Mercury has been in direct motion for nearly a week (hallelujah!), although it’s still shaking things out at a slow speed; the last of the October eclipses occurred a week ago. Likely you are beginning to get your bearings again after what might have felt like a giant release-valve being let off.
Photo by Amanda Painter
As you do so, are you noticing a pull to feel things more deeply? We have a cluster of planets in Scorpio now: the Sun, Venus, asteroid Pallas and, later in the sign, Saturn. That’s a lot of Scorpio for a culture that tends to orient on mental activity, with so much information and trending so-called news stories and “social networks” at our fingertips.
With so much Scorpio, the draw is to go deeper: deeper into your emotions; deeper into potentially transformative experiences; deeper into your erotic urges and desires; deeper into your understanding of cycles of life and death.
Is it really any wonder that we get Halloween this time of year, with its emphasis on scary stories and images of death, ghouls, witches and so on? The nights are getting longer, and being afraid of the dark is ubiquitous. Yet many people are even more afraid of “going deep” than they are of the darkness night brings.
Then again, perhaps they are versions of the same thing. Both the dark and the depths ask us to surrender our surface-level perceptions, our daylight-based ego consciousness of our place in the world and who we are in it. To go deep or to be in darkness, we must allow ourselves to become vulnerable in some way.
Or, as Eric put it earlier this week, “Our abundance of Scorpio is an invitation to focus on inner awareness, your feeling body, your psychological well-being and your sexuality. If Scorpio is a sign that describes something about relationships, that would be true from the inside-out.”
Bringing what lies within you to the surface is an act of making yourself vulnerable, a key component to intimate relating. Look around and it’s obvious how much that scares the crap out of people.
Speaking of relating, a significant aspect is brewing involving one of the main planets signifying relationship (especially sexual): Mars. Venus may be the planet of love, but Mars represents libido — along with drive/motivation, physical energy and militarism, among other things. And Nov. 10, Mars will conjoin Pluto in Capricorn — the planet of change in the sign of established structures.
Nov. 10 might feel far away still, but time seems to keep speeding up — and Mars aspects tend to feel strongest as they are building. With Mars conjunct Pluto, we have the traditional ruler of Scorpio and the modern ruler of Scorpio magnifying each other. That’s another layer of emphasis on Scorpio — and a heck of a lot of energy and power being concentrated.
In fact, Mars-Pluto in Capricorn could translate into an explosive situation. You’re probably well aware of any situations with that kind of potential. This means you have the opportunity to let some pressure off now, before anything comes to a head or takes over in some way.
How you do that is something you’ll have to feel out for yourself. But Capricorn is a cardinal sign, meaning that taking initiative could work in your favor — and never underestimate the power of open communication that goes (can you guess?) deeper than the surface, down to the root of the issue.
I can already feel the whack upside the head to my mid-Capricorn Moon. Whew!
Amanda, big love for that photograph. Did you go swimming? 🙂
Feeling groovy with this Scorpio astrology, now that Saturn is off my natal Saturn. It might be tense but not by comparison with the past year. What’s really humming now is natal Pluto. He’s sitting on the flagpole of my midheaven in Leo, and is really turned on by the Scorpio action, a Saturn square and the amped up mutual reception as Mars moves into conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn. Definitely a moment to claim for me.
“THESE
are the desolate, dark weeks
when nature in its barrenness
equals the stupidity of man.
The year plunges into night
and the heart plunges lower than night
to an empty, windswept place
without sun, stars or moon
but a peculiar light as of thought
that spins a dark fire –
whirling upon itself until,
in the cold, it kindles….”
(William Carlos Williams)
This time of year never passes but I recall this poem, discovered when I was 18 or 19 & abysmally lonely & depressed. I don’t feel that kind of despair anymore, except in fleeting moments, but I can still feel this poem. It’s worth a read in its enirety during this season, as days grow short.
Yes, it is “deep” time. Within time. Yes, “we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable in some way.”
I’m see the coming Mars/Pluto conjunction as extra impetus to get on with it. It is good we DO have sun, stars & moon to navigate by!
Thank-you, Amanda.
Pluto has been transiting natal mars/saturn wearing down my resistances, and will begin to move off in December with yet another square from Uranus. It’s difficult to pull these energies apart and isolate one concept….. but control, or lack of control has been thematic. Surrendering to what is, and allowing my vulnerability expression have been key. I have explored my depths over the course these transits, and eagarly anticipate the upcoming Mars/Pluto as it will be on my Mars return. With Pluto there it’s gotta pack one hell of a punch.
Yes Bette – extra impetus to get on with it!
Thank you Amanda your writing translates beautifully into my life.
As Samhain approaches, despite the Halloween decorations in our yard and the candy awaiting the give-away, I am turning my mind and heart to my ancestors and my family who are not with me anymore.
In this time of second harvest, I am thankful for all I have and the people I love in my life: family and friends. I also think of my brother who is gone and the family I cannot be with because they are not good for me so to me, they are as good as dead anyway but with a wound that still hurts sometimes.
What a mixture of feelings; thankfulness, reminiscence, and longing.
The days grow ever shorter, the nights longer. The darkness comes and lingers. Time to think and feel and know life, love, death, sex, connections, change. Leaves burst into flaming colors as they die, falling to the earth where they will nurture it and give to it as a return. Life sleeps, night keeps, memories grow and remain with us. Fires burn, candles glow, faces weep and laugh and families draw close. Winter will soon be upon us and survival of the darkest and coldest barren time will be here. Light the candles, make the jack-o-lanterns glow and feel the warmth of the hearth fires. Soup cooking and hot, fresh, bread steaming.
Friends in a circle, supportive, loving, accepting, giving and receiving.
It is soon Samhain. Cuddle close to those you love for life is short and fleeting and love is a glow in the darkness.
The Mercury retrograde period, both well before and after the exact dates, was not very good to me. Overall, I had a sort of malaise, a ‘down’ feeling as it were, and I experienced major computer problems as well (I’m very glad I am my own PC tech…). I also got the flu, three weeks ago in fact, and only am I really starting to recover from that. Yeesh.
With the start of this new Scorpio season, it feels as if burdens have been lifted and life has become a bit easier. Family members though, have been having a rougher time of time it, and for a sibling, it’s resulted in a major life change that essentially means she’s retiring many years early.
So, yeah, lots of stuff going on in my world. The day job is calling, and must leave in moments. Take care everyone.
carla — no, i definitely did not go swimming that day! it was only a couple weeks ago. my last swim was in late september, and it was a quick one, as the pond had gotten noticeably cooler. as someone with reynaud’s syndrome, i can’t deal with getting too chilled. also, the water in the photo is a tidal marsh — chilly, and a little mucky for my taste. 🙂
to all: thank you for sharing you individual ways of resonating with the energy of the season. it’s always a fascinating time of year.
Thank you so very much, Amanda, for a deeply resonating reading of the deeply Scoprionic astrology we are experiencing. You have helped me to see a puzzling I Ching reading in an entirely different way, and also allowed me to see how a few other puzzle pieces can find their place. You are truly a treasure for me on this day! Special thanks for the look ahead to Mars conjunct Pluto.
I was born with a Mars-Pluto Sextile and in my life there has been frequently people with Mars-Pluto aspects, I know someone very close who has a conjunction in Libra. What I feel is with these aspects, Pluto is kind of put on a boiler, so it depends on what is contained in that deepness if it is explosive or destructive, which sometimes it really is, especially if its too dirty. In a positive way I seem to perceive that Mars-Pluto aspects, especially easy-going ones and also conjunctions, involve a lot of honesty. People I’ve met with these aspects are kind of forced to be 100% honest. This is all just my personal perception. Maybe Mars will do some purification when it forms this aspect with Pluto. Hopefully in a positive way.
Thanks Amanda, I felt like reading some Planet Waves and really enjoyed your article.