Fall in the Stars: What does the season hold?

When the sun, moving southward, reaches the celestial equator, summer is officially over. A chart erected for the moment the sun enters tropical Libra provides clues to what the season may bring. This year, that magical moment occurs on September 22 at 3:21 EDT. This chart has some powerful energies at work. Saturn and Uranus continue their year-long battle between the traditional and the radical. Saturn is staid and conservative, and colors between the lines. Uranus loves chaos and upset, and when coloring, has no concept of lines. Mars makes an easy aspect to Saturn, which allows the two planets to blend their energies with ease. Saturn and Mars are known as the Greater and Lesser Malefic. Easy for them, perhaps not so easy for us. Things can get ugly this season. Mercury opposes the Moon in this chart. Mercury represents the voice of the people, and the Moon also represents the people. So, discord is in the air and those voices will not be silenced. Saturn is the big dog in this chart and one thing Saturn does is make you work for it. No shortcuts. Do your homework. 

Just before the Last Quarter Moon on the 28th, Mercury turns retrograde and remains so until October 18. Y’all know the drill about Mercury retrograde; get papers signed and initiate all new activity before the retrograde period begins. During the retrograde period, revise, review, meditate and double check all your appointments. Be ready to change your plans because communication snafus are the norm during these periods.

The New Moon on October 6 has retro Mercury snuggling up to Mars, Sun and Moon. Pluto turns direct in Capricorn, kicking up some sludge from the netherworld. A few days later, Saturn turns direct, adding to the fun.  When planets change direction, they are slow and their energy is concentrated. Expect some conversations. The Libra energy is strong, and Libra likes to make nice-nice. You may be able to get over some hurdles in your relationships. The big guys, Pluto and Saturn, speak to the collective and world events, but they often hit home.  Pluto brings up the crap while Saturn tries to keep it all within the confines of social order.  

At the Full Moon on October 20, the Sun/Moon dynamic falls across the Libra/Aries axis. Relationships are on the table with Sun in Libra loving those relationships while Moon in Aries favors independence and going it alone.  Mercury is direct, so conversations clear things up. Jupiter has also turned in direct motion. Jupiter brings expansion and big thinking into our lives, which is an antidote to Saturn’s tendency to contract. During this period leading up to and beyond the Full Moon, a weather event or environmental event is possible. Earth is wounded and she’s fighting back. Fighting Mars squares off with Pluto; don’t expect it to be pretty. Mars has a lot to do with upticks in the virus these days. This can be an explosive aspect with some bad juju surfacing around this period. 

The New Moon in Scorpio on November 4 opposes Uranus in Taurus. Mars has just moved into Scorpio and will square Saturn and oppose Uranus in the lead-up to the Full Moon on the 19th. This will aggravate the year-long tensions between Saturn and Uranus. Expect virus stuff, social unrest and some earth-shattering events. Mars in Scorpio takes no prisoners, and he’s messing with the big guys. Mars will light a fire and stir the pot until it bubbles over. Hang on to your hat. Some events are bigger than you, although you can be caught up in it. Take a breath and try not to become too emotional. You’ll need logic and a cool head to navigate the roller coaster of life. Don’t worry about the things you can’t control. Work on what you can and leave the rest up to the universe.

The New Moon on December 4 is a Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius. Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, can be a benevolent influence. Sagittarius rules religion, foreign relations and foreign travel. Folks may be prone to exaggeration, promising more than they can deliver. At this time, Venus in Capricorn snuggles up to Pluto, bringing up questions of value and worth. While budgets, personal and national, are topics of concern for some, it becomes a question of self-worth. Remember to give yourself a pat on the back. Sometimes getting through the day is a major achievement. 

The season closes with a Full Moon on the 18th, bringing Sagittarius and Gemini to the fore. Venus, still running with Pluto, is turning retrograde. Venus in Capricorn takes care of business and finance. She is not extravagant here, looking for quality over quantity. In love, Venus in Capricorn is slow to start. If the relationships survive the first bumps, it is a good guess that it will last. But remember: When Venus is retrograde, it is a time to rethink relationships. Flaws in relationships surface, and what you could tolerate in another person becomes intolerable.  Venus turns direct in late January 2022. Issues around love and money become clearer then.

We live in interesting times and it is a matter of opinion whether that is a blessing or a curse. We must live our daily lives amid the turbulence around us. This fall season brings a lot of that turbulent energy to the surface. World events may be shattering, but on a personal level, strive to remain centered and focused.