Current Transits for October 2012 Current Transits for October 2012Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Pallas reenters Pisces, 10-3
Jupiter Retrograde Station at 16Gm22, 10-4
Saturn enters Scorpio, 10-5
Mars enters Sagittarius, 10-6
Saturn Trine Neptune, 10-10
New Moon at 22Li32, 10-15
Jupiter Trioctile Saturn, 10-15
Vesta Retrograde Station at 25Gm34, 10-21
Full Moon at 6Ta47, 10-29
Ceres Retrograde Station at 3Cn43, 10-31
Election Notes
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
There are a number of curious transitions going on in October, especially early in the month. If I had to pick one planet to focus on this month, it would probably be Saturn. Not only does the Ol' Taskmaster of the solar system change signs on the 5th, setting up shop in Scorpio, but he's involved in both of the "big aspects" this month. Saturn in Scorpio brings an emotional intensity to our lives, as well as a need to control those feelings and direct them in a more constructive fashion than we are used to. His upcoming trine to Neptune creates one of the important outer planet groups to contend with in the next few weeks. The other group is, of course, the ongoing square between Uranus and Pluto, with help from Chiron. It seems we vacillate between these two energies quite frequently in October, as if we can't make up our minds which way we're headed. There are also three retrograde stations in October, another indicator that we're changing directions. Unlike September, the waveforms this month show some signs of life, with occasional storms that reach high into Koz Alert (500 units or more) territory. There are times when we're pushed to a degree that can feel overwhelming, separated by other periods when there's little planetary support for our efforts. In short, a month that is chaotic and highly changeable. Get used to the craziness! (What a backdrop for the final weeks of the campaign!)
There's a fair amount of stories to tell this month. We have a pair of "big aspects" (both involving Saturn), 3 stations and 3 sign changes.
Pallas backs up from Aries (where she's been since May 17) into Pisces on the 3rd. She will stay here until 2013-1-10, after she turns around (on Nov 20) and then returns to Aries again. This dance back and forth across the Pisces-Aries border during this retrograde cycle is rather confusing. It's as though Pallas has one foot each in two totally different worlds. The Aries side is looking to get busy and put some new plans in action -- she sees the pathway before her and is ready to take off. But then she backs up into a more passive and dreamy mode, as if some "big picture" concerns are distracting her from more immediate plans. Pisces is good for the wider vision of things, but not so good at things like discipline, focus and taking care of the details. She's more concerned with how she affects others than in pursuing her own goals. This is also a good influence for opening up to your Muse, especially if you feel an artistic streak coming on. The hard part is finding the ambition to put this inspiration into some kind of concrete form. This may not make much sense until Pallas goes direct and returns to Aries. Of course, by then she might be too busy to sort it all out. Carry on...
Jupiter reaches his retrograde station of 16Gm22 on the 4th, starting 3 months of retrograde motion. He'll back up to his direct station of 6Gm19 by 2013-1-10 before turning forward again. Retrograde cycles are a time when a planet's influence is altered or restricted in its effects on us. It's a time to look closer at that planet and how you use that energy, to learn how to work with these parts of yourself at a deeper, wiser or more skillful level. Since Jupiter operates at many different levels in our lives, this cycle could express itself in any number of experiences. First of all, Jupiter is a social planet. He represents how our lives are enriched through our connections and relationships with each other. So a retrograde Jupiter can come across as a time when people pull away from each other or need more privacy than usual. He's not really at home in Gemini anyway -- relationships seem too flighty or trivial under this placement. Of course, this may just be masking deeper issues that people don't want to talk about. Jupiter is also a mental planet, concerned with big topics and problems that result in an expansion of your perspectives on many issues. This is often of a spiritual nature, but can be more mundane as well. Such a topic may grab your attention, leaving you little time for less interesting matters. If you're going to put in so much brain power to a topic, at least make sure it's "big enough" to be worth the effort. As I said, Gemini is a sucker for trivia. Jupiter is also a planet of material concerns and his retrograde cycles can be times when resources and finances get a little tight. This can be a concern particularly if you're in business for yourself, as it seems customers are more likely to sit on their wallets, leaving you to get through the lean times on your own. Put a little aside and curb your expenses, just to make sure you aren't surprised by the unexpected. Reassess your business goals for the future, making sure they match current realities -- believe me, you'll find out where they don't match! Mostly, people are a little colder, more inward, less exuberant than normal. Hang in there -- our optimism will return eventually...
Saturn moves from Libra into Scorpio on the 5th. He'll remain in this sign until 2014-12-23, when he shifts into Sagittarius. It's been a long time since we last saw Saturn in Scorpio (1982-11-29 to 1985-11-16), about 27 years ago. Unless you were born with this placement, you probably haven't had much exposure to these energies, so let's take this apart slowly. First of all, Saturn is a great Teacher through adversity and restriction, or as I like to call him, the Headmaster at the School of Hard Knocks. His lessons are discipline, hard work, patience, a sense of proportion and restraint, taking responsibility for your own life and karma. Scorpio is an intense emotional experience of bringing your ego awareness, your sense of "who I am", to its highest development, followed by tearing it down as you set foot on a higher spiritual path, and finally being reborn at yet a higher level. This process takes you through the highest highs and the lowest lows in so many areas of your life. The key seems to be the emotions. Once you get past the immediate experience and expression of such powerful feelings, stand back and reflect on why these feelings "grabbed" you so intensely in the first place. Inevitably, this draws you back towards the parts of your psyche that really control your behavior. What do you value, what are your true beliefs and hidden assumptions, what are you passionate about, what do you fear, what do you strive for, what feels like oblivion? Like so many matters that arise from the unconscious, much of this is much less scary once you become aware of it and acknowledge the influence it has over you. Further, this awareness gives you some distance and perspective, a chance to consciously decide whether to give in or not, the power to choose. That's Saturn talking! This is his way of teaching you to be responsible for and exercise some mastery over your inner life and how you express it in your outer life. There's a downside to this distance however that you should be aware of. Saturn is a planet of restriction, so there may be a tendency to deaden or suppress your emotions, a kind of Mr. Spock approach. This is not the same as mastery. Feelings must be felt and experienced, otherwise they remain unconscious, but what you do after that is another matter. Maintain the middle path, as always. Needless to say, this can be a detrimental time for close relationships. Love may not go smoothly at all -- this is why relationships are such a powerful karmic teaching tool. This is where patience and an appreciation of your partner in spite of everything comes in handy. In time, emotions become a much bigger spiritual arena than the mere soap operas in the average person's life. This is not the easiest Saturn placement, by any means, but it can be some of the most memorable.
By the way, there's not a lot of down time for Saturn as he changes signs. His period of "silent running" (from the last aspects while still in Libra to the first aspects in Scorpio) is only 2 days at most before he's open for business in his new home. Time to hit the ground running. Pay special attention to the first week or so of this placement -- you may get some early clues as to what's coming up the next two years...
Mars leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius on the 6th. He'll be in this placement until he moves into Capricorn on Nov 16. This is a good placement for learning how to loosen up and be more casual about how you express your energies. Mars in Scorpio can be really intense, which is good for getting work down, but can cause a lot of wear and tear on the rest of your life. The Sagittarius vibe helps Mars relax and let things be. There's an element of freedom loving about Sag that encourages a live and let live approach. Passion and enthusiasm replaces compulsion and obsession. You're more apt to do things for the sheer fun of it. Your interests wander in some curious paths, leading you in directions you hadn't anticipated. However, this tendency makes it hard to focus on one task exclusively, so this placement is not conducive to knuckling down to disciplined work. Don't take on big projects now, other than the dreaming up a big vision part. (Save the work for Mars in Capricorn.) So let loose and enjoy the ride!
Saturn in trine Neptune on the 10th for the 1st of 3 such contacts. The upcoming contacts are on 2013-6-11 and 2013-7-19. Saturn is wasting no time getting down to business in Scorpio! This aspect is certainly an odd one, since these two planets are about as different as can be. I've talked some about Saturn already. Neptune is dreamy and indistinct, hard to pin down and capable of appearing like almost anything a person desires (or fears). And while Saturn can be closed off and reserved, Neptune is all about merging emotionally with other people. Both planets are in water signs, so emotional and various spiritual issues are emphasized. At least this is a trine aspect, which gives this mismatch an interesting twist. Trines seem to make things turn out OK in the end, unless you really refuse to put in any effort. In conversations with some of my friends, we've been complaining about how ungrounded and touchy people are since Neptune entered Pisces last winter. Perhaps Saturn will help put some of this extreme sensitivity on a firmer foundation and give it some structure -- not one of Neptune's virtues by a long shot. A little calm and quiet amidst this emotional tempest actually works in Neptune's favor, as it is ultimately these deeper spiritual currents that we need to experience. His trip through Pisces this decade is meant to open the heart and help us connect with a much broader vision of ourselves than we currently possess -- part of the reason people are freaking out so much. It's possible, I guess, to get depressed, moody or down under this aspect, but I don't expect such a worse case, since this is a trine. Be patient, take it slow and easy with yourself -- it's not easy living with a heart that's opening up.
The new moon chart is a mess. The planets break down into 4 small groups with only the weakest of connections. There's no dominating center that brings order to this chart. The coming lunar month (including the elections) are off to a rocky beginning.
The Sun and Moon in Libra mostly stand alone, not a good sign in a lunation chart. They have some contact with the largest of the 4 groups, consisting of Mars, Juno, Pluto, Chiron and Uranus. I suspect that Mars will aggravate the Uranus-Pluto square, bringing some of its more aggressive qualities to the fore and putting the Libra new moon to the test. Juno's presence in this crowd is not necessarily encouraging, particularly if she's feeling trampled on by "the guys" around her. Venus, Mercury and Jupiter form another tight little grouping, probably the most positive part of the entire chart. Maybe this will soften some of the harsher influences that are present. Jupiter is drawn to Saturn by their trioctile coming up in a few hours, bringing Neptune in through the back door. The chart is a muddled mess. It's really hard to read what direction we're heading in coming weeks.
Jupiter is trioctile Saturn on the 15th, the 2nd of 3 such contacts. They met previously on Jul 20; the final contact is on 2013-5-19. This aspect is most easily seen on the broader social scene, since these planets jointly rule over the interactions of people in mass. Since this is a stressful trioctile, there's a mismatch between the work and discipline people are expending (Saturn) and the rewards and support they are receiving back (Jupiter). In economic terms, the world is still suffering 4 years after the big Pluto collapse of 2008 and following years. Politically, people are divided and contentious to an extreme degree. And in terms of their everyday lives, they are disheartened by the sense that their situation is not improving. Meanwhile, there's a perception that the lucky few at the top of the social hierarchy are becoming more well off by the day. Not the most upbeat mood as we head into the elections in a few weeks. To the extent that voters are in a get-even mood, the election could get ugly. Unfortunately, this aspect lasts until next spring, meaning the elections will likely solve very little. There needs to be more substantial improvements before people feel upbeat again. Maybe the upcoming trine between these planets next summer will catch us in a better mood.
Vesta is at her retrograde station of 25Gm34 on the 21st. She will back up until 2013-1-26 when she reaches her direct station of 9Gm50. Vesta is an introvert already, so when she starts another retrograde cycle, she's really in the mood to pull away from people and go off by herself. Sometimes it's because she finds people overwhelming or tedious, a drain on her energies. Other times, it's because something deep inside is calling to her and she needs to channel her time and attention to bringing this insight to the surface. This entire cycle takes place in Gemini, an indication of some mental projects or artistic work that needs to be expressed. If you're a person that responds strongly to Vesta's influence, it's important to take some time off and look after yourself. Follow your Muse, get some rest, get away from relationship issues that sap your energy. By the direct station in January, you'll probably be ready to deal with people again. See you later...
There's a potent Koz Alert about 12 hours before the full moon -- the energy is dropping off already. However, this second storm of the month is easily the most directed influence in about 3 weeks. Despite the slight discord between those competing groups of outer planets, the full moon manages to integrate them better than we've seen in some time. There's hardly a planet that I would describe as isolated or truly weak. What a change from the new moon...
As you can tell from the spikes in the waveform, there are two distinct groups of planets (at 0-3 and 5-7 degrees) that are close enough to overlap and interact some. In the first group are Venus, Mercury, Ceres, Neptune and Saturn, blowing hot and cold emotionally, as usual. The other crowd forms a lovely fan-shaped pattern consisting of the Sun, Pluto, Chiron, Uranus, and the Moon. Mars and Jupiter are directly opposite each other, contacting the other planets mainly through Saturn. That's just about everybody. Granted, the planets aren't speaking with perfect unanimity, but it's pretty close. When you have all the outer planets working more or less together and they have a direct channel to the more personal planets (especially the Sun and Moon), it's pretty common that the unconscious is highly active and spilling over into everyday life. People are usually stressed and freaked out when this happens -- you can feel the tension in the air. It's curious that we are approaching the old pagan holiday we now call Halloween. Traditionally, this is when the veils between the worlds are easily parted, when the realm of spirit is easiest to feel. In our modern way of thinking, these spirits are "in the mind", coming up from the unconscious psyche. Outer planets, inner visions, bogeymen in the dark -- it doesn't really matter what we call them, their effect is still real. Stay grounded (the Moon is in Taurus) and calm as you explore this inner world. Or go a little crazy. People go to the polls in a week -- jolly good news! Not a good omen for getting the country straight any time soon...
Ceres goes retrograde at 3Cn43 on the 31st. She will be in reverse gear until 2013-2-4, when she goes direct at 19Gm44. Ceres is the Great Mother, the source of nurturing and protection that we feel towards others that we care for, the emotional glue that binds us all in a Great Web of Life that supports us all. Her recent entrance into Cancer (Sep 26) only accentuates these maternal instincts. How curious that she immediately goes into a retrograde cycle. It's as if we need to reexamine this whole caring business at a deeper level and figure out what value it has for us. Granted, this cycle involves Gemini as well, a more light hearted and less emotionally involved sign than Cancer. It's tough to find the right balance point between these extremes, especially if it feels others are demanding more of you than you're receiving in turn. There's little tolerance of moochers now. Perhaps this is part of the going within such as we saw with Vesta's retrograde cycle. Sometimes this amounts to taking care of yourself first, so you have something left over to offer to others. Wherever you fall on this spectrum of responses, be genuine with others about your behavior. Ceres is not a planet you can fake and get away with it.
I spoke a little last month about Mitt Romney and his acceptance speech. In particular, how his timing was off -- there was no connection made with the heavens or the country's chart. Obama's timing, as always, was amazing. His speech on the 6th was the same day as the Chiron-Pluto sextile -- exact to the minute with his own natal Pluto. Jupiter was in exact aspect to the midheaven, an omen of coming to prominence. The Pluto station on the 18th trined his natal Pluto. Watching Obama over the years, he handles the Dark Lord much better than most politicians. Lucky for us, since Pluto is affecting the US chart so strongly in recent years. Since the conventions, the campaign has devolved into a silly war of words. Trends in the polls hint that Obama is pulling ahead, especially in the important swing states. Next stop, debate month...