Forecast by Armand Diaz
September typically represents a time for getting back to school and back to the routines of life after the summer. The Sun is in diligent Virgo, the days are getting noticeably shorter, and there’s a chill in the air that makes work easier to bear than in the steamy days of August. Yet this year, we’re likely to feel that September (and October) is more a trip through a carnival than a predictable return to routine.
Mercury is the star of the show. He retrogrades in Libra/Virgo from September 9th through October 2nd, but it’s the aspects that he makes before, during, and after his retrograde that are likely to get our attention. Decisions and plans of every sort are subject to revision as new information requires almost constant adjustment.
In a very real sense, September’s Mercurial meanderings set the table for October’s more intense planetary energies. We’re trying to figure things out in September, but we’re compelled to act – ready or not – as we move deeper into the autumn.
Just a quick reminder: astrological aspects grow in intensity in the day(s) before they are exact, and they fade over varying periods of time. The dates given in this column represent the peak of intensity of each aspect, but not the only day that they’ll be in effect. That’s especially important in active times like these, when the aspects overlap and blend with each other.
September
The month starts off with two aspects to jovial Jupiter on the 1st and 2nd: a helpful sextile from Mars in Gemini and an opposition from Mercury in Libra. It’s a nice combination of communication and action, or so it would seem. With both Mercury and Mars throwing on the reverse thrusters in the near future, what is established in early September could require revision and reconsideration for months to come. By all means, listen to a good idea, but maintain a little skepticism.
Relationships take over our attention as the first week of the month ends. Venus leaves Leo for Virgo on the 5th, so get your Leonine partying done before then. A nice connection to truth-telling Pallas Athene just a day earlier could make it easier to say what’s on your mind and in your heart. The Sun opposes partnership asteroid Juno on the 7th, so we may have a little tension between what we say and how we feel.
That’s especially true with Mercury stationing to retrograde on the 9th, just hours before the Pisces Full Moon. We can see this as a time when much is said, but perhaps little is understood. The time between the 4th and the 10th should see some movement in partnerships, yet whatever is said or done should be viewed as provisional.
Romance and relationship continue to be the dominant themes through mid-month, as Venus and Mars square each other while aspecting Juno from the 14th through the 16th. What we have and what we want in our relationships could be at odds, and Mars’ involvement suggests sexual tension is likely to be a factor.
Clarity would be great, but not only is Mercury retrograde, the Sun is opposing Neptune on the 16th. This is an aspect that holds the potential for seeing too much or too little in situations and, especially, in people. Avoid the temptation to make gods and demons out of ordinary mortals as we move through mid-month.
We’re trying to say the truth, but with Mercury, Jupiter, and Pallas Athene all at odds with each other (and Mercury retrograde), even the best of intentions could lead to confusion. Relationship and business matters that were on the table at the beginning of the month could be revisited from the 16th through the 18th, but clarity may need to wait until Mercury goes direct and reconnects with the others in mid-October.
Autumn begins as the Sun crosses into Libra on the 22nd at 9:03 p.m. EDT (the only time there is in the East since the demise of Standard Time). Until March, Sol will be below the horizon for longer each day than he is above.
Venus steps in to highlight romance and finance as she trines Uranus on the 20th and opposes Neptune on the 24th. The third week of September could see new possibilities in relationships, eased along by a slightly unrealistic or idealistic vibe. As Venus and the Sun trine Pluto and meet with Mercury on the 26th, it could be time to take off the rose colored glasses and make a more realistic assessment of what’s going on. Still, the Sun is opposed to Jupiter on the same day, so we’ll probably tilt towards optimism and a faith in the future.
A helpful Mars/Saturn trine on the 28th makes it easier to act on our decisions, at least in the short term. Long term projects may have more trouble gaining traction because of Mars’ retrograde.
Remember – this is a general forecast… Email me for a personal consultation that’s specific to you!
