TRANSMUTING EMOTIONAL OR FINANCIAL OBSTACLES INTO NEW CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES
October will be a dynamic and fated month with several planetary stations, including the yearly stations direct of Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Aquarius. As Pluto and Saturn relate to events that are happening on a global level, they impact business and the economy on a grand scale.
For those who have followed this column for the past decade, I have railed about Pluto in Capricorn representing the deconstruction of the patriarchy and the current reality paradigm. We are in the last leg of this journey (Pluto will dip into Aquarius for a short while in 2023 and retro back to the last degree of Capricorn in a final flourish). What have we learned as individuals and societies about the nature of power and its use and abuse?
Capricorn is the sign of tradition, small c conservatism, structure and hierarchy. The death of Queen Elizabeth, the world's longest ruling monarch sent a signal that a certain era of history is over. We can revere her sense of duty, obligation and responsibility while not necessarily concurring with what empire represented to many populations outside of the main royal circle. She was born into the role and followed the manmade rules perfectly.
Yet, these are not universal laws, no matter the pomp and circumstance surrounding a mere mortal presented as a divine ruler. Since the inception and adoption of enlightenment ideals (whether expressed properly or not), the dismantling of the divine right of kings has progressively ensued.
Here in the modern western world, in the absence of satisfying cultural archetypes, we must project our concept of the mother onto the queen. For many, she was a cipher for the divine feminine. Perhaps going forward, we can instead look to those (as in more ancient times) who were truly the wise women - the medicine women of every community. (A dark side note is that in order for the masculine enlightenment ideas to take hold, they had to suppress the feminine, mystical, spiritual energies by declaring women to be witches, killing off centuries of earth-based knowledge).
As we reflect on the last 15 years, consider where you have confronted the inner and outer abuser and where hopefully you have accessed your own power once again.
As we dance with a transhumanist future that perhaps only a few sociopaths actually want, we are faced with a different battle and that is one of human vs. cyborg. This will be the terrain under which we exercise our free will in the coming two decades. Saturn in Aquarius, while not directly connected to this, has been giving us a preview of the challenges of a technological world view, the belief that science and technology can save us from everything - climate change, pandemics, educating our children - and its attendant shortfall.
Saturn has been in Aquarius since March 2020, the early part of the pandemic and will remain in the sign until March of 2023. Aquarius has a collectivist vibe and here will will also encounter the positives and negatives. Who are your tribe? How has social media affected our lives? Have opportunities opened up or become more limited? What better boundaries can be created (by ourselves, not governmental bodies)?
As Pluto and Saturn are connected to business endeavors, the proverbial stock market crash may be around the corner (altho I think its eventuality will be artificially suppressed until after the mid-terms). For those of us initiating a new business or moving to the next level, the forward motion of both planets is very supportive for structural and financial growth. If we're in the wrong field (in the current economy) or our profession has run its course, Pluto and Saturn will impel us to shut it down. (This will not be an out of the blue surprise as the writing will have been on the wall for some time, probably at least since 2020, when Pluto and Saturn conjoined in a paradigm shifting aspect).
We will also be experiencing other planetary direction changes, these less profound, but noticeable nonetheless. As the month begins, we will witness Mercury turning direct, this time in Virgo, so whatever snafus occurred during the short retrograde period can right themselves, as long as we pay attention to details and functional procedures. Jupiter is still retrograding but will step back into Pisces from Aries for a two month last hurrah. We may simply be dipping back into our creative imagination one more time before declaring our new mission or plan come early 2023.
Lastly, in what I dub the most annoying transit, is Mars turning retrograde in Gemini. This is the classic "men acting crazy" scenario where normally placid individuals become combative whilest the gaslighter/abuser becomes surprisingly decent for once. These personality splits are only temporary so you cannot believe anything you hear as people are working out their shadow sides. Everything turns back to "normal" i.e. the nice guy returns and the asshole also comes back into his body once Mars turns direct on Jan 12, 2023. We are just playing with the idea that the story could have been different so notice the interesting reversals that occur at this time.
We also have a few more eclipses in the axis of Taurus and Scorpio this fall and the first solar beginning one occurs on Oct 25th at 2 degrees Scorpio. This degree was active during 2017 and 2018 and similarly stifled at the beginning of Jan 2021. Scorpio is about emotional and sexual bonding, financial arrangements and deep psychological work. Wherever this eclipse lands in your chart, you can experience a deep renewal and potential return to faith in your intuitive responses.
There's a complexity and depth to this month that can transform us deeply if we are willing to let go and allow the more chthonic changes to take place.
Mercury direct in Virgo oct 2nd
figuring out a better way
This recent Mercury retrograde was very noticeable regarding the classic mix-ups with communication, contracts, technology. When it started in Libra on Sept 13th, we may have been able to smooth talk our way through things only to find ourselves having to deal with the tiny underlying problems. If we have addressed these, we can move forward with our plans.
Mercury direct asks us to place mental focus here:
ARIES - in maintaining our health
TAURUS - in cultivating a creative idea
GEMINI - in organizing our home
CANCER - in communicating with family members
LEO - in making the best use of our talents for financial gain
VIRGO - to present our most honest self, even if he/she/they are somewhat particular
LIBRA - in recognizing our desire to control situations
SCORPIO - in how we communicate online
SAGITTARIUS - in our professional goals
CAPRICORN - in honing in on our particular beliefs
AQUARIUS - in sharing resources
PISCES - in dealing with our significant other
Pluto direct in Capricorn Oct 8th
destroying the projection
It is likely that our relation to authority has changed dramatically over the past 15 years, thanks to the intense manifestations of Pluto in Capricorn. Certainly our societal and organizational structures have changed, including our identities and methods of engagement. Whether the replacement of traditional values is better is yet to be determined, but in the realm of power dynamics, we are hopefully seeing that the emperor has no clothes.
And part of that projection of greatness is only made possible by our false acceptance of our weakness or insignificance. We must seize, as many are, the narrative and speak through our authentic voices rather than those tempered or controlled by "the man".
As the United States chart has Pluto in Capricorn, we are experiencing our nation's first Pluto return (exact in December 2022). Whatever our political persuasion, we all sense that our country is changing irrevocably.
In our personal lives, those whom we might have respected (parents, bosses, presidents, doctors, preachers) have likely fallen from grace. We are not meant to replace this vacuum with a blind allegiance to a different authority (as painfully evident in the extremist sides of both parties) but rather to remain an informed and conscientious individual who takes their time to arrive at well considered opinions and actions. (One of the The perils of Pluto in Aquarius, starting March 0f 2023 through 2044, is the negative manifestation of collectivism). So hopefully we have grown in wisdom and inner strength to craft a world where individuality will still exist in concert with doing well by others.
Where have you taken back your power in recent years?
ARIES - in defining your professional role
TAURUS - in how you interpret world events
GEMINI - in how you engage in intimate relationships
CANCER - in how you deal with significant others
LEO - in how you manage your everyday life
VIRGO - in how you channel your creative impulses
LIBRA - in how you handle your parents
SCORPIO - in how you communicate with others
SAGITTARIUS - in how you developed your talents
CAPRICORN - in becoming the true boss
AQUARIUS - in dealing with guilt and shame as perpetuated by religion and society
PISCES - in selecting your friends and colleagues
Saturn direct in Aquarius 18 degrees Oct 23rd
forging your gifts
Meanwhile, in addition to learning to access our own inner power, we are also determining where our unique genius lies. Saturn pushes us to discover and/or develop innate gifts, ones where we tend to show above average skill. Granted, society wants to place us in categories and flatten the ratio, but the world does need leaders now who can continue to remain independent and stalwart in their mission.
For us, Saturn is prompting us to claim our just rewards in this areas of life:
ARIES - in the realm of groups and organizations, group events
TAURUS - in our professional achievements
GEMINI - in our expanding international network
CANCER - in our financial endeavors
LEO - in our deepening personal relationships
VIRGO - in our specialty and mission
LIBRA - in our artistic pursuits
SCORPIO - in creating our home and family
SAGITTARIUS - in recording our thoughts and words
CAPRICORN - in cultivating our best traits
AQUARIUS - in being a visionary
PISCES - in acceptance of your "forecasting" abilities
Solar Eclipse in Scorpio Oct 25th
the power of your emotions
The first of two fall eclipses happens at the end of the month in the early degrees of Scorpio. We have the opportunity to deepen important relationships including financial and collaborative ones as well as "look under the hood" of life. Scorpio is horror film time or contemplation of death. But death is followed by birth and since we have already had to let go of a person, place, thing or philosophy in our Scorpio house, we now get the chance to begin anew, purged of old patterns and ideologies.
Where can the regenerative energy of emotional power manifest in your life?
ARIES - in your sexual life
TAURUS - in your personal relationships
GEMINI - with your health
CANCER - in creativity or love affairs, with your children
LEO - in your home and immediate family
VIRGO - with new friends
LIBRA - with your finances
SCORPIO - you are reborn anew
SAGITTARIUS - in releasing dark thoughts and fears, or becoming "friends" with them
CAPRICORN - in your social group
AQUARIUS - in your professional life
PISCES - in your spiritual practice
Jupiter retrograde back into Pisces Oct 29th
revisiting/resurrecting the inspired idea
While Jupiter moved into Aries mid May, it retrograded July 28th and is travelling back into Pisces for the remainder of the year. He'll turn direct in November and then arrive back in Aries right before New Year's Day.
Jupiter in Pisces is amplifying the Neptune in Pisces energy which has engulfed us since 2011. Neptune in Pisces is the age of visualization, illusion, spiritualization as well as gaslighting, deception and poisoning. Many are becoming keenly aware of the negative affect of pharmaceuticals which take the place of natural healing, giving the illusion of help while creating more problems.
We're sinking back into Pisces to try to capture the positives of this energy however, which include compassion, universal understanding, sacrifice and willingness to serve others.
In what way can we remove the veils of self and outer deception and choose a path of proper sacrifice over enervating victimhood and victimization?
Where might we express the power of love and forgiveness to better our world?
ARIES - by supporting the idea of universal brotherhood
TAURUS - through our philanthropy or volunteerism
GEMINI - in how we treat our fellow co-workers
CANCER - in how we deal with foreigners and migrants
LEO - in providing financial assistance to others
VIRGO - in supporting the dreams of our partners
LIBRA - by donating time or energy to a worthy cause
SCORPIO - in being kind to children
SAGITTARIUS - accepting our parents and their flaws
CAPRICORN - helping our closest friends and communities
AQUARIUS - by allowing oneself to express one's unique talents
PISCES - through releasing judgement of self
Mars retrograde in Gemini 25 degrees Oct 30th
let the verbal games begin
The aspect that gets the award for being most annoying - Mars retrograde in Gemini - begins on Oct 30th and last through January 12th. Expect many conflicts, aggressive posting, family arguments, competition w peers and all around gossip mongering at this time.
The main theme will be trying to determine who is telling the truth and who is fabulizing.
Mars retrograde (in any sign) is also notorious for men and/or lovers coming back from the past or, in general, masculine oriented people acting "crazy". Whatever is said at this time is not likely to be the full truth or even a real representation of the what the person is actually thinking.
With Gemini, there can be at least two or three different sides to a story and this will play out in interpersonal relationships, the media and politics. (Perfect for mid-term season, not)!
Mars in Gemini is the use of language as either a weapon or a wand and it is likely that we will be experiencing the first negative manifestation over the second. (There will thankfully be some clarity after Mars turns direct in January).
Where are you likely to encounter communication difficulties over the next few months:
ARIES - with friends, siblings and neighbors
TAURUS - regarding money issues
GEMINI - you will be perceived as the crazy or angry one, whether justified or not
CANCER - you may feel more paranoid than usual
LEO - online or at gatherings
VIRGO - at work, particularly with your boss
LIBRA - regarding your political or philosophical beliefs
SCORPIO - with your lover or financial partner
SAGITTARIUS - with your significant other or clients
CAPRICORN - amongst co-workers
AQUARIUS - with your children or collaborators
PISCES - with parents or at home
In an age of increased sensitivity and online harassment or aggression, this can be an explosive few months. If we can utilize the positive side of Gemini, it is to be aware that there are many different ways to look at any situation and to try to be open-minded. Most everyone who is adamant about a topic will be reversing their position anyway, so it is not necessary to get caught up directly in any fight. Just note where words can be twisted - and in this Orwellian time, propaganda is rampant - and try to step back and see the bigger picture. Much will become clear in mid January so try weathering the holidays with as much detachment as possible.
In closing, the fall season is one of harvests and later, of witnessing the fading away of life. We will definitely reap what we sow this season due to the relentless transformative energy of Pluto (which is also connected to dying and rebirth). Additionally, we will be working through some minor inconveniences and miscommunications thanks, in particular, to Mars retrograde in Gemini, in order to clear the decks for 2023.
On a practical note, the Uranian energy of desiring to break free in August is still undergirding everything and while we may in the moment feel definite that something is over, the Mars retrograde will probably bring it back for one last contemplation. We will most likely not cut the cord totally until mid January when Mars and then Uranus turn direct.
Hence, for some situations that are still in their newish phase, try to be as dispassionate an observer as possible. While there is still a doubt or a question or a hope, the story is not yet over. The point of the Mars in Gemini retrograde will be to see if the stories (and hopes and fears) match up and continue to do so in January.
And, speaking of tall tales, the United States political elte held a theory of Manifest Destiny which falsely and cruelly guided them to enslave and colonize indigenous people on our westward expansion. This type of manifest destiny is once again patriarchal abuse and manmade law. Yet, we all have a spiritual manifest destiny and that is gifted through our respective birth charts. It's in following this inner guidance that we fulfill our live purposes. This is a serious time to get to work on aligning oneself with one's best and truest inner self and in that way, a brighter future for all is possible.
So perhaps a bit of a dramatic month and fall/winter as we continue to weed out the unnecessary or the dead while cultivating the seeding of a new future for yourself and the world. Happy Halloween!