For this week’s horoscopes be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:
Aries
Last week on September 22nd your ruling planet, Mars, entered the enigmatic sign of Scorpio where it will remain until November 4th. Because this is your ruling planet, it consequently invests you with some of those qualities as well. Mars is quite strong in the sign of Scorpio, bringing a heightened focus, strength and determination, especially if faced with any sort of extraordinary challenges that you may be facing in your life. The first aspect Mars made was a square to Pluto which was reminding us of what we do or do not have any control over. It could have brought the feeling of being at the end of your tether, or where it felt that excessive demands were being made of you. Mars/Pluto can bring those feelings of desperation as we struggle against forces that seem so much larger than ourselves. But when we come to the other side of that transit, what it can also bring is that tremendous amount of strength that comes from facing something that is hard, from tackling the beast, and living to tell the tale. For Aries, Mars in Scorpio is not just about survival, but of the recognition and realization of the inevitability of change and transformation. No one and nothing is exempt. Which is what prompted Christmas Humphreys to advise that we are all subject to the cycle of birth growth, decay and death. And that “Life alone is continuous ever seeking self-expression in new forms. Life is a bridge, therefore build no house on it. Life is a process of flow, and he who clings to any form, however splendid, will suffer by resisting that flow.”
Taurus
On September 19th, Venus entered Virgo, where it will remain until October 13th. Although traditionally Virgo is not seen as a sign of strength for Venus, it is an earth sign, and as such can bring great benefit to your sign. Know also that as Venus is your ruling planet, where Venus goes, you go. And there is a certain level of humility as Venus lays her heart on the altar of service and unconditional love. This is where we are asked to put our own needs and desires aside for the sake of more practical or mundane concerns. Even in the affairs of the heart, even in the act of creating something unique and special, there is still this wish to extend some sort of service, or be useful. Whether that means rescuing that kitten, or knitting sweaters for the needy, or contributing to that food bank, there is that desire to serve, while still doing something that feels good to you. What Venus also allows you to do is to put your heart into your work or all the things that you ‘do’. This week it also endows you with certain healing properties. Whether that is self-healing or offering a hand to others, or just being there when needed, sometimes in silence, or by being a voice for those who cannot speak. It’s about holding that space when it is needed.
Gemini
Our minds seem to be on bigger issues this week, and trying to look at the larger picture. This can be great when trying to make long-range plans, but could also be distracting from what you are needing to accomplish right here in front of you. Having your ruling planet in Libra can be a great help in trying to establish some sort of balance and harmony in your life, both in your closest relationships, as well as with those you care about most. Communications flow more easily, and can even be a little playfulness which allows you to make it through all the distractions that are drawing you in various directions at once. One of the principles behind Mercury being in Libra, which is where it will remain until October 6th, is about moderation in all things. Libra is a sign of peace, but it is also a sign of debate. The mediator between these is the art of diplomacy which will prove to serve you well. The key to working with Mercury in Libra is to focus on fairness and sharing, neither doing too much or too little. This is the path to establishing harmony this week, even when the too muches feel too much.
Cancer
Hopefully you made it through the eclipses unscathed. Not easy to do with the Solar Eclipse on September 21st which opposed the Saturn/Neptune conjunction. This could have increased any feelings of doubt or uncertainty about the future. But one of the advantages to having Jupiter transiting your sign is that there is this generalized feeling of being watched over and protected. Jupiter is showing you who you are, and what is your further potential. It is a planet of growth and expansion. And is your teacher, pathfinder and guru. This week you are being asked to establish some sort of balance between your desire to expand your horizons, vs. needing to pay attention to your more immediate needs closer to home or in your personal life. Both are important. And both are calling you right now. But if you try to do too much too fast, or take on more than you can chew, you could find yourself over-extended and/or overwhelmed. Pace yourself. You can’t be everywhere all at once. Or be all things to everyone. You are going to have to pick and choose your most important priorities, and figure out ways to juggle everything else. Just realize it all doesn’t need to be done all at once, and that moderation is key when we are in Libra season.
Leo
On September 22nd the Sun entered Libra where it will remain until October 22nd. This is the time of year when the days and nights are fairly even throughout the world, and we prepare for the next quarter of the year. As we enter Libra season we are asked to take an inventory of all that we have accomplished up until this point this year. And then sow gratitude for all that we have reaped. It can sometimes even be helpful to create some sort of gratitude list which we can then send back out into the universe. A good exercise to have during Libra season is to wake up with one more thing to be grateful for each day. Whether that be as simple as having a roof over your head (not everyone does!) or good friends, a happy heart or a beautiful day. Especially after a month of eclipses, it helps to keep everything in perspective, focusing on what we have, right here in front of us, instead of longing for what we don’t. Any and all positive energy sent out at this time will help to ameliorate any discordant energy, both in your personal life and the world at large, but especially within your own mind. This is also a time of year in which we become more aware of our closest alliances and partnerships. One way of doing this, is through a willingness to see things from another’s perspective, which includes the way others see us. Work on that gratitude list, write it out and put it somewhere safe. You will want to refer to it later on.
Virgo
Your ruling planet, Mercury, has been in the sign of Libra since September 18th, and where it will remain until October 6th. There is an understanding at this time that in order to make a new beginning, you are first going to have to release an old order and tie up some loose ends. This was recently confirmed by the Solar Eclipse on September 21st, and once again as Venus, now in your sign, makes a conjunction with the true South Node on October 4th. Having Venus simultaneously in Virgo while Mercury has been in Libra has been something of a blessing, reminding you that you are not alone, even in times of stress. Venus will remain in your sign until October 13th, sharing blessings and bringing healing as needed. Mercury in Libra is aiming to reestablish some balance in your life following the previous month of eclipses. That includes moderation in spending, eating and consuming, while also not denying yourself small pleasures. This can be difficult when you are being drawn in several directions at once. Security will be found in establishing some sort of equilibrium, pacing yourself, and focusing on what is in front of you right here, right now. This will prevent you from making any errors.
Libra
On September 19th, your ruling planet Venus, entered the sign of Virgo, where it will remain until October 13th. And where goes Venus, there will you also go. Virgo is a sign of humility, of service, and for Libra it is also a sign of retreat. Helen Mirren once said about the experience of growing old is to discover the exquisite art of being alone. She said: “My best company is myself, with a coffee, a good movie and the freedom to be, because solitude is not absence, it is fullness and peace of mind.” Know also that it is when you are alone, you close the doors, and go within, away from all the external distraction, that you do your best thinking, analyzing and sorting. It can be when Venus is in Virgo that you find it necessary to put some of your more personal desires and romantic ideals aside for the sake of more mundane concerns, or because the needs of others outweigh your own. But this does not mean to forsake your needs, and it will soon become apparent as to the practicality of taking care of your own needs in order to be able to be available when needed. Venus in Virgo can be inclined to lay her heart on the altar of service to others, but it works best when approaching things from a more practical and realistic perspective. And this week in particular you are being asked to not only focus on your own needs, but to do so in order to heal old wounds that had been put to the side, and now can no longer be ignored.
Scorpio
On Monday, the 22nd, your ruling planet Mars, returns home, where it will be strengthened and revitalized in the deep and passionate waters of the sign of Scorpio. At the same time that your ruling planet is revitalized, you are as well. Any and all plans that were being considered, honed and polished behind the scenes will now begin to invest you with the incentive to be more proactive. There will be little to stop you once you set the intention, and you are able to harness this concentrated will and energy. The first transit Mars made as it entered your sign however was a strong square to Pluto in the early degrees of Aquarius. This is the sort of transit that can bring us to our knees. It can feel hard, and apparently insurmountable, as we are compelled to face huge unwieldy forces over which we seemingly have no control. Something that just feels so much larger than ourselves. And yet if anyone can face these sorts of challenges, it’s Scorpio, who with a will of iron, and a fixed determination to power through, does not give up, even when it might be wise to do so. Mars/Pluto is a transit of survival, and although circumstances may appear to be daunting, what Mars/Pluto can also bring is the stalwart strength to see something through to the end, the resilience to plough right through, even in the face of ridiculous demands and expectations, and ultimately take greater control over your own life and destiny. Over the week the forces will begin to recede. But what is left is this: strength, and the determination to take the reins of your life.
Sagittarius
Having the asteroid Vesta in your sign since September 13th, and where it will remain until November 15th, can inspire you to dedicate yourself towards some sort of path, a cause, or perhaps some sort of intellectual or spiritual quest. Vesta is responsible for keeping the hearth fires burning, and takes her responsibility very seriously. In the sign of Sagittarius she kindles your own inner fire in dedication to gaining greater understanding about yourself and the world in which you live. Vesta is the asteroid of devotion. Therefore ask yourself who or what you wish to devote yourself over the next several weeks, and how you can make these a higher priority. On October 1st, the asteroid Juno also enters your sign. Juno and Vesta are both about commitments, but whereas Vesta is more about devotion to a cause, an ideal, or a vision; Juno has to do with solidifying our commitments to others. This may require you to balance your need for freedom with the inner need to establish committed relationships with others, and what adjustments that might require from you. With both of these asteroids in your sign this can be about new beginnings in these areas, or doubling down on those things and people that you wish to further commit yourself to over the weeks ahead.
Capricorn
If nothing else the Solar Eclipse last week was drawing even greater attention to the Saturn/Neptune conjunction which ultimately culminates on February 20th with an exact conjunction in the first degree of Aries. This represents a new beginning in our lives, and will certainly impact Capricorn, as Saturn is your ruling planet. In the mean time, Neptune’s proximity to Saturn can bring a certain element of unease. This is especially so with Saturn now retrograde and back in the sign of Pisces. This could feel like a lot of releasing is needing to take place, and/or needing to tie up a lot of loose ends from a past that is now fading from your life. Capricorn does not do well with separations. They prefer to hold certain people and things close to them. There is comfort in familiarity. But there are also times for new beginnings. And in order to make those new beginnings, some things may first fade from your life. This may be due to necessity. But they can also be because you are ready for something new. Something that holds promise, and will allow you to fulfill certain dreams and ideals. This is a process which could begin with something of a review and reflection on all that you have already learned, gained, and gathered to you. It is the essence of all that, that you will bring with you into the new beginning that awaits.
Aquarius
Following the eclipses of the previous month, it may seem as if there are certain adjustments in your perspective that are needing to be made. It could feel a little disorienting. And this would be especially so if you find yourself in a new environment, or are preparing to do so in the foreseeable future. This could be a new neighborhood, a new job environment, or something else. But the key here is more about this inner adjustment that can involve some sort of shift in the way that you perceive yourself and the world in which you live. Although retrograde, you do also have Pluto in the very early degrees of your sign which can and will involve some sort of transformation in your life moving forward. But with Neptune conjunction your ruling planet Saturn, what that might exactly be, could still be a little vague. This is partly because Saturn is retrograde and focused on what was, rather than what will be. But it is also about assimilating the past, distilling it, and taking from it all of the wisdom and experience that has been accumulated up until now, so that you can take that with you, into the future that awaits. It’s a process. And for now it still involves tying up some loose ends first.
Pisces
No matter what else is going on, it serves your greater advantage to have your ruling planet Jupiter in Cancer, the sign of its exaltation. This could put a greater emphasis on family, on community, and mutual support. But it also dares you to expand your dreams as well as your horizons. And this is especially so when we also have the North Node in Pisces. But even as these are focused on improving your life and expectations, Saturn’s retrograde back into Pisces can also bring up some old narratives from the past, and unfinished business that has been lingering on the back burner. This will require you to tie up some of these loose ends once and for all. This may feel rather fraught. But until you do so you will not be able to fully take advantage of the new beginning that is promised in the upcoming months. Also connected to all this is the need to gather to yourself all of the experiences, all of the lessons learned, and the wisdom gained, especially from the preceding 3 years. These likely have not always been easy. Having Saturn in your sign rarely is. But one thing it may have shown you is who you are, and what you wish to accomplish over the years ahead. It is all of this that you will be bringing with you.