Astrological Forecast:
September & October 1989
By Terry Lamb, M.A.
Major Planetary Events
VirgoNewMoonEclipse 7°48 Virgo Aug. 30
Uranus stationary direct 1°20' Capricorn Sept. 9
Jupiter opposite Saturn 7°18' Can/Cap Sept. 10
Saturn stationary direct 7°18' Capricorn Sept. 11
Mercury station. retro 10°34' Libra Sept. 11
Harvest Full Moon 22°37' Vir/Pis Sept. 15
Neptune station. direct 9°37' Capricorn Sept. 21
Mars square Uranus 1°24' Lib/Cap Sept. 21
Sun enters Libra 0°00' Libra Sept. 22
(Autumnal Equinox—Mabon)
Sun conjunct Mercury 2° Libra Sept. 24
Libra New Moon 6°43' Libra Sept. 29
Jupiter oppos. Neptune 9°38' Can/Cap Sept. 30
Mars square Saturn 7°37' Lib/Cap Oct. 1
Mars square Neptune/Jupiter
Mercury station. direct 25°44' Virgo Oct. 3
Libra Full Moon 21°26' Lib/Ari Oct. 14
Sun enters Scorpio 0°00' Scorpio Oct. 23
Cheiron stationary retro. 16°36' Cancer Oct. 26
Jupiter stationary retro. 10°53' Cancer Oct. 28
Samhain (Hallowe'en, trad.) Scorpio Oct. 3
As we enter September, the Sun is in Virgo. At this time we begin to shift our focus to the harvest and to nurturing through health and healing. High-minded service is also a theme as a more studious and industrious mood prevails.
We cannot talk about the impact of September's planetary patterns in our lives until we consider the new eclipse cycle whose energies will be revealed to us during September. This began on August 30th, when the solar eclipse occurs. This is the final eclipse in Virgo, which will remain undisturbed by this soli-lunar alignment for 9 years. As a New Moon it is a time to plant the seed of Right Timing in life, for Virgo is the womb of time, the sacred Keeper of the Seed of the Goddess. Indeed, a better name for Virgo is "the Priestess," or she who controls her own destiny.
September itself brings an incredible burst of planetary energies! It starts with the Uranus station on September 9th. At this time, Uranus returns to its regular forward motion. Situations bottled up around April 9th are now set to release. The theme is freedom, rebellion and alignment with your Higher Self's purposes. Jupiter opposes Saturn; the last of the Great Oppositions while Jupiter is in direct motion. This occurs within hours of Saturn's station to direct motion early on the 11th. This will boost the spread of Saturn's forms and structures into the socioeconomic patterns of our world. This will also give many of us a boost into "structured expansion," which can apply itself in everything from business to spiritual growth. The keynote at this time is the release of pressure, especially that exerted around April 22nd.
Don't look for much of a breather, though, because there will be great haste to close off this planetary cycle. Mercury once again goes retrograde, on September 11th in Libra. Focus on inner balance, communication with loved ones and expressing your energies through Divine Love to see your way through this three-week period. We may have to be patient and let Mercury play out its energies before we can gain the full benefit of the other planets' return to direct motion. It's as if Mercury is toying with us—indeed, the key is to have a sense of humor!
The Harvest Moon in Virgo/Pisces brings a time of reward and a time to express gratitude where it is due. This is important to gaining closure as the year begins to wind down. Neptune's station to direct motion occurs on the 21st, the last of the Great Bodies to return its energies to our conscious control. This day should not go unnoticed, since Mars also squares Uranus on that day. The first of Mars' squares to the Capricorn Grand Conjunction, this will begin a period when we will be challenged in our ability to use the prevailing energies beneficially. Mars is not known for its selflessness. Yet the planets in Capricorn require us to act in selfless ways if we are to overcome the common pitfalls associated with these planets. The Mars square to Uranus should be particularly momentous, triggering everything from accidents to situations that you must act on immediately. Be prepared for sudden change!
The Sun's entry into Libra emphasizes the importance of finding balance. This is Mabon, or the Fall Equinox. At this time, the Sun King yields to the Lord of Darkness. The Queen of Summer now becomes the Wise Woman, or Crone. It is a time to let go of what we have kept but need to release. It is a time of gratitude and a time to embrace the perfect balance within.
The new Mercury cycle begins two days later, on the 24th. This is when the rush of endings becomes a rush of beginnings. Begin your new ventures in mental activities now, but note which papers you must sign during this time, if any. There may be special circumstances surrounding such a situation. Sometimes these circumstances are that the situation is something that is long overdue. By the time Mercury goes direct on October 3rd, the feeling of urgency will release.
On September 30th, Jupiter opposes Neptune—the last of its oppositions in direct motion to the Grand Conjunction. This will bring an expansion in psychic awareness and a culmination in socio-religious consciousness. For instance, individually we may almost live in a fantasy around this time. Or, given that Saturn and Uranus are not far away in influence, we may feel that fantasy is tempting, but . . .. It is certainly a time of reality testing. If you have worked with Neptune before, you will have greater success in sorting reality from fiction. Neptune's job is to reveal inner reality. This appears as fantasy to the newcomer to Neptune's realms. The truth lies in Neptune's reality, but Saturn says, "No, no, listen to me, I'll tell you the real story." Saturn tells a story of reason and rationality, of what we can see and touch. It says that the physical world is all that is real—if we buy into its reality without remembering the realities of other planets. It is true that we must deal successfully with Saturn (that is, our responsibilities) before we can approach the psychic planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) with any success.
Collectively, the civilizations around the world will receive some new insight into the nature of religion, belief and spirituality. Ideally, they will gain insight into the difference between religion and spirituality.
Mars began to square the planets in Capricorn from Libra on September 21st when it reached the right angle to Uranus. The impact of Mars in Libra is intensified on September 29th, when both the Sun and Moon conjunct it. This is the New Moon in Libra, and the world may reel from the impact of this difficult aspect. We may experience critical events on an individual level as well, especially if we have planets in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn). This aspect brings activation. If you have let slide the energies of the cardinal signs, you may be in for quite an exciting time!
This energy will endure through the first week of October, as Mars squares Saturn, Neptune and then Jupiter in turn. These energies will be subverted, however, until Mercury goes direct. The grand culmination of their collective influence will be on the Full Moon of October 14th. If ever there is a time to pray for peace in our world, this lunar cycle is it. What's more, these general influences will prevail during the entire last quarter of 1989. We may experience global economic disappointment and local conflicts as we finish off the year.
The Sun entering Scorpio on October 23rd will change the tone but not the impact of these critical times. Jupiter and Cheiron turn retrograde in the final days of October and will oppose the Grand Conjunction yet again. (Cheiron opposed them earlier in the year—sorry I missed telling to you!) The world will experience the impact of these transits as a transition period into a new way and a new world.
As individuals, we may experience triumph and grief, joy and sorrow during this time. It may be a time of extremes, a time of accomplishments, and a time of great, even shocking, discoveries. It may be difficult for some, but it will certainly not be dull. We will live through it and enter a better world when it is over. For those of us who have experienced inactivity during the summer, it will come as a blessing.
Finally, October ends with Samhain, the traditional beginning of the Wiccan New Year. Astrologically, however, this event does not take place until November 7th, at the solar cross quarter at 15° Scorpio. This is the time to celebrate what is gone from our lives, to give thanks for the harvest and the time of death and rebirth. When the veil between the worlds is thin, as now, it is a time of connection with the Lord of Death who is the Lord of Life. The Sun Child is conceived once again.
The Great Transformation is upon us. We have much work to do to get back in harmony with the Mistress and Mother of Life. May we find our own way to the light and the way to communicate to those still in darkness.
Many blessings in your process of discovery! | 
