The skies are relatively harmonious in October. Soft, easy aspects between the planets are more common than tense interactions, a hopeful sign that we on the ground might also have a more harmonious time. Of course, what each of us experiences on a personal level has more to do with how the planets affect our individual charts, and the relative ease in the heavens won’t feel so great if a planet happens to be slamming upside something in your chart. Still, the astrological weather counts for a great deal, and even difficult personal transits are a bit easier if they happen while the planets are on good terms with each other.
About the only planet who is in difficult straights this month is Mercury. The cosmic messenger is retrograde until the 15th, so communications and commerce are likely to be moving at a slow pace, and mix-ups are likely. Mercury stops to move forward again on the day after the Full Moon, which is sure to bring the confusion to the boiling point, so try to avoid important decisions and agreements around this time.
Mercury and the Sun are in a difficult square to Jupiter on the 6th. This ought to really highlight the retrograde confusion in the affected areas, such as higher education, the legal system, and religious institutions. Problems which come to a head around this time will probably have to wait until after the 26th when Mercury again squares Jupiter, this time while the messenger is moving forwards.
If your focus is on relationships, the October astrological weather is certainly likely to put the wind in your sails, as Venus, planet of love and relationship, is busy this month. Until the 18th, she’s wearing her Goth costume in the dark waters of Scorpio, highlighting emotional intensity and deep, often sexual, bonding. While sociable Venus generally doesn’t care for the heaviness of Scorpio, she gets some support in the early part of the month. She makes a nice aspect to Jupiter on the 5th, opening up the door for someone to offer helpful wisdom. It’s a good time to find a relationship therapist, if that’s what you need, but it will also be a time when communication flows nicely in any kind of partnership.
On the 7th, Venus is in a nice aspect to Saturn, an opportunity for us to build the structure of our relationships. This is also the day of the active First Quarter Moon, so it’s a good time to "pop the question," whatever the question might be. Serious decisions can be made with relative ease, although Venus is still in Scorpio, perhaps prodding us a little too much in the direction we think offers the most emotional or financial security.
A few days later, on the 10th and 11th, we encounter different energies, as Venus makes a harmonious aspect to Uranus followed by a tense square to Neptune. The former gives us a push to try something new and exciting, whether it is a matter of style or substance. It’s also a good time to let go of a relationship that isn’t working. The latter can make it hard to see clearly what it is we really value. We can get swept up in a fantasy, seeking for something that seems so beautiful but also so elusive, or we can sink into the sweet pain of longing for what we have lost or never had. The combined energy of these days suggests that we’ll get things moving, but not necessarily in the direction we plan. It’s like setting sail with strong but shifting winds blowing.
A week later, on the 18th, Venus moves into Sagittarius, where she’ll stay until mid-November. Venus in Sag is a seeker, looking for higher levels in relationships, or alternatively she’s the party girl. She’s certainly more open and fun-loving than she is in Scorpio, which helps our collective social mood a bit.
The overall pattern in October suggests a building of productive energy followed by a consolidation and con-densing of our energies in the latter part of the month, after the Full Moon on the 14th. The first week can be devoted to securing resources and making decisions, especially because Mars is in a helpful aspect to power broker Pluto. Look for the time around the 6th and 7th to have the greatest push as far as getting us all up and moving on whatever projects we decide upon. The second week of the month allows us plenty of opportunity for creative problem solving, with a ready acceptance of new ideas and novel solutions to old problems.
With Mercury moving direct after the 15th, the third week of October allows us to "go public" with our plans, although waiting a while before signing on the dotted line is probably a good idea - give it at least a week if you can. The Last Quarter Moon on the 21st signals the final week of the lunar month, when we can see what we’ve accomplished and decide what changes need to be made.
Try to take it easy around the New M oon, on the 28th. A few days of quiet reflection before and after can help us to make better decisions. Mars is making creative aspects to Saturn and Uranus on the 30th and 31st, once again suggesting that we can gather our resources and find support for the next cycle of activity.
Armand M. Diaz, M.A., C.A., is certified as a Consulting Astrologer by the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR). His approach to consultations is to create a supportive context for self-exploration, to help clients make decisions which are in harmony with their greatest potential, offering a truly integral approach to astrology. Armand has practiced divination for more than twenty years, working with the I Ching and Tarot in addition to astrology. He has published in various astrological journals, including The Mountain Astrologer. He can be reached at 917-216-1541 or armand@bluemoonastrology.info, or though his website at www.bluemoonastrology.info.