Scorpio New Moon: Changing Times

Come gather ’round, people wherever you roam

And admit that the waters around you have grown

And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you is worth savin’, then you better start swimmin’

Or you’ll sink like a stone, for the times they are a-changin’

There are times when you can feel the zeitgeist shifting. The Sixties was one of them, and we’re living in another. Danger is always present, as well as exhilaration. The recent Biden-Harris victory has given us hope. It pulled us back from the edge of a cliff just in the nick of time. Yet the forces of greed and corruption aren’t going down without a fight. As in the Sixties, so many things are up in the air as old structures crumble, triggering greater consciousness in some and fear-based behavior in others. Bob Dylan reminded us in his 1963 anthem The Times They Are a Changin’ that we must swim with the waters of change or risk sinking like a stone. There is every reason to be optimistic that we can overcome the challenges we face, but we need to continue joining together to make our voices heard.

The upcoming Scorpio New Moon (Nov. 14, 9:07 p.m. PST) features a supportive sextile from water to earth planets, a combo that favors initiating change. As the Sun and Moon join in passionate, determined Scorpio at 23 degrees, they closely sextile Pluto, Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn. These capable, can-do aspects offer keen insight and awareness, as well as an evolutionary impulse to push into new territory, personally and collectively. We’re closing one chapter of life so we can open another. This can be exhilarating, but may also trigger an element of grief – as suggested by a square from Venus in Libra to Jupiter and Pluto. Yet cutting our losses can begin to clear the way for much greater fulfillment.

This lunation falls on the heels of the third Jupiter-Pluto conjunction (April 5, June 30, Nov. 12), which amplifies change in a big way. This conjunction presents the possibility of soul-level growth, and it can be very empowering (especially if it makes good aspects to your chart). However, the first two passes coincided with a huge spike in Covid-19 cases. And now, it’s happening again. So be vigilant in protecting yourself and others over the next month or two. Once the progressive Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius kicks in on Dec. 21, science and technology should start to bring us effective methods of overcoming this threat.

Adding to the intensity of the New Moon, the traditional ruler of Scorpio, Mars, turns direct in Aries on Nov. 13. As the lord of this lunation, Mars wants action. Retrograde since early Sept., he’s been frustrated at not being able to gain traction. But as April Elliott Kent recently observed, the Warrior is now better equipped to fight effectively. As she puts it, “The point of this protracted Mars in Aries and retrograde period has not been about punishment, but rather about restraint and discipline. Mars in Aries is a great warrior, but it’s even more effective when it’s gone through basic training; and being retrograde and meeting tempering aspects to Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto in Capricorn has been a tough boot camp.”

As Mars slowly starts to regain momentum (and has his final showdown with those Capricorn planets through the first half of Dec.), we’re likely to see angry outbursts from some, like those who feel wronged by election results. And, a bit of Scorpionic muckraking could also expose things that have been hidden, prompting a backlash of some kind. Try to avoid getting into arguments. If you’re starting something new, have a solid plan. Listen to the needs of your soul. What is it calling out for? The New Moon urges you to wade into the waters of change, without letting yourself get pulled under. Rest and regenerate, if that’s what you need. The times will be a changin’ for quite a while to come – you have plenty of time to get in gear!