September 2021 Forecast

Venus enters Libra on Sep 5, as Mars moves into Virgo. Mercury, already in Virgo, is slowing down in transit, in preparation for its upcoming retrograde. This may be expressed in frustration getting our schedule in order, but it allows us to plan more and find balance.

Jupiter re-enters Capricorn on Sep 14. This is Jupiter’s sign of debilitation. Many will be feeling this as a dip. Although mitigated due to being retrograde and conjunct Saturn, this is a challenge for morale and the economy. Thankfully, this is also a brief transit for Jupiter in Capricorn, it's last of three ingresses into the sign since the beginning of last year. We're nearly there folks! Keep the faith.

The Sun enters Virgo on Sep 16, while Mercury enters Libra on Sep 22, the Equinox. Mercury stations retrograde on Sep 27 at the very first degree of Libra, before returning to Virgo in October. It's time to design the perfect life; first, on paper, and later in actions.

Mercury’s back and forth between Libra and Virgo, rejoining Mars in October, suggests we need patience going back over plans made now.


​

Mars and Sun oppose Neptune
​The month begins with Mars opposing Neptune by exact degree. This creates some confusion about where we should focus our energy. This may be frustrating with Mars now in combustion opposite a very blurry picture. 

Whatever you have in Aquarius may be a little vague, but it has been for many years now. Mars doesn't do well with vague notions. It prefers actions with clear and definable results. But don't worry, the opposite it about to be apparent very soon; Mars will move into Virgo in a few days and we all get stuck in the fine print of an action plan. 

The Sun opposes Neptune by Sep 14. The Sun-Neptune combination shows the lack of clarity our leaders have around a clear solution to the growing problems humanity faces. This can challenge our confidence in them, and ourselves. We have our own part to play, in how we experience Leo and Aquarius, and we'll probably be best served by addressing these issues as opposed to pointing the finger in blame. With Neptune, we don't know what or who to blame, anyway.

​

Mars in Virgo Sep 5 - Oct 21
Mars moves into Mercury's sign, where Mercury has already settled in. Mercury arrives at its exact degree of exaltation as Mars enters the sign. So while Mars won the last battle in Leo, and brute force won over any kind of negotiation, the details must now come to the fore. We must now tackle the problems of our life, and of the world, in a more down-to-earth, detail-orientated manner. 

This has its downsides, of course, including nit-picking and being critical. We may not be able to do anything at all because of all the red tape. Those who have Mars in Virgo will be familiar with this tendency; you might want to do something but you may get so focused on details that it doesn't happen easily, if at all. Or you may argue about how it should be, and criticize when it's not good enough. If you're Mars-ruled, then you might be more self-critical at this time, or you may direct this outwardly towards others. 

This is a great time to start looking for solutions to problems in your life. Don't just look at the problem. Look to the solution.

Health and work routines can be improved when you are aware of the problems. Without this awareness you are aiming in the dark. That's the best expression of Mars in the natural 6th house: you can focus on improving situations and use our energy to overcome problems. This would include any habits or vices you could probably do without. Mars is great for getting rid of things. 

Virgo may be too exacting for the planet of action, but at least it's a lot more factual and clear than its recent opposition to Neptune. Mars is going from a very unclear, unfocused situation, with a lot of passion that did not have a clear goal, to a very exacting Mars that can get bogged down in details. 

Nothing to do about it except to focus on the details, and get to work!

This will likely express itself as arguments about the details, of course. Mercury-Mars connections are that, anyway. In Virgo, it's a hyper-critical environment. 
​
Thankfully, Venus moves out of Virgo as soon as Mars moves in, letting them fight it out. 


​

Venus in Libra Sep 5 - Oct 2
Venus moves out of it debilitation by Sep 5. Venus moves very quickly from its exact degree of debilitation, Sep 3, to its own sign, and a place of strength. It does so while staying in the same lunar mansion, Chitra.

​Chitra is a jewel, 'the brilliant one', as I like to call it. It represents the arts and artistic skills. Chitra is evenly split between the two signs. The difference between the Virgo and Libra division of this lunar mansion is that Virgo is too exacting for Venus, while Libra finds more balance. Virgo is great for improving something, while Libra is more about wanting to share this with others. The obvious expression is life itself. You may wish to have the prefect schedule, but if you cannot share your life with others it's pretty drab!

Venus is at home in Libra. It is a better time for peace negotiations, whether in your personal life or on the world stage. 

It's not all smooth sailing, however. Venus is in a square to Saturn, exact Sep 17. It opposes Uranus, exact on Sep 23. Uranus in Aries continue to stir things up, squaring Saturn in Capricorn. So we must still feel the restrictions in our social lives and in the economy. We may see some surprises here by the end of September, too. 

With Saturn and Uranus both impacting Venus in Libra strongly, Father Sky and Mother Earth are holding us tight, it seems. And yet, we can still find some joy in the tight embrace. Above us the possibilities, below us, the container for what we need to change. 

Anxiety around social engagements may be one expression of these configurations, but there is always a need to socialize when Venus is in Libra. This time of year is that of balance, leading up to the Solstice, as days experience the balance between Day and Night. We do this by finding balance in our own lives, in our work-life balance, between our own needs and others. 

New Moon in Leo (Pūrvaphalgunī) Sep 7
The energy wanes into the new Moon in Leo through the first week of the month, and the lunar mansion called Pūrvaphalgunī. I call it the 'creative one', or the 'sexy one'. Both creativity and sexuality mix in this sign that has a fondness for leisure and entertainment, as well as the arts. 

All of that sounds good, right? Yes, but of course we still have to address the ongoing limitations of Saturn. Saturn aspects Venus at this juncture and Venus is associated with this lunar mansion. And while the Sun itself is strong in Leo, it transits the Libra 9th division of the sign, its weakest division. This shows an underlying weakness for the new lunar month. A need to put others' needs ahead of our own in the coming month. 

This weakness is not necessarily a bad thing, only that we may have to accept certain compromises - whatever we wish to do. Venus is key for this new lunar month. In other words, negotiation plays a big part in moving things forward at this stage. 
​

Pūrva means 'former' and phalgunī means ‘fruitful’. This is pleasure-seeking, creative sign, has a tendency to overindulge. It is ruled by the god of good luck and enjoyment, Bhaga, likened to the Greek God, Dionysus. This represents a need for enjoyment and luxury. One of its symbols is the Śiva Lingam, representing the creative aspect of sexual desires, and the regenerative qualities of sexuality. ​The word lingam is a Sanskrit word meaning, ‘wand of light’. It is a symbol of divine generative energy, associated with Śiva.​

When the Moon transits Pūrvaphalgunī, it's a good day for pleasure-seeking and entertainment, creativity, and relaxation.  ​

​Jupiter re-enters Capricorn Sep 14 - Nov 20
Jupiter moves into Capricorn for the 3rd and final time (for another 12 years, anyway). Jupiter in Capricorn is its weakest position. Although the situation isn't completely lost, due to Saturn holding things together somehow, it is a very challenging situation all the same; morally, ethically, economically. The mood is about to take another dip. How much more can it dip? Well, a lot more I'm afraid, especially in relation to the economy. 

At the same time, Rahu continues to transit through Taurus, in a trine to Jupiter in Capricorn, creating an unreal, and unrealistic, situation in the markets - an inflated situation which does not reflect the reality on the ground. It's the same story of last year, with Jupiter in Capricorn, propped up by Saturn and trine to Rahu. This reflected the rescue of the economy with massive packages that may actually only served to create even more challenges down the road. Or perhaps it's just a reflection of the gloomy economic forecasts. Whatever it may be, it is a short-term fix to a long term problem. There are always consequences when Saturn rules the show.

While I do think it is going to be a hard few months for many, and even harder in terms of gloomy forecasts, I do think something good will come out of this seemingly dire situation. What that will be is different for everyone, of course. Generally speaking, this will change the course of the pandemic and the economy. And unfortunately, the course the pandemic is taking in the autumn looks like a further wave of the virus, as Jupiter rejoins Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn. This is the same pattern as previous pandemics, so why would this one be any different? Thankfully, Jupiter and Pluto are on the two ends of the signs, very far apart. Hopefully, this reflects the distance we begin to cultivate to be able to move past this - and I don't mean physical distance!

There is always the possibility of panic, of course. Governments around the world may act impulsively without thinking things through, yet again, as Jupiter's weakness reflects a lack of knowledge and coherence. 

The good news is that its Jupiter's last few months with Pluto, before it swiftly moves on by the end of the year and into the New Year, speeding through Aquarius from Nov 20 to Apr 13/14, 2022. As Jupiter moves into Pisces, the lunar nodes move out of Taurus and Scorpio, just as the Sun enters Aries. This is going to move the story on in a big way. Expect more innovative approaches and advancements over the winter as Jupiter transits Aquarius again. This bring us to a more hopeful spring next year. 

We're not out of the woods yet - or perhaps the swamp - but we know the territory better and can pitch up for the night before moving on in the morning. We have another night to get through for now, before we will see the dawning of a new day. 

I will present a patron-only webinar on Sep 12 at 6pm BST, all about Jupiter's transit for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. 

With awareness, we can mitigate the situation with strategies to cope, and even prosper, in these challenging times.

​

Sun in Virgo Sep 16 - Oct 16
The Sun leaves its place of strength in Leo, joining Mars and Mercury (combustion). The first half of September is a strong Leo energy, fueled by Jupiter's opposition, while Saturn's strength continues to challenge freedom. 

September sees some positive, and some challenging, shifts, including Venus's strength in Libra and Mercury's strength in Virgo. This will probably be felt more personally than globally, as Mars' combustion in particular is likely to set alight some already volatile situations. 

Having Mars in combustion in Virgo shows the possibility of setting something alight in the health sector, apart from the more obvious expressions of continued wildfires. Mars' combustion in the exacting Virgo may be used productively. But it may just as easily be used as an excuse to complain and criticize. 

The Sun in Virgo is neither strong nor weak, in a way. It's like taking the foot off the accelerator, before hitting the break. The break comes in October, as the Sun enters Libra. In Virgo, we are at the stage of accessing, evaluating, holding still for a while (Equinox), while we figure out our next move. 
​

Full Moon in Pisces (Uttara Bhādrapadā) Sep 20
The full Moon in Pisces is always an opportunity to let go a little more, to find balance between the details of our lives and our ability to surrender to the Divine. 

With Mars now combust, exact into the beginning of October, there is much to surrender subsequent to this full Moon phase. Mars' combustion in Virgo may show more intense fires, of course, but it may also be a time to personally use the intensity to improve our lot. The full Moon is a culmination point, a period of finding balance and learning to let go a little more.  

Mercury is at the very last degree of Virgo at this full Moon, and very slow in its transit as it prepares to station retrograde a week later. Surrendering the finer details and allowing things to drift for a while is the order of the day, it seems. 

Mercury will enter Libra, but only just, hovering at the beginning of some new possibility, before backtracking through the messy details. The possibilities around travel and socializing will have to be negotiated very carefully in the coming weeks, before we can move forward with plans towards the end of the year. 
​​

The lunar mansion Uttara Bhādrapadā, meaning 'latter auspicious steps', is a mystical and unfathomable realm. Although this can show great depth of knowledge and insights, it can also show a confused mind, unable to grasp a situation. It is not logical or rational. It is universal. It includes all potentials and possibilities. 

This is the quality of the sign Pisces, the symbol of the two fish swimming in opposite directions relates to the undercurrents, the seemingly contradictory states the mind cannot fathom. Something can be true at the same time as some other, seemingly paradoxical, thing. We have to take it all. 

So what do these 'auspicious steps' lead to? Surrender, of course. But surrender is not something we decide to do. It's something which happens in its own good time, just like meditation or sleep. But while you cannot force these to happen, you can set the stage for them to occur. And while most of us would not argue that sleep just happens, many would argue about meditation. 

It's in the letting go, after having struggled, having focused a lot, that we can find the release. This is reflective of the Virgo and Pisces axis, which is very active right now. We must look after the details, set the stage as it were, but we must let it play out as it must, and accept this. Saturn keeps a close eye on this full Moon in Pisces, giving us a container to let go. Often, the container Saturn offers is failure and disappointment. 

With Jupiter now back in Capricorn for this full Moon phase, we must allow ourselves to sink a little, without struggle. I'm thinking of this being like quicksand. The more we struggle, the deeper we sink. The more we relax into the inevitable, the more buoyant we can be, and lift ourselves up out of the murk. 
​
But first, we must acknowledge that there's a patch of quicksand ahead! If we know that, we can plan accordingly. This is especially the case for those in a Jupiter cycle or those with Sagittarius or Pisces rising or Moon sign. But it will impact us all in one way or another. 

The world is going to take a dive in the coming weeks, especially as Jupiter stations direct by mid-October. It makes me think of those who drown, how they are said to drown on the third submergence. I don't know if this is actually the case, but it is symbolic of Jupiter's third and final dip into Capricorn. This is likely to be expressed for many feeling they are drowning in very real circumstances such as economic disaster, more businesses closing, more suicides. If we can all let go a little more, not struggle as much, and allow the Divine to take us, it may keep us afloat.

This is the advice when being rescued at sea and would apply in this case.

Allow the rescuer to take over. ​Allow the Divine to guide you. 
​

 


​Equinox Sep 22
The balancing point of the Equinox comes while planets move through Libra, the sign of compromise and harmony. Sometimes, Libra likes to shake things up to find balance again, of course. Don't be fooled by Libra. It's just as much about rocking the boat!

Without shaking things up, we cannot know balance. Like a dancer in a frenetic movement comes to stillness, just as nature finds balance in the transition between summer and winter, the twilight between Day and Night.

The stillness is actually more profound when there is much movement and disturbance. This is reflective of the lunar mansion Swati at the center of Libra, and the following sign Vishakha which moves us from chaos to choice, and eventually, to choosing. 

There are some difficult decisions to be make right now, but choose we must. 

What will you choose?

Mercury in Libra Sep 22 - Oct 1
Mercury moves into Libra on the Equinox, but won't stay for long as it stations at the very first degree, on Sep 27. It then moves back to Virgo by Oct 1. The last week of September is a time to slow down, put the car in neutral, and begin to look behind, to prepare to reverse. 

It will likely be a fraught time, and into October, as Saturn moves back to the Aries 9th division of Capricorn for the following few weeks. Aries is Saturn's weakness. The planet of structure isn't clear about boundaries in Aries, often overstepping the mark, not knowing when to quit, while Mars and Rahu join Saturn in this division by the last week of September, further complicating borders and personal boundaries. Mercury's entry into Libra is also the Libra 9th division, which means all these planets are lining up opposite, uncovering a tense interaction below the surface of things. 
​
Mercury's initial and brief ingress into Libra is only a hint at what may come down the line, the plans we will be moving forward with by the end of the year. The frustration at the lack of clarity around detail will likely send more and more onto the streets in protest at the continued restrictions. Hopefully, it will also change some structures for the better. Either way, change is inevitable by the end of September. 

For now, we must take a pause. The route forward is not quite right clear as yet. There are more details to work out before we can negotiate the terms.

​

​Mercury Retrograde Sep 27 - Oct 18
Here we are again folks, Mercury retrograde! Are you ready, get set, wait, wait, sorry what was I saying … oh yeah, wait, wait … !

You know the drill by now. Watch what you say, double check everything you sign, make sure you're wearing clean underwear when you go out, yadda yadda yadda. 

A sense of humour is needed right now, with this retrograde in particular. Mercury's station is occuring at a tense time, and returns to meet with Mars in Virgo. They meet by exact degree on Oct 9. You'll need your sense of humour by then for sure. 

Although Mercury's retrograde in its sign of exaltation offers some strengths, it also offer much confusion, as if it were in Pisces and overwhelmed by all the details. At the same time, Mars is coming up on Mercury in a foul mood over paperwork and is likely to rip through it aggressively. 

Venus moves into Scorpio on Oct 2, just as Mercury returns to Virgo to meet Mars, while Mars comes into exact combustion (conjunct the Sun) Oct 7 - 10. This happens at a very sensitive section of Virgo for Mars, the Cancer 9th division. Add all of this together, with all the other transits going on, and you have a recipe for a disaster. The economy, travels, business, and everyday plans all pile up in a hot mess.
​
This is just a heads up for Mercury's retrograde in October. I will take a closer look at this hot mess and how to make the most of it in next month's report.
​

_
​
​

As always, I wish you the very best of what the month has to offer.

OM TAT SAT