Frank Martin Don LLC - Professional Intuitive & Astrological Consultant

This September seems to be a month when ‘the joint is jumping’. We start the month with a Mutable Sign Grand Cross by Sign with six planets in the Mutable Signs. We have the Sun and Mercury in Virgo, Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius, Uranus in Pisces and Mars in Gemini. We also start the month with a Fire Grand Trine, at least in the US Central Time Zone and east, with the Moon in Aries, Venus and Saturn in Leo and Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius.

We begin September with only one Cardinal Sign, that being the Moon in Aries although those west of the US Central Time Zone begin the month with a Taurus Moon. But setting the September chart up for New York City, we have one planet in a Cardinal Sign, three planets in Fixed signs and six planets in Mutable Signs. There are five planets in Fire Signs [with the Moon’s placement on the cusp of Aries – Taurus], two planets in an Earth Sign, two planets in Air Signs and one planet in a Water Sign. Seven planets are in Positive Signs, and three planets are in Negative Signs.

We could begin this month akin to the Mad Hatter in Alice’s Wonderland, assuming that we’re late for something and something rather important. We may find ourselves scurrying around, juggling a number of different things and doing the two step between summer’s stepping off the track and our getting back on the track of our normal routine. Normal might not be the most appropriate term for this month however.

September seems to offer a basket full of unexpected situations with some real whipsaws in our emotions and in our actions. We could be all over the place and at times wondering which end is up.

A major significant planetary event occurs at the beginning of the month with Saturn ending its two year plus transit of Leo and entering Virgo. Saturn is often referred to as a strict taskmaster and promises that whatever we get under the Saturn influence we have truly earned. There is no luck or easy ways with Saturn. Saturn is demanding, creates restrictions, enforces contractions and squeezes compressions. But although Saturn was often referred to as the greater malefic in traditional Astrology, Saturn’s energy is similar to the compression of rock that eventually becomes the diamond. Through the tests and challenges that Saturn offers, there is also the promise of refining, honing and eventually creating something and someone built of rock, solid, steady and certainly neither superficial nor shallow.

During the past two years plus of Saturn through Leo, we may all have felt as though there were times when the wind was knocked out of our sails. Our energy may have been flagging at times, and our creative projects delayed or frustrated by what Shakespeare would refer to as ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’.

With Saturn moving into Virgo for the next two plus years, we are called to hone, refine and concentrate our daily activities, our work and our modus operandi, our health and physical well-being especially in relation to the gastrointestinal, and our analytical and critiquing abilities. We shall have to watch that we are not overly demanding, somewhat jaded, cynical and hypercritical. There may be times when we feel insecure and embrace the old dictum that a strong defense is a good offense.

Yes, we may find at times people to be offensive. And those whose Sun Signs are in the Mutable Signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces may discover that during times over these next two years they are being asked to address past issues and old habit patterns. An element of shapeshifting, of redefining oneself can be part of their walk down Memory Lane. Often, in order to move forward, we have to look back, look back over our past, go through our old baggage and address our old issues before we can move forward unhindered by subconscious engrained patterns that could trip us up.

Saturn moves into Virgo on the 2nd. With Saturn joining the Sun and Mercury in Virgo, we briefly have a stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Earth Sign of Virgo, briefly since Mercury moves from Virgo into Libra on the 5th. Even if we are still engaged in summer recreational plans, the pulls of our daily circumstance might be beckoning us.

A fierce planetary makeup presents itself on the 3rd with Mercury square Pluto, Mars square Uranus, the Sun square Jupiter, and a Lunar T-Square with the Gemini Moon squaring Saturn in Virgo, squaring the Sun in Virgo and opposing Jupiter in Sagittarius. This day is Labor Day in the US, the end of a long holiday weekend that also signals the unofficial end of Summer.

This time could prove quite intense and we have to be especially careful regarding accidents. Elements of rashness and impulsiveness could be prevalent and could trigger verbal arguments with people lashing out in their communications and even to the extreme of becoming physically violent. People may not want the summer to pass and might try to grab for all the gusto they can on this long Labor Day weekend.

With Labor Day in the US officially ending Summer, we may become more involved with our daily routine. We might discover that we have carved out an existence that keeps us constantly on the go. Now is the time to strategize, plan and figure out the best methods to deal with our responsibilities.

Getting back on the track with summer a fading memory, we may become more serious about our ambitions and the means to realize our dreams.

On the 5th, Mercury moves into Libra. Our thoughts turn to our relationships, those special people in our lives. We are likely to be far more diplomatic and concerned about other people’s welfare. We can see from other people’s perspectives, and we are less likely to be caught up in merely the empirical facts and figures. Instead of a focused, microscopic viewpoint, we now have the ability to see other sides to an issue.

The 7th has Pluto turning direct. The intense internal feelings we may have had over the past few months can now be unleashed. We’re looking to make changes, to incorporate significant transformations to our lives in order to make our living more meaningful and with a greater sense of purpose. We may be looking at what we can get rid of in our lives, the extraneous, the superfluous that only fills up our time and clutters our activities. Whenever Pluto changes direction from direct to retrograde or retrograde to direct, there can be a radical unleashing of energies, an explosive force venting pent-up feelings and emotions. Often this shift in energy with Pluto is associated with bombings, explosions and violent outpourings of energy.

Following Pluto turning direct on the 7th, Venus turns direct on the 8th. Many of our relationship concerns can be straightened out now. We do have to keep watch that we or other people are not being too self-involved, measuring relationships from a self-important or self-obsessed viewpoint. We need to be certain that there is a give and take in our relationships, whereby there is a balance between giving and receiving in our interactions with other people.

The 9th has Mars trine Neptune and the Sun opposed Uranus. We could easily fall into a wide consideration of possibilities for our future. We may feel the urge to do something different, be someone different than our old accustomed self and patterns. This would be a good opportunity to explore the potentials of options and alternatives. We don’t have to throw baby out with bath water, but it would be important for us to scout out prospects and engage thoughts of new activities and new ways of doing things. We could also come up with some innovative ways to assert our individuality, to put more of a mark on our lives that truly resonates with us. We do need to be careful that we don’t go overboard in experimentation. We might be impelled to make vast changes and could take certain actions that might be more impulsive than well thought out.

The New Moon on the 11th gives us a Partial Eclipse of the Sun. This Virgo New Moon also reinforces the Mutable Signs by creating a T-Square with the Sun Moon conjunction opposed Uranus in Pisces and square Mars in Gemini. By Sign, this New Moon creates a Mutable Sign Grand Cross with the fourth element of Fire being occupied by Jupiter and Pluto in the Mutable Fire Sign of Sagittarius.

Under this signature, our fortnight ahead might reinforce that sense of Alice’s Mad Hatter. The sense of the only true reality being one where we have to expect the unexpected could keep us hopping and make us feel as though our lives and the world is in a state of topsy-turvy. And so it may well be.

While variables unanticipated could enter our lives during this time, these energies also allow us not to become too complacent to any semblance of stability or an engrained security. Now is a time for us to be nimble and quick, to work with peripheral vision, and to be open to the magic and wonder of the universe. More than once, we might shake our head and remind ourselves of the saying that ‘life’s too mysterious, don’t take it serious’.

With seven planets in Mutable Signs at the time of the New Moon, we could be pushed and pulled in various directions during this next fortnight.

While we are concentrating on our standing in our community, our work environment and our social circle, we might be thrown off center by the ratcheting up of our activities and involvements. We really have to consider whether we just have too much going on. We may scurry from one thing to another, having to address surprising situations that come up out of the blue, all the while that we’re considering more, more, more.

The fast pace of life can be invigorating but could prove exhausting. We have to watch that we don’t commit ourselves to overwhelm which might be exhilarating at the time of our decision but may also have adverse health consequences of burn-out, spiked blood pressure, or nervous anxiety in the future.

Now is a time to streamline our operations, to consider the most effective means by which to deal with our responsibilities and allow time for new interests. It is important that we learn to work smarter rather than harder, and this time could offer the proving grounds for more effective methods with less expenditure of energy.

Life is speeding up and we need to learn to quicken our pace without missing a beat.

Mid-September on may seem Fellini-like, somewhat surreal, out of the ordinary, with an emphasis on the unexpected. It would be wise for us to work with peripheral vision, keep our options open, and maintain the Taoist attitude of ‘bend like a reed or break like an oak’.

The 13th has Mercury sextile Jupiter and during this time we may find that part of our unexpected surprises are interesting connections or contacts from far afield. Our breadth of vision may widen as people who are not part of our daily experience enter, even if only briefly, to make us aware of greater opportunities that lie beyond our daily track. A sense of optimism and a willingness to embrace the goodness of the universe could permeate our attitudes.

In case we get too comfortable and too optimistic during this time, the third week of September offers us an accelerated roller coaster ride with some real whipsaws going on. During this third week of September, from the 17th through the 21st, we have an array of planetary configurations. Apart from that time around the 3rd of the month, this period is perhaps the most intense of September. On the 17th, the Sun squares Mars and Mercury sextiles Jupiter. On the 18th, Mercury trines Neptune. The 19th has the Sun square Pluto. On the 21st, Mars opposes Pluto and Venus opposes Neptune.

During this third week of September, the energy may be ratcheted up severalfold. We may try to cover all bases only to cast aside some of our involvements. We could feel confident, optimistic, assuming that everything will go according to plan. Nice concept and valid in the abstract, but the practical application and true reality might be a totally different story. We may feel like we’re itching to get on with things. We can have a sense of destiny tugging at us and could easily go forward without fully thinking through the implications or consequences of our actions. We could easily get carried away by our personal ambitions, which could prove taxing on our relationships. We have to watch that we don’t draw lines in the sand, demand black and white scenarios without considering the gray matter, or become overly adamant in our opinions.

If we do go off and find ourselves in a bind, we might fall prey to playing the blame game, seeing and accusing other people of our misfortune. Any sense of frustration could boil over into violent rage. This week is a time to keep a lid on things, to allow ourselves to be like a Dutch steam kettle with an escape valve to vent any sense of frustration. Otherwise, we might just try to bully our way through situations, feeling self-righteous and deserving of what we want, without taking into account the circumstances or the timing.

Fortunately, Mercury sextiles Venus and Mercury trines Neptune to offer relief from the stridency of this week. If we take time to think things through and discuss matters with other people, we can make the case for our interests by persuasion and reason. We don’t have to bulldoze our way through or win our point solely by aggression. We would be more effective combining brain and brawn.

On the 23rd, we enter the Autumn season with the Sun moving into the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra. The intensity of the previous week should quiet down. We may feel more on top of things or better able to navigate the vagaries of living life in the twenty-first century.

Instead of immediate reactions to situations, we can take some time to reflect and consider all sides to the question. Our thinking may be less emotional and more scrutinizing. Instead of being blindly optimistic, we can see the essence and fundamentals of any situation. Mercury sextiles Pluto on the 24th, followed by Mercury trine Mars at the time of the Aries Full Moon on the 26th.

If we haven’t created a total slash and burn during that third week of the month, then we can straighten things out and create more of an amicable accord during the latter part of the month.

The Full Moon on the 26th continues the intensity but we’re not as likely to rush headlong into situations without taking into account the parameters and conditions.

On the 27th, Mercury leaves Libra to enter Scorpio. Adding to the Water influence, Mars exits Gemini on the 28th to enter Cancer. We now have a Grand Trine by Sign in the Water Element with Mercury and Mars joining Uranus in Pisces for all three Water signs being transited.

Our emotions are turned up and we may find that we’re balancing our personal needs and our interests in other people. The keyword is balance. Like a metronome, we can be overly involved in people’s issues and immersed in their emotional drama and then swing back to recharge our batteries and regain the sense of our own identity. The balance point is to enjoy other people’s company without losing our own sense of self.

Our mind is razor-sharp. We have the ability of penetrating to the heart of any situation and see what is truly going on. We can realize how to cut away the non-essentials from our lives and focus on the truly important with extra time to enjoy the seasonal activities of Autumn.

September can be a month of ups and downs. At times, things will seem very placid, almost too peaceful, but it could prove to be the calm before the storm. Certainly times during September, especially around the 3rd and the third week of the month, may seem stormy, with intense unleashings. It would be wise to keep rein on our emotions, not react impulsively or immediately to situations and try to maintain an even keel as we navigate what would seem to be choppy waters.

September… the joint is jumping…

This week is incredibly active, and the shifts in energy this week can be explosive. No going quietly into the night for us. Rather, this week can have us feeling intense and champing at the bit. People may become hypercritical, looking at the half glass of water as half empty rather than half full.

As of this past Sunday, Saturn has left Leo and is now in Virgo for the next two plus years. This week has Mercury leaving its own Sign of Virgo and moving into Libra. We also have two directional changes as both Venus and Pluto turn from retrograde to direct motion. Added to these significant planetary movements, we have Mercury square Pluto and Mars square Uranus.

With Labor Day in the US officially ending Summer, we may become more involved with our daily routine. We might discover that we have carved out an existence that keeps us constantly on the go. Now is the time to strategize, plan and figure out the best methods to deal with our responsibilities.

This week may have us back on the track with summer a fading memory as we become more serious about our ambitions and the means to realize our dreams.

In planning our week and our future, let’s be sure that we have incorporated time for unexpected situations that might arise.

Monday, September 3rd – Laboring Through – Mercury, Pluto, Mars, Uranus, Venus, Sun, Jupiter, Lunar T-Square, Saturn. And the whole kettle of fish, or everything, including the kitchen sink. This Monday could prove an extremely intense day. In the US, this Monday is Labor Day, a holiday and end of a long weekend which is unofficially the end of summer. After Labor Day, the sense of our hard, cold realities or just getting back on the track tends to strike us full force. This Monday has a great deal of planetary configurations occurring. It is the first full day of Saturn being in Virgo which Saturn will be transiting for the next two plus years. There is also Mercury square Pluto, Mars square Uranus, Sun square Jupiter and a Lunar T-Square with the Gemini Moon opposed Jupiter in Sagittarius and square both Saturn and the Sun in Virgo. Aaargh! This is a day to count to ten, maybe even twenty, before reacting. Our tendency to overreact, to push the envelope, to be belligerent, adamant and aggressive cannot be understated. Perhaps we are looking for that final summer rush, that gusto whereby we engage in getting all that we can from this day. Whatever our intentions, we seem to be going to extremes today. We do need to be especially careful today, for accidents can easily happen under these planetary configurations. Conversations can turn into arguments, self-assertiveness can turn into physical violence, and pleasures can turn into heavy indulgence. Venus does sextile Mars which can help temper the intensity of the day and dampen tendencies to go overboard. But this Monday can produce some nasty situations if we don’t keep hold of our emotions. We could easily act impetuously, rashly, being in the immediate without considering the implications or consequences of our actions. We may be jumping from one thing to another and to another and possibly with no rhyme or reason to our actions.

Tuesday, September 4th – Going Beyond – Uranus, Venus, Mars, Neptune. Tuesday may still have us feeling the intense energies of Monday. But like a hurricane hitting land and losing its force, this Monday can have yesterday’s intensity dying down. This Tuesday has the Gemini Moon square Uranus, sextile Venus, conjunct Mars and trine Neptune. If we are trying to get back on track of our normal, daily activities, we could be a little resentful and even rebellious. We may want to stretch beyond our usual parameters and try something different. We don’t want to feel that we’re tethered to going around in circles doing the same thing day in and day out. We want a sense of autonomy, of freedom, and the ability to do and be whatever and whomever we want. We are likely to feel energized today. Perhaps it’s an adrenaline rush, especially after yesterday’s pump up of energies. We could be juggling various activities, even in spite of the general energy indications for us to be more selective, to pick and choose, where we place our energies. This Tuesday may be a time when we want to test the waters, consider possibilities for our future and investigate options for ourselves. Finding creative outlets for ourselves, adding a little variety and spice to our life, could be called for today. While we may be getting back on track with our normal, daily existence, we are likely to want something more, something different from same old, same old. Today would be a good day for sampling new interests and new activities.

Wednesday, September 5th – Stormy Weather, Settling Down – Lunar T-Square, Pluto, Mercury, Saturn, Mercury Libra. Wednesday starts the day with the Gemini Moon creating a Lunar T-Square in the Mutable Signs as the Moon opposes Pluto and squares Mercury. We could easily be directed by our desires rather than our reasoning mind as we start the day. Our passion to take the whole enchilada in hand could get us into trouble if we don’t consider our parameters and our circumstance. We may want what we want without considering how to go about it. We could easily let slide the details, not take into account specifics and just assume that our desires will win the day. It’s a concept, but probably not reality. Although we’re off and running in the early morning hours, things do settle down. If we haven’t gone off the cliffs, jumped off the ledge or created major problems for ourselves by being overly impetuous, then things can settle down. The Moon moves into Cancer where it sextiles Saturn. We now have the ability to clean up any messes, put things in their right place and have a more appropriate perspective. Wednesday is a day to rein in our emotions and then focus our attention. We can accomplish a great deal in bringing things to completion and to closure if we haven’t raced off in the wrong direction. Mercury also leaves its own Sign of Virgo today and moves into Libra. Our thoughts turn to the important people in our lives and how we can create harmony and balance. As Frank Costanza from the old TV sitcom ‘Seinfeld’ would say: ‘Serenity now!’

Thursday, September 6th – A Different Spin on Things – Sun, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course. After the hoop-la of earlier this week, the energies are settling down. On this Thursday, we begin the day with the Cancer Moon sextile the Sun and trine Uranus. We may want to get our house in order, see what needs to be done, and then accomplish it. We may not want to necessarily clear the decks, but we are likely to clean things up in order to have space for new activities and new projects. In accord with the saying ‘the cup has to be emptied before it can be filled’, we may want to empty some of the cup of our activities in order to make room for new and different things. The sense of overwhelm that many of us may have been feeling over the recent weeks, even years, by taking on too much may impel us to do an inventory of our lives and see what we want to keep, what we want to discard. A purging is important for all of us. It’s like going through our old baggage, leaving some of it behind, so that it doesn’t taint our progress, much less our future. As Thursday progresses, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for twenty-four hours into Friday making no further planetary connections as it finishes its transit of Cancer and before entering Leo on Friday. The energy dies down and we may find it hard to get much done. We can continue to sort through, take stock and figure out those things that are superficial and those things that are important in our lives.

Friday, September 7th – Friday Get-Togethers – Moon Void-of-Course, Mercury, Pluto direct. Friday starts the day with the Moon Void-of-Course, continuing yesterday’s Void-of-Course with the Moon making no further planetary connections as it finishes its transit of Cancer. During that time, however, Pluto ends its five-month retrograde motion and turns direct. Whenever Pluto turns direction, there can be an explosive release, a violent venting of energies. We should not be surprised if we hear of bombings or explosions during this time. The shift in energy allows us to refocus on what we would consider the quality of our living, the essential aspects of our lives. As the day progresses, the Moon enters Leo where it sextiles Mercury. We may be making plans for a festive weekend, and this evening we could enjoy a get-together with good friends or a special someone. We are looking for pleasurable pursuits and not wanting to go it alone. Even if we are by ourselves, we may be thinking of good times with good friends or picking up the phone and reaching out to touch someone. This weekend can provide some fun times and special moments, especially Friday night through Saturday.

Saturday, September 8th – Lovely Day, Lovely Day - Jupiter, Venus, Venus direct. To borrow from the classic Bill Withers tune, Saturday can be a ‘lovely day, lovely day’. The Moon is in Leo, trines Jupiter and conjuncts Venus. Venus also turns direct today. Spreading our wings and soaring on the air currents may be part of our Saturday. We’re looking for fun, willing to leave our responsibilities behind and putting on hold attending to our errands. Today is a good day to get out of town, take a drive into the country and enjoy ourselves. We’re likely to be feeling very upbeat and optimistic. This may be a day when we look to make a personal makeover, whether we attend to our hair, our wardrobe, or some special little gift to ourselves. We’re feeling generous, good about life and out for having a good time.

Sunday, September 9th – Testing the Waters – Mars, Neptune, Sun, Uranus, Pluto, Moon Void-of-Course, Saturn. This week began with great intensity and could come to a close with a fair amount of energy. Not as intense as Monday, but this Sunday could have us testing the waters, trying new things, wanting to do and to be something and someone different from what we are used to. Today, Mars trines Neptune. Our minds can be going a mile a minute as we consider all the possibilities that lie ahead. The Sun opposes Uranus. While we can come up with some interesting ideas for ourselves, we could also be jumping from one thing to another. If we get hold of our ramped up energies, then we could actually blend the visionary or what we want with the best ways to realize our dreams and come up with that which we want. The Leo Moon does oppose Neptune, sextiles Mars and trines Pluto. We can have the drive and passion to go for that which we want, but we do have to be careful. As both Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw indicated, the two tragedies in life are not getting what you want, and getting what you want. This Sunday is a day when we have to be sure that our eyes are not bigger than our stomach and that we have carefully considered what we truly want in our lives and those things that are only an immediate impulse. The afternoon sees the Moon go Void-of-Course for seven hours making no further planetary connections as the Moon finishes its transit of Leo and before entering Virgo where it conjuncts Saturn. We may be looking to ramp up our pleasures on this Sunday but the end of the day could have us feeling like we’re hitting the wall, waking up to our responsibilities, our familiar conditions and our usual life.

This week has the Virgo New Moon, a partial Solar Eclipse and a Grand Cross in the Mutable Signs. With seven planets in Mutable Signs at the time of the New Moon, we could be pushed and pulled in various directions during this next fortnight. Storm systems, whether climatic conditions or emotional dramas, can be strong and intense.

While we are concentrating on our standing in our community, our work environment and our social circle, we might be thrown off center by the ratcheting up of our activities and involvements. We really have to consider whether we just have too much going on. We may scurry from one thing to another, having to address surprising situations that come up out of the blue, all the while that we’re considering more, more, more.

The fast pace of life can be invigorating but could prove exhausting. We have to watch that we don’t commit ourselves to overwhelm which might be exhilarating at the time of our decision but may also have adverse health consequences of burn-out, spiked blood pressure, or nervous anxiety in the future.

Now is a time to streamline our operations, to consider the most effective means by which to deal with our responsibilities and allow time for new interests. It is important that we learn to work smarter rather than harder, and this week could offer the proving grounds for more effective methods with less expenditure of energy.

Life is speeding up and we need to learn to quicken our pace without missing a beat.

Monday, September 10th – Betwixt and Between – Jupiter. Monday starts the week with the Virgo Moon square Jupiter. We may be wanting to stretch, broaden our parameters and widen our scope; all the while that we’re feeling bound to the things that we have to do, our responsibilities and our normal daily circumstances. Monday is a day when we might feel that we’re revving our engines but going nowhere. Are we stuck in neutral? Or is it that we are being pulled in so many different directions? We do have to watch that we don’t try to cover various bases without attending to the details. We could easily skip over specifics, miss certain particulars and find ourselves making more of a mess for ourselves. The energy is ramping up and that will be especially true over the next two weeks. We might want to escape our obligations, step off the track and wait for a more auspicious time. Unfortunately, such an attitude could be like ‘waiting for Godot’, with Godot never arriving. The wisest course of action today is to chill, take things one at a time, use time in a subjective manner whereby we work with our productive time cycle. Our productive time cycle can be half an hour, twenty minutes or even ten minutes. Going from one thing to another, no matter how disparate the situations might be, could prove far more effective than muddling through 24/7 or jumping from one thing to another without the concentrated focus. Increasingly, we are having the opportunity of realizing time as not merely an objective measurement of minutes, hours, days. We have the ability to use time in the subjective measure whereby through concentrated attention we can accomplish our ends and can get more done in our productive time cycle that might otherwise take hours, days or weeks. It’s time we work smarter rather than harder and the smarter element is being Zen-like, in the moment and using the expansiveness of the moment.

Tuesday, September 11th – Who’s on First? – Virgo New Moon, Partial Solar Eclipse, Sun, Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Mars. This Tuesday kicks off an interesting fortnight. Of course, that adjective ‘interesting’ is similar to the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse, ‘may you live in interesting times’. And so we do. In the US, this Tuesday commemorates a day of infamy, the day six years ago when the US was attacked within its own borders with commercial airlines used to bring down the World Trade Center in New York City and to crash into the Pentagon outside Washington, DC. The level of anxiety may not merely be the reflections of that particular day. Today’s level of anxiety can be very much associated with the planetary energies. Today gives us the Virgo Lunation and a partial Solar Eclipse. By Sign, we have a Grand Cross in the Mutable Signs with the Sun, Moon and Saturn in Virgo [creating a stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Earth Sign], Mars in Gemini, Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius and Uranus in Pisces. The signature of this New Moon impacts the next two weeks and has seven planets in Mutable Signs. This Tuesday also has the Moon exactly opposing Uranus and squaring Mars. The intensity of this period asks us to be nimble and quick, to keep our eyes wide open and our ears attuned to unexpected changes. The potential for acting rashly and impetuously cannot be downplayed. During these next two weeks, we have to be especially careful around today, the 11th, and next week, around the 17th, 19th and 21st. While we may be operating on adrenaline and racing around, if we don’t get carried away by the energy we could in fact make changes to our lives that could be liberating, freeing us up and allowing us to investigate new realms of interest. We do need to streamline our operations and our activities. Otherwise, the sense of overwhelm may have us running at full speed but only to have us burn out and then resort to some sickness or illness that forces us off the track. Since the energy could easily get away from us, we also have to be careful not to feel victims to circumstance or victimized by the world around us. Again, the importance of being nimble and quick, being able to think on our feet, and respond to situations in a calm, yet deliberate way without overreacting. New Moons are times of affirmation, of new beginnings. This one offers us the potential of our focusing on our well-being: physical, mental and spiritual.

Wednesday, September 12th – Forget the Still of the Night – Pluto. In the early morning hours of Wednesday, still reeling from yesterday’s Lunation and Eclipse, the Virgo Moon squares Pluto. Our sleep state could be restless. We may feel that we’ve got so much going on that we have to use our ‘rest time’ to blueprint, plan and seek solutions to perplexing problems. One of the great teachers of the twentieth century, Manly Palmer Hall, referred to the sleep state as a time of going to the classroom whereby through our dreams we had the opportunity through different symbols and representations to understand things going on in our lives that we did not fully comprehend in our ‘waking’ state. And so on Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning, we may find our sleep state restless as we try and figure out what is going on in our lives, in the collective and in the world at large. As life around us and our own personal situations present the challenge and opportunity for us to sort between those things that are truly essential and fundamental in our lives and those things that are merely superfluous and extraneous; we may feel insecure as though things are being stripped from us, as if our secure covers are being pulled from us to stand naked unto the world. While we are being asked to do an inventory taking of our lives, as the day progresses the energies mellow out. The Moon exits Virgo and moves into Libra, opening a two-day respite and times of appreciation and enjoyment with those special people in our lives. We now look for the beauty, the serenity and the sanctity in our lives. Life is all about crests and troughs. Even during the most intense cyclonic storms, there are times of calm. Today into the weekend allow for a calm and some very pleasant energies.

Thursday, September 13th – A Better Look – Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Neptune. Thursday is one of the nicest days of this week. We have Mercury in Libra sextile Jupiter. And we have the Libra Moon that reinforces that sextile with the Moon conjunct Mercury, sextile Jupiter, sextile Venus and trine Neptune. This Thursday can be an especially pleasant day. We can see things from a much brighter perspective and appreciate the wisdom of the saying that ‘things work out for the best’. One of the lessons we have the opportunity of learning is the importance of attitude and disposition. Our attitude and disposition not only color the way we see things but have an impact of the way things develop. Today we may be feeling far more upbeat, more optimistic and less impacted by the vagaries of these times.
This could be one of those ‘mental health’ days when our attention turns away from our responsibilities and our ‘to do’ list and focuses instead on that special person or those important people that sparkle in our lives. We may want to spend time planning our next vacation, or considering our possibilities, and using other people both as our sounding boards and our cheerleaders. We seem far more vibrant, more playful today, so let’s be certain that we have some re-creation time.

Friday, September 14th – Up and At It – Mars, Pluto, Saturn, Void-of-Course Moon. The early part of Friday continues the Libra Moon. Yesterday’s lovely interlude may have gifted us with a second wind. Today the Libra Moon trines Mars and sextiles Pluto. From the uplift yesterday, we can use that impetus to get things going, moving our projects along with greater drive and determination. Today is one of those days when we feel energized, ready to go for the gold and unwilling to be held back by any naysayers or our own questioning of our abilities. We’ve got it going on and can put our plans into action. For seven hours the Moon goes Void-of-Course making no further connections with the planets as it finishes its transit of Libra before entering Scorpio. As the Moon enters Scorpio later in the day, the Moon sextiles Saturn. We get a second wind. From the thrust of energy we may have felt earlier in the day and used to get things going, we now have the ability of honing, refining and focusing on the fundamentals. We can take our plans, projects and actions and structure them in a way whereby we are being more effective with less expenditure of energy, all part of our intention to work smarter rather than harder. Friday night begins a weekend where we may be looking at getting rid of things, clearing things out and cleaning up our act.

Saturday, September 15th – Less is More. Saturday has the Scorpio Moon, but today’s Moon makes no aspects to the planets. While there is not a great deal of energy circulating today, this would be a good day to have some alone time, to take time to consider what is truly important to us. Getting into nature, reflecting on the course of our journey, and seeing where we get overly involved in the daily distractions of our life offer us a day of rest during which we can recharge our batteries and refocus our intent. We might choose to deal with errands, tying up loose ends and heading to the dump, whether physically or mentally, to leave off garbage and things that no longer serve us. While there may not be a great amount of energy circulating in our outside world, there is a great deal percolating and stirring below the surface in our internal world. This Saturday is a good day to be in touch with our inner selves.

Sunday, September 16th – Push, Pulls – Uranus, Sun, Lunar T-Square, Venus, Neptune. Sunday continues with the Scorpio Moon which today trines Uranus, sextiles the Sun and creates a Fixed Sign T-Square by the Scorpio Moon square Venus in Leo and square Neptune in Aquarius. On the one hand, we may be very content going off and doing our own thing. We might explore unfamiliar surroundings or take in activities we’ve never tried before. On the other hand, we could find other people placing demands on us, having expectations of what we should do or had planned to do on this Sunday. We may feel torn between the push pulls of our previous commitments and our desire to act spontaneously. If we don’t embrace our ability to do things on the spur of the moment, we might wind up resenting other people and their demands. If we don’t engage our friends and live up to our scheduled plans, we could disappoint or infuriate other people. Today is a day when a balancing act is called for, a day when we can both live up to our planned commitments and yet add some variety into our day’s activities. After yesterday’s respite, we may feel that we’re back on the track. Juggling is all part of our learning curve during these times. Today may be a juggling between what is expected of us with our planned commitments and doing things according to our whim at the moment.

This week can be a roller coaster with significant ups and downs. Various Mars Pluto aspects can ramp up the energy with us trying to cover all bases only to cast aside some of our involvements. We begin the week with the Sun square Mars, mid-week Sun square Pluto and end the week with Mars opposed Pluto.

We could easily get carried away by our personal ambitions, which could prove taxing on our relationships. We have to watch that we don’t draw lines in the sand, demand black and white scenarios without considering the gray matter, or become overly adamant in our opinions.

Fortunately, Mercury sextiles Venus and trines Neptune. If we take time to think things through and discuss matters with other people, we can make the case for our interests by persuasion and reason. We don’t have to bulldoze our way through or win our point solely by aggression. We would be more effective combining brain and brawn.

The end of the week has Venus opposed Neptune at the same time that Mars opposes Pluto. We might become infatuated by someone or something, but we have to ask ourselves whether we are buying into first impression or making a seasoned judgment.

Over the weekend, the Sun enters Libra beginning the Autumn season. We may seem like a bull in a china shop during much of this week, but we end the week far more considerate of other perspectives.

Monday, September 17th – Off and Running – Sun, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn. Monday could have us off and running. The Sun squares Mars, and we might be far more interested in being active rather than effective. We might feel we can handle a great number of things today by multitasking, but we have to be careful that our eyes are not bigger than our stomach or our intentions are better than our execution. With Mercury sextile Venus we may find ourselves involved with a sweet talker, someone able to present his or her case in an appealing, even seductive manner. Yes, this Monday could be one when people are talking the talk but unable to walk their walk. They may try to run but there could be stumbles and falls. The Sagittarius Moon squares Saturn. This day can be paradoxical. We might shy away from our responsibilities wanting to broaden our reach and to explore different interests. We could persuade people that we’re being attentive to our obligations while we’re meandering off to avoid the necessities. We can be caroming from one thing to another, not being especially productive but offering a good image of our effectiveness. It would be wise to vent our energies through exercise and try to maintain a discipline of dealing with our routine and taking a break to do something that has no real meaning or significant consequences.

Tuesday, September 18th – Reveries – Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus. This week is a real seesaw from intensity to placidity and back and forth. Following yesterday’s rather intense and perhaps uneventful day except for flurries of frantic activity, this Tuesday could be fairly pleasant so long as we can go into our reveries, enjoy our thoughts and consider our possibilities. Mercury trines Neptune and the Sagitarius Moon conjuncts Jupiter, squares Uranus, trines Venus and sextiles both Neptune and Mercury. Our thoughts may be filled with wonderful prospects and this would be a good day to blueprint our plans in broad strokes. Our intentions can be upbeat and ever flowing. The practical execution may be limited and the details better dealt with later in the week, on Thursday. Interactions with others can be especially pleasant. Discussions can take on a philosophic approach with people searching for the meaning of life and wondering what it’s all about. Lofty ideals can sweep over us, and we may feel less impacted by the hurly-burly of the so-called real world. Yes, today is a day when we might feel in control of situations as though living la vida loca of a second life. Since we might be overly confident and enthusiastic, we do need to watch that we don’t make important commitments without considering the specifics. And even if we assume that we are taking the particulars into account, we could still be seeing situations through rose-colored glasses. Let’s enjoy our mental wanderings without assuming that we’re being objective or focused. That can come later. Today is a day to let our mind and our thoughts roam.

Wednesday, September 19th – Hellzapoppin’ – Sun, Pluto, Lunar T-Square, Mars. They say that Wednesday is ‘hump’ day, since it’s the mid-part of the work week. This Wednesday could not merely be hump day but could actually break our back if we’re not careful. The Sun squares Pluto and the Sagittarius Moon reinforces this shapeshifting energy configuration by creating a Mutable Sign T-Square with the Moon conjunct Pluto, square the Sun in Virgo and opposed Mars in Gemini. We may feel uncomfortable in our own skin. If we choose not to address those situations that need to be eliminated and released from our lives, then we could find ourselves, and others, acting in a most belligerent manner. This Wednesday it is important to count to ten, or maybe to twenty, before reacting. In fact, it might be better not to react at all but walk away from intense situations with the idea of dealing with them when the energy settles down. If someone steps on our toes, no need to try and crush their toes in response immediately. Let’s keep in mind the saying that for people with good taste vengeance is best served cold. If we can sort through our lives and see what works for us and those things that are outmoded, no longer useful and only a waste of our time, then we could do some very important clearing and cleansing. Now is the time to do a serious inventory taking of our lives, account for what is essential and what is only dross. Although we are all going through significant transformations, we might not enjoy the process. In such a case, we could be ranting, raving, acting out and cursing the powers that be.

Thursday, September 20th – Strategic Approaches – Saturn. What a difference a day makes, but we should be getting used to that by now this week. This up and down of the week continues with Thursday being far calmer than yesterday, Monday or tomorrow. Having written that, do recognize that we do have overlapping influences. This week is a doozey with a great deal of intensity, stripping away and champing at the bit to make changes, transform our lives and get on with it. On this Thursday, the Capricorn Moon trines Saturn in Virgo. If we had great thoughts, even what me might consider grand illusions, this is the day to figure out the how and the most appropriate ways of getting to where we want to go. Thursday allows us to see both the whole picture, the specifics and the methods to reach our goals. Putting our plans into action today can be effective. If we want to climb the next rung up the ladder, today is a day to take that next step. With the overlap of influences, it is important that we keep in mind to walk before we run, to take things step by step and to keep the end goal in mind and not be distracted by mindless diversions or interesting enticements along the way.

Friday, September 21st – Lines in the Sand – Mars, Pluto, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Mercury. Friday has one of my least favorite energy patterns: Mars opposed Pluto. Today can be one of those days when people are looking at winning their ways by persuasion or by force. Discussions can turn into heated arguments and then veer off into physical assaults. If we use the energy wisely, then this intensity can be used with drive and determination to move our projects forward. Nice concept, but the truth of the matter may be that everyone is a little on edge and may only need a straw to break the camel’s back. Venus opposes Neptune. While we could be seduced by someone’s appearance or presentation, we could also be very skeptical of other people’s motives. People are likely to be on edge. Yes, I know I already wrote that, but it does bear repeating. This day can truly be a powder keg when even the slightest misinterpretation, supposed slight, or irritability can trigger outlandish responses. We do have the Capricorn Moon sextile Uranuas and square Mercury. Although interactions with others may be dicey today, we might find that doing things on the spur of the moment and focusing on our own individual interests serves us far better than working with others, on a team or with a greater purpose than our own self-interests. We may be too self-absorbed and self-protective for good connections with others.

Saturday, September 22nd – Possibilities – Sun. There is not a great deal of energy on this Saturday. We might have sighed a sigh of relief as Friday night came and went. This week could have had us flailing about and flying off the handle. Early Saturday has the Capricorn Moon trine the Sun in Virgo. We may feel more in control of our emotions. Perhaps we’re feeling safe in the comfort of our home. We might even have the sense of returning from the wars of the week, for this week could have had some intense interchanges, some skirmishes and even battles royal. The Moon moves into Aquarius during this Saturday and it would be wise to put our scheduled plans on hold or on the backburner and have some quality of time for exploring unfamiliar terrains and stretching beyond our normal parameters. Get-togethers with friends and loved ones, those that support us no matter what we’re going through, could be a welcome respite from this past week.

Sunday, September 23rd – You and Me – Sun Libra, Jupiter, Neptune, Venus. Sunday begins the season of Autumn with the Sun entering the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra. Our interests turn ever more to our relationships. We’re seeking balance in our lives even as we metronome from extreme to extreme, from interest to interest, all the while that we’re juggling a number of different things. This Sunday also has the Aquarius Moon sextile Jupiter, conjunct Neptune and opposed Venus. We may want to get together with friends, possibly take a day trip or enjoy some pleasant moments with our special someone. We do have to watch the balancing act between our own personal wishes and those of the other person. Compromise could prove an important part of today. For democracy to truly work, everyone’s voice is heard. The same thing is true for today. For this day to work we need to take into account the wishes of others and come to a consensus regarding what to do, how to do it and where to do it. This can be a truly pleasant day so long as we don’t place demands or expectations on other people. The more we can appreciate the uniqueness of individuality, the more we can express our own interests and talents. This Sunday can be a lovely day, lovely day.

This Autumn begins with the Autumn Equinox and the Sun’s entrance into the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra on September 23rd. Similar to Autumn beginning with the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra, this Autumn is highlighted by Air with a Grand Trine by Sign in the Air Element linking all three of the Air Signs with the Sun and Mercury in Libra, the Moon and Neptune in Aquarius and Mars in Gemini.

At the time of the Autumn Equinox, there are three planets in Fire Signs, one planet in an Earth Sign, five planets in Air Signs and one planet in a Water Sign. There are two planets in a Cardinal Sign, three planets in Fixed Signs and five planets in Mutable Signs. There are eight planets in Positive Signs and two planets in Negative Signs.

Although Libra is the Sign of balance, balance is a point in time-space that equalizes extremes, balances polarities. To get to that balance point, there is a balancing act that goes on between disparate elements, weighted polarities, and countervailing forces. And so it is with the start of this autumn. With a preponderance of Air, a lack of both Earth and Water, and a heavy emphasis on the Mutable Signs, this autumn begins slightly out of whack.

The autumn begins with a Mutable Sign Grand Cross by Sign with Mars in Gemini, Saturn in Virgo, Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius and Uranus in Pisces. We are all over the place as we begin this autumn. Of course, we might be somewhat used to it seeing how we started the summer with a Mutable Sign Grand Cross as well --- different players in some instances but with the same effect of us having so much, too much, to handle and deal with. How could we possibly cope? The answer is to be nimble and quick: to be fast on our feet and able to deal not only with our daily responsibilities but also unexpected situations in a speedy but effective manner.

The autumn also feels the influence of a particularly intense energy: Mars opposed Pluto. Although the exactitude of the Mars Pluto opposition occurred two days prior to the Equinox, its influence is felt throughout this autumn and through the winter. Intensity is ratcheted up severalfold. We could find that nothing is done in half measure. On the contrary, we may want all or nothing at all. The extremes during this next six month period can be over the top. Knee jerk reactions, overkills and situations escalating and getting out of hand could certainly be a characteristic of these times. People may be very much on edge, and at any moment possibly lurching out of control. If we can get a handle on these energies, we could also find that we’re getting a great deal done. Our passion and determination are strong. We just have to be certain as to where we place our focus and how we move ahead with our goals. The potential for explosions, upheavals and using excessive force cannot be downplayed. We may be playing with fire, so we need to be careful of what we say, what we do in order to avoid misunderstandings and not create greater problems for ourselves. This Mars Pluto opposition which is operational through the winter of this coming year promises that storm systems can come full force with gale force winds and torrents of precipitation or blizzard conditions.

The autumn begins with a Mutual Reception between the Sun and Venus--the Sun being in Libra ruled by Venus, and Venus being in Leo ruled by the Sun. This combination increases the influence of the Sun and Venus. Consequently, our relationships can be especially pleasant. Get-togethers with friends can be fun events with everyone looking for a respite from the hurly-burly of their mundane lives. People’s creativity can be sparked and gatherings can have both a festive note and splendid decorations. There is the Venus Neptune opposition of which we have to be wary. Although relationships can be highlighted, we might be prey to the trickster, someone appearing one way, the reality being quite different. Although we might be infatuated by someone or impressed by first impression, it would be wise for us to withhold definitive judgment until we’ve had enough time and enough interactions to make a reasoned opinion of the character of our connection.

There is also the Jupiter Uranus square at the beginning of autumn. Volatility that we’ve seen recently in the equity markets can continue. Exacerbated by the Mars Pluto opposition, we can see some real whipsaws and wonder whether there is any safe, secure, stable place. There is, but we might find the only true security is within ourselves. The outer world around us may seem increasingly spinning out of control, like a top dancing across the floor, weaving and bobbing with no apparent direction except to unwind.

While this autumn is a time when there may seem a lot going on, and with unexpected situations cropping up for us to deal with, the dynamics of these times allow us to make major changes in our daily routine and even question whether we are doing our lives with purposeful living and true meaning. Many of us may question our daily existence. But with the question comes consideration of possibilities and an intention of making things better for ourselves. This time also allows us the opportunity of getting out of our own way. Our society has conditioned us to master the universe, or at least try to master our own personal world. The concept reeks of control and increasingly we may find that life is throwing us curve balls as indications that we are not truly in control but must deal as best we can the cards being dealt to us. Not only a new attitude is called for but a new disposition. While there can be some who resent and resist the changes being asked of us, there can also be an increased understanding, an epiphany of sorts, that the times they are a’changing. With the paradigm shift comes the promise that instead of mastering the universe we can be co-creators with the universe. If we are receptive to the shifting sands around us and in our lives, then we can work with the energies rather than resist them. We could discover the changes to be incredibly liberating, like getting a monkey off our back, and with the realization of that wise old saying that god and the universe have far better plans for us than we could ever imagine for ourselves.

Shortly after the autumn Equinox, we have the Libra Full Moon on the 26th of September, a Full Moon that reinforces the Mars Pluto opposition. In the first week of autumn, the last week of September, we have two sign changes: Mercury moving out of Libra and into Scorpio on the 27th, followed by Mars moving out of Gemini and moving into Cancer on the 28th. These two Sign changes also create a Grand Trine in the Water Element with Mars trine Mercury and both trine Uranus. Our ability to get our sea legs can be adept, and our ability to figure out what is going on can be perceptive and insightful during these transitioning times. If we trust our feeling nature, our sensory realm, and are open and receptive to flashes of genius, we could come up with innovative answers and appropriate ways to navigate the swirling waters around us. Like an Archimedes ‘Eureka’ moment, we might solve perplexing problems and discover the means of extricating ourselves from any long-standing problems. This Grand Trine in the Water Element continues through the third week of October.

As we come into October, Venus leaves Leo to enter Virgo on the 8th and the Sign it will transit until November 8th, when Venus enters its own Sign of Libra. While much of this autumn can revolve around our relationships, during this Venus transit of Virgo, we have to watch our expectations of other people. We might hold them to high standards, be somewhat critical of them and even create difficulties for our relationships. These tendencies could be especially apparent right around the 14th of October when Venus conjuncts Saturn, the 25th of October when Venus opposes Uranus, and again in November on the 8th when Venus squares Pluto. It would be wise to cut people slack in our interactions and recognize that perfection is an intention and not necessarily an acquired state. We also need to question whether our critiquing of others masks our own insecurities and if we are acting on the old strategic approach of a strong offense is a good defense. By finding faults in others, we can avoid having to address our own insecurities.

On the 10th-11th of October, we have the Libra New Moon. This New Moon and the fortnight following that it influences can be especially pleasant. The Sun Moon conjunction trines Neptune and sextiles Jupiter. Although there is a Venus Saturn conjunction, which might have us recounting past experiences and even past relationship issues; we can focus on the expansionary qualities of our special connections even to the point of idolizing our relationships and seeing the promise of them in our future. Also on the 11th, Mercury turns retrograde for its three-week cycle back through the first decanate of Scorpio and back through the third decanate of Libra. This Mercury retrograde is the third and final one of 2007. Let’s remember that often under Mercury retrograde Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever can go wrong will’ is in effect. The Mercury retrograde lasts until November 1st when Mercury turns direct. This Mercury retrograde can raise issues regarding our finances, a concern about our expenses and also issues associated with our relationships. Mercury retrograde offers us the opportunity to go back over things and make changes and corrections to situations.

During the month of October there are some good energy configurations, energies that allow us to sort through and concentrate on specifics, particulars and the fundamentals. With a lack in the Earth element, we could realize that we may have been more taken with doing things rather than doing them correctly. We may have easily glossed over details and with October’s Mercury retrograde and good Saturn aspects, we may refine and refocus.

On the 23rd of October, the Sun enters Scorpio and Mercury retrogrades out of Scorpio and back into Libra. On the 26th, the Taurus Full Moon highlights the idea of working smarter rather than harder, being far more conscientious about our financial position and offers us some interesting new contacts that help to broaden our perspective. A good fall cleaning would be advised during this timeframe, doing an inventory taking and clearing away some of the clutter. The more we can streamline our activities, the less overwhelmed we’re likely to feel and the more opportunities we would have to take advantage of new interests and new connections.

On the 31st, Halloween, Neptune turns direct, followed on the 1st of November with Mercury turning direct. Our communications and our consideration of our future possibilities can be far clearer. We are less likely to be in a daze or prey to wish fulfillment and the mindless liability of assuming that everything will work out in the end no matter what we do in the interim.

November 8th has Venus leaving Virgo and entering its own sign of Libra. Our critiquing of other people can drop away as we become more interested in relationships without all the evaluation, criticism and even faultfinding we might have done over the past four weeks.

The 9th has the Scorpio New Moon with the Sun Moon conjunction creating a Water Grand Trine by trining Mars in Cancer and Uranus in Pisces. Our emotions can be turned up severalfold. Our sense of compassion and a feeling of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ can have us far more interested in solving the problems of the world. We may feel a spiritual calling and decide that we need to look a little deeper into our lives to be certain that our lives have meaning and are serving a higher purpose than just accumulations of more stuff. While there could be a tendency for us to get rid of things, release situations and eliminate matters from our lives, we have to be judicious in our stripping away. We also have to be cautious that our emotions don’t create a sense of being merely receptive, even victims, to the vagaries of these times. Again, let us remember that while we may not be masters of the universe, we are indeed co-creators, a proactive disposition whereby we expend our energies in accord with the universal signposts.

On the 11th, Mercury re-enters Scorpio. Our thoughts can be precise, methodical and interested in the facts, just the facts. Now is a good time to blueprint our plans and focus on the essentials of our projects. Mercury sextiles Saturn on the 16th, trines Mars on the 19th and trines Uranus on the 21st. We have the ability to create the structure and the ways of our goals and then streamline our operations in order for us to work expeditiously. We do have to watch on the 24th of November when Mercury squares Neptune. We could be a little too arrogant, feeling that we can finesse situations without doing the necessary groundwork. If we rest on our laurels or assume that we can just move forward without evaluating and playing the devil’s advocate, then we could be in process of setting ourselves up.

On the 15th, Mars turns retrograde until the end of January ’08. Our physical vitality may not be the strongest, and we do need to watch for colds and flus during this latter part of autumn and early winter period. With the Mars retrograde, Mars is also moving back into greater influence of its opposition to Pluto, exact on the 2nd of January. The feeling of burnout and a powder keg ready to blast can increase as we move through the latter part of autumn and into the early part of the new year. Focusing on our health regimen, incorporating some forms of physical activity such as yoga, pilates, tai chi or aquacise are to be considered. It is important that we take care of ourselves and not merely try to push forward nonstop.

November 22nd, the Sun leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. With the Sun moving into Sagittarius, there is now a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Fire Sign as the Sun joins Jupiter and Pluto. Our perspective broadens. We are far more interested in the big picture, a macrocosmic view rather than the microcosmic view or dissected focus. We could be feeling enthusiastic, confident and optimistic, but we also have to watch that in our desire to expand our realm we don’t neglect our responsibilities or gloss over situations.

At the time of the Gemini Full Moon on the 24th, there is a Grand Cross by Sign in the Mutable Signs, a Grand Trine in the Water Element, Mercury square Neptune and Uranus changing direction from retrograde to direct motion. This time could have us wondering which way is up, all the while that we’re going up and down and all around. The holiday season begins and we could find ourselves on overwhelm… once again. It is important that we take into account what is truly important in our lives and disengage from those situations that are superfluous and only contribute to chewing up our time with busy work. Our clarity of thought may not be the strongest especially in light of the fact that we want to make changes and may be more focused on change for the sake of change than making changes from a rational approach. We also have to be careful that we pick and choose where we are going to place our energies and those activities in which we truly want to engage. We could be like a hungry person at a smorgasbord piling more and more on our plate and stuffing ourselves with more and more and going far beyond overfill.

The latter part of autumn in December has various Sign changes. Mercury exits Scorpio and enters Sagittarius on the 1st, adding a fourth planet to the Stellium in Sagittarius with Mercury joining the Sun, Jupiter and Pluto in the Mutable Fire Sign.

On the 5th of December, Venus leaves its own Sign of Libra and enters a Sign of its Detriment, Scorpio, where Venus is not comfortable. Around this time we also have Mercury square Saturn on the 6th and the Sun square Uranus on the 7th. We may feel limited by our circumstance, wanting to be free and spread our wings to fly beyond our daily existence, explore, roam and do whatever pleases us. Restrictions could frustrate us. We may want to broaden our scope, widen our realm but our desires might not take into account the most appropriate ways of doing so.

The Sagittarius New Moon on December 9th has five planets in Sagittarius with the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto. This New Moon squares Uranus with Mercury also square Uranus exact on the 10th. Influencing the coming fortnight and the end of autumn, this energy pattern could speak of difficulties in travel, problems with computers, aggravations in getting things done with delays and forgotten parts, and misunderstandings through miscommunications or people not hearing what is being said.

December 11th has a powerpack of energies with Venus trine Mars, the Sun sextile Neptune and Jupiter conjunct Pluto. Whatever is going on now is being done as a spectacle, an extravaganza. Half measures are forgotten to extremes, and it would be wise for us not to get caught up in the whirlwind of energies blasting forth during this time.

We end the autumn with Jupiter leaving its own Sign of Sagittarius and entering Capricorn on the 18th for its year-long transit of the Saturn-ruled Cardinal Earth Sign, followed by Saturn turning retrograde on the 19th. We are leaving autumn and entering the winter during a time when delays, misunderstandings, misfirings and greater impatience demanding immediate action can have us going through wild metronome extremes between past familiar situations and unexpected new developments where we have no choice but to be thinking on our feet, be nimble and quick to address and resolve situations arising, and not get carried away.

We are on the threshold of a paradigm shift. This transition is characterized by changing the mindset of being in control of our lives to an appreciation that we can navigate the rapids by being aware and working with the energies rather than trying to force our will upon them. During these times, it is especially important to realize that the universe is unfolding as it should, even if we cannot see that viewpoint at the time.

For myself, that realization was especially striking over the summer when a grievous disappointment and sense of betrayal I experienced also resulted in canceling a planned trip to Minnesota which would have found me on the day and at the time crossing the 35W bridge that collapsed sending cars, trucks, and people into the Mississippi River below.

During these times, it is wise for each of us, all of us, to keep in mind that wise saying that I referred to earlier: that god and the universal forces have a far greater plan for us than we could have ever imagined for ourselves.

Or as the Grateful Dead sang: ‘what a long strange trip it’s been’.

Autumn… on the threshold of a brave, new world…

I shall be in Stamford, Connecticut and available for In-Person Sessions from Tuesday October 16th through Sunday, October 21st. If you or someone you know would like to see me for a session while I am in Connecticut, please contact me to schedule an appointment.

On Tuesday evening, October 16th, I shall be giving a talk through Greenwich Continuing Education at Greenwich High School on ASTROLOGICAL ENERGIES: 2008 A Year of New Beginnings. The year 2008 provides a major threshold and the initiation and completion of various cycles.
Among the topics I shall address:
1) Structural changes - How will this coming year’s dramatic, even drastic, changes impact society, the climate, the stability of the Earth, and each of us?
2) US Presidential Election - What are the indications for the leading candidates for the US Presidency?
3) The health of the nation - What are the areas of health we need to watch for and how can we best condition ourselves to meet any health challenges?
4) Economic indicators -Where is the economy going? What are the indicators for the United States, China, India and the European Union?
5) Immigration - Has the world become nomadic? Will immigration put strains on social services with severe repercussions regarding nation states policies?
6) Housing markets - Do softening property markets indicate a potential bust in the making? My program begins at 7:00 PM and runs until 9:20 PM. The fee is $34.00. For registration, please contact Greenwich Continuing Education at 203.625.7474.

This week has the Aries Full Moon and two Sign changes. Mercury enters Scorpio and Mars enters Cancer. We now have a Grand Trine by Sign in the Water Element with Mercury and Mars joining Uranus in Pisces for all three Water signs being transited.

Our emotions are turned up and we may find that we’re balancing our personal needs and our interests in other people. The keyword is balance. Like a metronome, we can be overly involved in people’s issues and immersed in their emotional drama and then swing back to recharge our batteries and regain the sense of our own identity. The balance point is to enjoy other people’s company without losing our own sense of self.

Our mind is razor-sharp. We have the ability of penetrating to the heart of any situation and see what is truly going on. We can realize how to cut away the non-essentials from our lives and focus on the truly important with extra time to enjoy the seasonal activities of Fall.

This week can be a fun week. We are in the first full week of Autumn and likely to be enjoying the harvest festivals and fairs that come with this time of year.

Our relationships can take the front burner and we might find ourselves contacting those people far afield. We enjoy the company of those special people in our lives and may be making plans for festive get-togethers.

Monday, September 24th – What a Day for a Daydream – Mercury, Pluto, Saturn, Lunar Grand Trine, Mars. Monday starts the week in an exhilarating manner. We seem ready to jump out of the bed, take on the day, with our mind abuzz with all sorts of grand ideas. We begin the day with a Lunar Grand Trine with the Aquarius Moon trine Mercury in Libra and trine Mars in Gemini. Added to this airy, mental thrust, we also have the Moon sextile Pluto and Mercury sextile Pluto. While our thoughts can engage various projects, activities and considerations, we can also slice through the unimportant and strike right to the core of that which is truly important. Yes, we’re sharp today, thinking on our feet and able to dice, slice and dissect situations and figure out what is really going on. Our conversations can be scintillating and incisive. We’re not standing on our soapbox pontificating or saying that it’s ‘my way or the highway’. Instead, we’re allowing our curiosity to draw out different opinions, different ideas. If there have been issues in our relationships, today is a great day to sort things out and come to an amicable understanding and agreement. This Monday is one of those days when we can have an ‘Eureka’ type of moment, when the pieces to the puzzle fit neatly together and we really get ‘it’. There is a biblical saying that was etched over the archway of my elementary school: ‘with all thy getting, get understanding’. Today, we have the understanding. As the day progresses, the Moon exits Aquarius and enters Pisces where it opposes Saturn. Our responsibilities may be calling us and we might resent that our mundane reality is intruding on our walking dream state. We may want to embrace the idea that this is a day for daydreaming but we can use our daydreaming day for pragmatic purposes too. If we don’t get overly sensitive or defensive about our position, then we could neatly blend the conceptual with the practical, the visionary with the method and devise ways to achieve our goals and our ambitions in the most expeditious manner. A great day for making plans, blueprinting our goals and strategizing the most expeditious ways to achieve our intentions.

Tuesday, September 25th – Can’t Sit Down – Jupiter, Uranus. After yesterday’s mental health uplift and ‘feelgood’ day, Tuesday may have us jumping at the chance to broaden our scope, expand our reach and make changes that allow us to be far more independent and autonomous in our actions and in our projects. The Pisces Moon squares Jupiter and conjuncts Uranus. We want to emphasize our individuality, would prefer to act spontaneously and may be looking to widen the realm of our activities. In other words, this is a day when we could be tempted to take on more, more, more. We could be feeling restless today, champing at the bit, wanting things to be different. We could even feel a little uncomfortable in our own skin. We might decide to play hooky from our daily routine, take a day to embrace the splendor of autumn and just get off the track, out of Dodge and do our own thing. Nice concept, but today we do have to watch for acting solely on impulse. With a tendency to take on more and more, we could also find that we’re either being overly generous or that we’re spending beyond our budget and possibly on little knick-knacks that might be amusing when we purchase but have no lasting significance. The energy is being ramped up. It’s as if Monday gave us an injection of vitality and exuberance and now we’re acting out on it. We may want to do our own thing today, but we could use a sounding board regarding any significant decisions for otherwise we might find ourselves later flailing around in the deep end.

Wednesday, September 26th – Rassling with Ourselves – Mercury, Mars, Aries Full Moon, Lunar T-Square, Pluto, Sun. Wednesday could prove intense. We start the day, prior to the Aries Full Moon, with a Mutable Sign T-Square thanks to the Moon square Mars in Gemini and square Pluto in Sagittarius. Our emotions could better our senses. Our assumptions could override the empirical. We may want what we want, assume that we are correct, and go hellbent for glory, but possibly in the wrong direction, without an itinerary and not fully understanding the circumstances and conditions. This Wednesday is a day when we need to be careful of just winging it. We may want to buy into the Wizard of Oz screen without pulling back the curtain to see the little guy punching the buttons. We are especially liable to bad decisions, impetuous actions and being so self-absorbed that we don’t check the guideposts either before we start or along the way. We do have Mercury trine Mars today. Our thoughts can come fast and furious. We may want to juggle a number of different things. But our means of actions and accounting for specific details can be less than stellar. As the Moon leaves Pisces, ending the Mutable Sign T-Square, the Moon moves into Aries and opposes the Sun in Libra at the time of the Full Moon. We are being cautioned not to be an island unto ourselves. We are being asked to find the balance point between our own personal needs and interests with those of others. Interactions with others may be significant. If we are not too full of ourselves, then we could have lively conversations, virtually like a ping-pong match, whereby the discussion is fast and furious with interesting rallies between differing perspectives and different opinions. If we would slow things down, then we’re less likely to get swept up in the frenzy of frantic activity that might only lead us to creating grievous problems in our associations with others and have us nursing our wounds by ourselves.

Thursday, September 27th – Living and Loving Life – Neptune, Lunar Grand Trine, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury Scorpio. Thursday is one of those special days when we could be feeling at the top of our game. Everything may seem to be coming up roses. Of course, everything might also be seen through rose-colored glasses. Today, we have the Aries Moon creating a Grand Trine with the two ‘good guys’ of the zodiac: Venus and Jupiter. The Aries Moon trines Jupiter in Sagittarius and trines Venus in Leo. The Moon also sextiles Neptune. We’re feeling good about things, feeling exuberant, confident and optimistic. This is a day when we can put our best foot forward. We’re not looking at dismissing other people, nor are we looking at beating them out in some senseless competition. We’re looking at doing our personal best and spreading sunshine and joy all over the place. We may have the sense of being larger than life. Certainly, life and our style of living have an expansive and upbeat quality today. We’re considering our options, mulling over our alternatives and being enthusiastic about our prospects for the future. Let’s enjoy ourselves today, but also recognize that we don’t have to be extravagant to do so. Let’s keep in mind that living simply is not simply living. Less can be more. Mercury leaves Libra today and enters Scorpio. Our mind is far more perceptive, incisive and interested in the fundamentals and not the decorative. We could come to realize that less is more. Today, we may feel that we’re having an impact on our world and the world around us just by our presence alone. Hallelujah, we’re living and loving our life.

Friday, September 28th – Getting It Together – Pluto, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Mars Cancer. As though we can neatly tie things together, Friday gives us both the impetus and the wherewithal to get it together. We start the day with the Aries Moon trine Pluto and sextile Mars. We could feel like we did on Tuesday, whereby the day before gave us an energy boost that we could then put into action. So too for this Friday. Yesterday’s upbeat and fun-filled qualities might give us a boost on this Friday. We certainly have the passion and drive to get going and be on the fast track for the day. As the Moon leaves Aries to enter Taurus, the Moon opposes Mercury and trines Saturn. Although we might be reticent about moving full speed ahead and might even question any additional expense we incur, we also have the ability of figuring out the right structure and methodology to advance our interests. If we don’t act solely on a minimalist level and prevent ourselves from moving forward, then we could find the most effective means, and the most cost-effective ways to achieve our goals. From the thrust of passion and determination in the morning hours, we can use the rest of the day to fashion, mold and take our concepts and desires from the abstract into practical manifestation. This Friday is one when we can get it done. Mars moves into Cancer today, thereby creating a Grand Trine in the Water Element with Mercury in Scorpio, Uranus in Pisces and now Mars in Cancer. Our feeling nature and emotional state are turned up severalfold. We can be intuitive and receptive to what is going on around us.

Saturday, September 29th – Stepping off the Ledge – Uranus, Neptune. Saturday has the Taurus Moon sextile Uranus and square Neptune. On the one hand, we might want to be adventurous, take a chance and try, or buy, something new and different. On the other hand, reticence or fear could hold us back. Saturday is a day when we might feel confused between what we really want to do and whether we can afford to do it. Today is a day to step off the ledge with no expectations. Sometimes when we take a risk, we see all the possible scenarios unfolding from the best case to worst case. Saturday could be like that. We might feel that we’re champing at the bit, wanting to get on with things, explore and discover new terrain and new aspects of ourselves. But we could also hold ourselves back concerned by the possible ramifications of our actions. We might find something that would work especially well in our homes, for our wardrobe and then keep ourselves from the impulse purchase by questioning whether we really need it, whether it would really work or just a state of vacillation. We have to be careful that we don’t find ourselves on this Saturday running in place. Even if we go off and find ourselves going in circles, at least there has been movement. Let’s keep in mind that even if we choose to do something, we don’t have to follow through to its end if we feel along the way that we want to change course. Nothing needs to be carved in stone. In fact, on this Saturday, it would be far better to do everything in pencil and have a good eraser if we want to make changes. Although we often assume that stepping off the ledge could entail a free fall, it could also allow for a free ascent. Let’s consider doing things on a spontaneous basis today with the recognition that we can always shift gears at a moment’s notice.

Sunday, September 30th – To Do or To Don’t – Venus, Saturn, Sun. The early morning hours of Sunday has the Taurus Moon square Venus. If we let ourselves go yesterday and made certain purchases or committed to certain things, we could find the morning hours of this Sunday second guessing ourselves. We might want to return items bought impulsively yesterday, or we might look to getting out of plans made on the spur of the moment. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Gemini where it squares Saturn and trines the Sun. While we could feel behind the eight ball regarding our responsibilities and our commitments, we really don’t have to go there. Let’s always keep in mind that choices are never unalterable and that choices made are a product of a certain time, space and mindset that shifts as we move on from that point. It is always important to keep in mind the Taoist saying: ‘bend like a reed or break like an oak’. Even more so than in times past, this saying is key to our navigating the twists and turns of these present times with their unanticipated variables, unexpected turns of events. Even if we choose to beat ourselves up with the litany of ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’, the Sun does eventually come out when the Moon trines the Sun. We may decide that our self-critiquing and self-evaluations need to go by the wayside as we take time with someone special to enjoy a moment, and a respite, from the cacophony of our daily lives.

This October is a rather placid month with few extreme or frenetic energies. We start the month with two Grand Trines by Sign: one in Air, the other in Water. Linking all three Signs of a particular Element, the Grand Trine in Air has the Moon in Gemini, the Sun in Libra, and Neptune in Aquarius. The Grand Trine in Water has Mars in Cancer, Mercury in Scorpio and Uranus in Pisces. While we have the two Grand Trines by Sign to start October, we also have a T-Square by Sign in the Fixed Signs and a Grand Crossby Sign in the Mutable Signs. Linking Signs of a particular Quadruplicity, the Fixed Sign T-Square has Venus in Leo, Mercury in Scorpio and Neptune in Aquarius. The Mutable Sign Grand Cross has the Moon in Gemini, Saturn in Virgo, Jupiter and Pluto both in Sagittarius, and Uranus in Pisces.

We begin October with two planets in Cardinal Signs, three planets in Fixed Signs and five planets in Mutable Signs. There are three planets in Fire Signs, one planet in an Earth Sign, three planets in Air Signs, and three planets in Water Signs. There are six planets in Positive Signs and four planets in Negative Signs.

Like the transit of the Sun through the Cardinal Air Sign at the beginning of the month, the Libra influence is all about balance. Similar to the Libran influence, we may want to consider all sides to a question, look at every facet to a situation before we come to a decision or make a determination. The Libran influence to weigh, balance and consider all sides was cleverly brought out in the 1976 US Presidential Election campaign. Asking to be included in the Presidential Debates, Independent candidate Eugene McCarthy said it would take him one hour to enunciate his position on a particular issue, while it would take then-President Gerald Ford two hours to state his one position and would take Libran candidate Jimmy Carter three hours to state his three positions on an issue.

The Libran impact takes into account how situations are likely to impact not only oneself but also the impact on other people. Librans tend to look at situations through other people’s perspectives as well as their own.

Much of the early part of October can be spent focused on our relationships. There may be a great deal of socializing, get togethers and community activities as we celebrate in fairs and festivals the splendor of the autumn season.

Although Librans are often accused of being indecisive, they are only indecisive while considering the options and alternatives, while taking into account all the possible permutations and ramifications. When they come to their ultimate decision, they can move forward forcefully, albeit diplomatically with grace and charm.

On the 1st of the month, Mercury sextiles Saturn. Although we may have a great deal going on and even more on our ‘to do’ list, this Mercury Saturn influence allows us to prioritize, consider what is truly important to us and that which is not, and then to strategize and come up with best practices to realize our goals. First, we may have to do a certain stripping away, eliminating or putting on the back burner some of the areas we want to ultimately address. From our prioritization and blueprinting of our ways, we can determine the most expeditious and cost effective means to move forward. This would be a good time for us to consider our finances, to budget wisely and see where we can cut back on our expenses. Whether people choose to admit inflationary pressures or not on the general economy, each of us is fairly well aware of increased costs in our daily necessities of gas, heating, food and other essential items. The Mercury Saturn sextile allows us to figure out how we can stretch our dollars without going significantly into debt.

On the 3rd of October, Venus trines Pluto. With the Libran influence putting much of our focus on our relationships, this period is a time when we’re looking for intimate, passionate connections with other people. We’re not interested in the superficial exchanges about the weather or sports scores or the latest celeb gossip. We are far more interested in deep and meaningful contacts in our encounters.

The 8th has Mars sextile Saturn and Venus moving out of Leo and entering Virgo. We may decide to fix things up around our home, either doing maintenance projects, repairs or just straightening things up. We might also get a little more critical of our interactions with others, holding people to standards and placing expectations on them or having expectations placed upon us. We do have to be careful that we’re not carrying a chip on our shoulder and seeking perfection in an imperfect world, or seeing imperfection in a perfect world.

The 9th has the Sun sextile Jupiter and Jupiter square Uranus. With a sense of confidence, optimism and expansion egging us on, we could easily push the envelope, be overly generous or indulgent and get ourselves involved in new and exciting situations by buying into the image without checking the reality or the details.

The most daunting of this month’s energy configurations begins on the 11th of October at the time of the Libran New Moon on the 10th - 11th. A Lunation, or New Moon, influences the fortnight following. This New Moon seems quite lovely with the Sun Moon conjunction trine Neptune and sextile Jupiter. A sense of ‘dream a little dream’ can instill all of us with an appreciation of the significant people in our lives and allow for mental musings of where we want to go and what we want do in the future. Nothing may seem impossible and it is wise to keep in mind the affirmation in Richard Bach’s spiritual classic Illusions: the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah: “Don’t Limit the IS.”

This Libran New Moon is pleasant, followed by the Sun trine Neptune exact the following day on the 12th. We can easily be entranced by the beauty of life and the enjoyment of the people that add a little sparkle to our daily existence. While this New Moon tends to lead us to looking at the best of life, offering people the benefit of the doubt and seeing the half glass of water as half full and potentially overflowing; maintaining our grip on hard reality would certainly be suggested.

The daunting configuration to which I referred above is the Mercury change in direction on the 11th, as Mercury turns retrograde for the third and final retrograde cycle of the year. The first Mercury retrograde this year encompassed major travel issues with both the ten hour tarmac stay of Jet Blue passengers at JFK Airport in New York and the twenty-four stalled waiting of motorists on the I-84 turnpike in Pennsylvania.

This Mercury retrograde has Mercury retrograding through Scorpio and then back into Libra. Financial issues could be of a concern. If we have overextended ourselves, taken on too much debt, or have allowed our expenses to be more than our revenue stream; we could find ourselves in deep water. Even the recent drop by the Federal Reserve Bank of fifty basis points in the discount rate may seem only a temporary band-aid that masked, instead of resolving, the problem. The Fed’s action could now seem more like an act of desperation and too little too late.

With the Mercury retrograde, it would be wise for us to go over our finances, see where we can cut costs and how we can budget our monies. Fortunately, we have some positive Mercury aspects to assist us as Mercury sextiles Venus on the 16th, Mercury trines Mars on the 17th and Mercury sextiles Saturn on the 19th. If we are willing to accept the axiom that there are times when ‘less is more’, we can take a sharp pencil and a precise mindset to make the necessary cuts and create a strategem by which we can deal with rising costs and contain the financial bleeding we might have accepted during the good times of increased wages, a buoyant stock market and wildly appreciating housing values. That was then, this is now, but we have the tools to address present day situations, if we have the mind and will to do so.

On the 14th, Venus conjuncts Saturn. The question of higher standards in our critiquing of other people could come to a head today. People could seem rather demanding right now. There might be reconnections with people from our past. Obligations and commitments could seem pronounced.

The 16th has Venus sextile Mars and Mercury sextile Venus. If there have been glitches in our relationships over the past few days, these could be ironed out now. Our hard edge of expectations can drop away as we cut people more slack and lighten up. We might also be looking at feathering our nest, adding more practical comfort to our homes and inviting people in for a coffee or a tea or just to spend some time chatting. Mercury trines Mars on the 17th. Our communications can be precise and clear, if we take the time to think things through and recognize that we have the liability of the Mercury retrograde where there can be a propensity to miscommunications and misunderstandings. With Mercury retrograde, we have the opportunity of going back over things, straightening things up and correcting or refining situations that might have been accomplished but need to be fine tuned or reworked.

The Mercury sextile Saturn on the 19th allows us to rework our structure, our strategy and to attend to outstanding matters that need to be dealt with. Taking the time to go over our plans, playing devil’s advocate to any bursts of irrational exuberance and analyzing situations from a sharp, piercing intellect can assist us in being certain that we are mining the most appropriate prospects for ourselves and not merely embellishing fool’s gold.

The 20th has the Sun sextile Pluto. With Pluto the co-ruler of Scorpio and the Sun finishing its transit of Libra and about to enter Scorpio, this is a good time to get real with ourselves. We have the opportunity of truly discovering and noting what has true meaning and real purpose for ourselves. We are looking for the gusto in our lives. We are not interested in shallow experiences or doing life on a superficial basis. We want our lives to be deep and passionate. Other people may prove important sounding boards regarding who we are, how we are perceived and the potentials we might choose to explore and develop.

The Sun leaves Libra and enters Scorpio on the 23rd, the same day that Mercury retrogrades out of Scorpio and back into Libra. With the Sun in Scorpio we may take more time alone, contemplating who we are and how we’re doing. While relationship issues can be a large focal point for us, we are especially interested in situations operating behind the scenes, the essential meaning to our daily life circumstances. We might choose to meditate whether in a particular practice or the reflections and ruminations of walking in the woods, down by the ocean shore or even in the malls. We may find ourselves ‘in it but not of it’ as we are less impacted by the appearances and images and far more concerned with the substance and the fundamentals. In Nature this period in the Northern Hemisphere is a time of falling leaves and the bare bones of the skeletal structures of the tree and its limbs become evident. This is a time of stripping away the decorative, the ornamental and getting down to the core and the basics. The issue of what is truly necessary and what may have served as a reliable crutch could be part of our internal questioning, especially around the 25th – 26th when we have Venus opposed Uranus and the Taurus Full Moon with Mercury sextile Pluto.

Although much of October may have been rather pleasant with a desire not to make waves and to seek a calm exterior and a placid interior; the latter part of October asks us to focus on the truth as we perceive it. Not content with the appearances, the images or even giving people and situations the benefit of the doubt; now we want to pull back the Wizard of Oz curtain to see what is really going on.

If our relationships have been a dance with the trickster, someone appearing one way, the reality being different, then we’re likely to call the person and ourselves on the carpet. We may not read the riot act but our perceptiveness is sharpened and our ability to communicate our feelings in a deep and passionate manner is likely to leave no room for questioning or wiggling out by means of syrupy platitudes or charming impressions.

With the influence of the Full Moon, we can work smarter rather than harder. We can do more with less, conserving our resources and streamlining operations so that we are far more effective and far more productive in a methodical and practical manner.

The end of October has Venus square Jupiter, the Sun sextile Saturn and Jupiter sextile Neptune on the 29th. We can advance our interests and develop our future goals in a way that does not overextend us or leave us out on a limb. We’re all growing up, learning to deal with situations and expand our possibilities all within the constraints of these times.

This October allows us to get a second wind and create the foundations where there is no excess but rather an effective and pragmatic approach to developing our goals, utilizing our resources in the most efficient manner and getting the best out of everything.

October… intended actions within the quiet of the moment…

The beginning of this week can have us doing a number of different things, juggling various activities. We can do it effectively, thanks to the Mercury sextile Saturn. We are able to focus on what needs to get done and accomplish our plans by the quickest and most effective means.

Our thoughts are clear, precise and well-considered. We can do more with less, even though we may have much going on. We might make our plans, blueprint our activities and be ready to streamline our operations. The more we can tie up loose ends, the better prepared we will be to set up new foundation stones and build our projects upon rock rather than on sand.

Mid-week, Venus trines Pluto. Our relationships can be inspiring and our interactions could be with people who are passionate and worldly in their perspective. We are looking for depth and meaning in our lives and finding it in our friends and significant relationships.

The weekend emphasizes social gatherings and enjoyable get-togethers. We end the weekend prepared to get back to work, focus on the details and consider the specifics of our lives.

This is a week when we can embrace our creative self-expression, engage our greatest interests and blend both achievement and recreational fun. With a joy for living, we can live life to the fullest drawing from a broad palette, and deeply involved in the diverse aspects of our daily lives.

Monday, October 1st – Moving Right Along – Mercury, Saturn, Lunar T-Square, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune. Monday starts the week and the month of October in high drive. The Gemini Moon creates a Mutable Sign T-Square with the Moon opposed Jupiter and square Uranus. We could be all over the place today, as we seek to expand our base of operations and deal with unexpected exciting situations that might arise. We do need to be certain to dot the i’s and cross the t’s today, since we could be in overdrive trying to do so much. With the Moon trine Neptune, we could easily be seduced by images and appearances, seeing potentials in everything and considering our prospects in all possibilities. Fortunately, we also have Mercury sextile Saturn. Although we may have a lot going on today, the fact is that we are likely to be able to handle all of it. We can come up with the most ingenious and most effective means of dealing with things. We can virtually cover all bases today. Our mind is sharp and well organized. We are adeptly juggling all the balls in the air, even with a curve ball thrown in now and again. This day is a good day to pick up our pace, blueprint our plans and move into action. A high energy day, if we can keep up with things, then we’re likely to find it a most productive time.

Tuesday, October 2nd – Straightening Up – Venus, Pluto, Mars, Saturn, Mercury. Tuesday follows Monday and there are some similar energies to begin this Tuesday. With the Gemini Moon to start the day, the Moon sextiles Venus and opposes Pluto. We may consider getting rid of those things that are only clutter and no longer serve a purpose. We may want to clear the decks and remove the extraneous and superfluous from our lives. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Cancer where it conjuncts Mars, sextiles Saturn and trines Mercury. After cleaning up some of our mess, we might want to reorder and straighten things up. We may find ourselves tidying up around the house, finding ways to streamline our operations and being more effective with less expenditure of energy. Another productive day, we can deal with family matters and issues around the home. Our compassionate sense is engaged and we can resolve personal problems in a heartfelt manner.

Wednesday, October 3rd – Times of Enchantment- Venus, Pluto, Sun, Uranus. Wednesday is one of those special days. Today, Venus trines Pluto. The Cancer Moon squares the Sun and trines Uranus. Today is a day to focus on our interactions with other people. We may make contact with people from different backgrounds, different cultures, or different experiences. We are not looking for shallow interactions. We want to know everything about the person. There is a deepening process going on with our connections. We are looking for depth and adventure today. While our attention may stray to people new to our usual involvements, we are enchanted by the mystique and mystery of people different from ourselves. Our creative juices may be flowing, our passion engaged as we seek to get all the gusto from our lives that we can. We are likely to be especially determined about our lives today. Even if we tend to be reticent about trying new things, today is a day for exploration and self-discovery. We can realize a greater understanding of ourselves through our contacts with others.

Thursday, October 4th – Slow Down – Moon Void-of-Course. Thursday is a day when not too much may be happening. The Moon is Void-of-Course for most of the day as the Moon finishes its transit of Cancer without making any further connections to the planets and before the Moon enters Leo later in the day. Thurs