October 2025
An Intentional Deconstruction
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Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are in the “retrograde spotlight”. I’m breaking down what that means—which questions to reflect on during this time and what actions to take.
Astrologically, 2025 has been a year of unearthing and deconstructing our realities: our relationships to self and others. These last few months are focusing heavily on the structures and systems that need tearing down, in order to rebuild in the spring. Spring 2026 is going to be “The Great Reset”—and in order for that to occur in the ways that are most needed and necessary: we have a lot of inner work to do in this final push. And what better time to look at the shadows of society and ourselves, than in the depths of winter?
In November we have Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in retrograde for the majority of the month—taking into account the shadows of each retrograde (the window-weeks prior to and proceeding a retrograde), it’s best and simplest to view the entire month as one long retrograde period. NOTE: Uranus and Jupiter will stay in retrograde through the end of the year into 2026— all other planets will be direct by mid-December.
Let’s do a deep dive into what retrogrades are (and aren’t), how we navigate them, what their impact is, and what wisdom we can gain from their paths. Retrogrades occur when it appears as though a planet is orbiting in reverse. Although planets never actually alter their course, they sometimes look as though they do. It’s an optical illusion that occurs when the planet’s apparent orbit slows down relative to Earth’s position, seemingly stalling and going backward, due to planets traveling at different speeds than our own. The planet’s distance from the Sun (and subsequently the Earth) as well as its speed impacts the frequency with which we witness retrogrades. Simply put: retrogrades are really, really commonplace.
In the second half of the season (mid-December through the end of January), Capricorn takes center stage. Not only does the Sun enter Capricorn December 21st, but we’re also working with Mars, Venus, and Mercury in Capricorn during that time span as well— honorable mention being the New Moon in Capricorn on January 18th—which is about when we start to see and feel things shifting as we ramp towards Spring.
Capricorn is governed by Saturn—it’s a cardinal earth sign, which means it’s an instigator, a sign that starts projects, and leads them toward success—Capricorn is hardworking, disciplined, and ambitious in the material pursuits of health, wealth, and hearth. With multiple planets stationing Capricorn the second half of winter we’ll be looking at ways to buckle down in order to make headway on goals for the upcoming year by organizing and scheduling tasks pertaining to improving (remodeling?) and we’ll be reimagining living spaces—satisfying Venus’s desire for aesthetic beauty, and appeasing Capricorn’s need for practicality is the definition of “form meets function”.
Journaling Prompts & Action Steps
November 5th ✧ Full Moon in Taurus
Action: Create space in your cloud storage by deleting documents and images that are no longer relevant or aligned, then back up those hard-drives, and dust off your journal—you’ll be needing it, we’re going analog for a bit.
Prompt: How can I more authentically communicate my needs and boundaries in order to care for my spirit? What patterns have I fallen into that I’ve avoided addressing? What does this hidden truth reveal about my beliefs?
November 20th ✧ New Moon in Scorpio
Action: Create a list of gratitudes from the past year—any areas of growth, or expansion, highlight; as well as areas where you exemplified hard work and discipline to achieve your goals.
Prompt: What is my relationship with power and success? How does my ego demand or react to its presence or denial?
December 4th ✧ Full Moon in Gemini
Action: Take steps to improve your sleep-habits: establish boundaries around doom-scrolling and tech in the bedroom, order those black-out shades or that new pillow you’ve been eyeing, and get to bed on time!
Prompt: What are my dreams revealing to me about my subconscious?
December 19th ✧ New Moon in Sagittarius
Action: Time to assess. We’re about to enter all that Capricorn energy I was mentioning, and a game-plan is needed. Make a list of five tangible (and measureable) things you’d like to accomplish in 2026, and prioritize the top three.
Prompt: If you could travel anywhere in 2026, where would it be, and what would that experience gift you, that could be implemented on your return home?
January 3rd ✧ Full Moon in Cancer
Action: Declutter, donate, and reorganize your living spaces.
Prompt: How can I romanticize the mundane aspects of my daily life? What do I need to implement for ”form to meet function”?
January 18th ✧ New Moon in Capricorn
Action: FINALLY! It’s time to map-out those New Year’s resolutions, and set yourself up for success to begin implementing them February 1st, with the return of the light!
Prompt: What do I want to create for myself and my community in 2026?
September 2025
Boundaries, Growth, & Purpose During Eclipse Season
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Witches’ autumn began August 1 and will continue until October 31* when the Wheel turns and we begin the descent into winter. This season is all about Authenticity, Speaking your Truth, and Moving with Integrity through Surrender. The eclipse season we’re currently in the midst of (which began on the 7th with a full moon eclipse in Pisces, and is complete on September 21st with a partial solar eclipse In Virgo) is shaking up dream-time and visions for many. Pisces is busy right now—Saturn moved into Pisces on the 1st of the month, and now with the eclipse we’re feeling those Piscean influences—and agendas—strongly. Pisces is emotive, intuitive, dreamy. With strong currents that can sweep you up and away in its rapid waters, or drag you under into its murky depths. Coupling that energy with the innate nature of eclipses (disruption, unearthing, endings and releases—breakdowns and breakthroughs) the word “catalyst” is an apt descriptor. Saturn, ruler of discipline and limitations, compels us to relook at our relationships and ideals; especially those from the past we’ve brushed aside (and maybe pretended that we’d processed and done the work on..but really hadn’t). It is common and understandable to look into the Mirror of the Past, reflecting on what was, and what might have been. To contact old lovers and comrades that have fallen to the wayside, and stir-the-pot a little bit—watching the sediment settle and the clarity rise to the surface. There’s immense opportunity for growth in the dredgings of your stream of consciousness—if you’re willing to do the work, you may just find gold. Saturn all but guarantees that at least some semblance of work will occur. Whether you partake willingly or begrudgingly is up to you. By the Virgoan new moon (September 21st) anticipate feeling clearer-headed, more focused, and ready to move forward.
I stated Mercury has an “honorable mention”, and here it is: Mercury is cazimi September 13th, right smack dab in the middle of the eclipse portal. It’s an auspicious day. “Cazimi” is Arabic for “in the heart of the Sun” and means the planet is conjunct (ie: they’re really, really close together in the same sign) with the Sun. When a planet is cazimi it is intensely empowering; that planet's attributes are amplified and strengthened by the Sun’s solar power. This cazimi in Virgo is aligning the brilliant illumination of the Sun, with Mercury’s quick-witted communication, and Virgo’s desire to be of service through excellence. This cazimi will be the turning point for many of you this eclipse season.
Simultaneously, asteroid Vesta (a personal favorite of mine) is shifting into Sagittarius, also on September 13th, where she’ll remain until November 15th. She has everything to do with authenticity and truth and being integral. In Sagittarius she becomes alight with purpose and passion, direct and true—a fiery arrow aimed at the heart of the matter.
As we wind our way into October, you’ll have gained momentum, and will be on track, full steam ahead by the 13th when Pluto goes direct in Aquarius. He’s been retrograde since May 4th, if you rewind and look back on the past five months—specifically in regards to themes around truth and integrity, and how we “show up” in our daily lives, and collectively—you’ll probably notice these past few months have been unsettling to say the least. The clarity gained during September, coupled with the clear and concise articulation gifted by Mercury, and Vesta’s fiery driven Purpose, will catapult you along your path when Pluto exits retrograde. Anticipate your personal bar being raised— releasing anything and anyone that isn’t willing and able to rise to the occasion.
Note: *In my tradition I celebrate the changing of the seasonal guard at the quarter-points between the solstices and equinoxes; allowing those quarters to be the pinnacle of their season instead of the start. It makes more sense in my practice to have the darkest and longest night of the year be the height of winter, instead of it’s starting point. Hence, autumn spans from August 1st to October 31st, winter begins November 1st and continues until January 31st, when the light returns at Imbolc to mark the beginning of spring.