Saturn ended its retrograde yesterday (September 29th) in Capricorn. Saturn has been retrograde since May 11th, and it started in Aquarius before going back to Capricorn on July 1st. This is the home stretch for Saturn in Capricorn, and it exits this sign in mid-December. Saturn in Astrology
Saturn is the teacher, the disciplinarian, the one who brings us important lessons in life, and punishes us when we don't want to learn them. Saturn is restrictive energy at its core, and places limitations on us so we're forced to learn. Saturn brings responsibilities to us to make us learn, grow, and become more hard-working, focused, mature, and ethical. When we behave this way, that makes Saturn very happy, and we can make great progress and achieve long-term success with Saturn.
Stationing Saturn
A planet turns direct when it ends its retrograde. A planet is retrograde when it appears to be moving backward, and when it starts moving forward again, it's direct. Around when a planet turns retrograde or direct, it's hovering in the same spot, called stationing. This stationary period started September 26th and lasts until October 1st.
This sends a steady stream of Saturn energy, and energy may be stagnant and stuck with Saturn while we're trying to get moving forward again. If it makes an aspect for you, that sends a steady stream of continuous energy to whatever is being touched in your natal chart, and that may actually last another month. Saturn direct occurs at 25 degrees 20 minutes Capricorn. Saturn Direct Square Mars Retrograde
The end of Saturn retrograde this year is square Mars retrograde. A square is a hard aspect of challenging energy that puts the two planets 90 degrees, or 3 full signs, apart. Squares are focused on internalized friction, and can stir up internal angst and pain.
Mars retrograde makes taking action a challenge since Mars is the planet of initiative and drive, and we can push and push but feel like we're not getting anywhere much of the time. Saturn meanwhile, likes to stifle us, restrict us, and put limitations on us. This may feel especially strong around Saturn direct. This means Mars retrograde square Saturn direct can make us beat against a wall right now, but it's a steel wall that we can't break down with our fists, so we're just bloodied and bruised and hurting and angry, but not getting anywhere. So, try to refrain from doing that! Instead of beating against the wall and giving in to frustration, allow yourself to take a beat. Pause and think about what ways you can productively approach whatever it is you want to do. Let yourself think outside of the box with Mars retrograde, because retrogrades often would like us to do things in a different way. If the wall in front of you is obvious, then think of something that's not so obvious. Find a different way in, a different way to get through. If you get overly frustrated by it, then take a break and come back later with fresh eyes. The aspect occurs with both planets at 25 degrees, Aries for Mars and Capricorn for Saturn. If you have any planets or points between 22 and 28 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn, this energy is strongest for you, and you're likely to get the brunt of the frustration, agitation, and feelings of restriction. Again, pause and think of a different way. Suggested Reading: Transit Saturn page for interpretations of transit Saturn in the houses and aspects 
Pluto is a powerhouse planet, and rules power and control. It's a planet of strength, and with Pluto, we can develop strength and come back from defeat. Pluto in Astrology
Pluto is the natural ruler of Scorpio, an intense water sign, and the 8th house, which governs what we hold deep inside and is kind of a dark house. That fits well since Pluto can be kind of a dark planet sometimes!
Pluto rules transformations, at its core. Pluto wants us to transform so we can find more personal power and take more control in our lives. The sign and house location of your natal Pluto can show where you may undergo a massive transformation in your life, or many smaller transformations throughout your life, in order to find that power and control. Thanks to this, Pluto helps to strengthen us, and shows us that we can come back from defeat. Pluto is the phoenix rising from the ashes - the ultimate symbol of coming back from defeat! So with Pluto, you may go down, but you won't stay there. Pluto wants you to get back up stronger, wiser, and more formidable. This can come through for you in the areas of life ruled by the house your natal Pluto is located (and rules). These are areas where you may go down at times, but you can find a way to rise again and come back fierce. Don't be afraid of the power you can have with these areas. It's power you're meant to have, and power Pluto believes you can handle. Transit (moving) Pluto can also bring this out. When transit Pluto is making a hard aspect (conjunct, square, or opposition) to one of your natal planets or angles (especially the personal planets - Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars), this can be a trying time where you're being challenged in an epic way by Pluto. It's a legendary battle between the two of you, and Pluto will get its way, one way or the other. If you resist, it will be the hard way! But once Pluto tears you down, it wants you to get back up, to build yourself back up, to rise from the ashes. If you stay down, that'll annoy Pluto, and then you'll be in for some more problems. Build yourself up and rise again, and Pluto will give you some serious respect. That's when you can find incredible power within you, and become a force to be reckoned with. Pluto will give you strength you never knew you were capable of having. It's scary, for sure! But that's Pluto for ya (Pluto does rule fear too). Sometimes you have to endure the worst of it before you can emerge from the other side as a much stronger version of yourself. That can be a gift from Pluto. Even if it doesn't feel like one at the time! Suggested Reading: Pluto is Power, Passion, Dark, & Deep October 2020 New & Full Moons: Full Moon in Aries, New Moon in Libra, & Full Moon in Taurus9/16/2020
On to October! This month comes with 2 full moons, so it's a blue moon kind of month. And that's with Mars and Mercury retrograde, so it's a big month for energy! What is a new moon?
A new moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact same position in the Zodiac (called a conjunction). New moons are related to beginnings, have high energy, and are enthusiastic.
What is a full moon?
A full moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). Full moons are related to endings, culminations, and are emotional energy.
Full Moon in Aries: October 1st 2020 (5:06PM ET/2:06PM PT)
The full moon in Aries is generally a time when we have extra energy and are driven to take action by what we feel. We may see the end of the beginning with something, or the beginning of the end with something, since Aries is the start and full moons are endings. We may need healthy outlets for energy so we're not giving in to impulse and becoming reckless with our actions.
We may focus more on what we want for ourselves, which can be a good thing if we've neglected ourselves, or a bad thing is we become too selfish. We need to make sure we're considering all parties involved, and not just ourselves, otherwise we can create bigger problems we don't need. This full moon does come with Mars retrograde (appearing to move backward) in Aries, though it's not conjunct (aligned with) Mars. But, this can increase the energy even more, and we can be quick to fight, to act of frustrations, and can be extra impatient. We need to better control our energy and be [roductive with it, but that's sure to be a challenge! This full moon does conjunct Chiron though, the "wounded healer" who governs our wounds, our pain, but also our healing ability. The wounds we have and pain we feel, we may identify with them so strong with this full moon. This can be a good thing if we use it as fuel to help us make positive change and grow in healthy ways. But it can be a bad thing if we use it as an excuse to give in to rage and violence. Be mindful! Also, Chiron tends to be linked to physical illness, so we may be more focused on that (a blowup of COVID? or maybe some other illness - who knows with the way this year has gone!). The full moon occurs at 9 degrees 8 minutes Aries. Aspects to the full moon are: Conjunction: 7 degrees 8 minutes - 11 degrees 8 minutes Aries Sextile: 7 degrees 8 minutes - 11 degrees 8 minutes Gemini or Aquarius Square: 7 degrees 8 minutes - 11 degrees 8 minutes Cancer or Capricorn Trine: 7 degrees 8 minutes - 11 degrees 8 minutes Leo or Sagittarius Opposition: 7 degrees 8 minutes - 11 degrees 8 minutes Libra New Moon in Libra: October 16th 2020 (3:31PM ET/12:31PM PT)
New moons in Libra usually want us to come together, to work together, to find some middle ground, and to move forward together. We can focus on our relationships and partnerships, the way we connect and relate to one another. We may do more with a partner than we can alone, and we may want to be more diplomatic and charming.
Balance can be helpful for us with this new moon, and we can have an easier time navigating some of the energy we're dealing with when we feel balanced. So try to focus on the areas of life that you've neglected lately, and give them more of your attention; or focus on the relationships you've neglected lately, and tend to them. The new moon is square (hard aspect, 3 signs away) transit (moving) Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, and widely opposing Mars retrograde in Aries. Ouch! So the peace-and-harmony feeling of Libra may be sorely lacking with this new moon. We can feel restricted, limited, and overwhelmed thanks to Saturn, struggle over power and control thanks to Pluto, and have some out-of-control anger thanks to Mars retrograde. The new moon is triggering the cardinal t-square that's cooking, occupying the Libra leg. We need more Cancer, which is missing: emotional connection, nurturing and support, and to get to the roots of matters. The new moon occurs at 23 degrees 53 minutes Libra. Aspects to the new moon are: Conjunction: 21 degrees 53 minutes - 25 degrees 53 minutes Libra Sextile: 21 degrees 53 minutes - 25 degrees 53 minutes Leo or Sagittarius Square: 21 degrees 53 minutes - 25 degrees 53 minutes Cancer or Capricorn Trine: 21 degrees 53 minutes - 25 degrees 53 minutes Gemini or Aquarius Opposition: 21 degrees 53 minutes - 25 degrees 53 minutes Aries Full Moon in Taurus: October 31st 2020 (10:50AM ET/7:50AM PT)
Our second full moon for October! And on Halloween, oh boy. The Taurus full moon wants us to slow things down, take a beat, and press pause on everything. That might be a good idea with the wonky energy that most of October brings, so long as we don't get stuck and become stubborn about it. Being more present can help us to get grounded and see what we're missing, so this can be helpful. Take advantage of that.
We may be more sensitive to what others have to say and think about us, and we need to have better opinions of ourselves so we're not listening to others as much. We can identify more strongly with our values, and can work to live according to them. We just need to make sure we're finding value in ourselves too. And Taurus full moons usually do = indulgence, fyi! The full moon is conjunct (aligned with) transit Uranus in Taurus. This brings extra focus on the future, on change, and on our hopes and dreams, and might make this full moon less stable (since Uranus is unstable). We can make progress with future dreams and come together for a common cause, but we have to do so in a way that is practical and where we're okay with slow and steady progress (Taurus). Less impulse and impatience, more grounding and calm . . . The full moon occurs at 8 degrees 38 minutes Taurus. Aspects to the full moon are: Conjunction: 6 degrees 38 minutes - 10 degrees 38 minutes Taurus Sextile: 6 degrees 38 minutes - 10 degrees 38 minutes Cancer or Pisces Square: 6 degrees 38 minutes - 10 degrees 38 minutes Leo or Aquarius Trine: 6 degrees 38 minutes - 10 degrees 38 minutes Virgo or Capricorn Opposition: 6 degrees 38 minutes - 10 degrees 38 minutes Scorpio Suggested Reading: The New & Full Moons page for interpretations for the new and full moons in the houses and aspects 
Here comes Mercury madness! The last round of Mercury retrograde kicks off in a month, and this comes as we're in the middle of Mars retrograde. Start getting ready for the double trouble! The basics - what is Mercury retrograde?
A retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backwards from our vantage point here on Earth. It isn't actually moving backwards, it just appears that way. Mercury turns retrograde most often, about 3-4 times per year, and lasts for several weeks. When a planet retrogrades, what that planet rules tends to be thrown off, along with what the sign it's retrograding in rules.
With Mercury retrograde, we experience a shadow and a storm. The shadow period starts when Mercury first hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn direct at, and ends when it last hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn retrograde at. Most people don't feel the effects of Mercury retrograde until it enters the storm period though. The storm period of Mercury retrograde is when Mercury is moving at its slowest, less than 40 minutes per day. Mercury is a fast-moving planet and hates it when it's moving slowly. There's usually two storm periods, one around the time Mercury turns retrograde, and one around when it turns direct. Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio & Libra 2020 Key Dates:
Mercury Retrograde Effects:
The final round of Mercury retrograde comes for 2020, and it starts off in water sign Scorpio. This is an intense sign, ruling extremes, what we hold deep within ourselves, our demons, and the darkness in our lives. Not an easy sign! So when Mercury retrogrades in this sign, we can be forced to face some of the darker aspects of ourselves and lives, face the demons we run from, and bring something out from way down deep that we had wanted to keep buried. We may go to emotional extremes, and moodiness is prevalent. We have to work much harder to get some control over ourselves, otherwise we can be out of control easily.
Power and control are governed by Scorpio, and we may push against anyone we feel is trying to control us, and try to find our own personal power. This can be a good thing, unless we use that to control others. Becoming the dominating, controlling monster doesn't really help! Find your own power so you can control yourself and your own life, and transform for the better. Scorpio rules transformations, and this can be an excellent use of the energy. Be smart about the transformations you want to make, and avoid being impulsive about it. The smarter you are, the better off you'll be. Passion and intimacy are also governed by Scorpio, along with sex, so we can be extra pasisonate and sexual, but may have a hard time expressing that in a healthy way. Always needs to be healthy, otherwise it ends up being a problem! Scorpio also rules shared resources, "other people's money", so we may be focused on that as well. Mercury retrograde in Scorpio is traditionally NOT a good time for the stock market at all (stocks and investments are ruled by Scorpio), so I'd guess the economy gets another kick downward. Mercury retrograde goes backward into air sign Libra on October 27th (9:33PM ET/6:33PM PT), and ends the retrograde in Libra on November 3rd, so it's only in Libra for less than a week. Libra rules the other people in our lives, and we may struggle to come together, negotiate, mediate, and play fair. We may feel like something is unfair, unjust, and fight against it. Relationships and partnerships can become strained, and we may want some time apart. That might be alright if we spend the time to understand and heal, but not if we refuse to do that. Libra rules balance, so we're likely to feel completely out of balance in different ways while Mercury is in Libra. We may have a hard time striking a balance in any way, finding the harmony we need, and this can make us much more indecisive and vacillate from one position to the next. Push hard for some balance! And for those of us in the U.S., take note that the retrograde ends on election day. The last time Mercury retrograde ended on election day in Libra? The dreadful 2000 election! That one ended at the anaretic degree though, and that's not the case this time. I have heard though that thanks to COVID-19, there will most likely be a lot of mail-in and absentee ballots cast this year so less people are voting in person, and that might delay the actual results so they can be counted, which means we might not know the winner that day, or the next, or for like a week or two. Makes sense with this energy. Mercury & Mars Retrogrades:
So Mars is retrograde for this entire Mercury retrograde in Aries, and Mars is the old ruler of Scorpio (which Mercury retrograde starts in) and Aries opposes Libra (which Mercury retrograde ends in). So these two are really intertwined and fueling one another! Extra communication issues, extra fights, extra impulsive energy, and extra difficulties getting on the same page. It's a lot of extra! So we have to work a lot harder to try and use their energies well, otherwise we're going to see a LOT of problems.
Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio & Libra 2020 Aspects:
During Mercury retrograde, it'll make 3 major aspects to the transit planets. They are:
Moons of Mercury Retrograde:
The Moon is in the same sign as Mercury retrograde once, while in Scorpio, October 17th (1:06AM ET) - 19th (12:43AM ET). This increases our attention on the retrograde energy, and we can feel extra angry, extra dark, and extra moody. We likely need to dig deeper into ourselves and the world to uncover something we're missing and need.
The Moon is in the signs Mercury naturally rules, Gemini, and Virgo, twice, once at the start in Virgo (October 13th 12:55AM ET - 15th 1:54AM ET) and once at the end in Gemini (November 2nd 5AM ET - 4th 4:45PM ET), so the retrograde starts and ends with the Moon being ruled by Mercury. This shows extra focus on being scattered, anxious, uneasy, and agitated as the retrograde starts and ends, and we have to both go into and come out of the retrograde being smart and flexible. Keep busy at the start, use your mind at the end. Final Notes:
Mercury will be at a critical degree twice, 8-9 degrees Scorpio October 18th - 21st and 26 degrees Libra October 31st - November 2nd. Critical degrees are special degrees of critical energy, and we may be extra moody in Scorpio and extra scattered and unbalanced in Libra. Grounding energy may be helpful.
The hottest energy may be when Mercury is anaretic in Libra. The anaretic degree is the last degree of any sign, 29 degrees, and is a point of crisis energy, especially in transit. And with retrogrades, it can be a big trigger for developments! This will occur October 27th - 28th, and at the same time, Venus will move into Libra and be at 0 degrees Libra, a special critical degree, on the same days. I'd venture to guess there's some sort of very big development around these dates, perhaps pertaining to something diplomatic, something involving multiple parties, some sort of justice issue (basically something Libra ruled). Watch that space carefully!' The retrograde begins at 11 degrees Scorpio, so those of you Scorpions born October 31st - November 5th can feel the start of the retrograde most. The retrograde ends at 25 degrees Libra, so those of you Libras born October 15th - 20th can feel the end of the retrograde most. For the rest of you, check the house(s) Mercury will be retrograding in your own natal chart, and any aspects Mercury will make during its retrograde to your natal planets, to fully understand how it will impact you personally. If you have Mercury retrograde in your natal or progressed chart, you may not feel the worst of this. Those individuals generally don't experience the difficulties of the retrograde because it feels more natural to them. Of course, chances are everyone else around them doesn't have the same aspect, so they can still experience difficulties brought on by others. If it's in your natal chart, check out this article about Mercury retrograde in the natal chart. Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus, and Mars Retrogrades page for interpretations of Mercury retrograde in the houses and aspects 
Mars retrograde is coming! Mars will retrograde September 9th - November 13th 2020, entirely in fire sign Aries. Mars is the planet of energy and drive. How does this impact your work and relationships? What is a retrograde?
A planet is called retrograde when it appears to be moving backward from our view here on Earth; it isn't actually moving backward, and just looks that way. The normal motion for the planets is forward, and when they're moving backward through the Zodiac, their natural energy can get thrown off.
Mars is the planet of energy and drive, so during Mars retrograde, we can struggle with using energy properly, with taking initiative and pursuing anything new, and with understanding what is motivating us to act or not to. This is tenfold in Aries, which is the sign Mars naturally rules. Mars Retrograde in Aries & Your Work
There may be extra frustrations when it comes to your work life while Mars is retrograde in Aries. You may be more impatient in dealing with your co-workers, your bosses, and anyone you have to work with or for or who works for you. Exercising better patience is important, and bite your tongue when you want to lash out.
It may be tempting to jump in or out of projects, but this may not be the wisest idea unless you can finish them quickly, otherwise you may end up with a lot of half-finished projects that never cross the finish line. If you love the work you do, you may do better during this retrograde, but if you don't, or worse, if you really hate it, then you may find you hate it sooooo much more. The frustration and impatience and annoyances can amplify by a million, and you may be tempted to just call it quits. But think that through carefully, because doing it during the retrograde might have you considering when it's over and crawling back! Retrogrades are good for do overs, so this may be a good period for doing work over again, or going back to work in some way again. You will likely want to keep yourself busy during this retrograde, and work can be a way of helping you do that. Mars Retrograde in Aries & Your Relationships
Retrogrades like to bring things back, so this may be a time when you see the return of exes or people you had crushes on back in the day. But, you may also see the return of people you don't like and old enemies - anyone can come back into your life!
In existing relationships, you may be impatient and frustrated with your loved ones more often, and this can lead to more fights. It's tempting to retreat into your corners and just lash out at one another, and it might even feel good to some degree to blow up on someone. But once that passes, you end up in a worse position than when you started, so try to look underneath the anger and frustration to see what's really causing you to feel this way. The retrograde may just be casting a spotlight on that, unearthing the issues you don't want to normally deal with, but should now. That can help you strengthen your relationships and partnerships. It's extremely important with this retrograde that we all work to be better at understanding and listening more instead of trying to assert our ways on others. Don't talk over one another or at one another. be active listeners and engage openly. Be okay with compromise when it's offered to you. Don't only entertain all-or-nothing, winner-take-all outcomes. It doesn't have to be that, and certainly shouldn't be with those you love! Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus, and Mars Retrograde page for interpretations of Mars retrograde in the houses and aspects |
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