Astrology for October.
All month long, make your mantra “all relationships, all the time” and you’ll be perfectly in sync with the partnership-fest that adorns the first full month of autumn with the changing hues of your relationship issues.
I’m not just talking about romantic liaisons. Associations of every ilk take center stage this month, and because relationships are one of the most, if not the most, important areas of life, more than a few of us are going to be exhausted from the rigors of relating consciously, even those of us who already know just how much work it takes to integrate awareness into action.
Of course, there will also be plenty of unconscious interactions, and that’s where the undercurrents of the month will gather their momentum and spill over into the otherwise non-charged routines of daily life.
October opens with several planets—Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the Sun, which is actually not a planet, but a star—in the sign of Libra, the astrological sign of relating. When several planets concentrate their presence in a specific sign, life on Earth reflects that focus.
Keep in mind, we’ve been in this Libra energy since the last week of September, which is why many of us are already just plain pooped from trying to handle the complex and ever-shifting network of interrelated emotional and professional entanglements. Libra is a cardinal sign, a sign of action, which translates into the desire to do something —anything—to clarify confusion and diminish overwhelm. And while the relief offered by decisive action feels like the right choice, action taken in the intensity of the moment could only exacerbate the situation, not relieve it.
The first few days of October are the worst of these “do the right thing” urges. Uranus, in Aries, continues its opposition to the Sun, as Pluto, in Capricorn, continues its square, which means the unsettling tension of recent weeks and the need to alleviate that tension persists. While the Sun pulls out of this configuration by October 5, the need for action doesn’t completely disappear.
All month long we are under the influence of a Jupiter/Pluto trine, a powerful alignment that asks us to consider our relationship to power, personal and collective.
Jupiter represents the principal of expansion—physical as well as metaphysical. It is currently in Taurus, the sign of material resources.
Pluto signifies the principal of transformation and always implies a death as well as a rebirth. It is currently in Capricorn, the sign of government and corporation.
Trines symbolize a positive flow of energy. Keep in mind, corporations are not people, and our government is supposed to represent the people. This trine supports power to the people and, utilized appropriately, could be instrumental in helping people whose intension is to help others to realize just how powerful they can be when they are united for a collective goal.
From Oct. 1-19, a Sun/Mars sextile supports a positive relationship to physical activity. If you are already an athlete, this is a good time to train. If you are thinking of starting an exercise program, this is a good time to begin. If you are committed to being a couch potato, this is an excellent time for isometrics. Because this configuration also encourages ambition, some of us could be examining our relationship to success. Just be careful not to overdo: Mars squares Jupiter Oct. 1-11, and because Mars/Jupiter contacts are always about strength and stamina, this square could show itself as the need to overcome any obstacle at the expense of your physical or mental health.
Venus puts us back on the romantic track. Oct. 4-18, Venus trines Neptune; this is an erotic combination that supports sensitivity, imagination and unusually idealistic notions of love. But because Neptune also symbolizes illusion, you’ll want to pay close attention to just how much projection is occurring in those romantic fantasies.
But that’s not all. Oct. 9-18, Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, sextiles Pluto, and here’s where relationships could get messy. Venus/Pluto contacts signify compulsive or obsessive attraction. When that tendency combines with the illusory qualities of Neptune, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will be seeing the object of affection with any grounded clarity. Love usually trumps clarity, but this particular combination has an exaggerated effect because Venus also opposes Jupiter, and the tension of that interaction pushes even casual encounters to over-the-top.
Here’s the sobering good news. Mercury travels in tandem with Venus from Oct. 15 till the end of the month, and Mercury’s intellectual perspective will require Venus to at least consider the consequences of highly charged impetuous relationships. By the time they form this conjunction, both Mercury and Venus will be in Scorpio, a sign well versed in sussing out the undercurrents before making rash moves.
The other good news is that Mars sextiles Saturn from the 15th till the end of the month, allowing the possibility of reticence and reserve. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not advising prudish behavior. I’m simply suggesting a thought about the future before you say, “I do” and then wake up in the morning wondering what happened. Balance is the key to handling this season of emotional flux.
One way to find and maintain your equilibrium is to remember that every living being is connected to every other living being: We are always in relationship to everything around us. Our consciousness of those primary connections is the most important relationship of all because all of our interdependent relations form our collective world.
Aries March 21-April l9
You love to make it happen. But at the moment, it’s really a question of how long you can refrain from taking action that might undermine your long-term goals. There is no hard rule; there is simply self-discipline.
Taurus April 20-May 20
Yes, your workload is overwhelming. While you love doing most of it yourself, if you can allow others to help, you may discover carrying the load is a whole lot easier.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Oh…go ahead and fall in love with everyone you meet. Just don’t propose on the first date or after the first kiss. Take your time; if it’s really love, it will last for as long as you want it to.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Your significant other has always been your home, so if you want to hunker down for the month and stay where you are, safe and sound, you have complete permission to indulge your greatest treasure.
Leo July 23-August 22
I won’t say you love to hear yourself roar, but I will say there is absolutely nothing wrong with you holding forth on any and all subjects. Share your opinions loudly and proudly, and as always, allow others to be as vocal.
Virgo August 23-September 22
You’re examining your relationship to money—and that’s a good thing, because money is an essential part of life. Just don’t let it become the most important aspect of your life. Remember, the only thing we take with us in the end is love.
Libra September 23-October 22
Simply fall in love with love and you’ll lose yourself in all those wonderful romantic daydreams. But also remember that your capacity to love is not dependent upon someone loving you; it’s an expression of your soul.
Scorpio Oct 23-Nov 21
Your secret love affair has always been with what lies beneath the surface events. Delve into the mysteries of the unconscious and you’ll engage in one of the most powerful relationships of all.
Sagittarius Sept 23-Oct 22
It’s not that you will fall in love with everyone you meet. You’re already in love with everyone you know. Rejoice in the wide variety of your interactions and you’ll experience the bliss of interrelatedness.
Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 19
Everyone already knows, so you might as well go ahead and admit it: Your primary relationship is with your work. Whew… now that you’re free to acknowledge what brings you joy, you can embrace friends and family without any lingering guilt.
Aquarius Jan 20-Feb 18
You’re on a philosophical quest, search for the mysterious elixir of longevity, and the good news is that when you find it, rather than hoarding it for yourself, you will share it with all of us. Thank you.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Expect to be aroused by everyone and everything, especially people and places that are enigmatic and just out of reach. I’m not suggesting you fall in love with the unattainable. I’m advising you to consider why the unattainable is so attractive.
© 2011 by Ralfee Finn