The Astrologer Says

Astrological Weather for Week of October 18th

If there is one lesson to be learned this week it is that we are far more powerful than it appears on the surface.

But the power - and the energy - plays out in different ways as the week progresses.

This is especially true at the beginning of the week as the moon is in deceptively soft Pisces. 

Pisces,like its sister water signs Cancer and Scorpio, is often underestimated. But its ruler Neptune is King of the Seas and the force of water can eat away at the strongest stone.

Neptune will be making a series of powerful aspects early in the week, a trine to Mercury as we begin the workweek on Monday morning, and another trine to the Sun on Tuesday.

The power of the first part of the workweek, Monday and Tuesday, is the power of vision. When there is a clear vision, it is easy to take action that will support it and bring it into fruition. 

As the Sun, Saturn and Mercury continue to highlight Libra's energy it becomes increasingly clear that our goals require the cooperation of others. 

But from Wednesday on, power is found in taking action when the moon enters Aries and takes on its do-it-now energy. Aries and Libra are on opposite ends of the horoscope circle. 

Libra's strong desire for harmony and balance make it tempting to give in just to keep the peace. The Aries moon energy adds a healthy dose of selfishness; a reminder that a lasting balance must take care of your own needs also.

Aries is action-oriented and people are ready to take action, especially as the moon nears its point of fullness on Friday evening at 9:37 pm ET.

Thinking and fact finding is culminating into decision-making.

But with Libra's ruler, Venus swimming through the depths of Scorpio, we can sure that there is much more than what appears on the surface. 

What is percolating below the surface becomes more clear when Mercury followed by the Sun enter Scorpio. By the time the weekend is in full gear, the astrological and emotional climate will have shifted. 

Today's Changing Emotional Weather and the Moon

Today is a day when the emotional tone of the day shifts dramatically. So consider this bot a mini-astrology lesson and a heads up.

The morning begins with the moon in practical, detail-oriented Virgo. You will be most productive before lunchtime if you can remain focused, maybe easier said than done with Jupiter opposing the planet at 10:23 am (ET). 

By lunch, when moon opposes Uranus (12:43 pm), all bets are off. Uranus brings in the unexpected and what you can reasonable expect is that your schedule is likely to be disrupted. 

And then...

The opposition is the last major aspect the moon makes while in Virgo--in other words the moon will be void of course (Don't know what a void of course moon is? See my post on void moons) So the day is shot until 3:51pm when it finally goes into Libra.

The emotional tone will change from a 'just the facts, ma'am" approach to a people oriented one since Libra is very concerned about one-to-one dealings. 

At any rate, watch what happens as the day progresses and see first-hand how the moon's changes affect the course of your day.

Equinox Fall 2010

At 11:09 pm Eastern tonight, the Sun will be directly overhead the Equator. Or, as you might better understand it, it will be the moment of the Equinox when calendar Summer makes way to calendar Fall and Sun enters the cardinal sign of Libra.

It is a time of perfect balance as the hours of daylight and darkness are equal. 

The beginning of a season is always a time of great change, especially when that season begins with an equinox (spring and fall). The hours of daylight and darkness change quickly, and in this case, Fall, if you live in the northern hemisphere, brings cooler weather.

The Wiccans have the right idea. They mark the occasion with ritual. Whether you are a Wiccan or not, taking a moment to meditate, or making your own private ritual is powerful today.

Every season begins when the Sun visits a cardinal sign for 30 days. Cardinal signs are signs of action and solar transits are times to take action. People are more ready to make decisions now and issues, languishing, will begin to move.

I will talk about the fall equinox and the coming fall season; how it will affect us now with the current astrological conditions of 2010. You can listen from the comfort of your phone or computer on Thursday, Sept 23rd at 9 pm Eastern.

To listen to my free teleseminar, sign up here.

Venus, Jupiter, and Energy Shifts

How do you know when there will be shifts in energy?

Just look to see when a planet is about to enter a new sign or when it is changing direction.

This week there are several shifts.

First, yesterday, Venus entered Scorpio. Venus is the planet of relationships and money. It leaves Libra where it feels at home--Libra's energy of balance and harmony mesh well with Venus' energy of attraction, to enter intense, passionate Scorpio. 

Relationship encounters take on a deeper edge. It is not enough to have balance and give-and-take. Venus in Scorpio dictates a merging of the two people in question. It is an intense energy, especially if it sets off planets or sensitive points in the charts of you or your partner.

Such intensity can be frightening and many times people will mask their anxiety by trying to exert control over themselves or their partner. And so, power plays, mind-games and manipulation can be a result.

But Scorpio is also a healer. Venus's visit through the sign can also be an opportunity to explore issues on a deep level in order to purge and heal them. This is particularly true when Venus turns retrograde which it will do in early October. 

Then, today, September 9th, Jupiter reenters Pisces for one last hurrah. People who have planets and/or sensitive points in late Pisces will be the principal beneficiaries, although planets and sensitive points in the last degrees of the other mutables (Gemini, Virgo and Sag) will also feel it. 

Jupiter brings optimism and hope. The world is a kinder, more welcoming place when Jupiter touches your chart. Jupiter's energy is one of expansion--that also applies to the waistline if you overindulge.

These shifts happen within 24 hours of Wednesday's new moon, telling us that this month's lunar cycle is bringing an energy shift and signaling that summer is truly over.

Lastly, Mercury turns direct this weekend. Yes, it will be safe to put your toes in the water and sign documents especially as it picks up speed by mid-week. That is when you will get a better feel of the effect of the energy changes upon you.

Clean Up and Start Fresh

Venus has been pummeled since it entered Libra this past Friday.

Immediately upon its entrance, it touched off the Cardinal T-square, that mess we've been living with all summer. Saturday it opposed Uranus, yesterday it conjoined Saturn, today it opposes Jupiter and squares Pluto. 

What do women want? asked Sigmund Freud. But that question could be applied to any troublesome individual or group with whom you are having some kind of relationship in your life right now and we're not just talking about lovers.

When the Universe sets things up like this, you have to look at the entire sequence of events. You are being asked to explore questions of freedom versus commitment, a temptation to overreach and underlying all of it, the necessity to get to the bottom of dynamics driving the troublesome interaction.

In a nutshell, quit messing around, it is time to get serious.

If the relationship has been limping along with no realistic prospects for resuscitation in sight, now is a good time to ditch it. Or at the very least insist on a top-to-bottom overhaul. 

And then let the chips fall where they may.

Pluto is heartless that way.

It is significant that these Venus transits are taking place just on the eve of the new moon. Every new moon is an opportunity for a fresh start. And this one is in the sign of creativity and romance.

So the message is clear. Clean house, get rid of the bum, and start over with a fresh slate. 

The Cardinal T-Square Peaks This Weekend

The moon is void of course in Pisces as the day begins. Don't worry about accomplishing much of anything today, just take it easy and be sure to get some meditation in.

Because later, at 4:42 pm Eastern, the moon enters Aries. 

And that's when the fun starts.

This weekend we reach a crossroads in a summer that can be itself be described as a crossroads... we come to a point of peak tension in the cardinal T-square formation that has been dominating the skies in the past couple months.

Mars has joined Saturn in Libra. Mars, the warrior planet, the planet of desire, action, assertion and anger joins with Saturn, the planet of 'no.' It's like putting your foot in the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time--you wear out the engine but get nowhere fast.

But in gracious Libra, the frustration is masked under a layer of charm, at least until 4:42 pm when the Moon enters hotheaded Aries to join 'don't give a damn, just tear it all down' Uranus and 'let's make a molehill into a mountain' Jupiter. 

And the whole shooting match is squared by compulsive Pluto.

Let's just say this isn't the best weekend for a quarreling family to hold its family reunion, unless you like fireworks. On the other hand, if tensions have been smoldering under a blanket of forced civility and you want to force them to the surface to clear the air, then this is your weekend.

Nonetheless, if you can harness this extremely powerful energy constructively, you can move a mountain or two.

Saturn in Libra - Take Care of Your Relationships and They Will Take Care of You

Saturn is in Libra. 

The planet of hard work, responsibility, and the chickens coming home to roost is in the sign of one-to-one partnerships.

Saturn travels around the zodiac once every 28-30 years. As it does it shines a spotlight on an area of your life that needs attention. If you have been letting things go, events will make it very apparent. Where Saturn travels is the place where you need to address if you have been cutting corners. 

So whether you have been cutting corners, then Saturn will give you your due. But if you have been working hard and industriously, then Saturn will give you what is due you. 

You may experience Saturn as opposition or obstacles. Although they may be coming from other people or bureaucracies (Saturn rules the establishment), the best way to handle Saturn is to look within and apply self-discipline and renewed effort.

When you have addressed every detail--yes, Saturn can be that picky--you will achieve your objective.

When most people think of relationships they think of romantic relationships or their significant other. But your one-to-one relationships are much broader. Your accountant, your lawyer, your business partner, a close friend, your relationship with a parent, a child, or a sibling are other examples of one-to-one relationships.

When Saturn comes to the sign of Libra (or your 7th house), it is time to pay attention to your one-to-one relationships. 

One way you'll know that you have work to do is if a particular relationship starts to become difficult. That is your signal that you need to pay attention and put some effort into it. Again, as tempting as it is to lay the blame on your partner, the most effective tack is to review your role to see where you could have contributed to the difficulty and own up to it.

That also means that if you are the one doing all of the giving and too little of the receiving that you do your work to rebalance (Libra, the sign of the scales aims for balance). You do this by setting up boundaries, another very Saturn thing. So this is the time you might have to tell your partner what you will or will not put up with. 

And then stick to your guns.

Because healthy relationships are balanced. If nothing else, changing your behavior will change the dynamics between you and your partner. That alone can change the whole picture if you can stay with it through your partner's resistance that is sure to follow. In effect, you are working to bring your partnership back into balance.

If your problems are more than you can handle, Saturn's presence in Libra suggests that getting an ally - an experienced, reputable partner who plays it straight such as a marriage counselor, or even if necessary, attorney, will be particularly helpful to steer you straight and keep you on track.

The gift of Saturn in Libra is the opportunity to build relationships that endure through good times and bad. 

How to Deal with a Problem Relationship When Saturn is Angry At Pluto

Many people are having difficulties with an important relationship. That's nothing new. 

For some, the problems are more difficult than usual. Blame it on the 'stars.'

Yesterday, the transiting Saturn/Pluto square was exact. And if either planet is touching a planet or sensitive point in your birth chart, you're probably one of them.

Saturn is in Libra, sign of one-to-one relationships, and Pluto, in Saturn's sign Capricorn, the sign of 'no-nonsense practicality' and 'getting down-to-business' are quarreling.

A square is a significant relationship between two planets or a planet and a point. In a square, the two energies are at odds with each other. Even though they aren't getting along, the two energies are very much engaged with one another. 

It is time to get down to business with the people you deal with on a one-to-one basis. That means everyone from your significant other, to your kids, your siblings, your work and business partners, your consultants, your lawyers, and, even your adversaries.

In this configuration, Saturn, the planet of 'the chickens coming home to roost,' and Pluto, planet of 'brown stuff hitting the fan' are not getting along. 

So it is time to take off the 'rose colored' glasses and look reality in the face. Even, or especially, it is a reality you would prefer to avoid. 

There is an opportunity to heal a problem relationship on a deep level that lasts until the two planets part after Labor Day 2010. 

So what is happening to relationships now and how do you handle it?

With Saturn and Pluto in tight square, events and crises take place that force the hidden stuff to the surface.

Saturn forces us to deal with reality and Pluto brings out all the stuff that has been pushed under the rug, so to speak. It could be that the old emotional baggage that you and your partner are carrying is just getting too heavy. Or hanky-panky is coming out into the world for all to see. With Pluto in Capricorn, funny games going on with money come to light. 

So pay attention to your credit card statements and the bankbook.

This is not the time to partake in activities you have to hide. Especially if this square is impacting your chart directly. Because you'll be found out.

And if your partner is indulging in hanky-panky, you'll learn of it.

Pluto has a way of revealing the hidden. And Saturn makes you pay the price. 

What is most important to remember is that Pluto digs up the dirt to bring hidden skeletons to light so that healing can take place. The result is deep change in the way the relationship is conducted. But sometimes it results in ending a relationship that is too far gone to be saved... in that case, good riddance.  

But Saturn promises you that if you behave with integrity and play fair, your actions will eventually be rewarded.

Making the Moon's Energy Work For You: Libra vs Scorpio

How might you use prevailing transits to make your life easier? 

The easiest place to start with is the transiting Moon. It changes signs avery two-and-a-half days and it sets the emotional tone.

Let's take today as an example. The Moon is transiting through Libra, the sign of one-to-one partnerships, contracts, and other dealings. Libra is an air sign so it likes talking and other forms of communication. It is also a cardinal sign, so it likes to take action.

Libra craves fairness and harmony. So, generally the time when the Moon is traveling through Libra is favorable for asking for cooperation from others and working out disagreements.

Compare that to the Moon's position tomorrow when it moves into Scorpio. Scorpio is a fixed water sign. The tone is one of intensity and many, even you, may feel moody. Rather than having an outward focus as you would tend to when Moon is in Libra, your emotional energy is inward-directed.

This is a good period to schedule some alone-time, where you can re-calibrate your emotional settings. Scorpio, ruled by Pluto, likes to get to the heart of things and purge what is not no longer necessary. So the Moon's transit through Scorpio is a good time for de-cluttering. It is also a good time to take a sharp eye to your finances.

But it is a fixed sign, so people tend to hold their ground. So you would NOT want to choose that time for delicate negotiations, but you would want to use its energy to get to the bottom of a difficult emotional blockage.

Advice? If you have dealings to work out with others, get it done while the Moon is in Libra, and wait for the Moon to waltz into Scorpio to get caught up on your bill paying.