I won’t be doing a public New Moon Ceremony this weekend. My dear friends, who were going to host, had their schedule shifted by the early arrival of their new son. Additionally, Samhain took more out of me than I anticipated, so I’ll be honoring the Dark Moon privately. This doesn’t mean I can’t still share my thoughts about the ongoing energies.
October is always a heavy month, and this October was exponentially more so. The currents flowing through everyone’s lives were deep, slow, and thick, most reminiscent of mud. There has been a lot of grief, as we lose not only people, but those patterns and things which no longer serve us. November will be a continuation of that, of course. I strongly urge you, in these last few weeks of Mercury Retrograde, to go through your closets (physical, mental, and emotional), do a detailed inventory, and get rid of everything you can. A thorough cleaning is in order. The weeks approaching American Thanksgiving are an appropriate time for giveaway, so see what you have less need of that could better serve someone else.
This weekend’s New Moon is in Scorpio, a deeply introspective space, and comes with a number of other astrological aspects, not the least of which is a total Solar Eclipse. Mercury, the Sun, the Moon, and Saturn are all within 6 degrees of each other in Scorpio, in fact. All of the astrologers I look to for information on planetary matters are writing about how this period is a really potent one for lancing and draining old wounds (metaphorically). Here’s a sampling:
Lynne Hayes: “…Under Scorpio’s influence we are called to fearlessly dive deep into the unconscious to uncover both the treasures and horrors that lie hidden in the underworld of the senses.”
Matthew Currie: “In the next couple of weeks, you’ll be able to solve a lot of the major issues in your life if you approach them properly. Dig deep. Grasp firmly. Remove. Don’t give in to the urge to shred your problems… use the patience and logic you already know you have hidden somewhere in the back of the shed.”
Mooncircles: “Scorpio asks us to confront our fears and hidden complexes. Making changes in this dark and shadowy territory increases our power in the outer world. Avoid this work and Scorpio loses its center, becoming vengeful, judgmental, and controlling—trying to grab its power illicitly, by stealing it from outer sources. Better to fearlessly confront the inner obstacles.”
Astro Feng Shui: “The Nov. 3 Scorpio New Moon (4:50 a.m. PST) is more potent than most, since it’s a total solar eclipse. This will give you added impetus to let go of long-standing problems or attachments.”
Simone Butler: “Lunar energies take prominence when the Moon eclipses the Sun, bringing emotions, fears and desires to the surface. We’re shedding our old skins to reveal a more authentic version of ourselves, and should begin to see the results after Mercury turns direct on Nov. 10. …Adding to the intensity, on November 1 Uranus and Pluto (Scorpio’s ruler) make the fourth of seven exact squares. This brings an explosive, life-changing element into the mix. Because Pluto and Scorpio rule the dark side of life, many of us are feeling out of sorts as our shadow selves seek expression and healing. Finding emotional balance could require a fierce expression of anger or other ‘dark’ emotion. Look beneath the surface, invite your primal feelings to arise and let ‘em rip (preferably in private!). You’ll be clearing your slate for magical, abundant new beginnings.”
Dana Gerhardt: “Scorpio draws us into the mystery of the underworld. Here Isis and Ishtar descend. Persephone savors her pomegranates. Ceridwen stirs her cauldron. The snake goddesses respect Scorpio’s powers of transformation and its gifts of wisdom. They understand that underworld empowerments usually come with a price. Initiates must be willing to enter the unknown no matter how fast their hearts are beating. They must be willing to lose what they thought they couldn’t give up. They must develop the kind of patience that travels with passion and strength. … By releasing something, we will draw new energy into our core. “
So it seems appropriate to me to be honoring this cycle privately. True release only ever really happens alone, in the dark.
How will you work this energy? I’d be interested to hear.