If anyone is reading this, then sorry for the delay. COVID put me out of commission for a few days. It’s been tough to marshal back my focus, especially since I couldn’t do much besides doom scroll and watch movies during that time. Anyway…Hump Day is done, but it’s still Thursday, so let’s start here.

We’ve got some potent ingredients to start things off this week. True wishes may be coming into clearer focus throughout the end of this week, as well as some potential strategies to realize those desires. It sounds silly, but knowing what we want, what we really want and realistic ways to get there – that can be very tough to envision sometimes. It’s much more common to lust for things we really don’t want, or to generally want in the direction of some basic life areas – love, fortune, security, what have you. But we’re building to a very special conjunction of the Sun and Venus this week, an event known as a cazimi. The Sun has a tendency to block out a planet’s light, swallowing it within its own. But here, Venus’ wishes are very clearly broadcast from the heart of the Sun. What’s more, a departing trine with Mars may show you how to get done what must be done.

There are some flies in the ointment, though. Mars is crawling to a standstill, preparing for his retrograde at the end of the month. And so even if we see how a thing might be accomplished, it may feel like the wrong time, the wrong conditions, or we may simply feel powerless to enact our plans. There may also be heavy, unspoken facts getting in the way of our wishes, or systems of power and corruption that make getting what we want seem extremely challenging. This comes from Pluto’s square to the Sun and Venus. Squares can be daunting, but they can also be motivating – there is no Goliath that cannot be toppled, though Pluto’s tasks may be require less slings and more emotional labor.

Speaking of that, Mercury’s opposition to Chiron opens a channel to tough discussions, even if they are internal. Giving voice to our issues around agency and insecurity may seem too hard, but bridging the gap can yield treasure. Have a care if you’re looking to change around the structure of your life in some ways, however, as some walls may be load-bearing. Mercury’s trine to Saturn opens up such avenues, but Saturn is still in a square to Uranus and the North Node, an explosive duo. The Moon in Virgo may also act as a trigger to this array on Friday (10/21.)

Saturday (10/22) is the big day – Venus cazimi in the 29th degree of Libra. This is a date I’ve been looking at with interest for some months, and only recently found that other astrologers have been, too. Please see a recent episode of The Astrology Podcast with Arielle Guttman, or this article in TMA on her work with Venus Star Points. In a brief tease of summation, it basically marks a century-long shift in the way that Venus operates, moving from a cycle of cazimi through Scorpio (which began in 1926) and now into Libra until around 2130. Whoo! I figured it was a powerful day for Venus work and I was evidently correct, even in spite of the anaretic degree. Anyway, please find a way to make use of this day. Make some art, make some love, do something you just like to do. Enjoy a beautiful Autumn Saturday.

And then get ready for Scorpio season, because Venus holds the Sun’s hand and walks him right into his ingress on Sunday (10/23.) Whereas the Sun took its marching orders from Venus while they were in Libra, they now both take their cues from Mars. And that’s going to be interesting, because he’s not really taking calls right now; he may as well be at a silent retreat. Our senses of self may be thrown into some tumult by the upcoming Mars retrograde, as well as our desires and emotional health. That’s why it’s extra important to find good outlets for the Mars current – yoga, exercise, martial arts, crafts, cooking, constructive projects, working with our hands and bodies. It’s better to channel energy into areas such as these rather than to wallow in impotence or throw oneself headlong into self-destructive behavior. If something feels overwhelming, breathe through it, don’t get swallowed up by it. Mileage may vary depending on where Mars Rx hits in your birthchart. The retrograde begins on 10/30.

Monday (10/24) is a good day for planning and research, with the Moon in Libra briefly creating a Grand Air Trine. She’ll also square Pluto, so things may feel heavy and our personal monsters may try to block our progress. This is a good opportunity to develop strategies to outsmart them.

Tuesday (10/25) is the New Moon in Scorpio, which is also a partial solar eclipse. This is a funny one, as it doesn’t cast a tight aspect to any other planets, nor any antiscia, and it is ruled by the much-mentioned stationing Mars in Gemini. New Moons are said to act as chapter beginnings, and this chapter feels unsure of itself, a non-sequitur, a pair of characters entering a scene in medias res who are unsure how this setting operates. The coming months of Mars retrograde may prove disorienting to many, and this seems emblematic of that condition.

There are two trines to minor celestial bodies cast by this eclipse. I do not work with either often, but it seems like it would do a disservice not to try and parse out their meanings. The tight relationship to asteroid Juno would seem to me to indicate a dramatic (though probably not sudden) transformation for partnerships, relationships and fidelity. You don’t need a romantic partner to be a good equal in a relationship, and the watery connection between these two placements highlights the emotional give-and-take in life. There can be a lot of romance in relationships that do not seem classically, hug-and-kissy “romantic.” A friendship can be a great romance. A professional relationship can be romantic.

Interpretations of Black Moon Lilith seem to offer a bit more variance, but one interpretation would be a dialogue with places we’ve felt ashamed, stilfed, or misunderstood. Other interpretations I’ve read seem to center on it being a place where we refuse to compromise. Either way, the isolation of this eclipse, along with the stillness of its ruler, Mars…this may all just be about taking time alone to get right with our hearts, both within our closest relationships and with ourselves. May any pain which bubbles up leave your heart less poisoned.

Until next Hump Day!

Many are likely still reeling from last weekend’s Full Moon in Aries, a doozy of a lunation that seemed to pack an emotional punch. In its wake, we enter a sort of denouement week which begins with some potentials for volatility, but also for positive systemic change.

This is the strange brew brought to us by the moon’s transit of Uranus and the North Node, the conjunction that has served as an arbiter for sudden material change for some months now. These forces are aligned in direct conflict with Saturn, who is retrograde in Aquarius. This alone would be enough for us to call this a day of dramatic potential. What softens and perhaps redeems this array is the involvement of the Sun-Venus conjunction in Libra, who cast a gently graceful ray onto Saturn, hopefully making sure that any necessary-but-daunting overhauls will run smoothly and with elegance. By evening, the moon will instead make contact with Pluto in Capricorn, direct after months of retrograde, adding gravity to the situation, however amicably. This is the cement drying and setting into place.

There is a fly in the ointment of progress, however. Some may find that their efforts to check things off their to-do lists get stuck in the mud, or lost in a shuffle. Perhaps there is too much to do and you’re feeling overwhelmed? Or the tasks you’ve assigned yourself are not defined clearly enough? A single item to accomplish may actually be 24 items if you really break it down. Any frustration surrounding such matters can likely be pinned on the square between Mars in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces. The goal you seek may be harder to find than imagined – the map is not the territory, and the territory may be low visibility. Not a reason to punch a wall, but probably a reason to unclench your rational mind and ask what intuition has to say about any given matter.

On Thursday (10/13,) the moon enters Gemini, where it will make contact with Mercury, who has newly ingressed into Libra. Mercury is also in opposition to Jupiter, so this may stir up thinking around study and education and around creative solutions. This dovetails into the configuration on Friday (10/14,) a grand air trine triggered by the moon’s conjunction with Mars. A great day for freedom of thought, for conversations that last for hours, for going into a frenzy of cerebral activity.

Saturday (10/15) sees Mercury get his turn at an antiscia with Neptune. An antiscia is a connection not dissimilar to a conjunction, where the planetary pair mixes and it becomes hard to pick apart who is who. As planets have recently traveled through early Libra, we have seen both the Sun and Venus get their turn at antiscia with slow-moving Neptune. Now Mercury makes contact; a good day for navigating fantasy, lucid dreaming, gaming, for getting lost in a rabbit-hole of fandom, for studying the taxonomy of the spiritual.

Sunday (10/16) passes relatively peacefully, no major triggers from fast-moving planets driving the action, though the Sun is beginning to lock into a tough relationship with Pluto, who may be forcing closer examination of public figures, authority figures, or just of the self – all of these people may come under the scrutiny that seeks systemic rot, especially as Pluto has just begun moving forward again. In what ways is power being hoarded or exploited and what allows for that?

The true drama should hit the following day, on Monday (10/17,) as the moon creates a t-square involving both of these planets that terminates into Aries. Without getting into it too deeply, a t-square is a contentious and incomplete pattern which highlights the missing piece as a place for all focus to funnel in. And so, because there is nothing in late Aries, there may be an over-compensatory focus on that section of the sky, giving the day a very Aries feel: headstrong, willful, combative. A day of potential strife in that a lot of people may find themselves drawing lines in the sand or rushing headlong into an unpleasant matter. On Tuesday (10/18,) the moon moves into Leo, striking softer notes in the sky, and we can focus on taping up wounds and replaying fight footage so we can dominate our next outing.

Until next Hump Day!

Wednesday is a day of activity, pressure and potential surprises. Mercury is freshly direct, getting mental energy going in the right direction, but he’s still in a tough relationship to Mars, so there may be some requisite headaches and problem-solving required to get the tires unstuck from the mud. A harmonious-but-intense relationship to Pluto, who is slowing down to come off his retrograde, only ratchets up the stakes. Furthermore, the moon’s contact with Saturn and square to Uranus-North Node may throw up some unexpected barriers or deadlines into the mix. This becomes more likely still when considering the Sun and Venus will be shining a spotlight onto Saturn by trine – maybe there are some sacred cows, some principles that need to be respected on the way to accomplishing your goals? Something like that.

In fact, that spotlight may invite us to give a hairier eyeball to structures and authorities within our lives throughout this week, to see if they need to be redefined, made more user-friendly and elegant. This comes from the Sun-Venus transit to Saturn, who has been retrograde and is preparing to turn direct by the end of the month. Some of this may reopen old wounds, pains and insecurities around capability and agency. This comes from the Sun-Venus opposition to Chiron, an aspect which will coincide with their transit of Saturn. This is all likely to come to a head with Sunday’s full moon, which takes place atop Chiron.

As a reminder, and as I previously wrote, “Venus will be accompanying the Sun through his entire walk through Libra, and there seems to me to be great beauty in this arrangement, like a capable and elegant consort taking the Sun by the hand and guiding them through an unfamiliar setting.” Possibly an image to hold in mind through some of this month’s less gentle terrain.

Wednesday (10/6) and Thursday (10/7) are a bit more relaxed. Late Friday into early Saturday (10/8) will see the moon’s movement through late Pisces, and thus its conjunction to Neptune, opposition to Mercury, and square to Mars. The resulting aspect pattern is called a t-square, and it may drive people into revelry and excess at the expense of their responsibilities. But given that cognition and action will be a step harder today, maybe it’s better to put something off and enjoy yourself if the matter is not urgent.

Sunday (10/9) is the full moon in Aries, as well as Pluto’s direct station in Capricorn. As I wrote in my Libra Season write-up, “Aries Moon is one that thrives on acts of service, both received and performed, a rally cap of emotional courage. Chiron throws a bucket of cold insecurity on all of that, but along with the other planets involved, may open avenues to confront healing that is both necessary and possibly long-overdue. Pluto also goes direct on this day, ceasing its retrograde motion through Capricorn. It is still tightly configured to Mercury here, and may show some wise seekers how to properly navigate power, and/or how to uncover what is hidden. News-wise, one hopes that systemic corruption is called to account – not a prediction, but a hope.” By this time, Mercury’s square to Mars has also waned and will be finished by the following day, and at the same time, Sun-Venus will begin locking into Mars by trine. So frustrations around problem-solving SHOULD also wane. Mileage may vary.

In fact, we round out this week’s discussion with a focus on Mercury. He will be in a strange position on Monday (10/10,) as he is still very strong by sign, but very weak by degree. Mercury does what is usually considered his best work in Virgo, but he will be at 29 degrees, “anaretic,” largely thought of as a weak position for any planet in any sign. A sharp blade in a sluggish hand? The following day, Tuesday (10/11,) he’ll make ingress into Libra, joining the Sun and Venus but never quite catching up with them within this sign.

Though not as precise and exacting as he operates in Virgo, Mercury in Libra is capable of great deliberation, being able to hold and weigh multiple paradigms before making judgement. On the other hand, that means that this is not a Mercury known for its swift decisiveness, though it is often associated with negotiation, mediation, pleasant conversation, and with the arts. Mercury already dipped into Libra recently before retrograding out of the sign, and will thus be retracing what are known as his “shadow degrees,” the area he tread on before moving backwards. As a result, he may be wrapping up any problems or fallout from cognitive misfires that occurred during that time. He’ll also be opposing Jupiter. From my Libra Season write-up: .”..[Jupiter] may show the gaps between what we know and what we want to know. Even in opposition, Jupiter is supportive, and will likely cast an aspirational tone on any such divide.” The moon then makes contact once again with Uranus-North Node, by conjunction this time, creating the possibility of surprises and shake-ups in what should otherwise be a relatively placid day.

Until next Hump Day!

I could not seem to shut up in my Libra Season write-up last week, so for both our sakes, I’m going to endeavor to keep remarks brief. In fact, I’m going to blatantly recycle some of that text, so buckle up.

Wednesday has explosive potential, with the Moon in Scorpio getting some folks deep in their feelings. It’s okay to look inward, but don’t get lost down there. This is especially true with Venus in arguably her weakest position in all of the zodiac – self-worth and self-image issues may be exacerbated. Mercury is slowing down right on top of Venus, and though retrograde, is powerful here. Assess the situation with a cool head, not a muddy heart. Mars is stronger, having made contact with a powerful fixed star, and has the ability to put some elbow grease behind some big changes, now locked into Saturn through a partile trine. But Mars’ influence could also add some pepper to an already volatile mix, so again, let cooler heads prevail.

Thursday (9/29) is kind of a big day: Venus moves into a position of relative strength, rekindling charm and aesthetic. But Venus is also very close to the Sun here and may find herself outshined. Some artists may need to be brilliant in obscurity for a while longer. But hey, if you want to make a big splash, sometimes a period of secret labor is just the thing to build up a beefy portfolio that will knock their socks off. This may apply to a web of contacts, really to lots of things that fall under Venus’ realm. While still retrograde, Mercury is slowing to a stop, and you may feel any Merc Rx-related madness start to do the same. If the past few weeks have been chaotic, ask yourself: what can be gleaned from the mayhem? Are there ways to prevent it in future, or lessons to be learned from it? Was it fun? Sometimes it can be.

Friday (9/30) and Saturday (10/1) sees the moon’s movement through Sagittarius. There, it will first make contact with Jupiter on Friday, spurning growth, optimism and good times; then with Chiron the following day, which may chafe a bit more, but could open avenues to working through grief and insecurity, especially around personal agency and capability. Saturday will also see the Moon in Sagittarius oppose Mars and square stationing Mercury. We may not feel prepared to act. If it cannot wait, take a moment to gather yourself.

Jumping back to Friday briefly, the Sun will make an antiscial connection to Neptune. A good day for getting swept up in fantasy and letting boundaries around sense of self be redefined. In subsequent days, Venus and then Mercury will also make this connection. A lot of folks don’t use antiscia, but I find them very valuable. I encourage you to seek out Kate Flückinger’s work for more information.

Sunday (10/2,) we finally get Mercury direct. Mercury will park in a position that may have some sweating deadlines, or just feel like they’re administrating under pressure – this comes from his square to Mars, as well as the intensity modifier from Pluto, which can help with deep research. On the other hand, the Moon in Capricorn creates a T-Square with Sun-Venus in Libra and Jupiter in Aries, which may throw the day’s focus onto what is comfortable, familiar, nurturing. Maybe the brain-work waits until Monday.

Speaking of Monday (10/3,) the Moon in Capricorn will have moved onto Pluto, and will create a Grand Earth Trine, throwing focus onto practical matters. The players involved indicate this will not be a placid affair, as Pluto, Mercury, and Uranus are more likely to figure out how best to take care of business. On the same day, the square between Saturn and Uranus is partile, so there may be some big structural shake-ups. A good day for creating or revising a budget, or other such administrative necessities.

On Tuesday (10/4,) Venus gets her turn to be antiscia Neptune. A good day for Tolkein-esque high fantasy. The Moon in Aquarius supports this and encourages you to get real weird with it. Some great potential for creative exploration here, even if it just means taking a chance on some art or entertainment that wouldn’t normally be your thing.

Until next Hump Day!

Happy Autumnal Equinox! Later tonight, the Sun exits Virgo’s intricate hedge-maze conundrum and strolls instead through Libra’s well-maintained gardens. These topiary structures are more concerned with eliciting a response from the heart and mind rather than material gain. Let’s take a look at some of the broad strokes that will inform the Scales’ canvas over the course of the coming solar month.

We should firstly address the fact that the Sun is classically thought to perform sub-optimally in Libra. Just as certain color palates do not suit certain skin tones, the Sun’s spotlight on the individual does not suit Libra’s broader mindset of designing a beautiful lighting pattern for the whole stage. Thus, the Libran may be a genuine appreciator of personalities, one who fiercely loves the Suns of others, but because it tends to define itself in relation to those stars (“I am ___’s child,” “I am ____’s spouse,”) they tend not to focus on who they really aside from that array of social connections. In fact, when someone takes too big a spotlight for themselves, a Libra is probably the first person to label them as being “a lot.” Libra prizes a beautiful arrangement, and if someone threatens that with their selfishness, they’re probably going to find themselves on the business end of a trademark Libran withering barb.

That all said, we are more than just our Sun signs, and this only defines one aspect of personality. I know plenty of Libras with personality that packs a wallop, and the point is not to generalize them as vapid, wishy-washy, or superficial. (Though I know a few of those, too.) All to say, as ever, mileage may vary based on other chart factors. We are all beautiful, strange snowflakes whose charts are exactly as they should be.

Disclaimers out of the way, let’s talk astro-weather. As discussed in this week’s Hump Day column, the Sun begins its journey through Libra “positioned across the board from Jupiter in Aries, which will likely challenge issues around identity, confidence, agency. The Sun is said to perform its worst in Libra, cobbling together identity through a series of personal contacts, and in that regard, Jupiter may encourage some to look past the expectations and desires of others to get down to what one really wants to do with themselves.” We also have a new moon on Sunday (9/25) that will likely center around these themes. The Sun will be opposite Jupiter from today until the start of next month, around the end of Mercury Rx on 10/2.

Tonight (9/23) also sees Mercury’s retrograde conjunction to the Sun, an event known as cazimi. Also pulled from yesterday’s column: “Late in the evening, the Sun will make its ingress into Libra. From about 9:30pm until 7am on Friday (9/23,) Mercury will be exactly conjunct to the Sun at 0 degrees Libra, and a condition known as cazimi will be active. The long and short of it is that, in this state, the planet is said to be in position to transmit clearly, visible as it is standing dead-center in the heart of the Sun, an ‘eye of the storm’ moment. So it may be that this time sees some vital information come to light. It could also be a good time to capitalize on the clear signal to have an important discussion or brain-work. By midday Friday, this will be over and Mercury will be back in Virgo, continuing its moonwalk back into the sign where it normally performs optimally…but note that the retrograde is still on into the beginning of October.”

Speaking of Mercury, he is continuing his apparent backwards movement through the sky, and shortly after his cazimi, he will dip back into Virgo, where he will begin locking into a conjunction to Venus, who has been having a difficult time. Pulling once again from Wednesday’s column: “Mercury is the stronger party here, even retrograde, and may be able to help rethink some ideas around…Venusian issues. This conjunction will persist until the coming Thursday, and will perfect before that on Monday (9/26.) The two are also in a harmonious relationship to Pluto, who may help in efforts to dig deep and ask the right questions, though there is a serious danger of getting lost down deep rabbit holes.” In short, Mercury does very well in Virgo, and even retrograde and hindered by an opposition to Neptune, he may be able to help Venus to work through issues of self-worth, impostor syndrome, doubt, etc. Her square to Mars in Gemini is waning, so she is likely coming off of beating herself up, if someone else wasn’t shouting her down.

Mars himself is moving on from his contentious connection to Venus, which while unpleasant, may be motivating some positive action. He is instead locking into a harmonious relationship to Saturn retrograde in Aquarius, a call toward active restructuring and more disciplined approaches. Alternately, if Mars has been feeling oppressed by authoritative pressures, this may be a call to find freedom within those structures, to cast off the weight and operate more easily. Mars, like Venus, is ruled by Mercury, who has been retrograde for a while now. There is a lot of opportunity for revisiting approaches here.

I have been writing a lot about the Uranus-North Node connection lately, a volatile conjunction that has the power to create some major shifts in the world. Saturn, the paragon of structure and authority, is in a contentious relationship to these revolutionary forces, so we may have more earth-shaking on the docket. That said, Uranus and the North Node are beginning to drift apart. The conjunction is still active, but its power will wane as Uranus slows down and ceases its retrograde motion. That’s still a ways off (direct in January,) but the drama shouuuulllld be starting to wind down. The moon’s movement may trigger some activity, however, and I will endeavor to point out the dates where that is likely.

On Thursday (9/29, Michaelmas) Venus will leave its conjunction to Mercury behind, as well as its harrowing shame-walk through Virgo. Venus makes her ingress into Libra here, one of her seats of power, and will join the Sun in its focus on aesthetics, manners, and propriety. Though Venus is strong here, she is considered to be weakened by proximity to the Sun, who drowns out and swallows the light of planets that get too close to him. However, Venus will be accompanying the Sun through his entire walk through Libra, and there seems to me to be great beauty in this arrangement, like a capable and elegant consort taking the Sun by the hand and guiding them through an unfamiliar setting. Venus will also go through her own cazimi period, exactly conjunct the Sun on 10/22 – 10/25, accompanying him right into his Scorpio ingress. During this period, desires, preferences, and artistic sensibilities may come through very clearly. A great time to make art, make love, or just get in touch with what you really want. People think they know what they want, but often find it much more difficult if pressed to write down specific, actionable wishes.

Also on 9/29, Mercury will station direct, and his retrograde will properly end on 10/2. By the time it does, he will be in a contentious relationship to Mars in Gemini, and there is a general danger of bickering on this day, especially since Mercury’s connections to Pluto and Neptune will persist in looking very deeply into matters and not being able to reconcile with fantasy, respectively. But Mercury is Mars’ master here, and if cooler heads prevail, there is potential to get a lot done here, especially since Mars has just made an exact trine to Saturn at 19 degrees. A good day for making plans or putting them into action!

Mars will also be conjunct a powerful fixed star from 9/29 – 10/15 – this would be Capella, “the little she-goat,” which is said in nativities to make people persistently inquisitive. With Mars, it is said to make natives “inquisitive and learned,” but that this gift may be wasted on “low subjects.” Make of that what you will. Sounds like a good time to crush at bar trivia.

We have a Full Moon in Aries on 10/9, which will happen right on top of Chiron, and in harmonious connection to Mars and Saturn. Aries Moon is one that thrives on acts of service, both received and performed, a rally cap of emotional courage. Chiron throws a bucket of cold insecurity on all of that, but along with the other planets involved, may open avenues to confront healing that is both necessary and possibly long-overdue. Pluto also goes direct on this day, ceasing its retrograde motion through Capricorn. It is still tightly configured to Mercury here, and may show some wise seekers how to properly navigate power, and/or how to uncover what is hidden. News-wise, one hopes that systemic corruption is called to account – not a prediction, but a hope.

Shortly after, Mercury will make his ingress back into Libra on 10/11, once again opposing Jupiter and beginning to chase down the Sun and Venus. He won’t quite catch up with them until Scorpio season, but he’ll run through the remainder of his retrograde shadow degrees, likely putting the final touches on any issues brought up by the retrograde around 10/15.

A final note on Jupiter. Though it won’t happen in Libra season, he is also retrograde, and he’ll soon move back into his home in Pisces for a short time. More on that next month.

Those are the major moves as I see them. I’ll list some more granular goings-on below. Once again, Happy Fall to All!

9/22 – Sun’s ingress into Libra, Mercury Rx cazimi in the evening. Sun will be opposite Jupiter through the beginning of Oct.

9/23 – Sun will be in a cross-sign conjunction with Mercury and Venus after Mercury goes back into Virgo through 9/27. Mercury conjunct to Venus, opposite Neptune, trine Pluto. Mars-Venus square waning, but Mars trine Saturn Rx locking in. Saturn is also square to Uranus-North Node.

9/24 – Moon in Virgo may trigger the Uranus-NN conjunction, especially since it will square Mars.

9/25 – New Moon in Libra, opposite Jupiter.

9/26 – Sun-Jupiter opposition is partile. Mercury-Venus conjunction is also exact. Grand Air Trine caused by Moon in Libra trining Mars and Saturn and opposing Chiron. Hermetic Air (intellectual activity, socialization, freedom of thought) is at a premium.

9/27 – The moon squares Pluto, the people/mood grate against power, corruption, emotional identity against repression and secrets.

9/28 – Venus is in a terrible mood, both fallen and anaretic. Get under a blanket and eat some chips. The Moon in Scorpio will be on the South Node and may trigger the Uranus-North Node volatility. Mars begins its conjunction with Capella.

9/29 – Venus makes her ingress into Libra, accompanying the Sun through the sign very closely. She will oppose Jupiter through the first week of Oct. Mercury stations at 24 degrees Virgo, slowing to a stop. The connection between Mars and Saturn is exact here, giving structure to action.

9/30 – The Sun is in an antiscial connection to Neptune. A good day for getting swept up in fantasy and letting boundaries around sense of self be redefined.

10/1 – The Moon in Sagittarius opposes Mars and squares stationing Mercury. We may not feel prepared to act. If it cannot wait, take a moment to gather yourself.

10/2 – Mercury goes direct in Virgo. The Moon in Capricorn creates a T-Square with Sun-Venus in Libra and Jupiter in Aries, which may throw the day’s focus onto what is comfortable, familiar, nurturing.

10/3 – The Moon in Capricorn is now with Pluto, and will create a Grand Earth Trine, throwing focus onto practical matters. The players involved indicate this will not be a placid affair, as Pluto, Mercury, and Uranus are more likely to figure out how best to take care of business. On the same day, the square between Saturn and Uranus is partile, so there may be some big structural shake-ups. A good day for creating or revising a budget, or other such administrative necessities.

10/4 – Venus gets her turn to be antiscia Neptune. A good day for Tolkein-esque high fantasy.

10/5 – A strong potential trigger date here, as the moon in Aquarius is right on Saturn, which may set off Uranus-North Node. The Moon will also make contact with Sun-Venus in Libra before contacting Mars in Gemini, which is when things are likely to get volatile. The Sun-Venus conjunction moves away from Jupiter and into an opposition with Chiron, bringing up uncomfortable, sensitive matters around agency and sense of self. (The trine with the Sun becomes partile on 10/7, Venus on 10/10.) They also move into a trine with Saturn.

10/7 – The Moon is with Neptune, opposing Mercury. An enchanted heart would rather dream than think.

10/9 – Full Moon in Aries. Pluto goes direct in Capricorn.

10/10 – Mercury is at 29 degrees, anaretic. Though it is strong in Virgo, this weakens its influence. The Moon in Aries squares Pluto, possibly a re-visitation of issues from 9/27, as Pluto has since become direct.

10/11 – Mercury makes ingress into Libra, opposing Jupiter, who may show the gaps between what we know and what we want to know. Even in opposition, Jupiter is supportive, and will likely cast an aspirational tone on any such divide. The Moon is in Taurus and will make contact with Uranus-NN, potentially triggering the array. Sun-Venus moves into a trine with Mars.

10/14 – Another Grand Air Trine, as the moon in Gemini makes contact with Mars and Capella.

10/15 – Mercury gets its turn at antiscia with Neptune. Another good day for navigating fantasy, lucid dreaming, gaming.

10/17 – The moon in Cancer creates a t-square terminating in Aries. The day may take on an Arien tone of action, brash enthusiasm, drive to accomplish. Mercury begins to oppose Chiron, bringing the mind to wounds and insecurities, possibly introducing novel approaches to healing them, or at least using them to artistic effect. The Sun is exactly trine to Mars, Venus will be tomorrow.

10/19 – The Moon in Leo creates a Grand Cross, a tense day. It may also trigger Uranus-NN.

10/21 – Venus’ cazimi begins, active until 10/25. Venus will walk the Sun out of Libra and into Scorpio.

Another Mercury Rx Wednesday, though Mercury is still supported by relationships with growth-inducing Jupiter and for today, with the moon. That is good because other factors are debilitating Mercury; his proximity to the Sun may leave some feeling overlooked and ignored, possibly by way of misunderstanding. Or, they may truly be ignored, a source of later misunderstanding. Mercury is also still in Libra at current, where it takes its marching orders from Venus – and Venus is not in her best shape right now.

Venus is classically seen as being in a weak position in detail-obsessed Virgo, but there are other troubles. She has a combative relationship with Mars currently, though it will wane after today, a holdover from last week. This may leave some feeling assailed, picked on, oppressed – and because it is Mars in Gemini, probably belittled and talked down to. Venus is also locking into a tough relationship with Neptune, which may leave some feeling disillusioned or confused about Venusian matters of appearance, sex, relationships, artistic sensibility, most likely resulting in issues around self-worth. Lastly, Venus is also moving too close to the Sun to stand out on her own, and may face the same overshadowing as Mercury.

A saving grace for them both is a condition known as mutual reception, one where Mercury and Venus will look out for and care for each other while they are in their current signs. That will change before the end of the week.

Late Wednesday into Thursday (9/22,) the moon will square Uranus and the North Node, a spark for potential volatile, explosive change. Mileage may vary, of course. After that, the moon will oppose Saturn, giving things an oppressive air that may be emotionally heavy. Late in the evening, the Sun will make its ingress into Libra. From about 9:30pm until 7am on Friday (9/23,) Mercury will be exactly conjunct to the Sun at 0 degrees Libra, and a condition known as cazimi will be active. The long and short of it is that, in this state, the planet is said to be in position to transmit clearly, visible as it is standing dead-center in the heart of the Sun, an “eye of the storm” moment. So it may be that this time sees some vital information come to light. It could also be a good time to capitalize on the clear signal to have an important discussion or brain-work. By midday Friday, this will be over and Mercury will be back in Virgo, continuing its moonwalk back into the sign where it normally performs optimally…but note that the retrograde is still on into the beginning of October.

With the Sun now properly in Libra (Happy Autumnal Equinox, btw!), it will positioned across the board from Jupiter in Aries, which will likely challenge issues around identity, confidence, agency. The Sun is said to perform its worst in Libra, cobbling together identity through a series of personal contacts, and in that regard, Jupiter may encourage some to look past the expectations and desires of others to get down to what one really wants to do with themselves.

Saturday (9/24) may see sparks fly, as the Moon in Virgo causes friction with Mars and then with Uranus-North Node. However, the connection to the latter is relatively harmonious despite the inherent volatility of the planet, therefore, some impatience and ill-tempers may give way to substantial sudden improvements. Meanwhile, Mercury and Venus – both still oppressed by both the Sun’s light and the opaque waters of Neptune, – draw close to each other in a conjunction. Mercury is the stronger party here, even retrograde, and may be able to help rethink some ideas around those aforementioned Venusian issues. This conjunction will persist until the coming Thursday, and will perfect before that on Monday (9/26.) The two are also in a harmonious relationship to Pluto, who may help in efforts to dig deep and ask the right questions, though there is a serious danger of getting lost down deep rabbit holes.

But before that, we get a new moon in Libra on Sunday, 9/25. New moons are typically thought of as beginnings of new chapters, and this one will center around many of the Sun-Jupiter issues outlined earlier in this article.

We get a Grand Air Trine on Monday night running into Tuesday (9/27,) basically meaning that there will be an abundance of playful, free-wheeling mental energy about. That said, two of the components are Mars and Saturn, so it might have a lot more to do with cerebral hard work, like planning and administration, maybe dealing with a mountain of backlogged Mercury retrograde problems. This seems especially likely since a contra-antiscial connection between the Sun and Mercury shines a spotlight on the messenger planet on Tuesday. His retrograde is almost over, but not quite. His about-face takes place on the next coming Sunday, Oct 2nd.

Until next Hump Day.

Drama and confusion co-lead the charge this week. Wednesday is ruled by Mercury, and Mercury Retrograde is in full effect now – as a consequence, today and the next two Wednesdays hold a premium on misunderstandings and mishaps. This week, all of that is mitigated somewhat by Mercury’s harmonious connection to Mars, as well as his not-so-harmonious connection to Jupiter, which can lend a lot of assistance even in tough positions. Both sources of aid will diminish in the coming weeks.

What’s more today’s likely to host a series of shake-ups, disruptions, and revelations for good or ill, what with the moon sandwiched between Uranus and the North Node. It feels kind of funny, because as a rule, the moon performs optimally in Taurus, a placid and fertile pasture as a backdrop for the day. Only with the current array around the moon, it’s like the pasture is also a hotbed of landslides, meteorite strikes, and suddenly-enlightened cows. Make of that what you will!

There is potential for relationship friction with Venus and Mars moving into a contentious square, both also ruled by retrograde Mercury. Venus is debilitated in a few significant ways, and may be feeling outshined and neglected. Mars is at the start of a long journey of self-reflection and retooling, one he probably doesn’t even know he’s embarked on yet. Don’t let a mountain become a molehill here, realize that a conflict may simply be a misunderstanding. Patience and understanding are strongly advised.

Thursday evening (9/15) is an opportunity to cut through to the source of any confusion, as the Moon in Gemini will make clear contact with Mercury. Because that is a two-way street, this may also be the source of a big miscommunication, so be vigilant about details. This bleeds into Friday (9/16,) as Mercury forms an antiscial relationship with Neptune that makes the facts even murkier. On the plus side, this connection should also be very good for delving into fantasy or working on the fantastical; potentially good juice for writers and artists, diviners and magicky-types, or just nerds who love to binge their fandom. Mars is with the moon here, and should be able to assist with empowering any or all of the above. Venus is also fully locked into its trine with the North Node here, meaning that manifesting aesthetic (creating art and craft) should flow more easily. The Sun in Virgo’s critical eye will also be on Neptune through the weekend, highlighting the divide between delusions and reality and possibly opening up questions around sense of self and closely-held ideals.

A dynamic configuration is active on Sunday 9/18) morning, as the moon creates a t-square with Mercury and Jupiter. The result may be a very industrious Sunday, primed for re-structuring and acquisition; possibly a good day for home improvement, wardrobe renovation, retail therapy, or for sweating it all out.

Monday (9/19) has more revelatory potential, as Venus locking in exactly on Uranus means that surprises and realizations around artistic sensibility, preferences, femininity, and the like are more possible. Could just mean a particular person coming out of the woodwork, especially with all the retrograde planets at play right now. The moon lends positive support here before moving into late Cancer on Tuesday (9/20,) where it will preside over a somewhat fraught early day before creating moods more mellow and celebratory by evening.

Until next Hump Day!

Wednesday is Mercury’s day, and as such, it is appropriate that we see a spotlight on the messenger planet. Not only is Mercury about to go retrograde, but Wednesday sees him embroiled in a powerful configuration known as a Grand Air Trine, together with the Moon in Aquarius and Mars in Gemini. With the air element strong, curiosity and freedom of thought are at a premium. This could be harnessed for study, creativity, conversation. This may also be a golden moment to attend to any last-minute administration, networking, or binding arrangement before Mercury’s backward movement renders those things a step or two more difficult. Just watch out for Mars’ influence adding a little spice into the mix. A friendly debate could escalate.

We also begin the week with the Sun in Virgo locking into a tight orb with Uranus and the North Node – in fact, the trine to the North Node will be exact on this day. While I have done a lot of talking-up of the volatility inherent in the Uranus-NN pairing, this aspect is a trine, and is thus more actively harmonious. That doesn’t mean that change or revelation will be less sudden, but it should mean that its violent and dramatic potentials are significantly reduced, and we are more likely left with conditions that may show us the ways in which we would like to change. Being that this is happening right before Mercury goes retrograde, and being that the Sun in Virgo takes its marching orders from Mercury, what we can surmise is that we may get the VISION of the end result, or the IDEAL we would like to make manifest, but we may not yet have the avenue to its realization. Or, perhaps the change is sudden but the adjustment to the change is gradual. In any event, the process of acclimating is just that: a process. It takes time and may not have a clear end in sight, but we can only step forward on the journey, even if it has us revisit old haunts with fresh eyes. The Sun also has an antiscial connection to Chiron here, inviting us to work through any old injuries to self-image.

Jupiter is also in a connection with Neptune this week, called a contra-antiscia. Jupiter is already retrograde itself, and thus reevaluating the best ways to assert a role in the collective, the ways in which we can take an active role in helping ourselves and others. Neptune’s influence makes things murkier, more opaque, but that diffusion may be a gift. Allowing current roles to melt away is a potential avenue to a new dream. More on this when we get to the full moon…

Lastly, Venus has made new ingress into Virgo, a boon to bargain-hunters and nit-pickers alike. She has certain gifts in granular Virgo, but is also said to perform most counter-productive to her function here. Remember that actual perfection is unattainable, and that well-executed aesthetic usually has an air of effortlessness. You can do 100 hours of obsessive research and dramaturgy on your production of Moliere, and people may still only remember an ingenue’s pretty face or a well-timed dick joke.

Not only will Mercury begin its retrograde on Friday (9/9,) we also get a full moon in Pisces. This punctuation mark on the retrograde highlights the axis between microcosm and macrocosm, the cerebral materialism of Virgo against the big-picture emotional intelligence of Pisces – which is also ruled by a retrograde planet, Jupiter in Aries. And so, this is a moon to reflect on the things that make us feel like small part of a much larger organism/universe/community, but also to feel rooted in having our specific place and function. A period of contemplation on these matters may follow.

The moon will then hit Neptune as it travels through the late degrees of Pisces on Saturday (9/10) before making contact with Jupiter on Sunday (9/11.) This will cast a dreamy, sedated pallor over the former and a feisty invigoration to the latter. It will also mean that the moon is making the rounds to players discussed previously in the week, likely spotlighting a lot of the same issues brought up around Jupiter’s connections to Neptune and then to Mercury. The earlier descriptions are about processes, not just one-off events. (Though they may, in fact, be both. Mileage may vary.) Speaking of which, the Sun locks into his exact trine to Uranus today, signaling potential for that positive volatility laid-out above.

Monday (9/12) sees Venus in Virgo moving into a tough relationship with Mars, which is sure to only be exacerbated by Mercury retrograde – the ruler of both of these planets. Good-natured jabs could give way to slug-fest here, especially if they involve affronts to someone’s aesthetic, their love life, their intelligence. On an internal level, the solutions we’re finding may run into conflict with our values in small, niggling, but ultimately important ways, which may impede accomplishment.

The week more or less peters out on this note, leaving us to work it out in the coming week. Tuesday’s Moon in Taurus may provide some cool-headed grounding and support to Venus in order to find compromise, but try to get it worked out before Wednesday, which the Moon will contact Uranus and make the ground shake again.

Until next Hump Day!

This week is colored by Mercury’s shadow period, as he slowwwws down in preparation to throw it in reverse. His retrograde will begin late at night on 9/9, and may seem particularly visible and newsworthy since the Sun in Virgo takes his marching orders from Mercury, and the boss is about to take a tumble. Take this week to take a breath and consider the ways in which you may be miscommunicating, the potential faults in your thought process, the routes which may become temporarily closed or rerouted. Also, if there’s anything you need to make official vis-a-vis contracts or agreements, it might be prudent to do so before the retrograde kicks in proper, if you’re able. Mercury retrogrades are not all that doomy, but they can coincide with big inconveniences. Double-check that you’re i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.

Mercury’s retrograde will take place in a harmonious relationship to Mars and in a difficult relationship to Jupiter. As I wrote prior, “this Mercury will highlight the gap between where our heads are at and where we’d like to be more capable, more spiritual, more charitable – the places we’d like to grow and why we aren’t getting there.” Mars’ involvement means that through investigation and effort, we may find ways we’ve been going about expansion all wrong and be able to rework those processes into solutions. 

In addition to that difficult configuration, there may be an air of repression around personal style and creativity, as Venus sees an opposition to Saturn. Saturn in retrograde here, so some of the same “how can we re-” thinking may be useful here; in this case, probably “how can we restructure” around aesthetic, beauty, and relating to others. Venus in Leo can sometimes come off as brash and self-absorbed, and there may be very good reasons for that sensibility to get checked. Conversely, people may wish for you to hide your light in a bushel, and you don’t have to take that shit.

Thursday (9/1) may see the Uranus-North Node “Change Bomb” get triggered by the moon’s movement through Scorpio. Here, it will touch the South Node, which may create an environment that’s fit for emotional purgation. Have a care with how deeply you mine your heart that night, whatever the activity – emotional investment can take many forms. This may be a tense day too, because the moon completes what is known as a Grand Cross, a configuration which may have folks feeling like they’re being pulled in four directions at once. Elements from the above Venus write-up will likely be at play.

Saturday (9/3) sees the moon in Sagittarius oppose Mars, highlighting a wall between what we need (perhaps on a spiritual level) and how we get it (perhaps on an intellectual level.) The Moon will be in a positive relationship to Jupiter and Chiron, opening avenues toward growth and healing, though that doesn’t mean the sensation is a smooth and easy one.

On Monday (9/5,) Venus will head into Virgo. I wrote about this back in my Virgo Season write-up last week: “…on the one hand, it’s said to be where Venus performs her worst, as detail-obsessed Virgo cannot help but find fault in appearance and presentation. On the other hand, Venus has dignity by triplicity here, meaning that she is at home in the earth element. I have known many a thrifty bargain maven to have this placement and Judo that into an affordable-but-unique style. So all is far from lost here, but it is useful to know when it’s okay to splurge and on what; also useful to know when to stop picking at a defect, as overworking a blemish to make it worse is kind of textbook Venus in Virgo.” That last bit is a very real thing, and many astrologers know stories of people with a lot of Virgo who will, for example, sand a piece of wood until it snaps in two. With Venus in Virgo, remind yourself that the painting needs to get hung at some point.

The Moon in Capricorn will usher this Venus into her new lodgings, though this creates another tense day on Monday, as the moon will be in a contentious relationship to Jupiter and Mercury, creating what is known as a T-Square. Without getting too jargony here, the theme of the day may be shutting down from tension and falling back on comforts: comfort foods, old haunts, art and music favorites, family and home life.

We close out on Tuesday (9/6) with another interesting array. This one speaks to intensity, but also to grounding and centering amidst upheaval. The Sun is now in a trine to Uranus-North Node, a conjunction I have discussed many times over the last few months. In short, Uranus is revelation and sudden change, while the North Node is a point of manifestation – together, an engine for sudden material change that gets triggered as fast-moving planets circle the zodiac. Now the sun will be shining a potentially-explosive spotlight on this area for the coming week, and what’s more, the Moon will be doing so late Monday into Tuesday before making a conjunction to Pluto, another intensity-modifier which particularly speaks to what is unseen, powerful, and hidden.

Because all three elements are in soft configuration to each other, we get what is called a Grand Earth Trine, often a positive force for feeling rooted and secure. What’s interesting here is that this marshaling of the earth element occurs right along with these indicators of tumult. So many may end up rooting out of necessity to keep their footing after a sudden gust almost blows them ass-over-tea kettle. Mileage may vary, but stay on your toes today and look for the right time to dig them into the soil.

Until next Hump Day!