September 2010

PLANET REPORT: Efficient Mercury, retrograde in its own domain, Virgo, as the month begins, and a New Moon also in Virgo on the 8th creates a neat little space in time to get organised as the seasonal change takes place and the last quarter of the year kicks in. Not long and another year will be over! Don the thinking caps, put pen to paper, get talking, meeting and researching, or haul out the cleaning, painting or mechanical gear. Once you get started on the too hard basket, it will be easy to plough through the jobs so that everything is back in place and ready to go. And not only is it a matter of thinking like a craftsman or a technician, it’s also a matter of having the right tools and equipment - no point trying to prune one’s life with blunt hedge clippers! Nervous Mercury likes neat lists and straight lines and because October’s cosmic map looks a lot more intense, a well-researched platform to work from will be a great starting point when things get complicated. On the 13th, Mercury will turn direct in aspect to powerful Pluto, which also changes direction on the 14th. The power of the thought will be magnified tenfold by mid-month – the world turns to black and white with the concentration of energy - and by focusing on the one or two projects that are urgent, we can imbue as much passion as we can into what we want to achieve physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. Without being too one-eyed, knowledge is power, and the more facts and figures we have to work with, or the strategies, schemes and statistics that we can project and plan with, the better prepared we can be to make a decision. The key though is that we work with facts and not just because we’ve got something set in concrete mentally. Do away with the “she’ll be right” mode of thinking too, expend energy on the details. If we’ve been finding it hard to focus due to the complex nature of projects and setups, thought processes that have been blocked or locked can now be released with a little bit of work; jemmy the door and look for another angle to shift perception. It’s important to keep plugging away until the subconscious mind starts yielding to other thoughts. The celestial mantra this month should be: thoughts are things – what you think, so you create. On the 9th, Jupiter returns to Pisces for one last look around before moving out into the world for next 12 years come January. Still very close to Uranus, we will be surprised at the flotsam and jetsam that float to the surface as the past melts into exactly that, the past. We are in a closing 12-year cycle and this means that issues need to be faced so that movement into the next phase can happen easily (the next instalment begins in January 2011). Venus begins a very long sojourn in Scorpio on the 9th and Mars also in Scorpio will spice up life from the 15th. Venus turning to a much rarer retrograde cycle on October 8th, and moving contrary to Mars in the same sign all month, our relationships will deeply affect our relationship toward the individual areas of our lives that this transit will influence. Remaining in Scorpio until January 8th, learning to control passion, desire and other darker feelings will be the key to successfully manoeuvring this tricky phase. The Spring Equinox marks the next quarter on the 23rd at 3:10pm, the same day that the fiery, somewhat loose cannon that is the Full Moon on the 23rd underlines the fact that we are on the precipice of a new journey into uncharted areas. At zero degrees of Aries, though the Fool needs to slow down and temper his actions with wisdom and good judgement, he needs to keep moving forward.

ARIES: With this month's Full Moon occurring at the very first degree of your
sign on the 23rd, this month promises to be a cracker! Loud, proud and
boisterous in the lead-up to the Full Moon, it's a month to be very aware of
your surroundings and to be extra conscious of the impulsive nature of your
sign. You like to confront life head on but will this achieve anything now
beyond getting a headache? Maybe it's better to take the serene path and avoid
the "it's complicated" trap! And with Mercury turning direct on the 13th in
Virgo and a New Moon also in Virgo on the 8th both in your health zone, your
wellbeing is definitely in the cosmic spotlight. The celestial doctor says take
care of health and hygiene, rest up and increase exercise and vitamin intake.
This same area rules your everyday routine at home and at work, so co-workers,
colleagues and the people you deal with daily will also be in a "let's clean up"
frame of mind. Ideas, remedies, systems and solutions will be as varied as the
people who suggest them but this makes for interesting challenges. The trick is to
have fun rather than becoming pedantic and critical. Ruled by the same area of
your chart, remember to attend to the comfort and needs of your pooch, parrot or
puss.

TAURUS: A son or daughter, or topics related to young people or child-related
issues, can be discussed with more certainty when Mercury, the planet of
communications turns around in this area on the 13th. Open and honest, your
approach will make all the difference to their receptiveness. On the other hand,
achievements in sports or creative ventures could be the talking point either
for a child or your own hobbies. October could prove a very tricky month with
your ruler Venus moving through opposite sign Scorpio from September 9th and
then retrograde from October 8th in the realm of your relationships and
agreements. This is a rare pattern for Venus and can bring up all sorts of
issues with friend and foe alike. The atmosphere can change from Romeo and
Juliet to Cathy and Heathcliff in a matter of moments. Use the sharp mental
acumen of Mercury this month to thoroughly investigate all the facts so that your
thinking and vision are crystal clear. The last thing you will want is to walk
into a verbal landmine with issues that can trip you up if you are not armed
with all the angles, facts and figures that are required. From the 9th, there is
one last return to matters that involve your social network and the people who
help you shape your personal goals. From January, it will be a whole new ball
altogether.

GEMINI: That cooped up, irritable feeling will pass by mid-month when your ruler Mercury resumes normal direction on the 13th. In the meantime, work off excess
mental energy by getting physical! A change-of-season domestic clean-up will
give you a new lease on life, even if the lease on your current property needs
to end or be renewed. If you are buying or selling real estate, or simply
beginning a new tenancy, be sure to cast your eagle-eye over the contract and
put, or get, all verbal promises in writing. Only when all the right places have
been ticked proceed to go. There is no time like Mercury retrograde to create
situations that come back to haunt everyone involved but this will only become
evident further down the time-line. The nicely spicy romantic combination of
Venus and Mars that has charged you up during August and the first weeks of
September will move into your health and work zone from the 9th and 15th
respectively. Shifting from cerebral playful Libra to dark and brooding Scorpio
this could mean storm clouds forming over the tea-room or tea-towels as you go
about your daily tasks. Step back from the intensity and turn it into a passion to systemise and order.

CANCER: If you inadvertently stumble across information during a tete-a-tete over the hedge with the neighbour, a chin-wag with the local shopkeeper or a coffee with a sibling, wait until Mercury has gone direct on the 13th before relying on, acting upon or spreading what you have heard. Because our powers of criticism are heightened now and we are more sensitive to the faults of others, we could seize upon what we hear too quickly. Discrimination is the keyword because it may not be that the information is incorrect but the way it is presented that creates the wrong impression. It’s all in the angle or opinion of who you are talking to that makes the difference so remain open-minded until the facts have verified themselves. This is a busy month for meetings, conversations, short trips and paperwork. Contract signing, car buying, looking through classified ads or sitting tests and exams are also foremost in your mind but with the tricky double-talk of Mercury, continue researching and asking questions until the second half of September. In the meantime, Venus spices up your love life from the 9th (in a rare orbit that will continue until January 2011) but when Mars moves into the same area on the 15th, there will be more than a dash of flavour added to the romance cooking pot. Cupid is definitely on the prowl in your chart this month! Hold back on the intense passion though and allow space for a potential relationship to develop. Not looking for love? This same passion is still available and you can channel the immense and intense creative impulses into the art, sports or hobbies that you are crazy about. Pregnancy - or the children you already have or are connected to - also come under the same umbrella. The Full Moon of the 23rd brings a career or domestic issue to a culmination.

LEO: Your cash situation, a major purchase or the resources that you naturally rely upon are going through a series of loops that won’t straighten out until later in the month. With his usual delaying tactics, Mercury, the cosmic secretary, is really just tricking you into getting your financial act together before you can move onward and upward. These delays give you time to punch numbers, conduct research (as opposed to crossing your fingers that it will work) on a potential purchase or smarten up the thought processes so that you can use a more discriminating approach to activities you hope will bring you greater security. There’s more than a storm in a teacup about to arrive on your domestic doorstep in the form of Venus on the 9th (and she will be here on an extended stay that lasts until January) and Mars on the 15th. In Scorpio, Mars is the stronger planet that gets things done but Venus will have a tendency to bring the muck to the surface in familiar relationships or money matters connected to the home or family. It might be hard to hold back your feelings toward relatives or visitors but if you can find common ground without letting each of your pet passions or peeves get in the way, you can share whatever brings you together in a positive way. The black and white approach is an easy trap to fall into if there is a need to defend one’s position but there’s a lot more to this situation that won’t be understood until much later in the year. The Full Moon on the 23rd brings an academic, international or publishing project to a head, wrapping up six months of planning or discussion.

VIRGO: Happy birthday Virgo! On whatever date your birthday falls this month, each and every one of you will have your very own planet, Mercury, in a starring role in the coming year’s forecast. This means a greater sense of discrimination in the things you do, the tasks you take on and the people you hang out with, of analytical abilities that help you screen and order your life, and the desire to sharpen your mental tools and work on communication skills. All of these faculties are fantastic traits for starting a new job, beginning or building a business or veering down a new path in life. For people born before the 13th, you will experience a series of cosmic leaps and bounds that will set you back and propel you forward, while the rest will experience a jet propulsion thrust of mental energy that you can use to develop whatever area of life Mercury falls in. An astrologer can figure what that area will be based on your birth time, but even without this knowledge you can probably pick up on the one or two things that are going to be really important during the next twelve months. In the meantime, this is the month to recondition your mental capacities, clean up your physical act with exercise and diet, as well as your environment, so that there is energy and lots of airy space to ground your ideas and concepts. Some of you may have completed a very long apprenticeship in an activity or project that has been only a hobby until now – you may suddenly find you have turned into a professional who knows what they are talking about and who knows, you may actually get paid! Your relationship to your neighbourhood, siblings or local environment will become quite intense too once Venus (9th) then Mars (15th) bull-doze their way into these spheres and it’s all a matter of using powerful words wisely. This will be an extended phase that will last until January and your mind will go from one extreme to the other and back again before situations, projects and plans can be worked through. The Full Moon on the 23rd brings a financial matter to a conclusion.

LIBRA: Since the Full Moon on the 23rd occurs in your opposite sign Aries and on the cusp of your relationship zone just as your birth month begins, this will be an interesting month as far as friends, fraternities, foes or family are concerned. There’s been a build up in this area that began approximately six months ago – can you look back at that time and see what relationship issues came into being or were significant for some reason? Whatever it is, there will be an emotional culmination by month’s end. And despite the high energy that other people create or foster, there is also a meditative flavour to this month where time alone can provide a sense of healing that leads to a more discriminating and analytical outlook. And whether you do this formally by taking up yoga or meditation classes for instance or informally by studying your dreams, working with a counsellor or simply reflecting on life, it’s your inner voice that counts. Behind the scenes there is so much to be aware of, from people to your own sense of security and a chance to harness the power of thought as shaped by your unconscious mind. Whether you realise how you are shaped by your past, or how you shape your own future, it all comes down to awareness of these unseen processes. The clinical attitude of Mercury in Virgo could help you cut the negative ties that keep you bound to the past. On a material level, from the 9th and then the 15th, your relationship to money, to your earning power or to your general sense of security steps up a notch or two. This is a very active phase when you will put as much energy into using your own resources in more empowering ways but is a process that may take until January to work through.

SCORPIO: The last quarter of the year looks set to be intense, dramatic and ultimately empowering if you can use the condensed energy of Venus and Mars in your sign in a positive, fulfilling way. Placing the focus on the relationship you have not only with others but with yourself and your immediate environment, Mars will give strength, stamina and resilience despite the odds, while Venus will bring beauty, grace and charm. Venus though is not as happy in Scorpio as Mars so there can be a downside in that she can become a little insecure and needy, and will require buckets of reassurance from those around her. While Mars will bowl through your sign from the 15th until October 28th bringing the gift of determination and self-assurance, once Venus is left behind by herself to travel backward and forward until January 8th (which is a very long time for a planet that normally has a very straightforward orbit), she may tend to magnify situations if there is any hint of insecurity. Working on any issues that Venus may drag up ahead of time will minimise the impact of negative reactions in relationships. You will certainly be in the spotlight for many varied reasons and may become very conscious of your image and appearance but it would be advisable to stay away from changing your looks, clothes or hair too dramatically. The New Moon on the 8th brings a fresh start to friendships and networking while the Full Moon on the 23rd brings an amazing stroke of luck.

SAGITTARIUS: The first half of September may be deceivingly quiet but from the 13th a complete turnaround in your professional, parental and public image zone will take place. A New Moon in this area on the 8th kicks off this process and as the Moon grows she will push up the new growth that is just below the surface. The devil is in the details so pay close attention to any professional contracts you may be thinking of signing and hold off from sealing deals in concrete until after the 13th. Choose and use words wisely and methodically to avoid having agreements coming back to haunt you - there’s a sense of accountability to this cosmic energy that will be remembered in the months ahead but there is still too much up in the air to know how life will pan out. Circle the 19th as a very special date because that is when Jupiter, your ruler, will join with Uranus in a series of very rare meetings that will culminate next January. Like a huge celestial lottery, you just never know what is going to land on your doorstep and this news could relate to children, home, family and your whole domestic set up as it ties in with your self-expression. The crazy Full Moon of the 23rd also brings a child-related or romantic issue to a culmination, or you may find yourself out on the town celebrating the stroke of genius or luck from Jupiter.

CAPRICORN: The four compass points of your chart swing wildly in the second half of September while the beginning is like the calm before the storm. There is a veritable melting pot of events, people and situations to look forward to that, while the pace will be frenetic, will also bring excitement, anticipation and possibly something to celebrate. As Mercury backtracks over the area that rules the bigger questions you are asking about travel, higher learning, publishing or even a philosophical belief, and a New Moon in this area on the 8th, it’s a wise Goat who is willing to hang on until the 13th before making hard and fast decisions. As we come out of the dark phase, news or information you receive before the 13th could throw a whole new light on your arrangements, itinerary or selection saving time, money and effort. Research, dig around and compare your options until then. There’s a crazy Full Moon on the 23rd that will spark a frenzy of activity with relatives or in connection with your home base. And even though it might seem that this issue is a culmination of events that began six months ago there is still another chapter to be played out next January. This could involve good timing, a stroke of luck or an unexpected development that frees you up in the long run. Being flexible is the key. On another level, how you relate to your peers, friends, club or team mates and wider social circles will become increasingly important in the coming months as you will be relying on their resourcefulness and input, however, you will have to put in a concerted effort during September. Romance or an intense relationship could develop unexpectedly out of the casual links that you forge.

AQUARIUS: With Venus and Mars moving in tandem through the top or your chart and the area that relates to your professional and public profile from the 9th and 15th and then throughout October, this is the time to invest in relationships that will help you promote your cause or scale the ladder of your chosen trade, career or job. Passion is the fashion and the more you invest in yourself, the more others will be willing to jump on your bandwagon with as much vigour as you are willing to put in. It will not always be plain sailing as everyone’s values will be individual but if compromises can be made, a plan can be patched together. It’s all about relationships and the balance of give and take for the rest of 2010 and again the path of events may follow a zig-zag course until November. Financially, there is some surprising news on the way when Jupiter moves back into your security and money zone to persuade Uranus to give you a break that could prove lucky in more ways than one. It is how you perceive luck that makes the difference – it could be the sequence of events that leads you to somewhere new further down the line rather than cold hard cash. The Full Moon of the 23rd adds even more action and drama to this scenario and will help you create a new mindset that is much more open and receptive as you put a certain situation, project or activity to rest. While you wait for the action to show up, use the diligent energy to put your accounts into order during the first half of September.

PISCES: Being the dream-weaver that you are, you will be pleased to note that Jupiter re-enters your sign for another fling with Uranus on the 19th. This combination will create an unearthly atmosphere because so many possibilities emerge that just don’t seem possible at other times! This is especially so for people born in the last days of Pisces who will feel their world rocking and swaying. And even though the 9th is the day that Jupiter knocks on your back door, it will be the 19th that he actually joins with Uranus to create a crackling set of events, people and situations that will propel you into the future. The Full Moon on the 23rd also adds to this surreal mix when something that has been active during the last six months comes to a conclusion, releasing the energy and freeing you up. Be aware that this phase will help you review your life and that it won’t be until next January that it all comes together. In the meantime, Venus and Mars will be travelling through the area that describes your higher mind. This means that you will grow intensely aware of the relationship you have with books, academia, places at a distance and even with God. And while this area is usually an expansive one that takes in experiences and places beyond the everyday, the manner in which you tap into one or all of these areas will be focused and determined. The people you meet whilst traversing this physical, intellectual or spiritual terrain can show you something about relying on resources that you already have but that can be enhanced by sharing with others.