October Comes a Calling: Sign-by-Sign Forecast & General Astro-weather
Welcome to October, the gateway to wintertime in the north, summertime in the south. The entrance into the darker, colder part of the year is initiated at the Vernal Equinox in the North, and I write from this perspective because it is where Tropical astrology was developed, pinned as it is to the equinoxes and solstices. But astrology still works perfectly well in the southern hemisphere as it is, the signs are not inverted even though the seasons are.
“From the September Equinox, the Sun's strength diminishes until the moment of Winter Solstice in December, when the Sun begins to grow stronger, until the days once again become longer than the nights at the March Equinox."
"The misty mornings of October melt into the golden afternoons and crystal moonlit nights. Everywhere there is color. Inside, the first fires have been kindled to ward off the Winter chill. The last of the herbs have been gathered, and they hang from the beams of the kitchen ceiling. This is the time of the apple harvest, there is plenty to fill the bowls for eating, to keep for winter storage, and for pie. Apples have always been magically important."
"Halloween or Samhain was the New Year of the Celtic Calendar, and likely several New Year’s traditions got shifted to Yule/New Year. Apples also have a history of being used for healing (“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”). When an apple is sliced in half horizontally, it reveals a five-pointed star," revealing its innate connection to the magical symbol of the pentagram which represents the 4 elements plus spirit, as well as echoing the pattern that the planet Venus makes in her 8-year rotation pattern around the Sun.
"The sights and sounds of October bring about in all of us subtle changes, and as our bodies begin to change metabolism, preparing us for shorter winter days, our consciousness too begins to shift from a more active mental state to a more psychically receptive state appropriate to the dark half of the year." As above so below, as without, so within. (Hermes Trismegistus).
"All Hallow’s Eve marks the transition from the light half of the year, to the dark. Now is the time that the Lady, the fruitful Mother, has been delivered of her child, the fruits of the Earth. The harvest has been completed and the Mother steps aside as the Horned One steps forward. We shoot our focus from the physical to the spiritual, for at this time of transition the veil is very thin between the two worlds. At this time the abundance of fruits and vegetables begins to slow. It is a time that our ancestors gathered what they could store, and then supplements their winter diets by hunting will animal. On this night, you will be joined by the unseen presence of departed friends and family, as well as the spirits of animals. Bless them and bid them merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. “
~ Pauline Campanelli, The Wheel of The Year
Samhain is a celebration of death and is observed by many different cultures around this time. The Latin countries celebrate with Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead whereby they build elaborate and festive altars to honor their beloved dead who they know come and walk amongst them at this magical time. The original purpose of the tradition of costumes was to allow the spirits to roam freely without being recognized.
I delight in this time of the year and always build a large altar for my beloved ancestors. I encourage you to experiment with this if its new to you.
Astrologically speaking, in the journey through the third quarter of the Zodiac, LIBRA is the entry point into the other, into togetherness,
and it can wear many different hats. The initial rock tumbling of self and other takes place in here, the settling and balancing of matters with the LIBRAN scale.
Then the deeper fusion, the burning off of the dross takes place in SCORPIO. Here we take the deep plunge, and what we find is maximum fusion, orgasm, death, and rebirth. From there we shoot up and out of the depths in SAGITTARIUS.
In October, we have FULL MOON bookends on October 1 and October 31. This is potent and unusual, especially since both MOONS are highly turbocharged.
The FULL HARVEST MOON in ARIES on October 1, at 2:04 pm PDT, is tightly conjunct CHIRON, co-present with MARS rx. This is an angry and irritated Full MOON if the energy is at all blocked. The MARS SATURN square is still lingering and much frustration is on tap in the collective.
There is a juicy facet of this first Full MOON, which is VENUS at the end of LEO, trine to MARS rx in ARIES, the ruler of this MOON. This FULL MOON is as fire as it gets, and if you have an opportunity to share some passion with someone you desire, it will be off the charts. Maybe just don’t talk, lol.
October brings us into the thickest part of the astrological year, in a year that has already been fraught with unprecedented peril and stress. You will need all of your tools and skills of mindfulness, compassion, and ability to roll with whatever comes, and not tighten up. Keep your belly soft and your knees bent and this will be an easier month.
Rage against the machine is already underway in the zeitgeist, and it doesn’t take much for it to boil over into the streets. The royal dumpster fire that was the US presidential debates further tipped the country towards falling apart at the seams. Keep in mind that this is the job of the long-awaited SATURN PLUTO conjunction in CAPRICORN. Both of these planets pull no punches. If it's corrupt, it has to go. This is the phase of the Tower card in the Tarot, where things come tumbling down. It is the great leveler and equalizer, but it’s a ruthless combination, and we are living through it. The good news is that after the Tower card, comes the Star card, which tells the story of coming rains falling after the fiery inferno, that heal and soothe and helps us recover and start over.
On October 3, just after the FULL MOON, VENUS enters VIRGO. This means that this month we shall be asked to do subtle work and progressive upgrades on how we relate with our partners, about sex and money. Around October 18, beware of not seeing or hearing things clearly, but the VENUS NEPTUNE transit can definitely be used to make some wonderful art.
SATURN has turned direct, and if you have any planets at or close to 25 degrees of a cardinal sign, then SATURN is lighting you up in a way that should be detectable for all of October. As always SATURN is the cosmic chiro, checking the alignment of your soul's bones as well as what you have built in the world. SATURN always teaches cause and effect, and we get affirmation for good alignment and destabilization for bad alignment. If something feels shaky, then make the changes you need to take rather than patching together something that is unraveling or feels shaky. Let go and start over.
“We are entering a rough initiation. Many of the great myths begin with a time such as this. The land has become barren, the king corrupted, the ways of peace lost. It is in these conditions, that a ripeness arises for radical change. It is a call to courage (from the french for ‘full heart’) and humility. Every one of us will be affected by the changes wrought by this difficult visitation. It is time to become immense.”
-Francis Weller
PLUTO is turning direct on October 4 brings to the fore themes of power, hunger, powerlessness, empowerment, and regeneration. He stations directly within one degree of the second MARS square (the first coincided with the initial wildfires of Northern California, closely followed by Oregon). The square perfects on October 8, so be very aware on and around this day as things will be red hot and toxicity will be close to the surface. Avoid doing anything that puts you in a big city, or working closely with anyone with whom you have conflict.
On October 7, MERCURY in SCORPIO will oppose URANUS for the first pass. This is very passionate, sexy, stubborn, rebellious, dramatic, sudden energy. It kind of could go any which way, but it definitely could suddenly bring out hidden information as we approach the election.
On October 13, SUN in LIBRA will oppose MARS rx at the peak of the retrograde, and will create a super stressful t-square with SATURN PLUTO JUPE. Note this date and the few days before and after and lay super low.
No meetings, negotiations, or launching anything new.
This is relationship flash point material. Be careful!
MERCURY our planet of communication, commerce, and navigation will enter SCORPIO on Sept 28, will station on October 11, will turn retrograde on October 14, and will dynamically oppose URANUS for much of the month. Be the most careful Oct 11-21 and Nov 2-4, meaning attempt to avoid any major decisions, agreements, purchases, negotiations, or surgery on these days, and if you must, then be very cautious and thorough.
The Full BLUE BLOOD MOON on Halloween will be in TAURUS, exactly conjunct URANUS at 7:48 am PDT (and daylight savings ends the next day). The MOON will be answering to VENUS, at home, and happy in LIBRA. This is another relationship-focused Full MOON, this one emphasizing that both the needs of self and the needs of togetherness be acknowledged and fed. URANUS brings an urgency and a penchant for change, as a way to upgrade whatever it touches. This could coincide with some big economic news/instability in the world. MERCURY in LIBRA is square to SATURN which tells us that the structure of how we communicate to others is being challenged, a stress test if you will.
Read your ascendant sign first, and then if you're born during the day, read your SUN sign second, if at night then read your MOON sign second.
ARIES
This is a very hot month for you. You are being tested in almost every way. How do you use your unending font of fire in ways that are not harmful to your relationships? You have been given the gift of the spark of life and in that gift, there is much power. Relationships are important to you even though you conversely fear losing yourself within the confines of them. How can you be sure to get your solo action time needs to be met, and then be ready to come home to spend time with your SO? As the strange conditions of the pandemic etc continue, this is not as easy as it was in the old world. Get creative and find new forms of play and ways to expend your energy and if needed, anger. This month really pushes you in these ways.
TAURUS
Halloween, All Hallows Eve The Full BLUE MOON on Halloween will be in TAURUS, conjunct URANUS. Since 2018, you have been being introduced to the idea of change, thanks to URANUS the great awakener and change maker, in your sign. This month is an uptick in these themes for you. The MERCURY rx will challenge you in themes of money, sex, and sharing. It's a good month to take care of cleaning and organizing things to prepare for deeper winter.
GEMINI
You have some nice social energy this month as the SUN moves through LIBRA and the ongoing focused growth via the NORTH NODE in your sign. Ever eager to learn more, this is a good time to take a topic and focus on it in an uncharacteristically deep way as your ruling planet moves through a rx in SCORPIO. Also, a good month to celebrate your ancestors.
CANCER
This is a tense month for you cardinal water sign, who always prioritizes safety and coziness. You are pulled into the LIBRA CAP ARIES confrontations and may need to find some inner strength to meet the challenges that may appear. Your way of processing emotions is enhanced by MERCURY in water, in your house of creativity. Find a way to express yourself through a new type of art, maybe even something out of the ordinary, to utilize this MERCURY rx period. The days around October 13 may present some relationship bumps.
LEO
This is a month to bring innovation to your work in the world. The FULL MOON on Halloween is an exclamation point in this arena, be open to electrical downloads about a new path into the future, on this night when the veils are so thin.
VIRGO
Amidst all the turmoil of the world, you get a beneficial blessing from the lady of love and money, as she travels through your sign this month. Be careful of partners around the 18th, if you are negotiating anything, please ask for other options about the trustworthiness of the person you are dealing with especially if it’s for business. Halloween is extra charged for you this year, so be sure to honor your ancestors with lots of candles, color, and spicy food.
LIBRA
You are the keeper of the mysteries of relationship and learning through the other and this month the work is strong and conflict is easily possible. Don’t avoid it 100%, use this time to learn more about how to be authentic as well as peacekeeping. Sometimes there is a need to rock the boat, to get to greater tranquility. Homelife also gives an opportunity to learn these lessons. The Halloween Full MOON is highly charged for you and a fabulous time to communicate with the other side in whatever way you feel called to do.
SCORPIO
It's all about communication this month SCORPIO, how you do it, and how it could be better and more authentic. Take care of your body and do all you can to not create inflammation. Friends are a nourishing part of this month for you, find ways to connect and celebrate the season.
SAGITTARIUS
The pressurized fire of the MARS rx could be transformed into art if you aim your bow and arrow in that direction. Your resource segment is feeling the stir of SATURN and PLUTO turning direct, so expect some movement in this department. There is ongoing testing and regeneration of this part of your life, that is towards the end of the most focused part of the curriculum. Find where you are out of alignment here and make adjustments.
CAPRICORN
This is a very pressurized month for you, in an already pressurized year. PLUTO stationing direct on the 4th takes something to the next level. There is a place to acknowledge what isn’t working and what needs to change, and if worked with, can be quite productive. There may be some miscommunications with friends as a result of this MERCURY rx, so work extra hard to be clear. I advise sageing your home each day.
AQUARIUS
You got a taste of what is to come next year, in April, May, and June of 2020. Now you are in the last months of being in the Green Room, awaiting your big debut, that will kick off in December as JUPE and SATURN conjunct and enter your sign. Look back over the last 12 years, and then the last 27 years to get the birds-eye view of the cycles you are completing this month and next. What needs to be done to prepare yourself for a brand new cycle to begin? This is a good place to focus this month. The Halloween Full MOON may feel extra electric in your body, and have a strong undertow for you, who prefers to be way above the dark currents of Scorpio.
PISCES
Keep hold of your money this month, PISCES, as MARS rx here shows you may burn through some of it. Your peer groups continue to be transformed; allow it. Partnership has an extra layer of sweetness this month, and there are also rewards if you spend time contemplating the larger questions of life such as why are we here.
Overall, it's a very intense month. Saying, "Be ready for anything", does not feel like overkill. The MARS factor is super super strong, so find how to work with the vibe, rather than always suppressing.
Below is an example.
As always, I am rooting for you, and here for consultations,
if you need to talk.
With much love, Paetra
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