The month of September 2008 focuses very much on the energy of Libra as the personal planets, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, form a stellium in Libra throughout most of the month. While there are other important astrological events during this month, such as Jupiter in Capricorn forming a trine to Saturn in Virgo and the Vernal Equinox, it’s important to understand the theme of Libra as it plays out in your life.
First of all, since this Libra theme is emphasized by personal planets, this month is really all about you. Yes, the Democrats finished their national convention at the end of August and the Republicans start their national convention on September 1st, this month is still about what’s important to you. Perhaps in that sense, it’s good that the candidates actually start campaigning since they need to focus on your needs, not what they think is good for you. And, unfortunately, their campaigns will turn nasty as the weeks go by so focusing on your needs may help you move forward with life and not get sucked into their energy.
Libra is an interesting sign. It is both the sign of the negotiator and the military general. With the negotiator, there is a desire for peace. With the military general, there is a need to win. Either way, interactions with others is very important to both individuals. Understanding how another person thinks or feels is critical in winning. Before success can occur with strategic planning, all things need to be considered, especially the reactions of other people. The easiest way to win is to find areas of cooperation and to work together.
The new Moon, with Sun and Moon in Virgo, occurred on August 30, 2008, just before the month of September began. During the first two weeks of September, the Moon is in a waxing phase (meaning that it’s increasing in light). When the Moon is increasing in light, starting new projects can be easier. When planning anything that involves publicity, the waxing Moon represents more light coming to the project and more people becoming aware of the event.
On September 2nd, Mercury forms a sextile to Ceres and on September 5th, Venus forms a sextile to Ceres. Ceres represents the need to understand that while you have a lot of power the only way that you’ll win with that power is through the art of compromise. Without compromising you’ll destroy the very thing that you seek to accomplish.
Now is the time to look to your allies and develop other coalitions with people. People are willing to listen to you and support your values. Instead of doing things all alone, you can actually get more things done by accepting help from others. There is the potential for truth to motivate you or others to action. If you try to ram your ideas down the throats of others, you’ll find yourself making enemies of those very people who could help you.
Using force to get your ideas across can be very detrimental between September 7th and 9th, when Mars, Mercury, and Venus form squares to Jupiter as certain temptations come into your life: Getting so excited about your ideas that you believe anything can work; giving out too much information and perhaps let others use that information against you; or, walking away from situations because you feel your needs are not being met. By letting any of those temptations control your actions, you will make poor decisions. It’s more important to use the energy of Jupiter in a way where you can strategize about the possibilities in your life and enlist the help of others so you can achieve your goals. They may have a different approach that is worth listening to.
September 8th is an important day for other reasons. Jupiter in Capricorn turns direct just before Mercury forms its square to Jupiter. During the month that Jupiter was retrograde, you may have felt that anything you were attempting to implement just seemed stuck. If you are a business owner, costs associated with marketing were higher than anticipated. Even advertising campaigns didn’t really bring the results you expected. Now, however, life is moving forward. Re-evaluate your plans and you can determine where you need to make changes so that you can more forward.
Jupiter, now in direct motion, forms a trine to Saturn on this same day. This is a cycle that occurs about every 19 to 21 years in a series of up to five times. What that means is that this aspect occurs several times during a cycle increasing the time of its influence. This aspect has already occurred several times in this cycle: March 16 and May 6, 2007; and January 21, 2008. The last time that it will occur is on November 21, 2008.
When Jupiter forms a trine to Saturn, there is a clash between the excitement of pushing boundaries beyond their limits and a snap back that occurs when this push breaks the very structure that enabled you to have success in your life. It’s like playing with a rubber hand. You stretch the band to see how far it can go without breaking. Yet each time you stretch that band, you actually weaken it. Eventually that band goes beyond its weakest point and breaks, hurting your hand.
Look back at this trine through a historic perspective and you’ll see that events occurred as a reaction to other events. In art, this reaction was the development of neoclassicism as people tired of baroque and rococo in 1750. In finances, this reaction was panic or the destruction of various banks due to over speculation. The panic on United States banks in 1907 was only stopped when J.P. Morgan imported $100 million in gold from Europe. This panic was caused by over speculation in the railroad industry. On a more positive note, more infrastructures were created that enabled individuals easier travel when people found that it took them too long to either travel from place to place or get goods from one part of the country to another. An example of this occurred in 1828 when the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad system began. Another example of this occurred in 1927 when the Holland Tunnel, between New York and New Jersey, opened and the Great Moffat Tunnel through the Rocky Mountains opened.
If you want to protect yourself financially, you need to look at those areas of your life where you’ve overspent or over speculated. It’s difficult with costs rising to decrease expenses, yet you may find that you need to do just that. It’s also important to understand that any financial institutions which over speculated in risky markets are themselves still at risk.
Now is not the time to push to the limits because the limits are beginning to weaken and unravel. This unraveling has been occurring for more than a year. It may be occurring in the financial areas of your life. But it can also occur in other areas of your life, such as your health. Do what you can to prevent your life from spiraling out of control. Start putting limitations on those areas where you’ve stretched too much. By doing so, you’ll actually use the positive energy of this trine: Creating a wonderful foundation that enables you to more forward and stay stabilized. It’s interesting to note that a few hours after this trine occurs, Pluto turns direct. With Pluto turning direct, you are reminded that regaining power over your life is the best way to assure you are in control and no one else is.
Between September 12th and 14th, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all form trines to Chiron retrograde. This can actually be a good thing since Chiron represents healing. Focusing on healing will bring good results. While some people feel Chiron also represents the wounded warrior, you don’t need to let your wounds go so deep into your soul that you never heal from them. Rather, let them surface so you can take care of them. Depending on the wounds, you may feel that this is too much to ask. Yet, by letting these wounds surface, you’ll be free to move on with your life without fear or regrets.
With the full Moon, Sun in Virgo and Moon in Pisces, occurring on September 15th, it is easier to focus on what needs to be changed in your life. You’ll be able to regain control of your life. Just determine what you want to do on a daily basis and don’t make so many external commitments that you lack time. Virgo represents the need to simplify your life. Pisces represents the need to remove thoughts and items that interfere with that simplicity. Clean out your closets. Throw aware those old files if you no longer need them. Even clean up that trash bin on your computer.
September 16th through September 21st could be interesting days. On the 16th, Venus forms a quincunx to Uranus retrograde. On the 17th, Mercury forms a quincunx to Uranus retrograde and Venus forms a trine to Neptune retrograde. On the 19th, Mercury forms a trine to Neptune retrograde and mars forms a quincunx to Uranus retrograde. On the 21st, Mars forms a trine to Neptune retrograde.
When you experience quincunxes, you need to make adjustments in your life. Add the trine of Neptune into this energy and you can either go for your ideal or just stay immobilized due to confusion. Sometimes when you experience Neptune, you feel that you have no control because either you don’t want to do anything or you lack clarity for doing something. At other times you feel very motivated because your dreams have surfaced and are now conscious thoughts. The quincunx is actually good here because it generates enough tension for you to understand your dreams. Unexpected things will occur that forces you to look at life realistically, even if you are in a dream state. If your life is in harmony, you’ll find this period very enriching. If there is something out of harmony, you’ll be forced to deal with the situation and correct any errors. Do the best you can to be very honest with yourself.
The Vernal Equinox occurs on September 22nd and represents the half-way mark of the astrological year. In the Western Hemisphere, this also represents fall and the need to harvest your crop and prepare for winter.
As the Sun enters Libra in the Vernal Equinox, the theme of cooperation continues. You can’t do anything if you try to do it alone. The same is true when you think of harvesting your crop and preparing for winter. When you try to do things alone, it takes longer and is physically more strenuous. When you work with others, the tasks are completed faster and with less physical energy. This is the lesson that we need to learn when meditating on this equinox. If we can learn this lesson, the upcoming global changes will be easier to incorporate into our lives. Any disruption due to change will be lessened. Even the fact that Venus forms a sextile to Pluto on the same day indicates the importance of valuing others and doing things together.
With the movement of Venus into Scorpio on September 23rd, values shift from what you want to what we need. As Mercury turns retrograde on September 24th, people from your past will re-enter your life. Some of these people will be welcomed. In some cases, these people are re-entering your life because you have unfinished business with them. Since Mercury will be in Libra during this period of retrograde which ends on October 15, 2008, continue to pay attention to your relationships.
Mercury retrograde will form another trine to Neptune on September 28th, the day before the new Moon. This is important because you’ll need to re-evaluate your dreams. Pay attention to what other people say. Yet, also be very cautious about their words. They may be trying to cover up the truth through compliments that aren’t real. Once Mercury turns direct in mid-October, you’ll know whether they were speaking the truth.
The new Moon with both Sun and Moon in Libra, ends the month and continues the theme of relationships. If you did believe that you had to do everything on your own, you’ll see how that proved detrimental to you. You’ll be given new experiences that let you develop alliances with others. You’ll experience a sense of freedom as you find you don’t have to do everything on your own.