Illustrations by Esme Blegvad.

Illustrations by Esme Blegvad.

Was September a super hairy, intense month for you? It might have been because we were in eclipse season, which can bring about all kinds of unpredictable change. The most recent eclipse was on September 27; astrologers say its effects may be felt through the first couple days of October, BUT this month should be a lot more chill and calm, with a better vibe all around—even though planetary pot-stirrer Mercury will be retrograde until the end of the first week!

I talked to Stefanie Weiss of the Saturn Sisters about the major cosmic events that will be happening October. She’s going to relay how they’ll transpire, and what that means for each sign in this month’s horoscopes (read the horoscopes for your rising sign and your sun sign for maximum deets—you can figure out what yours are here). Based on her predictions, I’ll give you my unscientific yet lovingly considered advice. Follow us…into the future!


Stefanie Weiss, on October’s astrological trends:

Venus goes direct in Virgo: This summer, there was a somewhat rare event in that Venus was retrograde while in Leo, starting on July 25. Generally, Leo is the sign of drama, ego, and diva energy. If it was a summer of breakups, or getting back with exes, this retrograde of Venus’s might have been to blame (or thank?). There was a lot of looking-back-in-order-to-move-forward energy until Venus went direct in Leo on September 6, when you may have gained some clarity with romantic doubts or any backtracking you witnessed or experienced over the summer. Mercury went retrograde shortly after, so that may have brought on even more confusion and/or reconsideration, even after Venus stationed direct. This BIG preamble I’m giving you leads up to Venus going direct in Virgo this month, on October 8, which signals the end of this cycle! You should be able to see more clearly. Venus in Virgo might also mean that people (yourself included) are being more critical, so be aware of nitpicking.

Mercury goes direct in Libra: Since September 17, Mercury has been retrograde in Libra, which is a sign with an extra-strong relationship focus. Maybe you’ve been having weird conversations with friends, in which you don’t feel understood or listened to completely? Mercury can bring with it a lot of projection and miscommunication, which should begin to reorient itself soon after Mercury goes direct on October 9. Once Mercury goes direct, a secret someone has been withholding from you—or maybe even one you’ve been keeping from yourself—could come to light, particularly within the realm of relationships.

New moon in Libra: A new moon in Libra ushers in an opportunity to initiate conversations you want to have about your relationships, and to start thinking about who you want to be in relationships of all kinds (in one-on-one relationships in particular). The new moon in Libra, on October 12, is an invitation to clarify and expand on what you want to see in your friendships, collaborations, or dating zone.

Mars and Jupiter conjunct in Virgo: Jupiter tends to be sort of a messy planet: It’s expansive but doesn’t really pay attention to details. Mars brings the dynamism and the passion, and when the two planets conjunct (aka join energies) on October 17, it can serve as a jumping-off point into the great unknown. You may feel some driven, exciting vibes: It’s an ambitious, expansive, detail-oriented time, so why not take a risk, or launch a new idea or project into the universe?

The sun moves into Scorpio: On October 23, Libra time ends and Scorpio season begins. I love that Halloween happens when the sun is in Scorpio, because it’s all about the unseen, the underground, the depths of the psyche, et cetera. Pursue the parts of you that you don’t always show the world and immerse yourself in them!

Venus conjuncts Jupiter in Virgo: On October 25, Venus teams up with Jupiter in Virgo, which is a pairing that is all about romance, creativity, making money—you know, the fun stuff! It’s a great day to focus on beauty.

Full moon in Taurus: The full moon on October 27 is all about sensual, earthy energy: Taurus is ruled by Venus, so you could experience a couple very Venus-ian days at the end of the month. Make time for something that makes you feel grounded.

Are you ready for some ’scopes?!

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Virgo (August 23–September 22)

Libra (September 23–October 22)

Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

Pisces (February 19–March 20)