Astrology Ahead: Aspects for Oct. 6 through Oct. 12

Dear Friend and Reader,

TODAY MERCURY AND THE SUN form their interior conjunction in Libra, which marks the midpoint of the Mercury retrograde — in other words, we’re halfway through with the experience (it goes from Sept. 24 through Oct. 15). Interior conjunction means that the Mercury is between the Earth and the Sun. During the exterior conjunction, which occurs in about two months, the Sun is between Mercury and the Earth (Mercury is direct for this experience).

Today’s Sun/Mercury conjunction is distinct because it’s exactly square Jupiter. This adds a sense of things being larger than they are; Jupiter can inflate things mentally or emotionally, and when other planets get mixed up, you need to beware of confusion and keep a handle on what is your own and awareness of what is not your own. The square indicates an internal process of working out, which goes nicely with Mercury retrograde (retrogrades tend to internalize the energy of planets, thwarting expression and enhancing the mental or psychic dimension).

But this internal direction is one that we clearly need to take. Most people are incredibly confused (we wouldn’t need astrology otherwise). What I find interesting is how the presence of Jupiter in Capricorn (a kind of authority figure) shows up and seems to loom over our internal process — and that is often how it is, until we overthrow our parents and our attachment to Big Mama or Big Daddy keeping an eye on us, giving their approval and giving us the feeling that our mistakes are going to be compensated by some other force — one that also restricts freedom. Indeed, much of the creative process involves relating to internal authority, censors, editors, and so forth — and going past its edicts and dictates.

Finally the Moon enters the scene, making a conjunction to Jupiter and squaring Mercury and the Sun. I would say be careful what you talk about today, and why you do it, and with whom. Get to understand your motives, and let them reveal themselves in layers All plans are in motion, anything you were working out over the weekend you are still working out, and though today is clearly a turning point, it is not quite a point of commitment.

Genevieve has interpreted this week’s aspects. I’ll add my comments [in brackets].

Yours & truly,

Eros encourages the dish to run away with the spoon, seen at left. Seriously tho, in ancient Greece, sex and the Gods were depicted on household objects.

6 Monday: Sun squares Jupiter and conjoins Mercury. Mercury squares Jupiter. So to break it down, this means your power of being will come into conflict with expansion, and your methods of communication and craftsmanship will help this along. It might be a day where you find it better to keep under wraps your big ideas about the scheme of things. Or, perhaps it will be a good time to let your outcast-ish self shine through. Either way, today your voice is hooked up to a psychic amplifier. Use it as you will, but be prepared for the response. Psyche enters Sagittarius direct.

7 Tuesday: First quarter Moon. Venus sextiles Saturn. Venus squares Chiron. [The Venus-Chiron square is like a hot night with a lover you don’t know that well. It’s emotionally intense, you feel all kinds of deep passions, and ultimately you are left alone with your experience.]

The Moon is growing towards full — indeed, a very unusual Full Moon — and because of that, it’s a good time to continue moving those things that will contribute to your personal goals. Use love to support your work today. Remember that everything you do, ideally, is something that you want to be doing. If it’s not, try to figure out why it’s not and why you started doing it in the first place. [Those aspiring to the creative life would do well to remember some advice given to Paul McKenna’s design classes at SUNY Buffalo: being an artist means you motivate yourself with creativity no matter what you’re doing; that is to say, one use of your creative talent is to help you be creative when it comes to working through otherwise boring projects.]

8 Wednesday: Moon enters Aquarius at 12:03 pm EDT. Juno trine 1992 QB1. Eros conjoins Rhadamanthus. These aspects speak of promises, equality, oaths and the truth as it appears to yourself and those in relationship with you. Much of what we have been taught as correct is no longer right, yet it remains a popular way to steer through our society.

When you get an energy like Eros [who has two roles — a god of creation, and the god of love] joining up with a judge of the dead (Rhadamanthus), what you might find is a certain craving for soemthing new and genuine. Perhaps there is an aspect of your life where you are just going through the motions and it has begun to grow tiring for you. As with anything that has to do with Juno, what you expect from others also comes into play, especially where it has to do with loyalty and affection. Perhaps there is someone who is expecting too much from someone else because they seek a distraction from the deep thinking they must undertake.

9 Thursday: Sun conjoins Rhadamanthus and trines Chiron. Mercury trines Nessus and Chaos. “The truth will set you free” [of Moses fame] and Janis Joplin’s lyric, “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” come to mind with these aspects. Admit your personal truth can be a painful but liberating. For many, it is a source of alienation from family and friends that keeps us from avoiding our personal truth. But in order for us to travel the path of authenticity, one must be prepared to be a spiritual warrior. This has as much to do with outright aggression as much as it has to do with understanding the strength you have to endure any obstacle within reason. It is our job to not only be truthful with others, but to also be truthful to ourselves; [though it’s important to reality check. Many people lie to themselves precisely in that process of being “truthful” to themselves.]

10 Friday: Moon enters Pisces at 9:31 pm EDT, occults Neptune and sextiles Pluto. That is a busy day for the Moon with outer planet involvements, particularly the Neptune occultaton — which is a kind of eclipse. The resulting energy is like a waking dream, where our dreams and fantasies take on a more palpable tone. Venus trines Uranus. Mars is sesquiquadrate Uranus, [which can be a trigger of shocking or potentially violent energy; from Scorpio to Pisces, we may be talking about an opportunity for very imaginative, spontaneous sexual experience]. Mix that up with some supportive energy from Pluto and what you might experience is the equivalent of a hot bath with a radio next to your head, plugged in to the wall, with no worries at all about your safety or the laws of physics. [That would be sex.]

Emotions and realizations that will surface tonight are going to be from deep places within you that have very little to do with your current life. Keep a close watch on the things you think of and look around you to find clues into why you are where you are. Most importantly, when the Moon aspects Neptune and Pluto in any way, it’s a good time to simply feel and float. Put aside your agenda for today. It might be completely different tomorrow.

11 Saturday: Venus square Neptune. Venus trine Varuna. The need for love is a hot topic this week, as is the quest for truth, [though it may operate below the radar — squares involving Neptune always do, and they can have a weakening effect]. Truth and love go hand in hand. Fear can keep a person from loving and love can keep a person from fearing.

12 Sunday: Mercury begins to slow down towards station direct. Sun trine Pallas. We are now in the Mercury storm, and building toward an extraordinary Full Moon conjunct Eris.