October 2015 FOrecast

Don't forget to adjust your clocks on October 25 as Daylight Saving Time ends.
​Universal Time (UT) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) are the same after this date. 

Venus re-enters Leo Sept. 30
Venus in Leo is a more dramatic expression in love, art and appreciation. Leo represents a need to shine and Venus adds a need to be appreciated for who we are and what we do. Watch for being overly demanding in your relationships and your need for appreciation, as a result - as well as the possibility of overindulgence. This is due to Jupiter and Mars' position alongside Venus in Leo.

Mercury stations direct on the same day Venus leaves its shadow phase on October 9; the section of the zodiac it began to move back over in July. This gives a sense of things becoming clear, although there are a few kinks to iron out first. 

Mercury resumes direct motion Oct. 9
As Mercury resumes direct motion we can now plan our next move in relation to our everyday communications and schedules with our minds fully engaged without the need for as much retrospection.

As usual, the days around the turnaround are ones to be mindful of, especially as Mercury joins with the north node, Rahu, for its station. This leads to an exaggerated and intensified sense of anticipation which needs to be balanced with mindfulness in order to keep us in the present moment - not planning an illusory future as Rahu would have us!  

Some may experience the other extreme, of course, and solely focus on the business of the day which can make one feel too bogged down in red tape. The excitement of this transit can leave some off kilter and many others feeling too mentally stimulated and over-stretched. Get into your body and exercise the body in order to balance this tendency. 

New Moon in Virgo Oct. 13
The Moon reaches the Sun's degree (25 Virgo) at 0o.05 UT (+1 GMT) in the early morning of October 13. This is within Mars' lunar constellation known as Chitra, the 'bright one'. Bright as this constellation may be, the Moon is dark and a low ebb can be felt in our energy during the transition into the winter months on the northern hemisphere. 

Take the time to find a slower gear in preparation for a slower pace coming into winter. As Mercury begins its forward momentum once again in Virgo, there is much we can plan and achieve at this time. However, we must also take pause and step back from too much analysis if we are to see the bigger picture. 

Sun enters Libra Oct. 17
The Sun enters its sign of debilitation - as it does every year - on October 17 and transits Venus' air sign until November 16. The sign Libra is represented by the colour black. It is not a coincidence that those who work in Venusian industries, i.e. acting, fashion, art and beauty; are fond of wearing black. The colour represents our need to set boundaries between ourselves and others as we interact, but it also represents the darkest part of the soul's journey to enlightenment; when we are fully enmeshed in the drama of the exchange. 

At this time of year, we must go into the darkness in a very real sense by experiencing darker days on the northern hemisphere, but also by eventually seeing the futility of social interaction when it comes to meeting with our true selves in the depths of our own being.

​Yet by reaching our own depths we meet with others more genuinely. 

Of course, the word that is often used to describe the sign Libra is 'balance'. This can be a balance between you and another, or the balance of colours as expressed in art and design. It also represents the body's ability to achieve homeostasis. 

We may need to forgo our own concerns in order to assist others who need our help - even if it just that they require company and must avoid being alone at this time of year, as those who fear the darkness of winter are prone to anxiety at this time. We can use this transit to reach out to others if we are feeling strong and centered ourselves. However, there is a very real possibility of not feeling as vital at this time, as the Sun, which represents our light and life, moves to its weakest position. 

If you were born between October 17 and November 16 - when the Sun was in Libra - you are more capable of settling into a period of personal neglect to meet the needs of others, be it a partner, friend or anyone who reaches out for help. 

Full Moon in Aries Oct. 27
The Moon reaches its fullest expression at 9 degrees of the sign Aries on October 27 at 12.05 UT. This fullness is felt within the lunar sign known as Aswhini, represented by a 'horse's head', which is placed entirely within the solar sign Aries. In her book, The Nakshatras: The Stars Beyond the Zodiac, Vedic astrologer Komila Sutton writes; 'Ashwins are the harbingers of ... dawn. Dawn brings with it a very special energy, the promise of a new tomorrow while still attached to the mysterious night'. 

This period of time leading up to Halloween is a time we experience the twilight more than any other time of year. We become aware of transitioning into the darkness; held between worlds; between different realities. The full Moon highlights an eerie dimension and a sense of something 'other' which opens our minds to new possibilities beyond the scope of our usual enmeshment in our world, represented by the sign Libra. 

The Sun approaches its exact degree of debilitation (10 degrees of Libra), with the full Moon opposite at the Sun's degree of exaltation, for this full Moon phase. Sometimes we may need to forgo our own concerns and look after others in order to find ourselves again. We may need to shift our self-centered focus to connect with others in a more selfless way at this period and find that we all share the same joys and sorrows. Only then can we let go of our own sense of being special if we have suffered. We do not have to play the martyr to feel important and can begin to heal ourselves in order to affect any significant change in our world.
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Jupiter, Mars and Venus Conjunct in Leo
While the Sun is weakly placed, it also plays host to a gathering of planets in its sign, Leo.
​Jupiter, Venus and Mars all gather in the Sun's sign. 

​How would you feel if you had to play host while you were not feeling your most confident and robust? You would probably let your guest help themselves, to some degree. Of course, there may be a tendency to overcompensate for this feeling of lack by pretending you are almighty. You will fool no one, least of all yourself, with such acts of bravado. 

There is an underlying weak link present with this configuration of planets in Leo as a result by the latter part of October. We may seek joy and pleasure in sensual pursuits but we may also question our true desires and doubt ourselves while on our annual journey into winter. This is also due to Saturn's influence on Leo as planets gather there and the Sun moves through debilitation. Venus fairs better due to Saturn's influence. Therefore, we may use this time to express our art in whatever form that comes in and, as the Sun moves through Venus' sign, we can use these transits to be more responsible in our interactions with others. 
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Mercury enters Libra Oct. 29
After a longer than usual period spent in its sign of exaltation - which brought with it many opportunities for advancing one's skills - Mercury now moves into the sign Libra from October 29. 

This shifts the attention to Venusian themes of love, appreciation, art and balance in our practical lives. And while Mercury is in Venus' sign, Venus will move into Mercury's sign (from November 2). This exchange of signs between the two interactive and stimulating planets leads to a busy period of play in November.

But we are also likely to indulge because of a sense of lack in ourselves and our relationships. This is because of not feeling appreciated due to Venus' weakness and a doubt in our own capabilities due to the Sun's weakness. 

Give yourself some time to play, by all means, but if this becomes an exercise in avoidance of some very real issues which need to be dealt with, then think on this and find your balance. 


OM TAT SAT