September 2026
Well, we made it to September. It's been...a lot and I don't think I'm the only one feeling that either.
One of the benefits of astrology is it serves as a map of how the energies are flowing. Since we all live in these energetic currents, it can be helpful to have a sense of the ebbs and flows we are experiencing. These currents, like all flowing energies, ask us to sense and respond to how we are being affected, because each of us has a different experience depending on what is being activated in our birth charts.
Those of us with planets and points in the early degrees of all the signs are most strongly affected. This is because of the outer planets, which move slowly, having shifted signs recently. Uranus is in the early degrees of Gemini, Neptune and Saturn in the early degrees of Aries, and Pluto in the early degrees of Aquarius. That said, the August eclipses, the nodes moving out of Pisces - Virgo into Aquarius - Leo, and Jupiter moving into Leo are contributing to the currents. And now, as we move through September and into the fall, we are being given the opportunity to reassess how we have navigated the energies of the spring and summer, and how we want to prepare as we proceed into 2027.
A little recap for perspective. We often think of astrological events as distinct and separate. Mercury goes retrograde, we have an eclipse in Leo or Pisces, a planet changes signs, planets meet in aspects and then move away from each other. But, truly, these celestial interactions are all parts of a larger field that continually creates intricate patterns - currents we interact with. Each planet has a specific orbit and cycle. At regular intervals, these cycles synch up. The Sun and Moon are conjunct every month, forming a New Moon, for example. Jupiter and Pluto meet up every 13 years. Jupiter and Saturn come together every 20 years. These "meet ups" initiate a new cycle for the planets involved. They are new opportunities to explore their energetic expressions as they work together.
Conjunctions act as seed points. As two planets come together in a conjunction, a new cycle begins. They start a new dance. These planets continue to move in their orbits, and they will periodically come together to infuse new steps into the dance they started at their conjunction. There is a pattern to it all. After the conjunction will come a supportive sextile, followed by a challenging square, the first test of what was initiated at the conjunction. The square is the chance to work the bugs out of the original expression. They will then form a supportive trine, and then an opposition. The opposition is the midpoint in their cycle and a turning point in the story their dance is creating. Something changes at the opposition. Something comes to light or culminates. Then the process continues as they form a closing trine, a final square to pressure test what has been created and refined, and a final sextile to see how conditions are available to cooperate with what has been created. Finally they will meet again in a new conjunction to start a new dance.
If we pull back the lens to 2020, we find there were multiple cycles that coincided then. These cycles continue to overlap and expand the patterns that were seeded back then. Many of the currents we are navigating now started in 2020.
January 2020 - Saturn (reality check) conjunct (meets) Pluto (power/control) at 22 degrees of Capricorn (hierarchy structures like government, business, education).
April, June, November, 2020 - Jupiter (growth) conjunct (blends with) Pluto (power/control) at 24, 24, and 23 degrees of Capricorn, respectively.
December 2020 - Jupiter (growth) conjunct (joins) Saturn (structure/foundation) at 0 degrees Aquarius (new beginning in collaboration/connection/vision for a better future). By the way, 0 degrees of any sign is a potent point for a conjunction. The beginning in the beginning.
Fast forward.
November 2024, Pluto moved into Aquarius to live until 2043. We had a taste of it in April and May of 2023, when Pluto moved into Aquarius before retrograding back to Capricorn to tie up loose ends. Pluto transforms what he touches. The goal of all Pluto transits, in essence, is empowerment. First it shows how we disempower ourselves in the arenas of the sign it is in. Aquarius handles the future, technology, freedom and collaboration.
February 20, 2026 Saturn (reality/structure/discipline) and Neptune (imagination/creativity/soul) conjunct at 0 degrees of Aries (first sign of the zodiac/pioneer/independence/individual expression). This also corresponds to when Neptune and Saturn both move into Aries, Neptune until 2039, Saturn until 2028.
April 2026 Uranus (change/disruption/innovation) moved into Gemini (communication/connection/sharing information) until 2032.
July 2026 Jupiter moved into Leo (expansion/leadership) and formed an opposition to Pluto in Aquarius (transformation/empowerment of groups). The turning point of what was seeded in 2020. This was also part of the "basket" aspect, where Pluto, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter were all at 4 degrees of their signs, making supportive aspects to each other. Interesting that Saturn, the guy who represents structure and foundation, was not part of that configuration. This is still the conceptualizing stage.
June 2027, Pluto, Neptune and Uranus will all be at 6 degrees of their respective signs, forming another basket configuration. Jupiter will have moved deeper into Leo, but Ceres, a dwarf planet/asteroid (depending on who you read) will be at 6 Leo, opposite Pluto. Ceres deals with how we nurture and care for ourselves. It's interesting that she was also at 22 degrees of Capricorn in January 2020 when Saturn and Pluto made their conjunction. When Jupiter was part of the basket, it contributed expansion of personal power. With Ceres stepping in, the theme shifts to using power (Leo) to care for self and nurture others. Saturn will be in the later degrees of Aries then. This is still the blueprint stage.
Mid-2028 Saturn moves into Taurus and forms its first square to Pluto in Aquarius. That is when the idea of building structures enters the conversation. Saturn challenges us to consider how we can build a foundation for empowered groups to collaborate in innovative and creative ways and take the first steps to make this a new reality (Pluto in Aquarius).
This little list is certainly not comprehensive, but I hope it offered perspective on these larger cycles we are enmeshed in. Consider what was going on for you during these time frames because it's all still evolving.
Ok, so back to where we are now - September. Pluto, Neptune, and Saturn are in retrograde motion, retracing their steps from the spring and early summer and giving us a chance to reevaluate whatever we started then. Next week, Uranus will join them in retrograde. Because these are outer planets, if they are not connecting with your personal planets or points, it is unlikely you will feel their effects strongly. They will show up in the macro, however as systems put in place are tested and flaws are revealed. If you have planets or points in the first 6 degrees of any sign or 7-13 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) you will notice these retrogrades in some area of your personal life. Which area depends on where in your chart these degrees fall. What needs to be fine tuned? What needs to be released once and for all to make space?
We all will feel the upcoming retrogrades of Venus and Mercury in October. Venus entered her shadow period on September 1. She is preparing to go retrograde, which she does every 2 years or so. Her last retrograde was in March 2025 in Aries and Pisces. She will be going retrograde October 3 at 8 degrees of Scorpio, and will remain retrograde until November 14 when she reaches 22 degrees of Libra. When Venus is retrograde, our close relationships are up for review - how we connect with important others and navigate our interactions. But more than that, Venus deals with what we value, how we manage our resources, including our finances. Venus shows what we are willing to invest in. Scorpio and Libra are both relationship signs. Libra is the sign of the other, those who are our mirrors - partners, best friends, counselors and advisors. It is how we balance the needs of those others with our own desires and priorities. Scorpio is how we share ourselves and our resources to create intimacy, to bring these close relationships into something transformational. Libra's focus is on two humans seeking balance within their relationship so it is a fair partnership. Scorpio transforms the partnership by seeking connection on a soul level. It wants to know and be known completely. Venus will be asking for a values review and it will challenge each of us to become aware of how well we embody our values in all our relationships and how we demonstrate them in our choices.
Venus in her shadow period means she is starting to prepare us for her retrograde proper. Notice what is starting to come into your awareness about past relationships and how you showed up for yourself and your important others. Also, notice what you are investing in with your time, money, and attention. For now, just notice as things show up. They will come up again for review during the retrograde cycle to be addressed further. Venus had a similar retrograde in Scorpio and Libra in October, 2018. Themes that came up then will likely make another appearance in some way.
On October 24, Mercury will start its final retrograde cycle of 2026. Mercury has been retrograding through water signs this year, bringing our attention to emotions, how we communicate them and think about them. Mercury will spend the entire retrograde in Scorpio. Since both Venus and Mercury will be traversing the same section of the sky, I expect they will be amplifying each other as far as bringing things into awareness and encouraging a revision of action as needed.
September offers a period to reset. The astrology is not as intense as it was in August. The New Moon in Virgo on September 10 marks the close of eclipse season. Still, the August 12 Solar Eclipse in Leo will be reactivated by both Jupiter and Mars moving over 20 degrees of Leo in October (Jupiter) and November (Mars) so it's influence is ongoing. How are you cultivating your leadership capacities? Are you investing in your personal power in healthy ways? What are you bringing to the table in the new collaborative paradigm being fostered by Pluto in Aquarius? How are you shining your light and sharing it with others?
We still have a lot of energies in the wings. Take this time to settle and reestablish your roots so you are well nourished. Care for your foundation so your practices support you through all the shifting currents to come. The Sun is in Virgo until September 23. Virgo is great at refining how you meet responsibilities and establishing routines that are efficient and effective. Let you Virgo show you where you can free up time, energy, and capacity to create what you want more of in your life.
These are not ordinary times. The astrology of the next few years has never been seen before. We are creating something entirely new. Each of us has a place in the constellation where we are being called to shine our light in our way. Tend to your light. It's needed.
Wishing you all a peaceful and gentle cycle. Thanks as always for sharing your time with me.
"The way to activate the seeds of your creation is by making choices about the results you want to create. When you make a choice, you activate vast human energies and resources which otherwise go untapped." ~ Robert Fritz
