MONTH OF
October
October Snapshot
You haven’t had a month quite this busy in a while, and that’s saying a lot for a Leo! But October’s a whirling, swirling eddy of activity—in the stars and your life alike. For starters, the Sun is in Libra until October 22, heating up your third house of community, communication and social connections. Pick up a fresh box of medical masks because you may be doing some socially distant gathering or pandemic pod time with your quarantine crew. (Fwiw, we really, really can’t wait until we can stop writing lines like that!)
Against this backdrop, October will serve up a rare doubleheader of full moons on the first and last days of the month, making 2020 a “blue moon” year. Both of these lunar lifts will be in the most ambitious and worldly zones of your chart, which could bring exciting developments to your career or possibly a chance to (safely) travel.
If health and work have been unstable this year, you’ll be glad to see intense Pluto end a five-month retrograde through Capricorn on October 4. As the tiny powerhouse rights his ship in your wellness and organization sector, you’ll start to feel more on top of stress management and better able to juggle the moving parts of your life.
But don’t rest on those Leo laurels just yet. Mercury—the planet of communiclass="body-el-link standard-body-el-link" cation, technology and travel—will turn retrograde from October 13 to November 3. For the first two weeks (until October 27), Mercury will back through protective Scorpio and your emotional fourth house of home and family, which could raise tension under your roof. Not what you need when there’s likely to be work, school, Zoom and other chaos already roiling between those four walls. Mercury will then reverse into Libra and your communication house on October 27, doubling down on its mischief for the duration.
With the Sun in Scorpio from October 22 to November 21, home WILL be a central focus, ready or not. But you could finish the month with a huge career breakthrough or a major pivot on your professional path. On October 31, the Taurus full moon electrifies your career zone with disruptor Uranus astride, serving up a Halloween surprise. Time to shatter that glass ceiling already? Prepare for liftoff!
Week 1: October 1-11
Time to launch
What a start! The week begins with a fearless Aries full moon on Thursday, October 1, which beams into your ninth house of travel, expansion and big ideas. This full moon could get you excited to broaden your horizons and seek out new AND unfamiliar territory. Even if you can’t actually take that dream trip, you’ll be seeing the big picture and other glorious possibilities to expand your domain. Is there a surprise work-related jaunt, a creatively stimulating freelance opportunity or a mind-expanding webinar coming your way? Look back to something you started near the March 24 Aries new moon for clues of what could come together now.
Your health and work get a boost on Sunday, October 4, when potent Pluto ends a five-month retrograde in Capricorn that began on April 25. For nearly the rest of the year, Pluto will travel in tandem with expansive Jupiter and structured Saturn in your systematic and salubrious sixth house, putting the emphasis on correcting any wellness-related issues that may be out of balance.
Pluto rules power struggles, so if you’ve felt yourself helplessly observing or getting pulled into other people’s control issues, you’ll have a chance to address them more effectively now. As the drama settles down (and the saboteurs retreat back into the shadows), you can tighten up your systems and work toward ending the year on a productive, accomplished note.
But be careful! On Friday, October 9, Pluto will lock into a tense square with (retrograde) Mars, sparking fireworks. Control issues could flare as these two volatile players repeat a cosmic clash that happened on August 13 in the same signs. With obsessive Pluto in your detail-driven sixth house and reckless Mars in your outspoken ninth house, micromanaging could result. Don’t assume you know best or that others are actually saying what they mean. The temptation to butt heads will be hard to resist, but for today, the results of engaging won’t be pretty. Postpone this battle until everyone simmers down.
Week 2: October 12-18
Domestic disruptions
Grab a tissue! Your emotions could feel larger than life starting this Tuesday, October 13, when communicator Mercury turns retrograde until November 3, starting its backspin in overprotective Scorpio and your moody, domestic fourth house until Sunday, October 27.
This is definitely NOT the time to make any emotion-fueled changes, especially if they impact your living situation or your relationship with a close female relative. Even if your feelings get really, really hurt, do your best not to get shaken from your center. You need to be more grounded than ever. If someone lashes out, try to hear where they’re coming from, but remember that you shouldn’t tolerate being disrespected or dumped on.
After October 27, winged messenger Mercury will spend its last retrograde week in Libra and your third house of communication—doubling the mischief when it comes to your conversations, technology and daily scheduling. As early in the month as you can, back up your important data and confirm plans. Advance prevention is your path to navigating this tricky time! Try not to commit to anything binding before Mercury turns direct on Saturday, November 3.
Luckily, a Libra new moon graces the skies—and your communicative third house— on Friday, October 16, helping you clarify whatever’s gotten jumbled up in your messaging. Now’s a great time to look for collaboration opportunities that feel fair and equal. Keep your eyes open for the perfect work partner, someone who balances you out in all the right ways while sharing your values and commitments. Take your time and make a list of what you’re looking for—clarity is the first step to attracting that.
But watch for overthinking because this new moon will also clash in a heated square with Jupiter, Saturn AND Pluto, which are all in Capricorn and your fastidious sixth house. You could whip yourself into a frenzy of analysis paralysis if you try to make a decision too soon. For now, content yourself with gathering information, doing research and asking all the questions you need. New moons take up to six months to unfold, so there’s no need to rush!
Week 3: 19-25
Too much to handle?
Easy does it! On Monday, October 19, pushy Mars will get into its second cosmic fistfight, this time squaring off against outspoken Jupiter. These two impulsive and impatient planets are repeating the same clash they had on August 4, so look back to that day for clues of what could resurface.
With aggressive Mars in fearless Aries and your limitless ninth house and just-say-yes Jupiter in workhorse Capricorn and your organization zone, you could seriously overestimate your abilities. Ask yourself if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Today, the answer is likely yes. There’s no shame in sharing the burden. The sooner you send an SOS, the faster you (and everyone around you) can find relief.
Prepare for a laser focus on your home and family as the Sun enters devoted Scorpio and your comforting, connective fourth house for a month on Thursday, October 22. You’ll feel the urge to get your household in proper order—no easy feat given that people’s homes are doubling as offices, schools and who knows what else these days. But with Mercury awry, you may have an unspoken expectation that all your family members get on exactly the same page as you. Don’t get so caught up in your vision of domestic bliss that other can’t just relax and be themselves.
Week 4: October 26-31
Glitch alert
Strengthen those filters to max settings! Messenger Mercury retrogrades into Libra on Tuesday, October 27, jamming up your third house of information and interactivity. This could easily screw up plans, timing and conversations (both IRL and electronic) until Mercury straightens out on Saturday, November 3. Triple-check your facts and review your work before submitting.
Tread lightly into (or just avoid) the charged pre-Election Day debates, especially with friends and coworkers. We know it’s hard not to air your opinions, Leo, but even the most thoughtful ones could be misconstrued. Your saving grace may be harmonizer Venus, who also starts a visit to Libra today. The divine diplomat might not be able to STOP you from putting your foot in your mouth, but it can help you smooth things out afterward.
Halloween delivers the month’s second full moon, this time in Taurus and your tenth house of professional goals and achievement. This Halloween blue moon—the only one visible to the entire world since 1944—may mark a turning point or culmination of a project that’s near and dear to your heart. Prepare to bask in some well-earned recognition.
But beware! This October 31 could serve up treats AND tricks. With changemaker Uranus conjunct the full moon, a career curveball could be on the agenda. From a brand-new client or project to the shocking announcement of a corporate restructuring, something that’s been brewing since as far back as the April 22 Taurus new moon could come together now.
Should you find yourself suddenly pivoting onto a whole new path, lean in to your sign’s abundant courage. Innovative Uranus will help you quickly devise a plan of action. Since this is the planet of technology, you might discover that your office goes fully virtual, or you could pick up a short-term assignment you can do remotely. Think outside the box and welcome unexpected opportunity today.
LOVE & ROMANCE:
Plan for the future or let things develop in due course? The love planets have dueling agendas for you this month. On the one hand, affectionate Venus is in Virgo and your stabilizing second house from October 2 to 27, driving up needs for security, consistency, decadent dates (within safety guidelines—or at home!) and a predictable person to lean on. You might even be eager to prepare for the holidays, locking down where you’ll spend them and with whom—especially if you have to pre-quarantine or travel.
Unfortunately, the other love planet, Mars, is throwing shade as he spins backward in Aries from September 9 to November 13, messing with your ninth house of growth, adventure and big-picture visions. As enthusiastic as you might be about the future, others may not be on-board. Pandemic questions notwithstanding, it could be hard to make ANY concrete plans now. If you do book travel, keep the dates and reservations flexible and make sure they’re 100 percent refundable.
With Mars retrograde, you may realize that you’ve sidestepped something important that you need to clear the air about, either with your current partner or an ex. (If getting back in touch isn’t a good idea, you can always write a letter that you don’t send—just to get it out of your head.) Anger could well up, but before you charge in and insist on having “the talk,” make sure you get some perspective on your own. Don’t confront anyone impulsively.
Is honesty the best policy? With Mars in reverse in your truthful ninth house, serving up the raw realness means you’ll have to be willing to receive the same bluntness in return. Rather than go the confrontational route, which might feel good in the moment but could be rife with unwanted consequences, find a way to talk about your feelings from a calm and centered place.
A good day for that would be October 19, when the “great benefics,” harmonious Venus and honest Jupiter, unite in a collaborative trine in two of the most grounded sectors of your chart. You’ll be able to step far enough back from your heated emotions to have an adult conversation.
Or wait until Venus shifts into Libra for a month on October 27, activating your communication sector. The only catch? Messenger Mercury turns retrograde in Libra that day, so you’ll have to be even more deliberate with your choice of words and phrasing. You might try the “reverse forgiveness” letter—where YOU pen an apology note to yourself from that person, imagining what they might say. Strange as it sounds, this can be profoundly healing!
Key Dates:
October 10: Venus-Uranus trine
There’s no predicting your amorous moods today as the love planet catches spontaneous vibes from capricious Uranus. You could fall in love (or lust) with someone as suddenly as you lose interest. Or you might see your longtime love in a whole light— for better or worse! Avoid doing anything you can’t easily undo because this is a one-day transit, and things could be back to status quo tomorrow.
MONEY & CAREER:
You’ve got your hands full this month, as the Libra Sun activates your communication zone through October 22, bringing on phone calls, Zoom meetings, interviews and the like. It’s a great time to get in touch with new contacts and old colleagues alike! The October 1 Aries full moon could bring an exciting opportunity from afar, perhaps a long-distance client or a chance to share your expertise on a global platform. Got an idea for a webinar or workshop in mind? Put it together and sell it!
When Pluto ends a five-month backspin through your tidy sixth house on October 4, you’ll be inspired to get organized in every way. Whew! Streamline, systematize and declutter. You might decide to take an in-between “bridge job” between now and the end of the year. Other Leos might hire or delegate to a capable employee. When Mercury turns retrograde from October 13 to November 3, technology and communication can get dicey. All the more reason to duck out of the limelight and get things done behind the scenes!
The month ends with a Halloween full moon—a rare “blue moon” since it’s the second one in a single month. This lunar lift will beam into your tenth house of career and success. Get ready for a surprising opportunity that could come out of left field. Ready to make a radical change to your path? Now could be your moment.
Key Dates:
October 7: Mercury-Uranus opposition
Today marks the first of three anxiety-producing clashes between these two quicksilver planets. (The next are October 19 and November 17.) Big ideas might be bandied about, and before you know it, some of them will be put into immediate effect without anyone doing any real-time assessing. Remain flexible and be ready to adapt to change.
Love Days: 20, 23
Money Days: 4, 14
Luck Days: 1, 11
Off Days: 9, 21, 26
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