2020 was always destined to be a year of historic change. The cosmic events we have seen take shape this year indicate a new karmic cycle for the Earth and changes that go on to last for generations. November brings the completion of one of the major cosmic cycles we have been working with this year, the Jupiter Pluto Conjunction. It also brings the fourth and final Lunar Eclipse of the year and it closes all but one of the many retrograde cycles we have been working with. In the first few weeks of November, it feels like the tensions built up in October finally begin to unravel and we can see where we stand.

Halloween, now a secular holiday, gets its roots from the pagan festival of Samhain which is one of the four major sacred days throughout the Celtic territories of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Brittany. Falling on October 31st it began at sunset (the traditional start of a Celtic new day). Exactly opposite Beltane or May Day, on the wheel of the year, Samhain is Beltane's dark twin. It is considered a night of power, when the veil that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A “spirit night” as they say in Wales.

October is a “once in a blue moon” month and will be bookended by two full moons. The first, in fiery Aries happens today. Getting what you want seems impossible at this time since Aries' ruler, Mars, is also retrograde in the same sign. Anger over having to compromise more than you want or give more than you should is likely. You might decide it's just not worth the price. This Moon also brings to a head issues connected to our courage, independence, and ability to thrive. Set against the Sun in Libra, we need to explore our personal responses towards our relationships.

September may start slowly, but it will pick up speed in the second half, gathering potency as the month progresses. I’m not gonna lie: The outlook for the rest of the year is pretty intense. We’ve got Mercury retrograde through election season, two more eclipses, a final Jupiter-Pluto meetup and the “Great Conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn to navigate before 2021 arrives. (Don’t worry; I’ll be with you every step of the way!)

The August forecast offers a window to plan ahead for the rest of the year and to implement changes before the fall. Uncertainty has been the keyword this year we continue to wrestle with more questions than answers. Our ability to plan, which is crucial to success in modern life, has been seriously hindered. Following the planets has turned out to be one of the few available “trackers” to make sense of the conflicting news that floods our feeds every day. While there are no guarantees, at least we can get an idea of what’s ahead. Now that the eclipse season is over and we’re between retrogrades, we have a chance to prepare for the rest of 2020.