Author: Amelia Shea

“Asking the proper question is the central act of transformation. Questions are the key that cause the secret doors of the psyche to swing open.”Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

“It’s important to recognize  that forgiveness is more than mere words; it’s a heart attitude that induces a spiritual transformation.” Victoria Osteen

This week’s Solar Eclipse is Tuesday October 25 at 6:49  AM EDT.  The influences are very good at this time – the Sun, Moon and Venus are conjunct at 2 degrees of Scorpio.

A solar eclipse is basically a more powerful New Moon and offers a good time to plant the seeds of your intentions for the future. The influence of a New Moon is four weeks, but the influence of a New Moon eclipse is six months or more.

With Venus conjunct the Sun and Moon, it ushers in a more sociable time – a time that bodes well for friendship, socializing  and romance. It also bodes well for beautifying  your surroundings and bringing more pleasure and a sense of ease into your environment.

The sign of Scorpio is known for its transformational power. So there’s power to be had in terms of what you would like to transform in your life.

The only caveat for this time involves the challenging aspect with Jupiter which is a caution to avoid overindulgence as well as a tendency towards arrogance.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Neighbors help in a house-raising party in a small village.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“We transform the world by what we find in the spiritual world.” Rudolph Steiner

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly.” Richard Bach

This  week starts off with the Sun in a very favorable alignment with Mars – making this  a good time to take action. The Sun and Mars are both aligning favorably with Saturn- indicating a good time for pragmatics. Plan a good approach and go with practical steps and conclusions.

Venus and the Sun are moving up to a square to Pluto – the Lord of Transformation. This can indicate a time when concerns about scarcity may arise – particularly around issues of love, self esteem and finances. Squares in astrology present the opportunity for transformation of the issues involved so this is a good time for overcoming  challenges with a new or evolved approach.

Venus in Libra is forming a quincunx with Neptune, the planets of dreams, visions and illusions. This is a good aspect for inspiration, guidance from spiritual realms and for creative work.

Venus will trine Mars exactly this week indicating a good time to be in touch with what is really valuable to us in our own lives and in relationships.

We are entering a very busy time frame – with the upcoming eclipses on the 25th (at 2 degrees of Scorpio)  and November 8 (at 16 Taurus) and Mars turning retrograde on the 30th. All of these influences can be felt now indicating it bodes well to slow down, stay grounded and be patient.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “The sight of an autumn leaf brings to a pilgrim the sudden revelation of the mystery of life and death.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.” Carl Sandburg

“Thought is action in rehearsal.” Freud

The significant news this week  in astrology is that Mars, the god of action and desire will form a square Neptune, the stormy sea god who governs fog, on Wednesday. This is the first of three squares Mars will make to Neptune; the first is October 12, the second, November 19th and the final time  on March 14, 2023. This influence is likely to be with us throughout this time.

This influence can contribute to confusion and lack of clarity. It’s wise during this time to keep pragmatics in mind as Mars/Neptune contacts can have an illusory nature.

Mars is also slowing down to  station  retrograde at 25 degrees of Gemini on October 30.  The retrograde period (October 30- January 12)  in general will slow things down. It doesn’t mean there won’t be progress; it just is likely to come more slowly.

A good use of the retrograde period is to look at  how we direct our will and take action to accomplish goals.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A young gypsy emerging from the woods gazes at far cities.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda hill

“Soul is where the fires of our passions burn. It is where our love is most alive. The soul longs for this deeper love. for a connection between form and formlessness, for  a continuum between earth and the divine.” Benjamin Shield

“We want our lives to catch fire and burn, not smolder.” Gregg Levoy

The Moon waxes Full Sunday October 9 at 4:55 PM EDT. This is a fiery Full Moon at 16 degrees of Aries. This sign is known for its courage and  determination. In this fiery element there is passion and the ability to burn through obstacles in our way.

Chiron, the asteroid of the Wounded Healer is conjunct the Moon at this time.  Chiron influence is about the soul’s journey and about  evolving in a direction of increased wholeness. It is also about healing fragmentation. In  shamanic terms  this is akin to soul retrieval – retrieving parts of the soul that have fragmented off due to trauma.

This influence can bring up issues which point the way to how we need to evolve. It’s a good time to look at emotional and psychological needs and how best to meet them.

The Moon conjunct Chiron can also be a more vulnerable time emotionally so it’s wise to keep appropriate boundaries in mind.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Brightly clad nature spirits dancing in the warm dying light.”

 

 

 

 

 

“The messages left by intuition are highly personal and they have to be read by the part of the mind that is particularly suited to their translation. They may deal with symbols, for example, instead of the good clear alphabets we’re used to.” Jane Roberts

Mercury stations direct Sunday October 2 at 5:07 AM EDT at 24 degrees of Virgo. For the next few days it bodes well to heed any intuitions or insights that surface that represent a culmination of information.

Three planets – Mercury, Saturn and Pluto will end their retrograde motion in October- Pluto will station direct  on the 8th and Saturn on the 23rd.

One of the Sabian symbols of this time is,”The sight of an autumn leaf brings to a pilgrim the sudden revelation of the mystery of life and death.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

 

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and  rightdoing,
There is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
The world is too full to talk about .
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
Doesn’t make any sense.” Rumi

“The more uncertain I have felt about myself, the more has grown up in me a feeling of kinship with all things.” Carl Jung

Early this week Mercury and Venus will be conjunct and  forming a favorable alignment with Pluto. If there are ways you’d like to improve your relationships or your orientation towards them, this week would provide good timing for thinking more deeply about that.

Mars in Gemini is moving up to a harmonious trine with Saturn this week.  This indicates a good time for planning and for work. It bodes well for the tempering of energy as Mars can be impulsive about moving forward but Saturn provides caution and demands thoroughness. This provides a good balance for short term/long term planning.

In general under the Mars/Saturn influence it’s wise to slow down and avoid rushing.

Venus moves into Libra on Thursday. and will move up to an opposition to Jupiter. This is a great combination for fun and pleasure but given Jupiter has an “over the top” side also , its best to watch for overreaction and overindulgence.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Having an urgent task to complete, a woman doesn’t look to any distractions.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world of possibility not born until they arrive and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”Anais Nin

“Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small- we haven’t time – and to see takes time. Like to have a friend takes time.” Georgia O’Keefe

The New Moon is Sunday September 25 at 5:55 PM EDT at 2 degrees of LIbra.  This is a beneficent New Moon -making a good connection with Jupiter, the planet of good luck, expansion and pleasure. This indicates a good time for setting intentions about what you would like to expand in your life.

The New Moon in Libra opens a new cycle to consider relationships (of all kinds) to see if you have new aspirations in this area of life.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Two lovers are strolling through a secluded park.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“We live in a time when the greatest form of courage is to act as if our lives made a difference.” William Sullivan

The  Autumn Equinox is Thursday September 22 at 9:04 PM EDT.  The Equinox marks the time of the Sun’s ingress into Libra – the sign of equilibrium and duality.

The time around the Equinox bodes well for looking back at events of the last season and charting your course for the upcoming one.

Following soon after the Equinox comes the Feast of Michelmas – an ancient Celtic festival – which celebrates one of the quarter days of the year. These festivals in general are meant to bring us more closely in touch with the magic of the seasons, the rhythms of the earth and the earth’s connection to the cosmos.

Michelmas celebrates the passage of the earth through the late summer meteor showers and the time when the northern hemisphere begins to tilt away from the sun.

In many Michelmas celebrations a play is performed about how the humble peasant George slays a dragon. George was able to face great odds and persevere with great courage due to the help and guidance of the Archangel, Michael.

The celebration of Michaelmas is a reminder to cultivate courage for the sometimes daunting tasks we all face. And to rekindle the inner fire as we move towards the darkness of the season.

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill.
Where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.” Rumi

The Sun at the early part of this week will be in a favorable alliance with Pluto. This provides a very good time for strengthening your will power and your determination. Pluto, in this situation, brings strength, determination and can help clarify vision.

Jupiter is now opposing retrograde Mercury at 4 degrees. This provides good timing to look at plans and ideas to see if they need to be brought into a better balance. Because Mercury is retrograde, it bodes well to explore a range of  possible options.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A woman watches her ideals taking a concrete form before her inner vision.”

 

 

“What seas what shores what grey rocks and what islands
What water lapping the bow
And scent of pine and the wood thrush singing through the fog
What images return
O my daughter…” TS Eliot

“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.” e.e.cummings

The Moon waxes full Saturday 9/10 at 5:59 AM EDT at 17 degrees of  Pisces. This is a watery, moody, emotional  Moon in close proximity to the Sea God, Neptune- heightening intuition and making it an excellent time for dreaming or dreaming the future into being , as the Peruvian shamans would say.

The Moon is in a friendly alliance with Uranus, the planet of invention and innovation. This influence can sometimes bring sudden or surprising events – especially combined with the ongoing Saturn/Uranus square. If so, it’s best to seek innovative solutions and presume all the information is not yet in.

There may be chance meetings and new opportunities that present themselves around this time. Best to keep aspirations high and move  away from rigid thinking that has outlived its usefulness.

Emotions, as the tides, can run high at this time.  A better use of the energy is to strengthen intuition.

It also bodes well to keep a healthy, sustainable vision for the future of the planet.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”In a quiet moment, a creative individual experiences the flow of inspiration.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill