Hello all and happy October! This month we are wrapping up eclipse season and headed into the very beginning of Mars’ long transit through Cancer. Horoscopes are at the end for eclipse season & what themes might be present for you right now.
Before we jump into the forecast I do want to bring attention to some links I’ve shared at the end of this post. If you’re not aware, hurricane Helene recently made contact with south eastern US and brought a devastating amount of damage to western NC and eastern TN. These are areas of the country that aren’t typically impacted by hurricanes as they’re pretty far inland. Entire mountain towns were completely washed away by the floods and there are still thousands of people missing. I spent many years of my adulthood in different parts of western NC and am heartbroken to see how devastating it’s been for the area. I have attached links below if you’re able to support I know so many people personally who would greatly appreciate it. Every little bit helps!
October 2 - Libra New Moon / Solar Eclipse
October 5 - Mars enters its pre-retrograde shadow at 17º Cancer
October 9 - Jupiter stations retrograde at 21º Gemini
October 11 - Pluto stations direct at 29º Capricorn 28’
October 13 - Mercury enters Scorpio
October 14 - Venus / Uranus opposition at 26º
October 17 - Aries Full Moon and Venus enters Sagittarius
October 22 - Sun enters Scorpio
My books for October are open! And the code ‘eclipse’ for 30% off is still active. Visit astrologywithlauren.com/book-online to schedule today!
Mars enters its shadow / Mars Retrograde
We are gearing up for a Mars retrograde that will begin in December. The retrograde itself starts in Leo but spends more time in Cancer, and as Mars is currently in Cancer now (moving forward), we’re going to start seeing some of these retrograde themes being present. I know it’s still a bit premature to be talking about the actual retrograde itself, as we’re still two months away from that time period, so for this forecast I want to focus on the shadow period and Mars’ long opposition with Pluto. First, it’s helpful to understand why we pay attention to the shadow period of a retrograde at all. A metaphor I like to use to help understand this is the act of losing something, retracing your steps to find it, and then moving on once you’ve found it. The first shadow period correlates with the period of time before you realize the item is lost. You’re not fully aware of the entire situation (or that you’ve lost something), but if you challenge yourself to be more aware and present, it’s possible that you’ll notice more about your surroundings that might help you later on in the retrograde. The retrograde itself can be described by the period of time where you realize you lost something and you’re retracing your steps to find the object. You’re still confused and not exactly sure where the lost item is, but there’s a bit more clarity now that you know what you're looking for and the possibilities of where it might be. Lastly, once you’ve found the item, you can move forward again and re-acclimate to what you were doing before. This is the period of time after the retrograde ends and the planet is moving forward through those same set of degrees again. Things are fairly clear now, but you’re still trying to reorient yourself to your surroundings. You can see here how being proactive could really shift this experience. If you’re able to observe and be present enough during the first stage of this retrograde cycle (the first shadow period), you might have an easier time during the retrograde itself. Another simple example: if you study for a test, you tend to do better on the test itself. Mars enters its pre-retrograde shadow in early October, and we’ll be in this shadow period until December 6th. During this time, I encourage you to be present and notice what is coming up for you, either in your own body and mind or within the world around you. Let yourself notice these themes and issues without judgement but rather curiosity about them. As Mars starts slowing down, and especially during the retrograde itself, our energy levels tend to dip downward. Mars is the planet that has to do with our motivation, so if you notice that you’re more tired, that’s normal. We’ll talk more about where this might manifest for you based on your rising sign in the post specifically on Mars rx (coming soon!), but for now I want to switch to talking about Mars’ prolonged opposition to Pluto.
As I mentioned before, Mars will begin to slow down before it turns around, and this means that Mars is moving much slower than it normally would if it were at a normal pace. Because of this, we will see Mars transits lasting much longer than they normally would, both in our charts and in the sky. This is what we see happening with Pluto for most of the next several months. As Mars nears the end of Cancer, it begins an opposition with Pluto, who sits at 29º Capricorn. Then, the pair both move into Leo and Aquarius (in November), and we see this insanely long opposition between the two that really doesn’t dissipate until mid-January. This pair together can be volatile, violent, and aggressive. These two both have associations with war, power dynamics, control, and assaults. I know this all sounds scary, and I am not one to fear monger, so know that when I stress the energy of a certain transit, I mean it. This energy will likely manifest on a personal scale and a societal scale. For us individually — it will be really important to maintain a level of self-care to help deal with your own emotions and emotional reactions. This energy might manifest as emotional outbursts or unnecessarily lashing out at the ones we love. That said, I imagine we will also see these energies manifest within our world as well. I am not usually one to comment on politics from an astrological standpoint, mostly because I recognize there are astrologers who are much more capable of doing so, but I do think this energy will have a direct link to the current political situation here in the US. It’s no secret that there will likely be a large upset regardless of the outcome of the presidential election, and this current event is definitely the perfect storm for this Mars and Pluto opposition to manifest. We have two individuals fighting for power, and both of their supporters are tightly clinging to the possibility of their candidate winning. I think regardless of who we see win, there will be a general upset that will likely lead to protests that are more violent in nature. Both sides are fighting for what they see is right (very Mars in Cancer coded, think mama bear fighting for her cubs), and neither side is going to go down without a fight. There is a lot of energy here, and I want to stress the importance of taking care of yourself. There are a lot of major issues on the ballot this year, most of which we all feel personally connected to. It will be important to let yourself feel your emotions in healthy ways without letting them bubble and fester to the point that they overflow. Unfortunately, this energy is here to stay for a bit, so it will be good for us to engage with it in supportive ways that don’t drain us. We will absolutely keep talking about this energy in the forecasts over the next few months, but that's all for now.
PS: I am writing a post just on Mars retrograde & what the rising signs can expect, so stay tuned for that!
Venus
When I write these forecasts, I tend to focus more on the negative or harder transits, mostly because I want you all to feel prepared to engage with these energies, but that doesn’t mean that everything is always rough! There are often many positive transits that are taking place within your chart that lighten the load, especially when we have tougher months. Venus can often be this touch of light and fun within our charts monthly, and looking at where she is in your chart can show you exactly where this positivity will land. Venus entered Scorpio in the latter part of September, and even though Venus isn’t always super comfy in Scorpio, she’s still bringing a little spice and fun into our charts. Venus on her own is very sensual and flirty, and in Scorpio we see her access a depth and take a bit of a spicier tone. Look to the house that you have Scorpio — this house will be put on display under this transit. Venus brings confidence and a desire to put yourself out there in this area of life. She also helps us make decisions that are more in line with our values. You can also look to any planets you have in Scorpio or the other water signs (Cancer, Pisces), as Venus will be making harmonious aspects to these planets. Connections with the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury are all positive in nature and bring their own level of light. If you want more information on how to track transits or identify aspects between planets in your chart, I highly suggest checking out the guide to understanding your chart!
Jupiter Retrograde
Jupiter entered Gemini earlier this year in late May and has been moving quickly through the sign, creating inspirations and fleeting, spur-of-the moment ideas. Jupiter in Gemini has brought light and energy to a certain area of our lives, making it bigger and more visible. The exact manifestations will depend on the house you see Jupiter in, so make note of that, but in Gemini there has definitely been an increase of what I like to call ‘squirrel energy.’ This has likely manifested as an influx of ideas and inspirations, but actually following through with these ideas may have been a struggle. Gemini is a sign that moves on quickly and easily, so if something wasn’t going your way or easy enough, you may have just buried the hatchet before you even started. Jupiter’s retrograde will last from October 9th to the beginning of February and will journey back through the degrees of 21° to 11°. As Jupiter makes its move back over these degrees, some of these ideas and unfinished projects may resurface. You may feel inspired to pick one or more of them back up, but it’s also possible that you leave a few behind as well. This is definitely a period where these ideas and inspirations slow down, so you likely won't see as much energy pulling you in many different directions, but rather a few projects you’ve decided to focus your energy on. This is an opportunity to make more sense and order within these projects to be more successful moving forward.
Libra South Node Eclipse / New Moon
The nodes began transiting Aries and Libra in June of 2023, which means we’ve had over a year of these energies and the lessons that are tied to these transits. Over this last year, we had heightened pockets of change and transformation that were heavily tied to the nodes transiting these two signs. These periods of time are what we know as eclipse seasons. Eclipses come in pairs and happen every six months. Over the last year+ we have seen two eclipses in Libra (Oct 2023 & March 2024), and the eclipse on October 2nd will be our third and last eclipse in the sign of Libra for several years. That said, within this particular eclipse season, the eclipse in Libra on 10/2 is actually our second eclipse (the first was in Pisces, and you can read more about it here).
There is a lot of opportunity within this eclipse in Libra. We’re both wrapping up the eclipse season itself (started in mid-September) and the transit of the nodes in Aries and Libra (I talked more about this in last month's forecast). This eclipse is also a south node eclipse, which tends to be more about letting go and purging. Eclipse seasons are major times of endings and transformations. There are likely a lot of doors closing in your life, some closing gently and with your permission, and some slamming shut without warning. I want to remind you that the sign of Libra is represented by the scales and heavily associated with balance and harmony. This is a great opportunity to acknowledge any ways in which you are living out of balance and alignment. There are naturally areas of life that we indulge in, and with that, of course, there are areas that we tend to ignore. This eclipse is an opportunity to honestly acknowledge these areas that need attention and other areas that need rest. It’s also important to note that Mars has been making a square to the nodes over the last few weeks, and this square is present within this eclipse as well. This heightens the need for change and almost makes it as though it’s undeniable. This square is aggravating in nature and has likely expressed itself through a truth within your world that you’re struggling to give attention to. There is likely something you’ve been denying or ignoring, and Mars acts as a reminder that this thing is festering under the surface and needs your attention. Pay attention to these annoyances and frustrating truths that make themselves known to you over the next several days and weeks. It will be hard to deny these truths, and because of that, they may become louder or more present within your world. There is a real opportunity here to balance the scales and push yourself in ways you know you need to be pushed. And I do regret to inform you that unfortunately that push will come regardless of whether you want it or not. So I do encourage you to find ways to take some of those steps on your own.
Horoscopes for Eclipse Season
Aries - the nodes are finishing their transit of your first and seventh houses. The North Node has been in your first house, and the South Node has been in your seventh since June of 2023. This has brought a significant shift in who you are and how you present yourself to the world. You’ve likely made changes to stand more confidently in who you are and are more comfortable taking up space. This change has also meant that you’ve had to make difficult changes within your relationships by letting go of people who aren’t transforming with you. There have likely been people in your life that have been actively holding you back, and because of that, you had to put yourself first and move on from that relationship. As the nodes shift to Virgo and Pisces, they will transit your sixth and twelfth houses. This will be motivation to turn inward and begin to focus on how these changes manifest internally for you. There will be more of a focus on maintaining a healthy mind and body and self-care. This shift may come with a need for more alone time.
Taurus—the nodes are finishing their transit of your twelfth and sixth houses, which are rather private houses within the chart. There has been a focus on mental and physical health since June 2023, and you have likely made many changes within these areas. There has likely been a need for more self-care, time alone, possibly therapy, or other avenues of self-help. It’s also possible that you’ve taken your health more seriously over this period of time and have initiated diets, exercise routines, or other ways of putting your health first. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, they shift into your eleventh and fifth houses. This shift will bring you out of your shell and ask you to focus on expressing yourself through creativity, friendships, and accessing your inner child.
Gemini - the last 15 months there has been a heavy focus on learning through your experiences. This could have been through travel, education (short or long term), writing, religion, or spirituality. There has been a need to expand your horizons and see beyond the comfort zone of the box you keep yourself in. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, there is a highlighted focus on your home and your career. This focus may be because of changes of your own doing or possibly changes that you’re not entirely in control of. It’s possible that your workload grows in capacity and you decide to make some changes to better support yourself. This could mean finding a new job or possibly just pivoting in your current role. With this, you’re also seeing changes to your home, which might be moving, expanding, redecorating/renovating, etc.
Cancer - over the last 15 months, the nodes have been transiting your tenth and fourth houses. There have likely been shifts within your career that have led to growth and success. It’s likely that the shifts that took place (and may continue to take place) were needed in order to open new doors for you within your career. With these changes on a public scale, there have also been changes on a private scale within your home and family. You may have moved or decided to make changes within the home to align with these shifts you’ve seen on the public scale. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, the focus shifts to learning, either through short-term or higher education, writing, communication, and travel (both short-distance and long-distance). This transit is more about learning who you are and how you fit within the world through your experiences.
Leo - as the nodes have been transiting Aries and Libra, they have been in your third and ninth houses. These houses are all about learning through our experiences. This could be through travel, education (both short-term and long-term), spirituality, and religion. This has been motivating to explore different parts of the world and to expand your horizons. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, the nodes shift into your second and eighth houses. These houses have to do with money. The second house is about your finances, and the eighth house is about your debts, your partner's money, and inheritances. You will likely be taking a harder look into your finances and the money that you’re bringing in. If you’re married or in a committed relationship with shared finances, there could also be a focus on this person's money as well. With the North Node in the eighth house, it could be that this person's income is expanded or that you are paying off debts/loans or gaining access to an inheritance of some sort.
Virgo - the nodes have been transiting your second and eighth houses since June of 2023. These are the houses in the chart that have to do with money. The second house is your personal finances, and the eighth house is your partner's money, debt/loans, and inheritances. With the North Node in your eighth house, there may have been an inheritance of some sort or an increase to your partner's income if you’re married/share finances. It’s also possible that you paid off a debt during this time. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, they will shift into your first and seventh houses. These houses are significant, and you will see changes to who you are and how you express yourself, and because of these changes, your expectations within relationships will shift. You may find that you are outgrowing certain relationships or that they are no longer meeting your needs. This is a time of deep reflection on who you are and what you value within the company you keep.
Libra - the nodes are finishing their transits to your first and seventh houses. There has been an absolute focus on yourself and your relationships since June 2023. It's likely that you’ve done a lot of growing on sifting through who you are as a person and how you want to be experienced by others. This could have come with a lot of exhaustion, and anything that wasn’t meant for you was likely depleting in nature. This meant that you had to be intentional about where you invested your energy and likely had to close doors on areas that you felt weren’t meant for you. That said, there has been growth within your relationships, and you’ve found a solid person or group of people that you’ve learned you can rely on. This person/people have created a safe space for you throughout your journey through self-discovery. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, there will be a shift into your twelfth and sixth houses. This shift can feel more private, and there will be a need for more alone time. There is more of an internal focus on your mental and physical health. You will likely notice over the next year or two that you initiate routines involving self-care.
Scorpio - over the last 15 months, there has been a more internal focus on your mental and physical health. This focus could have been of your own doing or it could have been because a physical or psychological issue presented itself over the last year. This focus on these areas of your life has been necessary and was likely paired with the need for more alone time and time for rest. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, there is a shift in the focus to a more playful place. This will manifest as opportunities to be creative, get in touch with your inner child, and invest in friendships and your community of people you love and trust. There may be challenges within friendships, and you may be asked to let go of certain relationships that aren’t serving you. You will know when it’s time to move on and grow in a different direction.
Sagittarius - the last 15 months there has been a heavy focus on learning through your experiences. This could have been through travel, education (short or long term), writing, religion, or spirituality. There has been a need to expand your horizons and see beyond the comfort zone of the box you keep yourself in. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, there is a highlighted focus on your home and your career. This focus may be because of changes of your own doing or possibly changes that you’re not entirely in control of. It’s possible that your workload grows in capacity and you decide to make some changes to better support yourself. This could mean finding a new job or possibly just pivoting in your current role. With this, you’re also seeing changes to your home, which might be moving, expanding, redecorating/renovating, etc.
Capricorn - over the last 15 months, there has been a heavy focus on both your home and career. You’ve put a lot of pressure on your home and made it your own. You may have moved, bought a house, or made simple changes within your current situation to make the space more comfortable for you. That said, there has likely been more tension within your work and long-term goals. You may have made the decision to leave a job or advocated for a change within your current position. It’s possible that you have felt like you’re not being seen at work or that the workload is exhausting at times. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, they shift into an area of life that is more curious and lighthearted for you. There is more of a focus on learning, traveling, and growing through your experiences. You could decide to go back to school or take on a new certification. This transit is all about learning who you are in the world through your experiences.
Aquarius - as the nodes have been transiting Aries and Libra, they have been in your third and ninth houses. These houses are all about learning through our experiences. This could be through travel, education (both short-term and long-term), spirituality, and religion. This has been motivating to explore different parts of the world and to expand your horizons. As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, the nodes shift into your second and eighth houses. These houses have to do with money. The second house is about your finances, and the eighth house is about your debts, your partner's money, and inheritances. You will likely be taking a harder look into your finances and the money that you’re bringing in. If you’re married or in a committed relationship with shared finances, there could also be a focus on this person's money as well. The North Node is in your second house and will be bringing shifts within your finances that will open doors down the road. These shifts may not be welcomed in the moment but will likely bring expansion throughout the North Nodes time in Pisces.
Pisces - the nodes have been transiting your second and eighth houses since June of 2023. These are the houses in the chart that have to do with money. The second house is your personal finances, and the eighth house is your partner's money, debt/loans, and inheritances. With the North Node in your second house, there has likely been a shift within your finances. This could have been a raise or a second income to help you financially. (PS: If you haven’t gotten a raise yet this year, I’d highly suggest asking for one before the NN leaves Aries!). As the nodes shift into Virgo and Pisces, they will shift into your first and seventh houses. These houses are significant, and you will see changes to who you are and how you express yourself, and because of these changes, your expectations within relationships will shift. You may find that you are outgrowing certain relationships or that they are no longer meeting your needs. This is a time of deep reflection on who you are and what you value within the company you keep.
Happy October all <3
Xoxo,
Lauren
Links to help families impacted by hurricane Helene - every little bit helps!
https://gofund.me/9b9e86d9 - this is a gofundme created by a business in my area that has been gathering donations and arranging flights in and out of western NC to make drops. These drops have provided many with water, food, flash lights, etc. (If you’d like to verify through their facebook page you can find updates here https://www.facebook.com/VictoryLanesNC)
https://www.operation-airdrop.com/hurricane-helene?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabna1_GBDnfmdE0kHFGcPC84Ck5R56dFxqUdpUBENqkFw2mJ00gaJlGKxs_aem_qXbcWXNqFEHhEfzNNbF9dA - this link offers different ways to get involved: volunteer opportunities if you’re local or a link to make a monetary donation.
Venmo, etc. of organizations making trips to provide need based items:
Venmo - AppMedSolid, Cashapp: $ Streets1de
Venmo - MutualAidDisasterRelief, Paypal - mutualaiddisasterrelief@gmail.com
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