Cosmic Calendar

Think of the void course moon as a “start nothing” time.

The “void” occurs when the moon is traveling through a sign and won’t make any more aspects before it leaves the sign and travels into the next sign. During that time, the moon is not connected to any sign or making any specific planetary connections. Therefore, projects and relationships started during a void course moon don’t come to fruition because there is no support from the moon.

During a void course moon period, astrologers suggest that you avoid beginning important projects, making critical decisions, buying important or expensive items, making investments, or signing contracts. It’s not that these things will fail, but things don’t generally work out as you intended. I’ve noticed when I schedule something important or attempt to launch something during a void course moon, it tends to go sideways or fall flat. So, I like to plan around those days.

This is a good time to complete unfinished business, to have fun, play, dream, rest, take it slow, and contemplate.

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In its orbit around the Earth, the Moon moves through our Zodiac signs (aka astrological signs). The Moon spends approximately 2½ days in each astrological sign. Each of our astrological signs is connected to a planetary influence. For example, the sign of Libra is associated with Venus, Aries with Mars, Capricorn with Saturn, and Pisces with Neptune.

As the moon travels from one sign to another sign, for a period of time it is in a void or clear space between two signs of the Zodiac. During that time, the moon is not connected to any sign or making any specific planetary connections. This period is called a Void of Course.

Things may feel or appear to be a bit unanchored, confused or stalled. Therefore, during this Void of Course period, astrologers suggest that you avoid beginning important projects, making critical decisions, buying important or expensive items, making investments, or signing contracts. It’s not that these things will necessarily fail but things don’t generally work out as you intended. There may be delays, unforeseen outcomes, less than stellar results, frustrations, poor profits, false starts, unrealistic goals and expectations, additional course corrections needed, and back-to-the-drawing board planning required. Although not as intense or long-lasting as a Mercury Retrograde, in some ways it is a similar energy and navigated in a similar way.

A Void of Course Moon is a good time to complete unfinished business, to have fun, play, dream, rest, take it slow, and contemplate.

Full Moons are great for releasing and completion. New Moons are great for new beginnings, starting something, launching, and initiating.

Although we say the planet is retrograde, it isn’t really moving backward. It is an optical illusion where the planet appears to move backward from Earth's perspective. This happens because planets orbit the Sun at different speeds.

From an astrological perspective, when a planet is in retrograde, it signals time to slow down, reflect, and look inward rather than push forward. Generally, not a good time to start projects, sign contracts, or make big life changes, especially in areas of your chart where that planet is retrograde and with the themes associated with that planet.

Retrogrades tend to bring up the past in some way: past relationships, issues, situations, dreams, and desires.

Since each planet rules different parts of life, those are the areas affected by its retrogrades:

• Mercury: communication, travel, contracts, legal issues, and technology. The retrograde effect includes delayed messages, miscommunication, schedule changes, travel mix-ups, and computer glitches.
• Venus: love, beauty, values, aesthetics, and money. The retrograde effect includes rethinking relationships, aesthetics, environment, physical appearance, budgets, spending, and purchases.
• Mars: energy, drive, passion, action, anger, and aggression. The retrograde effect includes feeling tired, unmotivated, indifferent, frustrated, impatient, and dealing with stalled projects.
• Outer Planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto): These last for many months. They bring deep, long-term personal lessons and growth in the areas they rule.
  • Jupiter: expansion, luck, opportunity, philosophy, long-distance journeys
  • Saturn: limits, lessons, discipline, structure, boundaries
  • Uranus: innovation, change, rebellion, revolution, freedom, individuality
  • Neptune: dreams, illusions, faith, creativity, spirituality, inspiration
  • Pluto: transformation, power, destruction, shadow work, rebirth

Mercury Retrograde periods are a Cosmic-Enforced Slowdown. They occur three times a year, each lasting about three weeks. They're bookended by a shadow effect. Mercury’s Retrograde Shadow generally shows up 10 days to even 2 ½ weeks before and after the actual retrograde event. So instead of a 3-week retrograde period, we are actually dealing with a 7-8 week period where we have some communication slowdowns or outright disruptions.

Avoid starting anything new, signing contracts, negotiating, making large purchases, putting on big events, investing, initiating, and purchasing new electronic gear. These things will not turn out as expected, intended or planned. Back up your computers!

Because Mercury Retrograde is considered a “slowing down” period, this is an excellent time to chill… and rest, relax, reflect, and practice self-care. Mercury retrograde periods are great for: Revisiting, re-evaluating, rethinking, refocusing, releasing, Revising/rewriting, reorganizing, removing clutter, and working on projects and ideas you had put on the back burner and are now ready to explore.

For more information on Mercury Retrogrades: Dos and Don’ts during a Mercury Retrograde

For more information on other planetary retrogrades: Planetary Retrogrades Guide: Mercury, Venus, Mars & More

When you want to schedule an event or something important, start a new job, relationship, or business, or launch a book or program… The numbers below are my pick of the litter for overall success.

• The “golden dates”: 27/9, 24/6, 23/5, 21/3, 19/10/1, 15/6 (karmic reward, success, and other highly favorable aspects)
• The really good dates: 25/7, 18/9, 17/8, 14/5, 10/1, 9, 6.
• Depending on your specific situation, 20/2, 13/4, and 8 might be considered good dates.
• The “iffy” dates: 28, 26, and 22.
• The “avoid” dates: 12 (sacrifice and indecision), 16 (accidents, mishaps, and betrayals), 29 (loss, betrayal, trials & tribulations). When I say “avoid, I mean both the individual day of the week as well as a number that totals them!

Other dates may work better for your specific situation, based on that number’s characteristics. If you have a book on numerology and can look up the meanings of the numbers, you can refine this to fit your situation.

Note: While the numerological vibration of a specific day of the week is useful, a more comprehensive view of the date comes from adding together the month, day, and year.

Example: September 24th, 2026 = 9 (September) + 2 + 4 (24th) + 2 + 0 + 2 + 6 (2026) = 25

In this example, a “golden date” of 24 (a karmic reward number) has the additional vibration of 25 when you include the month and year.

For any date you select, the total date (month, day, year) will add up to a 2-digit number, such as 24, and reduce to a single-digit number (2+4 = 6). An exception to this is a date that adds up to 29, 28, or 19. Each of these reduces twice:

• 29 = 2+9 = 11, 11= 1+1 = 2. A date that adds up to 29 also carries the subtle energy influences of 11 and 2.
• 28 = 2+8 = 10, 10 = 1+0 = 1. A date that adds up to 28 also carries the subtle energy influences of 10 and 1.
• 19 = 1+9 = 10, 10 = 1+0 = 1. A date that adds up to also carries the subtle energy influences of 10 and 1.

Void-of-course Moon

The stretch after the Moon makes its last aspect in one sign and before it enters the next. Think of it as a “start nothing” time: avoid launching projects, signing contracts or making big purchases; it is a good time to finish unfinished business, rest, play and contemplate.

Retrograde

When a planet appears to move backward from Earth’s perspective, an optical illusion caused by planets orbiting the Sun at different speeds. Astrologically, a signal to slow down, reflect and look inward rather than push forward.

Station

The moment a planet appears to stand still as it turns retrograde, or turns direct again. The calendar shows the day and time Mercury turns.

Mercury retrograde

A cosmic-enforced slowdown three times a year, each lasting about three weeks, affecting communication, travel, contracts, legal issues and technology. Better for revisiting, revising and reorganizing than for starting anything new. Back up your computers!

Mercury shadow

The period bookending a Mercury retrograde: the pre-shadow before it and the post-shadow after it, usually 10 days to 2½ weeks each. Together with the retrograde they make a 7–8 week period of communication slowdowns or disruptions.

New Moon

The start of the Moon’s cycle. New Moons are great for new beginnings, starting something, launching and initiating.

Full Moon

The height of the Moon’s cycle. Full Moons are great for releasing and completion.

Vibration year and month

In numerology, the single number a year or month reduces to. Add the digits until one is left: 2026 = 2+0+2+6 = 10 = 1, a 1-Vibration Year. A month is its own number, so September is a 9 and October (10) is a 1.

Full-date total

Every digit of the month, day and year added together, which gives a more complete view of a date than the day alone. September 24, 2026 = 9+2+4+2+0+2+6 = 25, written 25/7 because 2+5 = 7.

Golden date

Karen’s pick of the most favorable dates for scheduling something important: starting a job, relationship or business, or launching a book or program. Numbers of karmic reward, success and other highly favorable aspects.

Date to avoid

A day, or a full-date total, of 12 (sacrifice and indecision), 16 (accidents, mishaps and betrayals) or 29 (loss, betrayal, trials and tribulations).

Sidereal zodiac

The zodiac measured against the stars themselves. It runs about one sign behind the tropical zodiac most Western sources print; the Cosmic Calendar’s signs are sidereal, with the Lahiri ayanamsa.