by Silvianne K. Delmars | Oct 9, 2024 |
This week’s astro update begins with a quirky yet responsible Second Quarter Moon in Capricorn on Thursday, October 10, and ends with a sparky Aries Full Moon on Thursday, October 17. Here are the highlights (all times in PDT).
Thursday, October 10
Our lunation week begins around midday, as an out of bounds Moon in earthy Capricorn squares the Sun in Libra, at 17 degrees 58 minutes of their respective signs. Relationships continue to be highlighted, as we journey through this waxing Moon week, culminating in a pioneering Aries Full Moon. What old relationship patterns have surfaced to be released? What new habits do we want to anchor in going forward?
Remember, this is about equal, collegial relationships of all kinds (including our relationship with Self). And with the Moon still out of bounds for another day or so, unusual solutions are highlighted. What new and different skills and attitudes do we want to foster, rooted in a healthy connection with personal mission, that will help us to collaborate more effectively in the weeks and months to come?
Friday, October 11
Pluto, the planet of deep transformation, is in the spotlight today, as the Moon makes its monthly pass in the morning, leading up to Pluto’s exact station at 5:34 pm at 29 Capricorn 38. Having dipped its toe back into the final potent degree of boundary-setting Capricorn over the last month, Pluto will now be heading once again towards Aquarius, entering that free-thinking sign on November 19, where it will be for almost 20 years.
This is a timing that we have been feeling for sometime, and which will continue to have reverberations in the months to come, as this slow-moving planet has reversed gears, halted its backward motion, and now begins moving ponderously forward once again. It invites us to distill the wisdom gained through surviving the many losses of the last several years.
This process of composting the detritus of that which no longer serves, both personally and collectively, will continue through the coming months and into next year. These three days (centered on today) are a pregnant still point, filled with the potential to gestate deep change. What is required from us is an unwavering commitment to our inmost vision of what could be, as we set the seeds of intention in the decomposing ground of a dying world, destined to sprout in some as-yet-undreamt-of future.
Saturday, October 12
Mars continues to shine in the morning sky, rising now before midnight in the east and visible through dawn. He is currently located near the stars Castor and Pollux, at the feet of The Twins constellation. This is a timing potent with energies of rebirth as Gemini overstory Mars, now in the final gestation phase of his 26-month synodic cycle, is finishing up his sojourn through the area of the sky known as the Sacred Hoop, revered by many cultures as the place where souls are born into Earth incarnation. Why not take the time this week to sit with Mars in the early morning hours, to seek his wisdom as we navigate this intense time of change?
Sunday, October 13
We are offered another cosmic marker of the intensity of our current times, as the Sun, Chiron, and Mars form a close T-square this afternoon and on into the early hours of tomorrow. We start off with Mars in Cancer squaring Chiron in Aries in the afternoon, then the Sun in Libra opposes Chiron in the evening, and finally the Sun will square Mars an hour or so after midnight.
The resonant polarity of Aries/Libra – self/other – already activated by the current transit of the North and South Nodes of the Moon through these householder signs, is further highlighted by this Sun/Chiron standoff. How can we bring the highest essence of conscious equal partnership to bear to heal the current distortions of the Aries sacred warrior archetype? And how can the independence and pioneering spirit of the truly whole Aries archetype help us to heal the co-dependent shadow of relational Libra?
With Mars in nurturing Cancer squaring both partners in this dance of relational duality, the heavenly instruction manual seems to be reflecting back to us the need to create and foster a new archetype of the sacred masculine (for both men and women) – one that longs to be honored for his ability to show up fully for the role of responsible nurturing.
With Mars and retrograde Chiron in sparky Aries as players, being illuminated by the Libra Sun (creating major shadows?), best not to expect a smooth ride, as we bounce along in our battered cosmic bumper cars towards a new, and hopefully much more supportive, future.
Monday, October 14
The waxing gibbous Moon hangs out near retrograde Saturn, both yesterday and today, making its exact conjunction tonight at 11:09 pm at 13 Pisces 32. Look to the southeast after sunset. Saturn is currently journeying through the watery part of the night sky, among the stars of the Fish and the Water Bearer constellations, visible until dawn.
Look for bright royal star Fomalhaut just below the Moon and Saturn tonight, marking the mouth of the Fish. A good timing for consulting grandmother Saturn, seeking wisdom for bringing our spiritual dreams and visions down to Earth in practical applications, for ourselves and for others.
Meanwhile, Leo overstory Venus in her ascent phase continues to be visible in the evening sky, now at the third chakra gate of personal power, activated last week with her New Moon conjunction. Although not visible, Uranus in Taurus will be opposite Venus in Scorpio this afternoon. This combo of willful, deep feeling Scorpio at the gate of personal power, activated by eccentric change agent Uranus, sends a potent message.
The world so longs for us to show up, right now in this tumultuous time, with our most powerful presence. It is past time to access and wield our spiritual will, sourced in our own crazy-unique personal truth.
Tuesday, October 15
Although not visible, Neptune is being activated today as the Moon makes its monthly pass this morning, followed by a watery trine from Venus in the evening. This would be an excellent time to seek council from the dream time and to listen, not from the head, but from the heart.
Mercury officially exits the underworld today, as it reaches a 10 degree separation from the Sun. This marks the beginning of Mercury’s Hermes evening star phase, which will last until the end of November. Look for it to appear low on the western horizon.
Wednesday, October 16
The Moon has its monthly meet-up with Chiron in Aries late this evening, echoing the intense T-square with Sun and Mars earlier this week. We are continuing to explore how we can reframe our current warlike version of Aries, bringing it back to its roots as a sacred defender of the cosmic order, motivated by loving mission rather than by aggressive greed.
There is a new comet appearing in our skies, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. After its morning star apparition earlier this month (more easily viewable from the southern hemisphere), it disappeared around the other side of the Sun, and was due to reappear in the evening sky on October 14 until about the 24. It may or may not be visible with the unaided human eye (comets are notoriously unpredictable!). Look for it in the early evening sky towards the west, rising higher above the horizon as the days pass. In the TOTAMS paradigm, comets are wild cards – so be sure to tune in for any messages this visitor from afar may have to impart.
Thursday, October 17
We end our lunation week at 4:26 am with the Aries Full Moon at 24 Aries 35, opposite Sun in Libra. The Sun is accompanied by asteroid Juno (exact conjunction on October 16), while the Moon is passing instigator Eris just a half an hour after the exact full Moon. Another indicator drawing our attention towards relationship challenges, as the feminine archetype of sacred partnership, in relational Libra, faces off against Eris, disenfranchised sower of chaos. In what ways are we shutting out the dark feminine, the rebellious parts of our own psyche (for men or women) that make us uncomfortable? Are we favoring conventional societal roles at the expense of our inner wholness?
Juno and Eris here at the Full Moon in mission-oriented Aries remind us that we are all disempowered when we shut off any part of our rich inner being. And the results of this suppression will always, in one way or another, lead to inner or outer chaos. How can our untamed, sovereign nature be brought to the party in ways that will enhance our ability to show up responsibly in the world in authentic leadership roles?
Synchronistically, John Sandbach’s title for the Aries 25 degree frequency activated by this Full Moon is: EXPLORATION OF CHAOS, or LOCATING THE SOURCE OF VITAL (CREATIVE) ENERGY. His description reads, in part, “…You are often forced to wait – you sense the time is not right to act. What you most need is to relax, to not try too hard, and to learn patience. Attuning to silence clears the pathways for messages to come through – and when the time is right, they will, effortlessly and with ease.”
From John Sandbach, The Circular Temple
This is certainly sage advice for the times we are living in. Especially this week, as we face so many potentially intense and activating cosmic timings. Perhaps this is the most important thing the universe is wanting us to learn from the initiations we are currently facing: to stop and breathe, to center in the powerful silence within, so that the still small voice can come through to guide us wisely through these uncertain times of not only heartbreaking change but, also, of unlimited possibility.