The last week of September was huge for many people with the explosive Full Moon in Aries, the Equinox and Jupiter-Uranus alignment. It was like a cosmic firecracker up each of our backsides! If you’ve been wishing for change for quite some time, but not wanting to rock the boat, under the energies of that week, the boat may very well have been rocked anyway.
To add to the intensity, Saturn also squared the Nodes in the last week of September. This powerful connection continues throughout the first week of October. It’s common for us humans to have big dreams of the lives we’d like to live, only to come up with all kinds of excuses to stay the same. Saturn and the Nodes are saying ‘Get a move on!’
For some, Saturn might force an issue that brings about tangible, real-world change, ready or not. For others, Saturn sees decisions and plans made behind the scenes. Like a tree growing roots, a lot might happen underground before becoming obvious.
The Nodes tend to activate destiny patterns. Notice whether you find yourself attracted toward a certain person, place, job etc. If so, it’s likely the Nodes are steering you towards a new pathway. You might equally notice a push away from someone or something. Like a magnet, the Nodes repel and attract simultaneously, and Saturn can bring literal endings or beginnings.
The current Saturn-Nodes alignment is an evolution of the energetics of the Cardinal T-Square/Cross that first developed in May. Although the T-square/Cross is now out of alignment, its hot spots will continue to be activated. If you’re not ready yet to take the big leap, in late December the T-square/Cross energies get strongly stimulated again at Solstice time. In February/March 2011, the Nodes activate the Cardinal T-square/Cross points for another opportunity to take the leap.
October is a fascinating month for going deep within and mulling over the pros and cons of what we are needing to leave behind, while also feeling into the new life unfolding before us. I’m tempted to label October two things: ‘the long kiss goodbye’ and ‘embracing the new beloved’.
The words ‘kiss’ and ‘beloved’ immediately conjure images of relationships, but it’s equally possible that ‘kiss’ and ‘beloved’ relate to our own hearts and souls. We might be kissing goodbye an old version of ourselves and learning to lovingly embrace a new version that’s emerging. It’s a bit like ‘goodbye caterpillar; hello butterfly’.
The theme of relationship endings and beginnings is brought on by Venus going retrograde in Scorpio on 8 October. She stays Retro in Scorpio for the rest of the month and has us deeply reflecting, grieving and rejoicing all in one.
Imagine a major turning point birthday, e.g. a 21st, a 40th, 50th or 60th. At such big celebrations we experience a blend of joyfulness and sadness. We reflect on the years prior to the birthday. Stories are shared, the good and the bad. Toasts are made for the new adventures awaiting. Weddings and funerals offer similar turning point energies. Venus Retro encapsulates all of this.
Here’s the dates of whole Venus Retro experience:
* 5 September, Venus was at the Retro shadow degree (27 Libra 40)
* 8 October, Venus goes Retro (13 Scorpio 13)
* 8 November, Venus still Retro reverses into Libra
* 19 November, Venus goes Direct (27 Libra 40)
* 21 December, Venus reaches the degree she went Retro at (13 Scorpio)
Venus relates particularly to relationships, money, self-esteem, values and the law of attraction. As if to get us ready for the intensity of the Retro period, Venus has been shining brightly in our Western night skies over the past couple of months. Yet her light will now dim more and more, and by the end of the month she’ll be too close to the sun to be seen. By then we’ll be in the thick of the Retro phase.
By contrast, after sunset Jupiter is stunningly bright in the North East. At the end of September Jupiter was the closest it will be to earth until 2022. Jupiter is the planet of good fortune, abundance and adventuring forward. Look to Jupiter throughout the month as a beacon of optimism, courage and silver linings.
Venus goes Retro about once every 18 months and typically stays Retro for 40 days and 40 nights. This always brings to mind for me the time of Jesus in the wilderness, which included the temptation by Satan. Jesus during his period of isolation discovered a deeper strength than he’d ever known so that he was able to resist the temptation of Satan and take up his soul’s calling as a worker of miracles, bringing through the Christ energy for humanity. What is your deeper soul purpose? What is it that leads you to stray from it, forget it or deny it?
When Venus is Retro it’s important to make more time for the feminine – for rest, patience, reflection, relaxation and body awareness – to access the voice of the soul. The closer we get to our soul and its core message, the louder ‘Satan’ often gets. Generally Satan (The Devil card in tarot) represents the addictions that keep us in isolation, away from the full richness and variety of experience that life has to offer – for example, drug or alcohol dependence, relationship co-dependence, fantasies about impossible loves, spending sprees that keep us in debt, workaholism, beliefs that we are powerless or behaviours that bring us down.
As humans we are vulnerable to a plethora of addictions in endless forms. They easily sneak into our lives and undermine what we truly could achieve if we slowed down enough to hear and follow our genuine needs. If we could keep our inner world clear of addictions, we could imagine and visualise authentic pathways that draw life-affirming dreams to us. But if our imagination is taken up with false longings, we block the law of attraction bringing us that goodness. Our job throughout October is to sort healthy imagination from illusions.
Needless to say, this Venus in Scorpio period brings a lot of relationship intensity. Couples are called to relate more honestly than ever before; to release cycles of reaction and commit to experiences of being truly present to what’s significant now. For some couples this might bring decisions to separate. For others, it brings decisions to relate more congruently, intimately and courageously than before.
If you’re not partnered and wish to be, you might feel the absence of a partner keenly in October. In this case, it might help to energetically feel your new beloved with you. This activates the law of attraction. Scorpio is the zodiac sign most associated with the mysterious magnetics of energy dynamics. You might this month sense a new partner coming to you through your dreams or through ’signs and synchronicities’.
Don’t be surprised if old flames re-enter your thoughts or even your reality this month. The old flames might not only be lovers but also close friends from the past or family members. They could be anyone with whom we’ve experienced intimacy or intimacy difficulties (e.g. broken trust, jealousy, possessiveness, abuse). Deep loves from other lifetimes might also re-enter your inner space, including through dreams and daydreams.
Be careful in all instances of old and new loves to discern and choose what’s true even if fantasy and desire create momentary confusion. Sometimes we are magnetically attracted toward others and the chemistry is so strong we believe we’re meant to become lovers. But it might just be a case of karma calling or of falling in love with a new part of ourselves wanting to be born.
This month is about following the deeper mysteries of relationships and allowing each soul connection to find its unique form. It’s also about releasing ourselves from toxic energy dynamics of guilt, fear or manipulation. In this way, we become more energised than ever before. We learn to let go of drama and get used to naming our true desires without fear of abandonment or rejection.
On 4 October Venus and Mars come together – a great time for romantic pairings or reconciliations. As already discussed, on 8 October Venus goes Retro, and on the same day there’s a New Moon in Libra. Venus rules Libra, the zodiac sign of relationships. The New Moon on the 8th provides the perfect opportunity to set new intentions in current relationships or to put out to the cosmos for the types of relationships we wish to attract.
Mercury, the planet of the mind, whips forward quickly this month. On 4 October, Mercury finally leaves Virgo (after being there since July) and enters Libra – the zodiac sign of relationships. Then on 21 October, Mercury leaves Libra and enters Scorpio, the zodiac sign of depth relating. There’s no doubt October is a big relationship month.
From 24 to 28 October, Mercury meets up with Venus in Scorpio. Around these dates you might hear important news regarding relationships. Mercury is a connecting planet, so these could even be lucky dates for meeting a significant other.
Around 20 October, world issues are highlighted with Ceres (Mother Earth) aligning with both Pluto and the North Node. Mother Earth reminds us that our first and most important relationship is with her. How do we show respect to nature, our birth/adoptive mothers or anyone who plays a nurturing role for us? How do we nurture? When Ceres meets up with Pluto she’s generally not in a good mood. Pluto, afterall, is the god who stole Ceres’ daughter from her and took her into the underworld.
Finally, the Full Moon on 23 October is interesting because it’s the second in a row in Aries. Above, I started the October forecast discussing just how powerful the September Full Moon in Aries was (on 23 September). October’s Full Moon also packs a punch. For a start it’s unusual to have two Full Moons in a row in the same zodiac sign. Next, a number of planets are close to the same degree as the Full Moon, which happens to be the standout 29 degree mark of the zodiac. Anything at 29 degrees often signifies intensity and turning points. I’m reminded of my earlier analogy of significant birthdays, weddings and funerals.
All in all, there are many opportunities in October to come out of old circumstances that no longer resonate and birth into new experiences. Wishing you well with the simultaneous ‘long kiss goodbye’ and ‘embracing of the new beloved’.