This week very early on Friday, October 8 (about 2 am CDT), the planet Venus will be turning retrograde.  A retrograde planet has three distinct phases: slowing down to a crawl, the actual stop where it reverses direction called stationary retrograde, and then the entire retrograde period.  The peak of the event is always experienced at the station, right in the middle.

When a planet slows down it’s astrological effects deepen significantly, so when a planet stops completely it could be considered to be at its most powerful in affecting our affairs.  The planets do not actually stop and reverse direction; it is only an appearance of it due to differences in the orbital paths of the planets around the Sun.

So with Venus making a station, how we connect to other people is at issue and real developments in love are likely to occur.  Venus connects by a luminous feeling of enrapturing love; of course enrapturing love in a human context is much different than a Divine one.  The Divine enrapturement is not limited by expression in one particular person, it subtly affects all relationships and connections.  The human enrapturement however tends to blow up and grossly exaggerate the importance of the other, usually followed by the inglorious deflation of their importance sometime down the line. 

I could go on and on about this, but I will just leave it at the fact that relationships and their attached issues will be quite animated over the next couple days.  The fact that the station will occur in sidereal LIbra, a sign connected  to relationships in general only highlights the theme more.

Libra is the only sign that is neither human nor animal, rather it is a thing, a set of scales representing equilibrium and balance.  It is a quality of balancethat helps give perspective to affairs.  Some will ascribe the quality of justice to that of Libra, but I would associate Libra with the quality of judgment, carefully weighing the right and left sides of an issue and delivering the best response to any given situation.  In court of law the judge is the one who meets out proper punishment to the individual for his crimes after careful consideration.

To me “justice” is more of a Virgo quality, redressing exactingly each misdeed until all karmic accounts are settled.  I’m splitting hairs here a little bit, but it gives me an opportunity to address one of the many erroneous assumptions about astrology.  Astrology supposedly is a science but it’s application is hardly scientific these days.

Monday, Oct 4
Interesting day as heated excitement may prematurely co-opt events; but also strange motivations and manifestations may be brought out.  The tendency to act deceitfully, dishonestly, or co-dependently will be brought out as well.  Physical vitality may be vulnerable.  (Mars sesquiquadrate Uranus, Sun sesquiquadrate Neptune, Mercury biquintile Neptune)

Tuesday, Oct 5
Early on unusual relationship developments may come onto the scene and open up new directions for people; and at times obsessive or compulsive tendencies in thought and deep may be activated.  (Mercury square Pluto, Venus sesquiquadrate Uranus)

Wednesday, Oct 6
No peaking influences

Thursday, Oct 7
No peaking influences, although tomorrow’s astrology will already be starting to manifest.

Friday, Oct 8
Relationship and new emotional developments are indicated, as well as subdued but serious discussions or thinking processes going on.  There could be obstructions to the flow of communications, as well as self-imposed inhibitions on expression touched off; others may try to suppress, modify or control the expressions of others.  (Venus stationary retrograde, Mercury conjunct Saturn)

Saturday, Oct 9
Mental operations, communicative processes and analysis may be hampered be predisposing ideas that may or may not have any relation to the situation at hand.  Intellectual and verbal matters may be adversely affected by toxic physical conditions.  Human error is at a higher probability.  (Mercury sesquiquadrate  Neptune)

Sunday, Oct 10
No peaking influences

Monday, Oct 11
Motivation, drive, and determination may be amped up to extreme levels; the tendency to abuse or misuse people or situations are highlighted.  Sexual issues are brought out.  Physical output (bodily or mechanical) could be called upon to the level of breakdown.  (Mars semisquare Pluto)

Curtis Burns
curtisburns555@gmail.com