Star Watch

October 2002

by Terri Jaffe

Welcome friends to October, the month that brings us firmly into fall, the month where night begins to outstrip day, and where nature begins to undergo her transformation from the dynamic bounty of autumn to the still sojourn of winter. October also marks the transition from Libra to Scorpio, and from the cardinal emphasis on action to the fixed emphasis on consolidation. Libra creates relationships, builds bridges and connections between people, and strives towards the creation of peace in the community of man. Scorpio takes this impulse for joining and merger and intensifies the union.

A study of the Scorpion is also a study of the links between birth and sex and death. For it is only by understanding how these three separate principles are united that we can truly begin to understand the nature of the Scorpion. Birth is the beginning of creation, the consolidation of the male and female creative energies gathered during sexual intercourse. Death is the release of these energies back to the Spirit from which they came. In Scorpio, people are given the chance to reach beyond death to immortality. This is symbolized by the legend of the Phoenix, who dies and is reborn from his own ashes.

The Phoenix is associated with the highest expression of the energy of Scorpio, as is the Eagle. The Lizard and the Scorpion rule the lower energies of this sign. Why, when discussing Scorpio, is such a strong emphasis placed on the idea of higher and lower energy? In esoteric astrology, the sign of Scorpio is considered to be the battleground of the Soul, the place and time when souls seeking initiation into higher realms of consciousness are forced to acknowledge and overcome their ego-controlled personality in order to pave the way for the emergence of the “Victorious Disciple,” as described in Alan Oken’s Soul Centered Astrology. This type of Scorpion can inspire others, raising them up and changing their lives with an infusion of Spirit.

It is fitting then, that bridging the reign of Libra and the reign of Scorpio this year is a Venus retrograde, a transit that beings to the forefront the importance of understanding the higher and lower expression of energy when approaching astrology. It begins on October 11, and can either be a time of great learning and spiritual growth or a time of confusion and pain, especially in terms of relationships and love. The choice, as always, is with the individual.

Venus goes retrograde at 15 degrees Scorpio and remains retrograde for about six weeks, going direct at 0 degrees of Scorpio on November 21. She will not return to 15 degrees Scorpio again until Christmas Eve. Like the Mercury retrograde which we dealt with in September, and which remains with us until October 5, the Venus retrograde is not the best time to initiate action. Rather, it is a time best spent in contemplation. Venus, the goddess of Love, is typically considered to be a benevolent force in astrology. However, the combination of Venus in her detriment of Scorpio and the force of the retrograde should be enough for everyone to feel the need to take a good look at where Venus falls in their own chart. While generally the pressure will be felt in love relationships, the house that Venus is transiting will also receive the retrograde influence, and it could be the backdrop to any difficulties between you and your partner. Venus retrograding through the 9th house for example, might indicate disagreements about travel plans or higher education. Retrograde Venus in the 11th might point to stress between your partner and your social circle.

Remember that transits alone do not “cause” anything to happen. Rather, they indicate to us the areas of our lives that are being highlighted. Stressful aspects, like a Venus Retrograde conjunct Saturn in the 7th house tell us that this is a time when relationships and commitment will fall under the microscope. Venus in Scorpio will aide in the examination. But it is the individual’s free-will choice that determines if the relationship falters under such scrutiny, or if the commitment deepens and the bonds become stronger still for the attention. Always, the choice between the highest expression and the lowest expression of energy is with the individual. This is especially true with these types of Scorpio-influenced transits.

With all of this heavy battling of soul and personality, of love and relationships, we are lucky to find that otherwise most of October provides us with calm skies and little else in the way of stressful transits.

October 4 presents us with the retrograde Mercury in Virgo squaring Saturn at the critical 29th degree of Gemini. It’s the last day of the retrograde, and it is possible yet to use this energy to your advantage by cleaning out old files, re-working current projects or perhaps rewriting any creative efforts you have been working on. The square to Saturn lends an exacting attitude that suits any type of heavy mental work, but with the warning that it’s probably better to be sure this is work you can do alone. Others might not appreciate the critical bent your mind can take at this time. Mercury will go direct on the 5th, giving us another chance at this transit, but with Mercury direct, this pass at the square to Saturn becomes a good day to lay the foundation for a new project. The Sun sextiles lucky Jupiter on the 6th, allowing a fortuitous continuation of the previous day’s energy and providing an excellent opportunity to implement any plans made on the 5th.

The second week of October promises to be the calmest week of the month. We are blessed with a five-day period between the end of the Mercury retrograde and the Venus retrograde. The Sun in Libra will sextile Pluto in Sagittarius on October 8, which is an excellent aspect for cleaning up the messes left by the Mercury retrograde. This transit, although short-lived, is a powerful influence for clearing away difficult situations. It can also be a good day to take the initiative to sit down with your partner and talk about the upcoming Venus retrograde, and create an action plan for negotiating any rough waters churned up by that transit. Pluto’s influence here will give each of you deep insight into your own motivations. Provided you don’t succumb to the temptation to use the energy combatively, or to fuel a power struggle, it will be a great time for looking deeply into your relationship.

By mid-month we find ourselves firmly in the grips of the Venus retrograde, and on October 13 are further challenged by a square from Mars in Virgo to Saturn in Gemini. This can be a frustrating time, as it can feel like all your efforts are being blocked by someone or something else. It’s an unfortunate influence to have present during the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, especially for those who plan to spend time with older relatives, as authority figures will feel especially repressive at this time. It is also especially difficult to mask your feelings during this transit, as Mars is not used to taking insults (imagined or otherwise) lying down. It would be best to steer clear of people who have been confrontational in the past and if all else fails, practice the age-old art of counting slowly to 10.

Fortunately, the load lightens considerably on October 17 and 18 when we are given three transits that ought to pack these two days with more fun than a barrel of monkeys. The party gets started on October 17 with congenial Venus squaring bountiful Jupiter. While squares normally indicate stress of some kind, Venus and Jupiter are both such harmonious planets whose energy blends so well that this square is unlikely to create any serious tension. Rather, you will feel exuberant and giddy. The day carries with it only one warning, which is to guard against over-indulgence, either with food and drink or by reckless spending. An excellent night to hit the town with friends, providing you leave your credit cards at home and take a taxi!

The light-hearted energy continues through to October 18,when we see the Sun and Mercury in Libra trining Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius. The Sun trine Uranus promotes inventive and unusual thinking. Mercury trining Neptune adds softness and depth. Together they provide us with a powerhouse day for creative thought and action. Expect an answer to a long-forgotten question to come like a lightning bolt out of the blue. Expect a beautiful poem to pour from your pen. You will be fascinated by the mystical, spiritual and occult, and if you are currently undertaking a study of any of these areas, this could be the day for a long anticipated breakthrough in your studies. This scholarly energy is revisited on October 22 when Mercury sextiles Jupiter in Leo and Pluto in Sagittarius. The sextile to Jupiter arouses curiosity and opens your mind to the larger issues in life, while the sextile to Pluto provides an opportunity to delve deeply into spiritual or occult subjects. Lessons learned under this influence are likely to become a core part of your values and remain with you for a long time.

The month ends with a nod back to where we began, a reminder that despite the beautiful splendour of fall around us, the cycle is moving towards winter and ever longer and darker days. The Sun joins Venus in Scorpio on October 23, and on October 31 Mercury crosses the threshold too. It is somewhat ironic that these three personal planets will all walk together in the underworld on Halloween, a light-hearted children’s holiday now, but with echoes back to the past when it also commemorated the dead and reminded us of our fragility and mortality. Only the Scorpion personality walks there unafraid, for it is Scorpio’s domain and birthright. What is mystery to the more “human” signs is intuited truth to the Scorpio, and is reflected in the all seeing, penetrating gaze of the eagle in his aerie.