September was a tough month for many of us with two eclipses bringing challenges around letting go, loss and separation. The full moon on the weekend (7 October) might’ve continued this theme for some. Anyone with Aries prominent in their chart (e.g. an Aries rising sign, or Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus or Mars in Aries) might’ve spent the weekend affected by the ‘lunacy’ of the full moon in Aries. But soon we will have a new moon and a chance to envisage new beginnings. More on that in a moment.
In the last two weeks of October we are influenced by the final stage of a tug-of-war alignment between Jupiter and Saturn. The exact date of this alignment is 25 October, and its previous effects were felt in December last year and June this year. When Jupiter and Saturn get into fisticuffs we are torn between our dreams (Jupiter) and the hard facts of reality (Saturn). For every exciting grand plan we concoct to improve our circumstances (Jupiter), Saturn hits us with all the reasons why the grand plan is a dud. Yet at every dose of Saturn’s hard-nosed realism, Jupiter fights back with another vision of how to make life better. After wrestling since December last year, these two are now likely to understand each other better. This month, then, is the time to test a new-found balance between dreams and reality. While these two planets have been battling, each of us has been learning how to create visions for the future that are practical and effective, yet also exciting.
October’s new moon on the 22nd is just before the last date of the Jupiter-Saturn wrangle (the 25th). New moons provide the perfect energy for planting seeds for the future. It couldn’t be a better time to get started with both our dreams and our plans to manifest them. Whether we dream of a new home, a holiday or a new job, the universe is asking us to clarify our goals and address anything that looks a bit pie-in-the-sky. The new moon on the 25th is in Libra, so it’s an especially powerful time for focussing on relationship dreams and goals. Whether you are single or partnered, relationships will benefit from a cob-web clean at this time. This includes all kinds of relationships, not just the romantic type. Check how you’re relating to friends, family and workmates and envisage how things could be better – but remember to be realistic!
Some final October cosmic happenings: On the 14th, Chiron starts moving forward after being in retrograde motion since May. For those of us who have been doing intense inner healing work, this will take the pressure off a bit, and all the efforts with inner healing are likely to show in outer life. Mercury shifts into retrograde motion on the 29th and Neptune shifts forward on the same day – but more on that in November.