October is such an interesting month. The first days can feel very much like lingering summer. Back in the old days, when I lived in New England, mid-October was decidedly autumn with leaves changing colors and falling to the ground. And in recent years, late October has looked an awful lot like mid-winter in some parts.
The daylight changes quite a bit too. The rate of change of sunset and sunrise is greater during this time of year. And, of course, we then go and change the clocks near the end of the month, which jumps us into winter literally over night!
It is no wonder that October feels like a death. The light of day goes away. The warmth of summer goes away. The green of spring goes away. In some places, the blue skies all but disappear for a while. While all of this is annual, this year, I suspect it is going to be SO much more profound.
Solar Scorpio doesn’t start until October 22, but a lot is going to occur before then and shortly after. For example, consider this list of up coming Astrological events:
- 10/4/13 at 7:34 pm – Libra new moon, which places both sun and moon in a tight T-Square with Pluto and Uranus (and a loose Grand Cross if we include Jupiter).
- 10/18/13 – Aries Full moon eclipse starts our next eclipse window
- 10/20/13 – Mercury stations retrograde in Scorpio
- 11/1/13 – The next exact square between Pluto and Uranus (@9o 26’ Capricorn and Aries). At 12:22 am CDT, the moon passes through 9o 26’ Libra and forms an EXACT (to the arc minute) T-Square with both. Meanwhile, the sun, Mars and Chiron all hover very close to 9o 26’ Scorpio, Virgo, and Pisces respectively.
- 11/3/13 – Solar eclipse at 11o 16’ Scorpio nearly conjuncts Saturn at 13o 53’ Scorpio.
- 11/6/13 – Jupiter stations retrograde in Cancer
- 11/10/13 – Mercury stations direct – still in Scorpio.
You might want to look back at some earlier posts (i.e. A Dynamic Duo and Need versus Desire – Saturn in Scorpio) where I talked about Mercury and/or Saturn since they will conjunct three times over the next two months: 10/8, 10/29 and 11/25.
So what is this time all about? Well, let’s add it up:
- Eclipses are about working with the shadow (so we can better work with the light)
- Mercury retrograde is about looking back (re-doing, re-fining, and re-fixing) so we can better move forward
- Saturn is about taking responsibility for ourselves (and not taking responsibility for that which is out of our control)
Scorpio is at the center of it all, and scorpions are not afraid of damp, dark, narrow crevices deep below the surface.
And we mustn’t forget about the Pluto-Uranus Square of this current era. At the last exact square (5/20/13), Uranus was going forward and Pluto was going backward and people were rebelling against governments. Now Pluto is going forward and Uranus is going backward and the government is decidedly controlling the movement (with its foot firmly on the brake).
Shadows exist at all levels. If you look for them, you will find them: in your government, in your company, in your employees, in your spouse, in your parents, in your kids, in yourself. Some hide their shadows well. Some hang them on the clothesline in the front yard. Some of us fear our shadow more than anything, and some embrace our shadow and tattoo it on our arms.
In order to grow, some animals have to shed their old skins. We do the same thing, it’s simply called death. And yet, for most of us, death is the single most scary concept. We fear our own death and the death of those we love. Thirty-three percent of the Zodiac is fixed, and the fixed vibe doesn’t like change even when it wants change.
One of the hardest things about dying, is we don’t know what we are becoming—at least not with complete confidence. We mostly trust that when we go to sleep, we’ll wake up just fine. Maybe someday we’ll be able to physically and symbolically die with that same amount of ease.
Early man often feared that the onset of a total solar eclipse meant the end of sunlight. We now celebrate these events, as they are spectacular to behold.
It’s funny, living in Austin, TX has shifted a lot for me. I have so much more appreciation for night, dark, cold, clouds, and rain. The sun and its heat are so prevalent, breaks are much appreciated.
The Moon in the Tarot, exemplifies a time when there is not enough light to see clearly. The darkness does not create monsters; it just seems to give them more freedom to roam about. Are we really less safe in the nighttime than in the daytime?
These weeks ahead, we’ll likely experience some time in the shade. It could be a completely personal experience, or we might allow the events in the news to eclipse the light of our day. Work with the shadows that show up. It may be scary, but look at what they show you. You’re going to feel anyway, so maybe consider emoting a little too. Maybe ask a friend for some support when you’re reeling. The nice thing is we don’t all get hit at once. Some of us are more than capable of holding space for you when you most need it, and then another day, you’ll be able to return the favor or pay it forward…
Chiron is not central, but he is involved. I highly recommend watching this brief video about the Wounded Healer:
And lastly, keep in mind that some of this upcoming astrology centers around Libra. Madam Justice exemplifies Libra. She is blindfolded and holding scales. But justice means something different to all of us. We all have different needs and desires. We all feel held back by different forces. Some people really want to be protected, while other just want to be free. While you consider your own preferences, take a moment to recognize that yours don’t and needn’t match everyone else’s. Protect others if you want to feel protected. Give others freedom if you want to feel free.
A Fool's Inclination 