October Horoscopes

Astrology of October
Current Configurations
Past Months

Aries	Libra
Taurus	Scorpio
Gemini	Sagittarius
Cancer	Capricorn
Leo	Aquarius
Virgo	Pisces

October 2006

Current Astrology

	The Sun is in Gemini
	The Moon is in SagittariusThe Full Moon is in Sagittarius: All day
	Moon Void of Course 8:24 pm to 6/5 12:31 am
	Next Mercury Retrograde Aug 23 - Sep 15

Current Configurations

by Henry Seltzer

This month's cycle has its basis in the New Moon from last September 22nd (), which was also a Solar Eclipse and therefore more powerful. This took place in the very last degree of Virgo, and so it is a purity of completion that we seek right now, and the perfection of all our strivings.

The Full Moon of Friday, October 6th (), represents the beginning of the Venus Mars conjunction, since the Sun resides at their midpoint, and since the nature of the Full Moon is to balance. It is interesting that this Full Moon takes place in the signs of Libra and Aries, ruled respectively by Venus and Mars, just as they come toward their triple conjunction with the Sun at the time of the next New Moon. Another balance point is being attempted in the opposition of Saturn and Neptune at this time, another pair of opposite energies, which is emphasized by their T-square to Jupiter as he comes between them and mediates their joint influence. This is a difficult but potentially fruitful combination of energies which again asks us to synthesize viewpoints, and come to a more integrated solution.

The Last Quarter Moon of Friday the 13th () might seem to pre-configure the Halloween holiday with its black cat symbolism, but is really all about realizations of what does and does not work in attempting to make progress with our issues and with reaching out for an equilibrium between self and other that are the hallmark of this period of time. The Moon and Sun, at 20 plus degrees of their respective signs, and in square to one another, touch off the outer planet configurations mentioned already and bring up the tension implicit in these contrasting energies. Saturn is also nearing its trine with Pluto at this time, suggesting that something has to give and that structures of our lives must radically transform along the way to a more perfect union with respect to our inner work.

The New Moon in late Libra that takes place on Saturday, October 21st (), has Venus and Mars in very close conjunction on either side, and is also accompanied by a Mercury Jupiter conjunction in Scorpio, just as Mercury begins to slow down and turn retrograde. Because of Mercury's much slower motion at this time, these two planets remain in conjunction for over a week, within a degree of zodiacal longitude. Since Mercury is slowing down and retrograding in the sign of Scorpio, it is a time when we will be forced to examine the underlying causes of our internal motivation, especially in regard to the so-called "battle of the sexes." We are moving in the direction of right relationship with ourselves and our partners and with other people in our life, at whatever pace we can creatively manage to maintain. We are thus poised on the verge of entering the Scorpio period, yet still in Libra, and with the rulers of both Libra and Scorpio in close conjunction with the lunation energy. It should be quite an interesting and potentially productive time for us all.

The First Quarter Moon that takes place in the last weekend of the month, on Sunday, October 29th (), is interesting in that it represents the first actual lunation with the Sun in Scorpio, although the previous week's New Moon was strongly Scorpio-aligned, and is also accompanied by the retrograde of Mercury in Scorpio conjunct Jupiter. As the Moon squares the Sun from early Aquarius, it conjuncts Chiron as well, so we may be dealing with our early woundings at this time. This First Quarter Square signifies a time when "the rubber meets the road" and when we must "put up or shut up" in getting our point across, a time of tension when we are enjoined to make our total commitment and put our best foot forward, in spite of everything.