October Planets: Mercury Goes Retrograde! 10/04-25/2014

Vedic Astrology Planet Movements for October, 2014

First we’ll check in on the Libra and Virgo Ascendants and Moon sign people:  How’s that going for you, having the ruler of both of your charts in planetary exchange?  Mercury moved into Libra (Venus’ sign) on 9/20, and Venus moved into Virgo (Mercury’s sign) on 9/24.  It’s a good thing that these two planets are “friends” and thus happy to be spending time in each other’s “houses.”

The current “compound dignity” for each of these planets in their transiting positions is “great friends” which is as positive as it sounds. Here’s how their interaction translates for your sign:

It’s just fine for the Virgos among us.  You have Mercury, the ruler of the 1st house of “self” sitting now in your 2nd house of “family, wealth and speech.” (and vice versa, Venus, ruling your 2nd house of wealth, sitting in your 1st house of “self” bringing its wonderful benefic, enriching qualities to you.) Even though Venus is in its sign of debilitation here, it can still bring positive results.  Venus also governs your 9th house of good luck, good fortune, dharma, and natural law. So to have that 9th house ruler crossing your house of self, is beneficial. A planetary exchange creates a much tighter bond between the areas that each planet stands for, than just having the ruler of your chart crossing that house.  It gives a greater energetic impact to your experience of these significations, as they manifest in very practical ways. However, Rahu, the north node of the Moon and a tricky malefic, is also traveling in Virgo with Venus, so you can still experience the kind of ups and downs, and unexpected events that Rahu is famous for, Virgo friends.

Libras on the other hand (as if you haven’t been through enough lately!) are having to deal with Venus, the ruler of your chart, now crossing your 12th house of “loss and expenses” which is also the house of isolation or conversely, seclusion, i.e. you may CHOOSE some alone time right now.  In your case, the exchange is between your 1st and 12th house rulers, so you may not feel as outgoing as normal, or just overloaded with everything on your “To Do list.” You will have to be careful of your spending at this time. Your energy could also be feeling somewhat low or sluggish due to the debilitated status of Venus in the sign of Virgo.

10/04/14 – MERCURY GOES RETROGRADE!  It will stay in this backwards-appearing motion until 10/25/14.  We get to “enjoy” this learning experience at least three times per year, for three weeks at a time.  It can gum up the works as far as our channels of communication are concerned (and oftentimes do the same with our communications equipment).  However, we can also get a chance to finish projects that were begun previously which we may have had to put off, at such times.  I would advise being conscious to try for the most tactful approaches in your conversations, both written and in person.  Do not assume that you really “got” what the other person just said, nor that they really understood your meaning and intentions!  That’s just the way this planet influence works, so it’s always good to check in and ask if they meant “X” or “Y’ thing, when communicating with others now.

10/08/14 – TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE – this celestial event will be visible in Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and the Americas.  This eclipse will occur in the sign of Pisces, where the Moon will be joining Ketu, the south node of the Moon, which already moved into this dual water sign on 7/13/14.  People with Pisces or Cancer (the sign ruled by the Moon) Rising signs or Moon signs, will feel it the most. One type of experience you may have now is greater intuition or a sudden mystical understanding, so it’s not all bad. However, the ancient Vedic texts advise against looking at the eclipse itself. Eclipses are considered negative omens traditionally, as either Rahu (north node) or Ketu (south node) is trying to “swallow” or put out the light of one of the luminaries of our solar system, the Sun or the Moon. It is advised not to eat at that time, and especially any pregnant ladies should not be outside to receive the rays of this darkening of the Moon (or Sun) for such inauspicious events.

10/10/14 – to make things even more “interesting”, Mercury also goes “combust the Sun” on this date, while it is still retrograde. That means it is traveling too close to the Sun for comfort and thus feeling more irritated and angry then normal. Those of you ruled by Mercury (Virgos and Geminis) will likely feel it the most.  Be mindful of getting easily irritated during this period.  It gets out of combustion on 10/22/14.

10/16/14 Mercury backs up into the previous sign of Virgo on this date, while still in retrograde motion.  Since this is its own sign, it will be comfortable here, and communication can actually increase in clarity to some degree for the Virgo Rising and Moon signs.

10/17/14 – it’s that time of year when the SUN moves into LIBRA, which is a sign loving peace, harmony and balance. However the Sun is in debilitated dignity here, thus feels the weakest.  Libras can enjoy the 11th house qualities which the Sun brings your way: “gain, income, fulfillment of desire”, but Leos who are ruled by the Sun, may not feel as vital and vibrant as they usually do.

10/18/14 – Venus moves into LIBRA, its own sign, where it is happy and strong. Those of you with Libra Rising or Moon signs will get to feel more energy and also be feeling more attractive now, with benefic Venus crossing your house of self and body.

10/18/14 – on this same day, MARS moves into the fire sign Sagittarius.  This will bring mixed influences to the Sagittarius Ascendants and Moon signs. While Mars rules your 5th house of success, education, children and intellect, it also governs your 12th house of loss and expenses. Thus Mars can bring a taste of “all of the above” while it transits your sign. It stays here until 11/27/14…when it moves into Capricorn, where it enjoys Exalted dignity. That’s something for the Capricorns to look forward to. 

10/23/14 – PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE – this event will be visible in the north Pacific Ocean and in North America.  Since the SUN will have moved already into the air sign LIBRA on 10/17/14, and the north node Rahu is in Virgo, this eclipse is more of what I call a “glancing blow”, as the light will not get totally “put out” by malefic Rahu. Still, those with Leo Rising or Moon signs (which are ruled by the Sun), may be feeling a little more sensitive and out of sorts than you normally do on this day.

To understand how these planetary shifts affect your own life, please call me for a reading! 

All the best, from the Sunshine Corner, here in Sedona, AZ.  Tel. No. 928-284-4060.Thank you for any referrals you may send me. I offer many services such as: natal chart readings, yearly updates, couples compatibility or astrocartography (location) readings.  If you would like to book an appointment for yourself, or as a gift for a family member or dear one, please just call me, and we can schedule a 90 minutes, taped session.  Thank you, Mary Stevenson, Vedic Astrologer, healingevents@yahoo.com