Skywatch for October 2007! Monthly astrological updates and planetary cycles

All information contained herein is written by and the property of Lynn Hayes. You may include a portion of this information on your website without permission, but please be sure to include a link back to the article and clearly indicate the writer of the information.

SKYWATCH FOR OCTOBER 2006

October begins with four planets in Libra: the Sun, Venus, Mars and Mercury. Libra is the sign of the scales, and this strong Libra influence seeks balance and equilibrium as well as a return to beauty. The difficult astrological events of the past year have brought the world out of balance and into a state of disorder, and Libra seeks to correct that imbalance by re-establishing a sense of harmony and peace between opposing forces.

This effort for peace and harmony faces a major challenge from the opposition between Saturn and Neptune which began its cycle in late August is still in effect and it has now been joined by Jupiter. Saturn builds form and structures and Neptune seeks to transcend physical reality by dissolving those structures, so you can see where this cycle is a destabilizing one. Under the combination of Saturn and Neptune we are forced by Saturn to face our Neptunian illusions, but we also have the power to put our dreams (Neptune) into reality (Saturn). Understanding the nature of the planets can help us to use their energies more productively, and to access the more positive nature of Neptune it's important to avoid becoming lost in your illusions but instead to embrace the realm of the spiritual and transcendent worlds.

You can read more about the Saturn/Neptune cycle including historical background here .

Mercury (communication and thought process) will leave Libra for Scorpio on October 2, intensifying all matters of information processing. Scorpio does not share Libra's concern for harmony but instead seeks to probe to the bottom of an issue in order to achieve a final resolution. Mercury is approaching a square to Chiron now, where it may bring about some conversations (Mercury) that open old wounds (Chiron). There is potential for healing here, but only if we face the difficulty head on and work towards a resolution. At the same time, Mars is approaching a harmonious aspect (trine) to Neptune as well as to Saturn (sextile), fueling our creativity (Neptune) and applying the discipline (Saturn) that we need in order to use that creativity in order to manifest our goals and dreams. This occurs as we head into the shadow of the Full Moon, making this a powerful time for manifestation. Although we may be feeling a bit destabilized by the Saturn/Neptune energy, we have an opportunity now to bring in a new focus and energy with the Mars interactions which peaks at the Aries Full Moon on October 6 at 11:13 pm EST.

Aries of course is the sign ruled by Mars, and at this Full Moon the Sun in Libra conjuncts Mars as it opposes the Moon in Aries, highlighting the duality between our own individual needs (Mars/Aries) and our relationships with others (Libra). The addition of Mars increases Martian energy of Aries which can be problematic at times, but with the harmonious interactions between Mars and the Saturn/Neptune opposition that fiery energy will be easy to access and focus as we bring our will into alignment with our goals and wishes. Neptune seeks to bring us beyond our ordinary reality and will look kindly on our desire to seek a higher purpose while achieving our personal and material goals (Saturn).

Mercury trines Uranus (new ideas) on October 10 and for a day or two before we may find ourselves flooded with new insights and looking at our lives in a whole new way. This is a quick transit so take advantage of it while you can! It's a great time for writing or journaling as well as for problem-solving meetings. The harmonious aspect between Mars in Libra and Saturn which culminate on the 12th also helps to facilitate interpersonal relations for a few days before and after.

Chiron (the Wounded Healer) has been traveling retrograde since May and will turn direct (meaning it will now appear to move forward from our perspective on earth) on October 12. For several weeks before that it slows down as it prepares to change direction. When planets are retrograde they tend to operate on a more internal level and we feel their influence more deeply. When direct, we often find it easier to resolve any issues brought up by that planet. With Chiron retrograde there is often a focus on healing old wounds as they erupt unbidden out of our subconscious. During the "shadow period" before Chiron changes directions we may find ourselves hit by unexpected waves of emotion, particularly if Chiron (at 4 degrees Aquarius) is hitting a sensitive point in our chart. Chiron requests that we stop projecting our fears and rage onto others. It pressures us to live in the present moment, integrating our uncomfortable emotions so that we can become more whole.

Venus makes a trine to Neptune on October 13, making this a wonderful time for creative ventures or romantic experiences. Neptune is known as the "higher octave" of Venus, since Venus is associated with love and Neptune with a transpersonal form of love. Love and romance is definitely in the air at this time, as is artistic creativity. However, when Mercury squares (conflict) with Neptune on the 15th all of that creativity can turn into fantasy and illusion since the square aspect tends to bring out the more negative aspects of both planets. Keep your eyes open and feet on the ground and you should be fine. Mars is in harmony with Pluto now making it easier to fuse the personal will of Mars with the transformative power of Pluto.

Throughout the month of October, Saturn is approaching a trine to Pluto. Although this aspect won't hit exactly until next year they are close enough in October to have an effect. This is a harmonious aspect that brings the discipline and focus of Saturn to the urge for transformation that Pluto brings, facilitating change and progress. Venus harmonizes with both planets on October 18 and 19, sparking a transition from the chaos of the past year to a more orderly push for change.

The New Moon in Libra occurs on October 22 at 1:14 am EST. With the Sun and Moon conjunct in Libra, the focus is on harmony and balance. The New Moon is conjunct Mars, once again energizing this lunation and offering an added boost to its magickal properties. This is a particularly focused Moon event (no oppositions are present in the chart). In addition, Mercury is conjunct Jupiter (both in Scorpio) and approaching a square to Saturn on October 23 which will bring our attention to the final event in the Jupiter/Saturn cycle. There is a struggle now between the expansive mind of Jupiter and the doubt and fear of Saturn. The New Moon can shed light on this struggle and with Mars can energize a resolution.

On October 23 the Sun and Mars both leave Libra for the intensity of Scorpio, following closely on the 24th by Venus as we head into the darker season of the underworld. Scorpio, like its ruler Pluto, is associated with the Underworld of darkness, both literal and psychological. Scorpio fearlessly travels into the depths of the subconscious and is associated with the season of Samhain, the end of the Celtic year where the veils between the world are at their thinnest. The conjunction of the Sun, Mars and Venus in Scorpio is a pointed reminder that there is more to life than our superficial experiences, and with five planets in Scorpio (including Mercury and Jupiter) the intensity will be palpable. Scorpio tends to be an introverted sign and we are now drawn inward to face the drama within.

This period also marks the final point of the Jupiter/Saturn cycle (read more about that here) which has brought about an adjustment in the way we balance our optimism (Jupiter) and pragmatism (Saturn). This cycle has witnessed rapid swings in the world economic systems and financial markets, and this is likely to peak in October after which things should stabilize. On a more personal level, the Jupiter/Saturn cycle has caused most of us to make adjustments in the way in which we view the world.

Mercury turns retrograde on October 28 at 2:56 am, necessitating a bit of caution in all matters of communication. Added to the heavy Scorpio influence, this is a very good time for introspection and writing, for psychotherapy and psychodrama, and for going back and re-doing anything that needs it. Mercury conjuncts Jupiter on October 30 which provides an expansive opening for our ideas, but may also make us impatient to make our views understood. When Mercury is retrograde it is often more difficult to communicate and this can lead to frustration. Understanding the nature of the dynamics will help to ease the path to success.

Daylight Savings Time ends on October 29 as Neptune turns direct. Throughout October Neptune has slowed its motion down to a crawl as it prepares to change direction after having traveled retrograde since May of 2006. As you know if you have been following this column, we had a very rare period of six retrograde planets this summer which created a great deal of problems in moving forward with any venture. With Neptune's turn direct we have now only one planet (Uranus) retrograde and we will be seeing much more forward momentum.

The next few months should be much easier than the last few. A key to resolving the tension of the Saturn/Neptune cycle is to begin or follow the discipline of a spiritual practice in order to balance Saturn's need for hard work and structure with Neptune's pressure to transcend the physical world. Enjoy the last celebration of autumn's gifts, and have a great month!