The month of October begins with an intensity that feels overbearing. Yet, as the month continues, you’ll start feeling that energy is shifting into one where balance is sought. The most important occurrence during this month will be the entry of Saturn in Libra at the end of the month which emphasizes the need to move from extremes and find balance in your life.
You’ll feel this intensity when the full Moon occurs on October 4th and the personal planets make various stressful aspects to the stellium of Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune, all retrograde in Aquarius.
This is a period of adjustment for you in many ways. With the Moon in Aries, you need to think about your personal needs. Yet, with the Sun in Libra, you need to also think about people who are important to you. During the month of September, there were many frustrations between people who wanted to create change and those who wanted things to remain the same. These frustrations may actually come to a head today.
After the full Moon occurs, Venus in Virgo forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde. If this were a weekday, the stock market would be displaying very erratic behavior, which it still might on Monday, October 5th. On a personal note, this is a day where you really need to consider your long-term plans and how relationships fit into your plans.
Both Mercury and Mars form a quincunx to Neptune retrograde and a sextile to each other. This means that a yod is formed on October 4th. A yod is often called the fickle finger of God by astrologers. You think you understand what’s going on and you start taking actions. However, with Neptune involved, not all the facts are visible. Next thing you know, you have to change your plans because new facts keep surfacing.
Mercury also forms an opposition to Uranus retrograde which can cause both mental fatigue and anger as you feel that nothing is moving forward. This feeling that nothing is moving forward can result in angry words at those who you love. Or, it could result in walking away from situations rather than resolving them. Mars does form a trine to Uranus retrograde which may help you take some form of action. But be very careful. If you move too quickly you might take an action that you later regret. The better thing to do today is not much. Take a wait and see attitude. If your first instinct was correct, you can always act on it later.
Venus forms a quincunx to Chiron retrograde on October 7th and Mercury forms a conjunction to Saturn on October 8th. On these two days you’ll see results from any actions you took on the 4th. You may need to go back and apologize to someone if your actions were those of anger. You may need to help someone resolve emotional issues if they let stress get in their way on the 4th. The 7th and 8th will be interesting days. If you take the time to listen to others, you’ll be able to help them or get sound advice from them. If you felt confused about plans, you’ll be able to see things better now, both the pros and cons to your plans.
On the 9th of October, Venus forms an opposition to Uranus retrograde and a quincunx to Neptune retrograde. Mercury is also returning to the same position it was in on September 17, 2009 and re-entering the sign of Libra. Perhaps you don’t remember anything important happening in your life around mid-September. It was around that time period that Saturn formed its opposition to Uranus retrograde. It was also around that time period that the September new Moon occurred. President Obama was trying to get his health care proposal passed. You’ll finally see some concrete proposals regarding health care (or insurance) reform. It was also the time period where people felt more polarized that usual. Perhaps you felt that your life was polarized at that time. If so, it’s possible that you may find ways to regain some balance in life.
After Mercury re-enters Libra, it will form a square to Pluto on October 10th. Throughout the month of October you’ll see various aspects to Pluto as Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Ceres change signs. When Mercury forms a square to Pluto, you feel that other people are trying to manipulate you into decisions you’re not ready to make. It’s important that you control your words or they’ll be used against you. This is not a day to push yourself too much because it’s too easy to get mentally fatigued.
Ceres enters the sign of Scorpio while Mars forms a sextile to Saturn on October 12th. Ceres represents the need to compromise through power, yet in Scorpio there may be difficulty for Ceres to compromise. Be careful that you don’t mistake the need for force in a situation when compromise will actually work better. At least with Mars forming a sextile to Saturn, you’ll be able to maintain clarity of purpose with any actions you take. You’ll think seriously before you take any actions.
Jupiter turns direct on October 13th and this is good for any form of business or personal planning. Jupiter initially went retrograde on June 15, 2009. Whenever Jupiter is retrograde in a mundane chart it means that the cost of marketing is higher than expected. In your personal life it may mean that the cost of implementing long-term plans is higher than you anticipated. You may find it more difficult to get everything done. However, with Jupiter now direct and Venus forming a conjunction to Saturn, you’ll be able to understand your financial needs better and perhaps even put some plans into action.
On October 14th, Ceres forms a sextile to Pluto and Venus enters the sign of Libra, one of the signs that it rules. This could be a good day to work out any relationship problems. It is also a good day to review your financial situation and make changes to your budget. With Venus forming a square to Pluto on the 15th, you could feel frustrated that bills keep increasing in cost while salaries just stay the same. Unfortunately, the employment situation is not looking any better right now.
The new Moon, with both Sun and Moon in Libra, occurs on October 18th. Mars also forms a quincunx to Pluto on the same day and this energy is felt with the new Moon. As you probably know, the new Moon represents a time when it’s good to take new actions or build on past actions. This new Moon is forming a trine to Neptune retrograde and a quincunx to Uranus retrograde. That means that you need to move slowly and get all the facts first. You may have some dreams about romantic encounters if you’re single. Or, you may have hopes about improving your financial situation. Relationships are important right now, whether those relationships are with others or with areas of your life. You need to make certain that you feel a sense of empowerment.
Mercury forms a trine to Jupiter on October 20th and a trine to Chiron retrograde on October 23rd. During these three days you’ll experience more optimistic thoughts. People around you will seem to be less stressed. You’ll be able to discuss important matters and other people will listen. If at all possible, take some time to have fun.
On October 24th, Mercury forms a trine to Neptune retrograde and a quincunx to Uranus retrograde. Because the previous three days were so optimistic and relaxing, you will probably feel the same way even with Mercury forming the quincunx to Uranus retrograde. This could be a “eureka” day where you gain phenomenal insight into matters of spirit. If you have dreams this evening, write them down. They may not make sense right now, but they will over the next few days.
When Mercury enters Scorpio on October 28th, it also forms a sextile to Pluto and Venus forms a trine to Jupiter. This is another day where feelings of optimism prevail. You’ll hear more about women’s issues in the news. You’ll hear news about the world’s economy improving, especially the personal housing market. There may even be some good news regarding employment.
October 29th is a very important day. Saturn enters the sign of Libra. It will remain in Libra until April 7, 2010 when it retrogrades back into Virgo for a short period. Once it re-enters Libra on July 21, 2010, it will remain in that sign until October 5, 2012. Saturn is a 28-year cycle that stays in a sign for about 2.5 years. It represents global shifts that focus on implementing rules and new structures for societal changes. With Saturn in Libra, many of these rules will focus on relationships between various organizations as well as individuals.
Saturn also indicates where energy is restricted. At times when Saturn is in Libra polarization between people occurs because individuals are stuck with their opinions and unwilling to develop compromises. Yet, if people are willing to listen to each other, they can come together, study the problems, and develop creative solutions which serve the needs of most, if not all, the people in society.
Economically, Saturn in Libra represents a time when leaders try to balance situations which are “out of whack.” President Ronald Reagan believed that changes were necessary to keep the United States out of a recession. On April 28, 1981 he introduced his new economic plan to Congress: Supply-side economics, also called Voodoo economic by his critics. He proposed to reduce government spending, reduce individual income and corporate taxes, increase national defense, and delegate more spending expenses to state and local governments. At the time President Reagan proposed his plan, the fiscal 1980 budget deficit was $60 billion. By 1986, that actual budget deficient was $221 billion.
When elected, President Harry S. Truman felt he could rid the United States of economic problems caused by World War II and bring the United States into a peace-time economy. However, North Korea invaded South Korea and his plans were scuttled. Instead, the United States entered into the Korean War, often called the forgotten war. On December 16, 1950, President Truman signed the National Emergency Proclamation (Proc. No. 1914; 15 F.R. 9029, 64 Stat. a454) which enabled him to place controls on wages, prices, and material allocations. The annual defense budget nearly quadrupled. High inflation occurred and budget deficits increases. Corporate and income taxes were raised and credit tightened.
These are just two examples of leaders trying to balance a situation. Yet by trying to make changes to balance the situations, new problems are created. While economists and administrators need to find ways to “re-balance” the economy, too many measures are implemented without understanding all the consequences. Changes need to occur in measured steps, not quickly. The impact on people and their daily lives also needs to be considered. There is a real danger when Saturn is in Libra that budget deficits increase to the point that inflation becomes a major problem.
One of the most important lessons that people forget is when things go to one extreme, it’s important to come back to the center. Economically, you need to find the balance in your life and bring your finances back to the center. This is not the easiest thing to do in a world where employment is uncertain and jobs can be at risk. Saturn does represent that you need to put more constraints in your life as it relates to spending. Economies based on consumer spending are those which will suffer the most. At the same time, saving is going to be difficult because credit will continue to be tight. This means that interest rates will remain low making saving money more difficult.
What is fascinating about Saturn in Libra is the need to build structures that can let you communicate with other people. The first telephone switch board was used in 1892. Radio entered homes in 1921 and televisions entered homes in 1950 and 1951. While you may not want to travel a lot, you’ll still want to know what is occurring in the world. You’ll want to maintain contact with other individuals. The communication systems which continue to be developed during this cycle are not necessarily new inventions. Rather they are enhancements of technology which makes it easier for you to use. More telephones will interface with the internet. Cell phone companies will be required to find ways to let you use the same technology on different systems. Texting and other means of communication which is done in public yet also meets the need for personal privacy will continue to flourish. In business, more meetings will occur via teleconferencing. Even taking notes at those meetings will become easier as you can download what you write into your computer.
Spiritually Saturn in Libra represents finding your balance through living a daily life that doesn’t bring you to extremes. It represents the need to understand that compromise can also bring joy. Difficulties in relationships occur when one person wants more than the other person.
Approaching life from a holistic perspective can really help right now. If you have any health crises, consider all aspects of healing. If you have any relationship crises, consider everyone’s needs. Saturn in Libra is a transitional placement, moving you from thinking only about yourself into thinking about how you relate to others. The understanding of your relationship with others and global situations will enable you to use the best of this energy.
As the month of October ends, Chiron turns direct and Venus forms a trine to Chiron. This movement really emphasizes the need to look at your life from a holistic perspective. It increases your ability to heal. It increases your ability to achieve. It emphasizes how understanding your relationship with the world can bring you back to a sense of balance.