Corrine Kenner
Mabon, the last Sabbat rung on the Wheel of the Year, symbolizes the cycle of life as it draws to a close. It marks the final harvest and a time of thanksgiving, as the bounty of summer is brought in for the dark days of winter.
We celebrate Mabon on the autumn equinox, when the Sun moves into airy Libra. Today, the hours of day and night are equal, balanced evenly on the scales that serve as the emblem of the sign.
Mythic Astrology: Jupiter
In astrology, the greatest rewards come from Jupiter, the king of the gods. Ancient astrologers called Jupiter the Great Benefic, the bringer of gifts. Like a cosmic Santa Claus, Jupiter bestows blessings, honors, and acclaim.
Jupiter was the ruler of Mount Olympus and the master of both mortal and immortal subjects. He had the ultimate power of life and death, and he’s the cosmic ruler who put many of the constellations in their heavenly homes.
As the king of the gods, he made sure that all the other deities lived up to their responsibilities. He punished their misdeeds and settled their disputes.
He was also the father of Mars, the god of war, and Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth. His affair with Leto led to the birth of Apollo, the Sun god, and Artemis, the lunar goddess of the hunt. His affair with Themis, the goddess of justice, created the three Fates. And Athena, the goddess of wisdom, sprang full-grown from his head.
Jupiter, as you’ll remember, was the god who freed his brothers and sisters from their father Saturn. The old god of time had swallowed each of them whole. Once he had liberated them, Jupiter claimed the heavens for himself, while his brother Neptune took the oceans and Pluto seized the realms of the dead.
History, however, repeats itself. As fate would have it, Jupiter would soon be threatened by his own child. After hearing a prophecy that his first wife, Metis, would give birth to a god “greater than he,” Jupiter swallowed her. She was already pregnant with Athena, however. His undigested pregnant wife and unborn child made him miserable with a pounding headache until Athena eventually burst forth from his head—fully grown and dressed for war.
Jupiter had more children than most people can count. He had a number of famous dalliances with mortal women, whom he usually seduced in disguise.
He romanced Leda in the form of a swan. Her twin sons, Castor and Pollux, were ultimately enshrined in the constellation Gemini.
He assumed the shape of a bull for his tryst with Europa. As a result, she gave birth to Minos, who became king of Crete and keeper of the Minotaur.
Jupiter disguised himself as a huntress to woo Callisto, one of Artemis’s maidens. His jealous wife, Juno, changed Callisto into a bear, and Artemis inadvertently killed her. Jupiter gave her new life as the constellation Arctos.
Jupiter disguised himself as Alcmene’s fiancé to win her favors. Nine months later, she gave birth to Hercules.
He loved the princess Semele—but she also became the victim of Juno’s wrath. Juno disguised herself as Semele’s own nurse and tricked her into asking Jupiter for a favor. He agreed, but then she asked him to reveal his true form. The moment he did, thunder and lightning struck, and Semele was consumed by flames.
In at least one case, Jupiter tried to disguise one of his lovers. He transformed the beautiful priestess Io into a white cow. Juno wasn’t fooled. She sent a gadfly to torment the unfortunate creature, who wandered the world in hopes of escaping from her tormentor. Eventually she reached Egypt. She resumed her original form on the banks of the Nile and gave birth to Epaphus, the king who built the city of Memphis.
Danae was the daughter of a king, and an oracle had foretold that her son would lead to the monarch’s death. He locked Danae in a tower of brass, but Jupiter was able to descend in a shower of gold. When Danae’s father discovered that Danae had given birth to a boy named Perseus, he locked them both in a trunk and had the trunk thrown into the sea. Jupiter rescued them, and eventually Perseus became one of the legendary heroes of Greece and Rome.
In astrology, Jupiter represents growth and expansion, as well as luck, opportunity, prosperity, and success.
Jupiter rules fiery Sagittarius, the sign of the archer. Jupiter also rules the expansive ninth house, where astrologers look for information about higher education, long-distance travel, and philosophy.
Reading the Signs
The Sun and Mars are in an easy trine, which means the two planets are in agreement on airy, intellectual concerns.
The Sun and Saturn, however, are squaring off. Saturn’s earthy Capricorn energy will bring you down to earth, but it could feel unnecessarily heavy and burdensome. That’s compounded by Saturn’s sextile with the Moon.
You’ll feel the need to express your concerns. Mercury, the planet of thought and communication, is trine antagonistic Mars and square that onerous Saturn.
The Moon is trine Venus, which should highlight romance and affection—but Venus is square Mars, which means the two lovers are simply annoying each other right now.
Mars and Uranus are also squared off and rubbing each other the wrong way. Uranus is getting a boost from a trine with Saturn, the ringed planet of boundaries and limitations.
You can still be social. Just agree to disagree on practical matters, and focus on the romantic aspects of Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, in a blissful trine with Neptune, the planet of dreams, and a sextile with Pluto.
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Planetary Positions |
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• Sun in Libra |
• Jupiter in Scorpio |
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• Moon in Pisces |
• Saturn in Capricorn |
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• Mercury in Libra |
• Uranus |
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• Venus in Scorpio |
• Neptune |
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• Mars in Aquarius |
• Pluto |
Phases of the Moon
On September 25, a Full Moon in fiery Aries will reflect the full light of the Sun, which is in airy Libra. A fiery Aries Moon is bold, brave, and independent, and it fuels a desire for fresh starts and new beginnings.
On October 9, a New Moon in Libra will usher in an evening well suited to socializing or cultural events.
On October 24, a Full Moon in Taurus will lend itself to sensual pleasures. Go out to dinner if you can.
Practical Astrology
Astrology is a calendar-based study, and the twelve signs, just like the twelve months of the year, can be grouped into four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season is three months long, and each season has a beginning, middle, and end.
The signs fall into three corresponding modes: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Loosely put, those modes conform to the beginning, middle, and end of each season. The modes are sometimes called quadruplicities, because there are four signs for each mode.
Cardinal signs correspond to new beginnings. The first day of Aries marks the first day of spring. The first day of Cancer is the first day of summer. The first day of Libra is the first day of fall, and the first day of Capricorn is the first day of winter.
Fixed signs mark the high point of each season. Just as you know that summer days are hot and winter nights are cold, the fixed signs —Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—are clearly defined and dependable.
Mutable signs—Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces—are flexible, adaptable, and changeable, because they correspond to the last month of each season. They pave the way for change.