Molly's Astrology for October 2007
October
and the trees are stripped bare of all they wear.
Do I care?
October
and kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but you go on and on.
The Sun moves through my 12th house every October, so it’s no wonder that a pensive little song like this one by U2 is on repeat in the CD player in my head today.
October 1-9
The big picture: It’s electrifying, it’s surprising, it’s unstable. It may feel like Mercury Retrograde is coming on really early, but it isn’t. It’s Uranus, planet of sudden changes and new ideas. The Jupiter square Uranus siren song starts to sound around the beginning of the month, and builds to a crescendo on October 9. This wakes up that jumpy energy that brings tensions in our lives to the surface in an abrupt and often unexpected way. This “wakes us up” to what’s really going on around us. It’s a “yee-haw” aspect, freewheeling and fun, but also reckless. Gamblers, speculators, daredevils, big spenders, and teenagers may make wrong decisions out of carelessness or restlessness. Be careful. Moods and markets will probably be pretty volatile, and Uranus energy tends to blow hot and cold, up and down. Especially if you have planets around the middle degrees of the mutable signs— Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
The first three days of October, Monday through early Wednesday, are about transcending limitations. Venus lines up in a trine with Pluto, an easy aspect that clears the way for the passionate, idealistic nature of these two signs to shine fully without obstructions or blockages. There are times you have to work hard for it, and other times when it comes easily. Trines mark those easy times. Stephen Arroyo writes that “affection and tastes are colored by the urge to penetrate to the core of experience1“ during Venus-Pluto interchanges. The two signs involved, Leo and Sagittarius, are both passionate and creative signs, willing to take a risk. This is especially potent if planets in your chart are in late degrees of fire or air signs.
The Moon is Void of Course all day on Thursday the 4th. It’s best to keep it low key when the Moon is v/c.
Over the weekend, Mars in Cancer meets up with Saturn in Virgo. It’s a good time to get organized (Virgo) and put your energy into getting things done (Mars & Saturn) at home— or at your mother’s house (Cancer). As Venus travels the final degrees of Leo and moves into Virgo, we’re finishing up something and getting ready to shift gears from a creative and idealistic (Leo) phase, to dealing with more practical and procedural concerns (Virgo).
October 10-21
Things are always pretty quiet in the few days before the New Moon. Somehow we just know it’s time to slow down and get ready for a new cycle to begin with the new Moon. This new Moon is in Libra, symbolic of balance, give and take. It trines Neptune, planet of imagination, intuition, mystery, spirituality.
Here’s a nice writeup: Isthmus Nekoi on the New Moon
Mercury retrograde begins Thursday night. When Mercury is retrograde, our activities are more subject to scheduling problems, delays, and glitches. And we’re all dealing with this choppy condition, but that doesn’t mean you should hide under a rock. On the contrary, Mercury makes some pretty nice aspects to other planets on the week of the 15th.
But Friday and Saturday are not good date nights. Love (Venus) pairs with cold hard reality and work (Saturn) in Virgo. Saturn in Virgo is hardworking and pays meticulous attention to detail. This colors our affections (Venus) this weekend, making some folks more nitpicky and pessimistic than charming and fun to be around. If you have to work a Saturday this month, this is the best one.
Sunday through Tuesday, Venus sextiles Mars, and Mercury sextiles Venus. These are good days for teaming up with others. It’s a great Sunday to get things done around the house with Venus lining up in harmony with Mars in Cancer, the homebody sign. Venus in Virgo is more helpful than romantic. Win your beloved’s heart by making yourself useful, helping out, taking care of something small but important— do the dishes, laundry, wash the car, wash the dog. It’s the Venus in Virgo equivalent to a bouquet of roses.
Although our plans are still subject to Mercury retrograde’s whims, there are some great opportunities this week, especially for those engaged in research or other Scorpio-ruled pursuits. Mercury in Scorpio isn’t content with the surface level information— it wants the secrets and reasons behind the reasons. With Mercury retrograde, it’s a good time to dig into the past, review and reorganize your files, look to the past for answers. Wednesday and Thursday can be especially productive as Mercury sextiles practical Saturn and the Sun sextiles transformational Pluto. You might find that missing piece you needed. But it takes some elbow grease— it always does with Saturn. Stay on task.
The weekend looks pretty laid back. The Moon in community-oriented Aquarius favors gatherings, and the Moon in an air sign usually signals drier weather too. Green lights for barbecues.
October 22-31
There’s another Jupiter transit that colors the “big picture” during the last couple of weeks of October— Jupiter sextile Neptune. Stephen Arroyo characterizes this connection as “a pervasive need to experience oneness with something larger than one’s own individual self and petty personal concerns.1“ This interplanetary kiss favors communities, travel and exploration, pretending, fantasies, creativity. You can channel it toward work or play. Legendary Pisces Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” and that’s never more true than when Jupiter lines up in a kiss with Neptune. These days were made for dreamers.
Tuesday the 23rd, the Sun moves into Scorpio, and Mercury backs into Libra. They switch places. I don’t know what it means, or if it’s significant at all. But it’s interesting. (If you have an idea about it, leave me a note in the comments.) What is significant is that Venus and Mercury are now in mutual reception. That means they’re in each other’s signs— Venus in Mercury-ruled Virgo, and Mercury in Venus-ruled Libra. This strengthens both planets, especially Venus, who is not comfortable in Virgo. But having some influence over Virgo’s ruler helps out a lot. They relate well and help each other out. This mutual reception should give a nice boost to any plans and activities you have going, and it should help smooth out some difficult relationship issues as well. It lasts through the first week of November.
Wednesday and Thursday (the 23-24th), Venus opposes Uranus. We are looking to shake things up in our relationships. The energy is buzzy. Give your beloved all the space she asks for. Problems arise from holding on too tightly or taking things personally.
A Full Moon in Taurus on Thursday night focuses our attention and energy on our worldly needs, our health, our money, our connection with nature and the material plane. And that thin thread that binds our spirit and consciousness with this physical vessel.
The weekend of the 27-28th, Venus squares Jupiter in Sagittarius. Venus represents what my Granny called “pretties.” Jupiter is abundance— wonderful! But the downside of Jupiter is overindulgence. Our sense of proportion is off track, and our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. Assumptions about others can get in the way of the connections that you want and need. And money sprouts wings and flies out of our accounts. It’s not a good time for “retail therapy.” Keep everything in moderation, and chances are good that you’ll have a nice weekend.
The 29-31st, the big picture looks clear and good for your plans. With Mercury retrograde ending on November 1, things are starting to come together, ready to rock and roll next week. But Mars retrograde is coming, and we start to feel it early on in the form of physical fatigue and plans and projects developing more slowly than before. Read up on Mars retrograde so you’ll know what’s coming.
Mark your calendar!
The best days in October for your high priority plans are the 1-3, 12, 16-18, 20-21, 25-29.
Take it easy on October 6-9.
1 Arroyo, Stephen. Chart Interpretation Handbook. CRC Publications, 1989.
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Molly Cliborne
Charlottesville, Va.
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Hi Molly!
My birthday is October 11th, day of the New Moon! What can I expect to happen from this event? I want to do some prayer or ritual because I know New Moon indicates a new begining. Any suggestions for asking for finding a relationship or starting my own business, or moving? I’m excited and want to do what I can to help my life move forward. Thanks!
Love your site!
Beth
Hey Beth— Happy birthday to you. I suppose that New Moon is a good time to focus your desires for the coming year. What do you want, and what will you give to have it? What will you sacrifice? The last ritual I participated in focused me on those last two questions, which I didn’t realize were so important. If you want more specific guidance, then contact me to set up a reading.
Hello Molly,
my birthday is on 18sep,80.
Can you please tell me how will be the rest of 2007 for me? This year is very important for me and i want to give my best to it.
will i make some important moves in work or personal life? what precautions i should take?
Thanks
Holy Moley! That’s a tall order for website comments. If you’re serious about getting that question answered, check out my professional services.
Great article, the Sun moves through my 12th house too…I seem to get more productive at this time of year, maybe it’s because I live in sunny South Florida. We don’t have the Fall leaves, just the humidity leaves. Yeah!
hmm. Well I’m in my solar 12th till 10/14… Mars is and will be in my natal 12th forever it seems.
What I’m wondering about is on my birthday – 10/14, Venus and Saturn will be Conjunct the South Node.. Now what’s that gonna mean for this year ?
Sometimes you need another person’s perspective !
Hi Belle— Thank you for asking. But if I do your birthday, 10 more people are going to ask about their birthday. And it would be redundant for me to even try to come up with a forecast for each of you when Lance has already done such a good job over at www.skywatchastrology.com.
Lance posts the birthday forecast for the week every Sunday, I think. And if you subscribe to his newsletter, you’re not only giving yourself the best birthday gift ever, you’ll also get the birthday forecast for your week and dailies for the entire month of October right now. What a deal!
Hey Molly,
When doing a solar return, do you recommend using the place of my birth or the place I currently reside in? Also, in my solar return for this year using the place of my birth, Mars is in my 11th house at 14 degrees, Jupiter is in my 5th house at 10 degrees, and Venus is in my 2nd house at 18 degrees. Does that imply something positive in love for this year?
Hi Lori,
I use the place of residence when calculating a solar return.
Hi Molly, My birthday falls this year on 10 October according to the position of the Sun in the zodiac. Can you kindly suggest when my financial condition will improve?
Dipankar, please see comment #7 on this page. Thanks.
Hi Molly,
I have been reading your site for a few years now and I LOVE your writing!
Thank you for being so generous!
My question has to do with poltiics:
Do you have any thoughts on the current situation in Congress over the Employment Non-Discrimination Act?
As you know, openly gay Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts is working with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to remove transgender folks and “gender identity” from the bill in the hopes that the bill will pass faster with only “sexual orientation” included. He is doing this, even though the HRC pledged as late as two weeks ago that they would not advocate for the passing of the bill unless it WAS inclusive of transgender peoples.
My question is: What is the hope that openly lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin will be able to persevere in preserving and improving upon this bill, when both Frank and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California seem to feel that trans people do not warrant the same consideration as gays and lesbians?
I appreciate your thoughts. I am a part of both the queer and trans communities and we desperately need this legislation to pass in full with protection for everyone!
We’ve been waiting 11 years for it to be considered for vote (or since 1996, when it lost in the House by one vote!).
THANK YOU so much!
Cheers,
dandy
Hi Dandypants (love your handle)—
12 years is a Jupiter cycle.
Back in 1996, Jupiter was in Capricorn, square (difficulty) with Saturn in Aries. In 2008, Jupiter will be in Capricorn, trine (ease) to Saturn in Virgo (sign of employment). That looks promising.
There’s a guy on Node-o-Rama who has been drawing interesting correlations between the newly discovered Eris and civil rights issues. When a new planet (or whatever Eris is) is discovered, it takes a while for its energies to become apparent to astrologers and incorporated into the mainstream.
Whether this means it will go through this time around, I don’t know. I do hope so.
No questions, just a thank you. I read your monthly letter in my feed and check it once a week!
Stay well.
Yikes! I have to report for Jury Duty at the downtown courthouse on the 9th! The Jupiter/Uranus square and impending Mercury retrograde has me envisioning all these horrible things: trials that last forever, being sequestered, a prison break! :O
LOL! Just kidding, but still not happy about it! (PS – thanks for the monthly low-down Molly. It rocks!)
Thanks, Ben. Regina, that sounds like the most exciting jury duty ever. :)
Am I going to be with the man who`s name is norman. He is the man I am so much in love with.
Dear Molly,
In context of Uranus transits you mentioned that one should be careful, especially if one have planets around the middle degrees of the mutable signs— Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
I was born 1.3. so I think (and hope) that degrees don´t concern me anymore? In 2005 I had these crushing waves of Uranus and I must say I had it enough! :(
Rita, the Sun is in Capricorn on January 3. Capricorn is cardinal, not mutable.
Josephine, are you serious?
Man, I have been getting some weird questions lately.
Hiya, Ramette!!!
I know its been a while since I’ve been around :( No excuses…. Been reading all your stuff – you’re doing an excellent job ;)
If you have a moment, I need an experienced opinion on a more practical question ;) My wife’s car is about to self destruct, and we’ve been shopping around over the past couple of weeks, checking in on what’s available, etc.
Tomorrow is the “big day”, and Merc goes retro right afterwards. Conventional advice would be to wait on a purchase until into November. There’s some concern, though, that her current ride won’t last that long without having to spend some big cash on it (and the approaching energies certainly don’t make me feel warm and fuzzy in that regard).
So…. any thoughts on buying during the impending Merc Retro??? Bad idea?
TIA ;)
Dave
Dave, Hi!!!
I actually bought a used car during Merc rx last July, and I’m still happy with it. It’s a good, solid car. But I was very careful, had the car checked by my mechanic, and managed to negotiate a few hundred bucks worth of brake work before I signed the papers.
You don’t NOT sign contracts during Mercury rx, but you should write in contingencies.
I am not so worried about Mercury being stationary retrograde this week, because Mercury backs immediately into kisses next week. BUT I am worried about Jupiter square Uranus, exact tomorrow. It could signal something wrong with the car or the electrical/computer system. The dark of the Moon is low energy too. If it were me, I’d find a way to delay signing until Thursday— let Jup square Uranus pass by, and take advantage the New Moon. If you must do it tomorrow, late afternoon hours are best.
Good luck! And thanks for commenting. :)
Nah, we were thinking weekend-ish or into next week… the 16-18th string is tempting. Definitely staying close to home over the next two days and keeping it simple. If the car dies today or tomorrow, we can get along w/ just my car for a couple of days…. Ah, the luxury of living in America :)
Many thanks for the thoughts!
Gotcha. I thought when you said big day, you meant the contract signing. I get it now. Next week looks pretty good. And Venus/Saturn over the weekend is good for finding deals.
Interesting explanations are there above. But Molly I am not happy with my present job and the salary I am getting. I need some big break and my wish is so high you know. Could you please tell me when I could have big money..huge money?
d_o_b: 3rd september 1979 at 10.25 PM.
looking for the answer :)
Yeah, I was definitely referring to the sky for today, not for buying the car :D Sorry for the confusion ;)
hai,molly my date of birth is 12-10-1969, how is my coming year
I love your page…. it helps so much!
Namaste
Hi Molly;
Thanks for your last comment and for your excellent presence. About Mars…he is at 9° Cancer for me in the 12th house. Last time he went Rx I had an approach that nearly worked with a man who has the same Mars. Although it didn’t take off, we sort of never lost the contact and now seem to be getting back into “orb”. It feels like a déja vu; My question is, for Mars in Cancer which has always felt “imploded”, does Rx actually stimulate the Mars drive for action, or what??? thanks loads and all the best to you,
Barbara
Barbara— Mars rx may stimulate drive to take action, especially since it will pass over your natal Mars. But typically there isn’t enough “oomph” behind it to sustain it.
Yello!
This weekend is proving a bit odd, but maybe not bad. I got back from my trip and barely remembered that I was scheduled to teach two class sections this weekend (of course I was waiting to hear word on whether the classes went or not and I didn’t receive it). I finally called the gallery and e-mailed and eventually got hold of her. Turns out no one signed up for either section. Ugh. This teaching thing is not working out—though it never worked out a few years ago. I need to strike out on my own!
Anyway—enough venting about that. Gotta love Mercury retro for funky communication, too. I’m just relieved my trip went relatively well.
So..then my folks are coming over today at some point, then we’re going to some kind of hayride/pumpkin patch thing tomorrow early evening, which should be fun, but at the rate things are going, may be cancelled, too! hehee.
I think Sunday is supposed to bring a rain/snow coldfront. SHIVER. I am not ready for cold weather! ACK! It’s beautiful here, though.
Sorry…this note is not all that astro-relevant. I just felt chatty.
Big HUGS…
lol ~ chat away. i read this regularly, ty for sharing.
It is the 22:nd today, and I feeel the Jupiter sextile Neptune! This mercury retrograde has not felt as usual, maybe this, plus mars in cancer, are the reasons. Thanks for informing us!
This has been a different flavor of Mercury retrograde, but there have still been a few odd scheduling snafus (even with my natal Merc in retro).
I’m mostly burnt out from my ultra cranky teething toddler. Oye vey.
Happy end-of-October, all.
That’s interesting with Sun entering Scorpio and Libra Mercury. My husband is a Sun Libra, Mercury Scorpio, so that is amusing to me personally. Maybe it means our primary focus will be more internal and deep (Scorpio) with the change of weather and things transforming but communication will be more diplomatic and Libran? Oh I don’t know.
Molly:
For the past two months I’ve been scheduling things on the same date, scheduling things for one date then writing another date on my calendar, forgetting to make arrangements, forgetting arrangements I’ve made, leaving things I’ve purchased on the counter (then running back to get them, almost paying for them a second time—only to leave them in the car!). My new sofa broke (!) within a week; all my kid’s homeschool events are cancelled and can’t be rescheduled. What’s up with this?
Is this Mercury Retrograde, or some other phenomenon?
Thanks for linking to my luminary report, Molly :) Your monthly forecast is a pleasure to read as always.
I thought that October was supposed to be an easy month! :)
It is one of the most stressful of the year for me. There are unethical things happening at work (to me in the past and now to others). I am considering reporting this to the head people. I have venus and mercury in libra so I am doing a lot of back and forth thinking. It helped to wait to say something during the retrograde (found out some important information) but I don’t know if I should wait some more or say something now. Would waiting until after Mercury goes direct and before mars goes retro be an opportune time to have this discussion? It might cause a lot of change and havoc to the people who are doing it, and I am unsure about the affect on other people who work there. I do have backup support and evidence.
I love and read your column every week!
thanks!
Oye.
I got my first speeding ticket today. Ouch! Man, this weekend sucked—for bost husband and I. Well, so did last week. Another really stressful month. Man-o-man.
Ah well…:D
Did I say October would be easy? If so, I was mistaken. It has been a Mercury retrograde from Hell.
Pisces rising, they say that during Mars retrograde, the aggressor always loses the battle. Mars isn’t retrograde yet, but it’s getting close. Astrologically, it’s time to sit back and wait. If it’s still a problem in early February, then go for it.
Happy Halloween/Samnhein/All Soul’s Day/Day of the Dead/etc!
Also happy end of merc retro. Woowooooo.
:D
hi molly,
my birthday was on oct 9 (1984).. i must say the days surrounding oct 9 this year were a difficult few days.. and the latter part of this month has been a struggle, so to speak. i feel like i am working harder than ever, and accomplishing the least.. feeling inexplicably numb.. based on astrology, when can i look forward to things looking UP a little?