Attention: New Moon in the Via Combusta

Dear friends,

The New Moon in Libra is scheduled to take place next Monday, October 8, 2018 at 11:47 PM Eastern US time, when the Sun and Moon meet and kiss at 15 degrees, 48 minutes Libra. The Moon is dancing quickly through the sky, and on Monday she will enter the Via Combusta, or Path of Fire, as the section of the Zodiac between 15 Libra and 15 Scorpio is known.

Ancient astrologers noted that when planets were traveling through the Via Combusta, they tended to be emotional, passionate, perhaps even dangerous. In horary astrology, the astrologer is warned that when the Ascendant of a chart falls within the Via Combusta, the querent is likely to be highly reactive to whatever they learn in the reading. Proceed with caution.

At the moment of the New Moon, the Sun and Moon are also joined to Ceres, the dwarf planet named for the Mother Goddess, and all three of these aspect the asteroids Arachne and Amor, the Spider’s Web and Love God respectively. This New Moon cycle — between Monday, October 8th and the First Quarter Moon on Tuesday, October 16th — can indeed be a challenging one for our relationship networks. The New Moon also falls just two days before Mars leaves his shadow (on October 10th). Mars is wrapping up the long journey of the summer, which began when he stationed to go backward on June 26th, and found some clarity when he turned forward again on August 30th.

Uranus, Lord of Chaos, is contraparallel the asteroid Icarus, high in the chart, suggesting a prominent figure’s “fall from grace.” And Uranus is also facing down Mercury, currently riding by the fixed star Spica, a friendly star associated with union and connection. Repeatedly, we are seeing separating energies in the chart, invitations to slip out of previously-made commitments, and untangle ourselves from the web. Mars feels more sense of purpose now than he has for MONTHS, surer about the kind of action he wants to take next.

Venus is officially retrograde in Scorpio now, and she’s pulling all the Taurus and Libra planets behind her into the underworld: Ceres, the Moon, the Sun, and Mercury in Libra, and Uranus in Taurus. The Feminine principle is in the mood to fight. Traditionally, Libra is the sign of diplomacy but also of strategy and open conflict; generals tend to be Libras. When answering to the powerful Venus in Scorpio these Libra planets are less “nice” than ever.

That said, Saturn and Uranus form a rather “nice” trine in the early degrees of Earth, indicating that Structure and Chaos have decided to cooperate with one another to bring about lasting change. “Accountability” might be a good keyword for this aspect. Both are also aspecting the Nodes on the Leo-Aquarius axis, suggesting that our fate will be adjusted due to the decisions that we made over the summer.

As Jupiter sails into the final decant of Scorpio, the Cancer-Scorpio decant, women and men around the world have been prompted to examine our earliest experiences (Cancer) of our bodies, personhood, and understanding of who we are. Memories of abuse are resurfacing, unhealed traumas are being triggered, and assaults are sometimes being recognized as such for the first time. In my own case, decades later, I finally connected the dots between something scary that happened to me when I was young, and the shame I felt for a long time afterwards when someone said, “Well, what did you expect?” And I was was deeply moved by the piece called “My Rapist Apologized” which recently appeared in The Atlantic.

Whatever happens with Kavanaugh (and you’ve all seen my prediction), this is a momentous time, particularly in the culture of the United States. Norms are shifting before our eyes. The gap between “how people are supposed to behave” and “what certain people can get away with” is narrowing before our eyes. Chiron at the last degree of Pisces is at the very top of the New Moon chart, when cast for Washington, DC. Trauma abounds; so do wisdom and compassion. Reach out for help and you can find it.

Big hugs,

Anne

P.S. I’m in Tucson for a conference all week, but we’ve still got a webinar scheduled for this weekend. Join me on MONDAY, OCTOBER 8 at 7:30 PM Eastern US time for the Libra New Moon Manifestation Circle Webinar. xoxo

P.P.S. Did I mention that VENUS IN SCORPIO IS RETROGRADE NOW? The Divine Feminine is supporting us in all the areas we worked so hard to claim this summer during the Eclipse season. Scorpio, in addition to sex, death, and taxes, rules the psychological “issues” we’ve acquired in this lifetime. Time to back up, clean up, and clear out the dark recesses in your psyche. If ANGER is part of the process, welcome it! Find a constructive way to let it out! Anger turned inward is depression. LET IT OUT!