Hello Darkness, our old friend, we’ve come to talk with you again. Yes, Scorpio’s season of the witch is here until the 22nd. Usually, the Big Sting’s reign betokens things dark and deep, but Mars (Scopio’s ruler) will be in retrograde until January. This transit will stultify Scorpio’s typical sexiness somewhat, replacing frisson with frustration–the sense that things aren’t happening with enough intensity. With that in mind, the Sun, Venus, and Mercury will be transiting the Big Sting, but they do so with blacker hearts (Venus) and less winged words (Mercury) because of the Warmonger Planet’s doddering.

Still, we do have some intense transits. To wit: the Total Lunar Eclipse in Taurus on Nov 8th. It will be conjunct wildcard Uranus. Taurus deals with security (feeling at home), but Uranus energy is unexpected (in potentially good or bad ways): you could be losing your house keys–or finding the perfect rug for under your desk somewhere random. Bottom line: surprises around the home.

Things lighten up a bit on the 16th, as Venus moves into sunny side-up Sagittarius. An improvement over its placement in Scorpio. Venus-in-Sadge is light-hearted, free spirited and social, so we may be feeling like being out and about more. Mercury also enters Sagittarius on the 17th. Note the shift from fixed water (Scorpio) to mutable fire (Sadge). Words less heavy and questioning. More wit and wordplay. More crackle.

When the Sun moves into Sadge on the 22nd, we journey to the bright world. Sagittarius is governed by Jupiter, which emerges from a retrograde in Pisces on the 23rd. Planet Luck in the Fishes, a sign it rules, indicates a boon to us all. It’s followed by a New Moon in the Archer the next day. An excellent omen for Sadge season this year and for starting new things with a Sadge flavour (exploring, travel, education, adventure). The 22nd until the 24th is one of the high points of the astrological calendar, so take advantage.

SCORPIO

While you tend to be drawn toward the darkness, you’ve got a lot of bright lights in your Selfhood zone this season. Venus (love and beauty) and Mercury (communication) move with the Sun in this part of your chart for the next couple weeks. These placements should be a time for speaking up about love and lust in your life. Why? Well, your ruling planet, Mars, will be wobbling retrograde through your Intimacy zone until January. Frustrations could arise around heavy petting and/or shared finances, especially if you don’t verbalise desires (or lack thereof). This is your season to set the right course for the next couple months: Intimacy can be a touchy subject, so use that Venus/Mercury placement to lend a soft touch to your words about matters of the heart or satin sheets. On the 8th, a total Lunar Eclipse conjunct unpredictable Uranus in your Relationship zone could bring unexpected feelings (good or bad) toward a partner.

SAGITTARIUS

November starts slow, then speeds up for you. For one, your ruling planet, lucky Jupiter, is retrograde in your Home zone. Retrogrades are times to re-think stuff. With that in mind, maybe make modest changes or arrangements to your living space. Sometimes moving a lamp from one corner to another can light up your life in a new way–literally and figuratively. On the 22nd, transits get more high octane. The Sun enters your Selfhood zone (excellent) and the next day Jupiter goes direct in Pisces, a sign it also rules. Sun-in-Sadge betokens larger-than-life energy, while Jupiter-in-Pisces in your Home zone indicates familial togetherness and bonhomie. It’s a great time to host–as you’ll be on fire. Finally, a fun side note. You’ve got lovely Venus lighting up your Selfhood sector from November 16th until December 9th. Venus functions to beautify our world and appearance–if you haven’t changed your profile pic since 2016, put on some mascara and vamp.

CAPRICORN

Your ruler, Saturn, the Big Frown, went direct in your Money zone last month. It’s well-positioned in Aquarius (a sign it also rules), so you could be getting some clarity around finances, if you’ve been feeling shaky during Saturn’s retro wobble. Now is a time to get serious about money matters–education rather than vacation. Chill on the thrills. You also have a flurry of activity in your Friendship zone for the first two weeks of the month, with Venus, Sun, and Mercury in Scorpio. The Big Sting has a reputation for making things dark and weird. It can also get clingy with friends–but Venus (love) and Mercury (words) should soften this influence somewhat. Instead of clinging, you could find yourself having deeper heart-to-hearts with your nearest and dearest over the next couple weeks. Just beware of spreading yourself too thin here. With some much energy in the Friendship zone, it can be easy to give–make sure you are receiving, too. On the 22nd, the Sun shifts into your zone of the Unconscious. Solo-time is thus portended.

AQUARIUS

A flurry of planets pass through your Career zone. Social Venus will be there until mid month, along with communications-expert Mercury. Use these first two weeks to sweet talk clients or a supervisor. You’ll be especially charming with this Mercury+Venus combo. Until the 22nd, the Scorpio Sun will activate your Career zone, too. Scorpio energy is strategic. You have all the makings to mobilise a devious mind (Scorpio) and honeyed tongue (Venus+Mercury) to skilfully oust work-rivals on your way to that promotion. On the 22nd, the Sun moves into fun-loving Sagittarius, where it lights up your Friendship zone. Again, we have lots of social buzz indicated here, as the Sun joins Mercury and Venus, which will add more sweetness and light to your adorkable nature.

PISCES

The first three weeks of the month could feel like you’re moving in syrupy slow-motion, with Mars and Jupiter (your ruler) going retrograde. So, while you have a lot of planets in your Travel zone, to wit, Venus, Mercury, and the Scorpio Sun, we should read the astrological fine print here. Scorpio is a fixed sign. Jupiter is back spinning, as is Mars. And Venus isn’t super happy in the Big Sting. In other words, this might not be the time to travel at all. That’s ok. Why? Well, the Travel sector does not always need to deal with literal travel. It can refer to symbolic or professional journeys, too. Consider taking the next few weeks to research into a new field of study in line with a passion or talent. An astrological rule of thumb goes that what you imagine in the Travel zone (the 9th House) gets realised in the House of Career (your 10th). As if on cosmic cue for you, the Sun shifts into your Career sector on the 22nd–but, even better, Jupiter goes direct on the 23rd in your sign. If there was ever a time to make a bold professional move supported by Jupiter’s love, this could be it. Planet Luck will be with you until the end of the year–but won’t be back for another dozen.

ARIES

For the next two months, prickly Mars, your ruling planet, will be retrograde in your Communication zone. Retrogrades are times to take things apart and redo them, so think of this transit as an opportunity to renovate your communications style. You are direct, at times brutally so. Being straight-foward is a kind of virtue, but brutality in speech is not. Try to put some ballet slippers on your prose when addressing friends and colleagues. While a Mars retrograde delays progress, if you work on your messaging (soft, gentle) through January, your communication style could very well appear more ballet than pounding Irish Riverdance. Pay attention, too, to the 22nd, when the Sun shifts to fellow fire-sign, Sagittarius. This rollicking Sadge Sun highlights your Travel zone. Sagittarius energy is all about adventure. Plan a trip with a friend to get some air and to counteract the stifling atmospherics of the Mars retrograde. Just remember: with Mars debilitated until January 11th, you may not have access to your usual caffeine, so go somewhere with a nice, quiet view, upon which to gaze and contemplate.

TAURUS

November commences with a big line-up of planets in your Relationship sector—Sun, chatbot Mercury, and ritzy Venus (your ruling planet) will all hold hands in twisted sister Scorpio for a couple weeks. These placements auger intensity and passion for your special somebody (or a yen for mating, if you’re deep in crush-land). Be advised, however, that Venus-in-Scorpio can be a bit obsessive and fixated on things better left dormant. A particularly dark day (literally and figuratively) will be the 8th, when there is a Lunar Eclipse in your Selfhood zone. Say goodbye to moonlight–and the clarity it provides. Either your feelings toward yourself or another could seem foreboding on this lunation. Try to maintain your Taurean steadiness and wait this weird Moon out. On the 22nd, the Sun shifts into Sagittarius and your Intimacy zone. Sadge is light and fun, especially compared to Scorpio season. While the Big Sting looks for dirt, Sagittarius in the Intimacy sector is just nice and dirty.

GEMINI

It can be hard to make certain areas of the chart sound sexy, such as the cadent 6th House, associated with Routine, Diet and Health. Even the eroticizing Scorpio Sun in your Routine sector this month won’t make much of a difference. Why? Mars just went retrograde in your sign. This retro could have you feeling listless (Selfhood zone debilitated), which might impact attitudes toward gym and food–more snacking, less attacking the weights.. That isn’t to say you still can’t set workout goals, but make them realistic and allow room for error. And hey, Scorpio is still sexy, so get out your nice workout gear and try to meet people down at the gym. On the 16th, ritzy Venus cartwheels into your Relationship zone, followed the next day by chatty Mercury, your ruling planet. A strong time for sweet nothings and sweet talk for couples, singles on the prank, or asexuals looking for tenderqueer belonging with friends. The Sagittarius Sun then further lights up your Partnership zone from the 22nd onward. Sagittarius season will have you feeling more optimistic about where things are going with your significant other, if you weren’t already in that frame of mind.

CANCER

This Scorpio Season is a time to come out of your shell somewhat. The Sun, Venus, and Mercury activate your 5th House of Romance, Pleasure, and Creativity. In particular, Venus has its “joy” here. Planet Love should counterbalance the Mars retrograde hanging over Scoprio season, so explore the pleasures of the night a little. Just beware of the big Full Moon Eclipse in your Friendship zone on the 8th. Of course, you’re ruled by the Moon, so the little frigate of your heart could get rocked somewhat by this eclipse, making you extra sensitive to a friend’s words or seeming lack of attention. That difficult lunation notwithstanding, think of Scorpio season as a time to brainstorm. Seeing that you will be full of creative 5th House juice, don’t be afraid to voice-up in team meetings or pursue your side gig on etsy. When the Sagittarius Sun shifts into your Routine sector on the 22nd, you will have more fire for the gym and more love for it, too, as Venus will also be moving through this part of your chart.

LEO

The Scorpio Sun highlights your 4th House of Home. Usually you like to be seen, but this season is calling for you to remain more hidden. The Home zone is a private part of the chart–and Scorpio is a private sign. Mars, too, the ruler of the Big Sting, is feeling wobbly in retrograde, just wanting to nap on the couch. Work with these more indoor placements. Break out the cookbook. Have some people over. Entertain, but do it low-key style. Your world gets more outward-oriented, starting on the 16th, when Venus will begin transiting your 5th House of Fun, Pleasure, Romance, Creativity, and Taverns. This is Venus’s favourite spot to disport--it is said to have its “joy” there. On the 22nd, the Sun dances into Sagittarius, where it will join Planet Love in your Fun zone. Being a fellow fire sign, you thrive in Sadge season, so indulge in some excess. Venus+Sadge Sun+Leo is a megawatt combo for you.

VIRGO

The Scorpio Sun, Venus, and your ruling planet, Mercury, energise your 3rd House of Communication for the first two weeks of the month. While a Mars retrograde will slow down Scorpio transits somewhat, Mercury in the Big Sting is still strategic and analytical. Tackle any writing projects that require clear, incisive prose–personal statements for school, grant writing for arts funding. On the 17th, the Messenger Planet moves into your 4th House of Home, where it will couple with Venus. Finally, on the 22nd, the Sun shimmies into Sagittarius, where it further lights up your Home zone. Here we have a lovely planetary combination for inviting friends over, with you playing the immaculate host. It’s in your nature to keep your place spotless, but with all this fun loving energy in the Home sector please show your domicile off and have fun with your crew. What’s more: Swashbuckling Sagittarius will lend some panache to your usually more reserved Maiden tongue, too, especially if the wine flows.

LIBRA

Your ruling planet, diamond-studded Venus, tiptoes through macabre Scorpio, alongside the Sun and Mercury. All of this energy activates your Money zone. Scorpio wants to investigate–it’s the Sherlock Holmes of the zodiac. Venus wants to spend. You have competing energies around money, therefore, but Scorpio should gain favour here over Venus. This isn’t a time for expansion and expensive outlays (at least cosmically), with Mars going retrograde and Jupiter, the sugar daddy of the zodiac, also in a reversal. The economy is inflating, but the planets are not–use them as examples and keep things Libra-balanced with funds. On the 22nd, the Sun moves into Sagittarius, where it lights up your Communication zone. Sagittarius energy loves to talk and Jupiter, its ruling planet, will be coming out of a retrograde on the 23rd. Be prolific with your communication (memos, applications, grants, letters to grandmother) and parsimonious with your pennies. While that sounds like something Benjamin Franklin would have said, he was Benjamin Franklin for a reason.

Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash