This Harvest Moon month all the planets line up right. Communications and commerce are favored following the Sept 20 ‘New Mercury’ in Virgo. Mercury rising before the Sun this month is ‘Mercury Prometheus’ bringing new ideas, new mental fire to mortals. Venus shines brightly above Mercury signaling a new age of Peace and Love. Brilliant Jupiter is high in the evening sky shining through Aquarius, sign of the new era. Jupiter brings new hope, enthusiasm and joviality.

Saturn reappears in the morning sky signaling the end of the break down phase of Saturn’s 30-year cycle; it’s time to begin building anew. Business and real estate benefit especially after Saturn goes into Libra Oct 29. Before this date our approach to health care undergoes tremendous reorganization as Saturn completes its Virgo transit (Virgo rules health care). All new beginnings fare well this month except for the Oct 17-19 dark of the Moon and minor blips on Oct 8, 15 and 29. All other days are golden.

October 2 – Cosmic Balance Time (11:37 am) Moon at the Equator / Lunar Zero Point North Lunar 0 Points are cosmic balance times for creative imagination. Moon at the Equator moving North is like the Spring Equinox, a time to envision. The magic window is open for about two hours from 10:37 – 12:37 pm.   October 3-4 Celebration, Mystical Union (2:10 am 10/4) Atohuna/Sukkoth Full Moon The Harvest Moon brings people together in celebration. The Cherokee call this Atohuna ‘the Friends Made Ceremony’ a time when eternal friendship is declared in the presence of Yowa. Sukkoth ‘the Jewish season of joy’ is celebrated in a sukka, a simple shelter of greenery decorated with fruits of the harvest and with open roof to signify openness to the Divine. Communal meals are shared in the sukka. Prophecy says all nations will come to sit under the Sukkat Shalom, then all people will be fed and there will be peace throughout the world.

October 7-11-Open Minded and Imaginative (10:05 am 10/7– 12:51 am 10/11) Moon Out of Bounds North We enter ‘the higher world’ where there is greater freedom and imagination. This is a time to start a business or have a successful social gathering. Share new opportunities, make announcements, do a promotional or bring new discoveries to light. Late evening Oct 8 is most magical when the Moon goes maximally Out of Bounds sailing high over Orion.

October 13-14- Open to Receive New Possibilities (1:11 am 10/13- 1:11 am 10/14) Gate of InspirationA Gate of Inspiration opens every 40 days beginning with Spring Equinox. The 9 Gates of the Year are Stations of the 9 Muses. Before the opening of each Gate, shadow patterns arise to be dispelled. As we let go of old fears and doubts we become present for the spiritual power and promise of the time. As the gate is cleared, new light pours in with bright new possibilities, new inspiration, new creative energy.Nine maidens alternate with their breath to keep the fire burning beneath the Caldron of Inspiration. The Celtic goddess Cerridwen stirs her caldron for a year and day to brew a magic “greal.” Cerridwen’s caldron becomes the ‘holy grail.’ The 9 maidens are the 9 Gates of Inspiration through the year. Cerridwen is the original Halloween witch queen stirring her magic caldron.   October 14-16 – Make a Wish Balsamic Moon Put wishes on the air and to bring people to mind for healing. Empathic feeling brings healing. Shadows of the past come up before each New Moon. The key to transforming shadow (prima material) is deep breathing with focus on the ideal to be made real. Venus with the Moon October 16 brings fulfillment of love.

October 17 until Sunset Oct 19 – Time to Look Within Dark of the Moon This is a 3-day period starting the day before New Moon and ending when the crescent becomes visible. While unfavorable for most outward activities, this time is ideal for inner work. It is also good for house cleaning to clear psychic space for the new cycle of creation.

October 18 (1:33 pm) – Time to Be Quiet Within New Moon Quiet time at New Moon opens our inner knowing, this is when we drink from the well within.

October 20-23 – Time to Sow Crescent New Moon The next 10 days bring opportunities for realizing future hopes and dreams. The initiating power of the†lunar crescent†is strongest between Sunset and Moonset when the New Moon shines through the 7th House. Meditation in this time can open many doors, wishes take wing and prayers bring blessings for this Moon and the New Year to be.

Oct 20-24 – Renovate Your Inner World (9:16 am 10/20 - 9:00 am 10/24) Moon Out of Bounds South As the Moon travels below the zodiac our inner world becomes illuminated. Old patterns of belief and behavior are revealed and may more easily be reformed. This is a time to go beneath the surface, do original research, change habits and renovate our inner world.

October 25– Let Go the Old, Power On New (8:42 am)  1st Quarter Moon The First Quarter is like a scythe cutting across the sky. This is a time for decision, an opportunity to cut free from old trappings and affirm our true purpose moving forward. Choices made now are likely to be the right ones. Breathe deeply and focus on the light overhead to make your ideal real.

October 31 Happy Halloween On All Hallow’s Eve the astral veil becomes thin as the Celtic New Year is about to begin. Rub your crystal ball and peer within to see what your future will bring. Happy Halloween!

Steve Nelson is a professional astrologer who uses tarot, name analysis, and traditional astrology to help clients understand personal myths and realize natural abilities. He may be reached at 704-375-3759 or email [email protected]†