New Moon, New Era, New Opportunities.
The new moon is in Libra, the sign of balance. We are in the last—and most important—part of the harvest season. This time of year, we are called upon to reconcile all that has been, all that is, and all that we need in order to get through the coldest and darkest nights of the looming winter. This is always a time to address the deeper issues. But, this year, we are also navigating a global pandemic, major economic changes, and how to best participate in a national election that will determine the fate of our democracy. The stellium involving Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto has us awakening to our deepest wounds—as individuals, as families, and as a nation. This is a time of reckoning.
Are you ready?
If you’re not sure, I can help.
It starts with your dreams and visions
and then you chart a course from there.
Here are some helpful insights...
The Spirit of Libra
Welcome to end of the harvest season. The Sun and the new Moon are in Libra, the archetype that rules the process that weighs what we reap and compares it to the seed we sowed in the spring. Right now, there are more planets in feminine signs than in masculine signs. This demands that we integrate the tough and the tender, that we apply the most practical solutions with love, faith, intuition, and compassion. In addition, four planets, Chiron, and the North node are retrograde. These celestial influences will sometimes invite us forward, and other times compel us to slow down, review our intentions and actions, and choose more carefully. So the ability to listen to the moment and respond appropriately becomes crucial. We are just past the equinox and the Jewish high holidays, and we are bearing down on Samhain/Hallowmas/El Dia de Los Muertos—the most sacred days of the year to ancient cultures.
This is always a time of reflection and more conscious choices, leading to more and greater balance and fairness. But this year is a time of reckoning like no other. As always, there are some unique opportunities; and they are extraordinary. But they all require us to explore the darker regions of our shadows in order to break free of their chains.
First and foremost is Libra's relentless quest for justice and fairness, equality, and balance. Yes, on a good day, those drives can make it a little ubiquitous. On a bad day, they will get over-extended and obsequious. Sometimes quite a lot.
I know.
The world is a wild, weird place. Especially right now. But by God, anything that’s fair and just, any due process and due diligence that exists in the world today is in no small part because of a Libra. So focus on the positives of the sign and its archetype, and find more ways to be grateful.
Next is the forgiveness factor. Ruled by Venus—the goddess of love—Libra transits offer the capacity to mend fences and build bridges in your relationships. All of them: friends and lovers, partners and spouses, families and extended families, coworkers and neighbors, your Gods and spirit guides, your angels and ancestors. A key component of that is always forgiveness. The tricky part is that forgiveness is not an intellectual exercise. It is the by-product of jettisoning a lot of baggage, including anger, fear, sorrow, guilt, and shame. If you play your cards right, and I'm here to see that you do, you can not only purge a metric ton of it, but you can learn how to live without taking on more (remember, nature abhors a vacuum). So make that your intention.
Now, those things in and of themselves are wonderful. But the best part of Libra is—on a good day—its sense of beauty, art, and aestheticism. Libra is absolutely, positively committed to making the world a better place in the most beautiful, artful, aesthetically possible way. When there is this much Libra in the air, you are being reminded of your unique gifts and the ways you can use them to improve the lives and relationships of and with those you love. So spend a little time revisiting those; set your intentions, say your prayers and invocations, and double down.
Not a Libra? No worries. Everyone has Libra somewhere, and if you don't already know where yours is, now would be a good time to find out. And here's why. Where Libra lives in your natal chart is where you are hopelessly devoted to creating consensus, so that the groups of humans you care the most about can work together to make the world a better place.
The tricky part is, it is also where you are the most likely to be so overly invested in everyone feeling good about the process that you can forget key components of democracy, like the rule of law and the concept of "majority rules," if you are not really mindful. So let's be really mindful. Certain levels of mastery are crucial here. Be very clear with yourself and others what you can and cannot do, when, and why.
A word of caution. As always, the fall, and the quest for balance it represents, is officially marked by the Sun's entrance into Libra at the autumnal equinox. Here in the Northern hemisphere, the equinoxes mark the only two days of each year when the Sun is positioned directly over the equator. As such, the equinoxes are the only days of the year when the daylight and the darkness are equal in length. In fact, the word equinox comes from the Latin words for equal night. And what a metaphor that balance—or the quest for it—becomes.
While we always have a variety of struggles for stability going on at any given moment, this time of year frequently provides a lesson in why balancing the needs of the family and tribe is so hard. Everyone’s needs and skills are so very different. Regardless of what quest for balance your personal harvest season has brought you, the way out is always the same: gratitude, service and philanthropy, living mitzvahs and random acts of kindness, and your faith. So don’t fight this. Listen up, lean in, and rise to the occasion. Or at least find some way to start listing in that general direction. And if you get stuck, call me. We'll figure it out.
Calendar
Below are some of the dates where your opportunities for wizardry, magic, and alchemy will be the greatest.
October 9–Sukkoth ends
October 12–Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, Canadian Thanksgiving Day
October 13–Mercury retrogrades in Scorpio
October 16–New Moon in Libra
October 22–Sun moves into Scorpio
October 27–Mercury moves into Libra, Venus moves into Libra
October 31–November 1–Full Moon in Taurus, also known as the Blood, Travel, and Hunter’s Moon; Halloween, Hallowmas, Samhain, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, El Dia de los Muertos; Daylight Savings Time ends
November 3–Mercury goes direct in Libra, Election Day
November 10–Mercury moves into Scorpio
November 11–Veterans Day
November 13–Mars goes direct in Aries
November 14–Lunar Samhain
November 15–New Moon in Sagittarius
November 21–Venus moves into Scorpio; Sun enter Sagittarius
November 26–Thanksgiving Day
November 28–Neptune goes direct in Pisces
Everybody’s natal (birth) chart is different. These differences reflect our individual souls: their journeys and evolution, their triumphs and their tragic flaws. As such, the specific impact of each of the following dates will hit each person differently. But there are some general themes.
Holy days, holidays, and astrological transits are opportunities for us to experience grace. But remember how grace happens: sometimes it comes through discomfort. The gifts aren’t always immediately apparent. All of the days on this list ask you to be more compassionate with yourself and others, to try and be more awake, and to be more open to synchronicity and messages from Spirit. On days when more than one astrological event, holiday or holy day occurs, know that the power of that day will be even more profound. The more events in a day, the more powerful that day is, and the more intentional you should be.
Again, in general, full moons are a good time for ending things, wrapping things up, conclusions, and closure. New moons are opportune times for new beginnings: starting a new chapter of some aspect of your life, tackling a new project, or launching something new. Retrogrades are always about slowing down and paying more attention to aspects of your creative, spiritual, and social lives. The eclipses always reveal: sometimes it is something others have hidden from you, sometimes it is things you have hidden from yourself, usually it is a little bit of both. To go deeper, look to the planetary signs and the houses they fall in, and, of course, to your natal chart. Or give me a call. I can help you with that.
Retreats, Rituals, Services, Ceremonies, and Journeys
Choosing the best day or days is a very personal thing. You have to feel your way into it. But there are some generic rules that can help you in your decision-making process. Full moons and new moons are considered the best, as are holidays and holy days. Full moons and new moons that occur during holidays and holy days are extraordinarily powerful.
Factor in a retrograde or two, and you pretty much can’t avoid leveling up and becoming a much more masterful magician. Especially around anything that has to do with your faith, your trust in it, your ability to serve your faith, and serve with it. Seriously.
With that in mind, the upcoming best days for deep, transformational experiences are: October 16, 22, 27, 31, November 1-3, 10, 13, 14.
The Mystery School Guidebooks
For as long as humans have traveled the earth, we have turned to the cycles and movements of the natural world and celestial bodies to guide us. Over time and across cultures, the art and science of navigation has provided powerful tools to ensure safe passage through the mysterious currents of life's more difficult moments. Now, by combining ancient practices with modern modalities, you can chart smooth and successful routes through the most important journeys of all: the integration of your internal landscapes, your relationships, your spiritual and professional paths.