Summary
Outer Planets Update
Mars in Gemini August 26 – October 19
New Moon in Leo/Purvaphalguni September 2
Mercury Transits Leo September 3 – 22
Sun Transits Virgo September 16 – October 16
Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces September 17
Venus Transits Libra September 18 – October 12
Mercury Transits Virgo September 22 – October 10
October 2024 Headlines

Summary

For an in-depth analysis of specific planetary placements, please continue with the full planetary forecast.

Outer Planets Update

The outer planets of Vedic astrology are Saturn, Jupiter, and the nodes of the Moon. Many of us jyotish practitioners still keep an eye on the “new” outer planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, who move very slowly through the zodiac. The beginning of September sees Uranus retrograde at 4 degrees Taurus, Neptune retrograde at 5 degrees Pisces, and Pluto retrograde at 6 degrees Capricorn. Those of you with major placements at these degrees, please report back and let me know how the “new” outer planets are influencing you!

In the meantime, we have Saturn transiting Aquarius in retrograde motion, beginning September at 23 degrees Aquarius, in the first pada of Purvabhadra nakshatra. By month's end, backwards walking Shanidev reaches back into Shatabishak nakshatra, where he will spend October and half of November in retrograde motion. On November 14th, Saturn resumes direct motion once again, moving back into Purvabhadra nakshatra on December 27th, perhaps allowing us second chances at the new year if what we're attempting right now isn't quite ready to roll.

When Saturn is retrograde, we may have the opportunity to move things a bit faster, to find the pressure valve, or to improve the already existing process by shoring up foundations in order to keep the show on the road. The aspects of retrograde planets extend to the same signs and houses, but may be wiggly when it comes to interpretation. Saturn's wild eye falls upon Aries, Leo, and Scorpio from his current position in Aquarius.

Jupiter continues his steady forward progress through Taurus in September, throwing his positive, expansive vibes into Virgo, Capricorn, and also Scorpio. When Jupiter reaches 28 degrees Taurus in the nakshatra of Mrigashira, he stations direct on October 8th and begins a retrograde cycle that will slide him about 10 degrees back when he resumes direct motion at 18 degrees Taurus on February 4th.

Use the direct motion of Jupiter during September as you establish roots that will support future growth in your current projects. With both Saturn and Jupiter retrograde from October 8th to November 14th, we may be managing some unexpected ripples in the space-time continuum.

Rahu and Ketu continue to backstroke while always in opposition to one another, with Rahu currently creating waves in Pisces that ripple into the other signs, while Ketu anchors down the sign of Virgo, which could feel like a continual series of little things that get in the way of your forward march.

Rahu and Ketu's next move comes in the spring, as does a change of signs for Saturn and for Jupiter. This Spring 2025 pile up of major shifts is good to get on the radar as you look to the sky for guidance in the upcoming months.

December 6, 2024 – February 23, 2025: Mars Retrograde
March 1 – April 12: Venus Retrograde in Pisces
March 15 – April 7: Mercury Retrograde in Pisces
(three consecutive retrograde cycles, leading into a series of shifts)
March 29, 2025: Saturn moves from Aquarius to Pisces
April 2, 2025: Mars moves to Cancer
April 12, 2025: Venus direct in Pisces
April 13, 2025: Sun moves to Aries
May 14, 2025: Jupiter moves from Taurus to Gemini
May 14, 2025: Sun moves to Taurus
May 18, 2025: MEAN node Rahu-Ketu axis shifts to Aquarius-Leo
May 29, 2025: TRUE node Rahu-Ketu axis shifts to Aquarius-Leo

The big takeaway from this list is that Saturn and Rahu will be conjoined in the early degrees of Pisces during April and May of 2025, while simultaneously the ruler of Pisces, Jupiter, will change signs in mid-May. For that six week period, Saturn will once again have an aspect on Jupiter, which could feel like someone suddenly applie the brakes to what was growing along nicely. Since we're all ready for it now, plan on using that temporary stay for good, making room for edits and updates.

Mars in Gemini August 26 – October 19

Mars has been moving steadily through signs at about a 6 week per sign rate this year. This trend continues as Mars transits through Gemini from August 26th through October 19th. After that, things will shift with Mars as he begins a retrograde cycle in Cancer on December 6th.

Mars entering Gemini kicks off a short phase of Mars – Venus interaction, which can be dynamic, dramatic, and creative. The nature of this will be Mars aspecting Virgo, where Venus is transiting now, encountering the tricky vibes of Ketu, who can either block or boost, depending on which direction you may be heading.

Venus likes to flow and glide, but finds the earthy sign of Virgo and the encounter with Ketu a bit rough and impassable. Mars tends to take a brute force approach, which comes through where he is transiting as well as in the places that feel his aspect. This could look like finding logical ways to engineer through your impasses. Venus can tend to cling to sentiment and get mired by the need for affection or comfort; getting a push from Mars could help detach from what isn't working, even though it may be painful.

We may have to put those sensibilities aside temporarily during September as we push past what is blocking us, be it internal or external in nature. Both Mars and Venus will be occupying signs ruled by Mercury, with Mars in Gemini and Venus in Virgo.

Mercury coming out of retrograde on Wednesday, August 28th in the late degrees of Cancer gets us to start out September with a change of mind and/or heart that may allow us to see those blockages in a different light. The tools of Venus may have failed last month with Venus traversing through the individualist sign of Leo; diplomacy, concessions, and negotiations could have left us feeling exhausted.

With this new perspective, rational Mars in the efficient sign of Gemini could inspire us to gather our forces and blaze forward in a different way, with time marching on and decisions mired in details. Aside from making an impact in Gemini and Virgo through October 19th, Mars also pushes into Sagittarius and Capricorn from Gemini. Those houses in personal horoscopes could also feel that push, needed or not. It's always smart to plan how to channel the strength and fire of Mars, so that we can further our plans instead of feeling the pain of misdirected energy backfiring.

Let's also consider here the Venus and Ketu conjunction that has been underway since August 24th, when Venus moved from Leo to Virgo, joining the south node of the Moon, Ketu. Venus doesn't love Virgo and likewise, isn't best friends with Ketu. This could be a rough spot, but the type that acts as a catalyst for change.

Venus always seeks comfort, as water finds the easiest route to move. When we face obstruction and impassable terrain, we are forced to gather our mass and create a new channel. Venus and Ketu joining are a study of channeled flow facing obstruction, which sometimes we use to do things like irrigation, where we are redirecting flow on purpose.

As Mars pushes Venus and Venus is moving past Ketu, we may find our dear Venus at a breaking point that leads toward new horizons when it comes to difficult relationship issues.

New Moon in Leo/Purvaphalguni September 2

The waning Moon joins the Sun at 17 degrees Leo on September 2nd, inviting us to press the reset button. Plan some self care, collect your thoughts, regulate your emotions, and center your personal energy.

The new Moon in Leo, especially in the Venus ruled nakshatra of Purvaphalguni, emphasizes the need for deep cleaning and letting go of what once was nourishing but now has become toxic.

The new Moon is the monthly conjunction of the Sun and Moon. In Leo, the Sun, the marker of individuality and personal sovereignty, is strongly placed in his own sign, able to burn away impurities and find the gold. From Leo, the ruler of the 12th house, where we let things drain out, is the Moon itself, so we are looking at the need for processing and letting go of emotional detritus in order to make space for clarity about next steps.

Mercury Transits Leo September 3 – 22

Retrograde cycles of any planet can manifest in a feeling of getting off track, which can sometimes be translated into an advantage, but not always. When we feel off track, we lose ground, time, and resources. By late August, Mercury regained direct motion in the late degrees of Cancer and will push through that difficult squeeze into Leo on September 3rd, joining the Sun in his own sign for a brief jaunt.

Mercury hits the ground running after the retrograde cycle, crossing through the sign of Leo like a flash. This brings up the Saturn – Mercury opposition that began July 20th, when Mercury entered Leo. The span of time between July 20 – August 4 could be replayed in some way during the first couple weeks of September. This time, lessons have been integrated, improvements made, reorganization complete, and we have the opportunity to implement new ways of managing our responsibilities.

The opposition of Mercury in Leo to retrograde Saturn in Aquarius draws our attention inward, revealing the pressure that we put upon ourselves to keep up with the relentless march of time. While structure and routine are Saturn qualities that help us to reach our goals and maintain our viability, there are times when dismantling prisons and disrupting rhythm helps us to detach from what has become counterproductive.

Mercury in Leo makes a fun game out of learning new modes of self expression and seeing creative projects with beginner's mind. Mercury is running fast during September, indicating a period of full schedules and multi-faceted entertaining plans. Enjoy the ride!

Sun Transits Virgo September 16 – October 16

The Sun passes from his own fire sign of Leo and into Mercury's earth sign of Virgo on September 16th, putting the Sun into alignment with the nodal axis, which will bring our second eclipse cycle of 2024.

Each year as the Sun moves through the sign of Virgo, we also experience the autumnal equinox, marking the official beginning of the fall season in the four season system. This is one of the four solar pillars that mark the changing of the seasons, which during our lifetimes, all occur in the dual signs: Gemini (Summer solstice), Virgo (Autumnal equinox), Sagittarius (Winter solstice), and Pisces (Spring equinox.)

This year while in Virgo, the Sun encounters Ketu, the south node of the Moon, the shadow planet that pushes upward in spiritual matters and obstructs or obfuscates earthly matters. Ketu drives us inward for answers and encourages us to rewire in order to access our own liberation.

A few days after Sun enters Virgo, Venus moves into her own sign of Libra, leaving the Sun alone with Ketu in Virgo, but with the added fiery boost coming from Mars in Gemini, who throws his flames toward Virgo, Sagittarius, and Capricorn through mid-October.

With both powerful fiery and masculine planets transiting through the signs of Mercury, we may be able to analyze and organize for more efficiency. Additionally, we are getting the aspect of Jupiter coming into Virgo at this time, pushing the work done here in a positive, growth oriented way. The challenge will be in the discernment of what to keep in the mix and what to eject. Both Venus and Jupiter tend to cling to the perceived good, even when the cost to benefit ratio isn't working.

Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces September 17

The Moon reaches its full point at 2 degrees Pisces in the nakshatra of Purvabhadra on September 17th, making the monthly opposition of Moon and Sun nearly line up with the nodal axis shown by the placements of Rahu and Ketu, giving us a partial lunar eclipse at the full Moon.

Since Rahu and the Moon are separated by more than 10 degrees, the eclipse is partial and will be visible widely, from western Asia to Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Eclipses are dramatic and tend to cause us to expect the unexpected and to indulge in paranoid fantasies about what will end and what is next around the corner. The simple act of the natural lights being temporarily shadowed strikes a primal chord that brings up fear of the dark, the unknown, and the unseen.

The deity associated with Purvabhadra nakshatra is called Aja Ekapada, which translates as one-footed goat, an ancient Vedic deity that is in more modern times associated with the Shiva form called Ekapada Bhairava. The neighboring nakshatra, Uttarabhadra, is ruled by Ahir Budhnya, considered to be a “twin” Rudra form to Aja Ekapada. Purvabhadra nakshatra spans between the air sign of Aquarius and the water sign of Pisces, and with a fierce form of Shiva acting as the deity for Purvabhadra, he is representing the combination of devotion, penance, and austerity.

As this is eclipse energy, we may do well to turn inward during this time as we quest for answers. The energy of preparing to welcome abundance by making and cleaning space is on the horizon, but the task at hand is to anchor deeply to what is gold and release that which is impure or misdirected.

Venus Transits Libra September 18 – October 12

The energy of Venus is associated with the water element, and we expect flow, grace, and vivacity from the second stone from the Sun. The summer months have been a challenge to Venus. First, an extended deep combustion with the Sun during May and June, followed by a Rahu aspect into the Cancer transit, then a struggle through the fire sign of Leo aspected by Saturn, and next into her debilitation sign of Virgo, where we also have the obstructive energy of Ketu transiting through. Venus folks among us, please hold on! You will make it!

Just after the full Moon partial eclipse on September 17th, the water behind the dam that is Ketu in Virgo at the moment finally rises high enough to breach that blockage and flow out into a larger arena. During the eclipse that concludes with Venus moving on, both Mars and Jupiter are pushing into Virgo giving some momentum to Venus as she air surfs into her own sign of Libra on September 18th for a rapid transit that takes her into Scorpio on October 12th.

For many of us, this may be a fertile few weeks with creative Venus finally in the head space to put ideas down onto paper, make sketches, clean the studio, and rejuvenate. Use this time to reorganize, find creative priorities, re-establish clear boundaries in relationships, and draw up new contracts and agreements.

This is a respite time for Venus, because the transit into Scorpio will put Venus back into the intensity zone for a short time, from October 12th to November 6th. Scorpio at the moment is receiving input from Saturn, Rahu, and Jupiter via aspect. That is an abundance of energy that could be used for innovating ways to reorganize your creative time and space! Use the Venus in Libra time starting mid-month to brainstorm, be creative, and find clarity regarding relationships.

Mercury Transits Virgo September 22 – October 10

Mercury moves into Virgo as Venus flows out, transiting his own earth sign from September 22nd through October 10th. Mercury loves being in Virgo, where he also exalts himself, showing us all how to bootstrap when we find ourselves stopped in our tracks.

This puts Mercury in the zone for the next eclipse in the pair, which occurs at the new Moon in Virgo on October 3rd. Because of Mercury's mad skills being fully empowered by his presence in Virgo, which is also getting the positive regard of Jupiter and the strength of Mars via their aspects, this particular stretch of time could be very helpful if you are being faced with a series of unexpected changes, messes to clean up, or health issues that require major routine changes.

Use the skills of Mercury to help you organize in unfamiliar terrain; write up outlines, analyze priorities, pivot, acquire roadmaps, learn new approaches. If big changes are in order, it is a great time to implement them, just please, eat breakfast first.

Mars will be occupying Gemini during this entire transit, which is Mercury's air sign. Mars additionally aspects Mercury and Virgo from Gemini, really tying in the Mercury and Mars energy during this three week period. This could be used for maximum efficiency and accomplishing tasks quickly, especially in the face of what appears to be insurmountable.

October 2024 Headlines

New Moon Annular Solar Eclipse in Virgo October 3
Jupiter Retrograde in Taurus October 9 – February 4
Mercury Transits Libra October 10 - 29
Venus Transits Scorpio October 12 – November 6
Sun Transits Libra October 16 – November 15
Full Moon in Aries Almost Lunar Eclipse October 17
Mars Transits Cancer October 20 – January 21
Mercury Transits Scorpio October 29 – January 3