October Outlook: Bite Like Lightning
We’ve got spring in the fall, darkness before the dawn, a hint of justice, and the promise of gentleness to come
If I were a gambling man, I would wager a fair amount that right now, regardless of who you are, you’re either losing your shit or you’re watching everyone around you lose theirs. Just a hunch. Not sure I’m prepared to explain what exactly is going on here these last few weeks, but maybe we’ll find some value in exploring the realms to which October is likely to lead us.
The news is not all bad.
In fact, somewhat unexpectedly as we head deep into the bowels of autumn, the scenario promised us is actually that of spring — of an end to stagnation, quite explicitly of hope. Somehow, against all odds, we seem to be headed towards a kind of order! To be precise, while we shouldn’t quite expect to arrive at any sort of sustained order by Halloween, it’s by that time that we can expect the pieces to be lined up in the right place. It looks like we’re gonna find ourselves set up pretty nicely even as these days between get darker and meaner.
But first — and of course there’s a catch — we’ve got to get there. And the road between here and there doesn’t exactly promise ease and luxury.
Where we find ourselves today, which will come as no surprise to any of you who are losing all of your shit, is the bad kind of chaos. Internally, we are confused; we’ve lost large amounts of balance and confidence that seemed so intrinsic so recently. Externally, it’s worse. There’s no other way to put it than to say that each and every one of us had better watch our backs. There’s people out there talking shit and doing all manner of other malicious maneuvering behind our backs. Be careful because they really can do harm.
For now. Their time is limited and we’re in a position to win even if we may feel weakened and imbalanced. That’s right — we can still win anyway.
This requires much in the way of swift and decisive action on our part now, especially in the first half of the month. This should manifest in a couple key ways, the first one being specific to anything we ultimately determine to be an obstacle. The image we’re given is that of a jaw — your jaw — and you can’t close it because there’s an obstruction in the way. Your mouth is jammed open and it’s unacceptable. The only response is to vigorously and immediately bite the hell through it. The force, we are told, ought to be swift and sharp as thunder and lightning, and should have the same effect of relieving tension and clearing out the problem.
It may be people or it may be more impersonal “forces” (but it’s probably people) acting against our interests. When we uncover the details, it’s really important to remember, no matter how tempting it is to want to believe otherwise, that this is not a problem that will go away on its own. It’s going to require direct intervention on our part. That makes things complicated, because it means we also need to avoid being too hasty, being too severe, or even being too gentle.
An interesting answer offered to us is that of law and of its place in society. Not that I would ever advocate anyone being a snitch or literally calling the police (in most cases), but we are directly and explicitly encouraged here to seek recourse in “law”. Whether this refers literally to the law of the land or to less formal rules and customs remains to be seen, but we are reminded that clearly defined laws and penalties can ensure that those who would act against us are dealt with while also avoiding excesses and brutality that would get in the way of our actual goals.
Couple little ground rules: first offenses should receive milder punishments and often will serve as a deterrent for future offenses. On the other hand, when you uncover a chronic offender who seems to have little chance for redemption, it will be very difficult for us to avoid a little bit of that brutality — and you know what? We’ll probably be justified, even if it’s a little bit regrettable. No one will find fault.
The other way we take action this month, especially in the first half, will be through regular old hard work. We need to do our harvesting even when at times all of the conflict and the overall feeling of being thoroughly unsettled saps our motivation altogether. We have got to keep moving. It’s harvest season, after all, and winter is coming! Work those fields, but also know the value of passive “work”, allowing time to pass and erosion to do its thing. As we focus on our work, some of the issues and imbalances we are encountering will be sorted out on their own.
When it seems like all reason is lost and that we may, if nothing else, be purely at the mercy of the wrath of the gods, we are still going to find ourselves able to answer with strength. Let the knowledge of this certainty feed your faith and bring you courage.
Our responsibility is great. It’s not just a matter of protecting our necks and keeping ourselves cool but of slowly dragging the world, kicking and screaming, from insanity back to order — or, perhaps it would be better to say, forward toward a new and higher order. That’s what’s on the table and we all have a part to play in it.
Our goal is legitimate and has the potential to unite many disparate factions toward its realization. Remember this, and remember that the end result is going to have less to do with our harsher imperial sides and more to do with the gentle, musical love-law that permeates the universe on the flip side of that coin.
Last thing: if you want my advanced-level advice, get as much done before the mid-month full moon as you can. We end the month in a positive place but things are gonna get more difficult before they get better.
As they always do. Good luck out there.