October 2008 Forecast

PLEASE SEE THE ARTICLES or ARCHIVES PAGE FOR:

Election 2008 Results Commentary &

Canada’s Political Leaders Who are they?

Forecast Overview:

Welcome to Mercury retrograde! Mercury’s trickster (retrograde) tour, backtracking in Libra this time, runs from Sept 24 to Oct 15. This cycle, known as astrology’s Murphy’s Law is predictable in terms of it’s propensity for derailing that which has previously appeared to be on track. Mercury retrograde is notorious for throwing the monkey wrench into decisions and deal making. It can be near impossible to close a sale or complete a deal during this cycle. (Interim agreements and temporary measures are the best aim.) Touring Libra this time, Mercury retrograde swings the sides of the scale from one extreme to the other – this is certainly true of the present economic crisis. Solutions or undertakings may not be effective, witness the economic bailouts as a key example.

Enmeshment and co-dependency is already proving to be a major issue/problem of this particular retrograde cycle. Note the domino fallout of the Wall Street crisis, not only for the failing US, but for the rest of us too.

We can already see that the money markets have turned into a rollercoaster ride. Rallying can occur in the short term, but know that there is plenty of work ahead and that Mercury retrograde solutions are temporary at best (and often flawed.) We are likely to see another significant money market peak (plus or minus) again around the Full Moon. (Things can get stirred up Oct 4 – 6, 9 too.) A Full Moon ignites polarization and crisis, but it also serves to inform, illuminate, and turn tides.

Canada’s Federal Election is being held on the Aries/Libra Full Moon so we can expect the opposition to be fierce competition. Mercury completes retrograde on Oct 15, suggesting there may be a repeat, but with changes. Stephen Harper is likely to take the helm again with a minority government, but with a rearranged and empowered opposition. Venus in Scorpio is intensified by this Full Moon, suggesting a resetting or correction of the scales. Note that Mercury will move out of Libra and into transformative Scorpio on Nov 4 (8 am PST, 5 am EST), the day of the US election. Relative to Pluto (Scorpio’s ruler) in Sagittarius, I hope the vote would be in the direction of increasing of best odds (Obama), rather than diminishing them (McCain.) Mercury is a planet that can swing to either side, so anything could happen.

It’s hard to think of ourselves as an enlighten breed as we see the disastrous state of affairs around the world. It seems we have backed ourselves into a pretty big corner. The reality of economic collapse now serves to intensify our consciousness; it is more a more immediate reference point/threat for most than the potential loss of our most precious resource, our fecund planet.

Perhaps as a collective, we have received a gift in disguise. The heavier/darker the dark gets, so too, the brighter the light becomes. If the current threats and political agendas have sparked greater awareness regarding the need to be more proactive in reshaping what comes next, then perhaps justice is served. If we stay hooked on systems of the past which are obviously failing now, rather than vote for new strategies that could potentially re-fertilize our future, then the simple truth is that we will continue to travel through the dark tunnel. Sooner or later though, we will see the light.

ARIES (MARCH 20 – APRIL 19)

Typical of the cycle, watch for Mercury retrograde in social Libra to put you back in the loop. People resurface one way or another. Re hookups, partnerships, or good ideas, it can be time for a second chance or a second shot. Oct 5/6, revamp or rehash, socialize and catch-up. Venus and Mars in Scorpio suggest significant financial relationship change is afoot. Concentrate on developing a more lucrative client base/go the extra mile to groom customer loyalty. Use the month ahead to investigate, negotiate, lay groundwork or ground rules, pick brains. Mercury retrograde is an appropriate time for financial revisions; renegotiate loans, agreements, banking, and prioritize debt payments. Re shared space or resources, or outstanding obligations/finances, make sure everyone pulls their own weight/knows your expectations – take it to legal arbitration if you need to. Venus and Mars in Scorpio also put a higher concentration on sorting out your intimate relationship and needs. Relationships can grow deeper, or problems can become more obvious. Full Moon April 14 can bring things to a head. Past Oct 16, you should feel that you are finally getting somewhere. You’ll feel this even more from the New Moon, Oct 28 through end of the month. Oct 30/31, Mars/Uranus ignite good timing and great synchronicity.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)

You can never be too safe or too careful during the trickster cycle. Mercury retrograde can play havoc with your day-to-day get around. You may not be able to stay on track with your own schedule or workload. Problems with co-workers (watch out for gossips and backstabbers!) can be draining. Problems can arise with transportation or equipment. Health (yours, your partner’s or your pet’s) could take a turn too, don’t hesitate to go for tests or to seek the advice of a specialist. When it comes out in the open, it can be disconcerting to begin with, but at least it paves the way for honesty, necessary correction, and healing. (You can’t stuff it/hide it forever!). Typical of Mercury retrograde, you can spinning your wheels and have very little to show for yourself. Be ready for a trial and error phase before you can latch on to effectiveness or find resolution. The Full Moon Oct 14 brings an opening or opportunity. You may not get everything you want, but perhaps you net a successful compromise. The second half of the month shows better productivity. You can expect relationships and financial matters to move to the next level once the Scorpio month arrives. Oct 31, handle important matters.

GEMINI (May 20 – June 20)

Your Mercury retrograde challenge centers on gaining more notice and appreciation. As times get tougher, you will have to do more to impress to keep the competition at bay and/or that good thing going strong. Added expense and effort will add up, aim for immediate returns. While your can be everyone’s go-to person, at times you may feel undervalued or used. Keep searching for ways to create more successful lines of communication with your children or lover. Put pleasure, play, and more togetherness on top of your to-do list. Prioritize quality relating and cut out the marginal. While Mercury retrograde can activate your social life, (your popularity is in good shape), you may feel more interested in one-on-one relating or prefer time alone to the party scene. Whether it’s a friendship, a flirtation, or a thorn in your side, a relationship with a casual contact or co-worker could heat up while Mercury is retrograde. Note, that Mercury retrograde circumstances are usually temporary. If a relationship or work situation seems to sudden veer off in a direction you did not expect, perhaps you are seeing what is really there instead. On the plus note, Mercury retrograde is a good time to sign up for classes, for personal interest or for employment upgrades. If there is an opportunity to take on a few extra hours or a temporary job, do it. Creative or personal exploration is also a productive use of the cycle. Tune inward, listen to heart rather than head, and don’t let the opinions/chatter of others interfere. The Full Moon Oct 14 brings something important to do, see, or speak. Watch for advantage, opportunity or news. The productive New Moon Oct 28 ignites a get-ahead or turn-it-around cycle.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Home matters and family relationships are the focus of Mercury’s retrograde cycle. A communication breakdown with a parent, child, or roommate could occur, but ultimately it will provide the opportunity to get things straightened out for the better. It is an important time for safeguards and preventative measures. Temporary challenges with child-care could put pressure on you too. This Mercury retrograde cycle can bring up dependency or financial/emotional support issues; a particular concern, issue, or person can consume more than the usual attention. Unexpected home repairs could also be necessary. In the middle of a remodeling project? Mercury retrograde can produce extra headaches; proceed with caution, double-check your details and receipts. The Full Moon Oct 14 is likely to bring conflict. Overall, it appears that whatever challenges may arise will head you straight in the direction of improvement, empowerment and a gain of ground. At month’s end, opportunity opens wider. You A significant threshold is soon to be crossed, one that will help you to take a major step forward re will your love life, career, or educational pursuits.

LEO (July 23 – Aug. 22)

It’s time for a rethink. Even though the signs have been there for a while, Mercury retrograde appears to be forcing the envelope. In coming weeks, you could feel quite differently about something or someone. You may have to forego a relationship, expenditure, or plan in favor of another. A family matter/business or relationship with friend, sibling, or ex could get more complicated, especially re outstanding money issues; trust, or loyalties can be further compromised. The legal route could be more expensive, but it can prove to be a worthy safeguard route. While Mercury is retrograde, negotiate but don’t finalize if you can avoid it, and think in short term or interim measures. If you absolutely need to sign a contract, make doubly sure to read all the fine print. If possible, delay important transactions until Mercury retrograde completes (past Oct 15.) The Full Moon Oct 14 could bring news, a chance to study or attend a special event. The first half of the month could be a time to experiment and to gather info, knowledge, or experience. Get a move on in the second half. The motivating New Moon, Oct 28 – 31 brings the best time to start over, to initiate/launch new projects or a new direction.

VIRGO (Aug 22 – Sept 21)

Opinions about you could change; then again, it can be your opinion, trust, or expectations of someone important to you that undergo a review. A promise could be broken, an important plan or arrangement may need to be reconsidered. Excessive proximity, financial or emotional dependency or drain can be another issue of Mercury’s retrograde cycle. Then again, Mercury retrograde can deepen relationship bonding and demonstrate how meaningful and integral people have become to you. Mercury retrograde ignites selective hearing. You will take in some, while you completely reject or shut out specific people or specific information. It works both ways; you can only get so far with some people. Pick your battles wisely; otherwise, you will simply waste your energy. The Full Moon could bring important talks or decisions to a head; a financial offer, a significant introduction, or a new opportunity could be the start of something good. The Full Moon is also brings a good time to advertise, sell, or clear the air. Results are more visible as the month comes to closure. The Scorpio New Moon helps you to make a significant turnaround re communications, negotiations and schooling. Confidence and a better sense of direction grows as you being to prepare for what comes next.

LIBRA (Sept.23 – Oct.22)

Mercury’s retrograde tour is in your sign, so you could find life grows a little more uncertain or chaotic, or that you spin your wheels more than usual. You are likely to be more impulsive and susceptible too, so make sure to take extra care of your health and your wealth. The presentation matters, so take extra care to put on the good show, to look, to dress, and to speak the part. The next couple of weeks brings transition and calls for experimentation. Potential ignites wherever you aim; some can be here to stay, but note that Mercury retrograde is usually a fleeting influence. Then again, a second chance or a second wind is your gift. Give it your best shot, but make sure you don’t give away more than you should. It is important to make sure that your efforts are being met half way and that you groom the respect and attention you deserve. The Full Moon is an important time of new starts and crossing relationship thresholds. You may feel pulled between personal needs and relationship needs, or between your personal life and public life. This is your opportunity to be seen in a dynamic new light. There can be fierce competition to deal with, but Mars in Scorpio will help you to stand your ground firmly. Significant turnarounds are possible, re relationships, emotional, or financial matters. Oct 29 -31 sets you on the road to recovery and increases your productivity. Mars and Uranus bode exceptionally well for work, finances, and health related matters.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Mercury retrograde operates in your chart as an emotional undercurrent or behind the scenes influence. You may feel the need to pull strings or call in your aces. While Mercury is retrograde, it is a good idea to observe more, talk less. Read the signals, watch for synchronistic messages or hints. Work toward personal repair and healing; buckle down to studies, and tweak your work regime/attitude too. Recharge with vitamins, sleep, and other good for you regimes. Health, a work crisis, logistics issue, equipment or transportation problem could flare up at the Full Moon, Oct 14; be especially careful with sharp tools or sharp tongues, with heat or fire, and watch your driving speed. Whatever the challenge, deal with it quickly and get it out of the way. By the same token, seize an opening/opportunity as it happens – it could be fleeting. Mars in Scorpio, Oct 3 through Nov 15, starts you on a new adventure. This is a positive influence for resuming physical fitness or initiating new projects, but it is important to test the waters to begin with and to wait until Mercury retrograde completes before you give it the full thrust. Oct 29 – 31 brings an energized, flowing, and opportune couple of days. You should find yourself a lot closer to an important goal or launch point.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22 – Dec. 21)

Mercury retrograde puts you back in touch; someone influential from your from your past could make a reappearance, especially around Oct 6. Something you have said or done could come back at you too – use it as a means to get an extra leg up. If they were impressed before, you will not need to do the song and dance all over again. Mercury retrograde may rev up a previously shelved idea, plan, or ambition. Take your time to explore, but wait until Mercury retrograde completes to make a final decision or commitment. Circumstances could shift again. Mercury retrograde can produce a fun social cycle and give you plenty of new things to think about or new people to talk to/flirt with. Group endeavors, team involvement, negotiations, or plans could get more complicated than they should be, especially with so many ideas and opinions clamoring to be heard. While you are a good leader, take-charge person, or mediator, you may prefer to stay in the background and out of the line of fire. The Full Moon could present a new option or avenue, an opportunity to make your presence or position better known or provide an opportunity to make a graceful exit. Oct 22 onward, it can be time to go underground for a spell; devote priority attention to studies, health, or a particular project or person.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Mercury retrograde can see a changing of the guard; there may be new people in key positions to deal with. When it comes to revamping the program, start with what is familiar and has worked well for you in the past, build up from there. Oct 5 – 7 could bring key negotiations or a time to deal with important banking or legal matters, to hold contract talks, or to sort out parents or parenting issues. While compromise can be necessary, it is important to stand firm on your key points. Enlist help if you need to, a key advisor could set you on the path to successful decision making. Of course, it has to feel right for you, so if it’s something you just can’t envision for yourself, follow your own counsel. A particular circumstance, issue, contract, agreement, project, or goal could take until the end of November to fully resolve or complete. The Full Moon, Oct 15 brings things to a critical head/calls for action. You should start to see better progress as Mercury retrograde moves out of the way (mid month onward.) Once the ball starts to roll, you should see reward for your efforts. Things can fall into place quite well, especially from Oct 23 -31. Oct 29 – 31 can produce particular smooth running days.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Rely on your connections and build from your previous history/reputation. Key people can speak highly of you; they can be especially helpful and informing too. The now could be an opportunity cycle. Do not dismiss anything until you have given it a good look/see. You may be able to fill a vacancy; an upgraded position or salary is quite possible for you now. Are you up for the challenge? Of course you are. In fact, you could be surprised what a perfect fit it is for you. While some upgrades may be temporary, recognize them as stepping-stones. Now is the time to undertake significant restructuring. You may have to redo tests, get a second opinion or okay. While Mars tours Scorpio, accountability is an area where you could feel the pinch. Know that dealings with authorities, although tough, could go better than anticipated, especially in the second half of the month. Mercury’s retrograde cycle could find you with the need to redo tests, to reapply, get a second opinion or another okay, or to take legal action. It is important to fight for what you believe is just, but also know when it is right to cut your losses and move on. Stay ambitious, take care of business, be diligent with studies, writing or other creative projects; efforts will translate into tangible results. It is important to present well. The eventful Full Moon Oct 14 can bring important news.

PISCES (Feb. 19 – March 20)

Mercury retrograde puts the spotlight on finances, private affairs, or intimate relationships. You could re-meet with someone special, whether from the past of this life or another. When you connect with the right people, places, and things, you could feel a deep sense of knowing, or déjà vu. A long distance relationship or future goal could occupy your priority attention too. It can take time to see where things are going. Venus in Scorpio (to Oct 18) brings good connections and win/win potentials. Oct 9 could be especially opportune. The problem solving Full Moon can be productive for clearing the decks re work, health matters, financial undertakings, and critical relationship matters. The New Moon Oct 28 can bring good news or an important turnaround re finances, relationships or heath matters. This is the start of an empowering growth/positive initiative cycle. Oct 29 – 31, things fall into place quite beautifully. Mars and Uranus end the month on a high note.

Conference Appearances:

www.EverywomanintheWorldConference.com: Sat. Oct 4, AstroDrama Workshop;

www.UntilYourHeart’sContent.com: Sun Oct 5; Astrology Talk: Soul Trauma and Eating Disorders