SKYWATCH FOR OCTOBER 2007

10/1 Mercury sextile Saturn
10/3 Venus trine Pluto
10/8 Venus enters Virgo
10/9 Jupiter square Uranus
Mars sextile Saturn
10/11 New Moon 1:02 am Eastern - 17 deg Libra
Saturn conjunct North Node
10/11-12 Mercury Rx
10/13 Saturn conjunct Venus
10/15 Venus sextile Mars
10/16 Mercury trine Mars
Mercury sextile Venus
10/19 Chiron direct
10/23 Sun enters Scorpio
10/26 Full Moon :52 am Eastern - 2 deg Taurus
10/26 Pluto conjunct Galactic Center
Mercury sextile Pluto
10/29 Jupiter sextile Neptune
Mars quincunx Chiron
10/31 Neptune direct
Dates and times are all Eastern time zone

As October begins, the prevailing elemental climate is fire and air, with a bit of water thrown in. Other than Saturn in Virgo there are no planets in the earth signs making this a much more active period intellectually. Mercury and Mars have just entered water signs: Mercury into Scorpio, where attention is focused and precise, and Mars into Cancer where the aggressive urge tends to become stalled by emotional issues.

This is not an easy time for the emotional realm, and we may find ourselves without appropriate outlets for emotional expression. With Mars in Cancer our defensive tendencies are on high alert and we may be more reactive than normally, particularly if we have planets in the early degrees of the cardinal signs (Cancer, Capricorn, Aries and Libra).

Uranus, Neptune and Chiron are still retrograde, but it is most common to have three planets retrograde. Chiron and Neptune will both turn direct this month and by the end of October only Uranus and Mercury will be retrograde. With most of the planets in direct motion we will see world events move ahead more easily, whether for positive or negative results.

The big news this month is the final conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center on October 26 at the same time as the Full Moon. But first, let's see what else is happening this month.

The first week of October begins with some nice flowing transits: Mercury sextile Saturn on the 1st creating harmony in conversation and work, followed shortly by Venus trine Pluto on the 3rd which creates a strong urge for connection with others. These are both quick events because Mercury and Venus are fast-moving planets, but they will set the stage for the final approach to a square between Jupiter and Uranus on the 9th and make it easier to process the energy of this dynamic event. The square (90 degree aspect) between Jupiter and Uranus is the final square in a cycle which began in January of 2007 and served as the hallmark of a visionary opening of creative intelligence that downloaded new information and radically new ways of looking at the world.

Because the square aspect is a challenging one, we often see the more negative aspects of each planet and while last year the trine between these two planets brought visionary new discoveries (new habitable planets, invisibility cloaks, etc.) the square sometimes delivers a reckless overconfidence and tendency towards self-righteousness (Jupiter), and a desire for change for its own sake and at any cost (Uranus). If you have planets in the middle degrees of the mutable signs (Pisces, Sagittarius, Gemini and Virgo) you may feel more restless now but because this is the end of the cycle you may see a resolution of change that occurred since the beginning of the year.

Mars is sextile Saturn on the 9th, coinciding with the Jupiter/Uranus event. The harmonious interaction between Mars and Saturn brings about a controlled (Saturn) energy (Mars) that motivates (Mars) hard work and achievement (Saturn). This helps to continue the support for Jupiter and Uranus to complete their process of expansion and revision that loosens restrictions so that change can take place in a way that is easier and not so uncontrollable.

The New Moon on October 11 is at 17 degrees Libra, the sign of balance and relationships. Libra is concerned with polarities and partnerships - the question of "I" and the "Other". Libra seeks harmony and beauty above all things, and New Moons are times of beginnings making this is an excellent time to begin a new creative endeavor such as an art project or perhaps the redecoration of your home. This is also a good time to foster new relationships and friendships.

Saturn conjuncts the South Node at the time of the New Moon, suggesting that we are limited (Saturn) by ties to past behaviors and patterns that hold us back (South Node). The timing of this event, considered "extremely malefic" by traditional astrologers, at the New Moon offers an opportunity to correct mistakes of the past and truly forge a new direction.

This new direction is facilitated by a sextile from Jupiter to the New Moon which brings in a sense of abundance and opportunity, and it trines Neptune which expands our creativity and connection to Spirit. A quincunx (150 degrees) to Uranus adds a quirky quality and a bit of tension that keeps us from surrendering completely into connection to others. Still, this will help us to maintain perspective as we learn new ways of relating to others.

Mercury turns retrograde in the early morning hours of October 12. While Mercury is retrograde (until November 1) you may find that communication is more difficult, appointments are missed and machinery malfunctions. Contracts signed during Mercury Retrograde periods often result in miscommunication that extends beyond the retrograde phase so exercise as much caution as possible to be sure all agreements are clearly understood and in writing.

On the 13th Venus joins the conjunction of Saturn to the South Node. Astrologers have been very vocal in their differing interpretation of this event depending on how they view the planet Saturn. Saturn is a very bad guy in traditional astrology because of his penchant for tests and karmic challenges, but a more modern approach recognizes that Saturn also offers rewards and a deep inner strength when we meet those challenges. During the Saturn/South Node event, which is in effect for the entire week before the New Moon, we may find that holding onto the past no longer serves us and could bring us painful lessons.

The introduction of Venus into the conjunction, especially at the time of the Libra New Moon, indicates that these lessons are likely to be in the realm of relationships. Be consciously aware of patterns that are holding you back, and work with great diligence to make changes, and you will see Saturn's rewards when Venus makes a sextile to Mars on the 15th and is sextiled by Mercury on the 16th. These are lovely aspects to the goddess Venus that don't last long but bring harmony into our interactions with others. The addition of a trine of Mercury to Mars on the 16th makes communication easier and gives us more energy (Mars) to move through new experiences (Mercury) and process change.

Chiron turns direct on October 19 for the first time since May 21. Over the past 18 months, Chiron has retrograded back and forth over the same nine degrees or so which has had a significant effect on those of us with planets in the middle degrees of the fixed signs: Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus. Between August and December Chiron will have only moved two degrees and is more powerful than ever. Chiron, the Wounded Healer, forces us to face areas in our life and psyche where we still have unhealed wounds. By bringing these wounds into the open air of daylight we are able to find healing and greater wisdom.

The Sun enters Scorpio on October 23, marking the descent into the darkness of winter.

The Full Moon takes place on October 26 at 0:52 am Eastern time and at 2 degrees Taurus (with the Sun in Scorpio). The Full Moon, when the Sun and Moon are in opposition, is a powerful time of light that bears the potential to open our consciousness. This Full Moon forms a Mystic Rectangle to the North and South Nodes of the Moon, representing our evolutionary direction from past (South) to future (North). We are in alignment now to achieve something very important in our personal destiny and destiny as humans, and the addition of Saturn in sextile to the Sun and trine the Moon helps to ground the process into physical form.

On a personal level this is a time to set your intention very clearly so that the universe can assist in manifestation. On a global level we are being realigned as a species as this Full Moon occurs virtually at the very minute that Pluto makes its conjunction to the Galactic Center). The conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center (center of our Milky Way galaxy) is not one big event that we will easily identify, but a core shift in the direction of the planet. (For more information on this event and a historical analysis see my earlier article). The timing coinciding with the Full Moon is a powerful symbol that underlines the importance of this lunar event.

A sextile from Mercury to Pluto the following day helps to maintain the power of our thoughts and facilitate the continuation of intention from the Full Moon. The effect of lunations (new and full moons) generally last for about three days on either side of the actual event.

As Jupiter approaches a sextile to Neptune in the days leading up to the exact event on October 29 there is a sense of expansion and opening (Jupiter) to a new world of wonder and inspiration (Neptune) that keeps us from contracting into fear as our lives begin to change and deepen as a result of a shift in our own Galactic core. A quincunx from Mars to Chiron provides an irritating (Mars) sense of discomfort (Chiron) that brings our attention to any unresolved dissonance in our emotional field that needs to be corrected.

Neptune is stationary now before turning direct on the 31st, and its influence is at its most powerful. It has been at the same degree (19 Aquarius) since early September and will remain right there until the end of November. Neptune seeks to weaken our reliance on the material world and encourages us to expand our awareness into the realms of the spiritual, the magical, and the unknown; in doing so it can destabilize us and create confusion and delusion. Still, it is the planet of Divine Magic and offers an opportunity for creative inspiration as well!

Have a powerful and beautiful month!