~ Soul Archaeology ~
And so, we find ourselves descending into the witching season. The veil between worlds is thinning, and a sense of ancient, ancestral magic fills the air. The Great Mother is drawing Her energy inwards, ready for the deep rest. The unpicked fruits of the harvest begin to rot and decay and as they fall to the ground, the red and gold leaves shake free of the trees, dancing upon the sweeping Autumn winds, and a blanket of darkness enfolds the Earth.…..
The month of October takes on a deeply alchemical tone, with Pluto/Kali the Dark Goddess being powerfully activated by transit over the coming weeks as the Planets shift from harmonious Libra, into the dark waters of the Scorpion, the sign She now claims ruler ship of.
“Soul work is not a high road, it is a deep fall into an unforgiving darkness that won’t let you go until you find the song that sings you home.” ~ McCall Erikson
We begin the Month with Pluto Herself stationing direct at 20 degrees of Capricorn on October the 3rd. When a planet changes direction, its energy becomes highly concentrated. This is a time of profound transformation personally and collectively as what has been long buried is drawn into the light. Lady Pluto holds up Her obsidian mirror, forcing us to look at the uncomfortable shadows of our reality, revealing old energetic debris that has been lingering in the hidden corners of our psyche. This is powerful period for healing inherited ancestral patterns that have kept us stuck and sick.
Pluto, the Black Mother will be in a waning square to Venus the Lover in Libra as She stations, indicating that this transmutational frequency will impact our relationships, finances and sense of self-worth. Veiled desires and obsessive patterns are awakened by this alignment, as we are reminded of the necessity of darkness for soul evolution.
We may ask ourselves, how can we accept and integrate those parts of ourselves we label as shameful or unworthy? How can we reclaim all of the rejected parts of our soul, and move deeper into wholeness and embodiment? How can we choose to embrace the natural cycles of destruction and recreation? Pluto energy awakens the fear of the egos annihilation, reminding us of the illusion of security.
Pluto has been retrograde since the 24th of April, and will now prepare for Her historical conjunction with Saturn in 2020. There can be much fear and insecurity rising as the old reality dissolves further into collapse, and the corruption of the archaic systems that control our world continue to be exposed for what they truly are. It is up to us to disentangle ourselves from these old, dying structures and move into self-sufficiency wherever possible.
Also on the 3rd of October, Mercury the messenger will enter the sign of the Scorpion, where She will station retrograde at the end of the Month. During this period, it is important to allow ourselves to be aware of the shadowy undercurrents of reality, and the psychic manipulation that occurs through media, we must ensure that we don't fall into paranoia and suspicion.
On the 4th of October, Mars the Warrioress leaves Virgo and heads into the sign of the scales. Impulsive, reckless Mars is at Her most uncomfortable in diplomatic Libra where She is forced to compromise and consider the consequences of Her often rash descisions. Mars in Libra encourages us to act in ways that create fair solutions for all. She cautions us against selfish action and counsels us to instead consider both sides of any issues that may arise.
Mars will oppose Chiron the Shaman as He crosses the threshold into Libra, (exact on the 9th) inviting us to look at areas of our lives and relationships we are giving our power and sense of self identity away in order to feel loved and accepted. She will be journeying through Lady Justice’s sign until the 19th of November.
Sol in Libra ignites the on-going Saturn/Node alignment as She squares the Mystress of Time and Space and the Nodal axis on the 7th of October. This is a checkpoint of destiny as we see the karmic implications of the path we are currently taking from our soul’s perspective. What needs to be adjusted to create more equilibrium in our lives? What needs to be let go before we can move forward? Where are attachments to old, established systems and ways of living /relating holding us back?
“Witches are women who aren’t afraid of who they are. They don’t have to conjure magic, they are magic.” ~ Fxywlf
On the 8th of October Venus leaves Her home sign of Libra and journeys through the gates of the underworld into the sign of the Scorpion. Venus in Scorpio wears the Raven feather cloak of the Sorceress. She is the Queen of the Witches, Priestess of the mysteries of life, death and rebirth. She is Lilith, the Seductress, She is Ereshkigal, the dark twin of Inanna. In traditional astrology, Venus is said to be at her ‘fall’ in Scorpio, perhaps because of old, ingrained fears held in the collective around the archetypes She represents.
With Venus in Scorpio our yearning for deep soul intimacy is awakened. Attraction and magnetism crackles in the air, as passions and emotions become all consuming. Venus will oppose Urania in Taurus on the 12th of October, asking us shake free of out dated programming around our bodies and sacred sexuality. Venus remain immersed in Scorpio until the 1st of November.
On the 12th of October Mercury enters Her pre-retrograde shadow at 11 degrees Scorpio. Pay attentions to signs, symbols and intuitive flashes that arise today. They may be a foreshadowing of what is to come as Mercury changes direction.
A bewitching Aries Full Moon lights up the cosmos on the 13th of September, creating a potent T-Square between Lady Luna, Sol and Pluto. This is a truly Metamorphic Moon that calls us to cast all that no longer serves into the black fires of transmutation. Emotional reactions could be volcanic and unpredictable at this time. The Libra/Aries axis calls us to address any imbalances in our relationships with others, illuminating where we are either falling into people pleasing and co-dependency, or acting in ways that are inconsiderate and self-centred. Libra craves peace, beauty and collaboration. Adrenaline fuelled Aries is uncompromisingly independent, always seeking the next exciting adventure.
How can we honour and integrate both polarities within us? How are we settling for superficial connections in order to not feel alone? Are we behaving in manipulative, inauthentic ways under the guise of keeping the peace? Conversely, where are being unhealthily self-reliant, believing that accepting support is a sign of weakness? Are we afraid to be vulnerable enough to allow love in?
Mercury in Scorpio makes a gentle trine to Neptune in Pisces on the 15th of October, as Venus prepares to align with the North Node in cancer on the 17th. These sweet, flowing aspects bring in an energy of healing and emotional purification, providing us with some much needed respite from the cathartic vibrations of the month.
On the 23rd of October Sol exits the airy realm of Libra and joins Mercury and Venus in the Scorpio Shadowlands. The atmosphere becomes infused with a sense of mystery and enchantment as we descend into the womb/tomb of the Great Mother. Scorpio is the death before rebirth, she is stripping away of the ego self, the bottomless void of transformation from which all new life is ultimately born. Scorpio is the edge walker, ruling over all that is now regarded as ‘occult’ or ‘taboo’ in our society, but was once held sacred by our ancestors. She invites us to see ourselves as we truly are at the secret core of our being, free from the expectations of society.
The Scorpio New Moon rises on the 28th of October, initiating a Lunar Cycle of release and renewal. With the Moon in Scorpio, feeling everything is better than feeling nothing! Scorpio teaches us the poison is the medicine. It is only when we allow ourselves to fully and vulnerably FEEL our emotional pain, grief and sorrow that we are able to free up our life force, and reclaim our power. When more we suppress and deny our ‘darker’ emotions, they unconsciously rule our lives. This New Moon sits in direct opposition to Urania in Taurus, calling for liberation from shame around feminine sexuality, and bringing up themes of financial stability and shared resources.
Mercury stations retrograde on the 31st of October, the Celtic festival of Samhain for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. We are reminded us that everything dies and changes form, life is a constant cycle of endings and beginnings. We can choose to consciously work with these energies by holding ceremonies of release, of contemplating our own death and allowing it to ignite our passion for life.
Mercury will change direction whilst in conjunction with Venus in the final degrees of Scorpio, indicating this will be a retrograde period that invites us to look deeply our hearts true desires, as we dive into a 3 week period of soul archaeology that asks us to excavate the ruins of our most entrenched patterns around intimacy, values and pleasure. Mercury will station direct on the 20th of November, leaving Her shadow on the 8th of December.
October Blessings!
Art by ~ Hyphaea
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