Detriment is the term astrologers use when a planet is in the opposite sign of its domicile. For example, Venus is presently in Scorpio, opposite of her home sign of Taurus. This Tuesday, Mars will enter Libra, the sign opposite of its home, Aries. When a planet is in its detriment, its power is at its weakest. Further, astrology’s personal planets are the ones whose transits we experience most directly. So as personal planets Venus and Mars move through the signs of their detriment, we may undergo a crisis of confidence. Ever at the mercy of invasive governments, tech oligarchs and big banks. to name but a few, a sense of powerlessness may increase during this period. Adding delays and their consequent consternation, personal planet Mercury will be retrograde in Libra, from September 27th to October 18th. Compounding matters more, on September 22nd, the Sun will enter vacillating Libra. Signified by the scales of justice, Libra deliberates to a fault. Being fair and considerate of all sides is ordinarily a virtue. But into the malaise of agitating Mars stuck spinning its wheels and retrograding Mercury in a quagmire, the Sun’s presence will push indecision, frustration and paralysis to acute levels. The hotspot is October 7th through 9th. On the 7th the Sun and Mars will join forces, and on the 9th Mercury will conjoin the Sun and Mars. Perhaps breaking the logjam, Venus will exit her detriment and enter eternally optimistic Sagittarius on the 7th. Further relief will come from the stations of Pluto on the 6th and Saturn on the 10th. After months of being retrograde, these two will slowly begin to make forward progress. On the 18th Jupiter and Mercury will also station and turn direct. Mars, however, won’t be leaving Libra until October 30th. Between now and then, stores of perspective and ingenuity are on the way, courtesy of some trines from Jupiter and Saturn.

While Saturn is never as much fun as Jupiter, there is much to be learned from his discipline, dedication and longevity. From the fixed air sign of Aquarius, Saturn will trine Mars on September 25th and the Sun on the 29th. The taskmaster is also the keeper of time, and its longterm view can clarify immediate priorities. Expanding that Aquarian overview, Jupiter will begin its series of trines next Monday, with the first of three trines to Mercury. On October 15th it will trine the Sun, and, under an Aquarius Moon on the 18th. it will trine Mars. The final Mercury Jupiter trine will take place on October 31st, just as Mars exits Libra. In short, as Venus and Mars traverse the signs of their detriment, Saturnian endurance and Jupiter’s hopefulness will avail themselves through will (the Sun), clarity of mind (Mercury) and willpower (Mars) from visionary Aquarius. For this trek, keeping an eye on the prize will not only be possible; it will be paramount.

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