Autumn is now upon us in all her glory! And so we begin...
October 1st: We welcome October under the abundant Full Moon in Aries. As the Moon rises shortly after sunset, the brightly moonlit evening reminds us to tie up loose ends and illuminates the Earthly tasks at hand. Now is the time to respond to life with decisive action, rather than mere contemplation. Between now and the Dark Moon of October 16th, we walk away from what no longer serves us and, instead, we now honor what is sacred and true. The Aries lunar energy is ripe with development and movement. Tonight is an excellent night for all prosperity rituals! Use this time wisely.
October 4th: After five months in retrograde, Pluto goes direct! This year, Pluto went into retrograde on April 25th and helped expose past emotional wounds and the psyche's shadows. Secrets are often revealed (or rather, awkwardly exposed) within 48 hours of Pluto Direct. If you have been withholding information or holding on to secrets, consciously prepare for it to come to light in the most unexpected of ways.
October 9th: The Quarter Moon's waning luminosity may bring about feelings of anxiety, as we are subconsciously reminded that a cycle is nearing its end. Burn a Rosemary Smudge or Palo Santo around your home and physical body. Make sure to allow the smoke to envelop your auric field, particularly the three feet below your feet (you will need to sit or lay) and the three feet above your head. Note what feelings of tension are most prominent on this day, and try to incorporate them into your Banishing Ritual on the night of October 16th.
October 10th: With Mercury Retrograde going full force in a matter of days, now is the ideal time to begin your Mercury Retrograde ritual. This Mercury Retrograde Ritual evokes and draws upon Mercurial energy, which causes an energetic reversal of the retrograde. Doing so lessens or often eliminates common Mercury Retrograde issues, such as miscommunication, technical problems, and travel delays. Learn about Mercury Retrograde here.
October 13th: Mercury Retrograde begins. Time to slow down and pay close attention to the 'What to Avoid' list below. Delays, unexpected glitches, and miscommunications are to be expected. If you reside in the US, our presidential election will occur on the night of Mercury Retrograde direct (meaning the end). This, however, is not a good sign, as the post-shadow (impacting us through November 19th) will undoubtedly lead to ballots lost in the mail and recounts. Vote early!
What To Avoid During Mercury Retrograde:
- International travel, particularly to conflict-stricken countries. Now is not the time for extreme cultural contrast.
- Confrontations and difficult conversations. Keep the drama or special requests to a bare minimum.
- Do not ask for a raise and do not try to suddenly solve problems with family members. Communication will be at its weakest point until a week after Mercury Retrograde.
- Do not file important paperwork. Do not file your taxes (or even prepare paperwork), do not file divorce papers, and do not sign important documents. Yes, this means you will need to prepare before Mercury goes retrograde!
- Avoid large purchases, such as homes or cars. And if you must, please triple-check all contracts!
- Medical treatments are safe during this time but be prepared for scheduling delays.
- Clerical errors are prevalent during this time, so verify (and re-verify) your prescriptions to make sure you were prescribed the correct product and dosage!
- Whatever has been on your back burner before the retrograde will now be front and center. Whatever you have been avoiding or delaying may now come around to bite you.
Learn more about Mercury Retrograde here.
View Mercury Retrograde ritual here.
October 16th: Dark Moon in Libra will make us question our place on this Earth, our relationships, and how we earn a living. With the Moon at perigee (Moon closest to Earth) occurring within 36 hours, you may feel overly emotional and sensitive. Find some time to ground yourself and not let your (temporary) emotions get the best of you. Be gentle with loved ones, especially romantic partners. As with every Dark Moon, this is a potent night for Banishing Rituals. If fear around financial matters is afoot, the Financial Roadblock Banishing Ritual can eliminate negative thinking - and subsequent destructive energies, while opening new pathways. If someone (living or not) has thrown something nasty your way, a Break & Reverse Ritual will take care of that! Additionally, the Libra lunar energies can assist with cutting ties (or eliminating) in all manners of relationships - whether romantic or otherwise. The root cause of relationship issues can be revealed and healed.
October 17th: The morning following the Dark Moon is excellent to perform a Spiritual Protection Ritual, which helps create an energetic barrier and prevent disturbances throughout the rest of the Moon cycle.
October 18th-19th: Depending on where you are in the world, the Witch's New Moon will rise on October 18th or 19th. With some variations, the Witch's New Moon rises in the daytime before noon and becomes visible in the day sky. It will be most visible at sunset and usually sets well before midnight. As soon as you see the very first sliver of the Moon, know that is the Witch's New Moon is upon you. That will be the ideal time for beginning new ventures, planting new seeds of manifestation, and drawing new love into your life. View Witch's New Moon rituals here.
October 23rd: Sun enters Scorpio and emboldens us to destroy what is old, to make room for the new. The lifeforce withdraws from the world of activity and dives deep into the underworld of the psyche. Issues surrounding control and power struggles may arise during the next three-four weeks. Scorpio seamlessly unravels emotional issues, which makes this an incredibly productive time for psychological counseling. Excellent time for sex magick (see Come to Me Ritual) and all matters of divination.
October 31st: Full Moon Samhain is a relatively rare event that will not grace us with its presence again until 2039. And, of course, this is a called a “Blue Moon”, as it’s the second Full Moon in a single month. This will be the ideal time for making BIG life changes, particularly those requiring dedication, determination, strength, and consistency. The Taurus Full Moon reminds us that the best use of money is self-improvement, family, and long-term investments.
While homes purchased under the Taurus Full Moon's influence are generally blessed as wise investments, I would counsel you to delay the closing date until the end of November.
Prosperity rituals, such as the Attainment Ritual or Opulence Ritual, are strongly encouraged under this Taurus Full Moon. Although the Opulence Ritual is an 8-day sunrise ritual, I would highly encourage you to do a one-time ritual on the evening of this Samhain Full Moon. Of course, the Sacred Power Full Moon Ritual will also be very potent that evening.
With the thinning of the veil, now is an excellent time to communicate with and honor your ancestors. Step-by-step Ancestor Communication Ritual can be found here. Alternatively, it a very well-suited evening for crafting an offering altar for the deceased. Photographs, candles, food/drink offerings, meditation (or prayer). In addition to the offering altar, I always set a place for my ancestors at the dining room table. I am Eastern European (99.8%, according to genetic testing). I leave a small glass of vodka, bread, pickles, something sweet, and a small plate of food of whatever I am cooking that evening. On the morning of November 2nd, I bury the offerings in my backyard. Many choose to place the offerings outside on the night of November 1st to allow wild animals to feast on the food. I encourage you to draw from your own cultural heritage and figure out what is most appropriate for you and your ancestors. Cigars, wine, plantains - offer what would make your ancestors delighted to visit with you.
Note: Mercury Retrograde has no impact on Spirit Communication or Ancestral Rituals. Confidently move forward with ancestral communication rituals or any other Full Moon ritual. Just be sure to have a spare matchbook on hand, as Mercury Retrograde can make you forget that the old lighter you have lying around is very low on lighter fluid.
Our time has come, dear Witches. Wishing you a blessed October!
Love & Magick,
1 comment
Molly Dahl
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing. You are my favorite ritual and moon cycle site/blog. Thanks for sharing the magic. <3