ASTROLOGY THEMES FOR OCTOBER 2014

                          The second "Blood Moon" of this year occurs 
                                     on October 8, 2014
Every year the October transits of the Sun bring both cardinal and fixed energy into play. Cardinal energy brings the power to initiate, while fixed energy allows us to concentrate our energy and our psychic commitment to sustaining what we need, whether in physical form or relationship. With the Sun in Libra until October 22, this is a time when we can take advantage of the flow of relationship harmony and the enjoyment of aesthetics. When the Sun enters Scorpio on October 23, we may approach matters more intensely and with a deeper sense of purpose.  

One of the significant astrological events this October 2014 is the last Mercury retrograde of the year. This Mercury retrograde period begins on October 4 in the early degrees of Scorpio and terminates on October 25 when it has reached 17 degrees of Libra. (There is a “shadow period” before and after the retrograde period when Mercury transits the territory of its retrograde, thereby expanding the timeframe of its impact). 

Mercury rules the domain of communication, networking, and commerce. When a planet turns retrograde (i.e. appearing to be moving backwards from the perspective of the earth), it reflects the process of internalizing its expression. This phase seems to bring out the unusual and quirky aspects of Mercury. People report that this phenomenon tends to increase misunderstandings or miscommunication between people. Mercury retrograde periods  also have been known to affect the functioning of communication-related equipment. I recently felt the effect of the “shadow period” when I was unable to call voicemail on my mobile phone. It took my mobile phone company about three hours to resolve this.

This Mercury retrograde period is a time when projects or tasks may take longer to accomplish than anticipated. Some of our work may need to be “REdone.” Sometimes, I have a tendency to focus on the more difficult effects of Mercury retrograde, forgetting to see the gifts of this cycle. For instance, this period enables us to slow down and think more deeply about what we are undertaking, an approach we have grown unaccustomed to in our fast-paced and impatient world. If we use Mercury retrograde phases appropriately, we can carve out for ourselves a meaningful time of reflection.

Another major event of this month is the Total Lunar Eclipse on October 8, which is the second "Blood Moon" of this year. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and its shadow temporarily blocks the light of the Full Moon. Eclipses are associated with the lunar nodes, which are points where the Moon crosses the ecliptic, the path of the Earth around the Sun. Symbolically, the lunar nodes serve as compasses, pointing us in the direction of spiritual growth. Eclipses may bring to light issues that have been in the shadows of our unconscious, thereby giving us an opportunity to bring closure on a life lesson. The October lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon is in Aries and the Sun is in Libra, highlighting the motivations of these two signs. Aries energy desires to be on the go, particularly in the realm of the unexplored, where it can take on the role of a pioneer and trailblazer. The Ram stands ready to defend a set of principles it believes in. The unsavory side of Aries is the thirst for any fight, on the battlefield or in other venues. Aries is the ME sign, and it thrives in endeavors that emphasize individuality. On October 8, the Moon in Aries will be conjunct revolutionary Uranus, the planet that seeks authenticity and freedom. In contrast, the sign of Libra seeks relationships, and is willing to forego the importance of individuality. Libra seeks peace, balance, and harmony. The unhealthy side of Libra can be the tendency to over compromise to avoid conflict and to be disingenuous in disregarding the needs of the self with its focus on others. When planets are in opposition, we experience situations in which we have an awareness of another perspective, and this may (or may not) lend itself to a point of personality integration or compromise with another individual. Furthermore, the cardinal Libra-Aries Sun-Moon square to evolutionary Pluto in Capricorn (financial systems, societal structures) on October 8 precipitates conscious changes around this dynamic in our personal lives and in world affairs. 

Eclipses occur in pairs and on October 23, 2014, we experience a Solar Eclipse, which always occurs at the New Moon. This New Moon is at the earliest degree of Scorpio and signifies new beginnings, particularly in the area of our natal chart where we find that degree of Scorpio. These solar eclipses occur at approximately the same degree every 19 years. This is an opportunity for us to reflect on what was occurring in our lives around October 23, 1995, and to expand to a new level in those life arenas. On October 23, 2014, with the Sun, Moon, Venus, and Saturn all in Scorpio (along with the asteroids Pallas and Ceres), we may feel tested (Saturn) to purge old ways (Moon) of defining our purpose (Sun) and values (Venus). Scorpio energy puts us in touch with those elements of our lives that are ready to be discarded to provide room for a transformed self. The time of letting go is often not an easy time because we must confront our fears, mourn the loss of the familiar, but eventually recognize the gain of forging new paths. As Martin Luther King so profoundly observed, “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

Revised Friday, October 03, 2014