The big news in October is Venus’ station to retrograde from Scorpio back into Libra (the Goddess of Love retrogrades on October 5th and turns direct on November 16th). Venus retrogrades about every eighteen months, and those with long memories (or an email trail) may find that this retrograde resonates with autumn of 2010, when she backpedaled over essentially the same degrees.
For all of us, it’s good to keep in mind that Venus retrogrades are times when we are often very focused on relationships, but the energy is more internal and romances that begin sometimes fizzle quickly. Yes, old lovers do come back, but sometimes so that we can wrap up any unfinished business (and realize why they are ‘old’ lovers). Creative projects incubate nicely with Venus retrograde, but it’s often a challenge to launch new endeavors and get them seen by an audience. Finally, Venus retrograde is also a poor time to getting anything appraised or assessed, to buy luxury items, or to begin a new financial investment.
There’s a great deal of intensity around relationships and everything else, from the 10th through the 12th, as Venus squares Mars and the Sun squares Pluto. There are many flavors to these aspects, but the central issue is likely to be, “who’s in control?”
Words get hot around the 19th, as Mercury squares Mars and then goes on to sextile Pluto on the 22nd. This is a good time to express yourself, if you have something that needs to be said. On the other hand, try to avoid being argumentative and prickly just for the fun of it (and yes, sometimes it is fun).
It may be harder to contain that energy as we approach a Sun/Uranus opposition on the 23rd. Viewed in a positive light, this aspect can help us to break free from constraints, although a struggle may be involved. The entire period from the 19th to the full moon on the 24th is likely to be one in which we work through the process of expressing ourselves and developing our independence – and it is a process, not a momentary change. This time strongly echoes the themes of July and August, and we’ll be considering the progress we have made, and have yet to make, in becoming more direct and independent.
The spooks run wild on Halloween, October 31st, as Venus again opposes Uranus. Look back to the time around September 12th to see if you aren’t watching a rerun in your creative or relationship life. At the last quarter moon and with Mercury now in Sagittarius, it feels like time to go out and play. Take in a Halloween party, as Venus opposite Uranus suggests a costume ball, and with Venus at the very first degree of Scorpio an appropriately goth vibe is likely to prevail.