Weekend Astro Forecast 9.20.24: Farewell Virgo, Thanks for All the Feedback
Cement any necessary changes in routine now, because our Libra and Scorpio seasons will be probably be insane.
What is happening?!
How shall we put this? Every time the shit show looks as though it is winding down, astrology reminds us all that any rest we enjoy is just a commercial break, and the regularly scheduled programming of institutional breakdowns, cultural friction, and people generally losing their shit is going to be airing for a while. Our communal conversation is riddled with insane conspiracy theories and outlandish vitriol in a way that makes it easy to confuse reality with satire, and moments like this are what make astrological archetypes feel grounding and useful. For anyone feeling unmoored from humanity and wondering, “Have we always been this nuts?!”, a quick perusal of all the shenanigans the gods in the Greek pantheon got up to can be weirdly comforting. Yes, we have always been this nuts, and the healthiest thing we can do for our bodies and minds would be to commit to being amused by all of this, in whatever way we can.
The lunar eclipse in Pisces sucked pretty badly for a lot of people thanks to two other planets in Pisces; Neptune and Saturn. Neptune creates deception, illusions, fantasies, and encourages us to give into conspiracy theories. Saturn’s disciplinary haranguing escalated many people’s sense of restriction and loss, and for others it simply dialed up very dramatic, emotional chattiness. This astrology is forcing us to work through personal beliefs at an escalated clip, in part because the stakes feel very, very high. Endings are beginning with this Pisces lunation, and despite the bittersweet reality of inevitable loss, it will be worth it for the transmutation of whatever trauma or friction we are allowing to hold us back.
Unfortunately, we are still dealing with a very active Neptune this weekend, which means we can expect more collective drama by way of falsehoods and unnecessary baiting. Everyone seems keyed up for one cause or another, and the general vibes are extroverted and determined thanks to some Mercury-empowered honesty. Yelling! So, so much yelling is in the future. Our messenger planet is also responsible for one astrological bright spot, which is that we are beginning to articulate the deception and recognize it for what it is; emotional manipulation.
Outside of the bad actors controlling a few narratives, many of us have received some valid feedback from superiors, colleagues, and friends about our projects and behavior this month, fitting neatly into the Virgo narrative of constant improvement and dissection of processes. This earth sign is always going to ask us continue perfecting our practical lives, so don’t be surprised if baseline issues like health, wealth, and scheduling have endured some hiccups or commanded unexpected amounts of time and reform this month. It’s never a bad idea to secure the necessities of existence, though, before all manner of peripheral hell like social unrest, political stupidity, and cultural tension invades our day to day experience. Collective turmoil can mirror personal turmoil, reminding us that we are all in this together, whether we like it or not.
Why would this affect me?
Our outer planets are always pulling the strings when it comes to our generational, community experience, as well as what Jung called “the collective unconscious”. When they get saucy and loud, i.e. form troublesome aspects between each other and our personal planets, the collective experience becomes overt and tangible. This will naturally affect our interpersonal lives because people are not automatons; we are living in an interconnected information ecosystem in which we are constantly bombarded with data, news, and all the emotions which accumulate due to this firehose of stimuli. When viewed through this lens, how could we not be affected by the generational planets?
So, this week we have Pluto making moves at the rather auspicious, transitional moment of our autumnal equinox (or vernal equinox for you lucky ducks south of the equator). The god of the underworld will personally usher us into Libra season on Sunday by forming a trine with our sun as he exits the final degrees of conscientious Virgo. He is telling us to prepare for massive change. There is a palpable sensation of moving between one very distinct era to another, almost the way the Covid pandemic divided our world into ‘before’ and ‘after’.
Expect a revelation or two in the coming weeks to provide brutal clarity that will be refreshing and affirming for some of us, and deeply disturbing to others. Individual experiences that align with these sort of outer planet movements can include hitting rock bottom with an addiction or habit, abruptly changing careers, engaging in illicit activity and affairs, or abruptly abandoning families and relationships. In a mundane, collective way, we might see disturbing information about public figures or institutions come to light, as well as unexpected dissolution of corporations or boardrooms. This is the influence of an archetypically male sun (Apollo or Helios, depending on which era of Ancient Greece floats your boat) opposing Pluto/Hades, who represents inevitable destruction and transformation. Everything that has been slowly coming around the bend of 2024 is about to hit full speed.
When do I have to deal with this?
When examining the daily transits, always keep in mind that planetary effects can be slow moving and they often bleed into the days before and after perfection.
WED 9.18 - 9.19 - The Questionably Productive Finger Pointing of Mercury Opposite Saturn
Mercury in Virgo: Brilliant, Neurotic TA With a Flair for Brutal Feedback
Saturn in Pisces: Aging Professor of Existential Questions
When these two get together, they will comb through every little aspect of our lives looking for mistakes, opportunities, and hidden information. No one is able to keep quiet with this transit! We are dissecting both public and private discussions looking for inconsistency, deceit, and slip-ups, probably fueled by a cute little dose of Neptunian paranoia. You know what they say; even if you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.
THURS 9.19 - 9.21 - Days for Strange Enthusiasm as the Sun Trines Uranus
Sun in Virgo: Fussy, Annoyingly Accurate Helicopter Dad
Uranus in Taurus: An Activist Bulldozing a Corporate Building to Protest a Land Grab
Weird ideas and enthusiasm for drastic change will grow beginning with this rebellious, yet still very practically-minded transit. We might develop unique solutions for daily issues that have been rocky or inconsistent like scheduling and healthcare, and we might also start to think further outside the box than others are comfortable accepting, but it’s alright. They have time to come around to our genius.
FRI 9.20 - 9.22 - Imagination V.S. Ego with Neptune Opposite the Sun
Neptune in Pisces: Eternally Stoned, Crazy Talented Painter who Lives in a Camper
Sun in Virgo: Fussy, Annoyingly Accurate Helicopter Dad
This is a generative transit for creative endeavors, if we can prevent people from getting all up in our shit with crazy schemes and promises that are simply not possible. Neptune is illusion and fantasy, but our Virgo sun is simply not having it and will blow apart our inconsistencies with rays of common sense. We might have conversations that shatter misconceptions or outright lies, and while they won’t feel good in the moment, we will look back and be grateful that we didn’t follow the bullshit.
SAT 9.21 - A Day of Necessary Detail as Mercury Squares Jupiter
Mercury in Virgo - Brilliant, Neurotic TA with a Flair for Brutal Feedback
Jupiter in Gemini - Entertaining, Worldly Old Man at the Bar who Never Shuts Up
We could lay the groundwork for inspiring, ambitious works today if we pay attention to details and avoid getting too grand. Neptune is still in the ether, but we’re starting to get down to some nitty gritty issues and we might be clear-minded enough to turn vague desires into actionable plans, as long as Jupiter can reign in his grandiosity.
SUN 9.22 - 9.24 - Very Goth Days of Illumination V.S. Personal Drama as the Sun, Pluto, and Venus Tango
Sun in Libra - Political Spouse with Supernatural Ability to Smooth over any Disagreement or Awkward Social Situation
Pluto in Capricorn - CFO with a Thirty Year Financial Plan to Destroy the Life on Earth
Venus in Libra - Prettiest, Best Dressed, Smartest, Most Diplomatic Girl at the Party
This is the moment that things could get heavy, because Pluto has no reticence when it comes to upending a status quo, and with Venus in the mix, this paradigmatic shift could easily affect intimate relations. Illicit affairs, break-ups, or disturbing discoveries about people close to us often occur when Pluto and Venus square off. Conversely, the sun will form a harmonious earth trine with Pluto, giving next week a very masculine v.s. feminine pallor as these two manly archetypes gang up on the lone girl of the celestial committee. Intimacy and gender relations will endure friction and scrutiny.
Cool, what does the Tarot say about this?
The Magician reversed is a tricksy, manipulative card that indicates a kind of blame game or obfuscation of facts around Tuesday, 9.17. A companion pull of labradorite is calling on us to listen to our instincts when dealing with this influence in order to keep our facts straight.
On Wednesday, 9.18, Two of Wands needed us to focus on how we are working with an opponent or partner, because the breadth of our success or failure with a new endeavor may depend on this connection. Tiger’s eye, a stone for focused creativity and stamina, underscores the need for determination at what are probably the early stages of a project.
The Empress reversed on Thursday, 9.19, hints at feeling smothered or forced beyond our boundaries by an influence that likes to present as helpful…but is it really? A companion pull of lapis lazuli can sometimes indicate hidden or buried motives, so straight-forward communication is the best medicine for this sort of soft entrapment. Call it out in real time.
The Wheel of Fortune reversed is the card of temporary bummers. Friday, 9.20., also brings a companion pull of red amethyst, so we can probably expect a disappointment or reversal that disrupts our inner calm and requires active soothing. A second card fell out of the deck on this pull, The Queen of Swords, which tells us that approaching the situation as rationally and unemotionally as we can will achieve the best outcome. (That’s probably why we need the amethyst.)
Saturday, 9.21 brings us Four of Wands reversed, presenting a picture of disagreement with others that has followed an inner revelation - we might feel more rooted in our own moral compass than ever before, but that solidification may come at the price of social harmony.
On Sunday, 9.22, Death concludes our week in the forms of both a major arcana and our distant dwarf planet, Pluto. Summer and Virgo season have officially ‘died’ with the observance of the autumnal equinox. The god of the underworld hits aspects today that could produce dramatic, long-term effects on our personal lives, as well as our collective trajectory on Earth. An existential process begins now, during which we will shed a thick layer of cultural expectations like a snake’s skin.
Visit @alectochaos on IG for the full, wordy breakdown and video of each card pull, and to get the jump on the Mon - Wed card pulls. If you are into that sort of thing.
Hi, wondering if you got my email. 🙂