Where does the time go? We’re already into September, with fall right around the corner.

Fortunately, September’s energies are much better overall than what we faced in August. There will be new opportunities – or, more precisely, the pieces finally will start falling into place to set us firmly on the path we’ve seen opening up but that has been a moving target.

This week is mostly positive, although we’ve still got Mars moving steadily over the degrees of the eclipses in the Capricorn-Cancer series, and Mercury is at a crawl, recently out of retrograde. Communications, traffic, and mail are all slow, and getting to work on Monday could be frustrating – especially if you live in New York.

Nevertheless, Monday’s trine from Venus to Jupiter in earth signs Virgo and Capricorn is great for visible, tangible results. They could be quite big, too, with Jupiter at a particularly powerful point, about to go retrograde on Tuesday.

It’s no coincidence that Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in the sky, are associated with luck, wealth, and abundance. Wherever Jupiter is transiting your natal chart is where you stand to get a big pay-off. Then you’ll reach a plateau for awhile, until the Big Guy returns direct on Christmas Day. In the meantime, you’ll have a chance to assimilate new information or circumstances.

It’s also possible that you’ll get a hint on Tuesday of the goodies coming your way at the New Moon in Libra on September 27. Pay attention to events – even if they seem minor – that relate to that Big Opportunity that’s been perpetually “right around the corner.” Really, it is.

In the meantime, you may get another uncomfortable reminder of a situation you’ve been dealing with over the past two years – you know the one; it’s related to the cardinal T-square. This will happen around Friday, plus or minus a day, as Mars triggers the degree of the total eclipse of the Sun on July 11, 2010. As I’ve written before, there has been a big energy shift between then and now, so you can respond in a different manner this time and get a much different result. It’s even possible that you’ll realize (if you haven’t already) how those circumstances led you onto a new path.

Also on Friday, the Sun trines Jupiter, mirroring Monday’s trine from Venus. Because Jupiter is retrograde now, I don’t think you’ll experience anything new. It’s a good day for processing what you’ve already got, though. For example, if you received a check earlier in the week, this could be when it clears the bank.

Jupiter isn’t just the planet of luck and abundance, but also rules personal and spiritual growth. In the Tarot, Jupiter is associated with the Wheel of Fortune. Fortunes come, and fortunes go. What never disappears is your ability to use the power of your mind to create your life. Our ancient ancestors knew this. I love the image of the Celtic god Taranis, the equivalent of the Roman Jupiter, who is depicted with a thunderbolt and a wheel. Symbols endure in the collective, and they are powerful tools for us to use in our manifestation work. On the Wheel of Fortune card, the power of the mind is symbolized by the sphinx with the sword.

I’m definitely of the practical school of spiritual development. I have zero interest in meditating for hours just to have inner peace and calm. That seems a bit narcissistic. As I’ve written many times, my idea of “spiritual” is understanding how the underlying energies of the cosmos manifest on the physical plane. My entire approach to astrology is understanding the forces shaping our current reality and, more importantly, learning to participate – what sometimes is referred to as being a co-creator with God.

My weekly forecasts provide an overview of these energies. To find out how they’re affecting you personally, a transit forecast is helpful. That’s why I created StarGuide, which combines a computer-generated list of transits with my notes on the New and Full Moon. For the September report, I’ve added the interpretation for transiting Pluto in your chart – important, because Pluto turns direct on September 16, between the New and Full Moon. I’ve posted a new sample, using Steve Jobs.

The StarGuide Fall 2011 Forecast also is ready, and I’ve added two pages of house interpretations for the outer planets, since they don’t show up in a transit report until the planet changes houses. It takes extra time to insert this information in your forecast, but I’m still offering it at the same reasonable price of $36. I’ll have a new sample up shortly and will update this post with a link.

Wishing you much love and courage, with an extra big hug for my East Coast readers,
Pat