 by Terry Lamb We're fortunate and delighted to feature Terry Lamb, who joined Daykeeper last month with August's Daily Success Guide. Terry is an accomplished speaker, coach, trainer, and healer as well as astrologer. She is director of the Astro-Energetic Healing Program, a retreat series in her unique healing approach, and The Astrological Certification Program, an on-line/home study program in astrology. Author of Born To Be Together, Astrology's Magical Blends: Combinations for Health and Happiness from Aries to Pisces, and several manuals on astrology’s mathematics, her writings have appeared in The Mountain Astrologer, NCGR’s Geocosmic Journal and memberletter, and many other publications. She currently serves on the NCGR Board of Examiners, was its past Treasurer and Executive Secretary. She also holds membership in AFAN and the San Diego Astrological Society. We felt Maya's guidance with us in connecting with Terry, and we feel that Maya, who originated the Daily Success Guide, would especially appreciate the insightful way that Terry relates larger and longer planetary cycles to the hourly ups and downs of daily life. Welcome, Terry! This free version of the forecast
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Subscriber! Subscribe now. INTRODUCTION If September had a key word, it would be release. Not all the pressure will be gone, but there will be a substantial subsidence as both Jupiter and Pluto return to direct motion. During these planets’ retrogrades, which have been linked this year, we have been asking ourselves, “Do we have enough time to make up for our mistakes? How can we recover from the past?” Whether this is in our personal lives or the public arena, these questions have haunted us. As Pluto leaves the optimistic “what if” of Sagittarius, it enters the realistic “what is” of Capricorn. Where last year Jupiter in its home sign of Sagittarius spurred our vision of a future full of possibilities, this year in Capricorn it magnifies our fears of a future that we can only hope to survive. It has acted as a catalyst upon the areas of decay that Pluto will reveal as it travels through Capricorn, bringing them to the surface so that we can see them. Last year it seemed impossible that a bank could fail and those who suggested it were on the lunatic fringe; now we’re hoping that the one we bank with remains solvent. Yet, just as Jupiter magnified our hopes in 2007, it expands on our worries in 2008. Just as our Jupiterian dreams of limitless wealth went up in smoke, so too will our worst fears for the future. We can imagine it much worse than it will be. As Jupiter goes direct, we will find the limits on our problems. Although we may face a daunting future as a species (or culture or community), we will manage, and as Jupiter and Pluto return to forward motion, we will begin to see how we can manage—even thrive—in the new world we now inhabit. I do not mean to damn our experience of these planets with faint praise; they will be felt in powerful and beneficial ways by most people, a true release to forward motion in our lives after a very long pause. At the same time that they turn direct, the Sun is near its waning trine with each, adding to the reward period feel. September will bring a harvest that is worthy of the name, including to food supplies. We can expect bumper crops this year to bolster the flagging food economy around the world. The big planetary news is the Saturn-Uranus opposition that is coming into focus. It has already been felt in July and August as Mars, then Venus and Mercury have triggered it. Now the Sun juices it up mightily, but the trine to Jupiter creates an energy pattern we can work with. All these good vibrations culminate on September 18-19 when the Moon enters Taurus and provides the missing link to a kite pattern with Jupiter and Saturn, and Uranus at the apex. This promises to be an incredibly fertile pattern that we can all use to smooth out the bumps in life. Saturn and Uranus will oppose each other five times over the next three years. They bring to a head the primal conflict between tradition and innovation, between the status quo and the revolutionary. We can expect the US elections to display this conflict in stark contrast—evident already in the McCain “age and experience” campaign versus the Obama “youth and innovation” position. In digging into this pattern further, we find buried the seed of the next yearly Saturn cycle, which starts when the Sun reaches it on September 3. This starts another year of building toward a solid future, of creating a firm foundation that we can rely on and will not fade away. Meanwhile, we begin to experience a gentler understanding of the healing process we are experiencing this year, even a feeling of grace, forgiveness, and gratitude, as Mercury and Venus make the first trines to the healing pair Chiron and Neptune. There will be some awkwardness as Mercury and Venus also quincunx Uranus as we adjust to the changes that they nudged us toward in August. Still, on the whole we should be well able to make life work better for us now than in the midsummer. The one potential wrench in the works comes with Mercury’s retrograde, which starts on September 24. Our faithful messenger will be bringing a message full of complexity this time as it makes multiple contacts to other planets and points, namely Jupiter, Mars, North Node, Chiron, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and the Sun. Add the Moon to the mix, and only Saturn and Pluto are not engaged in this “whole-sky” experience. We will respond with a rapid adjustment and integration process that will leave us more whole than when we started the process. The entire interlude is complete on October 29. It does not follow, however, that this need be difficult. Most of the contacts are harmonious ones (conjunctions and trines); only two are challenging—a square to Jupiter and a quincunx to Uranus. Watch what happens when these first occur to gain clues as to how to resolve related issues.
(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Standard Time. A Void of Course Moon makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.) Labor Day’s dreams bring vague feelings of discomfort as the Moon conjoins Pluto in the wee hours. For the better part of the day we’re ruminating on what needs doing during the month of September while the Moon reaches toward Venus and Mercury. There’s much to be accomplished! You’ll feel relieved and inspired by the end of the day, ready to take action under a Moon-Mars conjunction. A void Moon expires before we rise, so don’t worry about wasted efforts. It enters Libra at 4:44 AM, emphasizing our urge to create balance in life. With the Moon applying to a trine to Neptune all day, you’ll wonder where all your get-up-and-go went to. If you feel fogged, some energy balancing may be in order, but it is probably more a day to dream and create than it is a day for definitive action. Our consciousness is infused with energy today as the Sun conjoins Saturn. This begins a year-long cycle of constructive development and wise use of responsibility, so plan well what you wish to accomplish for the next 12 months. Although you have a month to create an approach, stay alert to the signals you receive today. The late morning is a good time for imagining and planning, as the Moon goes void of course at 10:09 AM until 1:02 PM, when the Moon enters Scorpio. Our constructive efforts of yesterday are bolstered by supportive aspects today as the Sun trines Jupiter and the Moon ties all the harmonious planets together into a neat little package throughout the day. Its sextiles to Saturn, Jupiter, and Sun create a minor grand trine and bring back the opportunities of the past week for a second chance at good fortune. Today is a day to play, as the Moon enters its void period at 8:46 AM, and doesn't emerge until just after midnight. Its aspects early in the day to Uranus and Neptune lend power to our creative and intuitive processes. The Moon enters Sagittarius at 0:11 AM, one of three times this month when it will spotlight the Saturn-Uranus opposition and all its supporting cast. While today is deceptively calm, with only sextiles to Venus and Mercury to disturb the waters, tomorrow is full of activity. Rest while you can, live in the present, prepare if necessary. Today is chock full of activity, mirroring the unusually high number of planetary events. Before we rise, the Moon will have sextiled Mars, then squared Saturn and the Sun. With the midday heated by a square between Mars and Jupiter, we’ll feel an irrepressible urge to get things done. It won’t be enough to watch the football games—we’ll need to be playing or working in a more active manner. The biggest event, though, is the return of Jupiter to forward motion at 9:16 PM. Even though it officially occurs late in the day, there’s a general feeling of relief and release that will pervade the day. Don’t be surprised if there are lots of parties this weekend as people feel the shift of energy and respond to it. As if that weren’t enough, a Mercury square Jupiter near bedtime brings restlessness and precipitates new awareness. Perhaps we need to change the way we organize our lives in light of our new plans and routines. (This is the first of three Mercury contacts, so remember to observe what occurs with this influence.) Be alert to the lunar contacts to Saturn and Uranus to get a glimpse of the next three years: it reaches Saturn at 1:01 AM and Uranus at 6:19 PM. We can’t let the day’s events obscure our observance of the First Quarter Moon, which occurs at 7:04 AM at 15:19 Sagittarius. With the Sun just past Saturn in the 11th house for the chart cast in Washington DC, legislative gridlock is likely as the election looms and partisan passions rise. With the Moon squaring the Sun-Saturn and Uranus from Sagittarius and the 2nd house, economic figures may make things look rosier for a brief time, but some people will still suffer with the same problems that have plagued the economy all year, from foreclosures to job losses to inadequate health coverage (all issues represented by this T-square). A Venus-Mercury-Mars conjunction on the Libra Ascendant suggests that partnerships with other countries and leaders will help in the short term but may obligate the US in ways that will curtail our freedoms later on (these planets square Jupiter). Still, all these events have a silver lining and a spiritual purpose as they bring the US culture more into balance with the realities that the rest of the world is aware of (Libra stellium trines North Node-Chiron-Neptune). The hits just keep on coming, as two major planetary events occur today. Jupiter trines Saturn, the fourth of five in this waxing series of trines; and Pluto is stationary direct. Today’s energies are so strong that they will overflow both directions to give a more positive and powerful glow to events. Things that happen today (or happened yesterday) will have a longer term and deeper impact than those of other days. The Moon’s contact with Pluto early in the day will underscore this, and Mercury’s conjunction to Mars makes our choices and actions more intelligent. Although the Moon is void of course at 9:42 AM to 12:45 PM, this should not be a concern, as the Moon still performs when in Sagittarius. The Moon enters Capricorn at 12:45 PM. We see the limits of the release we’ve been experiencing today as Venus squares Jupiter and the Moon conjoins it then squares Venus. Our freedoms are not unbounded. The Jupiter-Saturn trine prevails however in guiding us toward pragmatic solutions. Action may be stymied as Moon squares Mars and Mercury, but that is only a temporary obstacle. However, under the radar is the Sun’s quincunx to Chiron. What do you need to adjust to accomplish your healing goals? Keep your eyes on the prize! Early lunar harmonies make for pleasant dreams that feed a day of much-needed rest and reorganization. Get to that pile of filing, even though you’re itching to act: The Moon is void of course in Capricorn from 6:15 AM until tomorrow at 20 past midnight. Today and tomorrow are good days to make agreements if you time them to Venus and Mars. These two planets conjoin at 7:06 PM in Libra and are assisted by a trine from the Moon all day, until early tomorrow morning. The Moon enters Aquarius at 0:20 AM in full support of the lovers’ tryst. Libra and Aquarius connect in perfect harmony as the Moon reaches its trines to Mars, Venus, and Mercury, permitting peace, agreements, and accord in relationships. At 6:21 PM, the Moon occults Neptune, giving us an extra powerful connection with our inner truth. However, the day’s big event lies in the Sun’s opposition to Uranus, the culmination of Uranus’s yearly dance with the Sun. This is the peak of our experiences that began in early March. We will reach a new state of awareness about how to break through a long-term obstacle in our lives around this time. It will also highlight the balance we must master between existing forms and the need to change them. After a short void of course period at 6:19–9:04 AM, the Moon enters Pisces. With an early morning Moon sextile Pluto as the day’s solo aspect, we’ll feel Sunday’s early Moon sextile to Jupiter, making a very auspicious day where we can engage in our activities without disruption. The tone of the day is set by the Sun’s quincunx to Neptune, tying into the quincunx to Chiron on the 9th. No healing is complete without inner realization and spiritual healing—you have access to the truth now. There are plenty of planetary events to entertain us—use a mid-morning hard look at reality (brought to you by Moon opposing Saturn) to problem-solve. You’ll find a win-win as Venus catches up with a slowing Mercury. This is not the end of the dilemma, but you’re on the right track. The evening brings a Moon conjunction to Uranus, translating light to complete the Saturn-Uranus opposition. With Saturn and Uranus contacts bracketing the day, we can raise our awareness from yet another perspective about what the next two years will bring as Saturn and Uranus play out a rebalancing of the structures that confine us and keep us safe. Before the Moon leaves Pisces, she comes to us in her full regalia, as the Harvest Full Moon in Pisces occurs at 2:13 AM at 22°54. This lunar event highlights the Saturn-Uranus opposition, especially the interruptive Uranus side of the equation. We will see an escalation of conflict in the election campaign, particularly a breakdown in the “rules” of running a winning campaign. Someone is going to think outside the box and bring about a dramatic shift in the electoral process. If there is going to be a problem with election fraud, we will hear about it at this time. Cast for Washington DC, the chart has 2 Virgo rising. This places the Full Moon opposition in the 1st and 7th houses, but not on the angles. While not putting us in crisis mode, there will be more news of the unfolding economic downturn; the US is becoming increasingly constricted because of its economic obligations to other nations and foreign companies, but this is not always a bad thing. However, a cradle aspect pattern involving Mars-Mercury-Venus in the 2nd house suggests that there is a light at the end of the economic tunnel. It is however essential that the new economic house be built on stone, not sand, and, with Mercury soon to retrograde, it is likely that measures taken at this time are of the sand variety. Although there is a void period between 12:03 and 2:39 PM, the Moon still performs, allowing us to continue effective actions. It enters Aries at 2:39. Cardinality is key as the Moon in Aries squares Jupiter in Capricorn at midday and Mars in Libra in the evening, all three cardinal signs. The dilemma is, “What should I do?” We want to act in a hurry—not always the best policy. Still, there are times when haste is called for, and this may be one of those times. The Moon continues its cardinal ways, contacting Mercury and Venus in the wee hours, then making beautiful music with Neptune and Pluto throughout the day. Venus trines Neptune as well, adding another sweet melody to the ensemble. The Moon enters its void period at 3:26 PM on a positive note. Rest and relax until she enters her exalted sign Taurus at 5:57 PM. What could be better than a grand earth trine, operating today as the Moon perfects a triangle with Jupiter and Saturn in the afternoon. It’s a great time to be productive; a lack of interruptions will allow you to stay on task. It’s green lights all day if you don’t count the Moon square Neptune near 7 AM. The Moon’s trine to the Sun and Mercury’s trine to Neptune (the first of three) allow us to feel more at ease, to give birth to a new future. Even though Moon makes her final aspect at 3:51 PM, she is still active in her exalted sign; she enters Gemini at 8:17 PM. Reality hits a little harder than usual today as Moon squares Saturn and Sun squares Pluto. Once again, we ask ourselves, “What must I change?” and then get hard at it, because we have a partial answer. Remember that you don’t have to take it all on at once; be in the moment and leave tomorrow’s challenges for tomorrow. In the early hours, the Moon holds onto its square to Saturn while squaring Uranus, and we see old and new in a balanced perspective. There are plenty of opportunity aspects to use in exploring these insights throughout the day: Moon trines to Mars, Neptune, Mercury and Venus; and Mars trine Neptune. Late in the day our blood flow is stimulated again as Moon opposes Pluto and squares Sun, revisiting yesterday’s Sun-Pluto square. This is the Last Quarter Moon square to the Sun at 29°34' Gemini/Virgo, occurring at 10:04 PM. Its primary feature is the T-square involving Pluto. This is a good time for resolving existing issues as Pluto starts the close-out period in its yearly cycle. Although we have three months before the new cycle starts, we will become aware of what our transformative task for this period is right now. In the chart cast for Washington DC, this T-square falls in the 12th, 3rd, and 6th houses, with the Sun on the IC. The angular contact makes this a critical week for the US. The IC signifies the people or public, especially those in the heartland, and the election campaigns in the heartland will be front and center in the coming days. Even if the media do not announce it, the campaigns will be focused there. The key issues for the heartland are healthcare and employment, both 6th-12th house concerns. The Moon’s void of course is of negligible concern, occurring at 10:04 PM for 45 minutes. The Moon enters its home sign of Cancer at 10:49 PM. The Sun enters Libra and signals the autumnal equinox, celebrated as Mabon in earth religions. Now, as day and night are equal, is the time to establish and affirm balance in our lives, especially as the harvest season continues. Venus’s sextile to Pluto today opens the door to positive change in relationship. If you have any suggestions for new perspectives that you want to make with your partner, this is a good day for it. The Moon connects Jupiter and Saturn again late in the day; even though opposing Jupiter, the sextile it makes to Saturn re-emphasizes the Jupiter-Saturn trine, highlighting positive progress. The energies are more strident today as Mercury conjoins Mars in the wee hours, followed by a Moon square to each of these planets in the early afternoon. Although the Moon makes its final aspect in Cancer at 2:17 PM, actions taken after this time are assured of unchallenged success. Venus enters Scorpio at 7:59 PM, her sign of detriment. This does not mean that we cannot use her energy well, only that we may have to work harder at breaking through emotional barriers. At 2:13 AM, the Moon enters sunny Leo, but this event is overshadowed by Mercury’s station, which occurs at 0:17 AM at 22°50' Libra. Mercury retrograde brings a stillness to our activities that gives us room to recover from past activity. Reorganize, review, and revamp. As Mercury picks up speed in reverse, our activity level will resume but with a heavier-than-normal dose of Mercury advice in our ear. Listen well! A Moon square to Venus and a sextile to Sun before breakfast leave the day free of static. It’s all Moon today, with three aspects from the Leo in late afternoon and evening. Moon opposite Neptune pokes holes in our more unrealistic plans, while her sextiles to Mercury retrograde and to Mars bring out our ingenuity. With these planets in Libra, bouncing our ideas off others may be just what the doctor ordered. After a void of course period between 4:20 and 6:52 AM, the Moon enters industrious Virgo. She ends her stay in Leo on the high note of a trine to Pluto, then reaches a sextile with Venus shortly after noon. It’s a great day for connecting with others and getting to meaningful agreements. The Moon gives us another boost by again triggering the Jupiter-Saturn trine, but you’ll have to get up early to experience its full affect. Our experiences are less settled as the day waxes on, with the Moon making an opposition to Uranus, abruptly urging a change in plans for the day with implications for the future. Go with the flow to create opportunity. Enjoy a late lazy brunch or a contemplative period as the Moon goes void of course between 10:30 AM and 1:05 PM. Her entry into Libra at 1:09 takes us into the dark of the Moon, when we can go inside and draw from our deepest well of resources. Mercury’s retrograde trine to Neptune (the 2nd of 3) will infuse our dreams with significant imaginings, so pay attention upon arising. Don’t burn your breakfast as Moon squares Pluto at 10:30 AM, the final aspect for the day. At 1:12 AM, the Moon reaches the Sun to bring the New Moon at 6°33' Libra. Although the luminaries will eventually collide with Mercury retrograde, the forecast for the month is mild as their dominant aspects are trines to the North Node, Chiron, and Neptune. A square to Jupiter, (occurring with the Moon later today and with the Sun on October 6) only spices up the lunar cycle. In the US election campaign, the new direction in campaign strategy is producing results, but there’s increasing pressure to engage in mud-slinging. There are hidden aspects of each side’s strategy that are still being held in secret; they will be revealed during the coming month. In the New Moon chart cast for Washington DC, once again early Virgo is rising. This repeats the emphasis of the last Full Moon, so we could say “more of the same” with respect to what occurred two weeks ago. However, in this chart Mercury retrograde in the 2nd house shows that economic actions taken at the Full Moon were not as effective as hoped, but the trines to Aquarius tell us that further adjustment is still possible and will produce a more positive result. A whole day of harmony results from the aspects of today as the Moon makes contact with Mercury (retrograde), Neptune, Mars, and Pluto. This is a good day for apologies if appropriate—they will be well-received and bear the fruits of harmonious relationship. The Moon’s void period from 6:47 to 9:26 PM promises a quiet evening of cocooning in preparation for its sojourn through Scorpio.
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