A bit of numerology to start:

Five 2s .  .  .  emphasis on relationship between equals.

5 x 2 = 10, reduces to a 1, new beginning, plus the 0 (the god force).

September is the 9th month. Adding up the date: 9+2+2+2+2+2=19. 19 itself reduces to a 10, then a 1, new beginning; however, 19 is a karmic number signifying power, and its possible misuse.

Two 22’s: double numbers are master numbers: 22=4, the number of structure, stability; but when expressed as a 22, then “the master builder.”

 

If there is ever a seasonal celebration that does signify relationship, it’s the Autumn Equinox: 0°00 Libra. That moment when the length of the day and the length of the night are equal: briefly balanced.

And this year, the Sun will be joined exactly, in the same degree, with Mercury, which is, however retrograde. Thinking about relationship; communicating in relationship; working through old issues in relationship; the dance between give and take, self and other.

And yet, for each of us, the original relationship is within the self. And with the seasonal meaning of this Autumn Equinox, the day when day and night, or light and dark, for a single moment are balanced, equal . . . then heading into the night or dark from 9/22/2202 at 9:04 PM on until Winter Solstice, we need to get comfortable with whatever within ourselves tends to remain in shadow. Because what goes unrecognized within the self tends to get projected, onto others. Projections, unrecognized, spur open conflict, fights, wars . . .

The personal subconscious (painful memories, covered up memories) itself covers the deeper, collective unconscious, manifesting as the zeitgeist, or “world wind”  — it’s shifting currents, trends, in which we all participate, usually without realizing it; it’s this aspect of the unconscious where power is stored, not just in ourselves, but in the human species.

Descending into, and eventually coming to terms with the treasures buried in one’s own unconscious shadow self is called “shadow work” for a reason. Not easy to do; in fact, perhaps the most difficult work of a lifetime, this coming to terms with one’s full, sovereign self which, remember, is also at one with all: each of us a single drop in the ocean of the collective unconscious.

Once integrated within, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish, if it is ours to do. Self-sabotage, excuses, procrastination, distractions — all this will be left behind; we are whole now, holy. The spark of the divine ignites and moves through, empowers us when we are full of ourselves — our many selves, all those parts of us that contradict the image we want to show to the world, but when recognized, and honored, work together as one. The full, sovereign self, at one with all.

So let us heed this Equinox event. Make it our own internally. Use these next three months to move down into one’s own unconscious mind, a mind pregnant with possibilities, seeds, longing to be acknowledged, to be born, to be nourished and grow to fruition.

Each of us is a unique being. No two alike. And what’s unique within us lies below the social and cultural roles we have been taught to observe. It’s full of energy. WE are full of energy, the energy that powers the universe, and need only tap into it.

This particular Equinox, which I set for Washington D.C., since the internet is full of dire predictions for these next three months, features a number of strong aspect patterns among mostly retrograde planets. So I sense a roiling, rolling, disturbance; a mighty tug of war, deepening over time.

First, powerful, primal, death/rebirth Pluto in Capricorn sits right next to the Midheaven, where its influence is beamed to the whole world. Expect constant power plays between and among players in this long game for control of the whole world.

Second eruptive Uranus sits at 18° Taurus closely conjunct both Ascendant and North Node. Civil unrest, disturbance, to obviously increase. Danger of civil war.

Then, notice that Saturn, at 19° Aquarius (that karmic power number again) attempting, and likely failing, to continuously reinsert the status quo (bring in the police? the military?) while sitting directly square to that Uranus/Ascendant/North Node. This disturbance, this upset of Saturn tradition, is both required (North Node) and bound to disrupt/erupt (even with actual earthquakes?) all sorts of security systems, including money.

 

Those aspects to the Midheaven and Ascendant are most obvious. Their disturbing influence reverberates everywhere.

Then, inside the chart:

Note that Mars (which will go retrograde at the end of October) sits at 17° Gemini, closely trine Saturn and semi-sextile Uranus/Ascendant/Node. I call this type of aspect pattern a “triangle of continuous growth,” since it contains one harmonious aspect (the trine), one very difficult aspect (the square), and one aspect of continuous adjustment (the semi-sextile).

So, possibly, especially once Mercury turns to go direct and leaves the shadow of the retrograde period by October 17, Mars energy will be directed towards making agreements, coming to terms with the chaos. However, remember, Mars itself turns to go retrograde at the end of October, just before the midterm is supposed to occur. So all bets are off.

The Sun/Mercury combination is empowered by a trine to Pluto, but opposes Jupiter at 4° Aries. Expect a tug-of-war — between self-interest and connection, impulsive action and diplomacy; expressing ourselves and listening to others.

Venus (the only planet not subject to retrograde motion during this three month period; in fact Venus won’t go retrograde again until July 2023!) sits almost exactly opposite Neptune: We are challenged to enlarge our personal love for (the value we give to) one another to embrace the whole world in compassion. In Virgo and Pisces: focus on details dissolves into oceanic bliss. Or not: this combination, when not experienced consciously, can signify obsession, compulsion, escape, addiction . . .

With all the retrograde planets (six at this point: Mercury Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto), each of us has unfinished business to attend to. And a major part of that involves a tug of war between the status quo and breaking out of the status quo, whatever that may be; and of course, “old habits die hard.” So “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Nothing worthwhile was done in a day. The more profound the change, the deeper the process, the longer it takes to make it.

Jean Hudon offers an Equinox meditation that you might be moved to observe.