Pluto moves into Capricorn at the end of November, we are moving into a multi-year process of constriction and compression, like the compression of rock that eventually becomes the diamond. The question will be raised, both on a societal level and on a personal level, as to whether we have built upon rock or built upon sand. Even if we feel victimized by the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’, let’s always keep in mind, almost mantram-like, the first universal axiom that we never get more than we can handle. Although many of us may want to harken back to the good old days [past days that were far better in remembrance than in living through], the times they are a’changing.
While Pluto transiting through Capricorn may speak to greater conservatism and the big getting bigger whether that big be big government or big multi-national corporations; this transit can also allow us to focus on conservation and the use of renewable sources, eliminating some of the planned obsolescence and wastefulness of which our society and our individual selves have been guilty.
While the Autumn begins with a strong emphasis upon ideas, communications, possibilities and the importance of our individual communities, shortly after the Equinox we experience the third and last of this year’s Mercury retrogrades. Mercury turns retrograde on the 24th of September and continues retrograde into the 15th of October. As we have all seen on countless occasions, Mercury retrograde is akin to Murphy’s Law whereby whatever can go wrong will. During Mercury retrograde, we might encounter problems in travel, communication gaffes, computer glitches and misunderstandings in our interactions with other people. If we can avoid making significant purchases or important decisions during this time, it would be suggested. Often during Mercury retrograde we tend to forget salient points or accept situations as presented without checking the specifics. With all the hot air likely to be circulating around, the volatility of these times, and the frenzy of multi-tasking activities; it is quite likely that this Mercury retrograde will create issues that will necessitate later correcting or rectifying. The key advice would be to go slow, check and recheck, before making our moves.
On the 23rd of September, Venus exits Libra to enter Scorpio, a Sign in which it is not comfortable. Combined with Mercury turning retrograde in Libra on the 24th, relationship issues could prove perplexing. We may start the season with an intense focus on our relationships, but as we proceed we could also be considering what relationships we can jettison, eliminating any that no longer serve our needs or are too shallow to go beyond superficial interchanges.
The Libra New Moon on the 29th of September reinforces our interest in and our consideration of the people in our lives. If we would listen to our own inner voice, that inner knowing often referred to as intuition, then we can see the potential in situations that have staying power and those situations that may only be a drain and demand more give than what we might get back in return.
The times call for greater clarity, amidst confusing information and distorted facts. These times also call for strict evaluation of where we place our energies, our times and our monies. The laxness of recent past times would only create greater turmoil for ourselves. Now is a time for us to cut to the core, focus on the truly important in our lives and be extremely creative in regard to the use of our resources.
As we come into October, we may find that we are broadening our realm, drawing upon people and input foreign to our experience. The more information we garner, the more we can glean the truth from within the mesmerizing and fantasizing images being presented to us.
During October the shift from the Libran nature of accommodation and seeking the complement to ourselves drops away and we take on a more Scorpionic quality whereby we are looking to strip away the decorative in order to see the essence and bare bones of a situation. The Scorpio energy is first triggered by Venus entering Scorpio on September 23rd followed by Mars on the 4th of October entering the Sign it co-rules. Later in October on the 22nd, the Sun enters Scorpio followed by Mercury on the 4th of November.
October continues the ups and downs, times when we feel that we can take on the world and master the universe, other times when we feel outwitted by the unfamiliar ways that life is unfolding around us. Suspending judgment, letting go of our opinions, developing awareness of the vagaries of the conditions, and being open to shifting and changing information and realities would be essential. The primary issue for all of us will be doing more with less, being resourceful and creative and seeking the valuable thread within the shifting patterns and changing circumstances.
A sense of exuberance seems strong around the 5th-7th of October. We may feel confident, as though we have our finger on the pulse. Changes initiated can help streamline our operations and provide new patterns that free us up and make us more effective in handling matters.
We do need to watch for the trickster around the 10th – 11th of October, someone who seems to offer us a key to future possibilities but without revealing the costs involved. Not taking anything for granted at this time would be important. We could easily get carried with a hope and a prayer only to be deceived and eventually disillusioned.
The 14th – 15th gives us the Aries Full Moon, a time when we may feel the push pulls between our own personal interests and our responsibilities to other people. A sense of manifest destiny can enamor us of possibilities that may at best be improbable. We might have a sense of inevitability but it would be wise to check the conditions, consider the circumstances and then proceed with caution maintaining a support system and cushion for backup.
Mercury turns direct on the 15th and, although in its shadow, our communications, computers and travel plans can be a great deal easier than the past three weeks.
Times of placidity could give a false sense that the storms have cleared, the waves parted and easy times lying ahead. Even if we were to assume such a disposition, quiet times can be punctured by extremes of volatility.
The end of October can have us looking at a good Fall cleaning, eliminating the outworn, outdated and irrelevant. Our intuitive sense is likely to be strong and our determination to cut away the dross and focus on the basics can assist us in making significant changes to our environment — our home, our work, our lifestyle patterns.
November ratchets up the intensity once again, especially around the 3rd and 4th. On the 2nd, Neptune turns direct. The 3rd gives us a Venus T-Square, as Venus in Sagittarius squares both Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces. The push pulls between the old and the new is truly engaged and engaged even more so on the 4th when Saturn opposes Uranus, the first exact opposition of these two planets that continues on into 2010. Along with Mars square Neptune on the 4th, this period could prove confusing with various hiccups or blips on the screen that create problems to the point of wreaking havoc. This is the time of the US elections and the energy configurations at play lend themselves to questions of the process and the results.
As the Saturn Uranus opposition will be with us for a while, it would be wise to work with the energy. Instead of a metronome quality caroming back and forth, we can use the two energies to bridge the old and the new. Similar to creating a suspension bridge, laying down slat-by-slat, we can draw upon past experience that is relevant for the present and instructive for the future, all the while that we are focusing on becoming more autonomous, more productive and better able to utilize state-of-the-art techniques and technologies to achieve our goals and realize our dreams. To paraphrase a concept attributed to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and anticipating different results. Let’s not go there.
While it may seem as though we are going through a crash-and-burn scenario, any eliminations remove the debris of the past that are not appropriate for our future. Like the mythological bird the phoenix rising from its ashes to soar ever higher, endings and eliminations can be the basis for stronger and greater beginnings.
We are on the threshold of a new technological revolution, evident as we come into 2009 and Jupiter moves out of the restrictive Capricorn and moves into the progressive Aquarius. And that’s where the Saturn Uranus opposition comes in. It allows us to be visionaries but not solely lost in thoughts and concepts. Properly used, the Saturn Uranus opposition can help bridge our conceptual abstracts with a practical and pragmatic approach to realize our goals. It provides the means to streamline our responsibilities and make quantum leaps in our understandings.
Although the early part of November could be a little crazy, much of November allows for a far more expansive phase with an emphasis upon changing parameters but in a grounded, focused manner. The latter part of November has a Stellium of three or more planets in Sagittarius. We are likely to feel far more exuberant, optimistic and confident about our future. The New Moon in Sagittarius on the 27th, Thanksgiving Day in the US, gives greater force to the attitude of gratitude for we are likely to see that we are coming out of the darkness of recent days and months.
We do have to keep in mind the fact that the universe has a wonderful sense of humor. Like the symbol of the Tao with the seed of the yin energy within the yang and the seed of the yang energy within the yin, as good as it gets, there can be blips on the screen that create concern and anxiety but also allow us to meet challenges, to stretch and to grow through the labor pains of self-actualization.
The end of November on the 26th has Pluto ending its transit of Sagittarius and moving into Capricorn for its multi-year transit of the Cardinal Earth Sign. Governments, professions, involvement in the world are all likely to go through major transformations. We are moving into a time of radical shapeshifting. We may experience significant earth changes in the form of earthquakes, volcanoes. We might witness the coming and going of authority figures and even the question of the continued relevancy of nation states. We could see bigger government, discussions of a world government, and bigger multi-national corporations. Whether on a macro societal level or on a micro personal level, the question over these next years will be whether we are building upon rock or have built upon sand. We are also likely to see the increased interdependency of various parts to the whole.
December has some difficult energies. The exuberance and good feelings of mid to late November give way to unexpected situations creating major difficulties like monkeywrenches being stuck in the spokes of our wheels. The potential for accidents, for mishaps and for outbursts cannot be discounted. Anxiety-provoking times in December seem to revolve around the 5th – 6th and the 10th – 15th. There may a sense of being slammed against the wall. We might feel that whatever we try to do, we’re up against an impenetrable counter weight. Such a sense can ratchet up extreme actions and outrageous behavior. Storm systems could be extreme. Travel problems could arise. Communication systems might go on overload with energy transmissions going beyond their capacity and even creating blackouts. During this period, it will be essential to maintain calm and to avoid knee-jerk reactions of feeling the need to do something, anything.
Let’s keep in mind the reality of cycles. There are times when we are going through certain phases of cycles and we assume that the phase will never end. That phase might be good. It might be bad. But we have a tendency in being in a particular phase of the cycle to assume a certain maintenance quality to whatever phase we are going through. There lies the error in our ways.
Although we may continue the wild swings of these times, the more we can draw upon as much information as possible, empirical data, yes, but more importantly our inner knowing through our intuition and flashes of insight, combined with a humility of being co-creators rather than trying to master the universe, the far more successful, productive and happier we shall be.
Autumn 2008… tandem surfing the tsunamis…
