The Astrological Theme for September was Simplicity.
The recommendation was to break it down. Bring things back to basic, bare essentials, in order to make way and pay homage to the things that really deserve our focus.
We made it through another eclipse season. Eclipses always bring life-changing events, choice points, and considerations. This gate was an entrance into the chapter following the previous eclipse cycle in March 2016. Stuff from March could have arisen, reappeared, and helped to graduate us to our next level of beingness.
Eclipses often bring a sense of urgency, whether it’s via a sensation that you need to act now, or whether an external circumstance forces a swift transition.
In my own life, the eclipses had me urgently searching for a place to live. And before that, I needed to decide if I wanted to live somewhere (versus continuing to be nomadic), where to live, in what type of abode, and for how long. And of course, underneath all of the ifs, where’s, how’s, and what’s, was a very important discovery:
Why?
What are the important needs asking to be met right now?
I realized, in my moment of urgency, that I was tired. That my movement and expansion-oriented existence had peaked, and now I’m ready to nest. My path forward appears to be shaped as a giant question mark. Somewhat curved, non-delineated, and without continuity. I want it to be clear, but the truth of now is that it isn’t. So I’m deciding to plant roots until it becomes more apparent. Virgo season of September is all about separating wheat from chaff. Digesting. Integration. Analysis. I went through a process of cleaning up my old life, in order to welcome whatever is yet to come.
Urgency is motivating. It is also aggravating. And sometimes, our sense of urgency is fabricated.
September asked us to be discerning between real and false motivators.
Most of my clients in mid-to-late September faced major decisions about how to proceed on their path; specifically regarding career/purpose/and further education. They considered trainings, healing retreats abroad, and cross-country moves. The objective that came forth around these queries was: slow down. Listen deep. Look at your reality.
What’s your answer to the primary question: Why?
Some realized their motivating “why” was based on self/societal/parental judgments. As others investigated their “why,” they discovered core current principles to link themselves to as they designed their futures, such as healing heartbreak or honoring their intrinsic sensitivity. Empowerments were given towards greater self-definition; meaning, living a life that fits your authentic nature. Even when the way forward is unclear, we can trust that the answers will stem from truly knowing and honoring ourselves. Who are you, really?
The Astrological Theme for October 2016 is Liberation.
How are you hanging, in this 2016? The Year of the Fire Monkey. The mutable year of dismantlement. Is it crazy-making, all this wool falling from your eyes? How are you managing your energy amidst all the rumblings and stirrings resounding around you? How does the wind feel on your fur, as you make a radical leap onto the next limb? I encourage you to Feel it. The leap. The freefall. The air. Because feeling facilitates knowing. Prick your ears. Increase your animal instincts. Trust your primal mind; body memory.
Are you suffering hopelessness? Helplessness? Fearing insurmountable obstacles?
Good.
Accept your Groundlessness. This is the predecessor of Truth. And truth begets Liberation.
There is a general sense hanging in the air of being unequipped to deal with what besieges us.
Belief systems are crumbling. That’s Saturn in Sagittarius.
Beliefs, though mental/spiritual rather than physical, are fundamental to living.
Through post-colonial studies, I have learned that in order to weaken and harm a population, the first step is to remove native beliefs and replace them with beliefs that sanction the actions of the oppressor. Belief systems determine how we create meaning. Where we invest meaning dictates how we live our lives, and what influences we allow into our sphere.
Take a temperature check. What are you core beliefs?
We are called now to identify and uphold our convictions. The beliefs in our bones, our blood,
and most of all, our human hearts.
What does your Heart know?
Here are some of mine:
I believe Nature is Supreme.
I believe in Human Freedom.
I believe in the Healing Powers of Love and Neutrality.
I believe in Childlike Innocence.
I believe All is Interconnected. When one is hurt, all are hurt. When one heals, all heal.
We now find ourselves dancing between polarization and harmony.
It is crucial to be honest with ourselves, and to do our work both within AND without.
We live inside a web of illusion. It is easy to get caught. It is easy to be drawn off-center, and into a seductive mist, only later to discover that what looked shiny and glamorous was insubstantial or faulty. As long as your own vulnerabilities elude your conscious awareness, you leave yourself susceptible to victimization. When you walk with willingness in the direction of seeing and accepting your weaknesses, you gain the opportunity to make strength.
The current global oligarchy is systematically designed to promote weakness in humanity. Private elites promote and profit off of human illness. We have been removed from nature, and removed from one another.
But here is a secret:
Every Human Being is innately powerful. And right now, we stand at the precipice of Liberation.
How will you participate in promoting freedom?
You have agency. Each one of us is Sovereign.
WE CHOOSE WHAT WE MAKE HOLY.
How? By offering our time, energy, and attention. We remove substance from that which we remove from our attentions. Removing energy/attention does NOT mean ignoring, evading, or escaping. When we avoid, we actually unconsciously promote and perpetuate the energy that we are avoiding. To effectively remove energy from something means to RESOLVE it through presence, and focusing appropriate attention on reality.
3 Ingredients for Building Reality are:
Time + Energy + Effort
We choose if our energy goes towards pooling oil or protecting water.
We choose if our energy goes towards chasing money or nourishing our families.
We choose if our energy goes towards preserving separateness or building ties.
These choices aren’t necessarily either/or. The goal is not to live our lives perfectly. The goal is to become more conscious, and strive to alleviate suffering in ourselves and one another. We can build equanimity (loving acceptance). Equanimity is not passive acceptance. It arises from actively establishing a trusting, connected relationship with your own Human and Spiritual Center. When we connect with our center, we are naturally guided to preserve the health of ourselves, our Earth, and one another through Right Action.
What is freedom?
And moreover, what is it not?
When we know what inhibits our freedom, we gain the chance to make ourselves more free. I wholeheartedly believe that our perceived limitations are actually the golden bridges to evolution. Our weaknesses are our strengths. It becomes a matter of alchemy: of engaging and utilizing these weaknesses/limitations in the context of constructive evolution. This goes for the individual, and the collective.
It’s obvious what this current global society lacks. Literally and symbolically, we are running out of gas. The old order of things is leaking energy, contaminating the whole ecosystem. So what are the roads to freedom? Doing our part to cultivating what we lack, as a global society:
Cooperation.
Connectedness.
Shared respect.
Reciprocal relationship with nature.
Clean water.
Viable food systems.
Renewable resources.
Sustainable skills.
Natural health.
Belief systems that work to benefit the whole of humanity.
Operable communities.
Compassion.
Understanding.
Heart.
Honesty.
Care for future generations.
As I write this in a tea shop, families with children walk by. There is a mosaic fountain in the heart of the store. As children pass the fountain, they exclaim, “Water! Let’s go look at the water! Wawa!” They delight in watching the water, and outstretching their hands to feel the cool moisture on their skin.
In the magic of childlike innocence, water presides. It attracts focused, loving joy and adoration.
Courageous water protectors gather in North Dakota in a historic show of resistance. Many say this is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. A tale of people from all different backgrounds joining in heart, mind, and action, to change the course of history. To combine logic and intuition. To overcome wrongs and pains that have been done, and turn them into fuel for more courageous love. To heal the Earth. Each of us is an extension of Earth. Her children. Can we put our hands onto the soil, her flesh, and open our minds to an expanse where we can see the whole picture?
When animals wake from sleep, they shake from head to toe. Freeing themselves of anything that may have collected during their dormancy. To liberate ourselves is to shake as we awaken. To gracefully allow a letting-go of what is no longer meant for us. To liberate ourselves is to shake through what is false, and stand in the natural light that was always there, awaiting our release. Bathing us and regenerating our spirits from within.
Free yourself. Free your brothers and sisters and neighbors and children.
Step into the lifestyle of reciprocity and healing love that is your birthright.
Astrologically Speaking, October features
- Strong Lunar Energy
- Mars out of bounds, in Capricorn
- Mercury exits his shadow and enters Libra October 7
- Venus enters Sagittarius October 18
- Mars conjunct Pluto October 19
- Sun enters Scorpio October 22
- Mercury enters Scorpio October 24
- Saturn square Nodal Axis
October is power-packed. Definitive events will take place this month.
On September 30, we experienced a Black Moon, which is the second New Moon in one month. Lunar energy is increased. This emotional, subjective energy is soul-stirring. Our hearts are whispering. Listen.
Mars, the planet of raw masculine energy, competition, and conflict, has been presiding over skies in the Northern Hemisphere for all of 2016. When planets move beyond the realm of the ecliptic, they are determined “out of bounds.” Out of bounds planets behave in an outstanding, beyond-ordinary manner. This month, Mars is out of bounds. Mars is the warrior. Highlights the need to employ strength, courage, and productive action. Capricorn wants to climb the ladder, move towards the goal, and get the job done. Focus on overcoming adversity. Mars is featured on October 19 when it conjuncts Pluto... this transit is one to definitely note. Read below.
Mercury clears his shadow on October 7. Whatever we’ve been mentally processing, analyzing, or fretting over since August 30 comes to completion and we can now focus on finding more balance, beauty, and harmony in mental activities and communications.
Venus in Scorpio and Sagittarius makes this a passionate month. Venus in Scorpio asks us to love our shadows, wounds, and deepest insecurities. Venus in Sagittarius asks us to be real and free. Relationships and values will be tested and/or solidified by the end of October. We are dancing between polarization and harmony these days – on the global sphere, and in our personal lives. Ride the waves, and be keenly present for each new swell and break.
Mars conjunct Pluto is an incredibly evocative transit, and one that will not be ignored. Expect eruptions on a global scale. Earth will shake. Structural toxins will be revealed. Hidden forces of misplaced authority and control will emerge. Whatever erupts will do so on a structural level.
- Challenges with this transit: Ruthless behavior. Violence. Wrestling monsters. Intense fear. Explosions. Destructive rage or passion. Controlled demolition. Bullying. Abuse. Puppetry. Lust for personal or corporate gain. Obsessive selfishness. Ugly use of force. Malevolent power.
- Gifts of this transit: Utilizing the will to survive. Summoning tremendous strength, determination, and endurance. Strong focus. Investigation. Revealing hidden truths. Deep motivation and drive. Awareness of power and authority. Command of self. Shadow-boxing. Gaining mastery over primal urge, while not stamping out animal intelligence. Right use of power. Right use of control. Pressure release. Potent sexuality. Orgasm. Transformation. Structural collapse and regeneration. Emergency response. Purification through elimination. Unselfish purpose. Refusing distraction. Purifying the will. “Thy will be done.”
As Sun and Mercury enter Scorpio third week of October, we enter the season of death. Allow old diseases to fall away. Honor the ancestors and all that we inherit and carry on behalf of karmic law.
Saturn square the Nodes of Fate brings a feeling of tough assessment to the month. Are we heading on the path we’re meant to? And if so, what else do we need in order to get us there? Have we mastered the necessary skills to carry us forward and all the way through? We are looking to harness notions of what’s most important and pressing in order to determine our behavior henceforth. Hard work and sacrifice are essential to meet long-range goals. As belief systems crumble, we get to choose, and slowly rebuild what rightly matters. Feel it in your bones.
Play-By-Play Forecast (All times listed in EST)
October 1 Venus trine Neptune (1:13pm) Mercury opposite Chiron (11:22pm)
Dreamy, imaginative, drifting. Our perceptions are attuned to the most subtle of influences. Meanwhile, our minds process some painful material. Vulnerabilities reveal. Great time for healing conversations, although it can seem like minds are at odds. Articulate gently, and hold opposing perspectives with love.
October 2 Sun inconjunct Neptune (11:11am) Mercury inconjunct Uranus (2:19pm)
Misappraisals. Unrealistic direction of energy. Do you have what you need at your disposal to move in a way that can be sustained? Making positive changes requires a change in your habits. Check it.
October 3 Moon conjunct Venus (4:56pm)
Deep, passionate embrace. Grab your lover (even if your lover is yourself) and enjoy intimacy.
October 4 Sun sextile Saturn (12:59pm)
Employ patience towards your work ethic. Serious and important tasks come into focus. Exhibit your prime leadership qualities, and take steps towards advancement on what matters. Legal, media, and social spheres can highlight areas of steady progress.
October 5 Venus sextile Pluto (5:22pm) Mars square Jupiter (5:45pm)
Longing for companionship. Something with shades of commitment or intensity. Open yourself more fully, more deeply, in order to discover more of your true nature. Energies are heightened today. You can continue to move towards your goals with zeal; but don't bite off more than you can chew. Be responsible, but don't over-accommodate for the sake of appearances. Social formalities aren't all they are cracked up to be. Use strategy. Capitalize on the energy at your disposal, yet also moderate yourself. Instead of blindly following rule of law, aim for behavior based on integrity and equally cooperative connections.
October 6 Moon conjunct Saturn (4:43am)
Search your heart. Are you wondering if your path is correct? How do you relate to your life journey at this time? There may be some tasks you need to complete in order to master the road that lies before you. Consider relevant studies, or experiences to help you hone particular skills. Perhaps we are all learning that controlled, measured, moderate use of our own energy will facilitate the grandest unfoldment in our lives: one with real rewards.
October 7 Mercury enters Libra (3:55am) Sun square Pluto (3:33pm)
New mental territory! Mercury initiates us into the phase that began when Jupiter entered Libra on September 7. Our minds align with human connection and social balance. Think and speak to promote harmony and grace. Arts, literature, and culture are emphasized. The focus is on society. Today, themes of power and control in society, government, and politics, are considered and reckoned with. Externalized sources of power and authority need to transform in order to maintain peace. Sun in Libra can be too-easily accommodating, especially to preserve status quo. Dig deep to harness your inner authority and connect with source power. An exterior sense of peace is merely a facade unless peace is real within the Self. If you are looking to climb a social ladder, look deeper to see if the foundation of your success has your soul in integrity with itself.
October 8 Moon conjunct Mars (6:43am) Moon conjunct Pluto (9:55pm)
Today gives an emotional preview to a significant transit occurring on October 19. Notice what motivates you now. Incredible productivity with means towards achievement is within reach. Make moves at your most important goals. Emotional intensity, fear, or discomfort can come forth today. If you feel the need to control or limit something, direct that urge towards developing more self-control that will facilitate self-mastery and the fulfillment of your purpose.
October 11 Mercury conjunct Jupiter (5:45am) Venus trine Chiron (8:16am) Mars sextile Neptune (1:03pm)
Big insights. Grand communications. Good news and helpful opportunities can come your way, especially through your social networks and alliances. Writing, learning, and speaking offer expansion and greater freedom. Deals are favored. This is an excellent time for healing love, friendships, and relationships. Also great for aligning your financial goals with your highest aspirations. Moving towards your dreams is supported by loved ones.
October 12 Venus inconjunct Uranus (1:16am) Mercury inconjunct Neptune (7:59pm)
If there is a relationship that no longer serves you, it is time to release it from your path, or transform it so that it does. In ultimate truth, what is good for one is good for all, even if the appearance may challenge that notion. Looks can be deceiving. Allow relationships to be transportive conduits to serve awakening. Deal with the here and now. If you move too far into fantasy, you can incur losses. Haste makes waste; as does living in the future or the past. Be here now, and deal with things at your disposal in real time. We are sensitive today, and processing release. Nothing is ever really lost, but tend to the human heart that feels the sadness.
October 13 Mercury square Mars (5:00pm)
Dem's fightin' words. Beware! Quick-tempered thinking is in the air. People are in the mood to assert their opinions. Exercise today in order to calm your nerves and clarify your system. Breathe. Some intense energies are afoot. Anger and fear are being stirred heavily in the public and business spheres. Relationships can also take the heat. Say what needs to be said. Don't sugarcoat, and resist attack. Find a balance in stating your neutral truth. Just because you respect someone's different opinion doesn't mean you must bend to it. Hold your ground. Maintain composure. Emotions are sensitive. Expect tears. Pain can be healing.
October 14 Sun inconjunct Chiron (10:11am) Mercury sextile Saturn (2:46pm) Uranus Perigee (3:42pm)
We are learning to be whole. This includes reconciling the parts of us that feel like they are missing. Embrace your inherent humanity. Thoughts are a bit more grounded today, and can help to inform our path. Uranus, the planet of change through radical revolution, is nearest to Earth as its orbit gets. Shake your body. Reinvent.
October 15 Sun opposite Uranus (6:43am) Mercury square Pluto (10:29pm)
Expect the unexpected. Adaptation. The only true constant is change. You can choose to resist it, or allow it. Recommended to align with change. Personal and collective freedom are important. Accept the shifts as facilitating liberation. Showing up as authentically, uniquely you, and bringing your special gifts, is essential to making progress in these times. Interactions may be intense and a fighting spirit is still building inside the forces that hold authoritative control. Look deeper. Investigate in honor of revealing the truth. Critical thinking is encouraged, but work to actively transmute fear into personal and collective empowerment.
October 16 Full Moon in Aries (12:23am)
The Full Moon in Aries on October 16 (12:23am EST) is a metamorphosis. Can you feel it rising up, even as the leaves fall? Forms are changing. Diversification reigns. The conversion process taking place is unstoppable. We’e all heard the phrase: “Change is the only constant.” It may seem like these changes are sudden, but in truth, they are cumulative. Conversions taking place now are innovations that have been building over the past six years. Break down to break through. This Full Moon could feel like riding full force into the wild unknown. We may feel caught in an electric storm of chaos. Many changes stem from forces that are bigger than us. While the shifts may feel involuntary, we can choose to adapt. Be flexible. Let go of attachment and control. Currents of the future are joining with us now. Ephemera we have never previously imagined now dancing at our side. In this collective cycle, “we are caught between worlds: part of many and belonging to none." Elias Lonsdale
The time is now for alchemy. Bulk your bravery and choose what to defend. Explore the shadow to uncover the secrets and mysteries that await transformation. "The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join in the dance." Alan Watts
October 18 Venus enters Sagittarius (3:01am)
The desire to roam dawns upon us. Whether it's locationally, through travel, or mental, through expansive higher education, we are led to explore undiscovered territory. Befriend foreign lands and global interests. Take a wider view. Head out into nature, and listen to the pulsing knowing of the Earth. Appreciate the visions of that knowing. Position yourself towards growth and discovery. “People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” Joseph Campbell
October 19 Mars conjunct Pluto (7:22am) Mercury inconjunct Chiron (4:02pm)
This, along with the Full Moon transits October 15/16, is possibly the most influential transit of the month. An incredibly evocative transit, and one that will not be ignored. Expect eruptions on a global scale. Earth will shake. Structural toxins will be revealed. Hidden forces of misplaced authority and control will emerge. Whatever erupts will do so on a structural level.
- Challenges with this transit: Ruthless behavior. Danger. Violence. Wrestling monsters. Intense fear. Explosions. Destructive rage or passion. Controlled demolition. Bullying. Abuse. Puppetry. Lust for personal or corporate gain. Obsessive selfishness. Ugly use of force. Malevolent power.
- Gifts of this transit: Utilizing the will to survive. Summoning tremendous strength, determination, and endurance. Strong focus. Investigation. Revealing hidden truths. Deep motivation and drive. Awareness of power and authority. Command of self. Shadow-boxing. Gaining mastery over primal urge, while not stamping out animal intelligence. Right use of power. Right use of control. Pressure release. Potent sexuality. Orgasm. Transformation. Structural collapse and regeneration. Emergency response. Purification through elimination. Unselfish purpose. Refusing distraction. Purifying the will. “Thy will be done.”
October 20 Mercury opposite Uranus (3:48am)
New discoveries, especially in the realm of self and other. Our minds are on the hi-wire today. Not great for practicality. Excellent for flash insights. Plans and thought patterns are rapidly changing. Travel and communication will also be subject to unexpected variation. Slow down to listen and soothe, even as you keep yourself inspired.
October 22 Sun enters Scorpio (7:45pm)
Entering the season of transformation. The threshold. The season of clearing. The liminal space between realms seen and unseen. Honor your ancestors past, present, and future. Reprogram your DNA. Heal trauma. Everything we engage in on an emotional and psychic level ripples out. Tend to your depths. Traditionally, it is said that "the veils are thin" during this time of year. When our clothes fall away, a deeper, more mysterious and primal reality becomes revealed. Merge into spaces of intimacy where you can safely expose yourself - to yourself, and possibly another. Whispers are like roars.
October 23 Jupiter inconjunct Neptune (9:33am)
Exercise your imagination. Find your dreams in both public and private spheres.
October 24 Mercury enters Scorpio (3:46pm)
Our mind aligns with the season of the times. Focused, instinctive, perceptive, it's time to bolster our ability to see into the dark. Communing with other realms is not difficult. It merely requires focus, and a temporary suspension of disbelief. Find an alchemical container: be it therapy, sexual intimacy, dance... we now plant the seeds of transformation through our keen perceptions.
October 25 Venus square Neptune (9:54pm)
Unconditional love. What is it? And what pretends to be it? It begins with you, unconditionally loving yourself. Relationships are a testament to where we are on the journey to loving and valuing ourselves. Heartbreak, disappointment, and loss could stir today. Forgive yourself. Love can be idealized. But real heights of love occur between flawed human individuals. Nourish your worth by lavishing yourself in affectionate beauty.
October 26 Venus sextile Jupiter (11:19am)
Fortunate and indulgent. Social and financial matters are favored today. Warm up and have fun. Appreciate the gorgeousness of life. Kisses <3
October 27 Sun conjunct Mercury (12:16pm)
The messenger meets the king in court. What message does he bear? Think deeply. Sun and Mercury are both in Scorpio. The insights that Scorpio bears are more psychic and emotional than verbal. Meditate. Practice picking up messages without words. Tone. Silence the verbal mind with drumming, dancing, or anything else that takes you beyond the limits of the intellect. Mine the potent inner realms.
October 29 Mars square Uranus (12:06am) Venus conjunct Saturn (8:45pm)
Commitment may hold the key to freedom. Rebellion is in the air. Recent influences have inspired inventive action, and the need to break the chains that bind. Try something new. Offer up your creative energy with directed endurance. You might be crazy, but at least no one but your inner authority can inform you on what to do. Relationships can undergo stress or strain now. The ones that are built to last will pass the test. Are the foundations of your affection realistic or faulty? Finances can take a hit. Increase your self worth by working steadily towards achieving long-range goals. Your commitment to love, and trust in love, determines your path forward.
October 30 Mercury trine Neptune (8:57am) New Moon in Scorpio (1:38pm)
The New Moon in Scorpio October 30, 2016 (1:38pm EST) is supernatural. At first glance, “supernatural” phenomena seem to depart from what is normal and tangibly understood. It transcends the measurable. But let’s break down the word. ‘Super' means large, powerful, of high grade or quality. And 'natural' means coming from nature (not made by people). What if ‘supernatural' phenomena was actually incredibly natural? The entire natural world is made of magic. We humans, as extensions of nature, are inherently magical beings. Magic exposes the reality hidden within all things. This New Moon is hypnotic, and holds powerful mystical benefits. Today is a day for trance. Deep inner research. Close emotional and psychic bonds. Intuitive and psychic abilities are heightened. Spiritual communication is readily obtainable. Practice lucid dreaming. Pay homage to the ancestral intelligence alive in your DNA. Throughout history, people have used altered states of consciousness to access ancient knowledge and connect to their inherent power. The power within you belongs not to you, but to your legacy. It flows from your ancestors into your cells, and will be passed through your being onto all that your soul touches and recreates. You come as one, but you stand as 10,000: endlessly regenerating alchemical energy.
“We are here to unravel the mystery of this planet. The planet is asking for it.” Yoko Ono