Laura Bruno does a fine job delineating the possibilities within this New Moon. Remember, New Moons are seeds of new beginnings. Couple this with my post on the Fall Equinox, and you’ll see the beginnings of movement in the area of relationships at this New Moon, even though it still feels like this very retrograde world is hopelessly stuck, either in Fear or Fury, or both, side by side, or switching constantly, directly against self and/or other. That Mercury is still retrograde means we still have work to do in processing, either alone or together, whatever (Libra) relationships are up for us to recognize and come to terms with.

BTW: Mars will go retrograde on October 30, adding even more fire to the backwards looking fire, even though, by then, Mercury will have turned to go direct on October 10 and on to the degree it occupied when it began to go Rx on October 17. So expect likely furious energy, either directed within (self-blame) or without (projection). BREATHE. Stay conscious. Going back over old hurts, wounds, and so on that have been triggered in present time. Think of yourself as a psychic surgeon, aiming to cut out the painful spot at the root. Of course this won’t work. The wound likely has to melt down with excruciating attention to the details of the situation, and luckily, until September 30 Venus is still in analytical Virgo opposing Neptune in Pisces.

Here’s the New Moon chart for Bloomington, Indiana, where I live inside the tiny paradisical, alchemical, interpersonal cauldron called Green Acres Permaculture Village.

What I notice especially about this chart is the opposition/concentration of six planets, and all of them transitioning from one sign to another in what might be the two most difficult places in the zodiac: Pisces (Neptune) to Aries (Jupiter) signifying the end transitioning to new beginning of one entire zodiacal cycle (and yet, remember, going backwards: i.e., we can’t really begin until we finalize the old cycle); the other — Virgo (Venus/Mercury) to Libra (Sun/Moon) signifying the transition between the first six signs of the zodiac which have to do with self-development and the second six which have to do increasingly with cooperation and integration with one Other (Libra) on out to the cosmos as a whole (Pisces) — and yes, again, backing up, so before cooperation, we have to figure out what is holding us back!

Taking the latter conjunction first, remember that Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac, where everything that used to have its own form melts into oneness. And Jupiter is in the following sign of new beginnings. We need to melt down the old as we begin again with courage and fiery energy; and yet, even though we are starting out to do that, we have to have to retreat for awhile . .  .

That Neptune, which rules Pisces, has been in its own sign since 2011, and will continue there into 2025 is the main driver, though it feels so subtle, so much a part of the psychic and emotional collective soup in which we are immersed, that its very hard to recognize. That this 14 year placement has already brought not only the threatened surrender of individual free expression (Jupiter in Aries) to some kind of deceptively unifying oneness (Neptune in Pisces) via censorship, feeding into global control (“you will own nothing, and you will be happy”) should come as no surprise by this time. Also, the phenomenon of addiction has been shrouding especially the so-called “free” world for many years, growing worse and worse over time, via all sorts of substance abuses, legal and illegal, including cigarettes, drugs, fast food, entertainment, electronics, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Jupiter in Aries tries for that new beginning, but fights to throw off the subtle, pervasive influence of Neptune in Pisces — though, once again, remember, both are traveling backwards, processing the past.

On the other side, what’s at stake is the Virgo/Libra cusp, mentally analyzing the details of stuck issues in relationship enough so that we can connect and cooperate with the Other as equals. Not easy to do, especially when, from the opposite side of the chart Jupiter is lending its fiery energy to anything we discuss and Neptune seeks to either avoid or confuse . . .

I’m speaking about the likely — until we learn to become continuously aware, and who of us can claim that? — “negative” use of these energies. Go to Laura for the positive!

Meanwhile, for Bloomington specifically, notice that usually strict, disciplined Saturn in Aquarius is in the 12th house, close to the Aquarian Ascendant, and for Saturn at any location, it’s also square eruptive Uranus (a long running aspect) and trine high impact Mars. Eruptions, sudden changes, lots of energy, all part of the mix as we learn to cooperate with others as equals in groups (Aquarius).

Perhaps a personal story may set the tone here.

This morning, along with other neighborhood leaders and activists, three of us from GAPV were down at the Bloomington Farmer’s Market (one of many now, but still the principal one) sitting with other neighborhoods (we were the only “village inside a neighborhood,” and others loved it; we got lots more sign-ups for our Dinner List), sponsored by city, each neighborhood sat a table of its own, and all of us spent time going around and talking with others, and having people at the market cycle through to us as well sitting with us for awhile, trading experiences. This was an immensely instructive and fun event (especially after not being held for the past two years): an Aquarian group meet-up, with lots of individuality, even some arguments, or, I should say, strong differences of opinion, and yet all of us laughing and loving each other anyway. Seldom have I felt such a sense of boisterous, fun solidarity among people with different political, cultural and covid “beliefs.” I had no trouble taking on people who assumed that people would still be as “scared” of covid (taking booster after booster, etc.) and those who assumed I would be a Democrat in this blue city. I begged to differ, sometimes vociferously, and while I got strange moments of bewilderment coming from the Other who NEVER EXPECTED THAT, none of us let any of our divisions stop us from having the time of our lives. I especially loved seeing friends whom I haven’t seen for years, and mentioning how “it’s so fun to watch each other grow old, really beautiful . . .” — you can imagine how each of them was both startled, and then suddenly okay, even comfortable, with this acknowledgement.

Which reminds me: on Thursday, the Autumn Equinox (the very day, by the way, when the weather here suddenly turned from Summer to Fall!) I was in my bank (IU Credit Union), and when leaving, got a sudden impulse to yell out loud, and joyfully, “HAPPY EQUINOX!”

You can imagine the startled response as this phrase resounded through that staid, follow- the-rules, Saturn institution, with sweet people in expected Saturn roles. Jupiter in Aries, in action!

And with that I walked out the door, not waiting around to see how their responses to each other would follow, and how the entire situation would likely mutate.

So happy New Moon folks! As of tomorrow late afternoon at 5:55 PM EDT.

P.S. Levity will help, during this turbulent time.