Fall in the Stars: Mother Nature begins to doze, but society does not

Autumn officially begins on September 22, 2020 at 9:30am EDT. Mars, having turned retrograde at the beginning of the month, sits at a harsh angle to the big three in Capricorn: Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. Mars, having rolled over these three while in direct motion during August, is prepared to roll back over, taking jabs at each one in turn. August brought us COVID spikes, explosions, social and political unrest and here in the Northeast the hottest summer on record and very dry conditions. The horoscope for the Equinox, the picture for that moment in time, promises more of the same.  

Mars kicks off the action on September 28 when the harsh angle to Saturn becomes exact. Simultaneously, Saturn changes direction. When a planet stops and changes direction, the energy of that planet is concentrated. Mars fires up that energy. Mars and Saturn together in any aspect is not pretty. They are justifiably known as the Greater and Lesser Malefic. Things could get ugly. This period, leading up to the Full Moon on October 1, is a prelude of things to come. Mars brings out explosive energy, aggression and mayhem. Amidst all the confusion, deception is in the air. Wait until the smoke clears to try and get the clear picture. At the Last Quarter Moon on October 9, Mars again takes action, squaring off with Pluto. Pluto is the slowest of the slow-moving planets. Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 (just in time for the financial meltdown) and won’t leave until 2024. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was during the American Revolution. The USA will have its first Pluto return in 2022. Political and sociological upheavals are a hallmark of Pluto. Clustered now with Saturn and Jupiter all year, birth, rebirth and transformation become the order of the day.  

Before the New Moon on October 16, Mercury goes retrograde. The New Moon in Libra speaks to those Libran things like harmony, balance and collaboration, but that rascal Mars moves in again to stir things up, squaring off with Jupiter. The Full Moon of October 31 may offer a clue to the election. At that time, the Moon in Taurus opposes Sun in Scorpio. Here the Moon is minutes away from a conjunction with Uranus. Moon rules the people, and Uranus rules the unexpected. Uranus is revolutionary. Uranus is unpredictable. Expect to be startled. 

Election Day is November 3, and on that day Mercury goes direct. The last time Mercury went from retrograde to direct on an election day was in 2000, the hanging chad election. Then Mercury went direct after the polls closed. This time Mercury goes direct at 12:49pm EST, well before the polls close. We don’t need a crystal ball to know that voter turnout at this election will be huge, the Moon (the people) in Mercury (the vote) ruled Gemini guarantees a busy and active day. 

Just before the New Moon of November 13, Mars turns direct. While Mars sits on the sidelines for the next month or so, don’t rule him out. This New Moon is a Scorpio New Moon. Scorpio energy is complex and seeks the truth beneath the surface. The Senate, whether lame duck or not, will be active.  There will be lots of discussion, with budgets, debt and foreign policy on the table.  

November 30 brings a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Gemini. Venus opposes Uranus in an angular (potent) position. Uranus the revolutionary and Venus the diplomat cross swords. Venus in Scorpio takes no crap, but she is not very diplomatic about it.  

The New Moon on December 14 is a Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius. Here in Providence, Mercury is at the top of the chart. Mercury rules news, cars, trucks, school kids and the daily commute. Mars gives Mercury a boost at this time, bringing energy to all things Mercurial. For us regular folks, this could mean a busy day, lots of conversation, a traffic jam or two, and some news that involves money.

Autumn comes to a close with a major shift in the energy as both Jupiter and Saturn move into Aquarius. They will join together at the Winter Solstice, completing a 20-year cycle and starting anew.  

While society reshuffles and realigns itself, the average person may feel like a cork floating on a rising and turbulent tide, out of control and subject to the whims of that tide. While we are all subject to societal caprice, there are things we can control. Focus on what you can do. Don’t beat your head against a stone wall trying to change something that is beyond your control. While Mars is stirring things up during this period, we can harness that energy and use it positively. Mars with Saturn can be a powerful aid bringing a controlled use of energy — a big project, a fitness plan, a rebuilding of the structures around you, whether physical, emotional or mental. This aspect is not conducive to money falling from the sky, but it is conducive to bringing reward after some concentrated effort. If you’re ready to work up a sweat, you can expect a positive outcome. Stay safe and be well. Wear your mask and wash your hands.