I’ve been younger in October than in all the months of spring. –W. S. Merwin.

It is autumn here in the far north; the rich colors of summer, the vibrant reds and lush greens are slowly turning crimson, rust and gold; birds and butterflies migrate south and stacks of wood appear on porches. The air is fragrant with the scent of apples and wet leaves; smoke rises up from the chimneys and disappears against the evening sky streaked with apricot, and mauve. The air is crisper now with a hint of coldness, yet during the day the sun is still strong, the last remaining evidence of the dream that was summer.

Outside the Astrology Café, folks gather round the fountain or sit under the old apple tree, sipping wine or hot cider, talking and listening to the music that drifts out from the cafe. Above, the luminous Taurus Full Moon rises in the darkening sky. Welcome back, dear friend, you have been missed.

If you are a dreamer come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hope, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer. If you are a pretender, come sit by my fire. For we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in!  Come in! – Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends)

Come inside where old friends and new ones are waiting to greet you. There are bouquets of autumn flowers and miniature pumpkins on the tables, a fire in the old stone fireplace, and the rich aroma of cinnamon, butter, and maple syrup fill the air. Pull up a chair by the fire and make yourself comfortable. We have homemade quiches, casseroles, and hearty soups: creamy potato-leek with fried herbs, kale and white bean, carrot-coconut, and French onion. There’s fresh goat cheeses served with warm bread (sour dough, raisin-pecan, and non-gluten seven grain), creamy butter and crudité. For dessert we have baked apples with double cream, Butterscotch-Pecan cake, cranberry-pear cobbler, non-gluten red velvet cupcakes, crème Brule drizzled with raspberry sauce and shortbread cookies. Perhaps you would like a big mug of hot apple cider or Earl Grey tea with rose petals, pomegranate white tea, a glass of wine, or a cup of rich hot chocolate with coconut marshmallows.

When you are ready, follow me up the winding stairs, through the library (watch out for the cat), down the corridor, and up the spiral staircase to the tower room where our wise friend, the crone waits for us. Our friend greets us at her round wood table with her Runes, Medicine Cards, stones, and crystals spread out before her. The sacred statues, Kwan Yin, Mary and Buddha glow in the candle light; there is a faint scent of rose and lavender in the air and behind her, through the bay window, the luminous Full Moon rises. She smiles warmly and motions us to join her at the table. Please sit; the night is young and there is much to discuss. Our wise friend reaches into her purple velvet bag and chooses a Rune. It is Othila. Listen closely; perhaps there’s a message here just for you.

    Now is the time of separating paths. Old skins must be shed, outmoded relationships discarded. When this Rune appears, a peeling away is called for. This is the Rune of radical severance.
    The proper action here is submission and, quite probably, retreat – knowing how and when to retreat and possessing the firmness of will to carry it out.
    Real property I associated with Othila, for it is the Rune of acquisition and benefits. However, the benefits you receive, the “inheritance,” may be derived from something you must give up. Such a surrender can be particularly difficult when that which you are called upon to give up or abandon is an aspect of your behavior, or some part of your cultural inheritance. For then you must look closely at what until now, you have proudly claimed as your birthright. Whether it is your attachment to your position in society, to the work you do or even your beliefs about your own nature, the separation called for now will free you to become more truly who you are. –Ralph Blum (The Book of Runes)

The Taurus Full Moon – October 27, 2015
The Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon

The Full Moon illuminates what was planted at the New Moon; it is a time of harvesting, manifestation, creativity, and abundance. When the Moon is full it produces the greatest amount of light; it reveals whatever has been buried and exposes what needs to be seen. This is also a SuperMoon, which intensifies the gravitational and electromagnetic pull on the tides and well as our own body and psyche. Emotions are heightened but so is the potential for transformation.

With the Sun in Scorpio we enter the season of magic and mystery; the time of the year when we pay tribute to our ancestors, our elders, and the wise elder within us – no matter what our age. This intense and passionate sign rules over what is hidden, secret and taboo, beneath the ground and within our own unconscious. The Moon in cozy Taurus dwells in the physical world and asks us to honor what is real and tangible; food, comfort, shelter, and financial security. Scorpio eats crises for breakfast; sensual Taurus prefers warm scones with lots of butter and jam. Too much Scorpio crises can wear us down; too much Taurus indulgences can slow us down. Like Persephone, Taurus must renounce the safety of the physical world to face her shadow in the underworld. Like Pluto, Scorpio must occasionally leave the underworld if he wants to find true union. Both signs have to do with magic; Taurus is a practical magic; Scorpio is an inner alchemy. Working together they give us the courage and strength to reveal who we are on the deepest level, making real intimacy and connection possible.

Venus, Mars and Jupiter are all traveling together in Virgo. The conjunction of Venus and Mars (exact November 2) is both passionate and creative; in disciplined and dedicated Virgo it has a spiritual flavor and can put us in touch with our highest calling. They will remain within 10 degrees of each other through November 22. Jupiter and Venus will be within 10 degrees of each other until November 6; these two benefic planets bring romance, blessings, and protection. Pluto in Capricorn makes a helpful trine to all three planets allowing us to anchor and claim these potent energies. Neptune in Pisces makes a positive trine to the Scorpio Sun and a helpful sextile to the Taurus Moon adding inspiration and healing. Venus and Chiron are opposite each other, inviting us to forgive, heal, and release old wounds and stories especially around issues of self-worth. I will hold myself to a standard of grace and not perfection.

The past few months have been turbulent; the retrograde motion of Venus and Mercury, the September eclipses, plus Saturn changing signs. This Full Moon in peaceful Taurus along with these positive aspects has a stabilizing effect; giving us a chance to gather our forces and focus our energy. Partnerships of all kinds can benefit from this Full Moon, including our relationship with money, values and our own self-esteem. Find something to feel good about and get out of the way, and allow your cells to receive what they’ve been asking for. That is the key to healing. -Abraham

October 31st is Halloween
To work magic is to weave the unseen forces into form; to soar beyond sight; to explore the uncharted dream realm of the hidden reality. – STARHAWK

Called Samhain “Summer’s End” it is the Celtic New Year and one of the four cross-quarter holidays. (The others are Imbolc, Beltane and Lammas.) It is said to be a time when the veil of the astral world is lifted, the psyche is unfettered, and anything is possible. The pagan idea used to be that crucial joints between the seasons opened cracks in the fabric of space-time, allowing contact between the ghost world and the mortal world.

This is the time of the Crone, the witch, and the weaver; the time of year to honor our ancestors and to connect with them for guidance on the year ahead. Decorate your altar with photographs of friends and family who have passed over as well as your heroes and heroines. The last day of October is the beginning of the year’s dark season. Traditionally, it is the time Persephone returns to the underworld to take her place with Pluto her husband and her consort. Like Persephone we now begin to turn inward, to go deep and connect with what is real. At this time we can access the unknown and the unseen. What is it you desire to bring to consciousness? Remember, what is freed at Halloween is conquered and integrated. Open to the deep rivers of your wisdom and intuition. Surrender to the space between the worlds.

Let your senses soak up the sensual Full Moon energy this week. Get out in nature, takes lots of naps and bubble baths, anoint your body with essential oils (rose, jasmine, lemon, and lavender), dance and sing with abandon, do a Full Moon ritual (even just lighting a candle and making a wish), make a meal of strawberries, chocolate and fresh whipped cream, be lavish with your praise or others, be generous with yourself. Let yourself be silently drawn to those things you truly love. -Rumi

Dear Friend, It is getting late here in the tower above the Astrology Café and our evening has come to a close. Outside the old owl has settled on the branch of the Alder tree. High above in the blue/black sky the Full Moon shines down bathing us with her radiance. I am deeply grateful for your presence at the Astrology Café and our time together. Love yourself, feel good, and be grateful. All is well, you are loved, Virginia

Last Days
by Mary Oliver

Things are
changing; things are starting to
spin, snap, fly off into
the blue sleeve of the long
afternoon. Oh and ooh
come whistling out of the perished mouth
of the grass, as things
turn soft, boil back
into substance and hue. As everything,
forgetting its own enchantment, whispers:
I too love oblivion why not it is full
of second chances. Now,
hiss the bright curls of the leaves. Now!
booms the muscle of the wind.