Yesterday morning was the Scorpio New Moon and solar eclipse. Eclipses pack a lot of power into a concentrated span of time. For some this can be stressful, for others, energizing. How are you doing today?
As always with astrology, the unfolding of whatever you set in motion with these eclipses will be punctuated, developed and shaped by subsequent planetary events. Taking center stage this week is a conjunction of the Sun and Saturn in Scorpio, exact Wednesday at 7:00 am EST.
The Sun and Saturn conjoin annually, and it happens three times while Saturn is in Scorpio. This will be the second; the other two were Oct. 25, 2012 and Nov. 18, 2014.
Sun-Saturn conjunctions tend to be marked with self-restraint, reserve and a sense of containment or limitation. That containment can also manifest as the discipline, strength and persistence to get things done — a useful energy if you used the eclipses to get the ball rolling on some new projects, or set existing projects in a new direction.
In Scorpio, this persistence and strength bode well for inner growth and transformation. The tendency for Saturn to bring self-restraint might mean that whatever inner transmutation you’re engaged in isn’t expressed outwardly for a while. Sometimes things need to incubate or ferment where it’s hot, dark and moist — think compost, or making kimchi.
Mars is making a sextile to Sun-Saturn from Virgo. A sextile is a flowing, helpful aspect between signs of complementary elements (in this case, water and earth) — but it takes some awareness and action to access the energy.
Mars is the principle of action, drive, desire and maleness. In its more positive, constructive manifestations, Mars offers vitality, physical and sexual energy, and the will to get things done. Virgo lends precision and a sense of putting the energy into service.
Mars is also the traditional ruler of Scorpio. There’s a sense here of dedicating energy into the service of accomplishing some kind of transformation within a specific container.
All of this brings to mind the images in Sarah Taylor’s Weekend Tarot Reading yesterday: water flowing in a self-contained circuit; the unleashing and directing of energy toward a solid structure; the fertile potential of new ground, even if it is arrived at inwardly rather than outwardly.
It is a process we will be tracking this week — along with other events. Venus ingresses Capricorn tomorrow at 3:43 am EST. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, bringing a more contained or serious and less demonstrative flavor to the goddess of love compared to Venus in Sagittarius.
Jupiter will station retrograde in Cancer on Thursday at 12:03 am EST. This is a long retrograde compared to that of Mercury; Jupiter will not station direct until March 6.
Jupiter retrograde in Cancer is another image of containment, in the sense that the planet that wants to expand is moving in reverse, covering ground for a second time. Cancer themes include emotional cycles, the home, domesticity and a sense of security; we’ll consider Jupiter’s review of these themes in upcoming posts.
For now, we have the last week of this Mercury retrograde to navigate. The Mercury ‘storm’ period during the three or so days before Mercury stations direct on Nov. 10 is another time for heightened attention to the intersection of thought and feeling. Stay perceptive to how you communicate with others; use caution with travel and finances.
Even without viewing yesterday’s eclipse, you may have felt a subtle yet distinct shift in yourself. What does it tell you about where you are and where you’d like to go next?
Very helpful…I have Mars in Scorpio in my 9th house, I can tell you it was very intense and deep but I can’t tell you anything more…
I also bought three fruit trees and am looking forward to digging up the yard and planting in the Northern California fall rains.
Wandering_yeti, how thrilling! I can feel the vibe from here – so jazzed for you!
In the week leading up to eclipse I did a lot of sharing music in live settings, both as a backup player for another singer and singing my own songs plus covers. As eclipse drew near the sun disappeared behind clouds and a cold front moved in, so we’re in another kind of eclipse even though the shadow of the moon didn’t get much past the Atlantic coast. At the same time my activity went into a yin phase after a solid week of doing things every evening, but for the first time I found myself playing in a trio of folks from the community jam that’s been a weekly devotion for me damn near every Tuesday since Fall of 2010.
I’ve always had a tendency to feel drowned out as a musician. I think it’s my wiser nature keeping me from letting loose my creations until I’m responsible enough to ride dragons without burning down the house, and also what grows out of the expectations I tend to project onto Cosmos based on my family of origin where I was often the mouse in a house of angry bears.
This weekend the maelstrom of the Tuesday Jam became a trio with my guitar as the only instrument in its frequency range. I love it! I can hear what everyone else is playing with my own contributions shining clearly. One of my favorite things in music is the weaving quality of different instruments following different but harmonious paths as in most of the songs by The Cure where guitar, keyboard and bass weave a tapestry over the drums. Too many guitars always fuzzes out the clarity and turns a broad band of my hearing spectrum into white noise. A trio was like a crystal falling out of a chaotic storm.
It was me on acoustic steel string, one of my music papas on upright bass, and one of my soul sisters on an old piano that lived through the 20’s in Chicago night clubs. It was a rehearsal with an eye on crafting an awesome show later on, a seed planted in the dark of the Moon.
This conjunction exactly conjuncts my own natal Uranus/Mars conjunction at 14 degrees of Scorpio in my 3rd house. Should I find a bomb shelter and staple my mouth shut?
Thank you, Amanda, for the Saturn/Sol assessment and surrounding territories. This week sees me heading into the heart of my second Saturn return — according to Rob Hand, the first two weeks of November, then it begins to tail off. To have Mars pushing and Jupiter pulling at that energy is especially helpful right now. I am heading into a longer version of an article I wrote last Spring that touches on Magus John Dee’s invocation of those creatures we now call “corporations.”
Saturn is the guardian planet for those entities, but word up is that even He has grown disenchanted with their shenanigans. The mutual reception of Saturn in Scorp and Pluto in Cap is also playing a large role in the demolition/renovation of that form. I am happy to do my small part, and the astrology is propitious. Again, many thanks.
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Thank you, dear Amanda – beautifully written and helpful, as always. Am stll pretty overwhelmed by the intense (post) eclipse energy, coupled with that Monday morning, don’t want to get out of bed feeling….