Current Transits for October 1999 Current Transits for October 1999Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Chiron quintile Uranus, 10-3
Chiron sextile Neptune, 10-9
New Moon at 15Li44, 10-9
Jupiter quincunx Chiron, 10-10
Jupiter square Neptune, 10-11
Neptune Direct Station at 1Aq35, 10-13
Mars enters Capricorn, 10-16
Pallas enters Leo, 10-17
Jupiter reenters Aries, 10-23
Uranus Direct Station at 12Aq51, 10-23
Full Moon at 1Ta00, 10-24
Vesta enters Scorpio, 10-25
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
I hope you enjoyed the milder energies of September (it was surprisingly stressful for many people), because October is rather busy astrologically. However, for all the important planetary events going off this month, there are no big storms or overwhelming patterns to speak of. It's busy and can affect us deeply, but without being "powerful" in the usual sense of the word. Besides the usual aspects and sign changes, both Uranus and Neptune (planets of the unconscious realm) are standing still all month, producing a kind of "inner compulsion" to change or do something -- though it's not clear exactly what needs to shift. This kind of nondescript mood may turn out to be the dominant theme, as we all have this vague feeling that things could change for the better, if only we knew which direction to take. As always with the outer unconscious planets, the messages will be subtle and from unexpected quarters, so keep your eyes and ears open for new trends. Trust the process going on, even if you don't understand what's happening.
October is quite busy, with 2 stations, 4 sign changes, and 4 big aspects to discuss. However, the stations of Uranus and Neptune easily dominate the entire landscape for now. Expect weirdness to show up...
Chiron is quintile Uranus on the 3rd. This is the last of 3 such contacts, closing out the influence of this aspect on our lives. All the components of this aspect -- the planets and the quintile itself -- have a whacky, unpredictable energy, as though the back door to the psyche was left open and something weird managed to walk in. Unforeseen ideas and insights may have totally shaken up the "same old way" of looking at your life, allowing you to break out of old ruts and habits. Watch for those "aha!" experiences that indicate a new door opening up for you, especially if Chiron (currently at 1Sa01) or Uranus (13Aq01) is currently affecting your chart strongly. Life may look very different now.
Starting on the 9th, a group of important aspects involving Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune all kick in. The first of them is Chiron sextile Neptune. Again, this is the last of 3 contacts (the others: Jan 31, near a powerful lunar eclipse, and Mar 23), so we are winding up this influence. This aspect is notable not only for its "initiatory" quality, but also because it has helped anchor the new energies of Neptune's entrance into Aquarius last year. There are many themes possible with this contact, but one of the major ones is understanding how the unconscious mind (especially through the emotions) subtly influences and molds our lives so we can more consciously and purposefully direct this process. When Neptune emerged from the earthbound Capricorn into the fast-moving, mental Aquarius, we faced the opportunity of seeing how we weave the fabric of our lives. Unfortunately, since this is an unconscious process usually, the pattern we weave often represents our worst fears and prejudices, not the shining intentions of the ego. By becoming more aware of the process and facing those fears and short-sighted perspectives, we can change the course of our creating. I sometimes describe Neptune as "working with the subtle energies", those patterns and influences of psychic energy that form the framework for how the physical world unfolds. Chiron has been initiating us into this Neptune realm, literally turning on the switch in our brains that makes us aware of the subtle forces and how to work with them. Overcoming the limiting fear requires a purity of heart and motive, liberating us from the inner emotional pain. From here on, it's simply going to be expected of us that we can operate on this refined level -- get used to it...
The Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune grouping, supported by Venus, is in full swing. It's usually difficult to interpret a chart where Neptune is so prominent, since Neptune is so fuzzy and indistinct anyway. There's an otherworldly quality to this main group of planets that makes more sense to the emotions than to the intellect, something calling us to step beyond normal reality to a subtler realm. Watch the events that come up for you after the new moon, the hints they provide and how you react to them. You may find yourself drawing back, afraid to commit yourself, whenever one of your areas of anxiety are encountered. The fear is within you, not inherent in the outer circumstances, and your reactions are simply showing you something to overcome. The new moon itself is most strongly connected to Saturn, another symbol of fear and limitation. But it's also touching Uranus, the planet of liberating insight. I suspect that some life situations will get extremely tough the next 2 weeks or until you surrender and make the needed changes, whichever comes first.
On the 10th, Jupiter is quincunx Chiron, the 2nd of 3 contacts (the first was 6-20, the last 2000-5-1). Jupiter rules 2 main topics, expanding our outlook on the world at large and sharing in the abundance that the world provides. Since a quincunx usually has overtones of "something's not working smoothly", it would appear that these Jupiter areas are not going as well as they could. Particularly in the area of prospering materially in the world when you're chasing your dreams, something is getting in the way. Some of the glitch is a fearful view of the world, a prevailing worry that you can't make it, that keeps you from recognizing the opportunities that are present all the time. Again, if you want to create a better world for yourself, you have to start with yourself. Fear is the great slayer of the heart. It prevents us from reaching out to others and bringing them into our lives. Giving up the pain may be one of the most rewarding things you can do.
Jupiter is square Neptune on the 11th, the 2nd of 3 contacts. The first contact last July was connected with the eclipse charts of last summer, kicking off a string of potent changes for us. The present contact continues these trends. This square challenges us to outgrow conventional perspectives on the world and enter into a more spirit-based viewpoint, dominated by the perception of the subtle influences about us that elude the normal five senses. We are so used to equating our limited sensual view of the world with "all that exists", never remembering the view could be quite different if we only looked out another window. Neptune provides that new window for us. But it also forces us to see the world in different terms, noticing that "fate" is often created from within our own psyches instead of coming from out there. The limitations we experience in the world are mostly self-created, or at least created by a mutual "conspiracy" of all humankind to maintain this imperfect status quo. These days, change will come from a change of heart first.
As if to emphasize all this Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune activity, Neptune is standing still on the 13th, about to resume normal forward motion. The guiding dreams and visions of our lives have been experiencing some growing pains the last year since Neptune entered Aquarius for good, especially since the retrograde station last May. As circumstances change, these ideals need to adapt. If you're striving for the wrong goals, the results will not be what you expected. It's time to go within your heart and honestly evaluate what's truly important and where you'd like your life to be headed. Neptune rules delusion as well as vision, and our ideals are often clouded by other people (e.g., TV and politics) that have a vested interest in controlling our motivations. As you clear out the delusions and false programming, the urges of your soul become increasingly clearer. October is a crucial time to decide what is and will be real for you, letting go of the rest. As your vision becomes clearer, so will your life.
Mars slips into Capricorn on the 16th. Mars has a natural affinity for Capricorn which seems to bring out some of his best qualities. The discipline and structure of Capricorn allows Mars to focus his energies and get some real work done. The earthy quality of this zodiac sign shows that our efforts can have concrete effects at a very physical level -- none of the flighty, unfocused activities of Sag! If you've got some major projects to do, the next 6 weeks are a great time to get busy with them. Plug away day after day and you'll be surprised how much you can accomplish. Mars moves into Aquarius on Nov 26.
Pallas moves into Leo on the 17th for an extended stay. Due to her coming retrograde cycle, she'll reenter Cancer on 2000-2-19, then finish up the Leo journey from Mar 26 to June 25 -- the entire trip takes about 9 months. Pallas Athena was the patronness of the arts in ancient Greece and a Leo Pallas seems to bring out that side of her nicely. It stimulates the creativity and the need to express oneself artistically. Granted, this side of us is not too developed for most people, so it may be easy to overlook this influence in coming months. But her long stay in Leo, much of it in reverse motion, indicates a strong need to look at this neglected creative side. The inner life dies from lack of attention, causing the outer life to dry up as well. It's a good time to find out what's hiding inside you.
Jupiter backs up from Taurus into Aries for a return visit on the 23rd. This placement is like a shot in the arm of enthusiasm and optimism, plus a healthy dose of "get up and go" that makes it easier to tackle life's chores. Given that we're in a Jupiter retrograde cycle, I'd say we've gotten a bit sluggish and unmotivated and need to get our butt in gear in certain areas. Just watch out that you don't go overboard, doing or saying things in too rash a manner that you'll regret later. Otherwise, enjoy the extra adrenalin to complement the Capricorn Mars placement.
Also on the 23rd, Uranus is standing still at 12Aq51, ready to move forward again. When Uranus is backing up (which it's been doing since May 21), weirdness happens in our lives. He's attempting to knock us out of our ruts or shake up some area of life where we've become too complacent and if we don't get the message, he becomes more and more insistent. By now, it's becoming impossible to ignore the message. Despite all attempts to carry on business as normal, your plans are being interrupted by unexpected developments. How many times can you be blind-sided before you wake up? Look on these trends as a natural growth cycle and let it happen. You may find the new way of doing things a refreshing change of pace.
This full moon chart reminds me of the July 28 lunar eclipse. There's a strong feeling of polarity in here, with the need to reach outward (Jupiter conjunct the Moon) opposing the urge to draw inward (Sun and Vesta). Relationship issues could be a big part of the picture, as it can be difficult to connect with others. The tendency is to crawl back into your shell when it gets too hard to be around others. Granted, some good results can come from that, particularly if you apply yourself to some creative endeavor. But removing yourself entirely from the relationship scene is probably a mistake. You need to be patient and open-minded, however. There are too many stubbornly held view points getting in the way now, making it easy to butt heads. Remember (as I've said all month), that we're tuning into Neptune energy this month -- still. That requires you to open your heart and not get sucked into believing the first "obvious" explanation that crosses your mind. Things are more subtle and complicated than you'd prefer them to be. Your responses need to be equally subtle. Maintain your optimism.
Finally, Vesta moves into Scorpio on the 25th until Dec 20. The tendency is to focus on internal change at an emotional level in coming weeks. By going within and being with your passions and feelings, it's possible to gather strength and learn how to be truer to oneself. It's likely that some of these emotions relate to sexuality and the limitations we place on this side of our nature. Vesta always demands integrity, a sense of faithfulness to oneself, wherever she shines, and the passions are often one of those places where we least adhere to such integrity. It's time to change this...