Astrological update for the week of October 17-23, 2022
Retrograde update. The retrograde forces that dominated August and September continue to fade, and after Saturn turns direct this week there will be three planets traveling in retrograde motion (Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus) as well as Chiron. This may seem like a lot, but this is a more normal number of retrogrades and the forces that pull us back into the past to review and reflect are beginning to lessen.
Saturn station. The challenging square from Saturn to Uranus which came very close to an exact alignment over the past few weeks is also starting to fade, and with it the forces of rebellion and conflict which dominated the story of 2021 will also start to retreat. Saturn, the planet that teaches endurance and the value of discipline and hard work, is stationary in the sky right now as it prepares to change direction. When a planet appears to “station” before a change of direction its influence intensifies, especially if you have sensitive planets between 15 and 20 degrees of the fixed signs (Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio, Taurus). Saturn will barely move between now and mid-November, meaning this wise teacher will dominate the planetary energies.
Saturn periods like this one are good times to focus on the hard things that need to be done, but are not the best times for speculation and over-idealistic thinking.
The Sun/Venus dance from Libra to Scorpio. The Sun and Venus meet in conjunction about every 9-1/2 months: once when Venus appears to be at its closest point to Earth when retrograde, and once (like now) when Venus is at its farthest point when traveling direct. From our perspective, the Sun appears to be between Venus and the Earth and there is a culmination of sorts – an awakening and illumination of the interconnectedness of all humans.
Venus began its approach to the Sun about two weeks ago, and as the week begins the two planetary bodies are within a degree of each other in Libra. After the exact conjunction on October 22, the Sun and Moon will almost immediately enter Scorpio and shift the focus from harmony and equilibrium to emotional intensity and a need for Truth.
Prepare for the Scorpio solar eclipse coming up next week. Once the Sun and Moon enter Scorpio, Scorpio season will begin in earnest, especially when the Moon enters Scorpio and we are drawn into the underworld of emotion and secret power with a solar eclipse at the Scorpio New Moon on October 25th.
Scorpio times are exhilarating for those of us with intense personalities, but all of that passion and drama can be a bit overwhelming for those of us who have more lighter personalities with lots of Gemini or Sagittarius.
Here’s what else you need to know for the week ahead. (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, please adjust for your locality.)
Monday October 17. Monday is a busy day astrologically, with a very busy Moon and lots of lunar aspects. The Moon is in its own sign of Cancer, so we may be feeling more sensitive and emotional than usual, and with so many planetary aspects we might have a tendency towards some mood swings, especially around 1 pm when the conscious and unconscious don’t see eye to eye.
There should be enough positive energy driven by a solar aspect to Mars, though, to help energize us for the day and find our way through any emotional confusion. (Moon square Venus 10:14 am, trine Neptune 11:04 am, square Sun 1:15 pm, opposite Pluto 4:56 pm, Sun trine Mars 6:05 pm.)
Tuesday October 18. Harmonious energies continue on Tuesday as the Moon enters Leo just after midnight, with a harmonious trine from Venus in Libra to Mars in Gemini that builds throughout the day. This happy confluence of air signs combined with the positive nature of Leo offers opportunities for easy connection and conversation between friends and lovers. It’s an excellent time for writers as the imagination finds the drive to be expressed in positive ways.
Meanwhile, though, a difficult solar aspect is building today that will culminate on Wednesday so you may notice some gathering clouds in the midst of the sunny day. (Moon enters Leo 12:44 am, trine Jupiter 2:44 am, Venus trine Mars 10:20 pm.)
Wednesday October 19. Though the Leo Moon will continue to drive a yearning for joy today, there may be a few bumps in the road. The challenging solar aspect culminates around 9:30 am and could bring some inner distress if something that has been bothering you rises to the surface. Communication may also be somewhat challenging throughout the day and could bring up some old painful emotions that are ready to be processed and released.
The best way to navigate the planetary energies on Wednesday is to breathe and notice the feelings that are emerging. Ignoring or avoiding difficult emotions simply drive them into the subconscious where they will emerge at a less convenient time! (Moon sextile Mercury 1:15 am, trine Chiron 4:05 am, Sun square Pluto 9:33 am, Moon square Uranus 12:17 pm, opposite Saturn 1:59 pm, Mercury opposite Chiron 9:23 pm, Venus square Pluto the next day 2:02 am.)
Thursday October 20. Any emotional stress from the day before will begin to fade as the day goes by on Thursday thanks to a series of harmonious lunar aspects. The Moon enters Virgo just after noon to help settle down emotional fragility and ground us into taking care of the details of life. (Moon sextile Mars 2:23 am, sextile Venus 5:12 am, sextile Sun 6:35 am, Moon enters Virgo 12:25 pm.)
Friday October 21. Today is a mild day, with calm vibes and mellow moods. The Virgo Moon is a great time for organizing the details of life and cleaning up the detritus of our days, and the only planetary news is the building of two harmonious planetary aspects which will peak on Saturday. (Moon conjunct Ceres 6:25 am, trine Uranus 10:19 pm.)
Saturday October 22. Today is the day of the Sun/Venus conjunction, a blending of beneficial energies to shine a bright light of positivity into our adventures. We also have a harmonious Mercury aspect to Saturn to help focus the mind and clarify communication, so very little can go wrong today even though around noon we may find ourselves feeling a bit frustrated for a few hours. That is a good time to take a walk and shake off any of that dissonance.
The Moon moves into Libra around 9:30 pm and brings our focus from mundane details to bringing more harmony and beauty into our lives. (Moon opposite Neptune 8:37 am, square Mars 12:27 pm, trine Pluto 2:17 pm, Sun conjunct Venus 5:17 pm, Mercury trine Saturn 9 pm, Moon enters Libra 9:24 pm, opposite Jupiter 10:17 pm.)
Sunday October 23. Venus enters Scorpio in the wee hours of the morning, followed shortly by the Sun as we head into Scorpio season. The equanimity of the Libra Moon may be disturbed somewhat in the evening, making this a good time to embrace our emotional warts in preparation for the Scorpio eclipse on Tuesday! (Venus enters Scorpio 3:51 am, Sun enters Scorpio 6:35 am, Moon opposite Chiron 9:51 pm.)
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