Singing Happily
The First Quarter Moon always signals push forward, a time to act on the intentions we set at the New Moon – even if we’re not sure whether our wishes, or our actions, are exactly right. Put the First Quarter Moon in Capricorn (Sep. 29, 2025, 4:54 pm PDT, 7º05’ Capricorn and Libra), though, and hesitation gives way to resolve. The work must be done.
The last New Moon was that dramatic Solar Eclipse at 29 Virgo on Sep. 21, closely opposed Saturn. Under Saturn’s stern eye, this lunar cycle calls for usefulness, practicality, and willingness to take on responsibility.
This First Quarter’s Sabian symbol is 8 Capricorn, Birds in the house singing happily. These birds are almost certainly in cages, but still singing away – just as Capricorn thrives within boundaries, finding satisfaction in discipline and monitoring progress through its to-do list.
This First Quarter is not only an action point of the Virgo New Moon Cycle, but also of the longer Lunar Phase Family Cycle that began at the Dec. 30, 2024 Capricorn New Moon, also aspecting Saturn. We love to make resolutions at the new calendar year, but 2025 has been a constantly shifting landscape where our plans have struggled to gain purchase. This lunation, though, suggests that it’s finally time to get to down to work. With 2026 right around the corner, it’s never too late to start singing, or to start building.
Chanticleer
As Mercury squares Jupiter this week (Oct. 1, 2025, 1:59 pm PDT, 22º34’ Libra and Cancer), it finds itself on Sabian Symbol 23 Libra, A Chanticleer, the rooster who crows boldly to announce the rising sun and a brand-new day. Mercury in Libra usually tries to stay gracious, weighing words with care—but every so often the scales tip, and the tone turns sharp, loud, and impossible to ignore.
Jupiter, meanwhile, sits at 23 Cancer, The meeting of a literary society. Here’s the image of a room full of people eager to dissect, debate, and critique. Jupiter rules belief and conviction, the booming voice of passionate opinion.
This square brings a clash of voices: Mercury the rooster, insistent on being heard, and Jupiter the assembly, equally determined to assert their own views. Speaking up is important—but it’s worth remembering that others are just as invested in their own ideas. Mercury’s challenge is not only to crow, but to organize, refine, and distill a message so it stands out from a cacophony of voices.
Moving Truck
Jonny stopped by an estate sale down the block that he said was unlike anything he’d ever seen. Unassuming from the outside, the 3500-square-foot house was packed, floor to rafter, with stuff of every description. Building materials and tools lay cheek-to-jowl with furniture, clothing, and a surprising wealth of lightbulbs. Fascinated by the sheer breadth of offerings, he browsed for nearly an hour before ultimately coming home empty-handed. “It all seemed useful,” he said, “but I couldn’t think how I would use it.”
That sounds a lot like the Moon’s South Node. It’s a storehouse of accumulated helpful skills and knowledge that are only really useful if we use them to pursue the North Node path to growth.
When planets transit over this point, we get an opportunity to stock up on some of that wealth for the journey forward. This week, Venus conjoins the Virgo South Node (Oct. 4, 2025, 2:20 am PDT, 18º14’ Virgo), which is well supplied with practical tools, know-how, and remedies for life’s small concerns. Pile them high into a moving truck and deliver them toward Pisces North Nodes work – to help the helpless, shelter the defenseless, and offer encouragement to those who’ve lost hope.
Writing and images © 2012-2025 by April Elliott Kent
