Astrology Forecast for October 12-18, 2026

💫 To Make the Most of This Week:

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers 🍁🍂 This week, Pluto turns direct and a brief but powerful Opportunity Period arrives.  Nice!

The bigger backdrop of the week is that Venus, the planet of love and money, is in retrograde until November 13.

Venus Retrograde is not the best period for:

• Marriages and proposals
• Starting a new relationship
• Making new financial investments
• Purchasing big-ticket items
• Cosmetic surgery, cosmetic enhancements and drastic makeovers
• Starting a beauty-oriented business

If you're reading this and cringing because your wedding date is already set during Venus Rx, don't panic. It doesn't mean your marriage is doomed. But be prepared to work through a few possible challenges, and remember that they can make you stronger as a couple.

On the plus side, Venus Rx is a fantastic time to:

• Reflect on what you need in love and relationships
• Heal relationship issues (including friendships and relationships with coworkers and family)
• Gain closure with an ex
• Renew your vows or remarry an ex-spouse 🙂
• Re-evaluate your finances and spending
• Bargain shop in thrift stores!

With that said, the best and brightest energies of October arrive this week ✨🪄

To make the most of this week:

• This entire week, pay attention to power dynamics in your life. Is there an area where you feel powerless, shrinking or deferring to others?  If yes, why - and what are you going to do about it?  (Pluto turning direct).
  
  
• On Tuesday, the Moon spends most of the day void of course:  from 1:46 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. PDT.  Run errands and work on routine tasks.  Moon void of course is inauspicious for new beginnings. 
  
  
• On Wednesday and Thursday, take advantage of an Opportunity Period + a lovely Sun-Jupiter sextile!  (Details in the post 👇🏼)
  
  
• Stay out of drama and power games on the weekend. (The energy of Venus square Pluto is coming in and will last until October 21). 

💫 Key Astro-Events:

And now for a close-up:

OCTOBER 14 - 15: Grand Trine in Fire + the Sun Sextile Jupiter + Opportunity Period! 

On October 14, the Moon in Sagittarius, Mars in Leo and Saturn in Aries all support each other in a Grand Trine.  The Sun is getting ready to make a lucky sextile to Jupiter - it will peak on October 15.  And, an Opportunity Period arrives! 

This is the best stretch of the month.  In fact, a client of mine was looking for astro-guidance on the best date to be induced - she is expecting her first baby 🍼🐣- and she ended up going with these dates. The baby will have a lovely, optimistic, opportunity-filled chart ✨

If you're new to Opportunity Periods, think of them as “electional astrology lite.” If you don't have the knowledge, time or energy to construct a full electional chart to find the best date and time to start something important, do it during an Opportunity Period.

It's not as precise as an electional chart, but it'll help.

This Opportunity Period lasts from October 14, 4:45 p.m. to October 15 2:56 p.m. PDT.   

Best for:

✅ Sending out resumes
✅ Holding a team visioning session at work (if you're the boss)
✅ Giving an important presentation at work
✅ Submitting your manuscript to a publisher
✅ Pitching an idea or proposal to someone who can help move it forward
✅ Applying for a course, training program, or professional certification
✅ Throwing a party. 

Avoid:

Because Venus is retrograde, there are a couple of things this Opportunity Period is NOT good for: 

⚠️ First dates
⚠️ Big financial decisions

OCTOBER 15:  Pluto Turns Direct

When Pluto changes direction, its energy is intensified and stays with us for a couple of weeks.  It's time to reflect on the Plutonian themes of power and disempowerment.  Are you giving your power away?

Remember that in conflict, we can see ourselves as the victim. "She/he/they did this to me. They are driving me to drink. They are ruining my life". And the minute we say this to ourselves, we've given away our power. The other person becomes the "villain". And villains are the bad guys, but they are also powerful!

Sometimes we even look for a "hero" (or a saviour) to rescue us, Again, if we do this, we cast ourselves as powerless.

When Pluto changes direction, it invites us to reflect on our relationship with personal power. Is our lack of power real or perceived? It just might be time to claim it back!

OCTOBER 16:  Mars Trine Saturn;  Waxing Moon in Capricorn

A great, energetic day for work! 

Best for:

✅ Tackling demanding projects
✅ Getting serious about exercise and getting in shape

OCTOBER 18-20: Venus Square Pluto

The troublesome Venus-Pluto square peaks again.  It's a big feature of this Venus Retrograde - Venus and Pluto lock horns three times. This is the second. 

Avoid:

⚠️ Power games in relationships
⚠️ Overly dramatic personalities 

🕰️ Moon Void of Course

Here is a quick summary of this week's void-of-course times. Avoid starting anything new that you want to succeed during these periods:

• October 13, 1:46 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. PDT.  It's a long one - pay attention! 
• October 15, 2:56 p.m. to October 16, 5:57 a.m. PDT.  Another long one. 
• October 18, 9:13 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. PDT

What's Next for Your Love Life?

Venus retrograde is a good time to rethink what you want from love. If you’re single and wondering what opportunities lie ahead, my Love Forecast reading gives you a personal look at the next three years of your romantic life. 

Plus, you'll also receive two free bonuses: 

1. Full-size birth chart analysis
2. Two-month planner with your personal best dates for love and romance.

If you spot a typo or an omission, please leave a comment below (your email address won't be published).