“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future years. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.” W.E.B. Dubois
We need to get to work in this lull between major transits, and before Mercury turns retrograde late afternoon on Election Day. Mercury retrograde can slow down and glitch up our systems for the following three weeks of November; it will ask us to go back over the work we do now and refine it, but will make it harder to initiate new efforts. At election time we’ll harvest the campaign efforts (we hope, if Mercury retrograde does not leave us hanging again, like it did in the 2000 Bush/Gore election) and then spend November resting up and working on what we now garden. So consider voting now or early on Election Day, and tend the life-crops now. Get ready.
We know what we need to do; our work is already cut out for us. Over this last month the planets have triggered fresh decisions and new projects that now need our follow through. So many issues are still in play; the dice are rolling, for us as well as for the political candidates or for the fate of our country. We need to stay involved and on track to help those dice roll in a good way.
Take this both in a societal and in a personal way. Consider all the seeds we’ve planted over the last year, and most certainly over the last few months. Relationships we’ve initiated or worked upon. Work projects begun. Classes started. Resumes mailed. Renovations or reorganizations initiated. Seeds of change planted. Our garden may be full of plants ripening crops, or needing to be weeded. They all need attention and tending now.
It helps that Mercury, now in Scorpio, keeps our attention focused and our curiosity heightened. This Scorpionic Mercury also can sharpen our humor and brings our snarky side close to the surface, even if it also lets us look into our depressive depths. Over this weekend a few minor but unsettling aspects to this thoughtful Mercury jog our personal and collective nervous system and can potentially interrupt our communications. We may stumble upon news or information that leaves us thinking or undermines our certainty, and need to chew over our concerns. Let’s not take any one piece of news too seriously, and respond with thoughtful action rather than moody emotional reaction.
Next week we can get even more focused, for good or ill, as the Sun enters Scorpio, conjuncts Saturn and trines Neptune. Look for information on employment and the job market. This trine asks us to take our dreams seriously, but can also stir up our hopes and fears. We’ll need to sift out the worry and feed the possibilities, and then apply some disciplined (Saturnine) effort. Listen for whispers about the next layer of work and responsibilities, but complete the projects at hand first.
This trine between Saturn and Neptune a long, ongoing transit, it echoes back and forth a few times between now and next summer and gets activated when one of the faster moving bodies, like the Sun, approaches it. It is a subtle but strengthening aspect that will keep asking us to dream seriously and follow through with action. We may also connect with a teacher or teaching, or find we get a chance to use our training in the months ahead. We also may find healing around some father figure, or get a chance to exercise the father –within, our personal authority as our own inner Saturn.
So we have our work cut out for us, now is the time, there will be no more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done.
Friday, Oct 19: Take advantage of the scattered, social energy to make quick connections this morning while people are in a generous and open mood. Don’t try their patience; keep it quick and mobile. Ease through a pointed bit of honesty as the Sagittarius Moon squares Venus, don’t exacerbate the problem. Late afternoon the Moon enters Capricorn asks us to nail down details and decisions before the end of the work week and leaves us in a serious, thoughtful and maybe tired mood tonight. Share thoughtfully and rest deeply.
Saturday, Oct 20: An unsettled determination nags us to get chores done before winter sets in, or sit and contemplate the great issues of our time as the Capricorn Moon opposes Pluto and squares Uranus this morning. People become inflexible under stress, and may need reassurance and something practical to do.
If measurements seem off or communication glitch-filled as Mercury challenges Uranus, let’s slow down, reestablish a heart connection to the person or project, and then continue. Tonight, we want to take the edge off harshness and soften our viewpoint as the Moon aspects Jupiter and Neptune.
Sunday, Oct 21: It will help to be direct, kind, clean and clear today, as the energy shimmers with some uncomfortably passive-aggressive, worried or manipulative undertones. Reframe a problem this afternoon. If people drag their feet, don’t take it personally, and don’t let it jerk the chain, the reasoning is complicated and it’s hard to figure out the underlying issues. Do encourage people to unburden honestly and see what can be done about it this evening; our natural strategic cooperation comes into play as the Moon enters Aquarius and Mercury clears a semi-square to Pluto.
Monday, Oct 22: Morning is a team-building exercise; engage cooperatively rather than hurry to the end results as the Aquarius Moon squares Saturn and sextiles Uranus. Team work and meetings will be more effective, if less fun, than solo action. The inner clouds gather this afternoon, our determination may gain a new focus even as our hearts grow moody while the Sun enters Scorpio and approaches Saturn.
Tuesday, Oct 23: Watch the first quick answer, the easy opinion. As the Sun conjuncts Saturn and trines Neptune it’s not just the candidates who need to engage moral, romantic, medical and legal questions; we need to go deep and chew over all the ramifications of our actions. Connect with pivotal people today, but do not rush decisions; listen, gather facts, ask the heart how it feels, (and so encourage the mind, body and spirit to work together) and let it all marinate over the next few days until they feel ripe.
Wednesday, Oct 24: Emotional overload; we can feel too sensitive, too aware of the woes of the world, and therefore want to back off as the Moon enters Pisces and conjuncts Neptune, but it is important to stay present and take note of the visions. Be kind. To keep the imagination away from worries, direct it to find a creative approach, something fresh and lyrical. We are extra sensitive and extra empathic, and many are therefore extra cranky. It pays to both exercise our boundaries, and honor our connections.
Thursday, Oct 25: The mood is sensitive, aware but guarded. If depression whispers, it helps to do one small project until completion. Any small progress helps the overload. Some people may feel insecure and need indulge the illusion that they’re in control of the situation, but this will not be useful. Ease them rather than confront. The day requests that we grow up, take our selves seriously and make a mature and useful contribution. We’ll feel younger in a few days.
Starcodes 
thank you :)
Voted yesterday & taking it to the Post Office today. Vote early, everybody! Let’s let our voices be heard before the mercury retrograde can throw a hitch in things. :) Thanks for the ‘heads up’ Heather!
yay!