Starcodes for the week of October 13-19, 2023
We are in the middle of tumultuous aspects and luck is not necessarily on our side this Friday the 13th. Like sailing ahead of a storm, we can use these blustering winds for good and power ourselves forward, if we engage the compassion inherent in Friday – Venus’ day, and 13, the Moons cycles a year, and manage to avoid the shoals of conflict. Though it may not be easy.
This weekend’s solar eclipse under determined Mars in Scorpio could shake things up and reveal hidden problems or exacerbate the shadow obsessions running underneath the world’s condition. Most of us will just feel a little twitchy, maybe worried about the world’s problems or ready to focus on our own work, but we could find ourselves fixated on the raw global headlines or a more personal battle and have trouble looking ahead.
Every astrological aspect can express itself in a range, from its worst challenge, through its practical expression, to a potentially great gift. Usually, we can find a way to use the gift expression to redirect the challenging energy and this is the whole point of an astrological forecast, offering you the tools to work with the stars. But sometimes the challenges can overwhelm and trigger a landslide or an event that we get caught up within.
No amount of astrological counselling would’ve helped the Mideast last week and this, though with these aspects our advice would have been to triple down on security and make no aggressive moves that will set off a lasting conflagration. Every astrologer spoke about the Mars square Pluto, one of the most explosive and willful combinations, but one which happens once a year and can act as trigger for the deeper, longer time-frame transits.
This square occurred just as Pluto turned direct, right before a solar eclipse (eclipses resonate for months) with Mars conjunct the south lunar node, and Eris, the asteroid of discord, was within a degree of the north node (exact over the next few weeks) and just before Mars entered Scorpio, where it stings and has a long memory. When a planet turns direct, we often see what’s been brooding while that planet was retrograde. Retrograde planets give us a chance to review the past; some review to heal and course-correct, others to perseverate on wrongs and plan retribution. Mars and Pluto often reveal difficult plots when they turn direct after a long retrograde.
Mars, the motivator just entered his own intense sign of Scorpio for the next 5 weeks, and Mars in Scorpio gets to the point. But what point is up to us, Scorpio can bring in the highest and the lowest of the zodiac, it can penetrate to the heart of the matter or obsess on backlash and revenge. Let’s choose our focus carefully. Consider not starting a fight this month because chances are it will not end quickly or easily but know when to stand firm if another gets aggressive.
These aspects triggered terrorism abroad and nearby. Some people have experienced shocking changes in their personal life, a job ending, a threat, or some event that shocked them out of passivity and catapulted them into high gear. But each of us needs to choose carefully where we’re going. With Mars in Scorpio, it’s essential that we catch ourselves in reaction and continue back to our goals; get more realistic about those goals, if need be, but stay on target, proactive.
As the weekend begins, Mars trines serious Saturn and can stabilize sanity or give competence to our efforts. But we determine what those efforts are. Mercury and the Sunrun conjunct this week, perfecting that conjunction next Thursday, and nearly square Pluto. Mercury and the Sun so close together can burn up our objectivity, it can bring us focus on a good day, but the challenge will be to think anything through without an emotional response. We lose objectivity. We have an emotional response, our mind can fixate on our problems, and the world’s problems, as they proliferate. But Pluto calls for death and rebirth, and, in most, but maybe not all, cases we can look through the death, the release-ending, to what could be reborn, what can rise, where could new life grow. In extreme cases, for those that have recently dealt with tragedy directly, whether personally or globally, this may be an important time to look right at the tragedy and grieve before turning around.
Over the weekend a new Moon forms a solar eclipse at 21° of social-justice-loving Libra, it’s from eclipse Saros cycle 7, an eclipse cycle known to either clear obstacles from the path- or combust a problem. Eclipses function like astrological acupuncture and focus the Sun, Moon, and earth in one place- an eclipse can free stuck energy, for better or worse. On Sunday the Moon enters Scorpio and conjuncts Mars, adding intensity to any recent efforts- bringing to light new information which can make problems worse and solutions more powerful. We choose our focus. Fresh honesty and information flow in with the Sagittarius Moon on Tuesday and can illuminate the path ahead. Let’s keep our hearts open, state situationally aware, and focus with care.
Image by Evgeni Tcherkasski from Pixabay
Friday, October 13: We may not have luck, but we will have competence as Mars trine Saturn this morning. That Mars in Scorpio can help us focus both on our deepest goals- and what we need to release to get to that point-but can trip us up with fixation on past events. Bring forward talents and solutions from the past, but do not get stuck there. The waning Libra Moon can make us long for healing peace and safety and, if we reach for it, give us the tact we need to solve reasonable problems. Dinner time can bring some beautiful revealing conversation.
Mars trine Saturn 6:28 AM.
Saturday, October 14: Look for a chance to release what no longer fits, let go of one chapter and engage another under the eclipse this morning at 11:55 AM MDT and while Mercury opposes Chiron this afternoon. Could bring a potential healing crisis or reveal the work we need to deal with next. Be willing to straighten out misunderstandings, make amends, or just hear each other afresh to start the new chapter, new relationships, a new urge for peace and connection on this New Moon in Libra.
Moon conjunct Mercury 2:57 AM, new Moon eclipse 11:55 AM, Mercury opposed Chiron 4:31 PM.
Sunday, October 15: Tails twitch; watch where thoughts and words go as the Moon enters Scorpio and conjunct Mars. Irritated nerves can trigger difficult moments through midafternoon. It’s a good day to clean out the basement, dig deep, pull up potatoes, get to the root of the matter. I could be a difficult day in places of conflict, but we can work with intelligent compassion. It furthers to have a positive project to focus our concentration.
Moon square Pluto 1:01 AM, Moon enters Scorpio 5:04 AM, Moon trine Saturn 6:41 AM, Moon conjunct Mars 9:35 AM, Sun quincunx Uranus 1:43 PM, Moon sextile son 4:50 PM.
Monday, October 16: Our inner and outer worlds could run on skew lines this morning. If people seem distracted, they’re probably not ignoring us but our inside dealing with some inner process. It will be easier to connect with the outer world and get things done if we listen to our inner world first.
Moon opposed Jupiter 5:30 AM, Moon opposed Uranus 11:01 PM.
Tuesday, October 17: Morning could bring anxiety as Mercury quincunx Uranus; consider thoughtful adjustments and prayer- rather than worry. Some news or new perception could push us to change our minds. But the afternoon can bring a more empowered approach, bring movement, hope, and action as the Moon enters mobile Sagittarius and square Saturn.
Moon trine Neptune 5:20 AM, Mercury quincunx Uranus 8:48 AM, Moon sextile Pluto 9:43 AM, Moon enters Sagittarius 1:36 PM, Moon square Saturn 3:01 PM.
Wednesday, October 18: Make no decision that doesn’t absolutely need to be made over the next few days as Mercury semi-squares Saturn and the Sun quincunx Neptune. It’s easy to worry and to think we have more limits than are real, easier to focus on the limits than the possibilities. Take a break, stretch, and mull over life’s requests, but notice the quality of the thinking; look for solutions.
Mercury semi-square Sun3:10 AM, Moon square Venus 5:15 AM, Sun quincunx Neptune 9:39 PM.
Thursday, October 19: We need a touch of magic this morning, need extra room for prayer, imagination, daydreams, or extra sleep as Mercury quincunx Neptune and conjuncts the Sun. Consider alternatives midday, then as the Moon enters determined Capricorn later on, begin to implement. Our plans can become less reactive and more proactive.
Mercury quincunx Neptune 8:11 AM, Moon square Neptune 11:52 AM, Moon sextile Mercury 12:24 PM, Moon sextile Sun 1:02 PM, Moon enters Capricorn 7:54 PM, Moon sextile Saturn 9:10 PM, Sun conjunct Mercury 11:37 PM.
Provided by Heather Roan Robbins www.roanrobbins.com
