Astrological update for the week of October 3-10, 2022
Retrograde Update. As October begins Mercury is still retrograde, but it will turn direct on October 2nd and that pesky troublemaker will be back to establishing order (Mercury is still in Virgo), although it could take a week or two before things feel more normalized as Mercury picks up speed after its retrograde turn. Once Mercury turns direct there will still be a heavy retrograde influence, meaning we’re still dealing with two steps back for every step forward. This isn’t a bad thing as it offers time for reflection and rebalancing of life’s priorities.
Saturn square Uranus. These two planets of order (Saturn) and disruption (Uranus) have been battling it out since 2021. We had a bit of a break in the first half of 2022, and technically there are no more exact alignments between the two, but their conflict is quite tight right now and the echoes of 2021 with all of its civil disorder and unrest will be evident until later in the month.
The Pluto station. As many of you know, when a planet appears to change direction from our viewpoint its motion slows down to a standstill before the shift retrograde or direct. This is the planetary station, and at these times the potency of that planet’s influence can be intense – especially if it is affecting a sensitive point in your chart or interacting with other planets in the sky. Pluto turns direct on October 8th at 26 degrees Capricorn, but it has barely moved since the beginning of August and will not begin to move on until early December. Pluto is a slow moving planet and this is not unusual, but Plutonic themes which reveal corruption and decay in order to rebuild and recreate something which is more true and vibrant will continue to emerge.
And now let’s talk about the details of the week ahead. (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, please adjust for your locality.
Monday October 3. We have a very busy Moon Monday through Wednesday without other planetary alignments, giving the Moon a louder voice. The week begins with the Moon in Capricorn, assisting with building structures to support our vision and actions. On Monday the Moon offers primarily beneficial influences to inspire us in the morning, and balance intellect with imagination in the evening.
Late in the evening though we may find ourselves feeling overly intense and perhaps a bit obsessed with a topic that makes it difficult to relax. Just breathe – lunar aspects last only a few hours and it will soon pass. (Moon trine Uranus 10:36 am, sextile Neptune 7:30 pm, trine Mercury 8:58 pm, conjunct Pluto 11:48 pm.)
Tuesday October 4. The Moon enters Aquarius at 6:20 am on Tuesday which begins to open the door to fresh new ideas and difficulty focusing on a particular task. For this reason, Monday is a better day to get things done. Still, the Moon interacts harmoniously with the two benefic planets (Jupiter and Venus) throughout the day to evoke confidence and feelings of affection and harmony. (Moon sextile Jupiter 10:48 am, trine Venus 6:04 pm.)
Wednesday October 5. Wednesday’s lunar aspects offer a mix of challenge and cooperation. In the late morning and early afternoon EDT the Moon “translates” the Saturn/Uranus square, interacting in challenging aspects to both planets to mediate some sort of resolution. This may feel somewhat disruptive but it’s useful to remember that these disruptions only occur when there is something which is out of sync already.
A harmonious lunar aspect to Chiron in the morning will encourage us to begin the day on peaceful footing which will help, and then the evening brings a harmonious aspect to Mars to facilitate positive energy and confident self-assertion. (Moon trine Sun 2:30 am, sextile Chiron 6:16 am, square Uranus 12:57 pm, conjunct Saturn 1:59 pm, trine Mars 6:45 pm.)
Thursday October 6. The Moon enters Pisces at 8:46 am, shifting the focus from the brilliance of Aquarius to the soft imagination and spirituality of Pisces. This would normally bring about some fuzzy thinking as we make that soft landing, but today Mercury harmonizes with Pluto to sharpen our focus and intensify our curiosity and conversation.
Watch for some depletion of energy in the early afternoon EDT and potential emotional sensitivity later in the evening so be sure to do something healthy then to give yourself a physical and emotional boost. (Moon opposite Ceres 2:07 pm, Mercury trine Pluto 11:55 pm, Sun opposite Chiron building to culminate Friday at 6:48 am.)
Friday October 7. The emotional sensitivity peaks Friday morning and will linger through the day as the Sun may illuminate an old wound which is ready to be released. A helpful lunar aspect in the early afternoon helps to add reason and a new understanding to that process, but tempers may flare later in the evening under an aspect to Mars which will last only a few hours. (Sun opposite Chiron 6:48 am, Moon sextile Uranus 3:34 pm, square Mars 10:40 pm.)
Saturday October 8. The Pisces Moon is quite active before entering Aries at 11:56 am which begins to pave the way for Sunday’s Aries Full Moon. When the Moon is active in Pisces our feelings can become jumbled and unclear. It’s a good time to stay centered and allow feelings to wash through like an ocean, ebbing and flowing, and once the Moon enters Aries the fire will burn through any confusion. (Moon conjunct Neptune 12:39 am, sextile Pluto 5:14 am, opposite Mercury 7:10 am, Moon enters Aries 11:56 am, conjunct Jupiter 3:36 pm.)
Sunday October 9. Aries Full Moon. At this Full Moon we strive to find balance between the individuality of Aries and the compromise of Libra. Aries is the sign of initiation and courage; the sign that inspires us to forge ahead despite our fears and anxieties and make things happen. For a few days around the Full Moon we can feel more completely exactly who we are; less concerned with what others think and what others need from us, but in the chart for this Full Moon we see that Chiron, the planet of wounding and healing, conjoins the Aries Moon. We may find ourselves highly sensitive as old buttons of emotional reaction are pushed, forcing the old pain out into the air where it can be healed by the Sun.
Fortunately, while the Libra Sun opposes this Moon/Chiron combination to illuminate these emotional places of self-disregard and ouchy memories, the Sun is joined by Venus to soften the blow. Any issues around lack of self-respect or self-confidence coulTd arise at this time and the energy of the Full Moon tends to amplify emotions. This is a fertile time for journaling and self-reflection, with opportunities to learn more about our inner world and find healing and new wisdom.
Take care everyone, and have a great week. ❤️
