Radiant Living

Last month, Pluto moved forward after 5 months of backward travel. This month Pluto makes the cosmic headlines again by aligning with the Galactic Centre for a third and final time. The first hit was in December 2006, the second in mid-July, and the third is on the 27th. I don’t know about you, but I’m keen to wave Pluto goodbye no matter how much I know the angst is ultimately worth it! Yet it will take time to process Pluto’s profound visit to the birth-death-rebirth point in our galaxy. Consider what has been happening in your own galaxy - i.e. your own life and cirumstances - over the past year. Have there been massive changes to any of the following: your family, job, community, friendships, partner relationships, business relationships, living arrangements, bottom-line values, or your understanding of who you are and where you’re headed? Pluto has prodded our deepest fears of loss and has challenged us to not only courageously face our fears but to also let go of controlling circumstances to avoid loss. Often we are unaware of the degree to which we attempt to control others or are controlled by others in order to avoid the pain of separation and loss.
 
Pluto has been confronting us with death - either through the actual deaths of loved ones, or through other deeply painful losses - so that we can find ways to accept that loss is an inevitable part of change. And change is an inevitable part of evolution. After the 27th, we’ll start to see the benefits of all this change and feel more comfortable on a core level with what is evolving in our own lives and the new directions that await. Pluto is relatively peaceful throughout November and December, yet in January 2008, makes a huge change by shifting zodiac sign - something this planet only does every 14 to 30 years - by shifting out of Sagittarius and into Capricorn. That’s when we’ll feel the need to commit to our new directions. But more on that then. In the meantime, feel how much stronger you are after Pluto’s resilience program! Some of us might still have a few aftershocks to go through but, on the whole, after the 27th it’s an empowering time for consolidating and integrating.
 
You might’ve noticed that I’m writing this month’s AstroWeather backwards - ie starting with what’s going on later in the month. This out-of-sequence chronology fits the energies of surprise and system-bucking that Jupiter and Uranus have in store. Throughout October these two are like a couple of party-goers high on adrenalin and buoyed with the energy of the collective. Not too unlike the atmosphere of a grand final match, Jupiter has his team of followers roaring and shaking the stands every time he kicks a goal, and the same goes for Uranus. As these two play, what started as a game of footy suddenly becomes a round of quidditch and unusual tactics take centre stage. In the same way for us, October offers some surprising turns.
 
You might, for instance, be taking your usual morning stroll up to the milk bar when, before you know it, you’re visited by the high-spirited and ‘out-there’ energies of Jupiter and Uranus. Perhaps an 80-year-old on rollerblades whizzes past on the pathway, knocks into a passerby whose take-away cappuccino soars through the air and plonks onto your just-ironed outfit. At first you want to punch someone’s lights out, but instead find yourself roaring with laughter along with the Cappuccino Kltuz, who takes your arm and leads you to the nearest cafe for a clean-up and fresh coffee. Whereupon, one thing leads to another and over the weeks that follow CK either swindles you of your life savings or turns out to be ‘The One’! In a similar way, October promises to get downright eccentric, loud, perverse, hysterical, shocking or dazzling at times. Expect the unexpected as Jupiter, the cosmic Joker, tries to outwit Uranus, the god of thunderbolts and lightning.
 
These two are most active from the 10th to the 22nd. Reversals of fortune can be expected under this vibe, so if you’ve been having a tough time, the ‘wheel of fortune’ might now bring you a winning ticket. Yet nothing is certain under this particular influence, so wait until later in the month to get a clearer picture of what’s really going on. Also be careful around people who tend to be big drinkers or drug users, or who have a rebellious streak. Some might have a tendency to self-destruct at this time, and might unintentionally draw us into a technicolour drama or two. Especially watch out for erratic drivers, or people in general who suddenly break rules and create chaos.
 
There’s a powerful alignment of the South Node and Saturn from the 15th to end of the month that has us mulling over details of past difficulties. The tune is ‘hey, why don’t you play another somebody done somebody wrong song’. Don’t ignore these thoughts if they arise. It could well be that there’s something from the past that needs a good bit of attention in order for you to move on. The upside of this connection between Saturn and the South Node is that we are given a powerful opportunity to embrace what has worked from the past and to build on that for the future. Master your powers of discernment so that you can choose what to let go of and what to take with you from your past.
 
For most of the month, this Saturn and South Node connection also happens to be at the highest point of a kite configuration made by the planets’ constant movement. This is a truly fabulous opportunity to begin flying into new futures taking everything we have learnt from both past mistakes and past successes. With newfound wisdom and maturity, we are able to reap the rewards of all we have been through. Yet with Saturn and the South Node involved, a bit of effort is required because the past has a habit of luring us back into old ghosts and comfort zones. Stay focussed on your new goals and in order to move forward draw on the solid connections or firm foundations you have already made.
 
Another planetary effect that sees us reminiscing is Mercury’s retrograde shift on the 12th. A backwards-moving Mercury tends to promote communication fluff-ups or general hitches in all kinds of transactions (eg, postal delays, traffic jams), so double-check all arrangements. Throughout October we might truly feel like Alice in Wonderful with the combined efforts of Mercury retrograde and the Jupiter-Uranus connection! Yet on a deeper level, this Mercury retrograde will actually help us stay sane. Given that Mercury is retrograding in Scorpio we’ll have better than usual powers to understand what’s beneath the surface shennanigans. It’s a time for deep thinking and feeling, for relishing the art of reflection and marvelling at the mysteries of life.
 
Finally, every month has its full moon and new moons. October offers a New Moon in Libra on the 11th and a Full Moon in Taurus on the 26th. The Libran new moon is a wonderful time for planting new relationship seeds. Writing out a relationship manifestation or improvement list could be just the go. At the full moon on the 26th, our awareness is likely to be drawn to our material circumstances. As we know, Planet Earth is out of balance, and here in Australia a current example of that imbalance is the battle in Tasmania over the Gunns pulp mill project. It will be interesting to see what pans out at the time of the full moon in regard to that conflict over the earth’s resources. And on a personal level, the full moon will offer insights about our own financial wellbeing and individual use of the earth’s precious resources.
 
You might’ve thought September was a big month, but as you can see, October is big too. Yet keep in mind the fortunate kite pattern made by the planets throughout the month. Despite all the cosmic activity there’s a continual underlying sense of lightness and flow, including an air of new beginnings and beautiful opportunities. If you find this hard to believe, I challenge you to draw yourself a kite and meditate on it throughout the month. Glue beautiful objects onto it, colour it in, stick baubles on it - do whatever you must in order to ensure that it continually grabs your attention. It might take effort to see October’s kite, but it’s definitely there. 
 
I wish you some happy kite flying!