Forget Nothing
Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone.
Gained in the right way
A t the New Moon, folklore suggests we sow seeds of intention in a specific area of life. The New Moon in Libra (Oct. 6, 2021, 4:05 am PDT, at 13.24 Libra) marks the beginning of a new 12-month cycle of relationship. Whether you’re wishing to find a romance, trying to mend fences with a relative, negotiating a business connection, or hoping for a renewal of your marriage commitment, this is the New Moon for planting those seeds.
However, this New Moon is marked by a conjunction with Mars and a trine aspect to Saturn, so don’t expect these seeds to flourish without a lot of hard work and perseverance. And though all relationships encounter conflict along the way, this New Moon’s relationship seeds may contain a bit more of that we’d like. Still, those good aspects to Saturn suggest that we’ve already done some work on our boundaries, and are willing to do the work necessary to make our relationships flourish.
At this New Moon, let your intention be something like this: I’m willing to fight for my right to be truly myself, and I’m willing to compromise on some things… but by no means all. With the New Moon point and Mars approaching a trine to Jupiter, the opportunity is coming to receive loving abundance and abundant loving – but they must be gained on your own terms.
Dormant
A volcano can stay dormant for thousands of years and still be capable of tremendous damage. Roman writers described Vesuvius as having been covered with gardens and vineyards before it erupted in 79 CE, destroying Pompei.
When Pluto is retrograde (since April 27) for roughly half of each year, it’s like a dormant volcano. It seems that forces of power and control have receded and that happiness and pleasure are the law of the land. But under the surface, destructive power is building. And a day or two around the day that Pluto stations to move direct (Oct. 6, 2021, 11:29 am PDT) is when it’s most likely to blow.
An Exciting Stranger
You can love someone for a very long time, really think you know everything there is to know about them… and then one day, they surprise you. They use a word you’ve never heard them use, or share an anecdote you’ve never heard. And just like that, it’s like being in love with an entirely different person.
When Venus is in Sagittarius (Oct. 7, 2021, 4:21 am PDT, through Nov. 6), we’re enchanted by anything novel, different, or foreign. Especially after long months in quarantine, in which we’ve memorized every square inch of our homes and every quirk of the people who share it with us, we may be craving new food, new company, or just a change of scenery. Sagittarius is a vagabond sign, too, and Venus in this sign loves to travel, which has of course become complicated in pandemic times. Today, when a Facebook friend posted an old photo of himself standing in an airport terminal, I nearly swooned with nostalgia.
While Venus is in Sagittarius, we can still gain enjoyment from the unfamiliar, even if we don’t venture far from home. Try cooking a new dish from an unfamiliar cuisine. Download an app that will help you learn a few phrases in a foreign language. Pore over maps and plan future adventures. And keep your eyes and ears open for those happy little moments when a loved one of many years suddenly becomes an exciting stranger.
Invisible
Have you ever known a person whose beauty, charisma, or talent was so incandescent, you felt as though you were completely invisible whenever they’re around? Through no fault of their own, they overwhelm the space they occupy. You’re probably impressed with them yourself, yet spending time in their company eventually becomes too painful; you feel yourself practically fading into the woodwork in their presence.
Perhaps this is what it’s like to be one of the visible planets when it joins in a conjunction with the Sun, at the same degree of the same sign. Traditional astrologers call a planet in this condition “combust” and consider them debilitated, because the Sun’s radiance renders them invisible.
This week, Mars receives its annual conjunction from the Sun (Oct. 7, 2021, 9:01 pm PDT) – and Mars is not the sort of planet that is willing to yield the stage without a fight. So, let Mars in Libra know that you see it this week, and that you appreciate its energy and determination, its diligence and care. Give Mars its due, with plenty of exercise, spicy food, and red candles, and you’ll be repaid with valiant protection and courtly attention.
Forget Nothing
On October 9, Mercury mediates a dispute between the Sun and Mars, first making a conjunction with the Sun (9:18 am PDT) and then with Mars (3:48 pm PDT). Mercury the messenger must listen patiently as the Sun extolls its virtues, then as Mars fumes (politely – it is in Libra) about being overlooked and unappreciated.
Mercury symbolizes knowledge, and knowledge is power. While others beat their chests and holler, be quiet and polite. Listen sympathetically. Keep your own counsel. Forget nothing.
Born of an eggshell
WWhen Saturn is retrograde in a birth chart, this is often a person who grew up with relatively little external authority. Sometimes their father was missing from the picture, or else rather faded, receding into the background. They might have been a latch-key kid, or taken on responsibility for their siblings from a young age.
When transiting Saturn is retrograde – as it is for roughly five months each year – I see it as the time when we are left to our own leadership or authority, to figure out things like boundaries, rules, and responsibility. There’s been quite a lot of improvisation around our responses to the pandemic, for example, since Saturn last turned retrograde on May 23.
This week, Saturn turns direct (Oct. 10, 2021, 7:17 pm PDT) on the Sabian symbol 7 Aquarius, A child born of an eggshell. The advantage of having to figure things out for ourselves is that when we present something to the world, especially something career-related, it’s wholly unique.
Writing and images © 2019-2021 by April Elliott Kent
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