By Angel Lopez:
October finds us all in the midst of Libra season, a time that’s classically devoted to beauty, love, and art. The sign of Libra is governed by the planet Venus, the goddess of earthly pleasures. She wants you to remember to kick your shoes off and relax when you can. To touch the earth and take in a sunset. Allow some of your favorite music to wash into your soul and soothe you. Whatever it takes to be present with the current seasonal shift, as the air of your own life is also about to turn. I know, it’s not always easy to find time to chill, especially given all the tension that’s been guiding the planets for most of this year. Trust me, it’s been a wild one for everyone, as we’re all being called to rise toward our next chapter in a major way. So, it’s important that you use these first few days of October for a little respite, before those winds of change start to pick up again. And they soon will.
Both Mercury and Venus kick this month off in Libra, which emphasizes your need to connect with others. Libra also cares all about your relationships, so you can use this time to see who’s showing up for you and who you feel compelled to connect to. Of course, some are on their way out the door of your life too, or the connection may just be shifting in some way. If you are experiencing some sort of natural ending with another, just accept it. Thank the spirit of that relationship and allow it to move on or transform. You should also notice some others stepping forward. It could be some new people who will play a role in your next iteration. There could also be some old friends stepping back in to revive a connection and remind you that you’re loved. Don’t be surprised if there is a rebirth in a few of your relationships this month.
These two planets then move into Scorpio, with Mercury doing so on the 4th and Venus on the 9th. This will intensify your ideas and the way you share them and yourself with others. You’ll gain a greater focus, which is helpful, as you’ll be putting more time and effort into the larger goals for your life. What’s the big project you need to be pushing forward? This energy will give it new life and give you a stronger clarity of purpose. This next chapter that I mentioned earlier is really going to start taking shape this month, so pay close attention to what you fall in love with in life. Whether it’s your work, your family, a creative project, or yourself, it’s a key to where you need to point more of your time and energy. And with Scorpio energy coming fully into play (Scorpio season officially starts on October 24th), you’ll get a strong infusion of passion to help drive you forward. Make sure to take copious notes on the action around October 12th, when Mercury moves into its retrograde shadow. Now it won’t officially go into “Mercury retrograde” mode until Halloween, but when it does, it will travel all the way back to the point that it hits on the 12th. So, the themes of that day will give you a clue as to what this entire retrograde phase will be about for you.
Mars, the planet of action and getting things done, will also be wrapping up its time in Virgo at the top of the month and moving into Libra by the 5th. As mentioned, these first few days can be used to emphasize Virgo’s penchant for self-care. Sure, it also wants you to get some work done, but by now you should understand that it’s about working hard and then gifting yourself some relaxation in the end. Mars will then move into Libra, which will urge its tough, masculine energy to soften and find balance with its actions. Now, that’s not always easy, as Mars is a master of go-go-go. He doesn’t necessarily love the billowy clouds of Libra. But just try to be patient with your approach. Things don’t have to always happen right now. In fact, with a more measured approach, you may find that you have a much greater outcome. It’s important at this time to keep the highest good of everyone involved in mind. Mars wants to tackle what’s best for you, but Libra asks, “Is this beneficial for all?”
The outer planets all continue to dance their slow but powerful waltz this month, leading us all to the larger evolution of our lives. Jupiter keeps on its path through Sagittarius, creating the lessons that want you to grow into your better self. Teaching you how to take up more space in the places of your life where you need to own more of your authority. Keep looking for ways to look up to yourself and be a hero in your own mind. Saturn, the planet of responsibility, has begun its walk toward Pluto, the planet of transformation and deep psychological growth. They’ll completely connect in January, but in the meantime, they are paving the way for where you need to be responsible for your own shift. You should already be feeling compelled toward making the bigger changes in your life that you only dared to think about in the past. This month, you’ll continue acting toward those changes and see some real momentum too.
This month, do what you can to challenge yourself to push for those big dreams to come true. Eliminate the fears that can easily stand in the way—the self-doubt. But don’t beat yourself up if those voices show up. Be gentle with them. Have empathy. And then kindly show them the door. An old you is stepping up to a cliff, ready to jump into the unknown. Trust that a new you already stands triumphantly below, ready to step into whatever great adventure awaits you.
Angel Lopez is a film producer, writer, astrologer, and co-host of the podcast, THE SPIRITUAL GAYZ alongside his husband, our Spiritual Guru Brandon Alter. Angel has been studying and working with both tarot and astrology for twenty years. He hosted the astrology web-series, ASTRO TALK WITH ANGEL, and writes the blog ASTROLOGY REALNESS. He has also had pieces published on Upworthy.com and The Huffington Post. On the film side, Angel produced the Sundance Film Festival award winning film DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, as well as the features THE DINNER and STATE LIKE SLEEP. He also wrote and directed his own short film, I CAN’T WITH YOU, which had its premiere at the 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival, and he recently finished producing filmmaker Justin Simien’s second feature, BAD HAIR.