Now onto more about the stars ahead...
October 2020 ~ Sizzling Alchemical Breakthroughs!
Two Full Moons at the very beginning and very end of the month (October 1 and 31, making Samhain/Halloween a Blue Moon :) ) promise high emotion, for better or worse. The same lunar energies that can bring emotional upsets and drama can also bring profound manifestation of things desired or worked on prior. The potential for life-changing breakthroughs and brilliant fruition are always sitting right
next to the stressful surges.
The critical eye of the ongoing Virgo energies (Venus in Virgo for most of the month) bring focus to relationships and money through the strong Libra and Scorpio placements. This is the time of the year when Libra and Scorpio domains dominate. The Libra piece can bring up topics of finding and keeping balance, fairness, cooperation, and support (giving it or receiving it). Challenges that tend to
come with Libra energies are indecision, uncertainty (vacillating between options), discord, and boundary infringements. The Scorpio piece brings all manner of money matters, intimacy, psychology, spiritual pursuits, and the topics of power and control. Challenges that can come with Scorpio include power struggles, stressful high emotion, and intensity that could include violence or other heavy drama.
Specifically, topics of self vs. others will be in the spotlight. Self-sufficiency vs. deeper merging, autonomy vs. partnership, individual focus vs. ‘we’ mentality are strong all month and beyond.
A major plus in October is that Venus in Virgo is going to make the most harmonious aspect in astrology with the Lords of Karma that have been causing trouble in the outer realms in Capricorn and volatile Uranus in Taurus. As inner planets make nice aspects with these three bruisers, the chance for sweet outcomes to come from past mischief is really high, especially in the world of work, father
figures, love, beauty, money, self-sufficiency, pets, and health.
Mercury and Mars in retrograde point towards focus on the inner world, the world of emotion and wiring that brings about certain patterns of experiences.
It is a time for things unresolved to come back in for resolution and for repressed emotions to manifest through notable experiences. Mercury goes retrograde October 13 at 11° of Scorpio back to 26° of Libra — Pre-transit shadow period starts September 24, Mercury goes direct November 3 and post-transit shadow lasts until November 20. This transit tends to bring changes to plans, confusion, and
miscommunications. Last-minute opportunities may present and flexibility helps to make this time smoother. Rigid schedules and solid plans often get jostled. The more open you can be to the flow, the easier this transit can be.
Above all, THIS IS NOT A TIME TO FORCE anything and to be extra careful about how you use the powerful force or repressed emotions that will likely be spouting out like an active volcano (or how you handle others who have this going on).
We have had many months (October included) where we have double the challenging aspects compared to the sweet ones. While this can definitely bring a depressing focus on limitations and scarcity, true alchemy comes from the converting of this lead to gold. October can be another month of true alchemical potential. I suggest scheduling yourself as light as possible to deal with the many things that
could come up and need your focus and to commit to giving yourself time and space to work with emotions rather than fighting with others or making rash decisions. If ever there were a time for The Presence Process by Michael Brown, it would be now!
Especially watch out in the days around October 14-23 as there are 7 aspects between October 18-19 (plus several others in the days before and after) that could stretch their effects in that date range. It is very unusual to have so many aspects on two days. You can see more about each one in the individual aspect list towards the end of this report.
The beauty of the year of 2020 is that it is all about getting things out into the open, greeting and dealing with things that were avoided or unconscious, and doing this in a way that is safe and focuses on solutions rather than revenge. In October (and the months before and after) power tables may turn, taking from those who had too much and giving to those who didn’t have enough and navigating
through this can be very tricky. Negative Karma will blast away like crazy, the key is not create more of it with how you use the new options.
Another key note of 2020 is RESTRICTION. This energy will likely start to open up starting very soon and the more you tune in to use the restriction to your benefit, the more you will fly when interesting new path become possible. Heavy focus of outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto) in restrictive Capricorn have showed us the flaws in all of our individual, relationship, community, and global
systems. As Jupiter and Saturn move into Aquarius in December, innovative and surprising solutions will start to shift into a world of new possibilities on all levels. Rather than avoid the strong emotional topics that come up before then, diving instead right into presences and integration, can help you make the most of the major shift that is coming soon. Using the restriction for your benefit through resourcefulness and discipline will likely be well-rewarded.
Challenging planetary alignments always remind me of the energy of birth. For most women, the birthing process hurts like hell! It is really not easy to pop a human out of a space that is a fraction of its size! But the miracle of birthing something into existence is the most magnificent experience ever, and not only mothers get to experience this. We all are constantly pregnant with creative
potential. Just as there are different phases of pregnancy, our path of bringing anything into the world also has phases. All of 2020 but particularly October and November have the energies of ‘transition’. For those who aren’t familiar with the process of birthing a human, there is a part just before the baby comes out called ‘transition’. Experienced moms and those trained in the birthing journey know the signs of transition and that alerts them to get ready for the big show. During transition
mothers often say things like, “This is impossible!”, “There is NO way this baby is coming out EVER!”, “I CAN’T DO THIS!”. At this magical moment, surrender occurs, and what follows is the most miraculous experience imaginable, birth.
Keep this imagery in mind this month (or it could have been lasting all year and still going on now) to help you put it all in perspective. New birth IS coming and the more you deal with the emotions that come up instead of avoiding them, the more magnificent what is coming next can be :)
Something else important to note is that Libra rules the kidneys and there is an energetic relationship between the energy of fear and this area of the body. Any fear-blasting practices you can implement will really make the most of this time. There is a flow of energy from the adrenals and kidneys, through the psoas and piriformis muscles and down through the knee and out through the foot. Doing hip
flexor stretches can really help to keep this pathway free and can decrease the fear experience. Of course, I love EFT for working with fear. You can find tons for free about this modality through online search.
Mars will be retrograde from September 9 - November 14 with the pre-shadow transit starting July 26 and post shadow going until first week in January 2021. Mars in retrograde can bring amazing things planned and worked for into super-easy fruition. The thing to be careful of is trying to force things into manifestation when it is not flowing. Your discernment process gets a boost
now as the Universe educates on when to stop pushing. The education mechanism tends to be themes of frustration and anger. When you notice these coming up, stop, drop, and tune in. The positive pairings all in Earth signs combined with Mars retro can bring “comfortable productivity”, as long as you carefully follow the flow and stop immediately when red lights come.
This month has many factors that could allow for comfortable coasting, like riding a month-long wave back to shore.
I absolutely LOVE vacations and stay-cations (and play-cations) in this transit! In situations where you still have to work and can’t take time off, the attitude of vacation can be applied with great success. So for example, lets say you would like to go take a tropical vacation but you can’t because of work or other obligations (or Covid-related blocks to travel). Planning a tropical-themed
evening or weekend where you commit to unplugging from phones and work for a while let the restorative action of Mars retro do its thing. Also just avoiding taking on extra projects can add to the relaxation vibe. See later in this write-up a list of other things to know about Mars retro.
Jupiter blessings of optimism and expansion return as it direct movement that started Sept. 13 gathers momentum in October and areas of life that stalled out in May could see an exuberant return of flow.
To help you understand and work with Mars retro energies as they deepen, here is an excerpt from my blog, Your Guide to Mercury Retrograde (and you can see the full blog here). Note that the themes below will start to influence but since the actual retrograde doesn’t occur until September 9,
there may be a bit more room for important actions that may otherwise not be as well-indicated as the energies get stronger:
~ Mars retro a great time to ASSESS what you want but not take ACTION on getting it. Reassessing goals, business plan, life plan, relationship goals are great areas of focus. Again, it is important to do the assessment but not take action on the discoveries. (Remember that in August you may be able to push some things through still but feel into these choices carefully if their success requires
continued drive and momentum).
~ Review your goals and relax. Plan to busy in the times before the retrograde and put extra money aside so that if business/income slows down you are covered.
~ Go deeper into inner work, therapy, etc. Do martial arts, meditation, etc. Deal with anger issues. Practice Ho'oponopono - the karma melting Hawaiian prayer.
~ Exercise more. Get a punching bag and use it. Frustrations will likely run high... Mars rules Aries, a very active fire sign. Physical action, just for the sake of itself is favored over taking actions trying to "get somewhere" or accomplish something, just be more proactive against physical injury.
~ Aries rules the head. Protect your head and investigate anything head/brain related that seems to be coming up. Mars also co-rules Scorpio, which rules deep investigation, so anything involving research, studying, resolving mysteries or enigmas, studying esoteric or psychological topics will be greatly supported.
~ Scorpio rules genitals, reproductive organs, and the bladder. Any issues unresolved in these areas may benefit from focusing on now.
~ Listen to your body! There is a great book called Feelings Buried Alive Never Die. The Scorpio aspect of this transit relates to deeply buried issues bubbling out to be dealt with and the pattern of anger expressed or held in, is likely to come up in some way now.
~ Expect a slow down on every level and melt into the great things that can bring.
~ Avoid elective surgeries and be wary of anything involving metal.
Here is my youtube video on Mars Retrograde.
Sweet boosts are more likely on or around these days: 1, 10, 12, 16, 19, 21, 24, 25 and 31.
Drama or stress are more likely in the days around: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 19, 22, 25, 28, and 31.
Check out more October 2020 highlights:
** Note: Often the effects of planetary transits are felt before or after the actual day the transit occurs. Also note that dates may shift a day or so depending on your time zone. Also note that general transits can effect people differently depending on many factors, including transits to the individuals personal charts.
October 1 — Full Moon at 9° of Aries — This is the first of two full moons this month (with the second being a Blue Moon on Halloween/Samhain!) Look for fullness, fruition, completion, and/or drama in the areas ruled by Aries: recognition, identity, physical body, image, appearance, and leadership. See more areas ruled by Aries that could come into focus plus ways to maximize this transit in
my blog Full Moon in Aries Reveal and Release Ceremony.
October 2 — Sun in Libra Inconjunct Uranus in Taurus — See Inconjunct aspect description at the end of the report.
October 3-4 — Mercury in Scorpio Inconjunct Chiron in Aries — See Inconjunct aspect description at the end of the report.
October 4 — Pluto Direct at 22° of Capricorn — The deep inward sagas led by Plutonian forces push back into the outer realms. Topics of birth, death, transformation, rebirth, power, control, and spiritual breakthroughs come into the forefront.
October 7 — Mercury in Scorpio Opposing Uranus in Taurus — This aspect often brings strong restlessness of the type that leans towards recklessness. It is also very common for powerful news to come in that has a major shock factor. Be extra careful driving, walking, biking (being mobile in ANY way) in the days around this aspect.
October 8 — Venus in Virgo Inconjunct Chiron in Aries — See Inconjunct aspect description at the end of the report.
October 9 — Mars in Aries Square Pluto in Capricorn — This is one of the few aspects that I give the encouragement to hide under a rock. Explosive anger and aggression are more likely at this time. On the plus side, this is an epic opportunity to realize and release anger, resentment, and judgement which could bring profound healing on every level. To have a clue of how this might
manifest, look back to the days around August 13, 2020 when this aspect happened last and note that it will have its last piece of the storyline around Dec 22, 2020.
October 10 — Venus in Virgo Trine Uranus in Taurus — Thank goodness for these few but potent sweet aspects this month! Happy surprises can pop through the heavy emotion locking important things in place.
October 11 — Sun in Libra Square Jupiter in Capricorn — This aspect brings a tendency to overdo. Vitality suffers either from outside consternation or a difficult task.
October 11 — Sun in Libra Inconjunct Neptune in Pisces — See Inconjunct aspect description at the end of the report.
October 12 — Mercury in Scorpio Sextile Venus in Virgo —
This transit can bring news of support for your basic needs or other endeavors close to your heart.
October 13 — Mercury retrograde at 11° of Scorpio back to 26° of Libra — Pre-transit shadow period starts September 24, Mercury goes direct November 3 and post-transit shadow lasts until November 20
October 13 — Sun in Libra Opposing Mars in Aries — Relationship clashes often come with this aspect. Trying to tow the line between your individual expression and partnership goals or demands may be a bit heavy now.
October 15 — Sun in Libra Square Pluto in Capricorn — The topic of fairness may come up now in a big way. The feeling that someone is not using their power fairly (or you being accused of this) is a common manifestation.
October 16 — New Moon at 23° of Libra — New beginnings in the arena of relationships are likely now. It is time to make your New Moon Wishes! Make the most of this transit with the info in my blog, Making Powerful New Moon in Libra Wishes.
October 18 — Sun in Libra Square Saturn in Capricorn — Clashes with authority often come with this transit. It is likely that more of this theme of the month of fair use of power will come up again now. All of the aspects like this occurring this month may be stressful but they can lead to necessary sharing of deep feelings that had been buried and could lead to healing and
resolutions.
October 18 — Venus in Virgo Opposing Neptune in Pisces — Disillusionment and deception often come up during this transit. Confusion is also common. Trying to ascertain the right steps when logic pulls in one direction and intuition in the other can be difficult and likely at this time. If you are unsure it may be best to not do anything until clarity comes in.
October 18-19 — Mars in Aries Square Jupiter in Capricorn — Anger, aggression, or fierce adherence to a vision or other goals are likely to extend into fanaticism at this time. It is a great aspect to drive ambition but it can tend to exaggerate efforts in a way that works against the original intention. The tendency to overdo in a dangerous way is more likely so if you can find a
way to use the momentum in a measured and manageable way, you may be able to get the most of the transit. It is NOT a great time to bring up a touchy subject especially to someone that you know is sensitive about it.
October 19 — Venus in Virgo Inconjunct Mars in Aries — See Inconjunct aspects description at the end of the report.
October 19 — Venus in Virgo Trine Jupiter in Capricorn — Here is another of the 4 Venus trines with the outer planets in Earth signs. Productivity and accomplishment can come through now in a big way. A wonderful milestone can be established now.
October 19 — Mercury in Scorpio Opposing Uranus in Taurus — This also happened on October 7. Scroll back to my explanation the energies for that date to see how it manifests again here.
October 21 — Venus in Virgo Trine Pluto in Capricorn — Powerful people may be on your side now, pulling your project to fruition or lending support to your big goals. Love and money can have some good news with this aspect.
October 22 — Mercury in Scorpio Inconjunct Chiron in Aries — See Inconjunct aspects description at the end of the report.
October 24 — Venus in Virgo Trine Saturn in Capricorn — Major self-esteem boosts, something important gelling in money and love, the support or recognition of someone you admire, are all great possibilities with this aspect or any time this month as the Venus/outer planet earth trines kiss open these possibilities throughout the month :)
October 25 — Sun and Mercury Conjunct in Scorpio — Major news or breakthroughs are more likely now. You may find out about something that profoundly affects you.
October 28 — Sun in Scorpio Inconjunct Chiron in Aries —
See Inconjunct angles description at the end of the report.
October 31 — BLUE Full Moon at 8° of Taurus + Sun in Scorpio Opposing Uranus in Taurus — A Blue Moon is a Full Moon that is the second one in either a sign or a calendar month. Much lore and mysticism wraps around these magical aspects. The odds of a Blue Moon on Halloween/Samhain are very unlikely increasing the chance for once-in-a-blue-moon occurrences. Fullness, completion, fruition, drama
in areas ruled by Taurus are more likely: money, budget, self-sufficiency, material items, environmental projects, and other areas ruled by Taurus are likely to have notable outcomes. See my blog, Powerful Full Moon in Taurus Reveal and Release Ceremony to see more Taurean topics and to help make the most of the power of this rare Blue Moon. This moon can bring
wonderful things but because the Sun is also Opposing Uranus and the Moon is conjunct Uranus, the odds of surprises are more likely, and the odds that they will give a stressful jolt are even more likely. Stay connected to your intuition with your festivities as there will be some extra wildness and unpredictability at this time.If you get a feeling that it is better to stay home or avoid certain places, then take those feelings seriously.
Inconjunct angles:
There are quite a few of this angles throughout the month. I mention each of them above. Here is what to expect around the dates that they are listed…
In the days around planets making this aspect expect awkwardness. Not seeing eye to eye with someone or feeling overlooked is common, as is feeling generally disconnected and unheard. Taking things personally that weren’t meant that way or wrapping too much ego in the situation can create or add to the issue. The annoyances usually pass quickly and the less you make of them, usually the better as any
attempt to engage is misunderstood or causes more issues. I always love EFT (the Emotional Freedom Technique) for the weird feelings that tend to come up with these angles.
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I have posted September & October 2020 Horoscope videos, and my special video about Jupiter in Capricorn, plus
my video called How the Astrology of 2020 Explains the Coronavirus and Restructuring of Societal Systems on my Youtube Channel.