While astrology’s mischief maker Mercury is retrograde, Pluto and Saturn are about to turn direct, the Moon will launch a new phase in a cardinal sign and Venus will change signs. Events get underway on October 6th, when a new Libra Moon coincides with powerful Pluto emerging from its six-month slumber. Since April 27th, its transfiguring force has been applied to the late degrees of Capricorn. Pluto explores shadowy worlds, and Cap is the sign of institutions, governments and big business. Emerging under the Sun sign of deliberation and justice, and notably on its new Moon, Pluto is probably packing quite the drop. This new Moon may bring significant news from the U.S. Department of Justice or from major global health organizations. After spending the past month in Pluto-ruled Scorpio, Venus will also surface from a dark night of the soul, on the 7th. For the next four weeks, she will transit philosophical and politically-oriented Sagittarius. The mutable fire sign is astrology’s hub of international travel, foreign affairs and morality. Finally, Saturn will station and turn direct on October 10th. The ringed planet enforces boundaries and laws, and since late May it has also been in review mode. Like Pluto, its stance will shift from fact-finding to implementation. On the sunny side, Saturn provides structure and imposes order. Its dark side however, has a distinctly authoritarian streak. This retrograde has taken it all the way back to seven degrees of humanitarian Aquarius. The fixed air sign is highly compatible with fellow air sign Libra, where the Sun, new Moon, Mars and Mercury are traveling, and with Sagittarius, where Venus is headed. Also, Saturn is currently sharing that Aquarian sector with generally benevolent Jupiter. Initiatives undertaken at the waxing phase of this lunar cycle have a strong probability of yielding positive outcomes, particularly in the long run. Further, retrograding Mercury in Libra and Jupiter in Aquarius will station and go direct on the 18th, two days before the Moon is full. In short, as the Sun, Mercury and Mars inhabit the sign of fairness and liberty, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto will conclude introspective and investigative phases.

Over the coming weeks, the usual inconveniences associated with Mercury’s retrogrades will invariably show up. Beneath the surface, however, crafty Mercury may turn out to be on a far more consequential mission. This is the planet named after the god, who, to get business done, consorts with thieves, rogues and all manner of outcasts. As he goes deeper undercover, the bevy of planets coming off of the sidelines are lighting up the high and like minded sectors of Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. Since at least late April, conflicting narratives have completed for dominance. On one side lay the imposters, liars and grifters, and on the other, the noble and forthright. The Sun is now shining from impartial, judicious Libra, and verdicts are about to be rendered.

Sleepwalking into someone else’s meditation is what being under Monday’s Pisces Moon may feel like, especially as it reaches its 28-degree-zenith late in the afternoon. But alert, eager Mercury isn’t retrograde yet. While the Messenger is still making forward progress. its uplifting trine to jovial Jupiter earlier in the afternoon is apt to help us get more than a few boxes checked. Likewise, the Moon will shake off the Pisces cobwebs and jump into action once it rolls into spirited Aries on Monday night. The cardinal fire sign is short on elaborate detail, and attention. But directed strategically, its bursts of enthusiasm can prove quite useful. Speedy Mercury initially finds an agreeable companion in the Aries Moon, and the two will knock a few more items off of to do lists on Tuesday. But some serious checks on impulsiveness are on the way from Pluto in reserved Capricorn. On Wednesday Pluto will square both, as the Sun slides into rational Libra.

More reality checks will arrive on Thursday when Venus is directly opposed by Uranus and the Moon moves into grounded Taurus. For Scorpio-based Venus, this confrontation could be connected with issues that arose on the 17th, when it squared Saturn. It might also be linked to bills that will be due on the 30th, when it will square Jupiter. Under these conditions, Venus may be feeling the economic weight of her luxuries more than the pleasure she ordinarily derives from possessing then. The Moon may shed more light on where spending might need to be curtailed, or where secrets have been kept, when it squares Saturn on Thursday, opposes Venus on Friday and squares Jupiter on Saturday. But Mars and Saturn, in air signs, will put the wind back into sails, when they meet for a healthy trine on Saturday afternoon. The Moon will join this meeting of the minds when it enters astrology’s third air sign, flexible Gemini, on Saturday night. If two heads are better than one, then a plethora of planets in air signs is positively brilliant. The mental maneuvers that Mars and Saturn come up with on Saturday will be furthered on Sunday when the Moon trines the Sun, Saturn and Mars. Next, the Moon will trine Jupiter and Mercury on Monday. While the bright ideas are shining, Gemini’s ruler Mercury will begin its retrograde in the wee hours of Monday morning. This one will last until October 18th. Rather than sucking the air out of big sky visions, this slowdown will offer opportunities to work through ideas thoughtfully and thoroughly. With the Sun and Mars remaining in Libra throughout Mercury’s retrograde in the cardinal air sign, there will certainly be time for weighing pros and cons.