October begins with the two ‘good guys’ of the planetary realm, Venus and Jupiter, in opposition. Whether we are being dazzled by the copious decorations for Halloween at the end of the month or just feeling the autumn thrust of warm days and cool nights, we may be looking at expanding beyond our normal parameters even to the point of engaging an altered personality and an alternative lifestyle somewhat akin to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
We cannot rule out excess as we begin the month of October. We do need to find the balance between our personal interests and the concerns of someone else.
Things may seem convoluted as we start October, some of which might be influenced by the whipsaw of the Venus Jupiter opposition on the 1st but largely impacted by Mercury turning direct on the 2nd [5:07 AM EDT]. Whenever a planet turns direction, whether from direct to retrograde or retrograde to direct motion, that particular energy gets especially squirrelly.
It would be wise for us to rein in our enthusiasm and evaluate the steps necessary to proceed forward. The ability to concentrate, focus our priorities, and advance our long-term ambitions is enhanced both by Mercury turning direct, the Earth Grand Trine by Sign that is in effect, and Mercury trine Pluto on the 6th, just before Pluto turns direct on the 8th [5:56 PM EDT].
We are in a highly productive period if we don’t mess it up by getting in our own way or by antagonizing someone. There are times when it would be wise to draw upon someone’s assistance, but there are also times when we might be too proud, or pig-headed, to ask for help.
If we can be more effective with less expenditure of energy by enlisting someone to assist us, why would we do otherwise and try and go it alone?
The Aries Full Moon on the 9th [4:55 PM EDT] when the Libra Sun opposes the Aries Moon has this push – pull between our own interests and the collaboration with someone else. Relationships could be highlighted with our liability of thinking more about what we want from the relationship rather than taking into account what the other person needs in the relationship.
The 10th of October has Mercury exiting is own Sign of Virgo to enter Libra [7:51 PM EDT]. We now have a Stellium of three planets in the Cardinal Air Sign as Mercury joins the Sun and Venus in Venus-ruled Libra. Relationships are enhanced and narcissism diminished as transiting Jupiter retrogrades through the first two degrees of Aries with a retrograde back into Pisces at the end of the month.
The Air Grand Trine by Sign is strengthened with six planets in the Air Signs and the planets trining one another through the second half of October.
The first exact aspect in this Air Grand Trine this month occurs on the 11th of October with the Sun trine Saturn. Reliance on the past can provide solid foundation stones for the future. Walks down Memory Lane or reconnections with old friends might be both illuminating and comforting. Sometimes, it is wise for us to appreciate where we have been as having given us the tools by which to carve out our future with a recognition that during this paradigm shift our future may bear no resemblance to our past. We have developed a skill set from past experiences to forge ahead into our future.
The 12th of October has Mars square Neptune and Mercury opposed Jupiter. Our nemesis of the Saturn Uranus square is also engaged by the Moon’s transit through Taurus. More so than ever before, it is essential that we engage necessary characteristics of these times of paradigm shift, e.g. awareness, mindfulness, flexibility, adaptability. And it is important that we avoid two pitfall characteristics of these times: rashness and narcissism. Our liability would be to wing it by being impetuous with great confidence in the outcome. The propensity for accidents would be strong under these tantalizing conditions.
Friday, the 14th of October, has Venus trine Saturn and kicks off several days when our relationships could seem close to idyllic. No ‘misery loves company’ for us. We’re looking at being on the sunny side of the street and sharing our good feelings about future prospects with each other.
The Venus trine Saturn on the 14th is enhanced by the Air Grand Trine, six planets in Air Signs, and the Stellium of three planets in Venus-ruled Libra, including Venus herself. There can be great discussions about possibilities, although some of the ideas proposed may be like castles in the air, enticing but unlikely to be realizable.
This mid-month of October may allow us to lull about heaven, heaven on earth, all day.
The 17th has Mercury coming out of its Mercury retrograde ‘shadow’, as Mercury reaches the degree at which Mercury had turned retrograde back on the 9th of September.
The 17th – 18th of October has first the Sun trine Mars on the 17th, followed on the 18th by Venus trine Mars. We can put energy towards realizing our plans, often with a little help from our friends. We have the determination to push ahead with our plans, all the while maintaining an effective balance point and equilibrium in everything that we do. We could be highly productive during this time, utilizing streamlined and practical means to accomplish our goals. Our relationships may be humming, especially since we are better appreciating people’s quirkiness and uniqueness of character. Our masculine and feminine qualities are better integrated with less of a liability of a battle of the sexes or falling prey to the win – lose gamesmanship that more often than not produces only losers.
While everything would seem to go smoothly during this mid-month of October, we are liable to hit some impediments on the 19th and 20th when first the Sun squares Pluto on the 19th, followed by Venus square Pluto on the 20th. If we have taken on too much, skirt the corners, or played fast and loose, we could find ourselves hitting the wall.
Relationships that seemed close to idyllic earlier could suddenly seem discordant with a tendency for someone to turn from friend to foe, or from collaborator to antagonist. Power struggles can occur, and we might find ourselves engaged in an ‘any way but loose’ scenario.
The weekend of the 22nd – 23rd of October is one high energy weekend with a dramatic shift in energy. The 22nd has the Sun conjunct Venus in the last degree of Libra and right on the cusp of Scorpio with both the Sun and Venus exiting the Venus-ruled Sign of Libra to enter Scorpio on the 23rd. The 22nd also has Mercury trine Saturn with Saturn turning from retrograde to direct motion on the 23rd [12:07 AM EDT].
The 22nd can be especially pleasant for our relationships, if we avoid critiquing what someone is saying or being overly critical and negative about whatever is going on. We need to keep things polite and enjoy our interactions with other people, especially in light of the fact that as we come into the 23rd with the Sign change of both the Sun [6:36 AM EDT] and Venus [3:52 AM EDT] into Scorpio, a Sign in which Venus in in Detriment, intensity can ratchet up with a liability of jealousy and possessiveness tainting our relationships.
With the movement of planets into Scorpio, we now have by Sign a Fixed Sign T-Square with last year’s nemesis of the Saturn Uranus engaged as the Scorpio planets oppose Uranus in Taurus and the Scorpio planets square Saturn in Aquarius. With Saturn direct, the Saturn Uranus square will diminish in its influence as the square widens and the Saturn Uranus square influence done with in early March 2023 when Saturn exits Aquarius to enter Pisces.
The New Moon, a Solar Eclipse, on the 25th [6:49 AM EDT] when the Moon conjuncts the Sun and in orb of conjunction with Venus gives the influence on the next two weeks up to the 8th of November with the Taurus Full Moon, a Lunar Eclipse, and Election Day in the US.
Under the influence of this New Moon configuration, this two-week period may be a time for us to pull in our belt, look seriously at our revenue stream and at our expenditures, and see where we can make revisions in order to survive the devastating effects of inflation. No matter how the powers-that-be might spin the narrative [e.g. gas prices coming down over the past few months, although still dramatically higher than a year ago or two years ago], and there are many sleight-of-hand tactics that can be employed; inflation is unlikely to be transitory. Once higher prices are built in, they are unlikely to come back to their previous price level, even if they seem to drop slightly.
Perhaps at some point, objective observers and commentators might question the wisdom of the sanctions and the proxy war in the Russia – NATO conflict. We may look back at this time as the time when there was a significant pivot from the hegemony of the western developed nations to a multipolar world with the BRICS nations gaining dominance.
[BRICS was founded as BRIC at a summit on June 16th, 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia when Brazil, Russia, India and China joined together with the purpose of improving the global economic situation and reforming financial situations and discussed how the four countries could better co-operate in the future. On December 24th, 2010, South Africa joined at the invitation of China and BRIC became BRICS. In 2022, five other countries have expressed interest and / or applied for membership to join BRICS — Iran, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey… Presently, the BRICS nations contribute more than 20% of the global Gross Domestic Product, a figure expected to rise to over 50% of the global GDP by 2030 according to IMF estimates. With the inclusion of those presently seeking membership in BRICS, the BRICS nations represent about 45% of the global population.]
The 26th of October has Mercury trine Mars. There may be a lot of discussions going on, some of it being idle chatter, some of it being significant insights of future prospects. The main question will be distinguishing between the sublime and the ridiculous. Let’s keep in mind that we have a Grand Trine by Sign in the Air Element with Mercury in Libra, Mars in Gemini, and Saturn in Aquarius. We can be flowing with ideas, thoughts, and conversations.
The bloom may come off the rose, whether we acknowledge it or not, on the 27th when Mercury squares Pluto. We could be adamant about our thoughts and plans. No matter the obstacles or impediments, we might continue to look for a way to validate our position, move ahead with our intentions. After banging our head against the wall a few times, we can realize that our way may not be the right way, that our itinerary and direction are ill-conceived, and we might just have to give it up and accede to a reality that certain prospects are only castles in the air. Despite evidence to the contrary, we could still try and fortify our position. In this post-modernist age where the subjective becomes the objective, the fictional can pass for the factual, and opinion trumps reality, we could always justify our viewpoint as our truth. Not that there aren’t times when our preconceived notions run smack dab against the universe unfolding. I always suggest that the universe will often tap us on the shoulder. If we don’t get the light tap, the universe taps a little harder, and if we still don’t get it, the universe may provide us with a lateral lobotomy, or whack on the side. Eventually, we get the message. I know for myself I’ve had a few of those head bangers. Let’s try and avoid those lateral lobotomies on the 27th of October.
The 28th of October has retrograding Jupiter backing out of Aries and re-entering Pisces [1:10 AM EDT]. Since early May when Jupiter first entered Aries, we have been given a prelude of the Jupiter Aries transit that will occur from the end of December of this year through mid-May of 2023. We might have found ourselves accentuating our personal preferences, our individual interests, and more likely to take machete in hand and carve our own path rather than the victimhood of catatonic malaise prevalent in our society.
With Jupiter finishing up its transit of Pisces, our compassion is reengaged, and we might give thought to the spiritual aspect of our being. With Neptune and Jupiter in Pisces, both of which rule the Mutable Water Sign, our sensitivity is ratcheted up severalfold. We do have to be wary that our emotions are not played upon. Any sense of guilt could be exploited to determine and manipulate our actions. This is a time for us to embrace the biblical sentiment of: ‘wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove’.
On the 29th of October, Mercury exits Libra and enters Scorpio [3:22 PM EDT], creating a Stellium in the Fixed Water Sign as Mercury joins the Sun and Venus in Scorpio. We now have five planets in Water Signs. We may be more ruled by our emotions than rational thought. We might also hold our cards close to our chest, revealing little except what we wish to disclose. We do have to avoid jealousy and possessiveness and a sense that enough is never enough. We have all suffered the effects of inflation in rising costs of everything. Although there may be temporary solutions to rising costs, these could prove only band-aids to a deep wound that will take a long time, if ever, to heal. It is essential that we be astute in our financial dealings and have put aside enough to get us through a rainy day[s], as generations before us did. Magic wands are often only effective in cartoons and promises never kept.
We end October with Mars turning retrograde on the 30th [9:26 AM EDT]. We may lose some of our edge, our physical vitality diminished, with a liability of dithering about rather than forging ahead. This Mars Gemini transit is an especially long one. Mars first came into Gemini towards the end of August of this year and continues in Gemini until the latter part of March 2023. We may have already experienced some of the machinations of Mars in Gemini, some of which I notate in bullet points below.
[Mars in Gemini:
• Far better to play the xylophone than to do a one note samba
• Avoid taking things at face value or a rush to judgment
• Impetuous and impulsive actions may be rampant
• Be especially careful driving
• Watch what you say or hear — everyone is liable to speak before they think
• Lack of focus — dithering about, going from one thing to another to another
• Shrill
• Thrusts of energy, like an adrenaline rush, only to be quickly expended, leaving us exhausted, nervous, anxious and totally fatigued
• Grabbing at straws
• Time management skills — planning course of action before acting
• News information where facts transition ever more into commentary — post-modern subjectivity transposing the objective
• And many more]
October 2022… seeking balance during tumultuous times…
