Visitation Rites is proud to present Rhys Chatham’s astrology column for experimental musicians, which draws on his experience as a composer and a meticulous analysis of the geometrical relationships between the sun and other planets in monthly astrological charts. Have fun reading the predictions for your sign, and do not be fooled by cheap imitations!

Aries – The Ram – March 20 to April 20
Now would be a good time to take a step back and review the projects you’ve been working on over the past six months, discarding those elements that haven’t worked out well–or perhaps changing course slightly in order to be more effective. This would also be an excellent time to undertake a new project–or projects–as you will have lots of nervous energy at the start of the month that you need to burn off. While embarking on new projects would certainly be one way to accomplish this, you might want to consider going to the gym or getting some other form of exercise; otherwise, the boundless energy that you will experience during the opening weeks of the month may very well manifest in the form of an explosive temper. Try to avoid conflicts with band members and colleagues during this period, as you might not be in any mood to be diplomatic. Happily, at the end of the month your energy will be more in balance, and your one-to-one interactions should go more smoothly.

Taurus – The Bull – April 21 to May 21
While October might not be the best time for getting a new project off the ground, your energy will be high at the start of the month. So this is an excellent time to put your nose to the grindstone; you will be able to make significant progress in moving forward on that new piece or set of songs you’ve been working on. You will have the ability to concentrate and be more disciplined than usual, particularly during the opening weeks of the month. Your interactions with colleagues and band members will normally be smooth for much of October. Avoid conflicts towards the end of the month, however, when you will more likely than not be talking at cross purposes with others.

Gemini – The Twins – May 22 to June 22
Issues relating to work as well as other aspects of your life will flow quite smoothly in October for most of you, but be on the lookout for communication problems with colleagues and friends at the start of the month. Be careful that you don’t unintentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, as there is an energy present which makes this likely.

A favorable contact with Neptune, the ruler of music, should give you inspiration and creative drive this month; but be sure to make an effort to keep your appointment with the muse, because discipline is not likely to be your strong point, especially for those of you born between 12-22 June. Your energy and drive may be low during most of October, but don’t worry: it will pick up again by the month’s end.

Cancer – The Crab-June 23 to July 22
You may find that you are experiencing challenges of some kind to your projects, especially the ones you started around the time of your birthday–and if not to your musical projects, then perhaps in other areas of your life. If this is the case, remember that this is part of natural rhythm of things, and that your mission this month will be to meet these challenges and readjust your course accordingly. The good news is that you will be well-equipped to do so, because the planet Mars is currently transiting through your sign. You’ll have lots of energy during the first few weeks of October, which you can put to good use. In fact, the symbolism surrounding Mars being in your sign suggests an important beginning of a new 2-year cycle in your life and work. This is an excellent time to start a completely new project, preferably one in which you will given the lion’s share of credit. You already are, or quite shortly will be, positively bursting with energy, and it is important at this time to find an outlet for it–if not with work-related projects, then at least by going to the gym regularly to work out, or engaging in some other form of physical activity. Interaction with the band or colleagues and friends should go smoothly at the start of the month, but could become a bit dicey in the weeks that follow–so be on the lookout against talking at cross-purposes with others during this period.

Leo – The Lion – July 23rd to August 22
The month of October would be a good time to briefly review the projects you’ve been working on this year and make any decisions necessary to significantly advance them forward. This will take a bit of effort on your part because your energy level may not be at its highest, and you won’t be feeling very disciplined. That being said, a contact with Jupiter and Neptune–which rule music–makes October a particularly fertile time of the year as far as creativity is concerned.

The important thing to remember this month is that it will be necessary to do yourself a favor by self-administering a firm kick in the butt; once you get things moving, you are very likely to find yourself working quite well, putting the finishing touches on those songs and compositions.

October will be a good time for networking and socializing, particularly at the start of the month. Be sure to get out there and make the connections you need to ensure you have plenty of work for the year ahead.

Virgo – The Virgin – August 23rd to September 22
As I mentioned in my last column, Saturn has been transiting the sign of Virgo for the last two years, and this has been a fairly difficult period at one time or another for many of you. Saturn symbolizes the great teacher in astrology, and he has a bad rep because he is often associated with painful experiences. The purpose of these experiences is to restructure one’s conscious mind in order to help one break out of unhelpful behavioral patterns that are no longer needed. Unfortunately, most of us need a kick in the butt to break out of negative behavioral patterns, and Saturn does this by creating seemingly external life situations with the short-term effect of making it appear that the roof is falling down on our heads! Your mission is to cope with these situations, which can occur in any arena of life-–love, work, home, or family-–and learn a heck of a lot through doing so, the only problem being that we do not usually appreciate these lessons while we are going through them. The trick to this is to not resist what Saturn has to teach us, but to go with the flow–kind of in the way Aikido works. While it’s true that these lessons are usually not at all pleasant, the good news is that Saturn goes out of Virgo and into Libra on 30 October! So Virgos take heart; good times will be back again quite soon

Libra – The Scales – September 23 to October 22
It’s around the time of your birthday and is the beginning of a year-long cycle, a time of beginnings. Be sure to take the time to evaluate what has happened over the past year and start to formulate your goals for the year ahead on that basis. A favorable transit to Neptune, which rules music, gives you a direct channel to your creative energies; so be sure to take advantage of this, particularly those of you born between the 11th and 18th of October.

Communication with your band or colleagues might be a bit touchy at times, and you will probably find that you need to make an adjustment of some sort in relation to your work, possibly comprising a change of direction. But things should clear up by the month’s end, and relationships with others will also start to go more smoothly.

Scorpio – The Scorpion – October 23 to November 22
Your energy and capacity to work will be up during the first half of the month. The only problem is that you might either find it difficult to get new projects off the ground, or make an adjustment of some kind with respect to your work. Happily, a benign contact with Saturn–which rules discipline, among other things–gives you the ability to burn the midnight oil and get the job done. Additionally, a highly favorable contact with Uranus gives you the ability to tap into unusually fertile grounds for new ideas. So keep plugging away. You’ll get there. If you are starting a new project, try to get it off the ground during the opening weeks of October, when your energy is higher.

Sagittarius – The Centaur – November 23 to December 22
October will be a month when you can get some work done, but you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and put a little elbow grease into things, because more likely than not you won’t feel very disciplined at the start of the month. Happily, once you manage to get that new project off the ground, your creative juices should flow quite smoothly. And thanks to a favorable contact with Jupiter and Neptune, which rules music, you’ll probably be amazed with the ideas you come up with .

If you’re having doubts about your current direction, don’t worry: this would be normal under current astrological influences. Just keep at it; with a little applied and consistent effort, it is certain that the goddess of music will bless you with creative inspiration. Communication with band members and colleagues tend to be at cross purposes at the start of the month, but will clear up in the weeks that follow–along with your ability to put your nose to the grindstone.

Capricorn – The Goat – December 23 to January 21
October will be a good period for Capricorns to take a bit of time out to review the projects they are currently working on, particularly any they may have started roughly around the time of their birthday. You may find that an adjustment or reorientation will have a beneficial effect on your work and provide a much-needed breath of fresh air, resulting in either a new, highly original direction, or at least a reorientation with respect to your original set of ideas. Accomplishing this will require a bit of effort on your part, however, and during October you’ll need to consistently apply yourself to the matters at hand. Fortunately, discipline will come easily to most of you throughout the month, due to a favorable contact with Saturn, which rules such things. Communication with the band or colleagues might be somewhat dicey at the month’s start, but things will lighten up significantly in the weeks that follow.

Aquarius – The Water Carrier – January 22 to February 20
For many of you, October will be a month when you will be able to accomplish much. The projects you are working on, particularly those that you started around roughly around the time of your birthday, should be off the ground by now and running smoothly. Your energy will be high, so try to get as much work accomplished during this period while this influence lasts. A conjunction in your sign with the planets Neptune–which rules music– and Jupiter–which carries symbolism that is highly benefic and expansive–allows you to delve deeply into the unconscious areas of your mind, tapping upon a treasure trove of potentially inspiring ideas. Discipline might be a bit spotty this month, so be sure to apply yourself in spite of this.

If there have been any tensions brewing in the band or with your colleagues, try to avoid letting them come to the surface at the start of the month. Communication will flow much more smoothly in the weeks that follow, and you will be feeling generally more well disposed to people.

Pisces – The Fish- February 21 to March 19
Your energy will be significantly up during the first three weeks of October. Ideas that you may have had last month are now going through a period of gestation. Continue to develop this work and don’t be daunted if the going gets tough at times. You’ll certainly have the energy to see things through, and you can look forward to a certain clarity with regard to your work as well as other aspects of your life by the time November rolls in.

This is a month where you’ll normally be focused on structural issue of all kinds, both in relation to your work and the creative process as well as other aspects of your life. It may be that you will encounter seemingly external situations that challenge these structures that you have built up in your mind. Should this occur, the solution is not to resist, but to simply go along with the flow to discover where it takes you. The purpose of this transit is to break you out of deeply rooted psychological patterns and ways of thinking that are no longer useful to you, and that you need to shed.

Tags: Astrology, October, Rhys Chatham

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at 6:30 pm and is filed under Astrology, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.