Astrology Forecast for October 2023

by Daria Rowe September 23, 2023

October is tense and powerful. It brings the eclipse season, from October 10 until October 30. Eclipse energy is a mixed blessing: it's supercharged and energizing, but it can also be destabilizing.

If you need to accomplish anything big and important this month and you want to be on the safe side, aim for the first week of October.

Mercury is very active in October, making it a lively month for news and communication. There are some good dates for contracts and presentations, but keep in mind that decisions made during the eclipse season may not be final. New information could come to light when the eclipse season is over.

With Pluto stationed direct, it's a good month to reconnect with your personal power. And, you might need it! In addition to the eclipse season, the Sun, Mercury and Mars in Libra all butt heads with Pluto through the month. There is a good chance of power struggles.

Mercury will be in Libra between October 4-21, and that's an excellent energy to tap into if the eclipse season starts getting too tense and unruly for you. Remember, eclipses are like supercharged New and Full Moons. If people around you get too intense, draw on the diplomatic energy of Mercury and the Sun in Libra. Use collaborative, relationship-oriented language to smooth rough edges. And pay attention to your triggers!

Mars moves into Scorpio on October 11, and that's the sign he is very strong in! Between Pluto turning direct, Mars in Scorpio, and the Sun moving into Scorpio on October 22, we have a lot of resilient, determined, powerful energy available to us throughout October. A lot can be accomplished if you stay focused and don't get sucked into power games.

And, don't miss a wonderful Grand Trine in Water signs on October 23-25! It's a very, very strong and beneficial energy for spiritual and creative pursuits.

Finally, if you feel your love life has been stuck and you just can't move forward, work with the New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Libra on October 14. Set your intentions for a happy romantic relationship to come into your life. Eclipses help things to get unstuck.

Let's first look at some of this month's bigger themes.

Eclipse Season

Eclipses affect all of us to a degree. If you find yourself edgier than usual, and your decision-making not as reliable, it’s because eclipses pack a powerful punch of de-stabilizing energy. It starts building about a week before the first eclipse of the season, and dissipates a week after the last eclipse. Usually, there are 2 eclipses, 2 weeks apart, and this is true for this eclipse season.

First comes a Solar Eclipse/New Moon is on October 14, at 21° Libra. The eclipse axis has been in Aries-Libra since July, but this is the first eclipse in Libra (we're going to have more next year).

The second eclipse is a Lunar Eclipse at 5° Taurus - and this is the final eclipse along the Taurus-Scorpio axis that's been active since November 2021. We've all been feeling the impacts of financial instability, inflation, escalating housing costs and the stock market crash since early 2022. There may be some more shocks coming, but, hopefully that's the end of it, and we'll start seeing some more stability in 2024.

Matters of war and peace, labour disputes, political alliances and gender issues are going to be energized into the spring of 2025 though. They all become active when the eclipse axis is in Aries-Libra.

Pay attention to the themes that emerge globally and for you personally around October 14, give or take a week. They could be foreshadowing the Libra themes we'll be experiencing for the next 18 months.

Traditional astrology recommends avoiding major decisions during the eclipse season. New information can come to life that will change your course anyway - and I've found it to be true on several occasions!

As always with the eclipse season, stay flexible, be prepared for the unexpected, and remember that for the manifestor, eclipses are powerful portals! They can propel you years into the future, as far as your goals go. But, the eclipse energy is also very unstable. There may be many twists and turns, and the outcome may not be quite what you expect.

If you see your birthday mentioned below, the eclipses are going to connect with your natal chart. It could be a big year for you! If that's you, it's a good year to get a reading.

Solar Eclipse in Libra: October 14 2023 at 10:55 a.m. PDT, at 21° Libra

Particularly impactful for:

those born on April 9-15 and October 12-17,
if you have personal planets/angles between 19-23°Aries or Libra

Lunar Eclipse in Taurus: October 28 2023 at 1:24 p.m. PDT, at 5° Taurus.

Particularly impactful for:

those born on April 23-29 and October 26-Nov. 1
if you have personal planets/angles between 3-7° Taurus or Scorpio.

Pluto Turns Direct: October 10

Pluto - the planet of power, transformation, control issues, obsessions, and death and rebirth – has been in retrograde since May 5th. It's now stationed at 27 deg. Capricorn and will stay at this degree throughout October, moving very, very slowly. It will start picking up speed again as of Nov. 1.

When a planet stations, about to change direction, it’s time to consider how its key energies are playing out in our life.

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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 paint ourselves powerless.

When Pluto changes direction, it invites us to reflect on our relationship with personal power, among other things.

Is our lack of power real or perceived? It just might be our time to claim it back!

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If your natal Sun or Mars is between 25-29° Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, watch out for the Mars-Pluto square on October 8. It will set off the Pluto square you're experiencing. Stay away from angry people and don't lash out yourself.

Mars is one of the two "timers" used in predictive astrology. When you're experiencing a long transit that lasts for months, such as Pluto squaring your natal Sun, the "main event" of this long transit can happen when Mars triggers the same degrees of the Zodiac.

Cautions This Month:

In addition to the unpredictable eclipse energies, here are a couple of dates to watch out for:

October 8: Mars square Pluto. Stay away from angry people and dark places.
October 19-21: the Sun and Mercury square Pluto. Power struggles are possible, and words can be especially cutting. Stay kind. If you're planning an important conversation, save it for another day.

If you like this forecast so far, don't forget to sign up for my free weekly astro-newsletter!

Now let's look at each week in detail:

Note these dates are for Pacific to Eastern time. Unless I provide a specific timeframe, the energies peak on these dates, but we’ll feel them for 24-72 hours in advance, and for about 24 hours afterwards (but they will be losing strength with each passing hour).

October 1 - 8:

Two planets change signs this week: Mercury enters Libra, and Venus wraps up her extended stay in Leo and moves into Virgo.

The week starts off with positive vibes, but ends with a volatile Mars-Pluto square on the weekend. Tuesday is this week's power day.

The mind can be overactive on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the Moon in Gemini. Chances are, you'll be able to multi-task with ease, but start on your bedtime routine earlier than normal. It may be more difficult to unwind. Turn off your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime. Take a relaxing bath with lavender.

✨ October 2: Mercury opposite Neptune; Opportunity Period!

Imagination can run high today. If you're a writer, take full advantage!

For everyone else, it can muddle your thinking for about a day. Proofread all important documents. Stay open to your intuitive hunches though. They can be more useful then relying on logic today.

And, on another front...today is a great day for bargain shopping! 😉 The Moon is waning in Taurus, favouring the buyer - AND, we have an opportunity period between 1:07 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. PDT. Opportunity periods are those special times when the planets are aligned just right, aiding most undertakings - and in this case, they will help with savvy purchases.

✨ October 3: Mercury trines Pluto.

A fantastic day if you need to communicate something powerfully and with impact. Good for important conversations and presentations.

The Moon is in Gemini today, and that's helpful with crafting messages, too.

It's a five-star day to have a career-advancing conversation with your boss, or to ask for a raise. You still have to build your case, of course - don't JUST ask for it!

It's also a fantastic day to start cognitive therapy.

✨ October 4: Mercury enters Libra.

Mercury stands for communication matters and thinking patterns. While Mercury in Virgo would focus on precision and go, “yes, but….” (“yes, but that movie was made in 2010 and not 2011”), Mercury in Libra focuses on making the other person feel comfortable. “Yes, and….” (“yes, and I think that movie was made in 2011. Doesn’t matter anyway, in the grand scheme of things. You were saying…?”)

Use more relationship-building language over the next 2+ weeks, and watch your personal and professional relationships blossom. Mercury will stay in Libra until October 21.

✨ October 8: Mars square Pluto; Venus enters Virgo.

Stay away from angry people and don't lash out yourself.

Mars and Pluto butting heads is not the easiest energy. If your natal Sun or Mars is between 25-29° Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, this could be a challenging, volatile week. There is a high chance things could escalate.

Now Venus in Virgo - she is practical; she encourages us to show love through acts of practical service – how can you make the lives of your loved ones a little easier?

She is also health-oriented, so it’s a great time to try natural skincare and cosmetics.

Virgoan energies have a touch of perfectionism though. It's easy to be too critical of yourself (and others!) when you have a lot of Virgo in your natal chart.

With that in mind, don't fall into the trap of undervaluing yourself over the next 3+ weeks (or ever!!!)

Venus will stay in Virgo until Nov. 8.

October 9-15

This week kicks off the eclipse season, which is not the best time for major decisions. You might not have all the information you need, just yet, and so your plans might have to be revisited in about 4 weeks.

But, the week leading to the eclipse can feel electrifying and exciting. It's like, the Universe is sizzling with electric energy!

Pluto turns direct on October 10, and that's your annual reminder to review the power balance in your life. Are there parts of your life where you feel disempowered? Or is there a bit of a control freak to you?

✨ October 9: Venus opposite Saturn.

NOT a good day for a first date (unless there is a big age difference between you two). Not the best day for risky financial investments either.

And, reschedule important cosmetic procedures to another day.

Critical people might come out today. Remember, feedback is about the other person's perception. And their perception might be important, but it doesn't define YOU. Be kind to yourself today.

✨ October 10, 9:17 a.m. - October 14, 10:55 a.m. Balsamic Moon

This is one of those times in the Lunar Cycle when starting anything new is not to your advantage. Declutter instead. Tie up loose ends. Get an extra hour of rest if you can.

Besides, the energies are erratic this week anyway: we're building to a Solar Eclipse on October 14.

✨ October 10: Pluto turns direct.

✨ October 11: Sun opposite Chiron; Mars enters Scorpio.

If you need emotional healing, today is a good day.

And, Mars enters its traditional ruler Scorpio, where he is strong, powerful and determined. It's a helpful energy for business and career, that will last for the next 6 weeks. Mars will stay in Scorpio until November 24.

✨ October 13: Mars trine Saturn

And speaking about a good day for business or career: you should be able to get a lot done today. If you need help, don't be afraid to reach out. Support might be closer than you think.

New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Libra: October 14 10:55 a.m. PDT

Eclipses are very powerful portals. Intentions set on an eclipse can manifest fast, but they can materialize in an unexpected way. If you're not afraid of some twists and turns, today is the day to call in a romantic relationship, deeper connection in your current relationship, and an improved ability to negotiate.

I've added a bonus lesson "Eclipses: New Moons for the Risk-Taker" to my digital mini-course, Working with the New Moon. If you're planning to take advantage of the power surge of this Solar Eclipse, it will help you get ready.

October 16 - 22

This week is a mixed bag. It starts out with productive vibes, but the energies tense up by Friday. Friday to Saturday can bring out power hungry or controlling people and major ego clashes. Luckily, there is also a lovely Venus-Jupiter trine happening late Friday, softening the drama.
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✨ October 15 4:04 a.m. to October 17 8:44 a.m. PDT: Waxing Moon in Scorpio

This Moon helps with determination and perseverance. And it makes a number of positive planetary connections, too! A good opportunity to work on something that requires grit. If you need to put forward your point of view, it's easier to convince others today.

For the metaphysically inclined, if you're having a hard time sticking with a routine or a project, make some Moon Water and charge it with your intention for determination and "stick-to-it-ness".

✨ October 19-20: the Sun conjunct Mercury. Mercury square Pluto

A good day for communication activities (schedule that blog post!), presentations and contracts that were already in progress prior to the eclipse season.

It's easier to express yourself with ease today.

But....we're already starting to feel the Mercury-Pluto square (peaking on October 20-21). Stay out of power games.

Cutting words can be particularly hurtful today. Stay kind.

✨ October 21: the Sun square Pluto; Venus trine Jupiter, Mercury enters Scorpio

The energy of power struggles intensifies. If you're embroiled in one, it can come to an ugly head. Luckily, the happy-go-lucky Venus-Jupiter energy offsets this a little.

Sit out the morning hours (Pacific to Eastern time) ; and enjoy the high romance vibe later in the day! It's a good day for romance and money.

Mercury in Scorpio

When Mercury visits Scorpio, our ability to examine and release unhelpful mental patterns is amplified. (But we can also become obsessed with a thought or a feeling).

It’s a very helpful energy for working on self-limiting beliefs, identifying thought patterns that may be blocking you in life, shadow work, counselling and therapy.

Research and investigative activities also get a helpful boost of the “digging deep” energy that Mercury in Scorpio is known for!

Mercury will stay in Scorpio from October 21 to November 10.

✨ October 22: Mercury trine Saturn

And just as it moves into Scorpio, Mercury makes a positive connection with Saturn. Today is an excellent day to do research or get to the bottom of something, such as looking for root causes.

October 23 - 31:

The Sun enters Scorpio on October 23 at 9:21 a.m. PDT. Happy Birthday to my Scorpio readers!

With the Sun, Mercury and Mars all in Scorpio, we have a lot of tenacious, determined energy available to us until November 9. Work on projects and undertakings already in progress; you might get a lot accomplished. Starting anything new during the eclipse season can lead to some unexpected twists and turns, however.

✨ October 23-25: the Sun enters Scorpio; a Grand Trine in Water Signs

An absolutely fantastic period for healers, artists, and spiritual workers. Intuition and creativity are very high, and you can channel them into tangible results.

A Grand Trine is a special and relatively rare planetary alignment, when 3 or more planets all reinforce each other. This time, it happens in Water Signs: The Sun in Scorpio will trine Saturn in the early hours of October 24 (Pacific Time) and then move on to trine the Moon in Pisces.

Book a Tarot reading, work with crystals, or meditate.

A particularly auspicious timeframe for these pursuits arrives on October 25, between 2:52 a.m.to 11:39 p.m. PDT. It's an Opportunity Period: one of those special times in the Lunar Cycle when celestial alignments are particularly beneficial.

On a different note, October 23 is also a good day for getting some facetime with your boss, or other authority figures in your life.

Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Taurus: October 28 1:24 p.m. PDT

This is the last eclipse along the Taurus-Scorpio axis - we've been experiencing them since November 2021.

To say this Lunar Eclipse is intense is an understatement.

There is a T-Square (a dynamic and tense energy) in the skies at the time of the eclipse. It features Mercury, Mars, Pluto and Jupiter.

If you need to have an important conversation with someone on or around October 28, be aware that things might get escalated and fly off the handle. Opinions may be expressed with unusual force.

As with all eclipses, the energy is unpredictable but also very, very powerful.

✨ October 29: Mercury conjunct Mars; Opportunity Period

The energy of the eclipse will still be intense, but, this is a good day for getting a lot done. The opportunity period - one of those magical times in the Lunar cycle that aid most undertakings - starts on October 29 at 2:30 a.m. and lasts until October 30 4:36 a.m. PDT. It's also a good day for bargain hunting, with the Moon in practical Taurus conjunct lucky Jupiter.

✨ October 30-31: the Moon in Gemini; Venus trine Uranus.

The Moon is in Gemini Oct. 30 8:08 a.m. to November 1 2:30 p.m. PDT. The mind might be over-active, so build in some extra time to unwind before bed. Take a bath with lavender or do some yoga. Unless you're out trick-or-treating, of course!

Venus trines Uranus on October 31: it's a good day to break out of stale routines in relationships - including your relationship with money!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

If you have any comments or would like to report a typo or an omission, please leave a comment below (your email address won't be published).

Have a wonderful October!