Whoosh.

That’s how I’d describe the sound of the energy as the week begins.

The reason? We have not one, but two, planets—Jupiter and Mercury—shifting direct on Monday, ending their retrograde cycle.

Before we explore the Whoosh, just a reminder: as a planet approaches the beginning or end of its retrograde phase, it appears to us that it’s not moving in the sky, that it has chosen a location to inhabit and doesn’t move much from there. This is known as a planetary station. leading up to and just after this, the planet shifts its spot ever so slowly, eventually picking up apparent speed to traverse the sky more quickly. Planets that are stationing are thought to reflect a concentration of the archetype that they represent.

As such, as I wrote last week, this past weekend and early this week, we may find that the themes associated with Jupiter and Mercury are quite potent. With Jupiter, growth and expansion take up greater space in our minds and the notion of goals captures our interest. And speaking of mind, reflecting Mercury’s station, our thinking may feel heightened, with ideas flooding in, while at the same time, we may find ourselves inundated with information and people trying to catch our attention. Go slow, and remember that only so much can be digested and assimilated at a time.

OK, back to the Whoosh….

So as these two planets move forward, this week we may feel a sense of propulsion, with plans considered and ideations ruminated upon seeming to take root and begin to be made manifested. And just as we may have found ourselves frustrated over the past weeks with having to go back over things and recalibrate our approach to our endeavors, finally we may experience that a breakthrough occurs. It may seem like it’s happening out of nowhere, and yet it’s quite likely the result of a receptive gathering we’ve been recently doing. It’s like all of the input we had collected was just waiting for the right time to coalesce, not only into a more seamless understanding that comes from weaving together present and past understanding (one of the values of a retrograde cycle) but also waiting for the right timing to be released, for the universe to seemingly beckon forth what we so patiently (or not so patiently) had recently distilled.

Remember how I’ve been alluding to October being chockful of action and movement. Well this week that’s not just due to the whoosh-inspiring Jupiter and Mercury going direct but to other happenings.

On Wednesday, we’ve got an Aries Full Moon, a yearly lunation in which we may find ourselves ignited to discover more balance and harmony. Our partnerships may feel ignited and we could find ourselves pulled to the battlefield to champion for ways to make a relationship more rewarding.

That battlefield image feels quite strong to me this week, not only because of this lunation but also because of the role of Mars. On Thursday, the warrior planet opposes rebel-with-a-cause Eris while on Friday it squares transformative Pluto. It could appear as if there’s an explosive energy around, with people on pins and needles, with one ‘wrong move’ seeming like it would set them off. Power struggles and dodging for control may appear to be themes.

Yet, that’s not all that they offer; in fact, we can use their invitations to our behest. Mars + Eris invites us to look at where we feel uninvited, whether it’s by others or those parts of ourselves that we exclude from view; bring this to consciousness and honestly tune into your feelings while also seeing how a pathway for integration may appear. When it comes to the Mars/Pluto Square, dig deep down into an honest place to survey what it is that you really desire, what your hidden motivations look like, and how when they are not brought to light they cause you to act in ways that may run counter to not only feeling at ease but also to actually getting what you want in the long term.

On Saturday, the Sun shifts into Scorpio and we enter a month in which mysteries hold magic. We may find ourselves more pulled to what pulls us, what tugs on our emotions and causes us to feel stirred.

On a final note, I want to go back to the Aries Full Moon. If you’re looking for journaling questions for this lunation, to help you work through the opportunities for insight that are being offered, here are the Stellar Reflection questions I have included for it in my book The Complete Guide to Astrological Self-Care:

What can I do to feel a greater sense of balance in my life?
Do I need to adjust the amount of compromising that I do?
How do I define injustice?

Wishing you a powerfully dynamic week filled with illumination and movement that brings you more connected to peace and beauty,

xxStephanie

Astrological Highlights

October 18

Jupiter Stations Direct
Mercury Stations Direct
Mars/Jupiter Trine

October 20

Aries Full Moon

October 21

Mars/Eris Opposition

October 22

Mars/Pluto Square

October 23

Sun enters Scorpio

All Days Reflect Eastern Daylight Time (- 4 hours GMT)

Stellar Insights for October 18 - 24, 2021

Astrological Highlights