October Transit Forecast

Fairy Tales, Fables, and Horror Stories- October 2020 Forecast

In October, it is important to take a good look at planetary retrogrades and “stations” (when a planet is seen to slow to a stop in the sky and looks as if it is changing direction). Retrogrades turn a planet’s powers inward and usually out of sight. They also tend to increase the powers of the planet involved. When a planet stations it comes to a standstill in the sky, as seen from the Earth, sometimes for days at a time. I liken this to a young boy or girl holding a magnifying glass up to the sunlight. As long as the magnifying glass is in motion there is little danger. Hold that glass for a time in one place and things begin to heat up. This is what happens when a planet is stationing. The particular planetary powers are focused and intensified and act out through the attitude of the Zodiacal sign wherein the station takes place. Let us step back a bit and look at the current planetary retrograde cycles and stations.

Jupiter has awakened after stationing direct in mid-September. So has Saturn, stationing direct at the end of September. Both having been retrograde since mid-May. This is a Tortoise and the Hare moment. The tortoise is Saturn. The hare is Jupiter. Jupiter, now direct, brings initiative and optimism and grand gestures. Saturn, now direct, brings perseverance and predictability. It brings karma to the world. Your past actions, the “ripples” you have caused in the world pond, now bring consequences and conclusions.

Needless to say, the race is on now, be it in the field of politics or the home field. The starting gun has been fired, and we are launching ourselves now into a race that will not end until AFTER the Winter Solstice. And in the world around us I would have to say Joe Biden is the tortoise and Donald Trump is the hare. You do know how the story ends right? And do not forget that the highlight of 2020 is near - when Jupiter and Saturn conjoin on the Winter Solstice. This is when we see the seeds of our labors, not the fruits mind you, finally get planted. All that rototilling that we have done this year, and still have to do in November, will give us a garden worth planting this Winter. Both Jupiter and Saturn will stay in direct motion until the middle of the Spring of 2021 which is when we will finally begin to see the tender shoots emerge from that earthly garden of what we plant this Winter.

Pluto follows Jupiter and Saturn’s lead early on in October, also stationing direct on the 4th, bringing all three of the 2020 astrological power players back into direct motion. And continuously so until mid-Spring. NOW Folks. Now is the time I have been telling you all to wait for this year. Now is the time to NOT hold back. Reveal that wolf in sheep’s clothing and give it everything you got. We have only this Fall to finish off the old guard and make room for the new. Keep your eye on the Winter Solstice, regardless of what happens in November. Remember a wolf knows how to hunt over the long haul.

Mars too, is having a retrograde moment as it continues its retrograde motion throughout October and on into November. We are nearing the middle of the Mars retrograde cycle in October as the Sun opposes Mars on October 13th, just as Mercury goes retrograde itself by the way, although I will get to that in a minute. The Sun/Mars opposition is the bottom of the cycle. The depths have been plumbed. The flaws revealed. The consequences of our inactions come back to haunt us, and we now see what we have to do to correct our course. From the middle of October until the Sun/Mars conjunction in October of 2021, we will see the increasing effectiveness of our personal actions on outer events. NOW is the time to pour yourself out into the world. To stand up and stand out, shout out and act out all the repressed issues and affronts we have been seeing and feeling since 2020 began with the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in early January. And do not stop shouting until the Fall of 2021.

As I have mentioned in past forecasts the retrogradation of Mars in Aries this time around carries with it a series of squares to Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto. The first set of squares was back in mid-August, the second set we see from late September to mid-October, and the third set of squares will be triggering at the Winter Solstice on into mid-January. And Mars squaring the power players of 2020 is like rubbing salt in a wound. It may be good for you in the long run, but it stings like mad in the process. In August we created the wound. In October we redress the wound and in late December we heal the residual debilities through right action and assertiveness. Another interesting observation here. Kamala Harris was nominated as the Democratic VP candidate on August 13th at the first Mars/Pluto square. The VP debate will take place as the second Mars/Pluto square occurs. Whereas the Presidential debate at the end of September during the Mars/Saturn, square was embarrassing to watch, the VP debate during the Mars/Pluto, square is going to be dangerous. The sides could not be drawn more clearly as they are represented in Harris and Pence. And Harris, who was nominated under the first Mars/Pluto square is going to draw some major blood. My, what big teeth you have Kamala. The third square, which occurs in late December, will deliver the final blow.

Watching the first presidential debate last month reminded me of the classic folk tale Androcles and the Lion. The slave Androcles, seizing upon an opportune moment, is able to escape from his evil Master and flees from the city to the forest. He encounters a lion, emaciated and crying out in pain. And even with the likely possibility of being torn from limb to limb and eaten alive, Androcles alleviates the lions suffering by extracting the infected thorn from his paw. Fast forward to a future wherein The Emperor of Rome consigns Androcles to the Coliseum and the lion’s maw, only to be confronted by the exact same lion from years ago. The lion recognizes Androcles and nuzzles him like a loving kitten, which leads to Androcles being declared a free man. Trump, born with a Rising sign Leo, may be the lion roaring from the hilltop, but Biden, with a Sun sign of Scorpio, is Androcles who facing death and dismemberment, plays the healer and is able to alleviate the lion’s suffering.

IF ONLY! Gratitude and compassion are the signs of a noble soul, which was sorely lacking in the Presidential debate. Had Biden taken pity on the tortured soul that is our President, pointing out the pain and fear he must be in to have to constantly be in attack mode he would have muzzled the lion and secured his future. Once Biden is able to do that, the election will be a lock.

Mercury begins October under the shadow of, and is readying for, its retrograde cycle in early October, stationing retrograde on October 13th at 12 degrees of Scorpio. Mercury usually gets about six stations a year wherein he turns up his light and shouts out his messages in a much more powerful way. Stationing in Scorpio, as it will this month, gives Mercury a temporary affinity boost to Mars, the ruler of Scorpio. And Scorpio is all about bringing things to light. Diving into the seedy side of reality, exorcizing it, and exposing it to the light. Just remember this; Scorpions shrivel in the light. Eagles revel in it. The phoenix becomes it. (For you esoteric students out there this is what is happening when you move from Scorpio to Sagittarius.)

So, on the same day, the 13th, we see Mars at its most conscious moment of the year, and we see Mercury at one of its most powerful, stationing in the no-holes-barred sign of Scorpio. This a scenario rife for whistleblowing and revealing secrets. Espionage and military intelligence type of stuff. Dirty secrets. Morally bankrupt secrets. Who is hiding what money where? What neighbor is doing what with whom? Secrets so unsettling they go to the core of what society calls being human. Especially as Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio, from the 13th until it retrogrades back into Libra on the 27th. The Inferior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle, exact on October 25th, should be a most interesting time for news and shocking revelations. Once Mercury is back in Libra, we will see all the spin that is used to mitigate the public fallout until the day it stations direct, which so happens to be this year right on election day, November 3rd. There is much that will be uncovered the second half of October and regardless of Russia or China interference, just to name a few, many folks will have a change of mind due to the information that surfaces. And of course, once Mercury is direct in Libra, we will see and understand what the real truths are that were exposed in mid to late October, with the consequence and sentencing to take place once Mercury returns to the sign of Scorpio November 10th. The actual results of all these secrets will take effect, the sentencing carried out, at the superior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury on December 20th, right as the final curtain of 2020 falls, during the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction. In our personal lives it is important during this Mercury retrograde to clear the air, repent, if needed, and ask for forgiveness and understanding.

Mercury’s retrogradation this time around is not an easy run, even for the usually slippery and nimble Mercury. Mercury will oppose Uranus three times and square Saturn three times. Can you say “haywire”? If you have any technological or electrical equipment that needs maintenance or repair, or you have been putting off preventative, common sense maintenance issues, please get them done before the 13th. The first five days of October are good for this, as is the 10th and 11th. And get it scheduled as quickly as possible. There are going to be many sudden breakdowns and failures of equipment this Mercury retrograde. More than usual. The three oppositions of Mercury to Uranus fall on October 7th, October 19th, and lastly November 17th. So, the opposition is in effect the first three weeks of October and the two weeks again in the middle of November. If you want to make some lemonade from the lemons of October be ready to blurt out the truth and nothing but the truth. Anything else under this kind of transit will take a high toll.

In a case of astrology as seen in the real world, I want to quote Robert Pelletier, the Author of “Planets in Aspect” on what he has to say about Mercury/Uranus oppositional energy…”you have enormous intellectual vitality as well as a genius for incurring the wrath of others. You assume that your opinions are the only valid ones, and you resent it when others challenge them. You have been so accustomed to having your own way that you refuse to compromise, even though peace may be assured if you do. You freely accuse others of error even when the evidence supports them. Unless you can modify this “know-it-all” attitude, you will alienate yourself from many of your closest associates…In fact, you aren’t really sure of your competence and need to reassure yourself through conflict with others. But if you don’t concede when you are wrong, you may never know where you are failing.” Sound like somebody we know???? And that was written in 1974.

Another interesting observation of the Mercury retrograde phenomenon when in opposition to Uranus, especially along the Taurus/Scorpio axis, is an increase in activity around atmospheric anomalies and weather events. I find it interesting that the last time this happened in May of 1977 with Mercury in Taurus opposite Uranus in Scorpio, the US and the USSR, among others, signed the Environmental Modification Convention which in essence prohibited weather warfare having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects. Which makes me beg the question, so then localized, short-term events with less severe effects will still be allowed? Keep an eye on the sky this October and November. Should be some special sights to see. And do count to ten before you sting somebody with that Scorpionic tongue. Words have an amazing power to cut deep here.

Mercury also has to contend with Saturn this retrograde cycle as it forms three squares to Saturn. The first was on September 23rd, and will occur again twice in early November, two days before the election and three days afterward. Mercury squaring Saturn is what happens when somebody gets impatient with someone else and can’t help but talk over them or feel a sudden need to shut them down. It is about challenging the status quo and the validity of any established position. It is not a very bright or sunny disposition and can lead to frustration and a defensive or defeatist attitude. On the positive side of this equation is the ability to say what needs to be said, no matter how hard it is to say, no matter who you may challenge. Rocking the proverbial boat may not always get the results you want, although you will have honed your arguments and reasons for your stated positions, which will lead to a better resolution when Mercury finally makes it back to Saturn’s side in early January 2021. What you say has weight and gravity under the square to Saturn and will come back on you for good or for bad. I find it very, very, interesting that on the exact day of the first Mercury square to Saturn on September 23rd was the day Trump declined to commit, in a very public display, to a peaceful transition of power. Considering the second and third squares bracket both sides of Election Day, it is a sure bet to be a critical issue to this election.

In your personal lives, think back to the time of the Autumn Equinox when that first square was in effect. What did you say or do that left a sour taste in your mouth? What did you push through at that time that had you feeling like David coming up on Goliath? You can bet these issues are going to come up again hard and heavy that first week in November. If you have the kind of record that you are proud of in your life, this would be the time to arm yourself with the knowledge and the skills to defend yourself and your record with every ounce of skill you have mastered. Saturn used to be known as the devil’s deeds in some of the ancient writings on the subject. When it is square to Mercury we are challenged to a game of wits with the devil. Losing is not an option. We must be all in, and fully present, to partake of any fruits of this game. The stakes are high, this month. The fever is high. We even get two full moon in October to give us the Lunar Lady’s extra protections, although I have to strenuously object to the ASTRONOMICAL notion that the second Full Moon in October is a “Blue Moon”. It is not. At the bottom of this newsletter is an article I wrote ten years ago on the subject (and updated for current transits) that will explain.

We get to howl at the Moon twice in October, as we usher the month in with a Full Moon in Aries on October 1st, conjunct Mars no less. And a second Full Moon on Hallow’s Queen. Here is where my mind goes to werewolves and witches and things that go bump in the night. Having a Full Moon on Halloween, or its eve, would only happen about once every 30 years or so. Not a bad time to really get into character when it comes to a costume. And then this year, the 31st, is also the one day of the year, as the Sun opposes Uranus, where the Sun, our conscious identity, is prone to sudden shock and disruptions. Should make for some extra scary situations out there. For you Halloween homebodies, I recommend watching the movie Young Frankenstein. Oh, sweet mysteries of life…

The way the cosmos has unfolded in 2020 makes me feel as if I am watching some cosmic soap opera unfold around me. I see it in my friends, family, and country, and I am hooked on the story lines, knowing it will all come to some glorious and surprising outcome at the season’s end. Who will prevail? Who will get their deserving due? We are all going to have to tune in next season, in 2021, to find out. In the meantime, keep cleaning out those cosmic closets and chasing those spiders and rats into the night. Keep dumping those cups. Keep cutting those cords. We still have much to plow under before the year of the rototiller is ready for the coming Spring. Our cups will runneth over again in the “roaring” 20’s. What we do not want to have happen by the end of 2020 are that any of the dregs of the last 37 years are still left in our cups to muck up the works. As I have said in past posts. The Johnny Appleseeds of the Aquarian Age must travel light.

On the Venus front, we see the planet of feminine power enter Virgo, the sign of sanctity and service on October 2nd, there to stay until she enters Libra on the 27th. We will be seeing many women who have served their countries and their communities being recognized during this 4-week stint. Amy Coney Barrett is a prime example of this energy and regardless of her political leaning will likely get approved to sit on the US Supreme Court. October’s Venus trine Uranus on the 10th and Venus trine Pluto and Saturn on the 21st and 24th respectively, will be telling moments in her rise. In a closer to home scenario we will see a need for facts and figures this month. Data counts. Budgets count. Promises count. And purity counts. Those who embody these figures and principles will win out in October, except for the few days around the 21st when Venus is in opposition to Neptune. Fairy Godmothers get a black eye here. Stay grounded and stick to practical solutions. The glass slippers are not to be found at this time. Venus will enter the sign of Libra the same day Mercury retrogrades back into Libra on the 27th. This reminds me of the fairy tale Rumplestiltskin. Venus is the miller’s daughter and Mercury is Rumplestiltskin. Beauty and fairness will eventually win out over trickery and unsavory dealings. Venus is empowered in its ruling sign of Libra. Fair and balanced is the cry we hear again and again at month’s end. Unfortunately, Venus in her ruling sign is no match for Mars in his ruling sign of Aries, being helped by Mercury in Scorpio, the other ruling sign of Mars, as we move from October into November.

The scales of justice and fairness will be hard pressed to find balance as we leave this month of mayhem, madness, and miracles. It will be up to us to lean our thumbs on the scales, so-to-speak, as we progress into the Fall of 2020. We must not let justice be blinded or put out to pasture. It is not the message of 2020. It is not justice that must go. It is the FORM that justice has become these last 37 years that must be shattered and torn down. Justice is baked into the birth chart of this nation with Sagittarius rising and Jupiter sandwiched between the Sun and Venus in the House of the people. It will not disappear. Those that have wielded the swords and keys of justice fairly over their years have little to fear. The devil has no due. Those that have contributed to the downfall of ANY souls are the ones the devils see. Demons see best where darkness already exists.

Are you ready to get your hands dirty? To get down in the dirt and make way for the work that needs to be done, that you might grow forth at Winters end? Hopefully, everybody has been listening as I have been cautioning folks to not jump into the fray too soon in 2020. Hopefully, by now, we have all stocked up on our comforts and commodities and reinvigorated our health and our hearths. For in October, we now begin to “loose the slings and arrows” of our discontent. It is time to light the fuses of our futures. We are about to move through a celestial portal 800 years in the making. I for one do not intend to go quietly. I want to shake it all over. I want to kick the bastards of the world to the curbs and welcome in the healers. I want to know that when my time comes to leave this planet, I do so with the knowingness that I did everything I could to better this world, for my family and my fellow wo/man.

Seize the New Age. Occupy the Aquarian Age. Let’s get this next chapter of humanity off on the right foot.