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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.