Has it been a long four months to have the planet of plenty in retrograde? It has been for me! Finally, Jupiter stations on October 13 at 12:34 a.m. Eastern (October 12 at 9:34 p.m. Pacific) in preparation for direct movement once more.

Jupiter represents expansiveness, luck, opportunities, happiness, and excess. He is our aspirations, ideals, belief systems, and our capacity for personal growth on every level -- higher education, experiences, and exposure to other cultures, religions, spirituality, philosophies. He also governs justice, publishing, and travel. While retrograde, his benevolence is more focused inward, allowing each of us the opportunity to seek within -- re-examine our path, re-evaluate spiritual beliefs, or reconsider whether or not to go back to school and study what we've always dreamed of learning. In the humanitarian sign of Aquarius, we may have been urged to determine our individual roles as socially responsible citizens. Aquarian ideals seek improvement for the greater good, sometimes, at any cost -- peaceable or not.

As Jupiter settles in from changing direction and forward movement is once again a familiar course, expect for what once may have been blocked to become available. For writers working to get published, this marks a more ideal period for such endeavors. Excessive obstacles are lifted for easier maneuvering as we attempt to achieve goals, executing well-planned decisions/actions.

While retrograde, Jupiter retraced his steps from 27 degrees all the way back to 17 degrees of Aquarius (October 12 back to June 15). Although we are all influenced by Jupiter's directional change, the depth and intensity depends on how transiting Jupiter touches each of our birth charts. Those with natal planets or house angles on or around 17 degrees may feel the effects of Jupiter's initial directional change stronger (October 13 to 17).

In addition, for the next few months until early January 2010, as Jupiter backtracks through steps he's already taken twice before, those born on or around March 7 to 19, May 7 to 19, August 9 to 22, and November 9 to 21 may be experience his influence more certainly and powerfully. Be open, aware, and ready to receive.