The long, hot summer of 2017, complete with the Great American Eclipse on August 21st, is now behind us, but we’ll be sorting out the events of the past few months for some time to come. Not that all the action is in the rearview mirror – September and October have their share of charged energy, and in fact we may see the most overt manifestations of the celestial alignments of August.

   Traditionally a time of getting back to routine after the summer, the September is unlikely to feel very familiar. From the 2nd though the 5th, Mars and Mercury (who is stationing to go direct after his retrograde) trigger the degree of the August 21st eclipse. While a solar eclipse will seed change, it is often when a planet crosses the point of the eclipse that we see the resulting action. Mercury and Mars are both frequently found in the role of eclipse triggers. Keep an eye on the collective as well as your personal life at this time – big changes are likely, and they may occur quite suddenly.

   Yet even the sharpest of eyes could miss something – or see something that isn’t there – during the first half of the month. Not only is Mercury stationing, always a time of confusion and misinformation, but the full moon in Pisces on the 9th is less than a degree away from Neptune. With these two cosmic tricksters so prominent, it could be hard to sort out the real nature of the activity we’re seeing. Outright deception is one possibility, but sometimes folks are just wrong, too.

   All else being equal, I would usually suggest that a Pisces full moon next to Neptune is a great time to live out a fantasy, go on an adventure, retreat to a cabin by the sea to meditate, or at least take in a good movie. Yet with the eclipse triggered around this time, it’s likely that we’ll have to at least try to deal with reality. A Sun/Saturn square on the 13th could help us to be at least a little more grounded.

   Venus becomes more active at midmonth, aspecting Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus between the 12th and the 19th. We may see relationship changes happening rapidly during this stretch, especially as Venus is also passing over the eclipse degree, bringing potential to actuality. 

   Communication is an important skill in relationships, and everything else, but Mercury will not be as helpful as he might, even though he’s moving direct. He meets with Mars on the 16th, and words could be especially barbed. Around the new moon on the 20th, he opposes Neptune then trines Pluto, aspects that could lead to clever but not necessarily truthful declarations. As is the case all month, there’s a lot going on, but it’s hard to know what any of it really means. Step back a bit and gather your wits if things start to get out of hand.

   While Mercury spurs verbal exchanges, Mars demands action, and his opposition to Neptune on the 24th could be a time when we act out whatever’s been brewing. Mars/Neptune aspects can go in two directions – either grand plans fizzle, or actions go beyond any reasonable limit. It’s a rather quixotic aspect, and certainly some folks will tilt at windmills.

   Things get intense again in the last week of the month as Pluto stations to go direct. With Pluto, it’s not so much the direction he changes to as the fact that he stops in the sky and we all feel the Plutonian power. Expect this aspect to play out on the collective level, but be aware that patience may be short as we deal with each other. With Venus opposing Neptune a day later, we may find that we are overly optimistic or pessimistic about relationships, and difficult feelings like jealousy could factor in. On the other hand, for those who are on a steady course in relationship, these aspects can ignite great passion.

   It wouldn’t be fair to say things slow down in October, but they do come at us at a more manageable pace. At least that’s true after the first week, which continues the Plutonian energy with a Mars/Pluto trine on the 1st, followed by the full moon in Aries on the 5th. Although there’s a lot of serious business to attend to, we may find this an energetic and outgoing time – especially around the weekend of the 6th – 8th. Sporting events, or a little healthy competition of your own, are suggested, but as long as you’re active, you’ll be in tune with the cosmic vibe.

   A more serious, sober feel takes over in the week after the full moon, as Venus squares Saturn on the 8th, then the Sun and Mercury square Pluto on the 9th. It’s likely to feel that we’re at deadline on any number of issues – financial, romantic, political, and more. With Jupiter at the very end of Libra, we’ll be inclined to try diplomacy, but it may fail as he moves into Scorpio on the 10th.

   Jupiter will spend the next year in Scorpio, where he takes on the complex character of this deep and intense sign. Jupiter in Scorpio often signifies advances in healing, both medical and energetic. Energy itself is often a focus, and we may both use more and find new ways of accessing the power we need to run the planet. 

   Business and finance tend to be favored by Jupiter in Scorpio, and this is likely to be a good time for banks and other lenders, although those highlight only one aspect of the economy. When Jupiter was in Scorpio in 1993 – 1994, the economy was in expansion as the relatively high-flying 90s began (the stock market soared, but bonds tumbled). Things were less rosy in 2005 – 2006, when the overall economy was in a slowdown, but banks were lending money at a fast and furious rate – to the eventual detriment of everyone concerned. Economic optimism, even unfounded, is a potential manifestation of Jupiter in Scorpio. http://astrologynewsservice.com/opinion/astrology-challenged-by-modern-worldview/

  A Sun/Uranus opposition at the new moon in Libra on the 19th could pit ‘me’ against ‘us’, as the drive for independence overrides our sense of relationship, proportion, and manners. This is a good time to plant the seeds of future progress in relationships, so mind your intentions. Some folks may find a partnership ending around this time, perhaps quite suddenly, but most of us will just feel a bit of strain. Some alone time could work wonders.

   If the strain is too much, a Venus/Pluto square on the 27th could push us over the limit as we struggle to be in charge of ourselves, and maybe our partners. This is another aspect that can lend intensity and passion, or lead to power struggles.