From October 22nd to the 31st gratitude is the magical attitude that allows us to really appreciate how fortunate we are. As some closely held possession is swept away, we have the good fortune to see that our attachments to things in the material world stop us from progressing. If we know what to look for, this is the luckiest of times.
22nd – Monday – Sun Sesquiquadrate Neptune, Sun Contra-parallel Uranus, Mars Parallel Jupiter, Mercury Sextile Pluto, Mercury Semi-square Saturn – Our enthusiasm only carries us so far. We have the light of truth, but it doesn’t illuminate our path; listening to others and being willing to compromise is a method for avoiding costly mistakes. Even sitting still, or taking the day off, is better than forcing changes against routines when we don’t have a complete picture.
23rd – Tuesday – Mercury Parallel Venus, Sun enters Scorpio, Sun Opposite Uranus – Relating one area of knowledge to another gives us a different perspective on life. Abrupt changes in circumstances can throw us off balance. Impulsive and erratic behavior has terrible consequences. Finding a wholesome outlook and implementing a safe program of stress relief, is a good direction for our pent up energy.
24th – Wednesday – Venus Sextile Saturn, the Full Moon at 10 of Scorpio/Taurus is at 12:45 PM EDT – Trusting the people we have relied on in the past is a good start. We need to be brave enough to step forward, even if our thoughts run against the current trend of the moment. Unfortunately, most people are living in an “echo chamber”, only taking in information that supports already adopted conclusions. We help others if we stay calm.
25th – Thursday – Venus Parallel Jupiter – Putting our best foot forward comes naturally. We can present ourselves in the best light, but we have to give this same consideration to others in order to contribute to a positive outcome. Allowing others to be their best is a winning hand.
26th – Friday – Sun Conjunct Venus – Social events can be fun if we avoid having our attention pulled in too many directions. We all participate in a certain radiance; for some this glow will deal a winning hand in mating rituals. It is best to keep our objectives narrowly focused and cross the finish line before scouting around for other options.
27th – Saturday – Mars Semi-sextile Pluto, Sun Sextile Saturn – There is a well worn path in front of us. We don’t need to ask about the next step; it is obvious, and follows naturally from where we have just been. Rewards come by simply fulfilling our duty.
28th – Sunday – All our recent mental activity has meaning; we just need to let it settle. Taking time to enjoy life is a way to let the different trains of thought come together. Friends, family, lovers, all need attention; there is plenty of time for everyone. People we live with get “up to bat” first.
29th – Monday – Mars Semi-square Saturn, Mercury Conjunct Jupiter, Mercury Parallel Pluto, Venus Parallel Mars – It’s all about timing and intuition. We have difficulty getting in sync with the moment. Our conscience keeps us in tune with our purpose. Traditional structures are at odds with unique visions of what is possible. Taking time to schmooze with others can heal old wounds.
30th – Tuesday – Love of adventure can prompt us to throw aside something wholesome in order to express, or just assert, our uniqueness. Change for its own sake is really counter-productive. Like Odysseus strapped to the mast of his ship, we can listen to the sirens, if we have made arrangements for our safety. A better adventure is around the corner if we can corral our restlessness.
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31st – Wednesday – Mercury enters Sagittarius, Venus Opposite Uranus, Mercury Semi-sextile Venus, Mercury Quincunx Uranus, Mercury Parallel Saturn, Venus enters Libra – While our mental life moves in fairly regimented channels, our emotions are off wandering the seven seas. We need a break; it’s coming soon. Getting a balance requires integration of many different avenues of thoughts and feelings. A rollercoaster is exciting if we are prepared, and in the mood, not so good if we are trying to sleep.
Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Reach Bob by email at bobmulliga@aol.com or visit his site.
There was an article in the newspaper quoting from the financial report issued on September 17th by New York State comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli. It turns out the averageannual Wall Street salary in 2017 was $422,500. If you work in the financial industry, the fact that we have inflation now will probably not worry you personally; and professionally this might even be good news. And for the rest of us? It could be much worse if we lived in Argentina, Venezuela, or Turkey. However, we are noticing a mild impact showing up that may create some real concern in the future.
Lynne Palmer’s guide for 2019 is $24. For as long as I can remember her guide has been $20. At Publix where I get my water, it is now $.35 a gallon. Until recently it was $.30 a gallon. My chiropractor has just increased her rate from $50 to $60. Massage Envy increased what they charge for massage. Even simple things like peanut butter filled pretzels at the grocery store went from $3.99 to $5.99. I’ve lived in the same apartment for three years; the rent has increased three times. My accountant just increased her rate. I’m not complaining, just explaining. We have inflation; it’s for real; it affects some of us more than others. It hurts those least able to afford it.
For almost 25 years now I have had the same housekeeper. She comes in every Monday to keep my home in shape. She is Cuban; she and her husband work full time at various jobs. We are very open with each other. A few weeks ago she mentioned that she didn’t have money for food. She takes care of three of her grandchildren, one lives with her. I told her to take as much of my food as she wanted. (I’m always buying ahead when things are on sale, a habit that I picked up from my mother.) She refused my offer, and seemed embarrassed for having even mentioned it. She is open with me but very self-reliant. How do people living at the bottom rung of the economic ladder survive inflation, which just exacerbates this pre-existing problem of terrible inequity? When will we outgrow our individual and collective greed that creates scarcity and suffering in our garden of paradise?
The Florida Legislature voted to make Daylight Saving Time in Florida year round. Astrologers hate Daylight Saving Time. It’s another arbitrary rule to keep track of, which can be changed by a vote. Humans messing with Mother Nature is always a mixed blessing. Of course, Standard Time Meridians are a virtue. Before the dawn of the 20th Century, all times were local, which was terribly inconvenient for making any kind of collective arrangements. It would be quite confusing if clocks in Miami were set to a different time than clocks in Naples, or New York for that matter.
Reading and traveling are two ways of expanding our awareness. I like to read and also to meditate. Information is so available on the internet that I don’t even have to go to the library that often. And I can order books online and have them sent to me. Traveling is becoming less enjoyable. As the Moody Blues said In Search of the Lost Cord…”thinking is the best way to travel”. There are still reasons for travel. I’m going to Myrtle Beach to the Baba Center on October 2nd. I’ll be there until the 10th. Not only will I get a long needed rest and spiritual recharge, I’ll see my children who live there, and my two grandchildren.
Years ago a friend and local Naples astrologer, Roi Barlowe, took time away from his practice to study technical stuff online. He became quite proficient at the internet and social media. Roi passed away in 2006; I miss him. I need to thank him for his encouragement. Further, I need to take a page from his book and learn some technical things I have missed. Katie does Facebook and other things for me on line. However, time has come to take stock of some of this myself. While checking out at Lucky’s (a grocery store), the man at the cash register asked if I was a loyalty member. I said “yes” and starting reciting my phone number. The guy behind the counter told me I needed to show my membership on my smart phone. Well, I have a semi-smart phone, no apps. Now that Whole Foods is owned by Amazon, Prime members get a significant discount; we have a Prime membership. The catch? You need the Prime app on your smart phone to use it. My phone works fine, no complaints at all; it just doesn’t do apps (it’s an iphone3). This was only a minor inconvenience before now, like not being able to get an electronic boarding pass for the plane. Ok; I’m behind the times. In November, I’m designating some time each day to start coming up to speed in Post Industrial Age. The astrology community doesn’t need another well meaning dinosaur.
One of the many blessings of the internet is that you can get access to vast amounts of information on any topic. In some areas the large amount of data can breed more confusion than knowledge. Take for instance, diet. What we eat changes from time to time depending on our health, age, what’s in vogue, also what is available. We all have difficulty in making informed choices for our diets; there is so much conflicting information. Also, setting aside the many cultural and genetic differences, every person has a different body chemistry. Ostensibly, we each need a different diet…but if that wasn’t confusing enough, when I was in California and we were all having our morning smoothies (the principle ingredient being kale), a research scientist with us revealed that it was the worst thing because kale pulls the heavy metals from the soil and that ends up in our bodies when we eat it. A further worry, as it turns out, mosquitoes have been eating tiny dots of plastic in the water they are born into. Birds get this plastic in their systems when they eat the mosquitoes. Yikes, how can we be healthy? By thinking good thoughts? What about our bodies? The fruits, vegetables, and grains I eat are organic. It is possible to make more informed choices for healthy food now, than when we were growing up. It is still confusing.
As I write this I’m making the final preparations for the workshop, “Your Birth Chart as a Spiritual Roadmap”. I’m excited! Four of the seven participants have traveled a great distance to be here. This is the most important workshop I have ever done. Everyone seems outrageously committed to the process. On the other side of this, when I go to Myrtle Beach, I’ll spend time ruminating. It is now a question of direction. How to best fulfill my life mission?
Thank you for spending a little time with me. See you next month.
“Beware you be not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.” – John Wesley