October 14th ~ 21st

And there assume some other horrible form, Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason, And draw you into madness? Think of it. ~ William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4)

Eclipse Season

Hold on to your hats and your garter belts everyone, we are well nigh approaching Eclipse Season, with a Partial Solar Eclipse on October 25th at 2º Scorpio, and a Total Lunar Eclipse on November 8th at 16º of Taurus, we should already be feeling the portal opening. That Lunar Eclipse needs some special attention. Right in the cross hairs of the Saturn/Uranus square the tension has been building up for a few years now. And although the Saturn/Uranus square is not exact this season, they are now less than one degree apart. As exact as they will be this year as Saturn stations for its Direct phase on October 23rd. 

The Saturn/Uranus square was exact 3 times in 2021. This year they are within less than a degree of exactitude as they readdress the issues raised within this dynamic and stressful transit. Saturn aims for stability, security and familiarity, while Uranus is pushing for change, freedom and growth. If we are trying to hold on to something, preserve it and keep it safe, Uranus will make us feel that these are being threatened in some way. If we identify with Uranus, and the need for freedom and growth, Saturn will feel oppressive and limiting, and we will do all we can to rebel against those things that appear to be limiting and confining us. 

This is the conflict between the Old and the New; between What we Know and are Familiar with vs. that which we Don’t Know and feels Destabilizing. This is the choice between staying with what we have vs. taking a chance by venturing out into a whole new direction. If there is too much Saturn energy, we will feel stuck and unable to escape from our current obligations, laws, responsibilities, or expectations. If there is too much Uranian energy, then we can feel as if no one is following the rules any more, that there is a mockery of laws and tradition, and that the world is devolving into chaos. The Lunar Eclipse in November is bringing these all to some sort of critical point where they can not and will not be ignored any more. 

Eclipses are not just strong New and Full Moons. The eclipses each year are indicative of turning points in society as well as in our own personal lives. Especially if they fall in sensitive areas of our charts. With the really powerful ones, we will notice their influence weeks in advance, and feel their ramifications for months, and sometimes years after. What the Lunar Eclipse is trying to show us, is that some sort of change is necessary. And this can and will include releasing those things which we are still holding on to, but is no longer benefiting us and our ability to grow and evolve. 

What we are asking as a society to release are the dreadful wounds that result from things like War and the ramifications of War; the wounds resulting from Poverty and starvation; the indignities of Racism; Homophobia; Sexism; Betrayal; Abandonment, and their god-children Guilt and Shame. The North Node in Taurus is the remedy for all of these: Cultivating Peace; Being a Good Provider; Taking care of the Needs of the People; Making sure that everyone has Enough: including what they Need to Survive in the World. And we do this by paying attention to the Divine Cycle of Reciprocity. 

A New Venus Cycle

Taurus is also a Venus sign. And on October 22nd, we begin a new Venus cycle with the conjunction of the Sun and Venus at 29º of Libra. Venus follows these 8 year patterns, where the conjunctions of Venus fall in the same sign, while gradually moving back through the degrees of the sign each time it returns. It begins at the end of the sign, at the 29th degree, and gradually over the decades arrives at the very first degree of the sign. They rotate these conjunctions between 5 different signs. One of these was through the sign of Scorpio. The above image represents the Venus cycle in its orbit. And occasionally after 100 years or so, as it is doing now, it moves back into the previous sign. And for the first time since the late 1700’s we are now beginning a new Venus cycle in its own sign of Libra. 

This in turn will also have its own influence on society. Libra, like Taurus, is a sign of peace. It is also a sign of equanimity, fairness and justice. And one cannot help but wonder if having this first inception in the 29th degree of Libra, also bring the same sort of ‘necessity’ that the anaretic, 29th degree of a sign often brings. 

Mars square Neptune

Last but not least, we cannot neglect the gradual slowing of the planet Mars, as it prepares for its station on October 30th. By then it will appear as if it is standing totally still. Of course this is only an illusion due to the different speeds of the Earth and Mars in their orbits around the Sun. But due to this apparent station, Mars will spend several weeks in only a few degrees of Gemini. And it is within these few degrees of Gemini, that Mars will be in orb of a square to Neptune. 

Mars was exactly square Neptune just last week on October 12th. It will be so again on November 18th, and finally again when it is direct on March 14th. But for now Mars is really closely within range of this square for all of October and most of November. So what can we anticipate now that Mars is and will be square Neptune for such an extended period of time? 

• Ennui: Not exactly boredom. But the sort of feeling that one gets, when we can’t seem to muster enough motivation and energy to get things done. We just feel so drained!

• Flu season: This can also be due to actual viral streams wending their way through the throngs of humanity. This is the beginning of Flu season here in the North, and combined with the newly trending Covid variants, the Mars/Neptune transit could confound us with stealth viruses.

• Water: Sometimes can be lots of it with Mars/Neptune. Check those pipes. Keep an eye on any potential storm surges. Mars/Neptune damage can be insidious.

• Uncertainty and Confusion: The intention of Mars is to DO something. Neptune is just confounding in general. It masks things, creates fogs and illusions, withholds necessary information. It deceives and misguides us along the path. Sometimes we have to make choices with only the dim light of intuition and faith to guide us. If possible, wait until the fog lifts so that you can actually see where you are going and what you are doing.

• Slowing Down: We can make the best use of Mars stationing in Gemini by slowing down the pace, and learning to savor and appreciate each moment as it comes. Gemini rules the senses, and Mars/Neptune increases our sensitivity to the environment, allowing us to see more, hear more, and sense more.

• Charity: Mars/Neptune weather usually works best when we put the emphasis on others, or towards some charitable work, compassionate service or spiritual quest. Although the square implies some sort of effort and sacrifice, it can still prove to be very rewarding in this weather.

• Reflection, introspection and wonder: Get lost in a book, binge watch a series, take a hike to nowhere, go sight-seeing in your own neighborhood, wander off the beaten path. Sometimes it helps to get a little lost in order to find ourselves again.

For next week’s horoscopes, click below:

HOROSCOPES