2nd: Annual Solar Eclipse
3rd: Festival of Bacchus
7th: Full Hunter’s Moon in Aries
18th: Great Horn Festival
21st: New Moon in Libra
31st: Samhain, Winter’s Night, Halloween, Day of the Dead
Like the calm after a sorrowful cry, October rests her sobering hands upon our shoulders and pushes us towards the river Styx. Like Ophelia, we are to don our finest cloth, with a bouquet of wildflowers in hand–poppies, daisies, and rue respectively symbolizing rest, innocence and regrets. We take the hint and lay ourselves among the riverbed so we may be washed along the current. We sing a song of grief–all that has been lost and never been. Weariness takes hold. It is time to let it all go, to become one with the peat. We have pushed ourselves as far as summer’s solar energy could allow–but no more. Now we give way to the worms and the mushrooms, and allow the leaves to change their colors. We fold back into nature–let her mend our tattered parts and become like new. Become the eulogy, the ode, the brilliant parts of us that burst forward in that final release.
The aforementioned energy begins as soon as October 2nd, during the Annular Solar Eclipse, also known as the “ring of fire.” During this event, the sun is obscured, flipping us to the other side of the coin. We have strengthened our light–how now can we fully face our darkness, bearing witness to our shadow, in validation and support? Here we find valuable lessons. Where might we have betrayed, hurt, or neglected ourselves? With every answer comes a solution. Reflection in these matters brings incredible opportunities for renewal. On the next day, Bacchus has us revisit themes of chaotic decay and regeneration with a twist: joy and festivity. What are we thrilled to leave behind? By the end of the first week, we experience the Full Hunter’s Moon. We must drop all unneeded weight in order to be lightfooted enough to pursue our desires. A little after the midway point, on the 18th, the Great Horn Festival enhances these themes, through the perspective of fertility and renewal. On the 21st, the New Moon in Libra gives us the opportunity to balance all the energies of light and density we have encountered thus far: shadow, festivity, levity, and renewal. This can be applied to all aspects of our lives, within ourselves and in our relationships. Last but not least, at the end of the month a variety of traditions reveal this to be a time when the veil thins. This is a time to get in touch with our ancestors, to give thanks and gratitude, to commune.
Below, we use an original spread I call the “Wheel of Harvest.”
What is manifesting now (beginning of the month): Death
The beginning of the month presents us with a question: what is the through line, the overarching narrative behind our seemingly disparate actions and stories we tell ourselves? This, and only this, will survive. Our core purpose. It’s what lies at the spine. Everything that hinders it needs to be cut away with purpose. Old ways of interfacing with the world that run contrary to the through line must die. When the mask drops–or many, like a matryoshka doll–what is our truest face? The one that lies closest to the skull, and what frame serves as our skeleton? The Wheel of Harvest begins with sorting rot from life-giving source. What is old and stifling, and what brings energy and life? We can ask for help if we need it, but ultimately this is a choice our soul alone must make–we must even be willing to challenge our own ego, if it means choosing what is best for our own interest.
What harvest lies ahead (end of the month): Reverse 8 of Cups
The harvest that lies to head comes forth in a born again baptism that takes place in the river. A funeral bell tolls in the distance. Grief may swell in our hearts and the prospect of old hopes, dreams, ways of being, drowned in the riverbed. It feels like decay–but from the rotting weeds, growth sprouts forth. This is a time to receive and refresh–be a vessel for learning and reflection. When the reverse 8 of cups comes our way, it is helpful to move fluidly downstream instead of rushing up the river. Be curious about where the water takes us. Follow it, for it offers relief. Let the water take us down, and cleanse us of former grime. It’s not about forcing a way through or becoming something new, but releasing old identities and recognizing the core self that the Death card above reveals.
What can be put to rest: Queen of Cups
The Queen of Cups reveals our strong emotional attachments. With a sword in our hands, we are ready to defend those attachments with our very life force. We feel wary that the chalice–our hope, purpose, and dream can be snatched away from us if we look away for one moment, or if we dare to let go. We feel that if we really want it, we must want it with all our hearts in every moment for it to come true. Our guides inform us that when we let go and allow the natural decay process to happen, we can feel rest assured that the chalice will still be there for us. It can never be taken away–it will always be ready for us to come back in our new form. But first we must question our attachments and whether they truly align with the chalice, or if they are hindering it. We are being asked to tune in with where we truly are emotionally and somatically–not to abandon or override our present needs in the pursuit of our purpose. We need to tend to ourselves first and foremost, to nurture our being. Then we can rededicate ourselves more fully, more deeply and intuitively to the chalice. Our creations will truly benefit from it.
What lies underneath: Ace of Pentacles
Up next in the Wheel of Harvest is the Ace of Pentacles, representing that which lies underneath. Underneath is a seed we have planted for the next cycle, which we will greatly benefit from next year. A deep healing is taking place, in tandem with the pace of earth’s rhythm. This contrasts to the urgent pace of modern humanity–all that we have planted will bear fruit in good time. We are assured that all will be well, and we will see the will of our heart flourish and manifest within our lives. There is so much we have already accomplished, if we would take a moment to take it all in. We may not even realize what is already coming to light, in each small daily action. What we’re building isn’t overnight transformation, rather it’s something sustainable and lasting. A path opens up to our bright future, if we can stay still and be patient, and have faith in the seed.
What can be resurfaced: Reverse Star
This month, in our return up the Wheel of Harvest, we come to the Reverse Star. Similar to the message offered by the Queen of Cups, the resurfacing in question requires an optimism that will allow us to release and allow hope to spring forth. We can trust ourselves when we allow the water to intuitively carry us in the direction of flow (even as we question whether the unknown is a direction we should go). We navigate under dimly lit stars. We cannot see it all, but our ancestors and celestial forces watch over us. We are protected under this light. It is safe to let go of rigidity, in favor of deep vulnerability. It feels scary to stand so deep in our authenticity, when we can be seen for what we truly are. But this is the space where the magic happens–strength, hope and fertility. Our souls take flight and flourish here.
What came before (September): Queen of Pentacles
We return to the top of the Wheel with the Queen of Pentacles, to be reminded of what we bring from September, into the month ahead. We begin as the Queen of Pentacles, with a firm vision of how our material desires will manifest. We can see the greater picture of what we need to do to realize our optimal health, lifestyle, and life vision. This image is very rooted in our personal sovereignty–unswayed by foreign influences. We know what we want when we tune in with the body, and we are confident in our place in the Universe. We are asked not to lose sight of this, as we navigate the ups and downs presented in the month of October. As the Queen, our feet remain planted firmly even as the seasons change. That willingness to do what it takes to manifest security to employ the necessary boundaries to enforce it, is what will see us through. This can serve as a valuable through line, the overarching narrative that the Death card asks us to hold onto during the culling process of that which is not ours. We have arrived at our present situation through careful contemplation and planting. We can trust ourselves to keep steady even when Death’s release may have us feeling empty and scarce. We don’t have to rush to fill that vacuum–we can trust we have abundant choices that will flow to us naturally when we are in alignment.