By Maeri Frances
The tempo changes, September brings two eclipses and a basketful of interesting configurations. It’s time to snap out of holiday mode and get real, very, very quickly. We ease into the new month with a sensuous Venus/Mars conjunction in the early degrees of Virgo, so if your birthday fell in the last week of August it could be a rather important day. On the 6th of September, Venus turns direct in motion, get ready to face your credit card bills and salvage what remains of your summer romance! The 17th challenges us all to think clearly as Mercury once again goes retrograde. To add to the confusion, Jupiter faces off against Neptune in a powerful opposition on the same day. It’s about optimistic action getting tangled up with illusion, delusion, idealism and wishful thinking. Then realistic Saturn re-enters the truth-seeking sign of Sagittarius on the following day, no room for ‘woolly’ thinking and denial from here on it seems..
Virgo
23 August –23 September
With planets switching from direct motion to retrograde motion and vice versa this month how can we mere mortals be expected to keep on a steady course, you might ask? That inconvenient Mercury retrograde is spending time in your second house of finances, so it’s a good time to be extra cautious in money matters. Don’t make large purchases or over-extend yourself. Jupiter’s presence in your sign is a mixed blessing. It offers a safety blanket of sorts, but also can lead to a few kilos creeping on. Your best days are the 12th and 13th.
Aries
21 March –20 April
With the Moon in your birth sign as September kicks off you should be feeling empowered and ready for action. You need to be very careful to double-check that anyone you depend on for close cooperation is in the picture before you fire ahead, Mercury is stirring up our house of partnerships. The 8th is a key day for you, when your ruling planet Mars makes a powerful and supportive trine aspect to Uranus. Expect the unexpected, but remember that change is sometimes a good thing. The mood changes on the 28th as Mars enters Virgo, Streamline your work procedures, take care of your diet and health, and get super-organized.
Taurus
21 April –21 May
Family and domestic matters are still very much to the fore, and fortunately glitches that had been annoying you on the home front should fall into place after the 6th. Tempers might be a little frayed in the workplace on the 9th; it’s not a good time to be throwing your weight around. If your love life has been on the rocks, maybe the new moon in Virgo on the 13th can give you a chance to patch things up. With major activity in your fellow earth signs on the 18th, namely Pluto going direct in Capricorn and Mars entering Virgo on the 25th, it looks as though practicality and pragmatism will be key-words to cling onto as the month winds down.
Gemini
22 May –21 June
If there’s anything Gemini enjoys it has to be variety, and September offers plenty. All those busy planets moving around in Leo, your house of communication and local travel, and Virgo, your sector of home and family can see you juggling many balls in the air all at once. You are in your element. When you manage to clear up those emails, and get the house organised, (watch out for Mars entering Virgo on the 25th) you may take time to ponder why you haven’t had time for much fun. Blame it on Mercury retrograde, and that serious Saturn surging forward in your 7th house of relationships again.
Cancer
22 June –22 July
If Cancer babes and guys have managed to tear themselves away from the seaside and head back to the city they may find a heap of work to catch up on. First task may be to sort out the finances; things could have got a bit out of control over summer. Then planets in Virgo, especially Mars after the 25th, can really give you a lot of phone calls, meetings, emails and other catching up on tasks. To top it off, Mercury in retrograde in your area of domestic life will make the job of organising the house and family just too onerous to bear. How did things get into that state? Maybe this is the time to set up a workable system.
Leo
23 July –22 August
Leos can hardly complain; things should have been sailing along rather nicely for you. When the planet of love, Venus, goes happily forward on the 6th, your love life should be exactly where you want it. Now it’s time to take a closer look at your finances, maybe you have been carried away with a feeling of bonhomie and living a little beyond your means? Never mind, with Saturn giving assistance the coming period may help you to find ways to have fun on a much tighter budget. Days to watch: an action-packed 8th and a love-infused 23rd.
Libra
24 September – 23 October
Feeling a bit confused and absent-minded? You can blame it on your hectic social life, or from the 17th onwards, on Mercury turning retrograde in your birth sign. Try to pace yourself a bit, slow down, and don’t tackle more than you can comfortably handle. When Mars moves into your solar 12th house as the month draws to a close, judgment will weigh as to how well you have been heeding friends’ advice. Find time for yourself, even though Libra is always seeking convivial company, during this period you can benefit from a bit of introspection.
Scorpio
24 October –22 November
Summer may have seen you truly claiming your place in the sun. There has been so much planetary activity going on in your career sector that there seem too many opportunities to grasp. As the action moves towards Virgo, you should set yourself into net-working mode. Follow up on summer contacts to stride forward with confidence into the winter months. Finances need scrutiny, but a serious well thought out plan should see you come out on top, with a little help from the right connections of course. Friendships could be the make-or-break factor this month in many ways..
Sagittarius
23 November –21 December
Life gets a little more serious. Yes, Saturn is back for a lengthy sojourn in your birth sign. This is a great time to pare away anything superfluous from your surroundings and routine, learn how liberating it can be to live a more streamlined existence. The latter part of September looks good for putting well thought out plans into action, especially where finances are concerned. Days that stand out for you could be the 17th when career opportunities seem too good to be true (they may be, so get your facts straight), and the 26th, when someone is trying to impose conditions on you.
Capricorn
22 December –20 January
Your patience may be rewarded this month, as Pluto goes back into direct motion in your birth sign. Any feelings of not being in charge of your own destiny may abate as you see the path ahead more clearly. You can benefit from some quiet time, you may be feeling a little reclusive. Thoughts of travel may keep popping up, it’s quite possible in the coming month or two, so don’t give up on your plans. Let the planetary energy around the 17th serve as inspiration for you, follow your dreams no matter how impossible they sometimes appear.
Aquarius
21 January –19 February
Your energy may be drawn to helping friends this month, it seems that whatever personal issues you are dealing with they may need to take a back seat. Forces behind the scenes may seem overpowering at times, but stay true to yourself and your goals. It seems that circumstances may put you in a position where you can help someone financially, but do so wisely. Tread carefully around the 9th, and expect any travel plans to meet a few hiccoughs from the 17th onwards when Mercury goes retrograde.
Pisces
20 February –20 March
This month the focus is more on others, so take the chance to recoup from the summer and plan for a productive last few months of the year. Work and health matters are still getting planetary support, so use your time to set a good program for the weeks ahead. It’s a month to depend on yourself, support from others may not be easy, for no other reason but their own difficult circumstances. Career success depends very much on how well you have done your groundwork , that extra effort can pay off. So, where is the fun this month? Expect an interesting day on the 17th when Jupiter and your ruling planet Neptune face off.
