Hello!
Welcome to October 2023! Here we are at the beginning of the month, and our attention is drawn to the fact that we have fewer retrograde planets than we had at the beginning of September. Now, there are only seven planets retrograde instead of eight, so the season is turning more towards integrating and interacting with the outside world rather than the inner life. We just had a super full moon a few days ago, so October is coming in with a bang.
As the saying goes, though, “In like a lion, out like a lamb,” and there are only six retrograde planets by Halloween. At the beginning of October, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Chiron, Saturn, Jupiter, and the North Node of the Moon are all retrograde, but at Halloween, only Neptune, Uranus, Chiron, Saturn, Jupiter, and the North Node of the Moon are retrograde. October 12th, the birthday of Aleister Crowley, Pluto finishes stationing direct, so for a couple of days preceding that and a couple of days following, you may find that all sorts of Plutonian traits pop up to deal with. Pluto is the planet of deep transformation and change. It is considered similar to Mars but with a more refined emphasis on the self and going deep within. But Pluto also corresponds to violence and accidents, so during the above timeframe, pay particular attention to acts of violence and/or accidents. Tempers may also be shorter.
Also, around that time, there will be an earth grand trine aspect pattern present, which means this is a perfect time for manifestation in the physical world, especially if you are an earth or water sign or have those elements strong in your natal chart. The 12th is also two days before an eclipse, so that the energies will be distorted and stronger than normal. Mars also enters Scorpio on the 12th, so you can expect Martian traits to be present. This includes having above-average energy levels and the above-mentioned violence, accidents, and short tempers. As I hinted at in my recent newsletter and other places, October 12th should be circled as a time to be cautious. Of course, it should already be circled because it is Aleister Crowley’s birthday, so it is a high holy day to Thelemites, but that is a conversation for another time and place.
During October, we have two eclipses. On October 14th, we have a solar eclipse; two weeks later, on October 28th, we have a lunar eclipse. The cosmos is polite enough to condense the eclipses down into one month right now, and I consider that a blessing. Solar eclipses are times when we can expect external changes to occur and lunar eclipses we can expect internal changes to occur. The kicker with eclipses is that the duration of the eclipse determines how long our lives will be affected by the eclipse. In short, the longer the duration, the longer we’ll deal with these eclipses’ manifestations. Mercury is involved in both eclipses, Libra and Scorpio, to be precise, so that you can expect swiftness with an emphasis on alchemy.
October 9th, Venus moves into Virgo, telling us it is a good time to clean! Not just your home and environment but also your body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is said that October is a good time to detox, and this year, we see an alignment. The whole time Venus is in Virgo is a good time to clean, and this window of opportunity opens on the 9th. On October 5th, Mercury enters Libra, so the 4th and the 5th may feel like a mini-retrograde, but this will pass. Mercury’s ingress is coupled with the fact that it is a quarter moon, too, so agitation is in the air. October 20th brings a sun-mercury conjunction in Libra. This is known as the two planets being “cazimi,” or bluntly, conjunct. Cazimi is an antiquated term not often used today but is effectively the same as a conjunction. Since this is occurring in Libra, you may find this is a good time to talk to people. If you are waiting for the results of a court case, this is probably the day. Justice may be a major theme at this time, too, but remember that justice does not always favor you. Justice is blind, after all. The sun enters Scorpio on October 24th, which is a little later than normal, and this also tells us that astrological Samhain will be about two weeks later on November 7th. When the sun enters Scorpio, it will join Mercury and Mars, Mercury arriving on October 22nd, and Mars, of course, on the 12th. All of this activity is forming a trine to transiting Saturn in Pisces. When a trine is present, it tells us this is the beginning of the next leg of your journey. Spiritually and emotionally, this is a time of initiation and intuitive development. This is especially true if you have strong Cancer in your chart, so now is the time to remember that you will be more sensitive to energies than normal and in a spot to develop to the next level.
A hidden date to note is October 27th. Yes, it falls near the eclipse, so it should already be on your radar as a potentially challenging day, but the 27th is when things really kick off. Mars is the main player, as there are six chart points in signs that are ruled by Mars, so at first glance, it may not look like much, but like the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, it’s got it where it counts.
By the time you get to Halloween, you may find that fatigue is your companion. October is not as challenging as the previous two months, but as you can see, certain days and times come with warnings. Yes, relax into the coming season, but don’t let your guard down if you can help it. Focus, discipline, and re-evaluation are all major themes of the next month, so with some planning, things can turn out better than expected!
Until we chat again, may we all receive blessings of good health, prosperity, and success as we move through the next month of our lives.
Namaste,
Bill
[Written by Reverend Bill Duvendack.]
