Frank Martin Don LLC - Professional Intuitive & Astrological Consultant

This week is a week of great potential for both getting things done and focusing on our relationships. There is more forward movement thanks to both Jupiter and Pluto turning direct at the beginning of the week. We may feel like the starting gun has fired and that we are racing out of the starting blocks. What we do have to watch for is going overboard, falling into overwhelm or just doing too, too much.

Although we can accomplish a great deal during the first part of the week, we might want the latter part of the week as time to explore and try new things. If we take care of our responsibilities early in the week, then we could have time to do what we want at the end of the week.

A tale of two dispositions, this week is. While some of our time can be used to create the most effective ways of getting things done and then test the waters of new interests, we are also likely to be caught up in our relationships. With a Stellium of three or more planets in Libra, the partnership Sign, much of our week can be spent with friends and loved ones or making plans for social get-togethers. We will not want people to restrict us or confine us but as long as we can be ourselves, then we’re likely to seek out companionship for many of this week’s excellent adventures.

Monday, September 8th – Pop Top – Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, Jupiter direct, Pluto direct. Monday starts the week with us firing on all pistons. The early part of the day has the Moon in Sagittarius sextile Neptune and conjunct Pluto. Jupiter, which has been retrograde since early May, turns direct and later in the day Pluto, which has been retrograde since early April, turns direct. There may be more firing than our pistons. With this thrust of energy, tops can pop, and the potential for blasts and explosions and going overboard cannot be ruled out. On the contrary, this Monday we do have to avoid doing too much, pushing the envelope too far, or going overboard with our expenses or our generosity. Mercury in Libra squares Jupiter and Mercury conjuncts Mars. Yesterday we had Mars square Jupiter and tomorrow Venus squares Jupiter. While we could reveal too much, say too much, give too much, extend ourselves too much; we do have Jupiter trine Saturn. If we can restrain ourselves from the push – pulls of other people’s needs, this Monday is one when we can devise a strategic and best practices approach to deal with our responsibilities and plan the realization of our ambitions. There is a great deal of energy swirling around on this Monday. We may awaken with goals and intentions in mind, so many that we could hardly do them all. After the frenzy of the early part of the day, the day settles down and we can take things in a methodical approach. The Moon moves into Capricorn. Let’s use the enthusiasm of the early part of the day to get us going but then determine the best speed to carry on our activities later in the day.

Tuesday, September 9th – Goals versus Considerations – Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Mercury. The push pulls between our own personal goals and the interests of other people continue from the past two days into this Tuesday. The transiting planets in Libra, Mars, Mercury and Venus, have been squaring Jupiter: Mars on Sunday, Mercury yesterday and Venus today. Not only does this Tuesday give us Venus square Jupiter but this Tuesday reinforces the potential tug-of-war between our interests and those of others by means of the Capricorn Moon conjunct Jupiter, trine Saturn and square all three planets in Libra: Mars, Mercury and Venus. We may have to balance our own personal responsibilities and plans with the needs of other people. Today certainly calls for a balancing act. If we are too focused on our own involvements, and this is certainly a good day to be highly productive and focused, then we could find that other people consider us to be self-centered and self-absorbed and might even try to trip us up. If we are not attentive to other people’s concerns, then we might have to deal with distractions to our plans. It would be wise today to spend time on our own goals but also take the time to go out of our way for someone else. Again, let’s keep in mind the balance point. Either extreme of being too self-focused or being too considerate of other people could wreak havoc.

Wednesday, September 10th – Streamlining Activities – Sun, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course. In our fast-paced lives, we all seem bent on proving ourselves as Superman or Superwoman. Many of us have created lives of overload whereby we are so involved in so many activities that we hardly have time to sit down, reflect and consider the purpose of our life’s journey. We often fill our lives with all sorts of busy work with nary a moment to just BE. This Wednesday has the Capricorn Moon trine the Sun and sextile Uranus. A highly productive day, at least in the early morning hours, we can use this day to accomplish a great deal. But one of our greatest accomplishments could be devising right action --- determining the truly important activities in our lives and seeing how we can expedite such activities. Today we can decide what situations hold importance for us and what situations we involve ourselves that only are to be socially correct. Let’s use this day to focus on the truly important and consider areas we might pursue if we had the time. As the day progresses, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for eighteen hours making no further connections to the planets before it enters Aquarius tomorrow. The energy drops off and we might have the opportunity that although our schedule keeps us going at break-neck speed, the universe itself goes through cycles of intense activity and fallow periods of minimal activity. We see it in nature, so why can’t we be more in synch with the universal energies? Today is a good day to reflect, to see whether our fast-paced lives are really doing it for ourselves or determine areas from which to divest ourselves in order to have time to investigate other interests. Quiet times may be a forgotten characteristic of our lives but they do allow us to consider, reflect and evaluate where we are and where we are going.

Thursday, September 11th – Take Five – Venus, Mars. Thursday has the Moon in Aquarius and Venus conjunct Mars. The energy of the week truly shifts today. We are far less interested in our responsibilities and our day-in, day-out normal routine. If we have taken care of our affairs without being pushed and pulled by other people’s needs earlier in the week, then this latter part of the week allows us to both think about possibilities for our future and also offers us quality time with that special someone in our lives. Today is a good day to spend time with friends and loved ones, whether we spend it in person or take time to call up people and discuss the events of our lives. We are far more connected with our masculine and feminine sides today. There is less of an internal battlefield going on inside ourselves. We are more likely to see the beauty in our lives, the perfection of living than the usual tendency to find flaws, faults or blame. This Thursday is a good time to jump off the track, even if only for a brief interlude from our hurly-burly life’s schedule. This is a day to stop and smell the flowers, appreciate the uniqueness of other people and savor our friendships and our relationships. If we have been amiss earlier in the week regarding other people’s concerns, too involved in our own plans and activities, we can make up for it today by putting our ‘to do’ list on the ‘later’ pile and spending time reaching out to other people. As U2 sang, ‘It’s a Beautiful Day’.

Friday, September 12th – Personal Makeover – Sun, Uranus, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Neptune. This Friday can be a primo day, especially if we have it, or at least some part of it, as a blank slate on which to draw or paint spontaneously. The Sun opposes Uranus and the Moon in Aquarius conjuncts Neptune and trines the three planets in Libra: Mars, Venus and Mercury. We are looking for change, doing things on a spontaneous level and interested in mulling over our future plans. While we might be champing at the bit to bring about change in our lives, today is a good day for us to blend our visionary and pragmatic senses. If we can draw the conceptual together with the practical means, then we can go far in devising where we want to go and how best to get there. Otherwise, we could be flipping between our responsibilities, with a strong dose of resentment, and doing our own thing, negating our obligations. Drawing upon other people as sounding boards for our intentions can help whittle away the outrageous from the well-considered. Whether wardrobe, hairstyle or personal disposition, this Friday is a good day for a personal makeover whereby we strive to be our personal best and focus on things that truly speak to us and allow us to express our creativity.

Saturday, September 13th - Thrust to Dust – Pluto. Saturday begins with the Aquarius Moon sextile Pluto. We may awaken with a thrust of energy, wanting to spread our wings, explore distant realms and spend our time in deeply meaningful ways. There is an old saying that the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions. We may not go to hell but our intentions could also drop away after our initial early morning burst of energy. The Moon moves into Pisces. From the initial thrust of energy, our energy could wane whereby now all we want to do is hang out, meander about and just go hither and yon with no intended purpose. Getting down to the beach, listening to music, or catching a flick may be far more relaxing and less energetic than our initial plans for the day. If we have much to do on this Saturday, let’s plan to do so early in the day since the second half of the day could have the energy drop off dramatically. We could get far more emotional later on this day and would have to watch for any unhealthy escape mechanisms. We become more reactive and receptive as the day progresses.

Sunday, September 14th – Spiritual Reveries – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn. Sunday has Mercury conjunct Venus and the Pisces Moon sextile Jupiter and opposed Saturn. Discussions with friends and loved ones can be fun ways to spend the day. Get-togethers may be far more interesting than dealing with our ‘to do’ list. We could easily postpone projects with the idea that we’ll get to them another time and the realization that this Sunday may be better spent with other people than in solitary activities of dealing with errands or responsibilities. Time spent with others can be something of a spiritual reverie whereby we discuss and consider our plans, our goals and our future activities. The pull today may be between what needs to be done in the present and what we might want to do in the future. Whatever we do today, it would be important to maintain a focus on the big picture all the while that we account for the specifics.

This week is the last week of the Summer season. To borrow from Nat King Cole, this Summer did not provide the lazy, hazy days but certainly some truly crazy days. As we end the Summer, this week provides a potpourri of energies and characteristics.

This week starts off on a frenetic note, thanks to the Pisces Full Moon. We may have a lot on our plate this week, but the fact is that we can handle it all. By prioritizing, strategizing and working with the energies, we can initiate new projects, advance some of our future plans, take care of our responsibilities and even have time for meaningful social interactions.

A highly productive week, this week allows us to fine tune our activities, all the while that we are considering our prospects for the future and determining the best ways to reach our goals.

It would be wise for us to sit down and take a serious look at our financial situation. Although our expenses seem to be going through wild gyrations, all tending upward in increased costs; we can determine how to work with an income stream that does not seem to vary. We are in, and are likely to continue to be in, times that necessitate our ability to do more with less.

These times do not offer the luxury of laziness or profligacy. On the contrary, all of us may have to learn to stretch our finances by conservation, wise consumer choices and appreciating the fact that quality of living does not necessarily equate with quantity in living.

If we can surf the tsunami-like waves of these times, we may feel greater self-value and self-worth in our ability to not only meet the challenges of these times but to ride the crests of the waves.

Monday, September 15th – Short End of a Fuse – Pisces Full Moon, Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Sun, Pluto. Monday starts the week with a high level of nervous energy. People nowadays often say that every day seems like a Full Moon, thanks to the apparent craziness of these times. This Monday is in actual fact a Full Moon, the Pisces Full Moon with the Moon creating a Mutable Sign T-Square conjunct Uranus, opposed the Sun and square Pluto. Not only can our plans go awry today, but we could also experience that more is being asked of us than we could possibly handle. We may feel like we’re going from one thing to another with many of the situations arising virtually out of the blue. No solid ground today perhaps. Although we might feel as if we had crossed into some bizarre dimension today, the main thing for us to keep aware of is the fact that the energy is ratcheted up severalfold. Everything may seem ever more intense today. What we have to avoid is not feeling victim to the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’. This Monday calls for us to be nimble and quick, to adapt, shift and change without much time for reflection or consideration. If we can keep up with today’s energy, then we could be juggling a number of different situations. With the intensity ratcheted up severalfold, we just need to put self-critiquing and self-evaluating on the back burner. Today is a day when we need to be ‘in the zone’, zen-like and come from our inner wisdom. Right action is an essential disposition for this day.

Tuesday, September 16th – What Needs to be Taken Care of – Jupiter. Tuesday takes the energy down a notch or two. We may feel more on top of things, better able to put our imprint on our activities and our lives. We might feel less at the mercy of the vagaries of dramatically changing conditions. This Tuesday has the Moon in Aries square Jupiter. We may have a sense of being more in control of our lives, certainly compared to yesterday when things were flying at us from all directions. We seem more on top of what needs to be done. Although our sense of ability is stronger today, we do need to avoid committing to being involved with too much, taking on too much. Anything we agree to do today or for the future, we might want to add the conditional phrase ‘if I have the time’. After surviving, or even thriving, from yesterday’s multi-tasking, we could have a Superperson complex whereby we feel that nothing is too much for us to handle. That might be true, but why go there? We don’t always have to prove ourselves. And there will certainly be more times when we have to stretch and meet challenges as though we were modern day gladiators. Instead, let’s keep focused on what we truly want to do, those things that put a smile on our face or warmth in our heart. By considering participation in things that allow us to truly express ourselves and not just things that we feel we need to do since no one else is going to do them, we can determine some of our future plans and advance our goals. Today is a good day to address our responsibilities and broaden our intended involvements. We do need to focus on our own personal interests.

Wednesday, September 17th – You and Me – Venus, Neptune, Mars, Mercury, Pluto. Wednesday may provide a pull, even a tug-of-war, between our personal desires and our desire for idyllic social interactions. You and Me can be a beautiful and powerful blend today. OR you and me could be a dueling interchange between grandiose expectations and true realities. This Wednesday has Venus trine Neptune, a truly lovely aspect that allows our social interactions to be close to the ideal. Of course, it would be ideal if our lives were only blissful pastoral settings, a sort of daily paradise. And today we might capture that sense of things. Where a rub could arise is with the Aries Moon that opposes the Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign, as the Moon opposes the transiting Libra planets of Mars, Mercury and Venus. The Moon also sextiles Neptune and trines Pluto. We could easily get carried away with a masterpiece of prospects and potentials whereby everything fits neatly into place. Such a masterpiece would be in the eye of the beholder and might differ from other people’s perspectives. Unless we incorporate the feelings, needs and viewpoints of other people, we could encounter either naysayers to our grand plans or find that our masterpiece is such in our eyes alone. Other people could prove important sounding boards today, so long as we are open and receptive to objective critiquing. We might be so self-involved today that it could prove hard to see anything other than our own viewpoint. A dicey fix perhaps, but it need not be. The question is one of balance, balancing our personal interests with our interest in our relationships. Such a balance provides the golden mean, the divine interchange that allows us to come close to perfection… or the idyllic in a paradise world.

Thursday, September 18th – Patching it All Together – Lunar Grand Trine, Jupiter, Saturn. Thursday can be one of those primo days when we are grounded, focused and able to put it all together. This Thursday has the Taurus Moon creating a Grand Trine in the Earth Element as the Moon trines Jupiter in Capricorn and trines Saturn in Virgo. Manifestation is the keyword of the day. Whatever we might have initiated earlier in the week, we can make more manifest on this Thursday. If our minds have been aflutter with possibilities and prospects, today is a day when we can put our spirit into action. A pragmatic, practical day, we can accomplish a lot today. We can visualize the completion of certain projects and devise the best methods to reach our goals. We can lay down the corner stones of new activities and be cognizant of proper scheduling. This Thursday is also a good day to take time and focus on our financial situation. We can see how best to deal with our expenses and how we can move forward with our future plans. Whatever tasks we have at hand, we can easily accomplish, leaving room for us to move forward with other projects. This Thursday could prove the most productive day of the week for handling our responsibilities, moving forward our ambitions and dealing with the specifics of our mundane, daily lives.

Friday, September 19th – Realizing Goals by Changing the Yardsticks – Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, Sun. Friday has Mercury trine Neptune and the Taurus Moon sextile
Uranus, square Neptune and trine the Sun. Our intuitive sense is spot on today, especially if we are open to listening to the inner voice of our true wisdom. If we don’t get caught up on our plans or the ways we want things to be, then this day can provide us with an understanding of things that goes beyond reasoning or the empirical evidence. Friday is a good day to get together with others, allow ourselves to ruminate out loud and give thought to all possibilities. Nothing is impossible unless we believe it to be. We have the stamina and perseverance today to find answers, come up with solutions. We may find ourselves making changes to our environment, moving things around, buying some thing to add a little panache to our lives, or just doing a thorough cleaning. Shaking things up, even just a little bit, would allow us to be more open to possibilities that lie beyond our present circumstances. Today is a great day to dream, to dream of possibilities for our future and believe in the saying that ‘god and the universe have far greater plans for us than we could ever imagine for ourselves’. Faith, adaptability and an appreciation of the goodness and bountifulness of life go a long way to changing our circumstances. An attitude of gratitude opens the door to the magical mystery tour of asequential reality whereby things come out from the blue and happen without our having to make them occur.

Saturday, September 20th – Endtimes – Sun, Pluto, Saturn. Saturday has the Sun square Pluto and the Gemini Moon square Saturn. Although much of this week might have focused on possibilities and prospects, the flip side of changing times is eliminating the dross, getting rid of the outworn and letting go of things we have been holding on to. Saturday may provide such a release point. Letting go is not always a comfort zone. It demands trust, trust in the universe, trust in ourselves. For letting go eliminates some of the old security constructs we have held on to. In letting go, there are times when we don’t know what will replace those things, situations, people that are moving out of our lives. A wise saying states that the cup needs to be emptied before it can be filled. We may feel uncomfortable in our own skin today. We may feel a little on edge. On the one hand, we might feel as though we have certain commitments we need to honor. On the other hand, we might just want to clear the slate and be free and unencumbered by our obligations. This Saturday could be one intense day. It would be wise to be gentle with ourselves, not judge ourselves but rather to allow any discomfort to have its way. Like labor pains, we may feel that we are being pushed to our limits. Today might not be that extreme but it would be wise to keep in mind that we are going through growing pains, pains that are indicative of our transformation. What we are transforming into may not be evident. Let’s honor the process and cut ourselves, and other people, lots of slack today. If certain things are going by the boards, let’s try to appreciate that they are no longer essential to our lives and where we are going. Today would be a good day to get out of Dodge, take a walk in nature and see the natural unfolding occurring during this changing of the seasons, reflective of the changes occurring in our own lives.

Sunday, September 21st – Rubbing Elbows, Lighting up the Lines – Mars, Neptune, Uranus, Lunar Grand Trine, Mercury, Venus. Sunday is the last day of Summer ’08. And what a day it is. Just as Thursday was a primo day for manifestation, this Sunday is a primo day for our relationships. Mars trines Neptune and the Gemini Moon squares Uranus and then creates a Grand Trine in the Air Element as the Moon trines
Neptune in Aquarius and trines the Libra Stellium of Mars, Mercury and Venus. There is a great deal of talk today, various social interactions that can be great fun. Today is a day to reach out and touch someone, whether we do so by going out to fairs, festivals, church gatherings, social action programs, any other get-together, or we do so from the comfort of our own space by ringing up people on the phone, emailing them on the internet or writing a brief note. Today is a great day for ideas, conversation and communication. No subject is taboo, although we are likely to find that topics go from one thing to another without a great deal of depth. The subject matter isn’t important, what is important is the interaction with other people. We don’t have to stay long in any one place, unlikely to do so, but touching base with various people can be fun, uplifting and help to widen our perspective.

After the extreme volatility of this past week, when global financial systems stared down a long dark tunnel and saw the abyss, this week seems less anxiety provoking. Or not! During these crazy times, times when we might often feel like we are trying to make our way through a ‘fun house’ with the floor falling out from under us or the floor moving to a sharp angle necessitating us holding on to something, anything, in order not to slide away, it is essential to maintain a calm perspective, not take anything for granted or assume reality to be what is being presented to us. It is also important to keep a good sense of humor and not get caught up in the charades.

This week begins with the ending of the Summer season and the beginning of Autumn. The Sun exits Virgo and enters the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra at the time of the Autumn Equinox. This week also has Venus leaving its own Sign of Libra to enter Scorpio. And, perhaps the most significant energy pattern of the week is the third and final of this year’s Mercury retrogrades. Can I hear a groan?

This week seems somewhat less disjointed than earlier weeks this month. We might be provided a respite, but that’s not too likely. We need to keep on our toes, work with peripheral vision and be able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

The week begins with us seeking solace in the comfort of our homes and family. We are being more attentive to the qualities, characteristics and interests of other people. We may be making changes to our environment and even giving thought in regard to our financial security, protecting what we have and considering ways by which we can conserve and do more with less. This is a good time for us to consider our plans, budget our expenses and give thought to meaningful changes that instill greater quality in our living. A good Autumn cleaning may be in store for us, as we look at those situations, people and items that no longer serve us but instead demand too much of our time and focus.

The Mercury retrograde this week starts a three-week phase with the liability towards miscommunications, misunderstandings and problems with transportation and computers.

Like life itself, diversity this week is important. We can attend to matters around our home early in the week, enjoy fun activities during the middle of the week and attend to details and a good Fall cleanup over the weekend.

Monday, September 22nd – Building on the Fall – Venus, Pluto, Sun, Jupiter, Sun Libra. The early morning hours have the Gemini Moon square the Sun in Virgo. The Moon then moves into Cancer, its own Sign, where it opposes Jupiter. Not only does the Moon transition from one Sign to another today. So too does the Sun. For this Monday is the last few hours of Summer and the first few hours of Autumn, as the Sun moves into Libra at the time of the Autumn Equinox. We also have Venus about to leave its own Sign of Libra sextile Pluto. This Monday can seem very much a transitional day, a day of phase change. We could feel betwixt and between and with everything going on in the world, we might feel that there is little refuge but instead the need to be open to the vagaries of change. Increasingly, we are interested more in companionship and special interactions with other people and far less interested in going it alone. Other people may serve as important sounding boards for us, especially since we may feel a little unsure of which way things are going and unfolding. Much of our focus may be creating a sanctuary in our home, drawing upon our living space for a sense of refuge from the blustery winds occurring in the world at large. While our interest in other people and their needs can be stronger now, we also have to be careful that our compassion and consideration don’t commit us to more than we could ever possibly handle, or want to handle. Today is a good day to make contact with other people, show signs of our appreciation for the people in our lives and seek a balance between our responsibilities and our desire to maintain a safe base from which to view the world spinning by.

Tuesday, September 23rd – The Blame Game – Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Venus Scorpio. Tuesday has Mercury conjunct Mars in Libra. This is the last day of Mercury direct and Mercury is stationary about to turn retrograde tomorrow. The Cancer Moon sextiles Saturn, trines Uranus and squares both Mercury and Mars. We can get a lot done today, if we don’t spend too much time interacting with other people. We can figure out a best practices approach both to deal with our obligations and to try out new interests. We do have to be careful of our communications with other people. The potential for misunderstandings and miscommunications can be strong with a proclivity towards shooting from the lip, speaking impulsively without engaging brain. People could easily take offense to belligerent or overbearing opinions. This day is best used as one to get things done and consider alternatives for the future. Changes made to home, work environment or wardrobe may be good for the soul but might not get universal approval from other people. If someone wants to play the blame game, just sidestep the discussion, for there are no winners in such games. People are likely to be critiquing, giving their opinion readily and looking for flaws and faults rather than positive attributes and redeeming qualities. Venus exits its own Sign of Libra and moves into Scorpio, where it is not comfortable. Relationships can move from being accommodating and appreciative to a tendency to hold the bar high and have great expectations of other people. We are moving into a time when we might weigh our relationships in the balance and decide to jettison some.

Wednesday, September 24th – Alice, We’re Not in Wonderland Anymore – Venus, Sun, Mercury retrograde. Wednesday has the Moon moving into Leo where it squares Venus and sextiles the Sun. Mercury also turns retrograde. We may be feeling our oats, wanting other people to play the audience to our grand expressions. With everyone wanting to be a star today, there can be a tendency towards being somewhat inconsiderate, self-absorbed and a desire for people to play second fiddle to our wishes. The funny thing is, however, that we are likely to feel that we are being incredibly generous, going out of our way for other people and accommodating to the interests of others. Perspective is a quirky thing. It all depends on how we look at something. Mercury turns retrograde today. There can be miscommunications, schedules can go awry, travel plans can be delayed or even canceled, and computer glitches may frustrate us and have us realize our dependency on high technology. Today is a day to go with the flow, and to check and recheck plans made with other people. We need to go slow, go over things possibly more than once and be certain people understand what we are saying and doing without their feeling that we are either stepping on their toes or not taking into account their needs. We may not be in Wonderland but neither do we have to go to Neverland. Remember during Mercury retrograde, it would be wise to postpone important decisions and put off significant purchases. Some essential factor is often left out during Mercury retrograde. It is more an appropriate time to go back over things we have initiated, review and rework, rather than initiating important new projects.

Thursday, September 25th – Beyond the Blue Horizon – Neptune, Mercury. Thursday has the Leo Moon opposed Neptune and sextile Mercury. Our wish list may be long. We might be looking at all sorts of possibilities for ourselves. In so doing, we need to maintain some hold on reality. Today is one of those days when anything, and everything, could seem possible. Like some magic wand ‘secret’, we might assume that what we want will easily unfold into what we have. Presentations can be forceful and persuasive, and we could easily be snookered into believing a person’s huckstering or our own perspective of the way things should be. It would be wise to take everything today with a grain of salt, not make definitive decisions without checking all the facts and specifics. Things may seem too good to be true and possibly are. Not that we need to be jaded in our considerations. But we do need to look at situations clearly without letting our emotions get in the way. We might want something to be so, but we would also need to see the steps necessary to bring such desires into manifestation. Let’s give thoughts to our future but write our plans in pencil. We can accept the opinions and advice of other people, just as long as we check the source and consider their perspective. This is a day to dream but not to get locked into our daydreams as being inevitable future reality.

Friday, September 26th – A Second Wind – Mars, Pluto, Venus. Often Fridays seem like wind-down days from the week, days when we are more focused on our plans to have fun on the weekend. Not so with this Friday, nor this weekend. We start the early morning hours of Friday with the Leo Moon sextile Mars and trine Pluto. We may have a true head of steam going in the early morning hours, impassioned by what we want to accomplish with the idea of getting things out of the way in order to then broaden our scope. We may feel determined and driven. With this head of steam up, the Moon moves into Virgo where it sextiles Venus. Friday is a great day to deal with outstanding matters and to prioritize our plans. With a vision as to where we want to go and where we want to be in our future, we can also strip away the extraneous and focus on the fundamentals. While our lives often seem on overload, this Friday allows us to give thought as to what is truly important and what is no longer needed. A good Autumn cleaning can lighten our load and clear away the superfluous. Social engagements later in the day may seem to have a purpose greater than just casual get-togethers. We can concentrate on the deeply meaningful in regard to our connections with other people. Today is one of those days when we can see people for whom they are, not the images or appearances but rather the depth and substance.

Saturday, September 27th – Taking Care of Business – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus. Saturday continues with the Virgo Moon which today trines Jupiter, conjuncts Saturn and opposes Uranus. Even if we wanted to merely step off the track and have a relaxing day, this Saturday could have us attending to errands, obligations and taking care of business. This day would be a good day for our Autumn projects. We can both blueprint our intended plans and also meet our responsibilities. We should be aware that we might have more to deal with than we had initially planned. Unexpected situations may demand our attention, forcing us to take on additional tasks. If we can utilize time management effectively, then we could save ourselves a lot of time and a lot of grief. Otherwise, we might find ourselves going from one thing to another to another in a scattered, even frenetic way. Although the mundane aspects of doing life may be our focal point today, we can do what we need to do and then be sure that we have a chance to do something on the spur of the moment. If we can’t enjoy a spontaneous moment, then we might become resentful and angry about our Saturday being used to merely deal with the drudgery of errands and obligations.

Sunday, September 28th – Hunches and Possibilities – Mercury, Neptune, Pluto. Sunday has the Virgo Moon square Pluto early in the day before the Moon moves into Libra. We could be feeling intense, even burnt-out as we start the day. People may be slightly on edge. Situations beyond their control and even beyond their community could create a sense of anxiety. It is important that we not jump to conclusions regarding anything we hear. Often what is presented to us does not reveal the whole truth. Fortunately today we also have Mercury trine Neptune. Our intuitive sense can be strong. Even if our hunches run counter to the general consensus, we may have our finger on the pulse rather than the collective opinion. This Sunday is a day to trust our inner knowing. If issues come up that demand an answer or resolution, it would be wise to step away, take some time to reflect, and consider how we feel about things. Our inner wisdom could be more spot-on than the ways things are being presented. Discussions today can take into account possibilities and future plans. We might enjoy chatting with friends. Even in our casual discussions we might discover points that give us greater clarity about what is truly going on. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Libra. We are on the dark side of the Moon just prior to tomorrow’s Libra New Moon. Sunday is a day to rest, contemplate, reflect and enjoy the reveries of possibilities.

This Autumn begins with the Autumn Equinox and the Sun’s entrance into the Cardinal Air Sign of Libra on September 22nd. At the time of the Autumn Equinox, one planet is in a Fire Sign, two planets are in Earth Signs, five planets are in Air Signs and two planets are in Water Signs. There are six planets in Cardinal Signs, one planet in a Fixed Sign and three planets in Mutable Signs. There are six planets in Positive Signs and four planets in Negative Signs. By Sign, there are two T-Squares, one in the Cardinal Signs, the other in the Mutable Signs. The season begins with a Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign with four planets in Venus-ruled Libra with the Sun, Mars, Mercury and Venus itself.

Relationships and a sense of filling a void in order to seek completion are strong as we begin this autumnal season. There may a great deal of hot air --- any surprise with elections occurring in the US and in Canada? People could be offering ‘fix it’ approaches that conceptually seem grand but may have little staying power.

The volatility of these times continues with little letup. With Saturn opposed Uranus, exact on November 4th Election Day in the US and its continuing influence into 2010, we may find ourselves caroming between old and new. We might also find the so-called stability and security of the past to be but a mirage, a worthless image that holds no bearing for our present, much less our future. All of us may feel as though we had stepped into a surrealistic world whereby making sense of anything could be difficult at best. We might also come to realize that in the acceleration of these times, what holds true today is false tomorrow, as our beliefs and understandings go through dramatic and sudden changes. Yes, the whipsaws may prove extreme and the challenge during these times is to avoid knee-jerk reactions.

The Fall also begins with the last days of Pluto’s transit through Sagittarius that began back in 1995. Before the Fall is over, it would be wise for us to consider our philosophy of living and what we might define quality in our living to be. Life and living are not the ways they were in earlier times. On the contrary, there could be times when we feel that we are on a runaway train hurtling into the darkness, not knowing where we are going or how we are likely to deal with the process. It is important that we constantly remind ourselves of two universal axioms: [1] that we never get more than we can handle and [2] that we cannot master the universe as much as be co-creators with the universal energies.

Coming from our integrity, emphasizing the true meaning and purpose in our lives, having humility and being adept at adaptability are all essential characteristics for a successful future.

As Pluto moves into Capricorn at the end of November, we are moving into a multi-year process of constriction and compression, like the compression of rock that eventually becomes the diamond. The question will be raised, both on a societal level and on a personal level, as to whether we have built upon rock or built upon sand. Even if we feel victimized by the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’, let’s always keep in mind, almost mantram-like, the first universal axiom that we never get more than we can handle. Although many of us may want to harken back to the good old days [past days that were far better in remembrance than in living through], the times they are a’changing.

While Pluto transiting through Capricorn may speak to greater conservatism and the big getting bigger whether that big be big government or big multi-national corporations; this transit can also allow us to focus on conservation and the use of renewable sources, eliminating some of the planned obsolescence and wastefulness of which our society and our individual selves have been guilty.

While the Autumn begins with a strong emphasis upon ideas, communications, possibilities and the importance of our individual communities, shortly after the Equinox we experience the third and last of this year’s Mercury retrogrades. Mercury turns retrograde on the 24th of September and continues retrograde into the 15th of October. As we have all seen on countless occasions, Mercury retrograde is akin to Murphy’s Law whereby whatever can go wrong will. During Mercury retrograde, we might encounter problems in travel, communication gaffes, computer glitches and misunderstandings in our interactions with other people. If we can avoid making significant purchases or important decisions during this time, it would be suggested. Often during Mercury retrograde we tend to forget salient points or accept situations as presented without checking the specifics. With all the hot air likely to be circulating around, the volatility of these times, and the frenzy of multi-tasking activities; it is quite likely that this Mercury retrograde will create issues that will necessitate later correcting or rectifying. The key advice would be to go slow, check and recheck, before making our moves.

On the 23rd of September, Venus exits Libra to enter Scorpio, a Sign in which it is not comfortable. Combined with Mercury turning retrograde in Libra on the 24th, relationship issues could prove perplexing. We may start the season with an intense focus on our relationships, but as we proceed we could also be considering what relationships we can jettison, eliminating any that no longer serve our needs or are too shallow to go beyond superficial interchanges.

The Libra New Moon on the 29th of September reinforces our interest in and our consideration of the people in our lives. If we would listen to our own inner voice, that inner knowing often referred to as intuition, then we can see the potential in situations that have staying power and those situations that may only be a drain and demand more give than what we might get back in return.

The times call for greater clarity, amidst confusing information and distorted facts. These times also call for strict evaluation of where we place our energies, our times and our monies. The laxness of recent past times would only create greater turmoil for ourselves. Now is a time for us to cut to the core, focus on the truly important in our lives and be extremely creative in regard to the use of our resources.

As we come into October, we may find that we are broadening our realm, drawing upon people and input foreign to our experience. The more information we garner, the more we can glean the truth from within the mesmerizing and fantasizing images being presented to us.

During October the shift from the Libran nature of accommodation and seeking the complement to ourselves drops away and we take on a more Scorpionic quality whereby we are looking to strip away the decorative in order to see the essence and bare bones of a situation. The Scorpio energy is first triggered by Venus entering Scorpio on September 23rd followed by Mars on the 4th of October entering the Sign it co-rules. Later in October on the 22nd, the Sun enters Scorpio followed by Mercury on the 4th of November.

October continues the ups and downs, times when we feel that we can take on the world and master the universe, other times when we feel outwitted by the unfamiliar ways that life is unfolding around us. Suspending judgment, letting go of our opinions, developing awareness of the vagaries of the conditions, and being open to shifting and changing information and realities would be essential. The primary issue for all of us will be doing more with less, being resourceful and creative and seeking the valuable thread within the shifting patterns and changing circumstances.

A sense of exuberance seems strong around the 5th-7th of October. We may feel confident, as though we have our finger on the pulse. Changes initiated can help streamline our operations and provide new patterns that free us up and make us more effective in handling matters.

We do need to watch for the trickster around the 10th – 11th of October, someone who seems to offer us a key to future possibilities but without revealing the costs involved. Not taking anything for granted at this time would be important. We could easily get carried with a hope and a prayer only to be deceived and eventually disillusioned.

The 14th - 15th gives us the Aries Full Moon, a time when we may feel the push pulls between our own personal interests and our responsibilities to other people. A sense of manifest destiny can enamor us of possibilities that may at best be improbable. We might have a sense of inevitability but it would be wise to check the conditions, consider the circumstances and then proceed with caution maintaining a support system and cushion for backup.

Mercury turns direct on the 15th and, although in its shadow, our communications, computers and travel plans can be a great deal easier than the past three weeks.

Times of placidity could give a false sense that the storms have cleared, the waves parted and easy times lying ahead. Even if we were to assume such a disposition, quiet times can be punctured by extremes of volatility.

The end of October can have us looking at a good Fall cleaning, eliminating the outworn, outdated and irrelevant. Our intuitive sense is likely to be strong and our determination to cut away the dross and focus on the basics can assist us in making significant changes to our environment --- our home, our work, our lifestyle patterns.

November ratchets up the intensity once again, especially around the 3rd and 4th. On the 2nd, Neptune turns direct. The 3rd gives us a Venus T-Square, as Venus in Sagittarius squares both Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces. The push pulls between the old and the new is truly engaged and engaged even more so on the 4th when Saturn opposes Uranus, the first exact opposition of these two planets that continues on into 2010. Along with Mars square Neptune on the 4th, this period could prove confusing with various hiccups or blips on the screen that create problems to the point of wreaking havoc. This is the time of the US elections and the energy configurations at play lend themselves to questions of the process and the results.

As the Saturn Uranus opposition will be with us for a while, it would be wise to work with the energy. Instead of a metronome quality caroming back and forth, we can use the two energies to bridge the old and the new. Similar to creating a suspension bridge, laying down slat-by-slat, we can draw upon past experience that is relevant for the present and instructive for the future, all the while that we are focusing on becoming more autonomous, more productive and better able to utilize state-of-the-art techniques and technologies to achieve our goals and realize our dreams. To paraphrase a concept attributed to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and anticipating different results. Let’s not go there.

While it may seem as though we are going through a crash-and-burn scenario, any eliminations remove the debris of the past that are not appropriate for our future. Like the mythological bird the phoenix rising from its ashes to soar ever higher, endings and eliminations can be the basis for stronger and greater beginnings.

We are on the threshold of a new technological revolution, evident as we come into 2009 and Jupiter moves out of the restrictive Capricorn and moves into the progressive Aquarius. And that’s where the Saturn Uranus opposition comes in. It allows us to be visionaries but not solely lost in thoughts and concepts. Properly used, the Saturn Uranus opposition can help bridge our conceptual abstracts with a practical and pragmatic approach to realize our goals. It provides the means to streamline our responsibilities and make quantum leaps in our understandings.

Although the early part of November could be a little crazy, much of November allows for a far more expansive phase with an emphasis upon changing parameters but in a grounded, focused manner. The latter part of November has a Stellium of three or more planets in Sagittarius. We are likely to feel far more exuberant, optimistic and confident about our future. The New Moon in Sagittarius on the 27th, Thanksgiving Day in the US, gives greater force to the attitude of gratitude for we are likely to see that we are coming out of the darkness of recent days and months.

We do have to keep in mind the fact that the universe has a wonderful sense of humor. Like the symbol of the Tao with the seed of the yin energy within the yang and the seed of the yang energy within the yin, as good as it gets, there can be blips on the screen that create concern and anxiety but also allow us to meet challenges, to stretch and to grow through the labor pains of self-actualization.

The end of November on the 26th has Pluto ending its transit of Sagittarius and moving into Capricorn for its multi-year transit of the Cardinal Earth Sign. Governments, professions, involvement in the world are all likely to go through major transformations. We are moving into a time of radical shapeshifting. We may experience significant earth changes in the form of earthquakes, volcanoes. We might witness the coming and going of authority figures and even the question of the continued relevancy of nation states. We could see bigger government, discussions of a world government, and bigger multi-national corporations. Whether on a macro societal level or on a micro personal level, the question over these next years will be whether we are building upon rock or have built upon sand. We are also likely to see the increased interdependency of various parts to the whole.

December has some difficult energies. The exuberance and good feelings of mid to late November give way to unexpected situations creating major difficulties like monkeywrenches being stuck in the spokes of our wheels. The potential for accidents, for mishaps and for outbursts cannot be discounted. Anxiety-provoking times in December seem to revolve around the 5th – 6th and the 10th – 15th. There may a sense of being slammed against the wall. We might feel that whatever we try to do, we’re up against an impenetrable counter weight. Such a sense can ratchet up extreme actions and outrageous behavior. Storm systems could be extreme. Travel problems could arise. Communication systems might go on overload with energy transmissions going beyond their capacity and even creating blackouts. During this period, it will be essential to maintain calm and to avoid knee-jerk reactions of feeling the need to do something, anything.

Let’s keep in mind the reality of cycles. There are times when we are going through certain phases of cycles and we assume that the phase will never end. That phase might be good. It might be bad. But we have a tendency in being in a particular phase of the cycle to assume a certain maintenance quality to whatever phase we are going through. There lies the error in our ways.

Although we may continue the wild swings of these times, the more we can draw upon as much information as possible, empirical data, yes, but more importantly our inner knowing through our intuition and flashes of insight, combined with a humility of being co-creators rather than trying to master the universe, the far more successful, productive and happier we shall be.

Autumn 2008… tandem surfing the tsunamis…

This week brings us to the end of September and into the beginning of October. We start the week with the Libra New Moon that will impact us for the next fortnight. We also have Mercury retrograde and over the weekend Mars moving out of Libra and entering Scorpio, a Sign it co-rules.

This week allows us to get our house in order, especially in regard to our relationships. We are looking more outside ourselves than merely at our personal self-interests. The complements to ourselves --- our relationships, our activities, the ways by which we define ourselves --- are front and center this week. We can be accommodating and conciliatory and willing to go out of our way. Such an attitude is strong during the first half of the week and then becomes less so as we move towards the second half of the week when we become discerning and discriminating regarding where we place our energies. The weekend can be expansive and exuberant as we look to stretch our wings.

This is a week for us to focus on those special people in our lives, to address the ways by which we can become more resourceful doing more with less and then looking at how we can expand into situations that allow us to be more upbeat and vibrant.

We may not be so fraught with anxiety this week. But let’s keep in mind that thanks to Mercury retrograde, no matter what significant decisions are made, they may seem far better in the planning stages than during their execution. We are in a phase where whatever we initiate may have to be reworked or corrected once we are in the midst of its unfolding process.

Monday, September 29th – You Light Up My Life – Libra Lunation, Jupiter. Monday begins the week with the Libra New Moon and a Stellium of three or more planets in Libra with the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars in the Cardinal Air Sign. Our focus may be on the wonderful complements to ourselves. With the Moon square Jupiter, we do have to watch for overconfidence and being generous to a fault. We could be overly accommodating in order to just come to some resolution. Let’s remember that Mercury is retrograde so the liability to misunderstandings and miscommunications is still strong. Today is a great day to take time and thank people for being in our lives. With all the craziness and whipsaws in the world operating nowadays, we can appreciate the importance of our connections and interactions and give blessing for the good things in our lives. We can always see the half glass of water as half empty, but today let’s see it as half full.

Tuesday, September 30th – Good Time Charlie – Mercury, Neptune, Mars, Pluto. Tuesday continues with the Libra Moon which today conjuncts Mercury, trines Neptune, conjuncts Mars and sextiles Pluto. We are looking for the silver lining today and likely to find it. No matter how dark or cloudy it might seem, today is a day when we can garner support and encouragement from other people. Misery may like company, but today we’re not interested in misery or the miserable. We are far more focused on making things work for the present and seeing them as fundamental steppingstones to our future. Other people could prove important sounding boards, adding a perspective or insight that we might not have. We are looking at stretching our wings, broadening our expanse. Many of the problems we have been confronting seem finally to have solutions. We do have to be careful that we don’t leap ahead without recognizing that even today’s solutions might need to be adjusted and adapted to changing conditions as we go along. This is not a day for parade-rainers but rather a day to take a philosophical approach, think outside the box and consider our options and alternatives.

Wednesday, October 1st – Going for the Gold – Mars, Pluto, Venus. Wednesday could have us awakening to a drive and determination that is unstoppable. Mars sextiles Pluto today and we may become aware of what we need to incorporate to make our future goals more probable. The Moon is in Scorpio and conjunct Venus today. In our drive towards realizing the optimum quality in our lives, we may realize that we need to lighten our load. As the English writer G.K. Chesterton wrote: ‘Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly’. This Wednesday is a good day to consider what we need to get rid of in order to lighten our load. The superfluous and extraneous may have to be eliminated or at least put to the side. We want to deal with the core fundamentals --- the essential ingredients, people and ways of achieving our purpose and making our lives better and brighter today and for the future. Now is a time for us to work smarter rather than harder, to be more productive with less expenditure of energy. Strategic planning with the idea of broadening our scope can be accomplished today and tomorrow. We might want to use other people as a sounding board to be certain that we have covered all the specifics and not left out anything of importance. Let’s keep in mind through the mid-part of this month that we are in Mercury retrograde cycle, an energy configuration that contributes to forgetting key elements or misstating important aspects. Today is a day when we can concentrate our focus and widen our perspective --- a yin – yang configuration that completes the Tao.

Thursday, October 2nd – Letting Go of Illusions – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Thursday is a crisp day, a day when we can blueprint, consider our methodology, make important changes to our plans and still release ourselves from outdated concepts or outworn desires. This Thursday has the Scorpio Moon sextile both Jupiter and Saturn, trine Uranus and square Neptune. Today is a day for us to get serious about clearing away old debris and creating the foundation stones for our future. Whether we are looking to make changes or not, change is in the air and necessitates a clear intention regarding what we want, what we can realize and what we need to let go. While many people do not like change, we have to realize that some friends and associates might question any intention on our part to do things differently or pursue new interests. It is important that we follow our truth, be open to insights and recognize that the new paradigm is one of being co-creators working with the energies, keeping aware of the changes of the times, and not trying to master the universe as much as be one with the natural unfolding of the universal energies. This Thursday can remind us of the true reality that the universal energies have far greater plans for us than we could ever imagine for ourselves. The key element is faith, having trust in the goodness of life and living. Some of our plans, some of our desires may have been significant in times past but may no longer be relevant for our future. It would be wise to listen to the guidance of insights and then determine a best practices approach to develop our changing interests.

Friday, October 3rd – A Brand New Day. Friday doesn’t have a great deal of energy, no major energy configurations. The Moon does move from Scorpio into Sagittarius, and we could note a significant shift in our energies. Instead of merely looking at how we can strip down to the basics and operating from a security-conscious attitude with an anxiety of the rug being pulled out from under us, we could feel far more confident, optimistic and enthusiastic. If we have taken a cold, hard look at our life’s circumstances and considered how we can best cope and survive under changing conditions, then this day provides an upbeat sense that we can not solely survive but rather thrive by being aware and adapting to the shifting tides. This Friday is a good day to take a philosophical perspective, focus on what we consider quality in our living, and enthusiastically broaden our scope and widen our realm. Even if life around us seems frenetic and chaotic, we don’t have to be sucked into the craziness. On the contrary, let’s keep in mind that attitude is a main ingredient in determining our life’s situations. Exuberance and enthusiasm are called for in order to develop brighter days through better ways. Today is a day to stretch, expand and explore beyond our usual parameters.

Saturday, October 4th – The Fix is in the Details – Sun, Saturn, Mercury, Mars Scorpio. Saturday continues with the Sagittarius Moon which today sextiles both the Sun and Mercury in Libra and squares Saturn in Virgo. Saturday also brings an end to the Stellium of three or more planets in Libra as Mars exits Libra, a sign in which it is uncomfortable, and moves into Scorpio, a Sign in which it is comfortable and co-rules. This Saturday could have us expanding our interests and widening our reach, and possibly as a result of our own confidence and the encouragement of other people. We do need to be careful not to get carried away by our exuberance. We could see the big picture but not take into account the particulars. Details might be overlooked today, so let’s be sure that we look before and during our leap. With Mars going into Scorpio, we may feel far more passionate even feisty. We are less accommodating and far more focused on what truly works for us. We might be considering where to put our energies given that we could be feeling like we have gotten a second wind. While we have far greater energy, and a reserve to draw upon, it will be important for us to take things step by step while keeping in mind our intended destination and how we want to get there.

Sunday, October 5th – The Best Things in Life - Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Sunday continues with the Sagittarius Moon for much of the day. Venus sextiles Jupiter today and our interactions with others can be fun get-togethers for hikes, walks, drives in the country and other events that get us out of Dodge. We may discover that we can enjoy ourselves without spending a great deal of cash. As the song goes: ‘the best things in life are free’. We could embrace the truth of that idea today. Time with others can be splendid, so long as we recognize that we are more interested in spontaneity today than rigidly constructed plans. A day of rest, Sunday allows us to relax, refresh and re-create. This Sunday can give us a boost of energy as we seek out recreational or cultural pursuits. Autumn Festivals and Fairs might be pleasant and provide interesting adventures. Although plans can change, today asks us to be adaptable and may give us insight into the realization that often surprises come by being open to unexpected situations. Towards the end of the day, the Moon moves into Capricorn. After a highly enjoyable weekend, we are ready to get back on track and advance our interests.