Overview
The sun moved into Libra on September 22nd, which also marked the Fall Equinox. Moving out of Virgo and into Libra brought the end of the preparation for autumn and the beginning of the fall months. Libra’s mascot is the scales of balance, and like the Egyptians who would balance a feather on one side of the scales and a person’s heart on the other, Libra represents the importance of justice and truth. Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, and Love with a capital “L” is all about balance, wisdom, and honesty. This is a time to really evaluate what in your life is out of alignment and in need of harmony or fusion.
Both Libra and autumn are ruled by the element of air. The days are getting darker faster and faster now, and there is a crispness in the air. The warmth of summer is dwindling and we all sense a “bite” in the wind. This chill reminds us that all that is lighthearted, and fun cannot last forever. This is a time to really examine ourselves spiritually and mentally. Air is the element of the mind. If you think of the way the earth and its elements are arranged this will make sense. The deepest parts of our planet are filled with water, then there are pockets of fire and lava, next we have land, and finally, we have the sky. The sky is where our minds and our intuition dwell currently. This is the power of Libra and fall. It can be a little overwhelming, as the sky is so massive. Sometimes it might even feel as though our thoughts can swallow us whole. This is why you need to rely on the harmonic energy of Libra to pull you towards productive and healing thoughts and awakenings.
Just as the moon moves from last quarter to dark, fall follows this rhythm as well. Interestingly, when the moon is at its fullest or at its darkest, it only inches along bit by bit each day (one or two degrees a day). However, when the moon is moving from last quarter to dark, or from first quarter to full, it moves at least ten degrees a day. This makes time feel faster. Similarly, spring and fall feel faster because of how quickly the days get longer or shorter. So, make sure to keep up with the changing of your environment, your life, and your most introspective thoughts––because they can shift at the blink of an eye.
There is a calendar that Wiccans and the pagans of old follow that I think is very useful in understanding our movements through the year. It’s called the Wheel of the Year and celebrates earth-based holidays and festivals based on the harvest. The Fall Equinox is referred to as Mabon in the Wheel of the Year. Mabon is the festival of balance as the length of the day is equal to the length of the night. In terms of the harvest, it represents reaping what you have sown. All that you have done since springtime is now coming to a close, and you deserve a pat on the back if you’ve put in the work you knew was necessary to get you closer to where you want to be. Mabon also represents reflection on the past year; checking boxes and making sense of actions that were taken and choices that were made.
Ask yourself, have you followed through on your goals? Have you done the things you said you were going to do? Have you shared with others in a way you had hoped? Have you earned the things and joys you’ve celebrated? Obviously 2020 is a bit of an exception as it has been filled with trial after trial and challenge after challenge. Still, there was wiggle room for working on things at home that we’ve been wanting to get to for months. Hopefully you are content with where you are at, and if you aren’t, don’t worry. In a few weeks at Halloween, you’ll be able to dive deep into the depths of transformation at the Wheel of the Year’s festival of the dead, Samhain.
While the sun is in Libra, Saturn and Pluto will go direct. This is interesting for 2020 because of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction that occurred on January 13th, just as COVID was making its way to the states. The last time there was a Saturn-Pluto conjunction was in 1982, thirty-eight years ago. It also brought a pandemic (AIDS). Saturn has been in retrograde since May 10th and Pluto has been since April 25th. These past six months have been rough, but it is my hope that with these two major planets going direct, we’ll have learned the lessons we were meant to during their conjunction. Saturn is the planet of time and discipline, and Pluto is the planet of death and transformation. When they’re in retrograde, time moves slowly and transformation is hard to reach. Now we have a chance to allow the awareness from both to bubble up from the subconscious and allow for a shift in our consciousness.
Mars is still in retrograde and will be till November 14th, and it’s been a real doozy. With the fires in the west, and the smoke and shortness of breath alongside COVID, it almost felt like the end of days. Even news reports mentioned apocalyptic happenings. Mars is in Aries as well, which is a fire sign, and Aries is ruled by Mars, planet of war and fire. So, it’s no wonder things have been crazy! With fall and Libra, however, that “bite” in the air is bringing a chill we’ve needed to put out the flames of Mars in retrograde. Still, be aware that Mars in retrograde has a tendency to attract negative and even hateful situations. Stay balanced in Libra and Venus’s Love with a capital “L,” and you should be okay.
Finally, Mercury will be going retrograde on October 14th. Mercury is the planet of the mind, and as we are already in mind in fall and Libra, this could prove to be a confusing period. Mercury has a tendency to mess with “the mind of the heart” and its energy. The largest electromagnetic system in our bodies comes from the heart center or heart chakra, and Mercury tends to mess with electricity and technology. This is why it messes with our heart’s intentions and oftentimes brings us the opposite of what we’re reaching for. Fear not, Mercury in retrograde occurs three or four times a year, so it gives us an opportunity to really get in touch with our heart energy and watch how it interacts and responds to external stimuli. Keep working with it, and surrender in times when its “surge” doesn’t plug you into precisely what you want.
The sun moved into Libra on September 22nd, which also marked the Fall Equinox. Moving out of Virgo and into Libra brought the end of the preparation for autumn and the beginning of the fall months. Libra’s mascot is the scales of balance, and like the Egyptians who would balance a feather on one side of the scales and a person’s heart on the other, Libra represents the importance of justice and truth. Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, and Love with a capital “L” is all about balance, wisdom, and honesty. This is a time to really evaluate what in your life is out of alignment and in need of harmony or fusion.
Both Libra and autumn are ruled by the element of air. The days are getting darker faster and faster now, and there is a crispness in the air. The warmth of summer is dwindling and we all sense a “bite” in the wind. This chill reminds us that all that is lighthearted, and fun cannot last forever. This is a time to really examine ourselves spiritually and mentally. Air is the element of the mind. If you think of the way the earth and its elements are arranged this will make sense. The deepest parts of our planet are filled with water, then there are pockets of fire and lava, next we have land, and finally, we have the sky. The sky is where our minds and our intuition dwell currently. This is the power of Libra and fall. It can be a little overwhelming, as the sky is so massive. Sometimes it might even feel as though our thoughts can swallow us whole. This is why you need to rely on the harmonic energy of Libra to pull you towards productive and healing thoughts and awakenings.
Just as the moon moves from last quarter to dark, fall follows this rhythm as well. Interestingly, when the moon is at its fullest or at its darkest, it only inches along bit by bit each day (one or two degrees a day). However, when the moon is moving from last quarter to dark, or from first quarter to full, it moves at least ten degrees a day. This makes time feel faster. Similarly, spring and fall feel faster because of how quickly the days get longer or shorter. So, make sure to keep up with the changing of your environment, your life, and your most introspective thoughts––because they can shift at the blink of an eye.
There is a calendar that Wiccans and the pagans of old follow that I think is very useful in understanding our movements through the year. It’s called the Wheel of the Year and celebrates earth-based holidays and festivals based on the harvest. The Fall Equinox is referred to as Mabon in the Wheel of the Year. Mabon is the festival of balance as the length of the day is equal to the length of the night. In terms of the harvest, it represents reaping what you have sown. All that you have done since springtime is now coming to a close, and you deserve a pat on the back if you’ve put in the work you knew was necessary to get you closer to where you want to be. Mabon also represents reflection on the past year; checking boxes and making sense of actions that were taken and choices that were made.
Ask yourself, have you followed through on your goals? Have you done the things you said you were going to do? Have you shared with others in a way you had hoped? Have you earned the things and joys you’ve celebrated? Obviously 2020 is a bit of an exception as it has been filled with trial after trial and challenge after challenge. Still, there was wiggle room for working on things at home that we’ve been wanting to get to for months. Hopefully you are content with where you are at, and if you aren’t, don’t worry. In a few weeks at Halloween, you’ll be able to dive deep into the depths of transformation at the Wheel of the Year’s festival of the dead, Samhain.
While the sun is in Libra, Saturn and Pluto will go direct. This is interesting for 2020 because of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction that occurred on January 13th, just as COVID was making its way to the states. The last time there was a Saturn-Pluto conjunction was in 1982, thirty-eight years ago. It also brought a pandemic (AIDS). Saturn has been in retrograde since May 10th and Pluto has been since April 25th. These past six months have been rough, but it is my hope that with these two major planets going direct, we’ll have learned the lessons we were meant to during their conjunction. Saturn is the planet of time and discipline, and Pluto is the planet of death and transformation. When they’re in retrograde, time moves slowly and transformation is hard to reach. Now we have a chance to allow the awareness from both to bubble up from the subconscious and allow for a shift in our consciousness.
Mars is still in retrograde and will be till November 14th, and it’s been a real doozy. With the fires in the west, and the smoke and shortness of breath alongside COVID, it almost felt like the end of days. Even news reports mentioned apocalyptic happenings. Mars is in Aries as well, which is a fire sign, and Aries is ruled by Mars, planet of war and fire. So, it’s no wonder things have been crazy! With fall and Libra, however, that “bite” in the air is bringing a chill we’ve needed to put out the flames of Mars in retrograde. Still, be aware that Mars in retrograde has a tendency to attract negative and even hateful situations. Stay balanced in Libra and Venus’s Love with a capital “L,” and you should be okay.
Finally, Mercury will be going retrograde on October 14th. Mercury is the planet of the mind, and as we are already in mind in fall and Libra, this could prove to be a confusing period. Mercury has a tendency to mess with “the mind of the heart” and its energy. The largest electromagnetic system in our bodies comes from the heart center or heart chakra, and Mercury tends to mess with electricity and technology. This is why it messes with our heart’s intentions and oftentimes brings us the opposite of what we’re reaching for. Fear not, Mercury in retrograde occurs three or four times a year, so it gives us an opportunity to really get in touch with our heart energy and watch how it interacts and responds to external stimuli. Keep working with it, and surrender in times when its “surge” doesn’t plug you into precisely what you want.
Horoscopes
With Mars still in retrograde things may still feel quite fiery to you. I recommend thinking about your birthday at the beginning of spring and how you usually feel during that time. Inspired? Energetic? Renewed? Now flip that energy; reverse it, and you’ll find yourself in fall. This is where you need to be. Reflective. Settling down. Surrendering. Do some soul-searching, Aries. This is an especially sensitive time for you. It’s a challenging time to see how well you can stay calm even amidst the flames.
Your ruling planet, Venus, is in Virgo, so your energy should still be pretty Virgo-oriented like it was last month. The difference will be that instead of putting your hands to the works you are great at, like building things or even playing an instrument––you’ll be putting your mind to your projects and goals. Taurus isn’t typically known for being flighty or particularly pensive, but this month, everyone is, so embrace it. Use your building skills to build your dreams for the future.
Being an air sign, fall is probably a season you feel at home in. You get to sit and contemplate in a way that feels aligned with your intuition. Instead of bouncing around with your usual mental energy, however, try to become still with it. Now that Saturn has gone direct, it should help you better manage your time. Time is important to you, Gemini, but maybe just for a week or two, let it go––and allow yourself to be whisked away by a waking meditation on your life.
Cancer may be retreating into their shell these days as the warmth of summer is replaced by the chill of autumn. You might be feeling a little low right now. Just know that it’s okay to feel moody sometimes. In fact, it’s normal. We can’t always have the sun shining on our faces. We can’t always swim in the ocean. Sometimes we just need to pull in our limbs, duck our heads, and hide out in our shells for a while until our energy shifts with the changing of the seasons.
Like Aries, you may also still be running to catch up with the influence of Mars and the rubble and distress it keeps leaving behind it. You have the ability to adapt more than most of the signs though, Leo. You are the great player, the great actor, the great shapeshifter. Go where the sun goes. Let the influence of fall and Libra’s quiet but intellectual energy grace you, and then go with it. Let go of the summer, let go of the past. Be present.
For Virgos, Libra is a comfortable next step up the mountain you’ve been climbing for a while. Now with Pluto direct you can climb even higher as you allow yourself to transform mentally even more. You’ve already made it through the forest of self-analyses and internal growth, and you’re so skilled at being healthy that you’re already reaching for that next nook in the mountain to pull yourself higher. Just watch out for Mercury retrograde, make sure you’ve got a good grip, ropes, and climbing gear so you don’t get knocked off your path.
This is your time to shine, Libra. Here at the beginning of fall you find yourself floating up into the sky effortlessly. From up above, you can see all around you with great perspective. Things are coming together, harmony is reaching its zenith, and you are merging with rainbows. Time will speed up even more when the moon reaches its last quarter on the 9th. This will be the perfect alignment of the air of fall, the air of Libra, and the air of the last quarter moon. This is a magical time, so, be sure to make a wish.
We all know you love this time of year, Scorpio. Halloween is coming up soon, and the transformative dimming light will find itself in the darkest time of the year. With your ruling planet, Pluto, going direct, you can release that pulsing intensity that Mars retrograde has fired up in you. Let it go, you’re good at that. Even though your passion is always at the forefront, I wouldn’t advise pursuing romance during this time. Wait till Mars goes direct, and focus on aligning with Libra to transform your mind in preparation for the darkest time of the year.
With the beginning of fall, we get to embrace the holidays. Halloween, then Thanksgiving, which happens during your time, as well as the Christmas season. Everything may be feeling “big” to you already, especially with the fiery energy of Mars in retrograde––but just wait. We have plenty of time before we get there. Similarly, you have plenty of time to contemplate and activate your mind before jumping into anything too spontaneously. With Jupiter in Capricorn, it’s probably a great time for you to make career plans and to slowly think about what you want to do with your time.
Now that Saturn has gone direct, you can open your “third eye” again and see things clearly. Mars retrograde can certainly blind us, and when your ruling planet is in retrograde it can be a double-blind. With fall and Libra leading the way, go ahead and let go of some of your rigidity towards yourself and relax a bit. In fact, I’d even say it’s okay to chill out and enjoy the season and festivities. Libra is a time of contemplation, sure, but you’re always calculating, Capricorn. Go ahead and sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of this beautiful season.
Aquarius is at home during the fall and has a deep understanding of the movement from light into darkness. You dwell in a world all your own, and in many ways, this is precisely what fall and spring are: their own worlds far removed from the normalcy of summer and winter. Go ahead and let your imagination run wild, be inspired, and go chase some fairies! Nothing is holding you back right now, Aquarius. Embrace your talent, go otherworldly, and then come back and share it with us all.
As a dreamer and idealist, you have great respect for Libra. Libra makes sense to you. You both embrace peace and love. Being a winter baby, you’re no stranger to the cold. You’re highly adaptable, being the fish that you are. With Pluto direct you can fully let yourself go into your dreams or into that TV series or book you’re reading. You, like Libra, are free to ride the fall rainbows into the darkest time of the year without fear––because you have Love with a capital “L” on your side.
