Astrological Forecast for September & October 2012

After a brief respite in August, the cosmic weather gets intense again in September. The second exact hit of the Uranus-Pluto square (the major astrological event of the decade) is due this month, and there is a lot to indicate that the effects will be felt immediately. October is a mellower month, but the reverberations from September will be felt, just as August echoed the power of June and July. We’ll see that optimism and faith alternate with bottom-line thinking and doubt throughout these two months. It is not so much that either perspective is real, but that in orbiting around these emotional poles we develop the energy we need for transformation.

On the 3rd, Venus squares Saturn, asking us to consider what is real and solid in our relationships. We can take a hard line with our partners around this time, but remember that however real your concerns are, they are only part of the picture. Energetic and constructive aspects among Mercury, Mars, and Pluto around this time can help to fuel both passion and communication, so changes can be made.

Venus takes off her Cancerian apron and enters Leo on the 6th, initiating a month with a lighter feel to relationships. We subtly start to feel ourselves preferring fun and romance (and perhaps drama) in our partnerships.

Drama may be the word of the day as the Sun squares Jupiter on the 7th and Mercury follows suit on the 8th. This is the time of the active First Quarter Moon, and ego may be riding high. Yet these aspects also suggest the potential for getting in touch with your soul’s greater purpose and moving in a heartfelt direction, if you can calm the chatty, restless mind.

The New Moon in Virgo on September 15th represents the pivot point of the month. Coming into this New Moon, we can each consider what we have accomplished thus far this year, and what still needs to be done. As the Moon waxes in the days ahead, we are pulled into action. This New Moon is great for meditation and being a bit of a hermit – it is truly the calm before the storm, although I don’t know how calm it will be.

The Uranus-Pluto square is exact on the 19th, just one day after Pluto stations to turn direct. Mercury aspects both planets on the 20th, and the Sun enters the cardinal sign of Libra on the 22nd. The period between the 17th and the 23rd is a high-voltage powerhouse. Forces that have been kept in check in our personal lives and in the collective consciousness will come roaring out. Some destruction is usually necessary before creation can happen, and we will probably be seeing both creativity and destructiveness around this time. We have been feeling Uranus-Pluto for more than a year, but the end of September should make it very explicit.

I wouldn’t count on things calming down much during the last week in September, but in case we do catch a break, look for things to heat up around the 28th and 29th as the Full Moon tightly aspects both Uranus and Pluto.

Perhaps seeing more than there is will be the most likely outcome, as Jupiter stations to retrograde on the 4th. Jupiter stations fill us with enthusiasm, hope, and optimism – the perfect compliment to a Venus-Neptune aspect. The first week in October is shouting to the heavens with potential, but we’ll have to see what the payoff is.

The mood changes quickly over the next few days. Mercury and Saturn meet up in the late degrees of Libra on the 5th, signifying bottom-line communication. A serious talk could be in the mix. As both planets move into Scorpio later in the day, an emphasis on finances could be part of the picture. Whether we’re talking about personal finance, the company’s resources, or our collective economy, things will likely turn towards control of spending and cutting back. A Mercury trine to Neptune on the same day gives mixed messages – maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem?

A war of ideologies could break out over the next few days, perhaps fueled by financial concerns. Mars in Sagittarius is ready to fight for an ideal, and is energized by a square to Neptune in Pisces on the 7th. Although we may be more likely to reload for continued fighting, the aspects between the 9th and the 15th suggest that we can cooperate and communicate enough to repair damages done in recent weeks, personally and collectively. The New Moon on the 15th may offer a bit of a break.

As the moon waxes on the 16th, Venus squares Jupiter. We can feel optimistic about our partners, our relationships, and our possessions. In fact, we may overestimate the value of any of these. The feel-good tone of this aspect is helpful for getting us moving or keeping us in motion, and that is usually helpful. We can continue to build on this energy through the First Quarter Moon on the 21st.

The Sun enters Scorpio on the 22nd. Throughout most of the Wisdom reading area, this means the true peak of autumn, the time when the leaves change and fall to the ground. It represents the most obvious contraction of energy we see all year, the movement inwards of solar light. Scorpio is a great time for reflecting on what we’ve experienced and accomplished, but we do so in the awareness that time is limited and some things are left undone. The Sun’s trine to Neptune on the 23rd is especially good for meditation and deep connection to your spiritual reservoir.

More practical matters, perhaps centered on finance, may prevail on the 25th, as the Sun meets up with Saturn. If you find yourself painting things in shades of black around this time, try to remember that there are other colors in the spectrum, even if you can’t see them.

Charged energy returns around the 28th, as Mars opposes Jupiter. We have the faith and inspiration to move forward or fight for a cause. Hopefully, this will give us the energy we need to move on ideas we’ve already decided upon, as free-floating energy can be challenging to use wisely.

The October Full Moon falls on the 29th, keeping the energy at a high level. A square of Mercury to Neptune means yet another day when communication may not be clear. Our belief systems may trump reason, evidence, and common sense. This aspect is more likely to mean that each of us will "fool ourselves" than that we’ll be seduced by a con artist, but the effect can be the same. Everything seems intense and demands action now, and moving on the basis of faulty information can be a problem.

A good strategy for these months is to build in some time to take a break from things: each day, each week, or whenever you can. Times when the energy is peaking are generally challenging in terms of seeing the big picture, but a little break in the action now and then can help a great deal.