September 21st - 27th, 2026

The astrology for this week of September 21st through the 27th of 2026 has us seeking peace and balance during these volatile, tumultuous times.

And how appropriate that the week begins with the UN International Day of Peace.

Peace, however, is not merely the absence of conflict.

Nor is balance a static condition in which everything remains perfectly positioned and nothing ever changes.

True balance is dynamic.

We have only to look at nature.

A tree sways in the wind. A bird adjusts its wings in flight. A sailor continually trims the sails. Our own bodies make countless tiny corrections simply to allow us to stand upright.

Balance is not rigidity.

Balance is continuous adjustment.

And perhaps that is precisely what these times require of us.

We begin the week feeling optimistic and confident about our prospects. We may find ourselves interacting with the ‘right’ people — those who encourage our efforts, understand what we are trying to accomplish, and perhaps help us recognize possibilities we had not previously considered.

Tuesday marks an important threshold.

Summer officially ends and autumn begins as the Autumn Equinox has the Sun entering the Cardinal Sign of Libra. 

Nature itself offers us a metaphor.

Light and darkness come into balance.

And so we might ask:

Where have we become excessive?

Where have we become deficient?

Where are we holding on too tightly?

Where might we benefit from loosening our grip?

Our interactions, explorations, and future endeavors intrigue us now, preferably with a willing partner beside us. Libra reminds us that although ours is an individual journey, we do not travel through life entirely alone.

Relationships provide mirrors.

Other people reveal aspects of ourselves we cannot always see.

A trusted friend can prevent us from going over the cliff.

A loving partner can encourage us to take a leap we might otherwise fear.

A meaningful relationship does not diminish individuality.

At its best, it strengthens it.

This week also continues one of the significant astrological themes we have been following since August.

The Air Grand Trine that has engaged the transcendent planets since August with first Venus, then Mercury, and now the Sun is engaged with the Sun’s initial movement into Libra.

Another layer is added.

What may first have appeared through relationships and values with Venus, and then through ideas and perceptions with Mercury, now touches the Sun itself — our identity, vitality, creativity, and sense of purpose.

Perhaps we are not merely changing what we think.

Perhaps we are changing who we understand ourselves to be.

The weekend intensifies everything.

The Sun opposed Neptune, the Sun trine Pluto, the Aries Full Moon and finally Mars exiting Cancer and entering Leo provide a crescendo to an already significant week. 

We may become increasingly aware that our trajectory — whether in direction, intention, or destination — has changed dramatically.

And perhaps that is exactly as it should be.

We are not who we were.

The world is not what it was.

Why, then, should we expect our path to remain unchanged?

Forward Ho!

Monday, September 21st – Everything’s Coming Up Roses - Mars, Sun, Moon Void-of-Course, Neptune, Pluto, Mercury, Jupiter. Monday begins the week with the Moon completing its transit of Capricorn with the Capricorn Moon opposed Mars and the Moon trine the Sun. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for two hours forty-five minutes [10:31 AM EDT – 1:14 PM EDT] as the Moon concludes its transit of Capricorn with no further connections to the planets and before the Moon enters Aquarius. The Aquarius Moon tonight sextiles Neptune and the Moon conjuncts Pluto. Mercury sextiles Jupiter.

Tone of the Day

Clearing the Deck for Adventure.

This Monday may prove paradoxical.

First work.

Then play.

There can be a strong incentive early in the day to finish outstanding matters, clear our desk, tie up loose ends, and remove obligations that could interfere with the opportunities opening before us.

And the more efficiently we do so, the freer we become.

There is a sense of standing on a bridge.

Behind us lies familiar territory.

Ahead lies something considerably less certain.

Society itself appears to be standing on such a bridge — between established structures and emerging technologies, between old ways of doing things and possibilities only beginning to reveal themselves.

Crossing that bridge requires courage.

The past has one tremendous advantage:

we know it.

The future does not offer that reassurance.

But familiarity is not necessarily security, and the unknown is not necessarily dangerous.

Sometimes the unknown is simply unexplored territory.

As the day proceeds, curiosity can replace caution

Mercury sextiles Jupiter, encouraging broader thinking and conversations that expand rather than constrict our perspective.

By evening, with Neptune and Pluto engaged, possibilities may become considerably more intriguing.

Best Practices

·     Finish outstanding responsibilities early.

·     Clear unnecessary clutter from your schedule and your mind.

·     Engage conversations that broaden your perspective.

·     Explore unfamiliar ideas. 

·     Be willing to move beyond your comfort zone.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid dragging old baggage across the bridge with you.

·     Do not confuse familiarity with safety.

·     Resist allowing past disappointments to define future possibilities. 

·     Avoid becoming so enthusiastic about tomorrow that you neglect today's responsibilities.

How to Use the Energy

Clear the deck.

Then become the adventurer.

You do not need to know precisely where every road leads before beginning the journey.

Explorers never did.

They prepared carefully, studied what information was available, and then ventured beyond the known map.

Perhaps we are all becoming explorers now.

Some of the maps we have relied upon no longer adequately describe the territory ahead.

Finish what needs finishing.

Then look toward the horizon.

Everything may indeed be coming up roses.

Tuesday, September 22nd – Art of Balance - Uranus, Venus, Saturn, Autumn Equinox, Sun Libra. Tuesday continues with the Aquarius Moon with the Moon trine Uranus, the Moon square Venus, and the Moon sextile Saturn. The Sun ends its transit of Virgo and enters Libra [8:05 PM EDT] at the Autumn Equinox, heralding the entry into the autumn season.

Tone of the Day

Equilibrium Through Adaptability.

Yesterday evening had the Aquarius Moon engaging two of the transcendental planets — Neptune and Pluto.

Tuesday begins with the Moon aspecting the third transcendental planet with the Moon trine Uranus.

Tuesday is a major changeover day with the Sun’s entry into Libra and triggering the Air Grand Trine with the engagement of the three transcendental planets this coming weekend and early next week.

The seasons turn.

Summer relinquishes its hold.

Autumn begins.

And at this moment of seasonal balance, we too may seek a better equilibrium.

How do we integrate what we have learned from experience with what is emerging through this extraordinary technological age?

How do we honor our individuality while remaining sensitive to the needs of others?

How do we preserve enduring principles while relinquishing methods that have outlived their usefulness?

These are not either/or questions.

They are questions of integration.

We can honor the past without living in it.

We can embrace technology without surrendering our humanity to it.

We can pursue our personal interests without becoming indifferent to the concerns of others.

The Moon's aspects to Uranus, Venus, and Saturn beautifully reflect that balancing act — innovation, relationship, and structure all requiring accommodation.

The Taoist wisdom seems especially appropriate:

“Bend like a reed or break like an oak.”

Best Practices

·     Remain flexible. 

·     Seek equilibrium rather than perfection.

·     Blend experience with innovation.

·     Listen carefully to other people's concerns. 

·     Make adjustments before circumstances force them upon you.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid rigidity.

·     Do not insist that yesterday's methods must solve tomorrow's problems.

·     Resist sacrificing yourself merely to maintain superficial harmony.

·     Avoid demanding that others adapt while refusing to change yourself.

How to Use the Energy

Observe nature.

Today light and darkness stand in balance.

Neither defeats the other.

Neither needs to.

There is wisdom in that.

Balance is not achieved by eliminating opposing forces.

It comes through allowing them to coexist within a larger harmony.

Become reed-like.

Bend when necessary.

Straighten when conditions allow.

And enter autumn understanding that adaptability may be one of the most important forms of strength.

Wednesday, September 23rd – Weighing the Scales - Jupiter, Mercury, Moon Void-of-Course. Wednesday begins with the Aquarius Moon opposed Jupiter and the Moon trine Mercury. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for nineteen hours [4:18 AM EDT – 11:24 PM EDT] as the Moon completes its transit of Aquarius with no further connections to the planets and before the Moon enters Pisces late this Wednesday evening. 

Tone of the Day

Think First, Then Act.

There may be a temptation today to take machete in hand and start hacking our way through the jungle.

We know where we want to go.

We feel confident.

We are enthusiastic.

Anything standing in our way may seem merely something to knock down.

But confidence without humility can easily become arrogance.

And personal determination without awareness of surrounding conditions can become narcissistic.

We have been conditioned to believe that we should control every aspect of our lives.

Set the goal.

Create the plan.

Execute the plan.

Control the outcome.

Life has never entirely worked that way.

And now, perhaps less than ever.

The long Void-of-Course Moon suggests that this may be a far better day for consideration than aggressive implementation.

Fortunately, the Moon trine Mercury can help us think objectively.

A trusted confidante may prove invaluable.

Someone who knows us well — and who is not intimidated by us — might prevent us from doing something excessive.

Best Practices

·     Think before acting. 

·     Brainstorm rather than implement prematurely. 

·     Seek an objective second opinion.

·     Spend quality time with a trusted friend.

·     Take your energy down a notch or two.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid arrogance disguised as confidence.

·     Do not bulldoze through circumstances simply because you can.

·     Resist excessive behavior.

·     Avoid believing that asking for advice demonstrates weakness.

How to Use the Energy

Hand the machete to someone else for the day.

Sit down.

Look at the map.

Ask:

Is there an easier path?

A good friend may see what we cannot.

Another person's perspective does not diminish our independence.

Sometimes it saves us from ourselves.

Libra's scales remind us:

Before taking action, weigh the consequences.

Thursday, September 24th – Unaware of Variables -Uranus, Venus. Thursday has the Pisces Moon square Uranus and the Moon sextile Venus.

Tone of the Day

Revelation Through Authenticity.

We may awaken ready to get on with things.

We want today what we believe we should have had yesterday — and perhaps what would actually be more appropriate tomorrow.

Timing can be funny that way.

Plans may be disrupted by unexpected developments demanding our attention.

Take care of them.

Then allow the day to become something quite different.

Thursday can serve as a meditative retreat.

Lunch with someone special could prove surprisingly revealing.

A casual conversation may become a heart-to-heart.

We may discuss relationships, purpose, spirituality, or that perennial question:

What does all this really mean?

There is a growing emphasis upon authenticity and transparency.

During a paradigm shift, appearances become increasingly difficult to maintain.

People reveal themselves.

Sometimes without realizing they are doing so.

As consciousness becomes more attuned, we may increasingly seewhere another person is coming from — not through suspicion, but through heightened awareness.

Tricksters still exist.

Deceit still exists.

Get-over acts certainly still exist.

But manipulation loses much of its effectiveness when the intended target recognizes the game.

Best Practices

·     Handle unexpected disruptions without overreacting.

·     Spend time with people of integrity. 

·     Have meaningful conversations. 

·     Allow time for solitude, meditation, reflection, or prayer.

·     Listen to your intuitive responses without abandoning discernment.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid forcing today's schedule.

·     Do not dismiss intuitive impressions automatically.

·     Resist people whose words and actions consistently contradict one another.

·     Avoid becoming cynical merely because deception exists.

How to Use the Energy

Seek what is authentic.

In yourself.

In others.

In relationships.

In your aspirations.

The transformations of recent years may have sharpened our faculties more than we realize.

We are learning to distinguish noise from signal.

Appearance from substance.

Performance from integrity.

Spend part of today with someone genuine.

Spend another part alone.

Both conversations may be illuminating.

Friday, September 25th – Not Who We Were - Sun, Neptune.Friday continues with the Moon in Pisces but with the Moon making no connections to the planets today. The Sun begins its Air Grand Connection with the transcendental planets with the Sun opposed Neptune today, the Sun trine Pluto tomorrow, and the Sun trine Uranus this coming Monday.

Tone of the Day

Confusion as the Doorway to Wisdom.

There may not be a great deal of physical energy today.

Good.

We do not always need to be doing.

Sometimes we need simply to be.

A walk in the park, time beside a body of water, or simply sitting quietly somewhere beautiful could become a meditative tonic.

Thoughts may arise about who we have become.

And perhaps some confusion accompanies those thoughts.

Who am I now?

Do these relationships still fit?

Do these activities still interest me?

Are these ambitions genuinely mine — or remnants of a person I used to be?

We tend to fear confusion.

But confusion can be the beginning of wisdom.

Certainty often relies upon established assumptions.

Confusion suspends them.

And when the old answers stop working, we finally become receptive to new questions.

Sun opposed Neptune may blur familiar definitions.

Rather than immediately trying to restore them, perhaps we should allow the blur.

Something new may be attempting to come into focus.

Best Practices

·     Slow down.

·     Spend time in nature.

·     Reflect without demanding immediate answers.

·     Question old definitions of yourself.

·     Allow uncertainty to create new possibilities.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid making major judgments from temporary confusion.

·     Do not cling to old identities merely because they are familiar.

·     Resist anxiety about not having every answer.

·     Avoid filling quiet space merely to escape introspection.

How to Use the Energy

Let the waters settle.

When muddy water is constantly stirred, we cannot see through it.

Leave it alone and gradually the sediment falls.

Clarity returns.

Allow anxieties, concerns, and old assumptions to tumble around without trying to organize them immediately.

You are not required to know exactly who you are becoming.

It may be sufficient to recognize:

You are not who you were.

Saturday, September 26th – Rising from the Depths - Mars, Moon Void-of-Course, Neptune, Pluto, Uranus, Aries Full Moon, Sun. Saturday begins with the Pisces Moon trine Mars. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course briefly for not quite two hours [4:32 AM EDT – 6:23 AM EDT] as the Moon completes its transit of Pisces without further connections to the planets and before the Moon enters Aries where today the Aries Moon engages the three transcendental planets with the Aries Moon conjunct Neptune, the Moon sextile Pluto in Aquarius and the Moon sextile Uranus in Gemini. The Moon opposes the Sun [12:49 PM EDT] at the Aries Full Moon. This Full Moon signature is a kite pattern chart engaging the three transcendental planets and with the Sun continuing its Air Grand Trine with the Sun trine Pluto and in orb of the Sun trine Uranus exact this coming Monday.

Tone of the Day

Transformation Reaches a Crescendo.

This is no ordinary Saturday.

Full Moons heighten tides — both oceanic and emotional.

And this one carries an extraordinary concentration of energy.

Neptune. Pluto. Uranus. The Sun. The Aries Full Moon.

Once again the transcendental planets remind us that the changes occurring around us are larger than our personal agendas.

Magic may indeed be afoot.

But magic requires participation.

The question becomes how to integrate our foundation stones from the past with the structures we are conceptualizing for the future.

Relationships become especially significant.

We are not “islands unto ourselves.”

Yet healthy relationships now require room for transformation.

The person beside us is changing.

So are we.

We need to allow one another room to pivot.

Cut each other some slack.

Recognize that transformation can be messy.

Relationships capable of accommodating growth may deepen.

Those dependent upon each person remaining exactly as they once were may encounter greater difficulty.

Some people will continue with us.

Others may increasingly belong to our past.

Neither necessarily makes anyone wrong.

Journeys sometimes diverge.

Best Practices

·     Stay open to unexpected developments.

·     Give others room to change.

·     Recognize your own transformation.

·     Allow relationships to evolve naturally.

·     Participate consciously in emerging opportunities.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid emotional overreaction.

·     Do not demand that others remain who they used to be.

·     Resist clinging to relationships solely because of history.

·     Avoid trying to control an intensely fluid day.

How to Use the Energy

Rise from the depths.

Yesterday questioned identity.

Today may begin revealing what comes next.

Do not demand a complete blueprint.

Simply recognize what is alive.

What excites you?

What feels authentic?

Who supports the person you are becoming?

Who requires you to remain the person you once were?

Those questions may tell us more about our future than any carefully constructed five-year plan.

Magic is upon us.

Keep your eyes open.

Sunday, September 27th – Fuel to the Fire - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars Leo. Sunday has the Moon continuing its transit of Aries with the Aries Moon today conjunct Saturn in the early morning hours and the Moon trine Jupiter in mid-afternoon. Mars exits Cancer to enter Leo [10:49 PM EDT], adding fuel to the Fire Element.

Tone of the Day

Courage Returns.

Whenever we make significant changes, something curious often happens.

The past returns for one final audition.

Old fears arise.

Old insecurities reappear.

Old situations may even present themselves again.

It can seem almost as though life is asking:

Are you sure?

Do you really want to cross that bridge?

Do you really want to leave the familiar?

Do you really trust yourself enough to step into territory you have never traveled before?

The Moon conjunct Saturn early in the morning may bring precisely that hesitation.

Yesterday's excitement could suddenly feel intimidating.

Transformation sounds wonderful in theory.

Living it requires courage.

But the day does not remain there.

The Moon trine Jupiter in mid-afternoon can restore optimism and perspective.

We may begin remembering why we wanted change in the first place.

Then, late tonight, Mars exits Cancer to enter Leo [10:49 PM EDT].

The fire returns.

We may feel more willing to take on the world, express ourselves, and put our personal stamp upon whatever we undertake.

As the classic Jerome Kern / Dorothy Fields song reminds us:

“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”

Best Practices

·     Allow early doubts without surrendering to them.

·     Review what you have learned.

·     Reconnect with your enthusiasm later in the day.

·     Prepare to act with greater confidence.

·     Express yourself creatively and courageously.

Pitfalls to Avoid

·     Avoid allowing old fears to determine new choices.

·     Do not mistake hesitation for a sign that you are on the wrong path.

·     Resist overcompensating with bravado.

·     Avoid burning bridges simply because the Fire Element becomes stronger.

How to Use the Energy

Pick yourself up.

Dust yourself off.

Then look forward.

The past may call after us.

Acknowledge it.

Thank it for whatever it taught you.

But you do not necessarily have to turn around.

With Mars entering Leo, we regain some fire in the belly.

Not merely energy for activity.

Energy for self-expression.

Something new wants to be created.

Give it your personal signature.

Reflective Weekly Close — Crossing the Equinox Bridge

There are weeks when astrology seems to whisper.

This week seems to announce:

We are changing.

Monday places us on a bridge.

Tuesday brings the Autumn Equinox and the art of balance.

Wednesday asks us to temper personal will with humility.

Thursday distinguishes authenticity from appearance.

Friday raises the profound question of who we have become.

Saturday brings an Aries Full Moon of transformation.

Sunday puts fuel back into the fire.

There is an unmistakable progression.

And running beneath it is one of the great themes we have encountered throughout this extraordinary year:

How do we move forward without either rejecting the past or becoming imprisoned by it?

The past matters.

It gave us our foundation stones.

Experience creates wisdom.

Mistakes create discernment.

Relationships shape us.

Successes reveal capabilities.

Failures reveal vulnerabilities.

We should not discard these things.

But foundation stones are not the finished building.

They support whatever we choose to construct next.

The Autumn Equinox provides a beautiful symbol.

Nature does not cling to summer.

The trees do not mourn each leaf that changes color.

The season fulfills itself — and then releases itself.

Perhaps we might learn something from that.

Release need not mean rejection.

Moving forward does not require contempt for what came before.

Transformation simply recognizes that everything has its season.

And this week, the Air Grand Trine theme that has been unfolding since August moves into another phase.

First Venus.

Then Mercury.

Now the Sun.

Values and relationships.

Thought and perception.

Identity and purpose.

Layer after layer.

What began perhaps as an awareness that something was changing around us increasingly becomes the realization that something is changing within us.

And that internal transformation may be the most important paradigm shift of all.

We speak frequently about the technological revolution — artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum technologies, new forms of energy, extraordinary scientific developments, and innovations appearing with increasing speed.

These technologies may dramatically change what humanity can do.

But consciousness determines what humanity chooses to be.

Technology expands capability.

Wisdom provides direction.

Without wisdom, greater capability can merely magnify our follies.

With wisdom, technology can become an extraordinary extension of human creativity.

Perhaps this is why the transcendental planets have been so prominent throughout these weeks.

They seem to remind us repeatedly:

Think larger.

Beyond personal convenience.

Beyond immediate gratification.

Beyond the familiar boundaries of what we once believed possible.

And yet, amid all this expansion, Libra enters and asks us to find balance.

Individuality and relationship.

Technology and humanity.

Reason and intuition.

Past and future.

Material achievement and spiritual awareness.

Personal will and universal unfolding.

None need cancel the other.

Integration may be the higher expression.

Saturday's Aries Full Moon brings the issue into sharp focus.

Aries says:

I am.

Libra says:

We are.

Neither is complete without the other.

We need individuality strong enough to know who we are and relationship awareness developed enough to recognize that other people have their journeys too.

Those journeys may run beside ours for decades.

They may intersect briefly.

They may diverge.

Our task is not to force every traveler to remain on our road.

Our task is to recognize those whose path continues naturally alongside our own.

This becomes especially important during periods of accelerated transformation.

We are all changing at different speeds and in different ways.

Cut each other some slack.

Allow room to pivot.

Give those you love permission to become.

And ask the same permission for yourself.

By Sunday, Mars enters Leo and adds fuel to the Fire.

After reflection comes expression.

After questioning comes action.

After standing on the bridge comes the moment when we finally cross it.

Perhaps we cannot see precisely where the road leads.

That is all right.

The adventurer never has complete certainty.

The adventurer has something more important:

curiosity, courage, awareness, and faith.

So as autumn begins, perhaps our mantra might be:

Honor what has been.

Embrace what is.

Remain open to what can be.

Seek peace without becoming passive.

Seek balance without becoming rigid.

Seek relationship without losing yourself.

Seek individuality without forgetting others.

Use technology without surrendering wisdom.

Draw upon experience without allowing yesterday to dictate tomorrow.

The bridge is before us.

Much of the old landscape lies behind.

The horizon ahead remains partly obscured.

But something within us knows that the journey continues.

Forward Ho!