According to astrology, October 2022 is a bombshell of a month. There are several major planetary transits— well 4 transits and 2 alignments if you want to get technical, on the roster for spooky seasons. Alignments are the angles planets make to each other, and a transit is when they change direction or signs. This is hands down the most astrologically active month of the year. With so much going on in our sky our world will experience the same. The pace picks-up, events begin to unfold and life changes. This month we are coming into an atmosphere that vastly differs from the past few months, with nearly all the mid to outer planets in retrograde.
There is an even greater emphasis on the transits of October 2022 because they involve Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn. By next year all 3 we will be moving on to completely different signs.
Mercury also comes out of retrograde on October 2, but that’s a rather small headline compared to everything else. Read on for the important dates and deeper meanings behind these transits and alignments.
Saturn Square Uranus (September 15 to October 23)
We’ve been experiencing the tension of this alignment since September 15, and this will continue for the majority of October until Saturn stations direct— but more on that later. The Saturn-Uranus energy may show us where our values don’t align with the people around us. While this is a tough position to be in, we are all working through ways to find a compromise.
The square, a 90-degree angle, is typically a challenging aspect. It presents obstacles and doesn’t make things easy. Think of it as a time of breaking barriers instead of a period of hardship. The pressure tends to mount when planets like strict Saturn and rebellious Uranus are at odds. Relaxing leisure activities can help in leaps and bounds, as long as we are tending to the issues and the work we need to do. After all, it is Libra season, and balance always comes into play around this time of year.
Pluto Goes Direct on October 8
Pluto has been in sensible Capricorn since 2008. The planet of death and rebirth has gone retrograde in this goal-oriented earth sign plenty of time before—but this was the last retrograde to fully occur in this sign. After spending the last 15 years in Capricorn, the planet makes a momentous move into Aquarius next year. As Pluto begins to move forward again, this intense planet will also activate America’s Pluto return— meaning this transit will play out on a national and global scale. This will likely have to do with the economy and turn the financial world on its head.
On a more personal level, we are all emerging from a metaphorical cocoon. Pluto stationed retrograde in late April of this year, sending us into a nearly six-month plunge into the depths of our soul. We’ve been unearthing different parts of ourselves, cutting out what doesn’t serve and getting in touch with our inner drive. When Pluto stations direct on October 8, we are ready for an ultimate transformation, one we’ve been working on (whether we are aware of it or not) since 2008. This shift has to do with achieving our ultimate dreams. The sign of Capricorn has close ties to aspiration and strives for achievement. Throughout the last decade and a half, we’ve been gaining the skills and the know-how to embrace a new level of our lives and existence.
Saturn Goes Direct on October 23
Pluto isn’t the only heavy hitter coming out of retrograde this month. On October 23 we’ll start to experience the forward movement of Saturn— the planet of responsibility and self-discipline. As this structured planet trekked backward through conscientious Aquarius, we’ve all just gained a lesson in accountability. This is Saturn’s traditional home sign, so we are all being called to step up and take our place in society while remaining true to the individual that we are.
Saturn went retrograde in early June of this year, and since then we’ve been breaking the barriers and the chains that hold us back. There was a focus on using innovation to come up with different strategies to achieve ultimate success. When Saturn goes direct on October 23, the real work begins. It is now time to implement our plans.
It’s also important to note that as Saturn is stationing direct, Venus and the Sun are in a conjunction as they move into insightful Scorpio. This meet-up is like a blending of our desires and identity. We can use this cosmic boost to put our nose to the grind as Saturn begins to make up for lost ground. The planet moved from 25° to 18° of this progressive air sign and the shadow phase is just beginning. For the rest of the year we’ll work hard towards whatever our intended goal is.
New Moon Solar Eclipse in Scorpio on October 25
First and foremost, eclipses— although they happen every 6 months, are always a big deal. They bring about fated moments; they course correct and set us on the path to our destiny. As the Sun and the Moon meet up in Scorpio, we will be discovering an inner truth. There is a need to release before we embark on a fresh start. While new moons always bring new beginnings, this is a south node eclipse, so there is almost always an element of letting go. We are resolving our karma and paying off some spiritual debt in a way.
Surrender seems to be the theme towards the end of the month, as Mars stations retrograde in Gemini just five days later. This fiery planet also has a part to play in the eclipse, as the traditional ruler of Scorpio, the planet is considered the “dispositor” or an influencer of the eclipse. We must accept that we cannot do it all; we need a community to thrive within. This eclipse plays a pivotal role in the transformation we are going through, as Pluto is preparing for a major transit. This this metamorphic planet is the new age ruler of Scorpio, so it too has ties to this eclipse.
Jupiter Retrograde Transits Pisces on October 28
Last but certainly not least is expansive Jupiter’s move into Pisces. Jupiter is still in retrograde which will come to an end on November 23. On October 28, Jupiter moves over the Aires-Pisces cusp, hitting the critical 0° and 29° points. The planet first crossed this threshold on May 10 of this year, and the end of this month may bring up an opportunity, issue or situation that occurred around this time. Jupiter went retrograde on July 28, so we’ve had a solid three months reviewing our identity and how we show up in the world, as Jupiter moved backward through the first 8° of Aries, a bold and expressive fire sign.
Jupiter will only make it to 28° of Pisces, meaning it’s going to hang around the last and critical degrees of this intuitive and passive water sign. When planets hit these points, we are being tested, and our circumstances depend on if we pass or fail. This is also significant because Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Pisces, and this fortuitous planet will be at home with its new age co-ruler Neptune, for the last time in this lifetime. The Jupiter-Neptune conjunction that occurred in April was a rare and defining alignment of this year. A chapter that started around that time in our lives is turning the page. Jupiter will not be here for long, as the planet will make its final entrance into Aries on December 20, 2022.
With such hyper-focus on the Aries-Pisces cusp there is a fine-tuned focus on a personal death and rebirth, the end of one way and the beginning to another. This transit has spiritual upgrade written all over it. On a collective level, we are releasing a lot, particularly when it comes to our higher mind. Beliefs, dispositions, knowledge, our connection to greater power and our soul all fall under Jupiter’s wheelhouse. Yes, the planet goes much deeper than just good luck and material wealth. So as Jupiter moves through Pisces, we are cleansing our mind body and spirit and shedding the final parts of the old-self. When Jupiter moves from Pisces to Aries in late December. The new version of ourselves arrives before the new year does, but now is the time to decide who that person is going to be.
Mars Stations Retrograde in Gemini on October 30
Mars will be retrograde from October 30 until January 12 of 2023. As the planet of action and ambition, our efforts may feel sluggish or thwarted in a way. Mars in Gemini is easily frustrated and hot-headed, and we may experience this around us or within. Just because momentum feels slow does not mean we should give up altogether, but to get comfortable with moving at a slower pace in a particular area of our lives. There is greater importance on the here and now, so it’s best to remain grounded and mindful at this time. Some will be learning how to control impulses, while others will be fine-tuning their inner drive and motivation. What will ring true for all is that we can’t go it alone. Gemini is a people person, and we need to be around those we can lean on and vice versa through this time.
For deeper insight on how these transits will affect your sign check out your October 2022 horoscope!
