Important astrological energies for the month of October:

• Mercury in Virgo turns direct on October 2, 2022. It turned retrograde on September 9, 2022 when it was in the sign of Libra. It re-entered the sign of Virgo on September 23, 2022.
• Full Moon with Sun in Libra and Moon in Aries occurs on October 9, 2022.
• Partial Solar (NM) Eclipse with the Sun and Moon in Scorpio occurs on October 25, 2022.
• Jupiter retrograde re-enters the sign of Pisces on October 28, 2022. Jupiter initially entered the sign of Pisces on May 13, 2021 and turned retrograde on June 20, 2021. It re-entered the sign of Aquarius on July 26, 2021 in retrograde motion and turned direct in Aquarius on October 18, 2021. It returned to the sign of Pisces on December 28, 2021 and remained there until May 10, 2022 when it entered the sign of Aries. It turned retrograde on July 28, 2022. It will remain in the sign of Pisces this time until December 20, 2022 when it finally enters the sign of Aries and remains there.
• Mars in Gemini turns retrograde on October 30, 2022. It will remain retrograde until January 12, 2023.

October 2022 – Your Needs are Important

By Misty Kuceris ©2022

As the month of October begins, you can feel the shift that Mercury is about to make. But not quite. Before that shift occurs, Venus forms the opposition to Jupiter retrograde on October 1^st, and you need to be careful that your passion doesn’t overtake your sense of logic. You might spend too much money. You may make too many commitments that you regret later.

Even though an opposition is considered a malefic aspect, you feel very optimistic when Venus forms the opposition to Jupiter. You feel as if you can do anything and throw all caution to the wind. Perhaps that’s what the opposition means in this case. You’re ready to try anything. You feel that you don’t need to stay within the rules. Yet, it’s this very optimism that could get you in trouble if you don’t curb your passion. If at all possible, hold off just a bit until you understand where that passion could lead you.

It gets a little easier to determine what direction you want to take in life as Mercury in Virgo turns direct on October 2^nd. It turned retrograde on September 9, 2022 when it was in the sign of Libra. It re-entered the sign of Virgo on September 23, 2022.

Now that Mercury is direct, especially in Virgo, you feel as if you have a game plan. You know what you need to do to get everything in order. You’re willing to take the necessary steps even if those steps resemble your normal routine. You don’t need to do anything special, just move on with your life.

Not only do you want to move on with your life on a routine basis, but you also want to roam the world to see what’s out there when Ceres forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde on October 5^th. You have no fear of the unknown.

When you experience this aspect between Ceres and Jupiter, you feel as if there’s an archetype playing out here. Ceres is before the king of the gods. She knows that she can demand anything. She is fearless in her approach. She doesn’t fear anyone who is in power, especially the king of all power. Yet in order to succeed, Ceres needs to make adjustments in how to approach situations in order to win. What this means on a personal level is that you are willing to move forward in life with little to no fear. You realize that you need to be cautious in your approach. Yet, you don’t fear authority. You don’t take anything that the “King” says at face value. You realize that other people, especially those in authority, want to win more than you do. Yet, you also know that if you bow to the authority by agreeing to their demands, you’ll lose the very respect and standing that you need to win. Think of making adjustments as knowing when to compromise today without giving up anything of importance.

When Mercury forms a trine to Pluto retrograde on October 6^th, this will be the last time this trine occurs in this triad sequence. When it first occurred on August 22^nd, Mercury was direct and Pluto was retrograde. At that time you wanted to make important contributions to society. You wanted to express your personal power. But you weren’t quite certain as to the best steps to take. When this aspect occurred for the second time on September 27^th, both Mercury and Pluto were retrograde and you felt that you needed to review the contributions you were making to determine if you felt you were on the right track. You also decided that it would be best to keep quiet and not take any actions yet. Now that this trine is occurring for the last time and Mercury is once again direct, you do know what you need to do. You realize how important it is to stand up for your belief systems. You’re also ready to make changes in the commitments you made over the past several months. Perhaps they are unrealistic, so you cut back on the number of commitments you made. Or, perhaps you feel there is more you can do, so you reaffirm your dedication to the project or goal.

Pluto is such a low-key planet when it comes to your personal nature, that you may not feel it shift from retrograde motion to direct motion on October 8^th. Pluto went retrograde on April 29^th. If there were some personal matters that you needed to take care of, you might find that it’s easier to do that now. Or, if people tried to keep secrets, you may find them revealed. As a matter of fact, if people were working against you, that will be revealed.

At the time of a full Moon, you want to make changes in your life. This is especially true on October 9^th when the full Moon occurs with the Sun in Libra and the Moon in Aries. You’re tired of taking care of others. You want to have more time with yourself. You want other people to consider your needs. With Venus forming a conjunction to the Sun and an opposition to Chiron retrograde during the time of the full Moon, you realize just how important it is to take care of your own needs. You also realize with Chiron retrograde conjunct the Moon and forming an opposition to the Sun that if you don’t stand up for your needs, other people will try to take advantage of you. Understanding this, you know it’s time to stand up for your rights and stop others from taking advantage of you.

Before Mercury re-enters the sign of Libra on October 10^th, Venus forms an opposition to Chiron retrograde. With Venus in Libra and Mercury about to re-enter the sign of Libra, relationships seem even more important today. With Venus forming the opposition to Chiron retrograde, you don’t want to be involved in any relationships that bring you pain. And, with Chiron retrograde in the sign of Aries, you realize that it’s time you took care of your own needs. Helping others is fine, as long as you don’t injure yourself in the process.

As Mercury re-enters the sign of Libra you realize that communications are important. You want people to hear what you have to say. You don’t want to be ignored. Also, being treated fairly is very important. If you feel that you’re not being treated fairly, you will stand up for your rights. And, if you see someone else being treated unfairly, you’ll also take the time to stand up for their rights.

Before Mercury forms it’s last opposition to Jupiter retrograde in this triad sequence on October 12^th, Mars forms a square to Neptune retrograde. You want to move on with your life, but you’re a bit confused: You don’t have total clarity on the best direction to take. More importantly, with Mars in Gemini, you need to be very select when it comes to sharing information with others. You don’t want your words to be used against you. If possible, it’s better to hold back and assess your situation.

As Mercury moves into the opposition to Jupiter retrograde, you realize just how important it is to move slowly. This is not the first time this aspect occurred in this triad sequence. The first time that Mercury formed the opposition to Jupiter retrograde was on September 2^nd. At that time you may have been dealing with paperwork or legal matters. But, it wasn’t easy to complete all that paperwork at that time. Or, you may have been thinking about your long-term goals and the best way to approach those goals. Yet, you still couldn’t decide which goals were the most important.

As this aspect occurred the second time, on September 18^th, both Mercury and Jupiter were retrograde and you found yourself re-evaluating any steps that you started earlier in September. You also realized how important it was to start writing down your long-term goals even though you realized it wasn’t time to implement those goals.

Now that Mercury, in direct motion, is forming the opposition to Jupiter retrograde for the third and last time in this triad sequence, you’re ready to implement some of the plans you made. Just don’t try to do it all at once. Continue to take your time and move with caution. When Jupiter goes direct on November 23^rd, you’ll finally have all the information you need to fully implement your plans or take care of any legal matters.

You probably experience a lot of surprises on October 13^th as Venus forms a quincunx to Uranus retrograde. You may need to make some adjustments with your budget because you just discovered that a payment is greater than normally expected. Or, you may find that a relationship you were involved with isn’t working out quite the way you expected. Perhaps it’s time to consider leaving the relationship or expressing your needs a bit louder. Because Uranus retrograde is involved, this is not the time to make any major commitments with either a relationship or financial matters. Also, don’t be at all surprised if you run into someone from your past. That’s not uncommon when Venus and Uranus make an aspect. It’s as if the universe is handing you a pop quiz with the following question: Are you ready to let go of the past and move on with your life? This is especially true if in the past you didn’t express your real self.

You feel very confident on October 14^th as Venus forms a trine to Saturn retrograde. You know what you want. You know what to do. You aren’t questioning your approach, that’s how confident you feel. This is a good day to express your needs and go after what you want. If you’re involved in a relationship, you may find that any matters which didn’t make sense are suddenly brought into focus and you can resolve any problems. Or, if there was a situation which appeared unresolved, you’ll find a way to solve that dilemma.

Be very cautious on October 17^th as Venus forms a quincunx to Neptune retrograde. Things aren’t as they seem. Other people may be making promises, but they won’t keep them. Or worse, they may discount your needs and your reality to the point that they are gaslighting you. (If you don’t know what gaslighting means it’s this: The other person or people involved in a situation with you are discounting your words and even you personally. They are trying to make you feel that your perception is not accurate even though it is.) This need to discount what you say is especially true if you’re trying to negotiate an important contract. Either you won’t get all the facts or people will deceive you. In addition, there’s always hidden costs when Neptune forms an aspect to Venus, especially with Neptune retrograde.

This need to be careful, especially with your words, continues on October 19^th when Mercury forms an opposition to Chiron retrograde. Sometimes when this opposition occurs, especially with Mercury in Libra and Chiron retrograde in Aries, you want to stand up for your rights or protect the rights of others. But, you may not have the entire story. This is a good time to pull back and review your facts. Be careful because other people may be ready to argue with your reasoning. Or, they may be trying to draw you into their reasoning when the truth is that they are deceiving you.

If you realize that others are unwilling to listen to your comments or concerns, just step away. Trying to communicate in that situation isn’t worth it. No good will come from it because the other people are entrenched in their beliefs and are not willing to listen.

There is a lot of passion when Venus forms an aspect to Pluto. And today, October 20^th, Venus is forming a square to Pluto indicating that you are driven to find a solution and very passionate about your approach. At the same time, you realize that if you push yourself too hard, you may overdo things.

But when Venus forms a square to Pluto it’s sometimes difficult to not push yourself too hard. That’s all the more reason to slow down and pay attention to your personal space, as well as your limitations. You’ll achieve a lot more if you step back, access your situation, and reflect on the best course of action. You may even want to reconsider your actions and determine if they actually serve your best interests.

It actually helps a lot that Mercury forms both a quincunx to Uranus and a trine to Saturn on October 22^nd. A few days ago you were reflecting on your motives and whether your actions best served your interests. Today, with Mercury forming the quincunx to Uranus retrograde, new information is coming into your life that both upsets you and also liberates you. The reason this information may upset you is because either you’re learning some truths that were hidden from you, or, you’re being presented with information that forces you to review situations from a different perspective.

As Mercury moves into the trine to Saturn retrograde, you realize that this new information is actually a blessing in disguise. You see things clearly. You’re able to articulate your needs as they relate to this new information. You realize that if any person withheld information from you or lied to you, you can now get the clear information you needed. The truth is in front of you.

October 23^rd may be a very busy day. Saturn turns direct, Venus enters the sign of Scorpio, Sun enters the sign of Scorpio, and Venus forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde.

You don’t always feel the shift of energy when Saturn moves from retrograde motion into direct motion as it does on October 23^rd. It went retrograde on June 4^th. Sometimes people tell me that they have a lot more energy when the shift occurs because when Saturn was retrograde they felt a little sluggish. Other people, however, don’t experience anything. With Saturn in the sign of Aquarius, you may feel a little more compassion towards other people. You may even decide that you want to move forward with your life and take on more responsibilities. Or, as I already wrote, you may not feel anything of significance.

When Venus enters the sign of Scorpio, you may feel a greater need for privacy and even secrecy. Venus isn’t always comfortable in the sign of Scorpio which is its detriment because Venus represents the desire to be involved in a relationship, not the desire for privacy. Yet, Scorpio indicates the need to withdraw and understand things from a deeper perspective. You tend to value privacy and secrecy. At the same time, you value and want passion in your relationships. For this reason, you may even find yourself sending mixed signals to others when Venus is in Scorpio. You want to move quickly into the relationship only to scare yourself, maybe feeling that you’re revealing too much information. So, you pull back. And, that confuses other people.

What is good about Venus in Scorpio is that you are more willing to listen to what other people have to say so you can understand them better. As you get to know other people and you feel that you can trust them, your loyalty towards them increases. You do what you can to make the relationship work.

When the Sun enters the sign of Scorpio, you find that by honoring privacy, you can develop better long-term relationships. You can also find ways to understand other people’s point of view, even if you don’t necessarily agree with that point of view. In addition, you enjoy viewing life from the sidelines. It’s not that you don’t want to be involved in situations. Rather you prefer to be the power behind the throne instead of the actual power on the throne. Accomplishing your goals is more important than receiving accolades.

Not long after Venus and the Sun both enter the sign of Scorpio, Venus forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde. Now you realize that you may need to make some changes in how you approach life and your relationships. Making certain that your needs are being filled is important. Yet how you express those needs is where your approach changes. Before you tried to explain to other why those needs were important. Now you realize that explaining your needs is simply a way you’re trying to justify why you are an important individual. You realize that you’re wonderful the way you are and you don’t need to explain or justify.

On October 25^th, a partial solar eclipse occurs which can be seen in Europe, Northeast African, the Mideast, and West Asia. It is part of Saros 124. Solar eclipses always occur at the time of the new Moon which means that both the Sun and Moon are in the same sign. In this case, both luminaries are in the sign of Scorpio.

Normally at the time of the new Moon you want to start something. Yet eclipses tend to obscure matters. And with both the Sun and Moon in Scorpio, there is more going on under the surface that usually. During this time period, do everything possible not to get caught up in whatever games others are playing. If possible, watch situations from the sidelines. You may feel passionately about situations, but this passion could create problems if you let the passion control your actions. Also, what happens now will probably not be fully revealed until November 8^th, the time of the Total Lunar Eclipse.

This need to move cautiously continues as Mercury forms a quincunx to Neptune retrograde. You can’t trust what other people are saying. You need to be very careful because their agendas may not, and probably do not, match your agenda. People are withholding information from you or just lying about situations. And, as always with aspects between Mercury and Neptune, especially tension aspects, don’t sign any contracts or make any major financial investments.

Life can feel so intense when Mercury forms a square to Pluto as it does on October 27^th. You feel as if you need to focus on so many things in order to achieve just one goal. As a matter of fact, your communication style could be so intense that it’s putting off other people. Try to relax.

The good news is that even though this aspect is a square, you can still focus on your goals. You may feel a little tension as you do, but that’s all right. Any tension that you feel will enable you to get things done better.

On October 28^th, Jupiter re-enters Pisces for the last time in this cycle of Jupiter in Pisces. Every twelve years, Jupiter enters the sign of Pisces. Usually it remains in the sign for about 1.5 years. It initially entered the sign of Pisces on May 13, 2021 for only a little more than a month: Until June 20, 2021. It re-entered the sign of Pisces a second time from December 28, 2021 until May 10, 2022. Now that it is once again in Pisces, it will remain in this sign until December 20, 2022 when it enters the sign of Aries and doesn’t return to the sign of Pisces for another 12 years.

The return of Jupiter into the sign of Pisces for the last time is very important on a spiritual level. In general, Jupiter represents the need to expand your boundaries so you can move beyond the confines of society and create new rules for your life beyond those rules you learned from your parents and other authority figures.

Technically, Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and represents your soul’s need to release negative energy as well as follow your aspirations. It is a sign of preparation and a sign of leaving things behind. When Jupiter is in Pisces, you have the opportunity to release negativity from your life. You can also find a way to take your dreams and put them into reality. In some instances, people feel as if what they knew in life is ending to the point that they have very little left. Psychologically you are experiencing an ending so that you can open your life to a new beginning. But sometimes that can be very frightening because there are times when you have little control over what is ending in life. At other times you can determine how you want to end things so you can move on successfully with your life. Jupiter in Pisces is a very emotional placement. There’s a tendency to justify your behavior when you feel that other people aren’t willing to listen to you. Also there’s a danger in responding emotionally without thinking about the other person’s need. Jupiter in Pisces can also be a very caring placement: Caring about the human condition. In a lot of ways you’ll find that other people have more empathy. They care about the ills of the world and want to do something to fix the problem, or at least make it better.

On a global level, when Jupiter is in Pisces marginalized populations want to be heard. Efforts are made by leaders to either hear their voices or repress their concerns. Matters of mental health become more important. People are looking for ways to find themselves. They don’t want to be lost in a fog. More importantly, they don’t feel it’s as important to push themselves. Whether you call this the “chilling out” factor or the “ghosting” factor, it doesn’t matter. You just can’t put up with the pressure society is dishing out in your direction.

Basically, as Jupiter is ending its cycle in Pisces, it’s also preparing for its cycle in Aries which will occur at the end of this year. With Jupiter now in Pisces for the last time, it is a good thing to look at your life and determine what needs to end so you can move on. It’s also a good thing to find ways to treat yourself and other with compassion so you can understand how to embrace your spiritual needs in a world that values material possessions.

Before Mercury enters the sign of Scorpio on October 29^th, it forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde. Both Mercury and Jupiter represent the need to share ideas. Mercury represents the need to understand the little tidbits in life while Jupiter represents the big picture. When there is a quincunx between the two planets, you may feel a conflict between what you read regarding daily news and what’s going on with the big picture. Or, you may need to adjust your world view as it relates to what you want in light of the big picture.

What I mean here is that you may be hearing that the global economy is looking better: More job opportunities, less unemployment, better oil and gas distribution. Even the supply chain is alleged to be working better. But at home you still see prices rising, interest rates going up, and stores carrying less of the items that you need.

This can also affect you in another way. You may hear there are more jobs available out there, but as you try to apply for the jobs, either they aren’t paying as much as you want or they are requiring you to return to the office when you would prefer to telecommute. So, in some ways you almost feel as if Neptune is involved even though it’s Jupiter retrograde. Yet, Jupiter retrograde is now in the sign of Pisces.

It seems very appropriate that Mercury enters the sign of Scorpio after forming the quincunx to Jupiter retrograde in Pisces. This is because you realize you don’t want to give out too much information. You would rather pull back and listen. Privacy is so important for you right now. You’re so concerned other people will discover your secrets. You may even fear that your own information can be used against you.

In addition to Mercury entering the sign of Scorpio, there are also three other energy points already in Scorpio: The Sun, Venus, and the Moon’s South Node. You understand the concept of privacy. You value silence. You understand how important lessons learned from the past can be.

Every two years, Mars turns retrograde. This time Mars is turning retrograde on October 30^th in the sign of Gemini. And, usually when Mars goes retrograde that means that Mars stays in a sign a lot longer than usual. The normal stay for Mars in a sign is about 1.5 months. But in this case, Mars entered the sign of Gemini on August 20, 2022 and it won’t enter the sign of Cancer until March 26, 2023. That means that Mars will be in the sign of Gemini for seven months. As Mars does go retrograde on October 30^th, it will remain retrograde until January 12, 2023.

Mars represents our stamina, our physical vitality…how we expend energy. When Mars is in Gemini, there’s a tendency to talk too much. You even find that a lot of people speak in an unfiltered manner, meaning they don’t know how to censor their words, or they speak before thinking about the meaning of their words.

You want to rush into situations. Yet, when Mars is retrograde you can get tripped up. It’s as if obstacles are coming up from beneath the surface and grabbing at your ankles. Mars retrograde can also indicates feeling frustration because things aren’t going your way. You can’t seem to get anything going. And, because Mars is in Gemini, you’re stuttering with your words because it’s more difficult to find the right words.

So what, if anything, is good about Mars retrograde? This is a good time to reserve your energy and relax. It’s a good time to learn you don’t have to do it all. Mars retrograde is also a great time to take a vacation: Pull yourself back from major activities.

After Mars turns retrograde on October 30^th, Ceres forms a quincunx to Chiron retrograde. With Ceres you want to feel safe in your environment, especially with Ceres in the sign of Virgo. You want to make certain that your daily routine lets you go through life with very little stress. Yet when Ceres forms a quincunx to Chiron retrograde, you may start to wonder if you’re playing it too safe. You don’t want to put yourself into a harmful situation, but you also want to take care of your needs. You want to heal from anything that standing in the way of your success.

This aspect can actually be very positive. By making certain that you take care of your needs, you keep yourself from harm. That may mean making some adjustments in your daily routine. You may need to increase your exercise or change your diet. At the same time, it may mean that some of the things you’re doing on a daily basis could be causing you harm and now you’re ready to change your behavior to one that bring more safety and healing into your life.

For more information on Misty Kuceris, her classes and seminars, as well as other articles, just go to https://mistykuceris.com/

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