The astrology for this autumn begins with the Autumnal Equinox as the Sun enters the Cardinal Air Sign Libra on the 22nd – 23rd of September.
The astrological signature for this autumn can have us thinking about our future while turning our back on the past. Although we might prefer to be anywhere other than where we have been, we could feel as though we are having to react to situations and to respond to events beyond our control. We may be highly moody as we start the season and with little thrust of energy to propel us forward. As opposed to starting the season with machete in hand, fire in our belly, and determined to forge new paths for ourselves, we are more likely to feel blocked and impeded in our advance ahead.
This autumn begins with very little of the Fire element, except for the occasional transit of the Moon through a Fire Sign, until the end of October when Mercury enters Sagittarius, followed in the second week of November when Jupiter ends its year-cycle of Scorpio to enter its own Sign of Sagittarius for the next twelve months. A Stellium of three planets transiting the Mutable Fire Sign begins with the Sun’s entrance into Sagittarius on the 21st of November.
With the Sun and Mercury both in Libra as we start the autumn season, these Libra-transiting planets will square the Capricorn-transiting planets of Saturn and Pluto and will also trine Mars in Aquarius.
These energy configurations can be paradoxical with a sense of ‘hurry up and wait’.
We get the first sense of this rushing forward only to slam on the brakes on the 23rd when Mercury squares Saturn and Mercury trines Mars. We may feel out-of-sorts and obligated to do something for someone, all the while that our interests lie not in our past but rather in our prospects for the future.
Let’s keep in mind the idea of a suspension bridge whereby we create the bridge slat by slat to get from where we have been to where we are going. We may not be able to make a great leap across the chasm between our past and our future. We can, however, create the slats that will get us from where we have been to where we choose to go. We might have to go back now and then before we totally cross the chasm, land in our future and are then able to cut the ties that bind. Before we get to the other side, we still have loose ends to address, matters needing to be tied, and issues to be resolved.
While we could become despairing and despondent over the impediments in our way forward, we can deal with what needs to be done and still give energy to our future intentions.
The 24th of September gives us the Aries Full Moon. The issue of our own individual interests and of our collaboration with someone else or other people can prove quite the balancing act. We need to have our personal space, but it’s essential that we are not ‘islands unto ourselves’ but rather part of a larger community. Individual vs Collective Rights could prove a significant conundrum, especially in light of the Full Moon figuration by orb triggering a Cardinal Sign T-Square as the Full Moon squares Saturn in Capricorn. No matter the push pull between our own desire and that of someone else, responsibilities, obligations and past experience can all hamper clear delineations and easy sailing.
It may not be Christmas, but the ghosts of our past could prove haunting at this time.
Around this latter part of September we could feel thwarted. Not only do we have to address our past, our present and our future, but our considerations take into account not only our own personal concerns but the needs or concerns of other people and all juxtaposed by our past experiences and the standards of the conditions in which we find ourselves.
This latter part of September can have us feeling every which way but loose.
The 25th has the exact aspect of the Cardinal Sign T-Square with the Aries Moon square Saturn and the Libra Sun square Saturn. We might feel blocked at every turn. We could be spinning our wheels trying to get things going but sensing that we are only pumping the gas pedal all the while that the transmission is locked in neutral.
A breakout quality could occur on the 27th when the Sun trines Mars. With a little help from a strong advocate for us we may be better able to move forward in a new trajectory, with a new game plan and far less hampered by our past.
The month of September closes out not with a whimper or a quiet gasp but rather with a boom, bang, crash and blast as Pluto turns direct. Whenever Pluto changes direction, whether from retrograde to direct or from direct to retrograde, there is a liability of a dramatic release of energy that can take varied forms of earthquakes, intense atmospheric storm systems, volcanic activity, bomb blasts and people acting out. Certainly this month of September is not like to go out quietly into the night.
We might not be operating at our optimum as we begin October. People could be irritable, setting the bar high for their relationships and giving little quarter for the foibles of humanity.
Mercury squares Pluto on the 2nd. If feeling blocked or impeded in developing future goals, people can be angry with discussions turning heated to the point of people drawing lines in the sand.
Let’s keep in mind that Venus is transiting one of the Signs of its Detriment, Scorpio, and interactions with people can be intense.
The less reactive we are and the more patient we can be, the less likely we are to harm our relationships and take on a scorched earth approach to our interactions with other people.
Our emotions can be strong, and we may seek a spiritual refuge in which to catch our breath and nourish our soul. We might feel that people, and especially those closest to us, just do not understand us or take the time to plumb the depths of our being. The fault might not lie with other people as much as our own propensity to concealing facets of ourselves from other people.
And concealment is what we might do as Venus turns retrograde in Scorpio on the 5th. Added to the retrograde motion, Venus is going back through a Sign of its Detriment where Venus is not at all comfortable.
We might have a tendency to turn inward for much of this October period once Venus turns retrograde. Relationships could prove vulnerable with a liability of taking virtually anything said as a criticism. This is a time when compassion, understanding and a willingness to ‘walk a mile in someone’s moccasins’ are called for. Let’s not bruise and irreparably harm our connections. We might choose more alone time or only spend time with those we completely trust. We do have to watch for jealousy and envy without fully acknowledging everything that someone else is going through.
The Libra New Moon on the 8th of October can have us focused on our future and new developments but being impeded by our responsibilities and authority figures. With this Libra New Moon ruled by Venus which is retrograde back through a Sign of its Detriment, Scorpio, this two-week period of the waxing Moon could be one whereby we are fast out of the gate only to be slowed or stopped by obstacles in the way. We may have great ideas but the implementation and manifestation could take longer than we like with various curveballs of unexpected factors thrown into a disruptive mix.
The 9th of October has Mercury exiting Libra to enter Scorpio, followed on the 10th by Mercury opposed Uranus and Venus square Mars. With Mercury entering Scorpio, we now have a Stellium of three planets in the Fixed Water Sign as Mercury joins Venus and Jupiter in Scorpio. Intensity can be ratcheted up severalfold. Our thoughts may be quite intense with an ability to cut to the core with our communications likely to be concise, succinct and liable to be ‘zingers’. This is a time when it would be wise to maintain restraint in our communications and our actions. Adverse Mercury Uranus aspects raise the possibility of miscommunications, misunderstandings, problems with technology, travel difficulties and my least favorable planetary connection for air travel. We might be champing at the bit to get on with things, but this period is one when haste truly makes waste. Impetuous, we could start off in a particular direction, realize that we might have headed off in a wrong direction, but adamant to make the wrong direction work for us rather than turning around and starting over again.
The 12th of October could have us feeling like we’ve been socked in the gut and leaving us reeling and unable to move forward. The Sun squares Pluto, and Mercury sextiles Saturn. Instead of trying to force issues, this is a time to step back and review what we are trying to do. By truly considering our plans, we might determine whether our intentions are solid and based upon what truly impassions us or if we’re only trying to succeed at something that would win us praise and admiration but little self-fulfillment. Whether our plans are solid and fundamental or not, we have to be wary of naysayers, those people willing to rain on our parade and add extra stress to our efforts to achieve. This is a time for us not to be thwarted but rather to reevaluate. Once we have determined whether to go forward or to bring a halt to certain projects, it would be wise for us to keep our cards close to our chest. We don’t need anyone trying to one up us whether castigating us for not advancing certain projects we’ve deemed too taxing or for progressing with certain endeavors that they believe to be a foolish venture.
The 15th of October has Mercury conjunct Venus. If we are feeling ‘once burnt twice shy’, we could be reticent about sharing with other people and highly selective with whom we are likely to share. Relationships can be dicey and we might question whom we can truly trust. Let’s avoid the paranoia and not fall prey to jealousy. If we can get a handle on the energy and not let the energy control us, we may be able to discover secrets and zero in on what is going on with other people. Not everything is likely to be revealed or transparent, so we shall have to have our antennae up and be adept at picking up the signals to understand what is really happening.
With the Mercury transit of Scorpio being energized by its various planetary connections since Mercury first entered Scorpio on the 9th, our mind may be awhirl with a myriad of thoughts and feelings ranging from revelatory to suspicious, from comprehending to paranoia, and from intuitive understanding to spilling the beans, this latter characteristic possibly evident on the 19th of October when Mercury trines Neptune and Mercury squares Mars. Our intuition can be spot on with our ability to sense what is truly operating. Our emotions can be heightened with a strong sense of empathy and compassion. What we need to be wary of is any tendency to jump into a situation with all good intentions without considering the impact or the ramifications of our actions. Based upon our spiritual essence and a desire to do good works, we could easily entangle ourselves in a situation that has all the hallmarks of ‘right action’ but might turn out to be a disastrous course of affairs. We could say too much, try to do too much and without things turning out right but rather so wrong.
Let’s keep in mind, always be mindful, of the question of balance, maintaining an equilibrium no matter the swings between extremes.
Another Mercury aspect occurs on the 22nd of October as Mercury sextiles Pluto. Our ability to get to the heart of any matter and concentrate on the fundamentals can be exemplary. Not only do we have an investigative mind but we also have a strong inner voice guiding and directing us to strip away the surface characteristics in order to get to the mechanics of any situation, any operation. This energy promotes the ability to devise and design the most expeditious and effective means to accomplish our goals. If we are presenting an argument or advocating a cause, we are able to do so with compassion, imagery and tapping into the real substance of the issue. We could discover the optimum solution to any perplexing problem and do so with humility and self-affirming charm.
The 23rd of October has the Sun exiting Libra to enter Scorpio joining the Stellium of Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in the Fixed Water Sign. As it does so, the Sun opposes Uranus also on the 23rd just prior to the Taurus Full Moon on the 24th, the 24th being a day that also has Venus sextile Saturn.
Just like nature itself in the northern latitudes, the astrology at this time suggests we strip away the fluff and the decorative and focus instead on the fundamentals, the basics of every situation. Financial issues can be unnerving with a sense of stability and security shaken up. It would be wise that we be conservative with our expenses and expenditures now, for there could be unexpected costs that arise that would be difficult to anticipate. Sound judgment and making no hasty decisions might prevent us from losses or exorbitant costs. Before making any significant movement, it would be wise for us to check, recheck and draw upon a trusted wise confidante who can lend an objective perspective to our financial affairs.
We might easily wish to throw out various items and replace them with the new and different. Although this period could be a propitious time to pare down, let’s be certain that what we are ridding ourselves are outworn or no longer productive involvements. We are more likely to eliminate than replace, but whatever additions we make might be added impetuously and without full consideration of their usefulness.
At the time of the Full Moon on the 24th, Venus sextiles Saturn, followed on the 26th with the Sun conjunct Venus and on the 27th with the Sun sextile Saturn.
Saturn in its own Sign of Capricorn with positive aspects from the Scorpio-transiting planets of the Sun and Venus at this time can have us relying upon the familiar, drawing upon our experience and with a tendency to be highly resourceful with our time, our monies, and our participation. We are more interested in focusing on our goals and ambitions and may be less accommodating or interested in many social engagements. We might feel driven, concentrating on those things we wish to accomplish. We can take on something of a secretive nature, not so much interested in sharing with other people as much as having our head down and plowing forward. We could feel quite intense, and we do need to recognize our lack of conviviality during this period.
As we come to the end of October we can feel the sands shifting with us possibly breathing a sigh of relief. We may feel more energized and upbeat as Mercury conjuncts Jupiter on the 29th. We might be better able to see the silver lining to many of our situations with the sense that it does truly all work out in the end.
The last day of October has various shifting energies with two Sign changes that might reflect a more positive spin on things. On the 31st, Halloween, Venus retrograding out of Scorpio opposes Uranus before Venus retrogrades back into its own Sign of Libra. Mercury exits Scorpio to enter Sagittarius, a Sign of its Detriment where Mercury can be upbeat and inspired but with stronger emphasis on wishful thinking than due diligence or analytical reasoning.
Although there might be a blowup regarding relationship matters as we end October, we can all be thankful that the Stellium in Scorpio is ended with both Mercury and Venus exiting the Fixed Water Sign. We could feel less stuck, far more upbeat, far less intense and more interested in win-win scenarios in our contacts and connections as opposed to our liability of being overly judgmental and even a little paranoid about the motives of other people.
We begin November feeling better about things, ready to put our mark on the world and interested in collaboration rather than just going it alone. We might have the sense that a suffocating shroud has been lifted from us, that we can stretch our wings and explore the four corners of the world, no matter what that world might be.
The second week of November could seem like a large slice of heaven. The significant movements we might have felt as we ended October can be heightened during this week.
On Tuesday the 6th, the Sun trines Neptune and Uranus retrogrades back into Aries, ending its first excursion into Taurus that began in this past mid-May.
Uranus will entrench itself into Taurus for its seven-year cycle in May of 2019. But first the completion of Uranus through Aries, a phase that has allowed us to search for new venues for ourselves, allowing us to be more autonomous, more independent and has given rise to the gender fluidity and transformations of our sense of self. Yes, ‘I gotta be me’, and that sense of greater self-identity with less constraints by society or by acceptable behavior could prove strong over the next six plus months.
The Sun trine Neptune increases our compassion, enhances our spiritual nature, and may have us feel that our journey through this life experience is divinely guided with us protected during the course of our steps we take akin to the sentiments expressed in the poem Footprints in the Sand.
The 7th of November gives us the Scorpio New Moon on the day before Jupiter ends its year-long transit of Scorpio and begins its year-long transit of Sagittarius. This Scorpio New Moon and its influence over the next two weeks up to the Full Moon on November 22nd- 23rd can be a most mystical time, a time when we can concentrate on the truly meaningful, eliminate the superfluous in our lives, and feel as though we are fulfilling our personal destiny. Our sensitivity may be ratcheted up severalfold and with it our intuitive sense, whereby if we would trust our inner voice, our inner knowing, the steps we take will be more aligned with what our true earth life journey is all about.
This two-week period can be a time for us to step off the track now and then, engage a spiritual retreat, no matter whether we seek sanctuary in the quiet of nature or find our sanctuary in the bustling cityscape. Our inner world will be vibrant and more will go on beneath the surface than readily apparent.
The 8th of November has Jupiter exiting Scorpio to enter Sagittarius. As it does so, Jupiter comes into the Sign that Jupiter rules. The shift from this past year to the coming thirteen months can be quite dramatic. There can be a lessening of intensity, jealousy and anger and a more upbeat, inspired and expansionary time.
Instead of knee-jerk reactions to situations, we could take on a more philosophical perspective, a longer term viewpoint and even maintain a sense of bemusement at the antics of human foibles. Although the Jupiter in Sagittarius can lift a certain heavy weight off our shoulders, we do have to be wary of false optimism, overconfidence and too broad of an expanse in which we choose to operate. It would be wise for us to keep in mind the admonition of ‘moderation in all things’, a suggestion that could seem to run counter to upbeat feelings.
Some of this ‘feel good’ disposition can impact our relationships on the 9th of November as Venus trines Mars. We can enjoy the company of other people and especially those people who might seem at times a little quirky, marching to their own drummer and doing their own thing.
Discussions with such people can make us aware of options and alternatives for ourselves that we have not been aware of. Pleasant times can be had with that special person or those special people in our life.
The Sun sextiles Pluto on the 11th of November. Whether we are carrying out home improvement projects or focused on ambitious goals, the tenor of this time is improvement, a time when we are looking at what is the most important and most significant involvements for us and seeking to align our time with our fundamental purpose. If we are on the right track, we could find ourselves moving forward assertively with few impediments in our way. We are less likely to be coming from our ego and more from what stirs us deeply and passionately.
The 15th of November can be a time when we take the path less traveled, explore possibilities and are given clues along our scavenger hunt of life. Mars sextiles Uranus just prior to Mars exiting Aquarius to enter Pisces on this same day. We can forge ahead, entertain future plans, all the while seeking the support and encouragement of someone who affirms our ability to embrace changes. Although we can gain some insights into possibilities and prospects, we might feel reticent to forge ahead. Our self-assertiveness to embrace our individuality and stake a claim to new trajectories can fall victim to hesitancy and even a feeling that the vicissitudes of life are lined up against us. Even if we put new involvements on hold, the seeding of consciousness in the abstract opens the door to a potential realization in the future. What will be essential is for us to keep in mind the paradigm shift we are all going through — this epoch in humanity when we are moving from sequential, linear reality with its belief that we are the ones to make things happen into the asequential reality where we are co-creators of the universal unfolding and unfolding that occurs in a most unanticipated and unexpected manner — the magic and miracles of this paradigm shift. No longer do have to believe that we are the one to make it happen, but we do need to show up, have skin in the game, and work in concert with the energies unfolding.
While this first half of November can have us feeling good about things and the highlights of unexpected situations operating, the 16th of November can have us hitting the skids as the energies twist and turn. On a positive level, Venus turns direct on the 16th, but on the same day and on a more challenging level we have Mercury turning retrograde.
Venus turns direct in its own Sign of Libra and Mercury turns retrograde in Sagittarius, a Sign in which Mercury is in Detriment and an uncomfortable position for Mercury to be in. Difficulties with relationships that might have occurred over the past two months can be repaired with people making amends for intense behavior and becoming far more considerate and accommodating of other people’s needs. Communications can be off with difficulty focusing and paring down from a smorgasbord of thoughts much of them unrelated with a liability of seeing the big picture without accounting for the specifics of the parts that make up the whole.
This liability of having our thinking ‘off’ could be ratcheted up on the 19thof November when the Pisces-transiting Mars squares the Sagittarius-transiting Jupiter. Impetuousness may take hold with a tendency to launch forward both aggressively and with full force but without considering the whys, the ways and the ultimate destination. On the contrary, based on belief, and a belief that could be misguided, we might intend to go for the gold without realizing the reality of our venture being a quest for fool’s gold.
The Sun exits Scorpio to enter Sagittarius on the 22nd, Thanksgiving Day in the US. With the Sun’s entry into Sagittarius, we now have a Sagittarius Stellium of three planets as the Sun joins the retrograding Mercury and Sagittarius-ruling Jupiter in the Mutable Fire Sign.
This thrust of fiery energy around the Gemini Full Moon late on the 22nd, early on the 23rd can trigger the cautionary sentiment of ‘fools rush in where angels fear to tread’.
With a Mutable T-Square operating at the time of the Full Moon the energy can be ratcheted up significantly. The one element lacking is the Mutable Earth Sign of Virgo, thereby negating both the possibility of due diligence and the taking into account particulars. On the contrary, we could be forging ahead, going from one place to yet another without much planning or having itinerary in mind. There may be little consideration of what to do or how to do it. In the US, this Friday the 23rd is Black Friday, the day commonly known as a major holiday shopping day when people rush out for the sales, bargains and ‘deals of a lifetime’. The energy is such that it calls for, truly demands, that we be cautious in our actions, have eyes in the back of our head and be ready and able to respond at a moment’s notice to anything untoward.
Neptune turns direct on the 24th of November. We may feel more in the holiday spirits, a sense of benevolence and optimism engaged on the 26th when the Sun conjuncts Jupiter.
This last week of November can have us in good spirits. We may feel upbeat, optimistic and confident that the worst is behind us.
On the 26th, the Sun conjuncts Jupiter, and Mercury squares Mars. The 27th has the Sun conjunct Mercury, Mercury conjunct Jupiter, and Mars sextile Saturn.
Our exuberance may know no bounds. While we are likely to be extremely enthusiastic with a highly expansionary sense of good times ahead, we do need to engage brain and consider what we are doing instead of just going forward on a wing and a prayer. Our ‘feel good’ disposition can be contagious, but we do need to avoid entering a fool’s paradise, where we see everything as an opportunity and with few challenges to meet.
If we go there with a la-de-da attitude, we could get a rude awakening as we come into December.
November closes out with Venus opposed Uranus. Relationships may be dicey as we see characteristics of someone that we had not seen before and characteristics that might diminish them in our eyes.
Collaboration could be called for but unlikely to exist, for each of us may want our own way. We could be infatuated with someone we just met, but the infatuation may be based upon first impressions and might have difficulty lasting once we become more familiar with the person.
We begin December with two significant shifts in energy. On the 1st of December, Mercury retrogrades out of Sagittarius and reenters Scorpio and by doing so ends the Stellium of three planets in Sagittarius. On the 2nd, Venus exits its own Sign of Libra and enters Scorpio, a Sign of its Detriment where Venus is not at all comfortable. Also on the 2nd, the Sun squares Mars.
We start the month of December with increased intensity. We are liable to be suspicious, even jealous, of things happening around us. We have to be cautious that we don’t move forward with little more than confidence. Now is a time for us to be resourceful and put a damper on overconfidence, over optimism or any other ‘overs’ that could create a heap of trouble for us. We might be holding our cards too close to our chest and refusing any input from other people, input that could keep us from taking some wrong turns or prevent us from racing ahead with a sense that no matter what confronts us we can work it out.
Early December can have us in a whirlwind of our own making. Instead of a labyrinth through which we can reach a center, we might find ourselves in a maze and exerting a great deal of energy but going nowhere.
The 5th of December has the Sun square Neptune and the day before Mercury turns direct on the 6th. Confusion may be rampant. We might question what our intentions could be. This period is also on the dark side of the Moon prior to the Sagittarius New Moon on the 7th. It would be wise for us to slow things down and not take anything for granted. Both our sense of self and our thought processes might not be at their optimum but rather scattered, unsure of ourselves and making any movements tentatively and second guessing ourselves. Whenever Mercury changes direction, whether from direct to retrograde motion or from retrograde to direct motion, things can get convoluted with distortions and missteps until we get back into familiarity with the change of pace, the shift in the rhythm.
The Sagittarius New Moon on the 6th- 7th is in the second decanate [Aries] of Sagittarius. Mars conjuncts Neptune on the 7th, and the New Moon configuration squares the Mars Neptune conjunction. With Mercury having just turned direct and the New Moon influence impacting the next two weeks through the rest of the Autumn season and up to the Full Moon on the 22nd, we are in a period whereby we could be expanding our interests and increasing our involvements but possibly without enough restraint or braking action.
This latter part of the Autumn season is liable to be one where we are impetuous, willing to act impulsively and to forge ahead no matter the impediments in our way. Foolhardy actions may in deed occur. Our optimism and our assumptions may be over-the-top with us assuming that we are being divinely guided and are on the right track of realizing our personal destiny. Let’s try and maintain equilibrium and balanced action. Such a suggestion could be hard to embrace, for while Mercury has turned direct we are still in the Mercury retrograde ‘shadow’ until the 24th when Mercury reaches the degree at which it turned retrograde in November.
The irrational exurberance engendered by the Sagittarius New Moon configuration can be enhanced on the 12th of December as Mercury exits Scorpio to reenter Sagittarius, a Sign of its Detriment, where Mercury is not too comfortable and considers the broad expanse without accounting for the specifics. As Mercury enters Sagittarius, the Sagittarius Stellium is reengaged with Mercury joining the Sun and Jupiter in the Mutable Fire Sign.
The last week of Autumn does offer us solace and a better sense of grounding and closes the season out on an upbeat.
The 16th of December has Venus sextile Saturn. We could draw upon a trusted confidante for advice and suggestions for a slower-paced, more resourceful manner to accomplish our goals. The question will be whether we heed the advice of taking a moderate and conservative approach or if we are going to push forcefully forward assuming that everything will fall neatly into place. The former would be wiser, the latter more of a gamble.
Perhaps our Sagittarian enthusiasm can be tempered and properly applied on the 17th when Mars sextiles Pluto. By drawing upon a best practices approach we could virtually move mountains on this Monday to begin the last week of autumn and usher in the winter season. Our persistence and determination are likely to be great, and we might find ourselves being far more effective with less exertion of energy.
December 20th has the Sagittarius Sun trine Uranus in Aries. We can appreciate new characteristics within ourselves and in so doing we could engage new ideas, options and alternatives that we can embrace either now or as a resolution for our future. We may be feeling freer, more independent and able to step out of the strait jacket of our past identities. One of the beauties of the holiday season is recognizing the birth of the light, that in the darkness the light is born.
December 21st is the last day of autumn and the first day of winter. Before the Winter Solstice, Venus trines Neptune and Mercury conjuncts Jupiter. Whether we are off for a long Christmas holiday weekend or not, we are likely to be filled with good cheer, a sentiment likely to be contagious. We can all celebrate the dawning of the light with an appreciation that this autumn season is going out on a high note and promises an expansionary and optimistic year ahead.
Autumn 2018… from dark to light… from confusion comes clarity…
