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September 2024

By Bob Mulligan

(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter)

September Highlights 

September of 2024 is a new animal and requires some special instructions.  There are two ‘pot holes’ on the road ahead.  Let’s call them mistakes to avoid.  Details are the first difficulty.  We can easily get tied up in knots by misunderstanding the road ahead.  Too much or too little attention to detail prohibits forward motion. The second drawback comes when we try to rewrite the past.  Water signs can be focused on things that have already happened. We wanted a different outcome. We may fall into a pattern of pretending that things worked out differently than they actually did. Even though the mood can be pensive, we have “miles to go before we sleep.” We have to leave the dead past behind, be in the present, so we can write the future in more positive tones. 

1^st – Uranus and Pluto turn Retrograde.  With Neptune and Saturn already Retrograde, there is a tug of the past which gets emphasized and will last all month. This doesn’t have to be a distraction as much as a reminder to keep our eye on the road ahead. 

2^nd – Mars Square Neptune upends our mood and we must remember what we are really doing in order to be effective. 

3^rd – Venus Parallel Neptune gives us a chance to find consensual breathing room with those most dear to us. 

4^th – Mars enters Cancer will emphasize nostalgia and remind us to put our attention on the things that are closest in our immediate environment. 

9^th – Mercury enters Virgo and will be there until the 26^th.  17 days where precision and definition matter more than accuracy, relevance, or harmony, but it does favor getting organized.

22^nd – Venus enters Scorpio pushing our expression of the deepest feelings. This lasts until halfway through October. 

26^th – Mercury enters Libra, and mentally we will keep moving to adjust to the constant changes of circumstances. There will be confusion which lifts in a couple of days. For three weeks we can profit by understanding alternate points of view.

The New Moon

 The New Moon occurs on the 2^nd at 9:55 PM EDT on the 11^th degree of Virgo.  Mercury (Ruler of the New Moon) is rising before the Sun and Square to Uranus, Sextile Mars and Jupiter, but also Quincunx both Neptune and Pluto. This large role, by the planet of communication, suggests that we must be careful about what we say. The mistake that is most common now is to think we know what is going on, when in fact, we deal with imperfect data.  With Venus Conjunct the South Node in Libra, we are apt to seek harmony, but we will suffer if this is at the sacrifice of truth.  Compassion is the synthesizing agent that lets us move beyond the unimportant.

The Full Moon 

The Full Moon is a Partial Eclipse on the 17^th at 10:35 PM EDT on 25 degrees and 41 minutes of Virgo/Pisces.  The Sun Opposite Neptune activates the Grand Trine in earth (Sun, Uranus, and Pluto). The emphasis now is on getting tangible results by completing what we have started. With Mercury Opposite Saturn, we must overcome our fears in order to act in concert with the direction of the universe.  The Mutable T-Square involving Sun, Moon, Neptune, and Jupiter requires us to change our thinking or get lost in confusion. We are developing new tools to accommodate the changes in circumstances. Our approach to life in general must change, but not our values.  Mercury Opposite Saturn shows the dilemma of moving forward without any assurances. Self-doubt in moderation can be a good thing, helping us to true our depths, and honor our commitments.

Venus Quincunx the Moon and Uranus is also Square Pluto and Trine Jupiter. Harmony is achieved through conversation and compromise, but not with a hammer. There is a temptation to use force when things don’t go our way; this is shown by Mars Square the Nodes.  Excess energy is best burnt off through exercise. With six mutable planets and no fire in the chart, we may think we don’t have the chutzpa for what is required of us; but we do. 

The Sun enters Libra 

The Sun enters Libra on the 22^nd at 8:45 AM EDT. This Solar Month finds us finishing up something personal, and becoming more involved with something public.  Venus is Square Pluto, both on the 29^th degree.  Addictions to people and behaviors from the past must go in order to replenish our core.

The Sun Opposite Neptune and Trine Pluto shows ongoing issues dealing with perceived insufficiencies and opportunities to change things.  The Moon in Gemini in Trine to the Sun shows luck is with us because some key difficulties were not recognized until they were already over. 

The Weeks 

From the 1^st to the 8^th confidence, caution, and correction are the keystones of this week.  There is a feeling that we can handle anything that comes to us, but our tendency is to choose limited terrain to roam in.  It is like being king of the jungle, but the jungle is really just a medium-size city park.  We have an intuition that bigger things are at play, and we are wise to prepare for unprovoked change.

From the 9^th to the 15^th we need to gather new information, but also organize what we already know. Destiny has determined the road in front.  If we mind our own business and treat others with kindness, our dance card fills up.  Without much attention placed on the actual assignment, our homework is completed.  Sometimes the most ordinary tasks are quite pleasant.

From the 16^th to the 22^nd momentum carries us over the top, provided we are riding the wave of history.  The data we gather is preselected by our prejudices, sure, but that doesn’t mean we are wrong. Even when our sampling of available information is restricted to what our awareness can take in, we can still be right. If it is raining in our yard, and our neighbor’s, it’s probably raining down the street. 

From the 23^rd to the 30^th do we have brilliant insights, or just confusion and indecision? We change gears. Now is the time to listen, include, and be willing to admit that even though we don’t have all the answers, we still have something to say. Dialogue in person or over the phone is best; email and texting is a poor second best. Feelings run high; misunderstandings and intransigency rupture the chance of finding durable solutions. 

 The Days 

1^st – Sunday –  Mars Contra-parallel Pluto, Uranus turns Retrograde, Pluto Retrogrades back into Capricorn –  Pent up energy and fancy new options can tempt us to deviate.  However, the shortest distance between two points is still a straight line.  Self-satisfaction for a job well done is more important than public recognition. 

2^nd – Monday – The New Moon occurs on the 2^nd at 9:55 PM EDT on the 11^th degree of Virgo – A vision of a new world is dawning, but it may seem so far away.  This is one of those moments where our insights are best kept to ourselves.  We can see things others miss; but also, we may not have access to the whole picture.

3^rd – Tuesday – Mars Square Neptune, Sun Contra-parallel Saturn, Venus Parallel Neptune – Our fender may scrape the curb, but this is not a tragedy.  A warning signal can help us avoid real trouble later if we heed it.  There is a higher way through the relationship minefield.  It is good to recognize it, even if we can’t tread this path right now. 

4^th – Wednesday –  Mars Quincunx Pluto, Mars enters Cancer –  Where does our effort matter most?  Taking care of our basic needs is a good place to start.  But more than our own needs is the absence of true spirit and inspiration in our community. It may look like everyone is in motion but going nowhere.  We may feel like we are on the outside looking in.  We need to help where we can, and just be patient. 

5^th – Thursday – Any step to beautify our home, community, or pattern of relationships puts us on track.  To help create order and symmetry is to become part of the wave of excitement moving through the world.  Unbeknownst to us, others can be helped tremendously by our actions. 

6^th – Friday – Sun Sesquiquadrate Pluto – It is not enough to be willing to work hard. We must know where our energy really matters. There is an unwritten timeline that is speeding up everything and everyone.  A simple rule now, if we can complete a task in solo, we should keep at it.  If our task at hand requires others, we should probably wait.

7^th – Saturday – Mercury Square Uranus – Although our ideas, attitudes, and visions may seem fixed; there is a new perspective coming down the pipeline. Fear of change, or relinquishing our position out of boredom, works to our disadvantage. When we make new plans, but sit loose in the saddle, we are on the road to success.

8^th – Sunday –  Sun Opposite Saturn, Mercury Quincunx Neptune, Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus –  If it’s raining, but we were planning to stay home and read a book, we can be quite content. Regardless of our situation, we may have some confusion about priorities.  To put our toe in the water makes more sense than jumping off the high dive. 

9^th – Monday – Mercury enters Virgo, Sun Contra-parallel Venus – We try to get serious because there are things to be done that require concentration.  It is difficult to settle down because there is so much excitement in the natural world.  A happy heart accomplishes more than a disgruntled mind forced to be ‘productive’. We can’t be in two places at once, so we need to choose wisely. Ok, compromise is possible. 

10^th – Tuesday –  First steps outside our comfort zone test our resolve to actually change the habits that hold us back.  Gentle change with loving actions is possible.  If we postpone necessary alterations, we are eventually carried forward despite our fear and resistance. Excitement and joy, or numbness and despair; the choice is ours. 

11^th – Wednesday – Venus Quincunx Saturn – Healing is always an option.  The way to higher ground in all relationships is to find the qualities that unite us. Harmony is a real thing to be discovered, not so much to be created. “Doing our own thing” doesn’t have to mean flaunting our most difficult characteristics. 

12^th – Thursday – Mercury Sextile Mars, Sun Square Jupiter –   As long as we are organized and composed, this is a lucky day.  Listening to others is healthy, water is healthy; listening to everyone is to quench our thirst by drowning in the ocean. There is a natural sequence of events that constructs the path in front of us.  All we have to do is walk. 

13^th – Friday – The most practical solutions and procedures are the ones that bring results.  A straight line to the goal may not be glamorous, but there is a quiet joy in just accomplishing our mission.  Real victory comes by acknowledging the real audience.  Who do we seek to please?

14^th – Saturday – There are a few innovations showing in the larger world.  So much of what is going on in public life seems like a stale rehash of things we have been through so many times. It’s true, the forms are different, but we are still in the growing pains of a new civilization. We should be grateful to participate in the grand drama. 

15^th – Sunday – Venus Trine Jupiter, Venus Parallel Saturn –  Luck comes, not by inventing something, but by recognizing the beauty of what we have been given.  Genuine partnership is built on the shoulders of strong individual selfhood.  Possibilities are everywhere; how much can be harvested before sundown? 

16^th – Monday – Mercury Contra-parallel Venus – Logic and reason seem at odds with our desire for peace and symmetry. Being in harmony with others isn’t so easy when we are not in harmony with ourselves.  To create domestic order, and to live with our own internal conflicts, may be the best we can do today.  Real innovation is the answer, but finding a tangible solution to personal problems is the first step. World difficulties, and their resolutions, come as we each tend to our own gardens.

17^th – Tuesday –  Mercury Contra-parallel Saturn, Sun Contra-parallel Neptune, the Full Moon is a Partial Eclipse at 10:35 PM EDT on 25 degrees and 41 minutes of Virgo/Pisces, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Pluto – Ordinary thought processes can leave us depressed or confused.  A leap of faith is necessary, but faith is not blind.  Learning to see with different eyes provides a leg up on the coming period.  We know what is right, but committing to a higher, more universal, truth takes courage. 

18^th – Wednesday –  Mercury Opposite Saturn –  We may feel regret over the things left undone.  It’s more productive to recognize what has been achieved, and to focus on our way forward.  The pace of life picks up, and changes in the world pique our interest. Concentrating on practice and achievable goals works wonders to lift our mood. 

19^th – Thursday –  Sun Trine Uranus – We should feel like making changes, but we seem destined to stay in the same comfortable pattern.  We can’t think our way into a new state of mind, but a rush of spontaneous love, inspiration, or joy can move the mountains in front of us. 

20^th – Friday – Venus Quincunx Uranus, Sun Opposite Neptune –  Sticking with our higher intuition brings a favorable pathway through the tribulations.  If something looks too good to be true, it is.  At the same time, genuine opportunities are available for harvesting.  The key to success is to keep in mind what is good for everyone before taking any detours. 

21^st – Saturday –  Mercury Square Jupiter, Mars Contra-parallel Pluto, Venus Quincunx Neptune –  Slow  but steady wins the race, but it isn’t easy to stay on task.  There are so many distractions.  Emotional continuity comes from artistic expression.  Commonsense dictates a focus on things in our immediate environment. 

22^nd – Sunday –  Sun Trine Pluto, Sun enters Libra, Venus Square Pluto, Venus Sesquiquadrate Saturn, Venus enters Scorpio –  Every so often, like now, it is good to take stock of what sacrifices we make for love.  Correctly handled, love heals.  Our positive feelings for others may not get the response we wished for.  Growth comes by encouragement and resistance. More force is not the answer. Peacefulness comes by standing still and opening. 

23^rd – Monday – An influx of divergent pieces of information emerge from every avenue of our lives and stimulates our thinking, but also our options.  The need at the moment is to surrender any insistence on continuity. The world’s mental realm is pregnant, and new opportunities will present us with options. Individual choices, made on commonly held values, provide the necessary infrastructure for a new civilization. 

24^th – Tuesday – Mercury Trine Uranus – Small steps forward in our everyday lives requires practical innovation.  The vision is there, but implementation may seem beyond reach.  “Real happiness lies in making others happy.”  When we concentrate on the needs of others, doors open and personal progress comes inadvertently and automatically. 

25^th – Wednesday –  Mercury Opposite Neptune, Sun Semi-sextile Venus, Mars Semi-square Uranus, Mercury Contra-parallel Neptune, Saturn Semi-square Pluto – Destruction abounds, but we can stay out of the fray if we curb our natural inclination to jump to conclusions.  Hasty actions can embroil us in conflict that doesn’t really have to involve us.  This is one of those moments where truths are revealed that will only help us in the future.  More news arrives later. 

26^th – Thursday – Mercury Trine Pluto, Mercury enters Libra, Sun Contra-parallel Mercury – There is a scramble to complete something we have deemed as important.  Perhaps what we are concerned with now will seem superficial a year from now. Reaching out to others without expectation can always have significance.  On our death bed something will matter; why not make it matter now? 

27^th – Friday – Sun Parallel Neptune, Venus Sesquiquadrate Jupiter –  We  are getting another round of drinks that we paid for a couple of weeks back. Love expands and is its own purpose and significance.  Ideals that seemed out of reach; memories from a fading dream; well, today they are reanimated. We can actually take a stand on what we know to be true.

28^th – Saturday –  Sometimes we have to take a step alone in order to receive the nudge of support from others.  If we make the first move, people come along.  Do we believe in ourselves?  The world is waiting for us to take our place in the great production that is going on.  It is time to leave the audience and take our place on stage. 

29^th – Sunday – Getting rid of things we don’t need lightens our load.  We live in a world that makes a virtue out of acquisition, but where does that lead us?  In essence, we only keep what we give away. To grow in consciousness, we have to think for ourselves, which will often mean moving against the tide of mass attitudes, values, and actions. Relief comes by letting go. 

30^th – Monday –  Mars Trine Saturn, Mercury Parallel Neptune, Sun Conjunct Mercury –  Our desires are not clear, our energy is not consistent; and yet we make progress when we put our heart into our effort.  With some introspection, we can see how our whole life led to this moment, and events are not haphazard.  Soul searching brings a beginning of a new foundation. 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com. Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com.

My Personal Note 

The Mountain Astrologer, the best astrology magazine in the world, just folded.  It was like losing a close friend; I knew the founder, and had been a subscriber for many years.  So many great astrology magazines have stopped publishing in the half century I have been in practice. My newsletter shifts a bit with each passing.  There are still a few, and I use them as resources.  Online content is sometimes thoughtful and well researched, but not usually. This reflects the changing of culture. 

When I part company with a member of my family or a friend, I always end with “I Love you”.  We part with love.  If this is the last time we meet, we have no regrets.  Our last words should be what we really mean. 

My book, “The Heart of Astrology” will come out on February 15^th.  On this day, I’m giving a one day workshop in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  This will be a coming out party for the book.  The NCGR of South Florida has asked me to give this workshop.  We agreed that this daylong event would be in person.  It is the first extended seminar I have done in many years.  There will be a dinner after the workshop.  This is a big deal since I haven’t taken a trip since moving to Myrtle Beach last year.  Even though people can join the workshop via Zoom, a number have expressed interest in coming from other places for this event.  Consequently, those of you who are coming in person please let me know. We can visit on Sunday, and probably share lunch. 

After this workshop, I’m not certain that I will do it again.  I see clients on Zoom, and give one or two hour talks on Zoom, but a day-long workshop is not appealing.  NCGR in San Diego is asking me to give a talk on October 18^th 2025.   There is a possibility that I may do a workshop for them in person.  But this talk will be available on Zoom. 

A number of close friends have asked me if I will leave this life after the book comes out because I have said this is the last thing I had to do.  However,   I’ve just made a promise; fulfilling it will keep me in this body for a long time yet.  This life has been artificially extended a few times already.  Promises should not be made lightly; keeping them is important.  We will see, ultimately it’s in God’s hands. 

Because I take special interest in every person studying with me in the Correspondence School, “The Mastery of Astrology”™ I haven’t taken any new students for a few years.  There have been a number of requests recently, so I’ll have to turn my attention back to it next year. 

I’ve made a number of friends through my Newsletter. If you write or send something, please let me know if I can share it with others getting the newsletter.  I’m always interested in what is going on in your life, what music you like, what news outlet you use for information, and what you think about the world, creation, life.  

Many people call, write, and email asking about the political situation in the world.  These are always thoughtful and heartfelt inquiries.  My interest is in consciousness; however, I hear your concerns.  Next month I’ll take it up in some detail, but now, just know there is nothing to worry about.

My daughter Katie sent this to me this and I wanted to share it: Life Advice from a 103 Year Old You Didn’t Know You Needed (youtube.com)

Close friends know my taste in music wanders all over the map.  When I was in graduate school, I heard George Solti conduct the Chicago Symphony many times   I couldn’t find that version, but here is a very good rendering of one of Wagner’s orchestral compositions: Richard Wagner – Rienzi Ouverture (Full) (youtube.com) 

There has been an explosion of great cover tunes on the internet.  Many years ago a young girl in the U.K. did covers of many Beatles tunes; I wanted to share one with you: Me Singing ‘I Want To Tell You’ By The Beatles (Full Instrumental Cover By Amy Slattery) (youtube.com)

On August 28th all of my family here in Myrtle Beach gathered to celebrate Katie’s birthday, all 10 of us.  On the extended weekend of September 12-16^th, my siblings, their significant others, and their children, and some grandchildren, will all meet here in Myrtle Beach. This is our first family reunion in many years. I feel blessed to live in a time and place where this is possible.

“Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” – Marie Shear 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or  e-mail bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com.