by Art Gianfermo, who is actively engaged in AstroJournalism
A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. -Mahatma Gandhi
Upon first glance, it appears that October's issues and events are seemingly a continuum of the chaos generated in August and September. Like Gustav and Ike in September we now have hurricane Kyle plowing northward across the Atlantic heading toward Nova Scotia, and triggering Maine's first hurricane watch in 17 years. On the eve of the Libra New Moon set for September 29th. at 4;12 AM EDT, there is still no ratification regarding the encompassing financial bailout agreement now known as the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008," The US and world financial crisis seems to be getting worse and with a Mercury retrograde at 23 Libra (Sept. 24th) appears to be making a unilateral decision more difficult. Despite all outer appearances, October is dominated by active Cardinal and stubborn Fixed energies to offer all of us a much deeper look into relationships of every kind. This is a month that will try our patience and is fostered by Libra's tendency to weigh decisions in this time of high drama.
Looking back we see that the September 15th Full Moon was one of a series of catalysts announcing the failure and of large Wall Street and Main Streets Banks. The historic week of September 15th saw Lehman Brothers, AIG and Merrill Lynch all hit the skids as the Federal Reserve stepped in to prevent a "total financial collapse." Looking at the astrological signatures, we notice a potent Sun/Virgo Opposition Uranus/Pisces (Sept. 12th) shadowed the Harvest Moon (Sept. 15th). Coming soon after a critical mutable Sun/Virgo SQ Pluto/Sagittarius occurred on Sept. 20th which marked power plays, power-brokering and a turbulence. Pluto in risk taking Sagittarius seems to demand the end of the casino style of Wall Street. The results have been fast and furious with last week's failure of Washington Mutual, the largest banking failure in history. Two weeks ago on the Fall Equinox, (Sun's ingress into Libra on Sept. 22nd) the hasty, ill conceived, 700 Billion dollar bailout plan was before Congress. Treasury Secretary Paulson (Aries), Bush (Cancer) were reflecting the typical get it done yesterday attitude. US history is being made but one of the most prescient of all astrological collisions is coming, as Saturn is drawing closer to its first opposition to Uranus on November 4 and continuing till July 26, 2010 but in Cardinal signs. We have no doubt that financial stress will be continual. Yet in October we move into the domain of Libra which signifies judgment, justice, balance and making the right decision and optimum relationships.
Mercury's retrograde movement thru October, in justice and balance oriented Libra, colors all our collective and personal reactions for the entire month. The Paulson, Bernake and Bush demand for a hasty decision during a Mercury retrograde could spell disaster for the US and even the world. Mercury retrograde traditionally indicates that contracts and legislation even if ratified, won't work out well, or could require radical modification afterwards. Now with Mercury retrograde till Oct. 15th, this is the time to stop, think and consider making a totally weighed decision. Currently there is a rebellion growing among Main Street's middle and working class to this elite, banker bailout. This is by far the worst time to ram legislation down the throats of citizens especially where mortgage help for bankrupt homeowners has been dropped from the legislation and Pluto's ingress into Capricorn after the elections is on a path to an ominous financial tsunami by 2010 when Uranus makes its first ingress into Aries.
As we look toward October, consider that Mercury stationed retrograde at 23 Libra with a Sabian Symbol from page 203 from The Zodiac by Degrees: A gnome like man in a dinner suit entertains his guests with a talking rooster, which perches on his shoulder. This degree of Libra stationing retrograde near Mars pushes buttons all month and is about playing to the crowd and unabashed self-promotion. Mercury then stations direct right after the full moon on Oct 15th at 7 Libra, the same degree as Monday's New Moon. This means that not until October 31, when Mercury passes the degree it went retrograde, will we be able to deeply process the events that occurred in September. After all, Mercury ruler of those the Virgo planets entered the sign of the scales on August 28th. This dominated most of August until the 20th when Mars entered Venus ruled Libra and is putting us in touch with how we handle our relationships with those loved ones and enemies.
The Libra New Moon on September 29th set for Washington, DC at 4:12 AM has Uranus angular in the 7th opposing Saturn (delays-obstruction) in the first. This chart marks a time of much confusion with Mercury in close quincunx Uranus in Pisces pushing for unexpected events and also echoing the esoteric ruler of Libra Uranus adding to spiritual revelations. The Sun, New Moon, Mercury, and Mars all in Libra are more comfortable with negotiations and compromise. A pervading sense of justice is making it difficult for us to separate the close and personal from the collective. Mercury trines Neptune three times: first on September 19, and then because Mercury retrogrades and then goes forward, on September 28 just before this New Moon, and then again October 29. For the collective this can be distracting, yet on another level it can mean transformation and the transmuting of our souls as we attempt to balance our dualistic and left/right brain hemispheres. Neptune's mutual reception to Uranus will play out in spades since Neptune is stationing this month and moves direct on November 2nd ahead of Uranus, which stations and moves ahead on November 27th.
Critical Release Point via First Qtr. October 7th
From the new moon (Sept. 29th) major energies have been building in primal forms as the October 1st Scorpio moon hosted a powerful Mars sextile Pluto in air and fire. Those who engineered the takeovers and power plays in August want their way no matter the cost! At this point 700 to 800 Billion is cheap to keep the Pluto-Sagittarius casino economy going until a
total North American Union and new currency burst on the scene next year. As the steam releases with those airy Mars in Libra transits morphing into an Intense, dignified Mars in Scorpio (October 3rd) - suddenly everything seems real precarious with lots of 90 degree angles forming into TSQ's by the critical first qtr.
October 6th brings exact Sun-Mercury squares to ideological and expansive Jupiter but in strutural Capricorn. By October 7th when the First Qtr. begins at 2:05 AM PDT or 5;05 AM EDT in Washington DC each major move can turn into a Major Event. I am getting vibes that
we are seeing a crumbling, dissolving and destruction of the capitalist system as practiced by Illuminati Bankers - this feels like when the Berlin wall came down On November 9th 1989 when the wall came down we had Uranus-Venus-Saturn-Neptune all in Capricorn and as we approach the exact oppositon of Saturn-Uranus in mutables on Nov. 4, 2008, a historic time approaches. Pluto enters Capricorn on November 26th and the timeline will be completed.
Back to October 7th with Sun-Mercury in Libra SQ Jupiter in Capricorn in Cardinal, swift energetic forms of release. Of course a mutable cross is charged with craziness (attached a chart set for DC when first qtr. starts at 5:05 AM) Saturn sits on the ASC Opposing Uranus on the 7th while Juno-Pluto in Sagittarius in the death throes of the casino economy sits in the 4th along with Jupiter-Moon intercepted in Capricorn. The Sagittarius duo (Juno-Pluto) are opposing Pallas in Gemini reflecting the whole webot use of predictive linguistics conjunct Hygeia representing disease?
Actually what hit me was the Mars-Venus Scorpio push in the 2nd holding the TSQ( in the house of Money$ and Vaules )
to S Node-Ceres Opposing Chiron and N Node. An Economic Worldwide Crash, Revolution to set things right from bottom of the pyramid? Or could this mean a mass epidemic plus major earth changes?
All this building toward the Full Moon on Oct. 14th and sometime of incredible dénouement will occur!
Webot Predictions of Calamitous Events create a stir...
Fixed Stars for New and Full Moons
Let us examine the fixed stars for the New Moon on September 29th. a contrast of evolving roles comes to the forefront. A brilliant white star in the Northern Crown, Corona Borealis, Alphecca is prominent on the New Moon set for Washington, DC. Alphecca is noted for conveying honor, dignity and artistic ability. But like all Venusian stars it can also have its undesirable effects. Libra Sun is ruled by Venus perhaps not as sensual as Taurus but strongly passionate about having a soul mate. Alkes is the Heliacal Rising star and according to Robson offers good mental abilities, but subject to apprehension and indecision (sounds like Libra). Vivian Robson goes on to say that under the influence of this star "there is a disordered life full of sudden and unexpected events, and great danger of unhappiness." Bernadette Brady in her classic book Fixed Stars on page 122 has another opinion regarding Alkes: "It is linked to spiritual, prophetic and mystical natures to people who carry something symbolically precious for others."
The Aries Full Moon Set for Oct. 14th at 4:02 PM in Washington, DC also has Alkes rising and Alcyone rising with Venus which speaks volumes about a time of spiritual theatre or the rituals of religion, music and even a more poetic approach to finding our heart's desire among this mess. Alhena, the "Proudly Marching One" is featured during the full moon rising with Jupiter and culminating with Mercury. Alhena from the constellation Gemini with Jupiter per Robson relates to social advancement and success, philosophical mind, love of ostentation. Alhena paired with Mercury is definitely about having one's voice heard. Bernadette Brady connects Alhena to the Mark of Cain (page 251 of Fixed Stars) "Cain was the one who defied the system and was thus allowed to live." John McCain, who calls himself a maverick, comes to mind during the Aries Full Moon and perhaps this is when the "October Surprise" will be brought out to sway many indecisive voters.
Convictions Tested
From the Aries Full Moon on we all will have our deepest convictions tested with Mars now in dignified Scorpio opposing Vesta (focus-commitment) and parallel Neptune. October is a confusing month and Neptune sits on the ascendant of the Full Moon chart with Chiron (the real maverick and spiritual mentor) opposing S Node in Leo and all those past deeds and glories of kings and wars. Chiron stations direct on October 25th and will take on another role as the cosmic jester in a grand trine to Pallas in Gemini and Mercury in Libra. Like the myth of the judgment of Paris, we will all have to decide with our heart who and want we want to be integral in our life. Paris chose Aphrodite or love over Athena's military prowess or Hera's control of all of Asia. Like Paris we may try to be the fair Libran and cut the apple in equal pieces but with Mars and Venus in Scorpio (till Oct. 19th) our deepest passions and convictions will win out. Turn off the television and all the political hoopla and embrace the ones you love.
