Everyone knows that it's the hand that rocks the cradle that rules the world, but it's equally true that women have often been the power behind the throne for centuries. So what happens when these women decide to act for themselves? It's something we'll all find out on October 8th when Jupiter in Cancer forms a sextile to Venus in Virgo. This is when you realize that you don't have to wait for the man in charge – whether he's your superior, client, or politician in Washington DC – to recognize your merits; it's more like the man in charge is looking to you if he wants to stay in power. It's not every day when Jupiter in the maternal sign of Cancer exercises its authority, but given its sextile to the feminist sign of Virgo, there's about to be a major wake-up call for some of these boys who think they're men. But this won't be embattled, retaliatory, or demeaning. Just simply women reminding the opposite sex of the enormous role that they play and how the world couldn't function without them.

When Mercury in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer on October 1st, impartiality and emotion are at odds. Speak too logically and you risk sounding tone-deaf; lean too hard into sentiment and people may feel silenced, afraid of making matters worse. Either way, words and intentions can miss their mark this week.
Rather than forcing a resolution, allow space for things to settle. Step back, trust the process, and revisit the conversation after October 8th, when courtesy, clarity, and objectivity are more naturally at hand.

Mars enters Scorpio on September 22d. Hopefully you've kept your nose clean, done well by the people in your life, and don't have any compromising images of yourself hanging out with Jeffrey Epstein being projected onto the side of Windsor Castle. If you've played by the rules then you have nothing to worry about while Mars is traveling through the realm of Pluto. However if you've betrayed lovers, cheated business partners, or turned friends into enemies then you will need to watch your back. Misdeeds can be like blood in the water now – drawing out the sharks. Scorpio is an extremely vengeful sign. It has a long memory and it never forgives and it never forgets. If you want to avoid having to pay out an eye for an eye then schedule a heart to heart with those you've maligned before it's too late. Mars will be in Scorpio from September 22d to November 4th.

A line is being drawn in the heavens. The door is being closed and you're going to have to decide if you're in or out when it comes to a certain situation in your life. If you decide to leave then that's it. You've said your goodbyes. You've done everything that there is to be done and so you will be moving forward in your life. And if you decide to stay with that situation – to give it another chance or to persevere, then you will have to see things through to the end. You will have to shoulder the responsibility or honor the obligation. And that's what happens when there's a Solar Eclipse at the last degree of Virgo opposite retrograde Saturn at the last degree of Pisces. In some ways it can be intimidating because there's no going back and changing things yet in other ways it can also be tremendously liberating because you know that your mind is made up; you are centered in who you are and committed to whatever comes next.

It will feel like your world is unraveling thanks to the Lunar Eclipse in Pisces. Things tend to fall apart when the Full Moon reddens in the nighttime sky and the fact that the eclipse is taking place in Pisces – the last sign of the zodiac – makes it seem all the more apocalyptic. But there's a very simple rule of thumb to Lunar Eclipses and it's this: anything that’s weak footing or standing on iffy ground will surely collapse. This pertains to relationships and careers as much as it does to health matters and mental states. You may think things were solid, but they weren't. Now the key to surviving this occultation is to get Zen about it because whatever's passing out of your life actually left a long time ago. This could be worrisome or liberating depending on your state of mind and how honest you're being with yourself. Whatever the outcome you need to know that the purpose of the Lunar Eclipse is to clear away the deadwood in order to make room for new growth.

Uranus retrogrades are famous for their pendulum swings. Although not as abrupt in their impact as a typical Uranus transit, they can be just as absolute and uncompromising. Let's say that you've spent months rallying against a cause, refusing to yield an inch on a hotly contested point, or even entertaining the idea of considering things from a different point of view. When that pendulum swings – like it will on September 6th – you could find yourself waking up in the morning on a different side of the brain. You may start to embrace (if not exactly champion) the very things you once found objectionable. But instead of hitting you suddenly like a bolt out of the blue, this growing realization will slowly dawn on you over the next few months so that the changes you elect to make in your life will be more incremental and long-lasting. It's not quite the conversion that St. Paul experienced on the road to Damascus but that doesn't make it any less dramatic of an about-face. Uranus will be retrograde until February 3, 2026.

You're on FIRE when Uranus in Gemini forms a sextile to Neptune in Aries on August 28th. Neptune in Aries is vision – something that uplifts or influences. And Uranus in Gemini is the means by which that Vision is dispersed. When you remember that Uranus rules modern technology, it puts one in mind of an influencer. This could be a person, a brand, or an ideology; something that people want to sign on for because it gets them excited – like a Rock Concert or a Black Friday sale. When this energy is coursing through your horoscope it presages a time when you want to take as much ground as you possibly can. Maybe you've released a one-off video that goes viral or you run a small business that's become popular and you want to expand, but the question is can you sustain your progress? It's a tough question that many over-night-sensations and one-hit wonders have had to face: can I keep up with demand? So whether it's orders pouring in or the insatiable hunger of the Algorithm, Uranus sextile Neptune is like a fire that needs to fed. If you're going to harness the wild wind then you need to learn to not only keep up, but to manage it.

New Moons are often good times for setting an intention – that might be something you want to achieve in the weeks ahead or something you might want to retrieve or even reconnect with. Now this may be a bit challenging because Uranus is forming a square to the New Moon in Virgo on August 23d which means that you might be feeling a lot of stress about what comes next or anxiety about what you're leaving behind. We are often told that stress is toxic to the body – and it can be – but we also have to remember that stress is a part of life and that the body is more resilient than we think. Virgo isn't a sign that's going to shut out stress, rather it's a zodiac sign that's going to manage it. Work with the stressful situations in your life; be open to new ideas, look for options and alternatives, and you'll find that things aren't as overwhelming as they might present themselves to be at first. Another thing to do during this time is to focus on a practice. That could be working out, swimming, or yoga; but it could also be playing a musical instrument, cooking, or prayer. Rituals are ruled by the Moon and that's because rituals center us in ourselves and create a continuity that connects the Past to the Present and the Future. Make this your New Moon intention this month and you'll create for yourself – and in yourself – a safe haven that can withstand the pressures of the outside world.

Saturn and Uranus are co-rulers of the zodiac sign Aquarius. Both planets are connected to time. Saturn rules over the time that's passed and Uranus rules over the time that's yet to be. Theirs is an adversarial relationship exemplified in the difference between something being ahead of its time and something that's time has come. This is a timing problem that all Aquarians are intimately familiar with – if you're too ahead of your time then your ideas are so avant-garde that most people can't make sense of what you're talking about but if your time has come, then the things you say are so on point that light bulbs go off over everyone's heads as they nod in excited recognition. On August 11th, Saturn and Uranus form an extremely rare sextile. A sextile is one of Astrology's most propitious aspects because it allows two planets to converse in ways they couldn't have otherwise. Instead of doubts and foot-dragging, Saturn brings commitment and industry and instead of revolution and chaos, Uranus brings insight and invention. The Saturn/Uranus sextile makes this the perfect time to launch your most ambitious project or impossible endeavor because it will take wing and soar. Indeed the more farfetched your concept; the better.

You’re going to have to find a way to coordinate efforts as long as Mars is traveling through the zodiac sign of the Scales. That’s because there’s no such thing as going it alone when the planet of gumption and drive is passing through the realm of Venus. Cooperation and collaboration are the means to your ends. This means that you will have to learn when to yield the field, to find a place where conflicting needs dovetail, and to even share the credit with those who don’t deserve it. Politesse is an ill-fitting suit for the red tempered planet, but there’s no denying that this passage through Libra will improve your manners and your appeal. Mars will be in Libra from August 6th until September 22nd.