In the ancient world, astrologers considered Scorpio the watery, feminine temple of the planet Mars, and the deity of passion, drive and desire actually moved into its spiritual domicile on Halloween. Today’s New Moon is super-charged not only because its ruler presides over Scorpio but also because it occurs in an electrifying opposition to the planet of revolution, disruption and radical breakthroughs, Uranus, within seven minutes of exactitude, which is exceptionally bloody tight.
Each month the consummation of the luminaries marks a symbolic moment when fortune and intention are fused to conceive new possibilities in our lives, which makes New Moons immensely powerful windows for clarifying intentions that will guide us through the cycle ahead. Today’s Scorpio New Moon contains the potential for radical breakthroughs and life-changing transformations and initiates a highly dynamic period of astrology that culminates in a fairly intense crescendo at the end of the year.
It’s no accident that Halloween takes place in Scorpio season as the sign associated with death and the underworld, with hidden realms and the occult, with secrets, passions and intense emotional experiences. Although Pluto, which rules death and transformation, is more widely recognised as the modern ruler of Scorpio, for thousands of years that honour belonged to Mars. In Aries Mars is the warrior, asserting its will with visible strength but in the domain of Scorpio, Mars is decidedly more witchy, inclined toward more secretive and strategic forms of action, passion, conflict and espionage, which also brings to mind the archetypes of ninja and kanoichi.
This association with death makes Scorpio acutely aware of danger and scorpions are biologically weaponised for defense. But heightened threat responses can limit the scope for action and the sign of Scorpio is also associated with alchemical transmutation, with the depths below consciousness, with hidden and occulted knowledge and the processes of transformation that occur through experiences of trauma and suffering, which lead us, eventually, to wisdom. As such, Scorpio is the only sign associated with an evolutionary array of symbolic archetypes. The Scorpion, Spider, Lizard, Snake, Wolf, Eagle and Phoenix represent stages of development in our responses to fear, power, trauma and intimate bonding.
Fossil records indicate that Scorpions were amongst the first fully land-dwelling species to emerge from the sea 430 million years ago (mya) and the earliest existing specimen exhibits the same claws and tail-sting as those alive today. The Spider emerged 50 million years later, having developed an extraordinarily artful and strategic skill for pursuing its predatory goals. The Lizard, a “sit and wait” predator, emerges another 60 million years later, preceding the dinosaurs, and exhibiting an extraordinary range of anti-predatory reflexes including the ability to sacrifice and regrow its limbs as a means to survive near-death encounters.
The Snake doesn’t appear for another 177 million years. Linked etymologically to ‘sneaking’ most snakes avoid confrontation with predators and use their exceptional sensitivity to vibration and ability to track by scent to catch their prey off guard. But snakes are also associated with mystical healing practices around the world and initiate their own death-like processes in which the shedding of skin leads to renewal. Canine ancestors of the Wolf emerged in another 100 million years (around 40mya) and developed into communal hunters with highly developed protective instincts towards their young and the pack.
The oldest Eagles appeared a mere 4 million years later with exceptional vision and a capacity to hunt at great heights unburdened by fear of predation. Most Accipitridae are monogamous though some participate in polyandry (females mating with multiple males), polygyny (males mating with multiple females) and cooperative breeding (unrelated group members providing care to the young). Males provide the bulk of food for the young in most species, and males and females incubate the young in high twig nests lined with soft material, which can take weeks or even months to build. The mythical Phoenix represents the final evolutionary symbol of Scorpio. The immortal bird, cyclically reborn from the ashes of its own combustion, signifies the capacity for psychic rebirth through objectively difficult, destructive or disastrous experiences.
Uranus, opposes Scorpio in security- and pleasure-loving Taurus where it’s been triggering upheavals in the realm of our resources, values and self-worth all year while moving in and out of square with Saturn, whose laws dictate reality. Both planets rule Aquarius, sign of innovation, decentralised networks of power and society. Saturn’s influence currently dominates from its rulership in Aquarius but Uranus rules the kinds of scientific breakthroughs and discoveries that demolish old orders of reality. In Taurus Uranus signifies both environmental upheaval and climate revolution, however, the square to Saturn also indicates that it will take time, commitment and considerable hard work to bring about lasting change, but also that it’s realistically achievable
The fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius are all defined by their propensity to sustain conditions but they find change difficult. Yet as discussed, there’s a profound drive in Scorpio towards transformation and a similar drive in Aquarius towards the new. Taurus is the slowest of the fixed signs to opt for change but when it finally does occur, the new conditions are also exceptionally long lasting and abundant.
The third and final exact square between the two rulers of Aquarius occurs at 7pm on Christmas Eve, just as retrograde Venus, planet of love and relationships applies to a conjunction with Pluto, lord of trauma and transformation within 2 minutes of exactitude. The Venus Retrograde cycle is a whole other story with its own mythology, which we’ll get to another day, but suffice to say that the astrology of Christmas and New Year looks profound and intense.
As we enter Eclipse season on Nov 19 with an electrifying Taurus Full Moon and Uranus-Mars opposition, November functions like a ninja training camp for emotional and psychological transformation, which prepares us for the difficult labour preceding a psychic rebirth. Aim Scorpio New Moon intentions towards Eagle archetype and above. Trust your vision as well as the coming challenges. They’re temporary. Avoid confrontation where possible aim aim New Moon intentions towards Eagle archetype and above. The most profound transformations are possible when we trust the process and although it can sometimes be hard to see, this is actually an extraordinary time to be alive. Celebrate with the ones you’re with 💜🤎💗🖤🧡
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