On September 8, 2008, Jupiter formed a trine to Saturn indicating that a 19- to 21-year cycle dealing with financial pitfalls was activated. Throughout the month of September, the United States economy plummeted into free fall as one major investment corporation or bank after another tumbled like dominoes standing on their ends. In the September 2008 article on this website a historical example of economic woes was given: In 1907, the panic on United States banks was only stopped when J.P. Morgan imported $100 million in gold from Europe. Today, J.P. Morgan Chase purchased most of Washington Mutual for $1.9 billion in what is considered one of the largest bank failures to date. According to the Washington Post: “This is the first time, however, that a large bank funded mostly by deposits has failed during the current crisis.”
The articles written for this website focus on astrological energy patterns that are occurring during the month and how to best use those patterns for your spiritual growth. This was a conscious choice when these articles were first conceived. The upcoming trends, especially for the year 2009, indicate that economic problems will continue until new models are developed. Old economic models have not worked for years. People just kept stretching the limit of those models until the limit burst and the underlying crisis rose to the surface. This reinforces my choice of focusing on the astrological patterns that occur during the month and how to best utilize them in your life. This also reinforces my choice that a book on trends must continue to be written so perhaps people will learn from historic examples when these trends reoccur. My book, Trends for the Year 2009, will be available the first week of November 2008.
Throughout the month of October 2008, Mercury is very active. This is a minor planet when analyzing trends, yet it becomes a very important when dealing with these trends in your life. Mercury is a personal planet. It represents the need to understand what is happening in your life. It also represents the need to communicate your thoughts to others, especially to those people you love. Mercury is the planet of information. Too much information and you get confused because a lot of the information is contradictory. Too little information and you risk making errors in your life that can cause problems later on. This is the lesson of Mercury: Take time to gather information before you make a decision. Filter that information so you can see where the contradictions exist. Don’t just hold on to the information as if it’s a secret. Rather, move forward with that information so you can take the best actions possible to ensure a safe and happy future.
The sign placement of Mercury in Libra is just as important. Normally Mercury stays about three weeks in one sign. However, because Mercury went retrograde in September 2008, it’s extending its stay in the sign of Libra. This means that negotiations and compromises are very critical during the month of October. Understanding as many points of view becomes important if you want to make the right decisions. Life is not just about you this month. Life is about your family, friends, and even strangers who are now linked by a common goal: Improve the economic situation.
On the 1st of October, Mercury retrograde forms a quincunx in Uranus retrograde. Instead of getting the actual facts, you’re get bits and pieces of the information but not all the facts. Decisions or agreements made on this day will be broken.
Mental energy is scattered and it’s difficult to focus. You need to be careful when driving or taking any actions. Accidents can happen right. Even the weather is unpredictable.
October 2nd is a calmer day with both Mars forming a sextile to Pluto and Mercury retrograde forming a sextile to Ceres. You’ll find opportunities to make changes in your life and feel the power of your convictions. You’ll find that people are willing to compromise on matters that are important. Any negotiations on this day have a chance to succeed as long as no power plays are made.
This same energy continues into the 4th of October when Mars enters Scorpio and Mercury retrograde forms a trine to Chiron retrograde and the 5th of October when Venus forms a sextile to Jupiter.
Mars is in its own sign when it enters Scorpio. It represents the ability to analyze situations in a way that you understand the deeper meaning of the circumstance. You’ll be able to see just how the world situation is impacting you on a personal level.
With Mercury forming a trine to Chiron, you’ll be able to discuss any fears you have with people you love. You’ll also be able to listen and give compassion to other people. This could be a tremendous day of healing for you. The key is to understand what caused you pain and let go of that pain, especially is that pain is surrounded with anger.
The sextile that Venus forms to Jupiter can lead to some optimism and perhaps plans can be put in place that will protect you from some economic distress. Venus is not really in its comfort zone because it’s in the sign of Scorpio. Today, however, this is a good placement for Venus because it means that you will do everything possible to understand the plan. And, if you are unable to understand the plan, you’ll spend time analyzing it until it makes sense and you can use it in your life.
The placement of Venus in Scorpio gets more difficult from October 6th through October 11th because you really are forced to deal with financial matters. During these next few days you’re also forced to address problems that you’ve been avoiding.
People may try to break their commitments to you on October 6th when Ceres forms a quincunx to Uranus retrograde and Mercury retrograde forms a square to Jupiter. They may try to use your own words or actions against you. Be cautious if you have to compromise. While compromise does mean conceding important points, it doesn’t mean losing your way and letting someone else take control. When Mercury squares Jupiter there’s a tendency to want to believe the other person without verifying the facts. It’s only later that you find out critical facts were omitted and you didn’t make the correct decision. This is not a day to negotiate.
While Venus forms a sextile to Saturn on October 7th, Venus also forms a square to Chiron on the same day which transforms into a fixed T-square on October 11th. Money is a major concern and the concern deepens. Not all the solutions you’ve heard are realistic. If you are a sensitive person, you’ll feel the world’s tension as matters remain unresolved. You have an opportunity to restructure your goals at this time as long as you don’t react out of fear. And, if you react out of fear, the fear will increase on October 8th when Chiron retrograde forms a quincunx to Saturn. Be prepared for unexpected news on October 10th when Venus forms a trine to Uranus. There may actually be major changes surrounding the Presidential candidates.
If people have been trying to break their commitments with you, you’ll discover the real reason why on October 10th. If you have been trying to work through problems, you will gain some insight on this day. This is a day when secrets are revealed.
October 11th is a critical day. Ceres forms an opposition to Neptune retrograde. And, Venus forms a square to Neptune retrograde and Ceres. This is a very tight fixed T-square in the signs of Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Metaphysically, this is a day when the veil between dimensions is opened. Energies can flow in without discrimination. Fears can jostle Wall Street and emotionally unbalance you.
Both Ceres and Venus represent different aspects of femininity. Ceres is the mother who loves her child so much she will do anything for her child, including destroy her own world. Venus is the woman who wants passion to rule her life and will risk anything to find that passion. Neptune can either reveal inner secrets by tearing that veil of deceit. Or, Neptune can create so much hope that people hear what they want to hear and not the reality of a situation. Metaphorically this can mean that people don’t care what conflicts are started now because they want to protect an ideal. It can mean that passion is placed in the wrong places. So be very careful making judgments today. You may be willing to risk everything for an ideal which doesn’t exist.
It seems fitting that the full Moon occurs on October 14th with the Sun in Libra and the Moon in Aries. You really need to look at those ideals you were willing to fight for just a few days ago. You may be able to get a more realistic picture. Still, it’s important for you to choose your battles wisely. As already written, one of the most critical themes for this month is the importance of understanding the information you hear and determine what is accurate and what it not. If you meditate during the full Moon, choose to meditate on the energy of Mercury in Libra. Hopefully that will bring you the information you need so you don’t risk everything for an ideal that isn’t real. You may even receive some help from unexpected resources in getting valid information. For people sensitive to spirit guides and other dimensions, help may come in the form of dreams or divine intervention.
Mercury in Libra turns direct on October 15th. Communications may have been flowing the first two weeks of this month, but they were not always direct or understandable. At times you received information overload. Now, with Mercury turning direct, you get better information. Even your communications with other people improve.
Sometimes when Mercury is retrograde, people from your past re-enter your life. That may have happened during the first two week of October. With Chiron forming a conjunction to the Moon’s North Node on October 16th, the day after Mercury turned direct, you’ll run into situations which seem very familiar. Even new people you meet seem familiar. This is really a day where you learn that while here comes someone who proclaims he or she is new, they really are just the same as everyone else.
The next few days feel mellow compared to the previous week or so. Venus enters Sagittarius on October 18th and the intensity of your feelings starts abating. The Sun enters Scorpio on October 22nd and you find that while communications is important, you’d rather keep more information to yourself. Even the pollsters are finding it difficult to predict how the Presidential race will turn out.
Chiron turns direct on October 25th and the following day Mercury forms a trine to Chiron and a square to Jupiter. On October 27th, Mars forms a square to Chiron and a sextile to Jupiter and on October 28th, Mercury forms a quincunx to Uranus. All of this leaves you with the feeling that these four days are exaggerations of some sort of soap opera. People want to express their feelings and confess their sins. Yet these same people get angry if you judge them. People want to go out and save the world, yet these same people glare at you when you ask them how they’ll save the world. It’s all about the drama and not the substance. You can get sucked into this energy or you can pull back, think about your own traumas, and decide how you’ll heal from them all. You may even feel that you’re reliving the first week of October since the energies have some similarities to that first week.
Hopefully the new Moon on October 28th will bring a sense of new beginnings in your life. To be honest, this is a very intense new Moon not only because both the Sun and Moon are in Scorpio but also because Mercury had formed that quincunx to Uranus earlier in the day. This is not the best new Moon to have before a Presidential election because it means that the outcome of the election won’t be decided until the last minute.
As the month ends with Mercury forming a trine to Neptune on October 30th, it is important to get the facts before making a decision. This is not the best day for signing contracts because information is often withheld from you. People are trying to coax you into decisions through flattery which may or may not be valid.
The key to understanding October is the lesson of Mercury in Libra and the important of communication. If you can discern the facts from all the chattering that surrounds you, you will be able to make the best decisions for your life.