Fall Equinox and October 2011 Forecast

We are at the halfway point through the solar year: the Fall Equinox, the start of the fall season. The changes heralded by the Spring Equinox should be upfront and personal by now: you know what you want to change in your life and in yourself, and you have some idea of how to go about it. If you have been feeling stressed, exhausted, and pushed to your limits—this may be especially true for the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn—you’re not alone and it’s okay. Sometimes change means finishing up a lot of old business while tending to the new growth.

At the moment fall began, the sun was in dynamic aspects to Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, and Uranus, Lord of the Sky. Both of these planets foster change but in very different ways. Pluto asks us to root out and destroy all that inhibits our growth, while Uranus brings revelations and disruptions that force us to break with the past.

Pluto rules death and things which are buried or hidden. Symbolically, it represents a period in which we release some aspect of our lives or ourselves that no longer serves us. Something must be destroyed so energy can be freed up and transmuted into new life.

We may need to examine our ugly little secrets, shameful motivations, or disowned aspects of our personality.  As we reclaim that which we have suppressed or cast off as unacceptable—don’t forget to apply a loving dose of compassion to our human foibles—we ignite our capacity to heal and regenerate. This healing cannot take place if we insist that we are “fine” and mask our pain. And resisting our powerful ability for transmutation means we risk externalizing that power and inviting outer agents and situations to act catalysts for change rather than own that power ourselves.

Uranus, on the other hand, demands our awareness and our authenticity. Ripe for a bolt-from-the-blue awakening from Uranus: any aspect of yourself that you hide because you have judgment around it or you think others will. Also ripe are routines and set ways of being that slowly drain the life, joy, and creativity from you.

Where do you tamp down on your uniqueness and individuality? If no one at your office knows you like to don your Klingon costume once a year at the Star Trek convention, why is that? Uranus wants you to be untethered.  There is nothing shameful about being you. In fact, it’s all the little oddities that make each of us so delicious and wonderful. Uranus asks that we liberate ourselves from stifling notions about our lives and ourselves. Now is the time to cut your ties to some old way of being and claim some part of you which you’ve previously cloistered or limited.

One thing is for certain, we cannot go on as we have been. Collectively, we feel a stirring. We are being called out and asked to be the change for which we yearn.  Areas ripe for change?  Look to those places in which your life is out of balance, deadened, or routine. Any situation or relationship which is unfair, polarized, skewed, or unhealthy. Anyway in which you have disempowered yourself. The goal is to negotiate a life which enlivening, enriching, and a genuine reflection of who you are. Caveat: No one is looking for the lone cowboy striding in, demanding his terms, and acting infantile. Tact, grace, fair-mindedness and equilibrium will take you further than ultimatums and tantrums.

We are being called to negotiate and work collaboratively. This means mature, fair, and equitable solutions, not just for ourselves but for everyone impacted. Long-term success depends on your ability to meet your needs and accommodate the needs of those around you. Inequities and rigidity bode further trouble and adjustments down the road.

Lastly, this is not about having all the answers, but about owning your end of the stick, putting it out there for all to see, and letting others participate in the problem-solving.  With Mercury in the solar 12th house, what we don’t share and what we assume others know can get us in trouble over the next few months. Be direct, be scrupulous, and be transparent. State what you need, hear out the concerns of others, and start working through it. Together.

The full moon of October 11th speaks to our need to balance our enthusiasms with maturity and caution. Challenges and obstacles need to be handled with a bit of tact and a lot of perseverance. Emotional restraint and self-discipline may be called for in relationships and with your own desires. Unfortunately, this is also a time in which we may be feeling a bit impulsive and reactive. It’s easy during this period to slip into roles in relationships, with one partner playing the adult to the other’s child. On the other hand, there’s enormous emotional restraint and, on the other, a desire to give into one’s hedonistic urges.

This full moon we’re being asked to balance our needs and others’ needs without sliding into austerity measures (or throwing up our hands and sliding into excess), playing the role of parent (or child) to others, or writing off our own emotional needs as selfish or infantile. This month try honoring both the wild, enthusiastic kid and the wise, elder statesman within you. Reconciling and illuminating dichotomies is a primary task.

By the new moon on October 26, the high-pace energy of September/early October needs to be harnessed and drawn inward to better integrate it. Perception is heightened and a deepening can take place, if you’re willing to keep the spotlight on yourself, your need to change, and examine how your thinking might facilitate or hinder your progress. What fears need to be addressed and can you approach them in a practical, adult manner rather than spinning into “What ifs?”

At the end of the month, sensitivity is amplified and intensified. At its best, self-reflection will allow you to see new ways to push through old barriers and creative insights abound. At worst, every word can feel like an assault and every interaction like sandpaper on bare skin. Put aside some alone time for the end of the month. Use this darkening of the moon for self-discovery and emotional exploration that is fruitful.

If you the sign of your rising (your ascendant), read that monthly horoscope first, followed by your sun sign. Otherwise, read your sun sign.

 

Also, a monthly column written for the masses will never substitute for an in-depth analysis of your chart. If you would like an individual consultation, please contact me: 800.604.0299 or michelle@heavenlywriting.com. Or visit my website for more information: www.heavenlywriting.com

Aries: If everyone around you is making you crazy, it’s a sign from the universe to slow down and pay closer attention. Don’t expect everyone to move at your lightning pace toward change and you may need to heed a warning or two. Sometimes obstacles make the best speed bumps.  Gemstone: Tree Agate

 

Taurus: What starts off as a comfy month curling up at home could become more intense by month end. If others seem to be harboring resentments, open up a conversation, clear the air, and get to the heart of the hurt underneath their anger. Your relationships will strengthen from the process. Gemstone: Selenite

Gemini: Balancing work and play can be a challenge this month, as you’re being pulled in multiple directions. If the month started off more social, by the end of the month expect to hunker down to work. Take care not to overdo it on either front – work or play – or it can take a toll on your health.  Gemstone: Rhodochrosite

Cancer: It’s been an intense year, Cancer. Change can be a challenge for you, but everything in your life at present seems designed to force you to make changes. Sometimes we use pressure to push us toward our destination so we can’t turn back. Though the road might seem exhausting at present, remember you’re a step nearer to the terminus. Gemstone: Apophylite

 

Leo: You may feel re-energized this fall. Get your ideas out there in the world: write, blog, talk, network. You have something to say and people willing to listen. By month’s end it’s time to stoke the home fires and deepen your connection to those nearest and dearest. Enjoy the warmth. Gemstone: Flourite

 

Virgo: Right now you are scheduled to talk about your values. But talk often ignites our passions and our desire to fix what we see as broken. This fall, you’re more effective educating and informing others about the problem than taking direct action. Wait. Avoid bombast or intellectual arrogance. Share your perceptions, gather information, and facilitate dialog. Action comes later this year.  Gemstone:  Apatite.

 

Libra: This fall, focus on yourself: assess your needs and develop strategies to keep your balance in the midst of chaos. By month’s end, you need to shore up your resources – emotional, financial, spiritual – to support the boundaries you’re establishing. If you really want to prime the pump: create a budget on the day of the new moon.  Gemstone: Red Tiger Eye.

 

Scorpio: If you are blaming another for some wrong committed against you, you have stepped into a trap that will only harm you. The call is for you to change your thinking. Your thinking shapes your world and, if unconscious, it’s destructive. What are you obsessing about this fall?  Whatever it is, it’s your Achilles’ heel. Let it go, own your power in shaping the situation, and stop conspiring to be your own worst enemy.  Gemstone: Citrine

Sagittarius: How you envision your future needs revision. Now is the time to rewrite your story. The challenge is to edit so that it is a mature story, rather than the rambling, unending epic you’ve imagined. Reign it in. Does it fit within your budget? Does it align with your values? Recklessness in love or bombastic philosophies could also undo your plans. Find your inner, cautious elder and honor her. Gemstone: Mookaite

 

Capricorn: Have you placed so much emphasis on your direction and who you will become in the world that all hell is breaking loose at home? Where do you reside? What is “home” to you? Figure out these answers now. You need a place from which to grow, fertile soil. Who you are to be is secondary. If you cannot not create a rich foundation this fall, your current confusion will only continue. Gemstone: Jade

Aquarius: You’re a bit like Copernicus right now: you have a cosmology that the universe is forcing you to rethink. Do it. Rigidity won’t help your revisioning. Recognize where your childhood wounds may keep you trapped in a paradigm that doesn’t exist anymore. It’s time to mature your philosophy and rebalance your sense of equity. Gemstone: Carnelian

 

Pisces: You probably feel as if you’re going through an extended death ceremony. Pushed to the edge, there’s nowhere else to go. You’ve exhausted all your knowledge, and your resources are being rocked. Breathe in, breathe out. Begin your vision quest: your dreams for the future need completely transformed. Why not aim a bit higher?  Gemstone: Celestite