Astrological Forecasts

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

October 2018

all times are PDT.

These are tense times and it doesn’t help that Venus will be retrograde for most of the month. It may take extra effort to get along with others, to deal with our own failings, and to be compassionate in general. But it’s also a time of great emotional energy, a lot of it good. No matter what the aspect or planetary position, it’s all double-edged. We can do good with whatever we’re handed. Let’s be productive, and do it.

Mon Oct 01 the Moon is in Gemini until 11:00 am when it finally moves into Cancer. Be mercurial all morning, then have a well-earned lunch. Even if you sleep in, you can do great things later in the day and the evening. Remember what you love about your own work. Now do it.

Tue Oct 02 the Moon is in Cancer all day. At 5:03 pm Mercury squares Pluto. Heads Up. One thoughtless comment or action can have huge repercussions. Let one of your characters do this.

Wed Oct 03 the Moon trines Jupiter at 1:33 am and goes void of course until it enters Leo at 2:12 pm. Have a quiet, productive half of the day, then be in the mood for some relaxation and entertainment.

Fri Oct 05 the Moon is in the end of Leo when Venus goes stationary retrograde at 12:04 pm. Heads Up. May I repeat, Heads Up. Relationships come under extra scrutiny, and previous romantic issues may arise again. Romance writers, take note. This one’s for you. We have until the middle of November to sort out the various matters of the heart. The Moon enters calmer but just as intense Virgo at 4:19 pm. Be grateful.

Sun Oct 07 the Moon is in Virgo until its entry into Libra at 6:10 pm. The real news, though, is that this is the day before the New Moon. Heads Up in all the ways important to you. Be safe, sane, and secure in yourself.

Mon Oct 08 we have the New Moon at 8:47 pm. Heads Up. This happens at 15Lib. That’s close enough to the start of the Via Combusta to make me uncomfortable. Have a civilized, disciplined lunar month and get a lot done.

Tue Oct 09 the Moon is still in Libra when Mercury enters Scorpio. Heads Up. The Moon enters Scorpio at 9:09 pm. The Moon conjoins Mercury at 9:36 pm. The Sun now has reached 16Lib and has entered the Via Combusta. And not to repeat myself, but the Moon and Mercury are now at the heart of the Via Combusta. Venus retrograde is already in the Via Combusta. There is systematically less slack in the world now. Heads Up, behave yourself, and wear your Kevlar where you think you need it most (possibly around your heart).

Wed Oct 10 the Moon is in Scorpio all day. Heads Up for those of us with natal Scorpio moons. Mercury opposes Uranus at 10:36 am. Stay on course and resist the urge to create an unneeded surprise or plot twist. The Moon conjoins Venus retrograde at 3:15 pm. Emotions are near the surface. Stay out of trouble and read (or write) poetry. Venus retrograde squares Mars at 7:29 pm. Heads Up. This aspect is dicey enough when Venus is direct. Maybe stay in tonight and keep those phone calls, emails, tweets, and texts short if not sweet.

Thu Oct 11 the Moon is still in Scorpio. All day. At 4:12 pm the Moon conjoins Jupiter and then goes void of course. Be ambitious and reach out to people in the afternoon. Give them a chance to tell you something encouraging. The Sun squares Pluto at 9:11 pm. Heads Up. Today may have been tense at times but that was then. This is now.

Sun Oct 14 the Moon conjoins Pluto in Capricorn. Heads Up. There’s enough going on to make people edgy. Don’t let this knock you off balance and out of your creative groove.

Mon Oct 15 the Moon is in Capricorn when Mercury conjoins Venus retrograde. Heads Up. Dialogue may be spoken in a softer voice, and the sense of humor may be more subtle.

Wed Oct 17 the Moon enters Aquarius at 12:36 am and stays in Aquarius all the rest of the day. Settle down, don’t be nasty, and get some work done.

Thu Oct 18 the Moon conjoins Mars in Aquarius. Heads Up. Work with ruthless precision. You can do some very sharp work now.

Fri Oct 19 the Moon is in Aquarius when Mercury trines Neptune at 2:47 am. Maybe not sweet dreams, but dreams nonetheless. At 10:23 am, Mercury squares Mars. Heads Up and a caution against needless arguments, especially with yourself. At 1:20 pm the Moon enters Pisces and the world gets more sensitive and touchy-feelie. Don’t lose your cool. Keep working.

Sat Oct 20 the Moon conjoins Neptune in Pisces. Heads Up. It’s the weekend. Go out and get more inspired.

Sun Oct 21 the Moon conjoins Chiron near the end of Pisces at 9:51 pm. Like the song says, don’t be cruel. At 11:58 pm the Moon enters Aries. See if you can get some sleep.

Mon Oct 22 the Moon is in Aries when at 12:14 pm Mercury sextiles Pluto. The real news, however, is that today is the last day that the Sun is in Libra and is a guest in the house of Venus. Tomorrow the world may seem circumspect, secretive, and maybe even more preoccupied with sex (if that’s possible). Heads Up.

Tue Oct 23 the Moon is in fiery Aries when the Sun changes signs, moves out of Libra, and enters Scorpio. The Sun is now a guest in the house of Mars, and Pluto, and in the heart of the Via Combusta. Be compassionate even if the world does not reciprocate. Heads Up. At 5:47 pm the Sun opposes Uranus. Heads Up. A radical idea or approach may be hard to implement, and may not get a good reception. Spend your time on work that really matters to you.

Wed Oct 24 the Moon conjoins Uranus in Taurus at 8:31 am. Heads Up. Maybe let that early morning phone call go to voice mail. At 9:45 am we have the Full Moon at 9:45 am. This occurs at 01Tau. Have more respect for nature and the physical world. Make your writing more concretely anchored in reality. Details, details, details. Nature is beautiful and this can be a beautiful lunar month.

Fri Oct 26 the Moon is still in Taurus when the Sun conjoins Venus retrograde. Heads Up. Give your heart a break and work on something that you can feel more objective about. Any science writers, out there? You can still pick a subject that thrills and engages you. At 7:16 am the Moon enters Gemini. Lighten and brighten up, and indulge all those creative, communicative, mercurial, playful urges. Try to keep the mischief to a minimum. It’s also nice to stay out of trouble. Leave trouble to your characters.

Sun Oct 28 the Moon finally exits Gemini and enters Cancer at 4:27 pm. Have you had a good day? Now unwind and have a good evening.

Mon Oct 29 the Moon is in Cancer all day. At 4:05 am Mercury conjoins Jupiter. Wake up feeling lucky, and then make your own good luck all day even if you never go outside.

Tue Oct 30 the Moon is in Leo when Mercury changes signs, leaves Scorpio, and enters Sagittarius. Heads Up. This can improve any mood. Feel free to make more jokes, even if no one gets them.

Wed Oct 31 the Moon is in Leo all day. At 1:45 am Venus retrograde opposes Uranus. Less can be more, even in romance. At 12:42 pm Venus retrograde slips out of the front of Scorpio and enters the end of Libra. In the heart of the Via Combusta. Just great, huh? Heads Up. Play nice and reserve outspoken judgment. It’s Halloween, the third and final of the three harvest festivals. Heads Up. Traditionally, anything not harvested and still in the field now belongs to the faerie. We don’t want to anger any of them, now, do we?

Historically, Libra and Scorpio were once one big constellation. It’s broken up now and Scorpio contains most of the, ah, malefic fixed stars. The Libra/Scorpio cusp may be the most difficult of all the cusps. No, wait. There are no easy cusps. But this month, we have to work overtime and pay extra attention to not exaggerate softness and civility and to not get too cold and cruel.

There is great emotional and psychic energy in Scorpio. If you need to make a big change, be brave and do it now. Scorpio is the place of transformations. The Via Combusta, the Fiery Road, may not be the easiest stretch of thirty degrees in the zodiac, but it’s extremely powerful. If you’re sincere and work hard, great things can be made to happen.

Make them happen. Heads Up!