Hi Everyone

I hope you’ve been enjoying Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon in the night sky these last few days. Quite a display! September and October are quite busy with several planets changing direction in their celestial dance. It’s a pretty intense two months ahead.

September

Three planets change direction in September: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

 Mars stations retrograde, i.e. stops and goes “backwards” from our perspective, on September 9^th at 6:22 p.m. (All times are EDT.) He’ll be at 28⁰ Aries and will square Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. A square occurs when a planet is in a sign with the same quality, in this case cardinal, as other planets. Mars is in his own sign, Aries (fire) and Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are in Capricorn (earth), but both Aries and Capricorn are cardinal signs. Cardinal signs initiate, but don’t always finish what they start. They provide impetus and are very male in their feel. Earth and fire don’t get along very well, although with effort the inspiration and enthusiasm of fire can be used to make practical, grounded (earth) changes. However, Mars in Aries can leap before he looks, can be somewhat accident prone for that reason, yet can also be filled with new ideas and a sense of adventure. Mars is the god of war, and while the planets impel, they don’t compel, his energy may support the divisive dialog and violence currently prevalent. I believe that Mars is going to be a significant planet in these two months before the US election. Mars in Aries is opposed (on the other side of the zodiac) to Saturn in Libra in the US Chart. Saturn in a country’s chart represents the executive and an opposition requires balance.

Jupiter stations direct on September 13^th at 8:41 p.m. He’ll be at 17⁰ Capricorn. He is square Saturn in the US chart and conjunct (next to) Pluto in the US chart in the house of resources and values. In October he’ll square Mars in Aries. Jupiter is the planet of expansion with new optimistic and sometimes grandiose ideas (not always well-thought out). Now that he’s moving “direct” these ideas may come more forcefully to the fore.

Saturn stations direct on September 29^th at 1:11 a.m. He’ll be at 25⁰ Capricorn. Saturn is in his own sign in Capricorn. His steady, slow, often fear-based, single-mindedness works easily with the status-quo-loving, planning, sure-footedness of Capricorn. He has been next to Pluto in the US chart for quite a while now, providing structure as we deeply examine our attitudes and values in general and our use of our resources, both monetary and natural.

September has only Mercury in an air sign until the Sun enters Libra on the 22^nd at 9:31 a.m. (the Autumnal Equinox). Air is the element of ideas and communication. Interestingly with COVID and most of the outer planets in earth signs, communications have been challenged and new ideas and approaches seem to be slower in coming forward.

The Full Moon occurs on September 2^nd and 1:22 a.m. She’ll be at 25⁰ Aquarius. The New Moon occurs on September 17^th at 4:00 a.m. She’ll be at 25⁰ Virgo.

October

Two planets change direction in October, including the last Mercury retrograde for 2020. And a blue moon! But first. . .

Pluto, the planet of deep-seated change and transformation, power, and the dark underbelly of most everything, stations direct on October 4 at 9:32 a.m.  While most often referred to as “he,” Pluto’s energy is feminine, so “she” will be at 22⁰ Capricorn. Now in direct motion, we may find our inner transformations from her retrograde period expressing more openly. She’s been in Capricorn for a long time, taking a deep look at the systems we’ve created, both personally and collectively, and how they reflect our values. With the planets in Capricorn being “challenged” by Mars in Aries, the debate on these issues has intensified. Ever the speed demon, Pluto will remain at 22⁰ Capricorn through most of November.

Mercury, planet of communication, reflection, and travel, begins its last retrograde of 2020 on October 13^th at 9:05 p.m. Key word here: LAST retrograde for 2020! He’ll be at 11⁰ Scorpio (ruled by Pluto). Scorpio is a water sign focused on inner transformation and power. So, as you all know by now, Mercury retrograde periods are great times of repair, reflection and retreat and in Scorpio there is the potential for deep reflection and change. With Mars retrograde, you may feel more inner impetus to make personal change. It’s an interesting combination of planets in retrograde motion on an individual level. The big question – yes, Mercury will be retrograde on November 3. He stations direct at 12:50 p.m. EDT on November 3^rd. As some may vote early or by mail-in ballot, we may be voting during a Mercury retrograde, which may add another dimension (confusion?) to this election. Time will tell on this one.

During October there will be five planets in earth and only the Sun in air, until it enters Scorpio on October 22 at 7:00 p.m. The first Full Moon occurs on October 2^nd at 5:05 p.m. She’ll be at 10⁰ Pisces, very close to Neptune. There is a second Full Moon in October – a blue moon. It occurs on Halloween at 10:49 a.m. She’ll be at 8⁰ Taurus, next to Uranus! (And if there isn’t enough going on, we turn the clocks back at 2 a.m. on November 1.) The New Moon occurs on the 16^th at 3:31 p.m. She’ll be at 23⁰ Libra.

Have a wonderful fall!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret