October is one of those months where a talent for being flexible and resourceful will come in handy. Mercury will be retrograde the entire month, from October 4 to 26, and two eclipses will come by: the first, a total eclipse of the (full) moon in Aries, 15 degrees, on October 8, and a second one, a new moon eclipse of the Sun in Scorpio 0 degrees on October 23. These eclipses won't be as strong as the ones we saw last April 15 and 28, and may advance any discussion that came up at that time. The solar eclipse on October 23 is especially friendly and should bring up new financial opportunities for you.

The job of an eclipse is to bring to your attention to any important matter that you didn't know about, inadvertently ignored, or did know about but made the wrong decision about because you had less than full information. There are other possibilities about the news an eclipse will deliver, but those are the most common. Always remember that an eclipse is your friend, although at the time, it may not always feel that way. You will see - it's all good. Let's take the month from the top, and I will show you all the detail you need to know.

In the first week of October, Mercury goes retrograde October 4, but you already began seeing Mercury's slowdown at the end of September. The start and end dates of any Mercury retrograde period always bring the most frustration, so don't even try to outrun Mercury during the first three days of October - it's already too late to sign papers or to launch anything new. You would be wise to put off important matters until November. Mercury is the planet of communication, travel, commerce (buying and selling of goods and services), shipping, thinking, and perception. When Mercury is retrograde, the planet is weak, in sleep mode, leaving us to stumble through these periods as best we can by ourselves without Mercury's help. Mercury is the planet of objectivity, so without Mercury's help, judgment - yours and that of others - is often far off the mark.

When Mercury is retrograde, it should be an instant signal to you that the conditions and environment around you are shifting. The priorities that you used in the past won't necessarily work well in the future, and when things go wrong, you won't instantly understand why. Nothing will be obvious just yet, but will be in time. For this reason, it would not be wise to start a business or sign important papers such as a contract or a lease, or close on a house when Mercury is out of phase. Mercury rules the moving parts in machines and all electronics, so you must not buy any new electronic, appliance, or a machine, such as a car, during these periods.

I now take my favorite earrings off in a taxicab on the way home from an evening event. I have lost the one earring on the ear where I listen to my cell phone too many times. In the dark, I can't always see where it dropped or even notice it was gone. Now the earrings go into my purse in the zippered section. My male readers - if you have two pairs of sunglasses, one that you love and the second one you like well enough but not as much as the first pair, leave the pair that you adore home during the retrograde. Taking care of your valuables (or those things that aren't costly but that you would be devastated to lose) is smart when Mercury is retrograde. Mercury retrograde is not tragic - just annoying.

I mentioned that it would be best not to start new ventures, and I still feel that you should not, but if a job opportunity comes up with a former boss, for example, or someone else you used to work with in the past (and you enjoyed the experience), you can take the position. You started that position a while ago, and in that case you would simply be extending that position.

The fact that there are two eclipses makes the October picture more complex. Eclipses are famous for rapidly changing perspective and timetables and Mercury retrograde periods are known for misunderstandings and crossed wires. Often communication never reaches the person you intended to reach. Smart email picks the email as you type Rob, but the smart email might send your message to the wrong Rob. Check that you are sending to the right recipient. Also be careful not to leave sensitive documents in the copy machine for others to find and read.

This month, observe and reflect on all that comes up at the October 8 eclipse in Aries at 15 degrees. If the matter is a relationship, which appears to be very likely, go slowly and observe. Listen closely to all that is being said to you, mindful that Mercury retrograde may have you jump to the wrong conclusion. Uranus will oppose the Sun and Venus, both in Libra, and you may not necessarily want to respond immediately. Think about things, and make sure you have all the facts, for you are likely to feel very stirred up. If, out of the blue, your partner loses his or her job, or you discover suddenly that your partner is not in good health, as just two possible examples, you will need to help emotionally and also in practical ways. In another, different, alternate manifestation of this eclipse, you might find out something about your partner that may make you feel betrayed, and realize your relationship is over. (Let's hope this is not the way the October 8 eclipse will work for you.)

Remember that when the seventh house is drawn into the conversation, as this will be for you, it is not necessarily a romantic partner who is the subject of the eclipse but rather a business partner or collaborator, expert, or even a competitor, detractor, or "open enemy." (The ancient astrologers used that term to describe someone who stirs trouble for you, but is not hidden - you can see this person clearly and you know their identity and their true colors.)

Keep in mind that any full moon total eclipse of the moon lunar eclipse will always deliver final, non-negotiable news. Something will end, but something else will begin. You won't be able to return to an earlier situation, but if you don't like the situation that is created now, you can make new changes up ahead, in a few months.

If a health matter comes up for you, that's different - don't spend too much time reflecting and thinking about what came up, but respond by going to a doctor immediately. Actually, a health matter might well come up, as this eclipse will be in your sign, Aries. The first house of the horoscope, where the lunar eclipse in Aries will fall, rules health and vitality. Protect your teeth in particular, or any matter (most likely nerve pain) that occurs in your head, such as a headache that won't go away. Aries rules the head. Fortunately, the ruler of Aries is Mars, and at this eclipse, Mars will be very friendly to Jupiter, the great healer and giver of gifts and luck - Jupiter even rules miracles - so the outcome should please you.

Mars will also be friendly to Uranus, the planet of all things unexpected. With three plants (Mars in Sagittarius, Uranus in Aries, and Jupiter in Leo) all in fire signs like yours, all in very close degree of their respective signs so that they can create the most harmonious aspect possible, a golden triangle, you will be in luck. I feel that this October 8 eclipse may at first deliver very jarring, even shocking news, but the outcome will likely later be positive, and you will be protected.

You will hear on TV and in the newspaper that the October 8 full moon lunar eclipse is called a blood moon, due to its red color during the eclipse. The full moon lunar eclipse that came by last April 15 was also called a blood moon. We will have two more blood moons in 2015, April 4 and September 28. A lot of information about these rare blood moons exists online, so you might want to Google "blood moon" and read about the phenomena if you are curious. I was curious and checked Wikipedia. It seems these four blood moons were mentioned in the Bible and also in the writings of St. Paul, and will have a strong effect on world events, particularly in the Middle East. The words "blood moon" sound scary, but don't be anxious. This happens when the earth moves between the Sun and the moon, causing the red hue you will see. The prophecy says things start out difficult, but will end in triumph. As I explained above, I feel the same will occur in your life too.

Aries with birthdays that fall within five days of April 4 will feel this eclipse the most. Also if you have Aries rising at 15 degrees, or a natal planet at that same degree in Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, plus or minus five degrees, in any of these cases, you would feel the eclipse quite strongly too.

October 10 brings one of the happiest days of the month. The Sun and Jupiter will be in ideal sync, and Mars and Jupiter, reaching a peak aspect on October 8, will be in close conversation. This is the day the golden triangle reaches its apex, so by this day, you may be ready to come to a conclusion about questions that may have come up at the eclipse earlier this week. Jupiter will continue to be in your house of love, children, conception, pregnancy, and creativity, and each of these areas listed glow brightly.

At the same time, your ruler, Mars will be in your ninth house of distant travel, international relationships, immigration / passport / visa and green card issues, academia, legal matters, and the media. One of these areas should pop up and glow for you! Uranus is in your sign in your first house of personality and desires (desires so personal to you I cannot tell you what they are about, but you know!) It will be up to you to watch to see how this golden triangle will deliver news and a breakthrough to you, but the areas listed under each planet and house are glittering for you, dear Aries. Something is up, and this should be a happy time.

On Monday, October 13, Venus and Jupiter will work together, and that could bring new love, or help mend love that may have been slightly damaged by the eclipse. (Serious damage, if you experienced that, may not be fixable, or at the very least will take time to work through.) You will feel this gorgeous interplay between these two little sweet planets on October 14 too. Not only will love and romance be bright on this day, but you may ALSO get exciting news about your salary and earned income. A check or raise may be heading your way.

More happy days are in store for you. On October 15, Mars and the Sun will be in conversation on your behalf. This is a great day to see progress, but remember, Mercury will still be retrograde, so don't sign anything just yet, nor set anything in stone verbally. Nevertheless, on October 15, you can reach accord or plan for a future action. The fact that Mars is involved with this aspect is great for you - Mars rules your sign. So while everybody of every sign will enjoy this day, you will enjoy it more because your ruler will be working hard to look out for you. This would be a perfect day for a preliminary meeting to plan important actions next month, say near November 21 when Mars and Mercury will be in sync.

The solar eclipse at 0 degrees Scorpio will come by on October 23, but even though this is an eclipse (always the bearers of dramatic news), you will have nothing to fear. This is the happiest eclipse of the year, and should help you see more money. (Some readers are saying, "Really? Are there ANY happy eclipses?" I can see why you ask that, as you have had a few hard eclipses that demanded much adjustment recently, but the answer to your question is yes, yes, there ARE good eclipses too!) Solar eclipses almost always open a new path, for they mark beginnings, not endings.

The kind of money that will be involved with this eclipse for you will tend to be funds that stem from company benefits, such as those related to health insurance, vacation days, tuition matching funds from your employer (as a few examples), or from a bank, such as news about a loan or mortgage. Also covered by this eclipse would be money related to a one-time bonus, a commission, inheritance, or even a prizewinning from a contest, for example. If you have been waiting for an insurance company to pay you, an application you made, or from a university about financial aid, that news would come shortly after this eclipse. The same is true if there's been a mix up at the unemployment office - those checks should begin to finally flow to you now. (Sometimes, in about 25 percent of the time, readers won't hear for one month to the day later, making that November 23 or so, so be patient if you don't hear good news about money.) I am upbeat about this eclipse, so your financial situation should improve. I know money has been a source of difficulty for many Aries lately.

This eclipse brings Mars in Sagittarius (a good spot for you) in ideal angle to the eclipse. Venus will enter Scorpio and be in your financial eighth house - Venus tends to bring money as Venus was always depicted carrying her satin purse with many gold coins inside. Jupiter will be within range of this eclipse, and although Jupiter will be ten degrees away, it still will be close enough to be somewhat helpful - admittedly, by a hair. Still, I like that proximity! I often give aspects a 10-degree orb at eclipse time. If you are creative, or support creative talent in your work, this eclipse will help you. If you are negotiating a new position and are up to the part where you need to state your request for compensation, the area you will likely zero in on will be benefits, and your discussion will go well.

Mercury will go direct on October 25 (yay!), and on the same day Mars will move into Capricorn and your tenth house of honors, awards, achievement, and fame. Wow! This is going to help every Aries in regard to professional matters, in a way that you've not seen in two years! Mars will remain in your career house from October 25 to December 4, giving you lots of time to make your mark. It looks like you will be ending 2014 with a new title, with more responsibility and power than you had previously.

I am excited about Mars' move into Capricorn, for when the tenth house is involved, this always points to a career step up, not a lateral move. (When the sixth house is involved, you tend to have lateral moves, or can generate new business if you are in your own business, but the new clients would be similar to the type of business you already had.) However, if you are in your own business and are eager to bring in more prestigious clients, the move of Mars into Capricorn will help you do that exactly. Moreover, you will have a great new moon on December 21 to help your career along in an even bigger way, so in late October and November, while Mars tours Capricorn, you may lay all the groundwork for the super-big offer that will be ready to be awarded to you in the last week of December or in early January.

If you plan to go away for the holidays, take your computer and cell phone, and don't forget the electrical chargers that go with each one! Also bring one interview outfit along in case you have to make a quick turnaround to be ready to interview!

This will be a month that offers just about everything - two eclipses, Mercury in retrograde, one or two hard aspects, but far more sublime ones, all piled together into four tiny weeks. The first eclipse, a lunar full moon eclipse, will fall in Aries, and so your desires, decisions, and needs will be the topic of your reflection. If you have a partner, the eclipse may make that person the topic of your thinking and discussion. Uranus will oppose the Sun and moon on the first eclipse October 8, indicating that you need to brace for a strong shock regarding a close relationship, in love, friendship, or business.

Truth will rise like a geyser but due to an offhand, casual comment or discovery you make about an emerging issue that you might not have even noticed had you not been listening carefully. Attached Aries will be in the spotlight, and the discussion that arises now will relate directly to talks or an event that you experienced concerning this same person April 15, the last lunar eclipse, in your opposite sign of Libra. As said, however, the individual in question may be a business partner or expert such as an agent, writing partner, lawyer, publicist, or other collaborator, not necessarily a romantic partner. Although your world will be rocked, if you give yourself time to think, in a few days, more information will emerge and you may feel much better about the news the eclipse gave you. No matter what it was, it is there to protect you.

By October 10, a golden triangle will click into place in the sky and help you enormously. Although you may initially think the eclipse is bringing the worst news, actually, do not be too quick to judge, because you may see that the universe is clearly working in your favor. At any eclipse, it's never wise to respond too quickly when a relationship is involved - wait, observe, and reflect. Travel, international relationships, import-export, study at the university, the media, and legal matters all glitter. Love, creativity, conception, pregnancy, and matters related to your children all bring exceptionally good news too.

Keep your health strong all month, as a lot will be demanded of you emotionally and physically, and it would be easy to run yourself down. If you have any condition you've been unaware existed, the eclipse will give you a chance to nip it in the bud. Don't delay - get advice immediately should anything come up. Eclipses often bring up these types of matters if anything latent exists, not to cause you distress, but in an effort to help you get well - see a doctor or dentist immediately. Watch for pain in the head, or concerning a tooth.

Those born near April 4, plus or minus four days, will be most likely to feel this eclipse, although if you have your natal chart and see you have a natal planet in Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, or have Aries rising at 15 degrees (plus or minus five degrees), you would also hear news.

If you are single, you will adore October 10, when the Sun and Jupiter will be in perfect sync, and love will rule, and the stars will open a glowing path for romance. Aries who are pure of heart will benefit the most from this day, so avoid any inclination to play games in love. Attached Aries will also benefit, and if you had a spat, you can come together in love. This is the day when the golden triangle will be calibrated most closely, and being a fire sign, you will benefit most.

If you need to smooth out a relationship difficulty, traveling together might be the answer, so plan a getaway for you and your partner over the weekend of October 18-19, when Mars and Venus will be in sync, and everyday cares will seem very far away. Sometimes all a relationship needs is more fun and less focus on difficulties, if only for a while.

The universe is sending mixed messages, and with Mercury retrograde October 4 to 26, it would be unwise to make any hasty moves. Don't rush to judgment, as pieces of the puzzle will be missing or distorted. Conditions around you are changing at the speed of light, but at this juncture you won't be able to notice this going on, nor see the road ahead or the truth of the shifts to come. Everything will seem absolutely normal and stable, but appearances can be deceiving. You need to let the dust settle first, so be patient - November will bring clarity.

The month's second eclipse, a new moon solar eclipse, October 23, will be positive and less emotional in nature, and will open up a major financial opportunity for you. Neptune will be near - your chance to make a fee, bonus, royalty, or commission may be tied to the arts, such as painting or music, or to the creative function, yours or those of people you represent or support.

Your career will catch fire once your ruler, Mars, energizes Capricorn from October 26 to December 4. This will be a big moment in your timeline, so be prepared to make a major year-end push to the top of your profession during this phase. You are preparing your ascent to the corner office and will be able to take your rightful place there from the end of December or in early January. Now that's the way to begin the year!

A lovely beam that your ruler, Mars in Sagittarius, will receive from Uranus in Aries, on October 4 will make you smile with surprise. You may travel spontaneously or get great news from a university. Actually most of the month these topics will be at play, until October 25.

The total eclipse of the moon will fall in your sign, Aries, on October 8. Its influence is mixed, but this eclipse will focus on your own needs, as well as on a partner in a close romantic or business relationship. This full moon will be conjunct Uranus in Aries, so news will be sudden and jarring.

Mars will be in the best possible angle to Jupiter, also October 10, a blessing that will color the effects of the eclipse in a very upbeat way. Foreign people, spiritual and philosophical individuals, as well as those who work with the courts in a legal capacity, figure prominently in your chart - one of these types will be fortunate for you. Everything that happens in the first part of October will be unexpected.

One of your most fortunate days of the month: October 10, when Jupiter and the Sun will collaborate on your behalf and Mars will be in the right angle to help you too. Romance may be outstanding, as will matters related to children and to creative projects. Travel will bring outstanding news and experiences.

Mars will enter your house of prestige, achievement, fame, and honors when your ruler, Mars, tours Capricorn October 25 to December 5. This will be a critical career phase, and by late December it will become even more important. If you want a new position, you will have all the cosmic help you need from this month through early January.