This will be a month packed with action. Places where the energy was dormant will start to go into full gear as a total of four planets will go from retrograde to direct in October. Most of this activity will involve the sign of Libra. This means that a lot of this activity will have to do with various interpersonal relationships, especially romantic relationships and business partnerships. You’ll be invited to think about whether what you give and receive is fair. You'll be asking yourself whether you give too much and receive too little (or vice versa). The theme for this month according to the Tarot is being honest with yourself. You are called to be honest especially about things that have to change and cycles that must come to an end.

In the Tarot, you were represented by The World reversed. An era of your life is supposed to end, but you’re not letting go of it completely. You keep finding excuses to hold onto this era. You need to let it go so new and better things can take its place. The whole reading can be summarized with the Five of Swords. Dishonesty, cheating and lies have been a theme in your life lately. If it is the case that others have been doing this to you, remember that others act as mirrors. They are showing you that you are lying to yourself. You struggle to let go and you will go to any lengths to sustain masks and illusions that allow you to remain in this stagnant area of your life.

Your identity is represented by the 6 of Wands reversed. This indicates that great achievement and success await you once you start being honest with yourself. Other people in your life are represented by the King of Wands reversed. Their passion and even fanatic tendencies are getting the best of them. You want to hold on to them because of their joy and magnetism. Your domestic life is represented by the 3 of Coins reversed. You might be convinced that you and you alone can keep your private life running. You need to understand it’s a team effort where everyone has something different to offer. Finally, your public life and/or career are represented by the 4 of Cups. This indicates that there are many opportunities that you don’t want to see. They might not align with the vision you had of yourself. You might be too busy focusing on another area of your life to fully appreciate them.

We kick off the month with a blank slate related to our habits and health. We’ll have a New Moon in Virgo on October 6th. This is a great day to schedule some time for self-care and start a new diet, workout routine, or try to fix your sleep schedule. If you have poor time management skills, this is a great day to sit down and come up with a realistic schedule to stay on top of your work. The key this month is to be honest with yourself. If you’re productive at night, for example, there’s not a rule that says you must restrict your work hours to the regular 9 to 5. See what you can realistically do to live a healthier, more balanced life, and start implementing those changes.

On October 6th, we also have Pluto going direct in the sign of Capricorn. Pluto is all about the destruction of stagnant institutions so they can be reborn in a much better way later. As Pluto is a transpersonal planet, its transits affect the collective rather than our individual lives. As a collective, we are witnessing a change in the way we understand power, the institutions that govern us, and our careers. When a planet is retrograde, this change becomes more introspective. It’s about the collective slowly changing what they think about the areas ruled by the sign of Capricorn. Once it goes direct, this process of introspection will manifest in outer reality. Expect social unrest and demands when it comes to government institutions and careers.

Venus enters Sagittarius on October 7th. This brings about a much needed lighter energy in this tense astrological climate. The sign of Sagittarius is all about expansion, optimism and adventure. Once the planet of love enters this sign, you’ll find yourself wanting to have adventurous casual relationships with people who are very different from you. If you’re planning a makeover or if you’re redecorating your house, you’ll favor radical changes and influences from other cultures. If you’re partnered up, you and your partner will plan an escapade or a trip, or you’ll need an extra rush of adrenaline in your everyday lives.

On October 10th, Saturn goes direct in Aquarius. Saturn is all about our obligations and duties. We might also encounter limitations that can only be overcome with persistence and hard work in the sign it is transiting. As Saturn has been retrograde, we have been moved to introspection when it comes to social issues and the state of the planet. The limitations in these areas manifested as inner limitations – personal challenges we had to overcome and limiting thoughts, for example. Once Saturn goes direct, we might start to see outer limitations. Society as a whole will hit a few roadblocks when it comes to equality and eco-consciousness. We have already seen some of the effects of the transit of Saturn in Aquarius in the political unrest of many Western countries. In your own personal life, you will be faced with challenges regarding your relationship to what’s fair and your community.

On October 13th, there’s a harmonious aspect (a sextile) between Venus in Sagittarius and Saturn in Aquarius. Energy between your romantic life and your duties will flow smoothly. If you have been working hard towards having healthier relationships and getting rid of codependency, you will make a major stride as a result of your efforts on or near this date.

There’s another harmonious aspect, a trine, on October 15th. This time it's between the Sun in Libra and Jupiter in Aquarius. This is a very powerful day. This is so because there will be a harmonious exchange of energy between Venus in your interpersonal relationships and the planet of expansion in the sign of friendship and dreams. This can manifest in a lot of ways. You might see a friendship grow into something else. You might also be moved by a partner or a business associate to give something of value to your community.

We have been under the influence of Mercury Retrograde in Libra since September the 25th. There have been delays, misunderstandings, breakdowns in communication, and other blocks typical of this transit. Mercury goes direct on October 18th. This is a relief, as you can expect the harmonious flow of things of Mercury Direct to be restored. If you have entered into agreements or contracts during Mercury retrograde, you may have to renegotiate. This is so especially if they are interpersonal agreements. On this date, Jupiter also goes direct in the sign of Aquarius. Feelings of expansion, optimism and joy will go with the changes brought about by Saturn in the same sign. This is a great time to make new friends and invest in technology.

On October 20th, we have a very powerful Full Moon in the sign of Aries. We are invited to let go of anything that might be holding us back from being our most authentic selves. This ties in perfectly with the themes revealed in the Tarot. It’s time to stop lying to yourself and maintaining illusions that stop you from being authentic. The Full Moon will be in tension with Pluto in Capricorn. This will invite you to let go completely of any career paths or controlling tendencies that may be forcing you to wear a mask. As the Sun will be conjunct Mars at the same time, you are invited to take action when it comes to this breakdown of the ego. You will get an epiphany regarding who you truly are. Follow through with tangible action.

Scorpio Season starts on October 23rd. With the arrival of this season, we leave behind the pleasant nature of Libra. But we'll also let go of the tendency of the sign to wear masks in order to please others. Embrace this season as a new beginning in which you’re completely honest with yourself. Do so even if the truth may hurt.

We end the month with the transit of Mars into the sign of Scorpio. This invites you to translate into action your new intention of authenticity and honesty. When I asked the Tarot what you should all work on when it comes to your Shadow Work, the Ace of Swords came up reversed. This signals the need for you all to have a new beginning in which you commit to stop subconsciously lying to yourself.

For this month’s Shadow Work, light a black or a white candle and grab the Death card from your deck. Take a few deep breaths to connect with this energy of change. Draw two vertical lines on a piece of paper. In the first column, write “I am.” In the second column, write “Who told me this?”, and, in the third column, write “Is this true?”

You may think you’re rigid because an ex partner told you that. You may think you’re dumb because your teachers told you so at an early age. You may think you’re annoying because your parents made you feel like that. You may think you’re selfish because you convinced yourself you were. Are these things true, though? Are they true today?

Grab some clay and make a small doll out of it. That doll represents this false perception of yourself. Say out loud: This doll is me. The perception of me that’s rigid, dumb, annoying, and selfish. Grab a hammer and destroy the doll. Proclaim: that doll has never actually existed. It was a perception others and I had of myself. I return it to the ground kindly and respectfully. Bury the doll. Now, make a new doll. Say out loud: This doll is who I actually am. I go with the flow. I am smart. There are people that love and treasure my company. I am kind, because I help my neighbors (of course, change the text so it’s adjusted to what you wrote and your reality). Once the doll is dry, place it on a surface in your house you regard as sacred and adorn it with flowers.

Art by Aurora Ray

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