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Lynn's Skywatch:
Planetary Illuminations for October 2011

10/3 Mars square Jupiter
10/5 Mercury conjunct Saturn
10/7 Venus trine Neptune
10/9 Venus enters Scorpio
        Venus trine Chiron
10/11 Full Moon 18 Aries, 10:06 pm
10/12 Mercury trine Neptune
10/13 Venus sextile Pluto
          Mercury enters Scorpio
          Sun conjunct Saturn
          Mercury trine Chiron
10/14 Venus opposite Jupiter
10/16 Mercury sextile Pluto
10/17 Mercury opposite Jupiter
10/21 Sun trine Neptune
10/22 Venus trine Ceres
10/23 Sun enters Scorpio
10/24 Mercury trine Ceres
          Sun trine Chiron
10/26 Mars sextile Saturn
          Venus square Mars
          New Moon 3 Scorpio, 3:56 pm
10/28 Mercury square Mars
          Jupiter trine Pluto
          Sun opposite Jupiter
          Sun sextile Pluto
10/31 Venus square Neptune

All dates and times are for the Eastern time zone; please adjust for your own locality.  For daily planetary news, visit my Facebook and Twitter pages.

The big news for the year 2011 has been the challenging square aspect between Uranus (planet of revolutionary new ideas and radical action) and Pluto (destruction and transformation). We have seen the effects of this dramatic planetary cycle play out across the globe, from the Arab Spring which led to the downfall of Hosni Mubarek in Egypt, to the independence movements in many nations around the world. This aspect peaked in July and Uranus and Pluto continue to move slowly but surely away from each other. As October begins, the two planets are two degrees from the exact squre formation, and by the end of the month they will be far enough apart that the influence of the cycle is waning.

This gives us a planetary rest period with virtually no major planetary cycles to create disruption. It's an opportunity for us to get back on track in our personal lives, and there will also be an unwinding of the stress that we've seen in the international arena. The month begins with four planets in Libra which helps us to regain our equilibrium (Libra is the sign of balance)

Throughout the month Jupiter, traveling retrograde, is moving into position to form a harmonious trine to Pluto. This is the second phase of a cycle that began in July and is a beautiful alignment for the expansion of our personal empowerment and confidence. Under this influence we can accomplish many things, so it's important to be clear about what we want our lives to look like.

On October 3rd, and for a few days leading up to it, a square aspect from Mars to Jupiter can be extremely energizing and motivate us (through Mars) through optimism and an expanded sense of faith in ourselves (Jupiter) towards great achievements. There is some danger here that we may go "over the top" in our efforts to extend ourselves beyond our limitations, and if we feel restricted in our lives in any way we will be very aware of it during this time. Be careful to preserve your energy during these few days in order to get the maximum benefit.

This short period of expansion will be followed by a day or so of contraction when Mercury (the mind and information) conjoins Saturn (restriction) on October 5th. Communication with others could be difficult at this time, but we can also be more focused and disciplined that day.

On the 7th Venus (in its own sign of Libra) trines Neptune, the planet of creativity and spiritual experience. Venus and Neptune both share an affinity for love and romance as well as artistry and imagination, so this will be a fertile day for creative expression. Venus moves into Scorpio on the 9th and forms a trine to Chiron. With Venus in Scorpio our relationships and feelings for others will take on a new intensity, and the harmonious aspect to Chiron (the Soul Healer) helps to facilitate the clearing of any blockages in our personal interactions.

The Aries Full Moon occurs on the evening of October 11th. As in any Full Moon, the Aries Moon opposes the Libra Sun. The Aries/Libra polarity balances the need for self-orientation (Aries) against an orientation towards The Other (Libra). Libra itself is the sign that seeks more than any other to achieve balance, and in that quest there is often a loss of balance as the drive for harmony takes precedence over personal needs. Aries maintains the focus on personal needs and is less interested in achieving balance. This is the dilemma of the Aries/Libra Full Moon.

The Libra Sun conjoins Saturn which suggests that solitude and focus will be highlighted during this Full Moon so that an ideal inner balance may be achieved. A trine from Mercury to Neptune will culminate the day following the Full Moon and helps to open the doorways of the mind and enhance the sensitivity of the senses. But we are dealing with Aries here after all - a focus on the Self and initiating something bold and courageous will be the order of the day. A wide trine from Mars (the planet of drive and inspiration) to the Aries Moon will help to energize the process and provide a touch of excitement.

Between the 13th and the 17th there are a number of faster moving planetary aspects that will stimulate the mind (Mercury) and continue to draw attention to our relationships (Venus). On the 13th Mercury moves into the intense sign of Scorpio which will encourage deeper and more probing thinking and analysis. Mercury is very active over the following few days - in a harmonious trine to Chiron which aids in healing understanding, in an energized sextile to Pluto which enhances integration and focus, and on the 17th Mercury will oppose Jupiter for greater confidence and an expansion of our personal views.

Venus is also active during this period - sextile Pluto on the 13th and opposite Jupiter on the 14th, enhancing our interactions with others and facilitating personal growth as well.

The planets continue to provide pleasant and life-enhancing experiences between October 21st and the 24th, with a pleasant trine from the Sun to Neptune on the 21st which increases our sensitivity to the spiritual realm and enhances the imagination for a day or two. On the 22nd Venus is trine Ceres, a wonderful time for cooking delicious foods for loved ones, or simply doing something beautiful for yourself. Mercury trines Ceres on the 24th, so the focus on caring for the physical body will continue for a couple of days.

The Sun enters Scorpio on October 23rd and begins heading into the underworld of winter in the northern hemisphere. By this time the Libra influence that seeks peace and harmony is behind us and we are moving into the time of Scorpio. Scorpio is the sign of emotional fearlessness and demands that we find pure and complete acceptance of ourselves at the deepest core of our being. A trine of the Sun to healing Chiron on the 24th helps to remove any obstacles that prevent us from achieving that lofty goal.

The Scorpio New Moon on October 26th takes us even deeper into the Underworld of the psyche and emotional realms. By this time there are four planets and luminaries in Scorpio: The Sun and Moon, and Mercury and Venus. There is no escaping the necessity of reaching into the abyss of our own interior world, but the rewards are great as we discover the treasures that lie buried underneath the veneer of our own consciousness.

This is what the New Moon in Scorpio teaches. A square from Venus to Mars in Leo suggests potential stress in our relationships, but also enhances sexuality and the excitement of Scorpio that Mars (traditional Scorpio ruler) brings to the table. Mars is in a harmonious sextile to Saturn at the New Moon which helps to provide stability and an environment where new plans under the New Moon may be devised.

The trine of Jupiter to Pluto culminates on the 28th and is enhanced by the Sun which is opposite Jupiter that day and sextile to Pluto. The added blessing of the Sun on this aspect illuminates and enhances the fertilization of our goals and dreams. This is a glorious time for leaving behind the pessimism that the past few years have wrought and devising plans that bring new hope. A square from Venus to Neptune on the 31st will enhance creativity and assist us in connecting more deeply to our spiritual lives but may also create a day or two of illusion. It's best to wait until after that time to implement your Jupiter/Pluto plans.