Important astrological energies for the month of September 2023:
- Venus in Leo turns direct on September 3, 2023. It went retrograde on July 22, 2023.
- Jupiter in Taurus turns retrograde on September 4, 2023. It will remain retrograde until December 30, 2023.
- New Moon with Sun and Moon in Virgo occurs on September 14, 2023.
- Mercury in Virgo turns direct on September 15, 2023. It went retrograde on August 23, 2023.
- Sun enters Libra on September 23, 2023, and the Fall Equinox occurs in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Full Moon with Sun in Libra and Moon in Aries occurs on September 29, 2023.
Continue on Your Path…Or Change Direction?
By Misty Kuceris ©2023
When September starts you feel quite a bit of energy moving under the surface while also feeling resistance to this energy. Part of the reason is that when Mars forms a quincunx to Saturn retrograde on September 1st, you feel a bit out of sorts. You want to move forward, but at the same time you feel stuck. With Mars in Libra you don’t want to step on anyone else’s toes. Yet, at the same time, with Saturn retrograde in Pisces, you feel as if there are some important energies going on in the world that you need to take advantage of.
Part of what you’re feeling is the change of direction Venus in Leo makes on September 3rd when it turns direct. Venus went retrograde on July 22, 2023. When Venus turned retrograde you turned inward. You didn’t want to spend too much time with others. Some of your relationships may have suffered during the retrograde period because you preferred to be alone. Yet, there’s was an advantage to a retrograde Venus: Because you preferred to spend more time with yourself, you started seeing which relationships really brought value to you. So, as Venus turns direct and you’re ready to socialize again, you realize some relationships aren’t work your effort. Meanwhile, other relationships are so important that you want to spend more intimate moments with those individuals. You also have a better understanding of the boundaries you need to establish so other people don’t take advantage of your generosity.
There’s another benefit to Venus turning direct. When Venus was retrograde you may have experienced some hidden costs with contracts or other financial matters. If you did experience some hidden costs, they will surface now so you can deal with them. Also, you may have spent time evaluating your budget during the retrograde period and now you know where you need to make changes.
Other changes are felt on September 4th when Mercury retrograde forms a trine to Jupiter in station as part of a Mercury Triad Sequence, Jupiter turns retrograde, and Ceres forms a conjunction to the Moon’s South Node.
With Mercury retrograde in Virgo, you don’t want to move forward for fear of making a mistake. You want to make certain that you understand everything before going forward. When Mercury in direct motion formed the trine to Jupiter on August 9th, you initially thought you knew what you wanted to do. But, at that time something was bothering you. You felt discomfort, maybe even a little anxious, that you didn’t have all the necessary information. Instead of moving forward, you decided to wait until you knew what information was missing from your life.
You still feel you need to wait before acting, especially since the trine Mercury retrograde is making to Jupiter is one where Jupiter is slowing down, in station, and about to turn retrograde. Also, with Jupiter in the sign of Taurus, this is a good time to consider your values and whether your plans support your values. Basically, you still need to take your time. Get a sense of what’s occurring in the world around you. Create your grand plan if you want. But go for the better course of action today. That is to pull back, observe, and make a decision at the time that this aspect, with Mercury in direct motion, occurs for the final time on September 25th.
When Jupiter turns retrograde, it will remain retrograde until December 30th. While it’s a great time to consider your long-term plans, it’s not always the best time to implement those plans. Jupiter, especially if you’re self-employed, is another planet that deals with finances. That means that when Jupiter is retrograde you don’t see all the financial matters associated with your plans. The implementation of the plan may cost more than expected. The ability to invest in your plan may be compromised. You may even experience some legal problems that need to be resolved. If possible, try not to file any lawsuits with a Jupiter retrograde because there is usually something about the paperwork that you didn’t file or read correctly.
Where Jupiter retrograde is beneficial is on a spiritual level, especially with Jupiter retrograde in Taurus. You want to understand your values. You want to live your life in an ethical manner. You care about doing things right. It’s very common, when Jupiter is retrograde, to seek understanding through your spiritual path.
As the day progresses into evening, seeking the spiritual path becomes even more important as Ceres forms a conjunction to the Moon’s South Node. You want to understand how the past impacted your current decisions. As a matter of fact, you may even run into some people you haven’t seen for a while. By running into these people you may really see how you’ve grown from the lessons you learned.
Safety and personal growth continues to be important on September 7th when Ceres forms a quincunx to Neptune retrograde. You thought you understood how the past impacted your life, but today you find there’s still more to understand. In some cases, information which was hidden from you is revealed today as Neptune represents the veil being removed. In other instances, Neptune represents a paper bag placed over your head which makes it difficult for you to see matters right in from of you. Basically it’s a day that prompts more questions than provides resolution.
Power struggles could become a problem on September 10th as Ceres forms a square to Pluto retrograde. With Ceres in Libra you want to get along with others. You’re even willing to compromise if you need to. But with Pluto retrograde in Capricorn, other people don’t want to make changes in their lives. They are unwilling to compromise. Rather they want to hold on to their old beliefs. Knowing this you may feel powerless. Yet, knowing this you may also feel empowered. By understanding the beliefs of others, you may understand their boundaries. And, by understanding their boundaries you may also find ways to develop compromises that work for both of you.
As the new Moon occurs on September 14th, several realizations occur. With the Sun and Moon in Virgo, you recognize the importance of paying attention to details. You don’t want to miss anything. You want to approach tasks and situations with precision. With the new Moon in Virgo forming an earth grand trine that also includes Uranus retrograde and Pluto retrograde, you become aware that situations are changing around you. Meanwhile some of these situations involve events which caused past problems but can now be resolved. And, with the new Moon forming an opposition to Neptune retrograde suddenly what was an earth grand trine becomes a kite with Neptune retrograde becoming the focal point of this kite. In a kite, the focal point represents one of the ways you can utilize the energy of the trine. In this case, Neptune retrograde in Pisces represents the need to approach life with spiritual intent. It also represents the potential for the veil of illusion to be lifted and for you to acquire new knowledge or for secrets to be revealed.
There’s a desire for you to hold on to secrets when Ceres enters the sign of Scorpio on September 15th. In addition, you find that you want to protect other people. You don’t want them in danger or harm’s way. While you want to maintain your privacy, you also want to listen to others as they reveal their problems and you try to find a way to help them resolve those problems. During the time period that Ceres remains in Scorpio you feel that it’s very important to keep silent about your conversations with others. In this way, you are able to build up levels of trust with people in your environment.
Later in the day, Mercury in Virgo turns direct. It went retrograde on August 23rd. During the time period that Mercury was retrograde you were either so focused on getting the details right that it caused you anxiety or you were so overwhelmed by situations that you couldn’t hold on to the details. Now that Mercury is direct you feel less anxiety and more control over situations around you. You’re able to focus and create plans, even if you decide it’s not quite the time to execute them.
September 17th could either be a day of optimism or a day of anxiety, depending on how Venus forming a square to Jupiter retrograde affects you. Basically, there’s a tendency to try to get too much accomplished when this aspect occurs. You feel invincible. Yet, you also worry that other people may see you as a fraud because you exhibit confidence that you don’t feel. This is a day to be honest with yourself. Admit what you know. Acknowledge what you need to learn. If you have to make any presentations, stick to those truth points that inspire you so you can inspire others.
Now on September 19th the story is different. You need to be very cautious as Mars forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde. If you move too quickly, you could get injured. That’s because the path you’re traveling on could change without any notice. You think that you are on the right trail, but suddenly there’s an obstacle and you have to change direction. Or, it’s possible that you’ve been on the wrong path and now you realize you need to make changes that put you on the right path. When this occurs this aspect becomes a blessing in disguise.
You feel disciplined when Ceres forms a trine to Saturn retrograde on September 20th. Often, with Ceres, you are willing to compromise to achieve your goals. But sometimes you give away too much with your compromise. When Ceres forms the trine to Saturn retrograde, you are focused on your goals. When you compromise you do so without giving up something important. You also have a very keen sense of what the other person needs. So, you are able to find ways to suggest compromises which create harmony in the situation. Realizing this brings a level of confidence into your life today with the choices you make.
The Sun enters the sign of Libra on September 23rd, and the Fall Equinox occurs in the Northern Hemisphere. Half of the astrological year is over. This is a day where you need to make some adjustments in your life as the Sun is forming a quincunx to Saturn retrograde. What you think you want may not be what you can get. Also, with the Moon in Capricorn you may feel that you need to take care of people in your life, rather than taking care of your own needs.
Yet this is a time period where you come to terms with relationships in your life. And, that’s easier than you think, as Venus is in Leo, the ruler of the Sun, and the Sun is in Libra, the ruler of Venus. What this means is that the Sun and Venus are in mutual reception. When planets or luminaries are in mutual reception it’s easier to utilize the energy they represent. You are willing to be generous in your approach to others, just as they are with you. And, you feel more empathetic towards their needs, just as they feel the same with you.
Later in the day, Venus forms a trine to Chiron retrograde and you realize that you can bring healing into your life and into your relationships. The empathy that you felt earlier in the day continues and it bring a deeper understanding of others. The generosity you expressed towards others also continues as you go out of your way to support your loved ones in their personal ventures.
As September 24th rolls around you want to be more cautious with Mars forming an opposition to Chiron retrograde. By being so understanding and sympathetic yesterday, you also realized that not all people are supportive of your needs. Yet that’s all right. Today you start reviewing your relationships to see if any are harmful to you. For those relationships that you believe could cause you harm, you start making an effort to protect yourself. This actually turns into a positive situation as you realize you don’t have to put the needs of others before your own needs.
Mercury forms it’s third trine to Jupiter retrograde in this Mercury triad sequence on September 25th. Now Mercury is direct and Jupiter is retrograde. You wanted to make plans when Mercury formed the first trine to Jupiter on August 9th. And, while both Mercury and Jupiter were direct at that point, you felt as if there was some missing information. For that reason, you weren’t willing to implement your plans. You still felt that you needed to review details that surrounded those plans. As this aspect occurred for the second time on September 4th, Mercury was retrograde and Jupiter was in station about to turn retrograde a few hours after the aspect occurred. Again you didn’t have all the facts. And, with Jupiter about to turn retrograde, you may have felt that your actual plans needed to change. Either way, you decided to put off any decisions regarding your plans or implementing any plans.
Now that Mercury, in direct motion, is forming the trine to Jupiter, in retrograde motion, you review your long-term plans. You find that you need to determine if these plans fit your value system. And, are you able to approach those plans in an ethical manner? What you realize, especially since Jupiter is retrograde, is that taking small steps towards your goal is a better plan. Don’t go after the big picture right now. There may need to be some changes made to the big picture. But, if you spend time taking baby steps, you’ll stay on the right path. With Mercury in Virgo, it’s all about the details. It’s also all about rewarding each step of the way so you receive joy and pleasure from participating in your mission.
On September 27th another Mercury triad sequence comes to a close. In this triad, Mercury forms a quincunx to Chiron retrograde. When this aspect first occurred on August 16th, you may have felt that life was shifting around you. You wanted to understand your needs and keep yourself safe. But, with things shifting, you may not have known what you wanted or what felt important to keep you safe. You may have even decided to just pull back and wait to find out.
You still didn’t feel in control of situations in your life on August 30th when this aspect occurred for a second time. At that time both Mercury and Chiron were retrograde. So, it was important for you to think about past events and how you set up situations which put you in danger. Or, how you created situations which kept you safe.
Finally, now that this aspect is occurring for the last time with Mercury direct, you know what you have to do to keep yourself safe. You understand the small details that need to be addressed. You realize that you can’t just approach life without a plan. And, you understand that moving forward in safety means paying attention to those small details.
While you realize that relationships are important, you still wonder…should you continue some of your relationships? Full Moon time periods are always a good time to ask where to continue on a certain path or change course. And with the Sun in Libra and the Moon in Aries at the time of the full Moon on September 29th, the question of continuation or change does focus on relationships. Emotionally you don’t want to lose your independence. Spiritually you want to be part of a group of people.
This need to be part of a group while not losing your independence becomes even more important later in the day when Venus forms a square to Uranus retrograde. If you feel others are imposing on your good will, that’s it. You’re done with them. If you believe other people aren’t respecting individuals you love, that’s it. You’ll fight for those you love.
Speaking your mind is important on September 30th as Mercury forms a trine to Uranus retrograde. While you’re open to new ideas, you’re not open to other people imposing their belief systems on you. With Mercury in the earth sign of Virgo and Uranus retrograde in the earth sign of Taurus you want the new ideas you hear to be practical. You don’t want them to be so outlandish that they aren’t realistic. Also while you’re willing to try new things you aren’t willing to put yourself at risk.
When the month of September started, you felt this undercurrent of shifting energies. Now you realize that while shifting energies are a good thing, they still need to occur in small steps. You need to find what is real in the illusion. You need to experience the practical in all your dreams. Also, as you become more open to new ideas you want to take the time to determine: Is this a time to stay on the same path? Or, is this the time to change direction?
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