Welcome to October! If you did not catch last month’s article and would like to catch up, you can find that here. If you enjoy my articles and want to be updated when they are live you can subscribe to my newsletter! This is completely free, you can enter your email on the main blog page.
Major Transits:
10.04 - Mercury enters Libra
10.08 - Venus enters Virgo
10.10 - Pluto stations direct in Capricorn
10.12 - Mars enters Scorpio
10.14 - Annular Solar Eclipse in Libra at 21º
10.20 - Mercury cazimi in Libra (Mercury becomes an evening star)
10.22 - Mercury enters Scorpio
10.23 - Sun enters Scorpio
10.28 - Partial Lunar Eclipse in Taurus at 5º
Major Aspects:
10.02 - Mercury opposite Neptune
10.04 - Mars conjunct South Node
10.08 - Mars square Pluto
10.10 - Venus opposite Saturn
10.11 - Sun opposite Chiron
10.13 - Mars trine Saturn
10.15 - Mercury opposite Chiron
10.18 - Sun conjunct South Node
10.19 - Mercury conjunct South Node
10.20 - Mercury conjunct Sun (Superior conjunction)
10.22 - Venus trine Jupiter rx, Mercury trine Saturn
10.24 - Sun trine Saturn
10.29 - Mercury conjunct Mars opposing Jupiter
10.31 - Venus trine Uranus rx
Delineation:
This is the month of the South Node and I won't lie to you, the astro weather is challenging. On the 4th, Mars will make a conjunction, on the 14th we have a Solar Eclipse in Libra (eclipses occur when the Sun and the Moon are conjunct the North or South Node), and on the 20th, we have a Mercury cazimi just 3º away from the South Node as Mercury becomes an evening star.
There are many misconceptions about this point in astrology, many love to demonize the South Node while the North Node is framed as "lucky", but this has not been my experience at all. I think both of the nodes are fairly devouring and hungry, but like the planets, they are not here to be lucky or unlucky, good or bad, punishing or rewarding. They just are. It is our human minds trying to make sense of the experiences in our lives, looking for something to blame and something to worship. The ancients, especially, regarded both of the nodes as malefic and any eclipse as a terrible omen. Though, as we begin to move away from extremist mindsets, black and white framework, looking through the modern lens of observation and acceptance for our experiences despite any uncomfortable feelings that may surround them, we find something else here.
Fear of change.
Especially with the nodes in cardinal signs, we find change. Creatures of habit writhe and crack and cry out at the unsettling change in the air, but we grow bored of stagnancy all in the same breath. With anything in life, there is a give and take, we'll grip to what feels comfortable and logical to avoid even one second in the dark. If you had a fear of the dark as a kid (or even now), what you really fear is the unknown. Libra feels comfortable on the surface where things are already polished and pretty and put together, but we will not find ourselves nor our desires there (in the polished) during this nodal cycle. They will be found instead in something new, and if you've ever tried something new, you know that it doesn't start out pretty.
A new situation is coated in misunderstanding and mistake. We've never dealt with this before. It reminds me of an artist who tests out their supplies, or a writer who writes a first and second and third draft, or a cook creating the same dish over and over before they serve the final recipe. These things to me, the building and crafting, are Libra. No wonder it's a sign known for relationships! Libra might jump into relationship after relationship, each time discovering more about themselves, more about the art of love and desire as they partner with people of all kinds, all the while, Libra is curating their love. The problem comes when we get comfortable. I know we think of Taurus as the "comfortable" Venusian, but Libra is still ruled by Venus who, above all, desires ease. There is comfort in putting out the final draft, the finished piece, marrying the person you've been with for years. It is much harder to start. It is daunting to take the first step, to decide how you'll start the next essay, the next piece, to start a new relationship with someone you barely know. The familiar is being minimized.
Relationships are easy not because there are no challenges in love, but because you've already learned the curve of their face, and you know their drink order by heart, and because you know what they will and won't do. I dated a Libra stellium once and in our early conversations they said something like, "Yeah but, I don't know how you respond to conflict yet." and I was like, OKAY Libra! OKAY opposition to Aries! Because it's so true! When you're just getting to know someone, you don't know their habits, what was normalized for them as a child, or their attachment style. As someone who grew up in a violent home, this is one of my biggest fears: What other people deem as an acceptable means of conflict. What, in your mind, do you think is okay to say or do to someone when you're hurt, angry, annoyed, or scared. Do you raise your voice? Do you throw things? Do you isolate? Do you leave? Can you communicate your feelings and regulate your own emotions? These are all very important questions when choosing a partner of any kind.
I was so impressed by that person's acknowledgment of one of the core archetypal dilemmas of Libra which is: How do I contort myself into the proper form to receive the way that you handle conflict. Which, like, fucked up right? Every sign has something like this at the core of their identity that they must move through, so no shame there. For Libra, it happens to be– who do I need to become and how can I best prepare for your actions. Instead of just being yourself, there is a hyper vigilant curation of identity based on who you are around (and remember, we all have each of the 12 signs somewhere in our charts, so we all embody this to an extent). This is the fear of the unknown.
I have seen many Libra placements settle in situations that are familiar and comfortable because they are terrified of starting over. It may be the sign of relationships... but is it the sign of love? A relationship is about the dance between lovers, the thing that is often created as a result of the love, but I dare say, maybe... Aries is the sign of love (Leo gets an honorable mention too). Sure, love has to be cultivated and sustained over time, this is why Saturn is usually involved in a long term relationship and why it is the planet that exalts in Libra. Aries though, is the innocent spark. Without a spark, there is not a love-relationship, instead it might simply be a balanced, diplomatic match. It reminds me of arranged marriage, picking out the best match who is committed to the job of marriage, complimenting your wants and needs, acting as a provider (not necessarily a provider of money, but it could be).
In order to start over completely, taking risks to jump into situations you have never encountered before despite the quaking fear of eventual pain– all Aries themes– you have to really love something. There is something bigger, a calling, a desire, a need to start again despite what or who you might run into. For some of us, it really is a need and not a want, especially in the case of the North Node in Aries transiting a less-than-romantic house. Back to our original example, though: taking a chance on a relationship because you believe you really love, or could love, someone even though you don't know them well yet. You don't know their drink order, you definitely don't know how they respond to conflict yet, but you're committed to being yourself even if they do it differently than you do. There is a certain kind of purity (though some will call it ignorance) in living that way.
There is real bravery being asked of us this month. With so many South Node activations, fear of change and beginnings is bound to come up. Especially around all things Venusian. But we'll get to what is desired (Libra, ruled by Venus) only by trying something new, following the spark (Aries, ruled by Mars). This is requiring us to give up the comfortable, to step into the new identity cultivated during the Venus retrograde in the summertime, to be daring, open minded, and fully ourselves instead of that established, camouflaged thing that helped us to survive before. It's time to do much more than survive, but you'll only get there by giving up the superficial safety blanket.
It reminds me of how in human design, most of the Libra gates are located in the splenic center. The Spleen is where we pick up on danger and illnesses, when we know we need to leave, or say "no", how our bodies can tell if something is safe or not. These are the feelings we need to pay extra attention to. The reason why Libra's opposite, Aries, rules over violence and war is because innocence is ignorance in a lot of ways. Tuning into our bodies is how we can tap into the benefit of risk instead of the danger of it.
So, you might find yourself needing to let go of the superficial this month. It is certainly no coincidence that we have two Venusian eclipses right after a Venus retrograde. Are you ready to put your new identity to the test? Eclipse season is time where we find ourselves doing things we never thought we would do, paths opening up that we never thought we would take. This is where whatever veil that might thinly separate us from Moira is pulled back abruptly to reveal the more destined parts of astrology. Knowing that the eclipses align with the Moon's nodes, we know that we are likely to see sharp left turns connected to relationships and justice, identity and conformity, the old and new paradigm. With one final eclipse in Taurus until 2031, we may see some conclusions and results to the ongoing story around resources (especially finances), security, and inherent value that has been dominant since November 19th 2021.
I have to say, with Venus ingressing Virgo on the 8th and ruling both eclipses, I do want to stress health this month above all. This can certainly look like physical health, but it will also examine the health of our relationships– remember, this could be a relationship to something and not just someone. Our relationship to resource, fuel, self concept, balance... and so on. Toxic relationships can threaten our health and safety this month if we allow them to continue– but I highly doubt you won't see the warning signs. It would be wise to heed the red flags in October. Venus falls in Virgo but it also has day triplicity as well as decan and bound support– it's a strange thing for Venus to both suffer and gain valuable help while it's here. Much like a scary health issue, there is suffering but there are usually options available for healing and growth as a result. Venusian downfall is perfection because you will never truly find it. Don't wait for circumstances to be perfect, just take one step at a time.
To back track a bit, Mercury will enter Libra on the 4th of October. We will only gain support this month when we talk to others. I imagine we'll be faced with situations this month that we aren't sure how to handle on our own, by including others, we unlock a magic that isn't found in the individual alone. Some gifts we possess are to be activated only in presence of other gifts with their own unique ingredients.
Mars will enter Scorpio on October 12th and will be building to a cazimi (fancy word for a conjunction to the Sun) all month before finally perfecting on November 17th. Mars in its domicile often gifts us with avidity and courage, but in Scorpio, we are asked to release big parts of our identity– specifically surrounding the house themes that this planet will transit in the natal chart– if we hope to gain anything. Mars is a surgeon over these next two months, cutting away the dead weight, reinventing what we've lost and fueling us with ardor. Martian placements especially will enjoy a much needed boost after a detriment Mars transit so close to the already draining South Node.
Scorpio season starts on the 23rd. Any of the decisions made during Libra season will fully reshape us while the Sun is in Scorpio. Whatever is given up, due to the law of balance, will be replaced with something of equal value. This would be a great time to examine the 6 of Cups card in Tarot, ruled by the Sun in Scorpio. Echoing T. Susan Chang's analysis in her book 36 Secrets, The Sun and Death (the light and dark) will always yield to each other.
Let's get into your rising sign horoscopes for the month ahead.
The Rising Sign Horoscopes:
Aries risings
There is quite a bit of emphasis on your one on one relationships this month. You might find yourself fearing the wrong choice, concerned about delusion and debauchery. This results in an internal battle of the ages. Examine the health and reciprocity of each relationship. Do you feel safe enough to invest? Is it time to let the vampires go?
An affirmation for the month ahead: I accept myself for who I am no matter the voices that surround me.
Taurus risings
This is a month of trusting without seeing. Maybe spirit is quieter than usual, your inner voice might be drowned in deafening silence. It will all make sense in the end. Notice the effort you put in– why are you doing it? Remembering purpose will help you to keep going this month. Don't forget to recognize your progress– you've become a very different person over the last 2 years.
An affirmation for the month ahead: I remain focused on the goals closest to my heart.
Gemini risings
Have you outgrown your fun? It might be time to try something else or to join a new community. Adjustments are required to spark joy in lackluster environments. Maybe the things that used to light you up were supposed to be temporary, maybe they were meant to open a door to something more. Be flexible and hey, look back to your childhood. Maybe you forgot about something you once loved.
An affirmation for the month ahead: I choose to look through the lens of joy.
Cancer risings
If you've been experiencing something challenging, it's requiring one last push of hope and faith. You are transitioning, slowly rerouting your direction this month, it's likely that this is a matter close to your heart. Things are getting easier as you make a conscious choice to be the flow and the ease. What would happen if you became your own parent? What would you do differently than your own parents?
An affirmation for the month ahead: I've been through difficulty before and I've come out stronger than before. I will be collecting on my heartache with something of equal value.
Leo risings
You're a bit uncertain this month, but this is your sign to keep going, one step at a time even if you don't know the how yet. Collaborations are supported, but you have to take your mask off. Remember that putting your trust in others will always fail you, but by putting it in yourself, trusting that you have the proper tools to handle anything will always lead to a success.
An affirmation for the month ahead: My nature is divine. I have the power to create change no matter what the present circumstance is.
Virgo risings
It looks like you may be very focused on finances or others this month, but brute force doesn't typically make someone richer or happier. You may be putting yourself in your own mental prisons, fear not. You transmute as you communicate and gain more information. Any limitations are rooted in attachment and the fear of investment, how can you find ease and peace among chaos?
An affirmation for the month ahead: I am becoming the best version of myself by refusing to participate in ancient conditioning.
Libra risings
This is a season of confronting the parts of your identity that are no longer compatible with who you are becoming. The software is outdated and there are beliefs that will only hurt you if you keep your tight grip on them. You typically look to others for your sense of identity, but there is something hidden beneath this– you make the law. What if you had no one in your life, who would you be then?
An affirmation for the month ahead: I accept myself fully and completely with and without approval from others.
Scorpio risings
Are you judging yourself for wanting things that are only human to desire? It's not the desire that is "bad" it's how you go about acting on the desire. Major 12th house transits indicate a time when we sabotage ourselves, becoming the one behind our own undoing. Don't be afraid to enjoy life, constantly looking over your shoulder will only deplete you.
An affirmation for the month ahead: When I want something, I am capable of experiencing it.
Sagittarius risings
It seems like going too fast and taking on too much is the struggle this month. Slow down and find your priorities. Don't stifle your goals and dreams by falling into rigidity– obligation and perfection feels like a family inheritance, but it's not you. Be free in the knowledge that there is a different way for you, it will require release.
An affirmation for the month ahead: My life is taking place here, right now.
Capricorn risings
The wheel is turning, things are changing. Are your goals yours? Or did you adopt them because it's what you thought you should want. It's very likely that image and achievement is on your mind this month, but you may be looking to achieve something very different than you wanted before. It's okay to pivot. This is an opportunity.
An affirmation for the month ahead: When I recognize myself, others can recognize me too.
Aquarius risings
Things are not what they seem. You could be reaching a major milestone or completing a project you've been working on for a long time. It's important that you part ways diplomatically– the entire summer for you has been about the quality of communication and recognition in your relationships. It's okay to see things differently than others as long as you can respect them in the process. When in doubt, learn more about it.
An affirmation for the month ahead: I treat others with respect in my determination.
Pisces risings
It could be that you're seeing delays this month, especially with something you're owed. Even the slowness of curation has a purpose and place in your life. Take your time, you might end up changing your mind about something. Can you see delays as something divine? Something redirecting you to a better option? As you learn, the more you transform.
An affirmation for the month ahead: I am not defined by my past, I am driven by my future.