Please note that this and all my other forecasts are based on the sidereal zodiac used in both Vedic and western sidereal astrology, not the tropical system used by most western astrologers. All the astrological charts below are calculated according to the sidereal zodiac and Lahiri Ayanamsa.
We begin the month of October as Mercury stations direct on October 2, after being retrograde since September 9.
At its direct station, a planet appears to slow down and move forward. The energy around it tends to be a bit fuzzy for a few days. This is especially true in this case because Mercury is transiting at the zero degree of Virgo. A planet (and what it represents) are vulnerable when on the edge of a sign like this. Mercury represents memory, coordination, and rational thought processes; travel and transportation; and communication. It relates to the respiratory and nervous systems; and also is one of the many significators of the immune system, as mucus in the bronchi (which Mercury rules) helps to trap many of the germs we breathe, so they can be moved out of the airways by hair-like structures called cilia.
I feel that the occurrence of Mercury’s direct station at the beginning of this month really sets the stage for the rest of October, indicating a great deal of change and perhaps some discombobulation, too. Here are some of the main events happening in the sky mirror in the month ahead:
October 2: Mercury stations direct at zero degrees Virgo. Mercury has been transiting in Virgo since August 20 and will remain in Virgo until October 26. Its retrograde period began on September 9. Often we see short-term stock market volatility during Mercury retrograde cycles, and equities often correct their positions once Mercury goes direct. These corrections could happen in either direction (upward or downward).
October 2-16: This is the Mercury post-retrograde period, when we will be adjusting to the shifts and integrating new realizations and ideas that were brewing during the previous month.
October 4 or 5: This is Dussehra, the Victory Day of the Goddess, which marks the culmination of Sharad Navaratri. It occurs October 4 in the western world, and on October 5 in India and Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
October 7: Mercury will move past its opposition with Neptune. Rational thought and communication should begin to improve now. This aspect has been in place on and off since August. It can change the typical clarity of Mercury in Virgo and muddle it a bit, perhaps through confusing fantasies, miscommunication, or emotional thinking. It’s an especially important time to be aware of our thoughts, as some of us may feel quite sensitive, even verging on paranoia. We should avoid divulging any secrets, and protect ourselves against deceptive schemes, scammers, hackers, and opportunists.
First Two Weeks of October: Mercury is in opposition with Jupiter, which has been on and off since late August. This can reflect optimism and strongly held convictions for some, but also bombast, zealotry, and polarizing viewpoints. It can also indicate difficulty with logic and reason, or problems handling details. Caution is advised, as this energy could lead to conflicts or disturbances, though some astrologers believe it is a helpful aspect for travel and travelers.
October 8: Pluto stations direct at 2 degrees of Capricorn, which falls in the second house of economic matters in the US Kelleher chart. This event is moving the US chart closer toward its economic death-rebirth cycle of Pluto Return, which will be exact in 2024-25 according to the sidereal zodiac. Pluto has been retrograding since April 29. It will station in opposition to Mercury and in a T-square with the MC/IC axis of the US Kelleher chart. This can trigger an eruption of deeply repressed frustration in response to media propaganda and corruption among the political leaders of the nation. This ties in with the fact that the whole global economic picture is now one of extreme uncertainty. In reaction to COVID-19, world governments borrowed and spent massive amounts of money to prop up their economies. As a result, most of the world is witnessing tremendous price inflation not seen since the early 1980s. Central banks are now trying to rein in this inflation through interest rate increases, but questions remain over whether they have the ability to fix the problem. Cracks are appearing in the economy as a result of these rate increases, including housing market declines, increasing unemployment rates, and plunging financial markets. There is an overarching sense among the populace that something is "about to break," and a fear that our leaders are both incapable and unwilling to confront the economic problems that they themselves have created.
October 9: Full Hunter’s Moon occurs in sensitive and dreamy sidereal Pisces. The Moon will conjoin Chiron, which can turn up the emotional intensity and highlight areas where our own healing and some deeper awareness are needed.
October 17 to November 16: The Sun will transit in Libra. I will write more about this in a future article.
October 21 to 26: This marks the Vedic holiday of Diwali, the deeply spiritual Vedic Festival of Lights. The most significant days occur on Dhanvantari on October 22, and on the Lakshmi Puja on October 24. The latter is an abuj muhurta day, when one can successfully launch important projects or establish something new that is to be of lasting value and success.
October 23: Saturn will station direct at 24 degrees of Capricorn, after having been retrograde since June 4, when it stationed at zero degrees of Aquarius. Saturn squares transiting Uranus when it stations direct. This stress aspect has been occurring on and off for some time since 2020, and is happening within a 3-degree effective orb from August until late November 2022. The direct station of Saturn packs a lot of punch as it further activates this square aspect with Uranus. It also squares the 24-degree Aries point of the August 1 epochal conjunction of Mars, Rahu, and Uranus. All this represents some intensely challenging energy, with multiple systems and structures breaking down (and breaking through), both literally and metaphorically. It also points to rising international tensions, as well as the battle between those who value basic human rights and sovereignty against massive forces of tyranny and oppression.
October 25: The New Moon/partial solar eclipse occurs with Sun, Moon, Venus, and Ketu in Libra. Venusian matters may be under pressure or transformed around this eclipse, because the eclipse occurs in the sign of Venus (Libra), and Venus is not only eclipsed but also combust (too close to the Sun). Venusian and Libran areas of concern may include relationship issues; diplomatic issues; concern over personal happiness and vitality; commerce, trade, and other financial matters.
September 18 into late November: Venus is transiting in “combustion,” when the Sun absorbs and blocks the light of a planet (in this case, Venus). It reflects a heated and agitated state for all aforementioned Venusian matters. This suggests the possibility of a period of intensified collective incivility. During this time, as Venus becomes invisible to us during its journey in the Underworld, ongoing political unrest, scandals (especially sex scandals), and economic instability are indicated. The last time that Venus was combust in Leo, Virgo, and Libra, and in its transition from morning to evening star (as it is September 18 to November 20 this year), was from September 21 to October 29, 1998. This was during a global economic meltdown that began in 1997, as described in great detail in this PBS Frontline article titled The Crash: Unraveling the 1998 Global Financial Crisis. During this same period, a formal congressional inquiry was launched on October 8, 1998 against former President Bill Clinton. The House voted to proceed with impeachment proceedings against him on charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice. When Venus re-emerges from under the Sun’s glare in late November, it will have made a transition from its morning star to its evening star apparition. Venus has been in its morning star phase since January 2022. Some sources believe that this phase is more warlike (Venus as the warrior), whereas its evening star phase is more diplomatic (Venus as the lover).
October 26 to November 13: Mercury will transit in Libra. It will cross the October 25 solar eclipse points from October 30 to November 6, which could point to any number of geopolitical crises that have previously been set in motion (especially around the eclipse).
October 30, 2022 to January 12, 2023: Mars will retrograde. Please see my previous articles about this — Part One and Part Two.
So how do we survive in a world that’s in perpetual crisis and transition? How do we thrive amidst all the turmoil? Paramahansa Yogananda’s timeless wisdom is the best possible advice I know:
The one thing that will help to eliminate world suffering… is to meditate and transmit to others the divine consciousness of God…Every day radiate His consciousness to others. Try to understand God’s plan for mankind — to draw all souls back to Himself — and work in harmony with His will. Just beneath the shadows of this life is God’s wondrous Light. The universe is a vast temple of His presence. When you meditate, you will find doors opening to Him everywhere. When you have communion with Him, not all the ravages of the world can take away that Joy and Peace. Affirmation: ‘In life and death, in disease, famine, pestilence, or poverty may I ever cling to Thee. Help me to realize I am immortal Spirit, untouched by the changes of childhood, youth, age, and world upheavals.’
In other words…