November Forecast

Astrologically, the end of October was a rollercoaster. Since the sun entered Scorpio, planets have turned on their heels, ingressed, regressed, and eclipsed one another in one of the more tense and intense astrological periods of the entire year. If you’re reeling, you’re not alone.

Scorpio season is a strange time for such change. Though Scorpio is associated with transformation in some schools of astrology, it is also fixed in nature. Though the impulses to transform and to remain fixed seem contradictory, transforming is far different from adapting. Though not all transformation is permanent, it requires a certain decisiveness to occur, a commitment to going from one thing to another. Scorpionic energy is embodied in the courage it takes to reject a fixed status quo in favor of the unknown.

The midpoints of all fixed signs mark the midpoints of each of the four seasons, the moments halfway between equinoxes and solstices. At these moments, the character of a given season is typically holding fairly steady. In Scorpio season, the days have notably shifted in length, but not so much so that they feel extreme. The weather, typically, holds steady. At these midpoints, we still vividly remember what has just passed, but we also begin to sense what’s coming in the air. This year, the moment takes on special significance as the final eclipse of this season, a total lunar eclipse in Taurus with a tight conjunction to Uranus for good measure.

The term I most frequently use to describe eclipses is “unpredictable.” There are some standard, typical significations (shout out to my friend who’s getting fitted for contacts during this eclipse season), but eclipses can be incredibly hard to predict. And arguably, confidence in the outcome of an eclipse is almost like a challenge to the fates to throw you for a loop. Though they are symbolically malefic in character, on a personal level, their manifestations can run the gamut from devastating to absolutely magical (of course, not always so extreme). And in the season of fixity and transformation, the potent energy of an eclipse has the potential to radically shift dynamics. Whether or not you want to make big moves, the current astro-weather may not leave you with much choice.

The lunar eclipse on November 8th marks itself as at or near the end of stories that have been playing out in a major way since around May of this year. Hopefully, this period offers some resolution to the problems that have plagued us since then. While the astrology right now may not feel comforting, astrology always offers a reminder that all cycles end, ebbing and flowing into one another in a natural exchange. Sometimes new problems replace the old ones, but at leat there’s change.

As Saturn and Mars both change direction, there’s a sense of tension almost vibrating in the air right now. With both malefics moving slowly for the entire month of November, the message is clear: you can’t give your all to everything. This month is about deciding what to grind through and what you need to shelve for the time being. And in some cases, it means dusting off old skills or stories, taking them down, and seeing whether some previously abandoned thought or skill might be just the solution needed.

After the heaviness of this eclipse season, the end of November has a scintillating energy that particularly lends itself to fresh perspective. Starting on the 12th, Mercury and Venus will be within 3º of one another and will continue traveling together through the rest of the month. They begin in Scorpio, passing over a square to Saturn. Saturn is holding a lot of weight right now, coming off of their last domicile retrograde period before shooting straight off into the mystical waters of Pisces. As Mercury and Venus overcome them, they offer an opportunity to talk it out and get deep. What’s the one thing you haven’t wanted to say out loud? When there’s nothing left to lose, you might as well just name it.

This heaviness quickly changes its character on this 16th when Venus enters Sagittarius and Mercury follows around 24 hours later. In Jupiter’s home, Mercury can feel a bit discombobulated, but that disorientation sometimes allows them to stumble on brilliant, unconventional ideas. With a recently domiciled, stationing Jupiter in Pisces in charge, the sheer volume of potential bright ideas is at an all-time high.

The end of November and the beginning of Sagittarius season are defined by this merging of Mercurial and Venusian energies seeking unifying theories and quick resolution. However, both planets will make an opposition to retrograde Mars in Gemini by the end of the month. While many exciting possibilities may be offered, all that glitters is not gold, and Mars represents a stumbling block in the way of satisfying resolution.

Whenever Mars and Venus make an opposition, Mars is either retrograde or stationary, giving Venus the upper hand. This opposition is less of a wrecking ball and more of a small but noteworthy red flag. With whatever comes up at the end of the month, pay attention to what doesn’t seem to be adding up. If something seems too good to be true, it may be. It’s certainly worth taking a second look.

If I had to distill the astrology of November to a single piece of advice it would be this: take care of what you can, no more and no less. You can spin out of control trying to align yourself with the flow of the universe or clear the path months and years down the road. Let November be about the here and now and what needs to happen in order to make life the most livable in the immediate present. And trust that you know best what that is.

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