Current Transits for October 2000 Current Transits for October 2000Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Juno Direct Station at 12Aq00, 10-1
Jupiter opposite Pluto, 10-13
Full Moon at 20Ar19, 10-13
Neptune Direct Station at 3Aq48, 10-15
Saturn reenters Taurus, 10-15
Mercury Retrograde Station at 15Sc48, 10-18
Uranus Direct Station at 16Aq54, 10-26
New Moon at 4Sc12, 10-27
Vesta enters Aquarius, 10-28
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
October is considerably gutsier than last month, a time for some important changes in direction. There are two significant planetary storms to weather (one at the start, the other at the end of the month) and a large number of planets coming to a standstill -- enough action to challenge all of us. Times when many bodies are standing still and about to return to normal motion are often critical periods when situations that have been intensifying for many months finally reach a breakthrough point of some kind and start (slowly) to resolve. Problems that have been brewing all summer are at a "make or break" point, so be prepared to do some important cleanup work. In general, this month is about shifting gears, changing your approach to problems, reevaluating points of view that you've held onto way too long. Get ready for a critical time!
There are 4 stations in October. Mercury goes retrograde on the 18th, while the direct stations include Juno on the 1st, Neptune on the 15th, and Uranus on the 26th. In addition, Saturn changes signs on the 15th, backing into Taurus, while Vesta moves into Aquarius again on the 28th. The only big aspect this month is Jupiter opposite Pluto for the second time, on the 13th.
Juno is the first body to stand still this month, at 12Aq00 on the 1st. Juno rules over relationships and partnerships, the urge to relate to others. However, she can be very demanding if these partnerships fall short of her standards. In a nutshell, she requires the utmost of mutual respect and support, a spirit of perfect equality and responsible integrity. Juno has been in reverse motion since June 24 (she went retrograde at 26Aq57). Typically, when she is backing up like this, the close partnerships in our lives are put to the test. Where are you treating your partner as a lesser being than yourself? Where are you taking advantage of them or not shouldering your share of the work? Or for that matter, where are you giving too much and at what price? You can usually recognize Juno issues by the emotions they raise. Any problem that creates jealousy, resentment, anger, bitterness, etc. between partners are areas where the spirit of equality has broken down. This direct station is a time to make amends and set the relationship back on a solid foundation. Frequently, partners that can't resolve their differences now wind up parting ways. Sometimes, a breakup is a sign of failure, but it can also be the most workable solution when true incompatibilities arise. Whatever the situation for you, this time is a test of your capacity for true love.
Jupiter is directly opposite Pluto in the zodiac on the 13th (about 10 minutes before the full moon!) for the second of 3 contacts. The first contact was just last month on 9-4, one of the major themes from August and September. The final contact will be May 6, 2001. I talked about this connection a lot last month, since it has been one of the big energy patterns lately, so it may seem unusual to be talking about it again. However, because of Jupiter's retrograde station on 9-29, this contact never really went away -- Jupiter pulled a wee bit ahead of Pluto, then quickly backed up for a second shot. So the themes I previously discussed are still here with even greater intensity. Jupiter is the way you reach out to the world and the society you live in, how you make contact with others to reap the benefits of living within your culture. As such, it describes your approach to bringing prosperity (at all levels) into your life and any problems you may have in this area. Unfortunately, there are a number of issues that can arise with Jupiter. For one, he can get kind of lazy, relying on "good luck" to see him through without putting up an honest effort, so watch out for a free-loading tendency now. More devastating is the feeling that you don't deserve the "goodies" in life, that you're somehow not worth it, which totally blocks this healthy flow. More subtly, I find that Jupiter can indicate a sense of estrangement from society, a feeling that you don't fit in or that you can't be true to yourself and "play the game" at the same time. These problem areas are very noticeable these days, particularly since Jupiter went into reverse gear. It's Pluto's job to make certain we're aware of these stumbling blocks, and with his buddy Chiron, to get us to do something about them. There's a need to get down to your true self and your inner power, to realize there's more to life than just playing the games society assigns us. We are being pulled in two conflicting directions and the tension may feel unbearable at times. We've got a long ways to go until next May, so get busy. Pluto is much easier on you when you make an honest effort to face these issues head-on.
The lack of focus in the full moon chart makes it hard to read. There's a strong split in the chart (Jupiter, Saturn, Moon on one side, everything else on the other), as though we're focusing on "social issues" (how do I fit into the world at large?) while a large number of internal themes are percolating under the surface. It's hard balancing conflicting problems or drives now -- self vs. relationships, work vs. home life, etc. It's important to communicate freely about your needs and feelings, but give others the same opportunity. Don't let pride or self-interest blind you to new options opening up, as a change in direction may be needed. Work skillfully and keep your heart open.
P.S. -- The Jupiter-Pluto opposition lies across the midheaven axis through the center of the USA, at roughly the longitude of Indianapolis or Montgomery, Alabama -- watch the midsection of the country for some major news the next few weeks.
Neptune is standing still on the 15th, at 3Aq48, about to resume forward motion again. The time since Neptune's retrograde station last May 8 (at 6Aq35) has been a time to examine what you believe in deeply and what you desire to create in this world. This is Heart energy, the unconscious power of emotions linked with will to create and manifest in the world by mobilizing the subtle forces around you. You may be finding now that undesirable situations have entered your life, that your dreams haven't worked out the way you planned. You may also be noticing that some of these plans took much more effort than they should have, that you somehow attracted pitfalls and roadblocks along the way. These could be clues that you need a change of attitude or approach this fall. Avoid over-glamorized dreams that are impractical or somehow try to cheat the universe. Above all, let all your actions come from the heart.
Saturn, which also went retrograde in September (on the 12th, at 0Gm59), is backing up from Gemini into Taurus on the 15th. Saturn, the planet of practicality and hard-nosed work, is telling you to buckle down and make your material situation more stable. Taurus is about the physical plane, the needs and drives that keep our bodies moving and our earth-plane lives functioning. Saturn is exposing the problems here, the areas where we aren't taking care of ourselves properly at a very tangible level, and turning the thumbscrews abit until we clear up the situation. This may be health issues, or a serious lack in the work/money area that is holding you back, or simply a too serious attitude that keeps you from having fun and enjoying life. Granted, you may not feel like celebrating much these days and you certainly won't receive a lot of recognition for your work, but this is a time to see how you can make your life happier, healthier and more stable. You've got until Jan 24, 2001 to make these changes, but don't wait to the last minute -- Saturn is unkind to procrastinators.
Mercury stands still on the 18th, at 15Sc48, about to start one of its infamous retrograde periods. Prepare to watch your thinking mind head south for 3 weeks! Mercury rules the symbol-using mind, our thought patterns, our ability to communicate, and when it goes into reverse gear, all these areas seem to go haywire. It's not a good time to make important decisions; expect communications with others to be confused and off base. It's useful during this time to analyze where your thinking breaks down, where your ideas about "how the world is" differ from how the world really is. We all operate on assumptions and pet ideas, many of which have little resemblance to reality. Normally, we can slip by with this kind of sloppy thinking. This period is not one of those times. It's curious that this Mercury retrograde time coincides with the last 3 weeks of the national political campaign. In fact, Mercury is standing still again right on election day (11-7, 29Li56), promising some confusing results and false calls by the news media. There could be some "big time" campaign flubs by both camps, and the rhetoric will generate more heat and smoke than light. It could get nasty.
Uranus has its direct station on the 26th, at 16Aq54. This can be a very disruptive influence, as Uranus acts to break up situations that have become stagnant or too comfortable. We all like stability, but sometimes things get too settled and need to be shaken up. Ideas and opinions, especially, tend to get old and stale with time and need to be reevaluated. Uranus is the mental hand grenade that goes in and overturns the status quo, forcing us to look at situations with a fresh eye and an unjaded point of view. Look for the weird coincidences and startling synchronicities that signal new perspectives on the world busting through our prejudices (this combines well with Mercury retrograde). Give yourself the freedom to innovate and improvise instead of defending your same-old ruts. It's all too easy to do things the same way all the time and never change or grow. Uranus will not allow you that option these days.
This waveform is deceptive. As strong as the new moon appears, it's only the beginning of the largest Koz Alert (573 units!) all month in about 10 hours. Also, by some strange quirk, the houses in the new and full moon charts are virtually identical (within 1 minute of arc), so most of the planets are in the same place. Many of the same themes are therefore still present, though much stronger. It's as though we have some unfinished business from the full moon.
As I said, this chart is nearly a carbon copy of the full moon chart. The Scorpio new moon perhaps brings the emotions and inner passions more to the surface. Venus is now in Sagittarius, about to join Pluto and Chiron and directly opposite Jupiter, which also brings feelings up to be looked at. Just be careful that this inner focus doesn't turn into a preoccupation with your personal soap operas. A potent square from the new moon to Neptune warns us to keep the heart center open. Don't be distracted by the emotional turmoil inside that often substitutes for living in a caring, involved manner. Our personal stories can seduce us, blinding us to the transpersonal (literally, beyond the self) spiritual story going on all about us. As we go beyond the hurts and fears that usually restrict us, we open up to a whole different dimension of living. Let your inner life guide you, not confine you.
Vesta reenters Aquarius on the 28th, after spending much of her retrograde cycle in Capricorn. Vesta represents our sense of security and inner strength, the ability to fearlessly tap into our inner reserves by being faithful to our soul purposes. The long journey through Capricorn has focused on material security and establishing a stable base. By no means a difficult placement, this was a time to draw inward and discover the resources you needed to establish a sense of quiet authority and independence in the world. The shift into Aquarius is quite a change. Now it's time to move from this stable base back into the world. This is a more mental or intuitive placement, where the emphasis is less on planning and methodical action, and more on tackling situations on a "seat of the pants" basis. There's less of a need for certainty, the goals are more idealistic or social in nature. Get used to a faster, more chaotic pace. It may take some time to make the shift and you may feel like curling up in your cocoon at times (Vesta's way of regrouping her energies), but stay with it. You have a lot to offer the world, if you simply stand in your own psychic center. Vesta enters Pisces on Jan 8, 2001.