Astrological update for the week of September 5-12, 2022
artist unknown
Mercury retrograde and retrograde update! Mercury turns retrograde this week (September 9th) which will take us to Peak Retrograde for the year (six planets plus Chiron in retrograde motion!). If you read my September Planetary Illuminations report you may have noticed that I undercounted the retrogrades so the idea of this being a time of reflection rather than action is even more true.
When there is a preponderance of retrograde energy it can feel like we’re spinning our wheels, especially if those planets are triggering something in our chart. Mercury retrograde issues tend to be specifically about communication, but we also have Jupiter retrograde (examining missed opportunities), Saturn retrograde (revisiting our obligations), Neptune retrograde (urging a more creative sense of reality) and Pluto retrograde (the insistence of fate to take the wheel). With the addition of Chiron retrograde (peeling off the scab one more time in order to heal the wounds), there is a great deal of looking into the past that needs to be done.
With Mercury in Libra right now it is easier to see different sides of a situation and that can make decisions more difficult because many possibilities seem legitimate. Mercury will retrograde back into Virgo later in the month, but for the next few weeks with Mercury retrograde AND in Libra we would be smart to take our time to make a decision – considering all the angles doesn’t happen quickly and Mercury retrograde demands additional care in planning.
Saturn square Uranus. The challenging square between these two that was the Story of 2021 keeps tightening and even though they won’t make an exact aspect again during this cycle their influence is still important. The energies of Saturn = control and repression vs Uranus = radical change and rebellion were rampant in 2021, from the attempted overthrow of governments to the riots over mask policies. Expect things to be fairly unsettled for the next couple of months.
We’re seeing this all over the world right now, but these influences may also affect our personal lives we we strive to achieve balance between the things we know should be done (Saturn) and the urge to find a different way (Uranus).
Venus in Virgo. Venus enters Virgo on Monday September 5th, helping us to find practical ways to bring more order into our lives through our relationship to others and to the world around us. Virgo is ruled by Mercury and Mercury is in Libra, ruled by Venus, creating a situation we call Mutual Reception. Under the theory of Mutual Reception, the two planets (in this case Mercury and Libra) are in each other’s signs and therefore linked together for a few weeks. Here we are connecting the mind and thoughts (Mercury/Virgo) with our ability to connect with others (Venus/Libra), meaning communication is paramount right now. And with Mercury retrograde, communication is even more important.
Words matter right now, and taking some time to focus on the way we exchange information will be very useful.
Saturn opposite Ceres. I wrote about this in last week’s post but the stressful point between Saturn (order and routine) and Ceres (nourishment and personal integration) peaks this week (September 6). To recap, As we become more disconnected with the Earth and our sense of the natural rhythms and cycles of the seasons, we lose touch with a part of our own internal being. This can create a desperate sense of spiritual starvation within us as we stuff ourselves with bioengineered food that is loaded with chemicals that leaves us feeling undernourished and thirsty for a life that has meaning.
Last week Uranus squared Ceres, and that aspect is still in effect as Saturn joins in to pressure us into making better choices to support ourselves. Saturn will remind us that gratification of the ego is superficial and will not deliver the true spiritual comfort which Ceres inspires
Pisces Full Moon, September 10 5:58 am EDT. The Full Moon on September 10th is a Piscean festival of creativity and imagination with the Moon conjunct Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces. Under the influence of Pisces intuition and inner wisdom prevail in the opposition to the grounded reality of the Virgo Sun, making this a beautiful time for anything involving creativity or deepening our experience in nature and a sense of one-ness with the Earth.
Mars (action) is an important factor in this Full Moon chart which helps us to find some motivation in the midst of the Pisces magic. Under the influence of Pisces we sometimes can become lost in a daydream, but the influence of Mars will push us towards action and manifestation. Full Moon energies tend to take a few days to build before the event and then linger for a few days afterwards.
Lunar passages this week:
- The Moon begins the week in steadfast Capricorn, helping with the practical application of Venus in Virgo.
- September 6 the Moon enters inventive Aquarius at 11:41 pm EDT and spends all day on the 7th harmonizing with other planets for greater ease.
- September 9 at 12:42 am the Moon enters dreamy Pisces, strewing roses in our path for the Pisces Full Moon.
- September 11 at 2:47 am the Moon moves into forceful Aries, and the Sun harmonizes with Uranus to give us a burst of clear energy and fresh ideas.
I hope you have a great week! ❤️
For the interface between astrology and current events, follow me on Twitter. Love the art? You’ll find it on my Pinterest board here.
Yes! I do readings. Learn more here.
When you talk about the various issues that the many retrograde planets ask us to deal with, you frame them in their most positive manifestation. What would it look like, under the influence of those energies, if a person didn’t manifest them in the most positive way, but fought against them? For instance, Neptune retrograde could signify a retreat into escapism in one form or another and a refusal of creativity. Jupiter retrograde could indicate a time period when a person was missing opportunities or refusing to see them where they exist, or finding that opportunities are present but not easily seized?
I knew an astrologer who once laughingly said she thought of writing a book about “insults by astrological sign.” The idea being, what could you say to a Cancer, for instance, that would be most insulting to them and contrary to their actual nature? Like, “You just don’t care. You’ve never cared!” Them’s fightin’ words for a Cancer. :)
I try to usually present both the positive and negative patterns of astrological factors. You’re correct about the challenges of these retrogrades, but what you describe is more accurate when those planets are retrograde in the natal chart. Retrograde transiting planets have a somewhat different effect.
Ah! I hadn’t considered there being a difference between natal and transiting, but what you say makes sense.