Star-gazers, did last week leave you feeling as if you’re paddling upstream? Struggling with motivation? Or wondering what’s the point?
If you answered yes, then welcome to the effects of the two major squares active in the sky right now: Mars with retrograde Neptune, and retrograde Saturn with retrograde Uranus. This energy may be hitting many of us right now, manifesting as a perception struggle between where we see ourselves and where we want to be. Buckle up, because this will be a very present energy throughout the next few weeks! On the bright side this is our last week of dealing with a retrograde Saturn. Thank goodness for small celestial blessings!
With that, let’s jump right in and baseline the sky.
We start the week with two consecutive trines between the Sun, Venus and Mars, the first hitting on October 17 and the second on October 18.
I like the positive burst of energy we could feel under this transit, giving us a much-needed boost in the area of our self-confidence. Our skills, intellect and capacity to achieve our solar aims may all get a little support through the expansive, Jupiterian energies of this trine, leaving us feeling slightly better about conquering all that lies ahead.
The other dynamic at play this week concerning the trine between Mars and Venus is the unfolding storyline developing from the two planets’ initial conjunction back around February 12 of this year.
For some, this could have been the beginning of a new romantic relationship that, if you’ve been reading my forecasts for a while, then you’ll recall the crisis point we covered back in mid-September when Venus squared a Mars-Moon conjunction. Since then, Venus has embarked on her underworld metamorphosis and we’re thankfully seeing a more positive, flowing and growth-oriented moment as it relates to our interpersonal relationships. By November, however, the two planets will form an opposition, ushering in another mini-crisis point towards the close of November. Pay attention to the energies this week as the storyline between the God of War and Goddess of Love and Beauty continue through to the end of next month and beyond.
By October 19 and 20, the Sun and Venus, though still holding their beneficial trines to Mars, may come up against a little resistance in a square to Pluto this week.
Pluto can represent intensity, darkness and elements of our shadow selves — those fears and anxieties that we prefer to bury, or obsessive and compulsive behaviours that could come to the fore.
The square is an aspect of conflict and struggle, and so, as much as this can be a very internal energy for many of us, this could also manifest as challenges with authority figures or people who want to wield power over us.
Under this mid-week aspect, if this manifests more internally, we will need to monitor our inner dialogue, ensuring that we avoid spiraling into depths of unnecessary and sometimes stressful intensity. And, if this aspect manifests itself in a relationship with someone else, then we’ll need to be careful how we navigate any challenging power dynamics.
Additionally, our self-worth and inherent value may be under a bit of stress this week and, given the prevailing celestial energies right now, we will all want to ensure we don’t succumb to dark thoughts of feeling less-than.
Finally, on October 22 we have two aspects to note. The first is Mercury’s trine with Saturn, which is a highly beneficial aspect for any detailed thinking or methodical conversations that you need to have.
Mercury in Libra could be asking us to consider how we communicate in our relationships, so this aspect could be offering us the strategic focus and mature sobriety needed to broach a significant conversation with a loved one. Alternatively, Mercury in Libra can also be a very social placement. Friends, networking, and even online communities may see a sudden boost when Mercury is in Venus’ airy domicile.
With Saturn in the mix, we could all be contemplating the nature of our relationships, including what’s working and what isn’t, and where we may need to introduce new structures, boundaries and approaches to our social endeavours.
Transit chart for the week beginning October 22, 2022. Created using AstroGold for Android.
Finally, a significant turning point also occurs on October 22: Venus’ superior conjunction with the Sun.
This is the commencement of the waning phase of Venus’ hemicycle and an important milestone as this Venus is much more emotional, intuitive and inwardly focused. Venus in her waning phase is less assertive and more contemplative and takes stock of what she learned these past nine months in relation to the people in her life. We could all be approaching any relationship in our lives with more sensitivity and even caution, cognizant that the celestial energies are slightly more volatile, brittle and charged with intensity right now. As we navigate the months ahead that take us to start of Venus’ new synodic cycle in August 2023, it will be important to take extra care with our emotions as we can feel the impact of our interactions with others — especially loved ones — more intensely. This can also be a time where we’re more sensitive and prone to taking things personally, internalizing comments and perhaps experiencing emotional wounds more easily.
On the positive side, this is a Venus that’s also more focused on cultivating the relationships in her life through attentiveness to the needs of others and to forming deeper connections. It’s for this reason that the square from Pluto this week might hit us a little harder than perhaps we might have experienced while Venus wasn’t pulled into her underworld journey and ultimate transformation.
In short, be gentle with yourselves this week. Practice whatever mindfulness, meditation or mantras you need to ensure you remain focused on your goals and self-worth. If the squares in the sky are zapping you of energy, motivation or confidence, then make lists, prioritize must-do activities and plug along as best you can without getting to wound up with success or future outcomes.
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