It’s not déjà vu. But this week, like those in the past, also has us digging in and digging up buried facts, feelings, and other findings. And the encouragement to understanding the contours of our willpower, so that we can strengthen it, an invitation also strong the last few months, is also heightened this week.

Note that if you do meet any obstacles that frustrate your ability to move as you desire, that there’s the potential for anger to amplify and impatience to be instilled. Try to make friends with your anger (or at least be in relationship with it), and see what’s behind and underneath it. That itself—embracing your right to strongly feel that things are not OK—will be a really powerful experience, exceptionally healing, and will give you the clarity to move forward in a more determined and confident way. (Anger, and its cousins rage, frustration, impatience, and even depression, are so boldly on our radar now that Megan Skinner and I decided to have this be the topic we explore in our mid-month So Divine! Conversations podcast. We’re recording later this week and I’ll share the episode with you next Monday).

Part of the strategy to do so may be evidenced by honoring the Mercury Retrograde that begins this week. It starts off in Scorpio, re-traversing its recently journeyed territory in this emotional, passionate, and transformative sign. (It will be retrograde in Scorpio through October 27 when it dances back into Libra, where it moves in backward motion until November 3, when the retrograde cycle completes.) With Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio, the treasure to further understanding our feelings—notably the ones that may often run us unconsciously—comes through looking at them from a different angle.

Instead of just tenaciously assuming the spectrum of reasons you feel a certain way, come to this inquiry with a compassionate beginner’s mind. Give your feelings space, allow them to be, and give yourself time to sit with them. Let your feelings breath, taking away any pre-ordained conclusion as to why X situation triggers Y feelings and then necessarily leads to Z reaction. Like with any retrograde period, look for treasures of insight in the past. See if you can trace the origin of this emotional reaction, and its evolution. Like with any deep dive, more comfort and security arises if you have a tow line, something you can rely upon to readily come back to the surface should your exploration be too stirring. Perhaps in this case the tow line in exploring these entrenched emotional patterns is the witnessing of a trusted friend, relied-upon community, or skilled therapist.

Also remember when it comes to Mercury Retrograde, it’s a time of going back over things. Coupled with Mars still being retrograde, an urge to push forth just for pushing forth’s sake may be met with frustration. Use this time to become more conscious as to more holistic and conscious ways to act (Mars) and communicate (Mercury).

One more note about this Mercury Retrograde. As noted above, it stations direct on November 3, Election Day in the U.S. And while we didn’t need astrology to tell us that Election Day is going to be rife with challenges, the cosmos does reflect that. As such, try to vote early, ensure you fill out your ballot correctly, and if you are going to the polls on November 3, leave extra time (and bring provisions—water, snacks, etc.) in case the wait is longer than expected.

Also, with Mercury going retrograde Tuesday and the New Moon arriving Friday, the last days of the week may have us feeling we’re navigating in the dark, that the external world isn’t offering us much illumination. Remember though that incandescence can be found – and that it resides within. Listen to your inner voice, turn to your intuition, trust that deep within you resides knowingness. Tune in to your dreams, brush off your journal, spend a few more minutes meditating…turn to any practice you know helps you feel connected to a beacon of insight and awareness.

With the New Moon being in Libra, we’re pulled to usher in a new relationship to relationships. Remember though that a partnership doesn’t necessarily have to involve another person…that it also mean the relationship we have with ourselves. We’re pulled to draw in beauty, honor grace, and magnetize harmony - invite these into your life in any way you can and desire.

All my best,

Stephanie

All my best,

Stephanie

Astrological Highlights

October 12

Jupiter/Neptune Sextile

Mercury/Venus Sextile

October 13

Sun/Mars Opposition

Mercury Stations Retrograde

October 15

Sun/Pluto Square

October 16

Libra New Moon

October 18

Sun/Saturn Square

Venus/Neptune Opposition

All days reflect Eastern Daylight Time (- 7 hours GMT)

Stellar Insights: October 12 - 18, 2020