Astrological insights for the week of November 9, 2020. This is a 5-minute read.
Empower yourself by focusing on the things you can control
This week begins with the high-pitched hum of a kettle about to reach boiling point. As the tension continues to rise and crescendo, the collective anxiety continues to do so as well. You may be sensing things to be slightly off, that you don’t quite trust everything you’re hearing, and that things aren’t quite what they seem. Trust that. Trust that inner guidance system with whatever it is telling you right now – you don’t necessarily have to act on it right away, but if you feel something is off, it probably is. Now is the time to ask questions about … well, everything. Get curious and see where it leads you.
Later in the week, we may see some massive truths being unveiled within the collective, truths that may rock us to the core and unsettle what we’ve known to be true. This is what it means to break down; know that it’s all part of the path to get where we’re going, however uncomfortable it may feel in the moment.
Instead of focusing on all the big things – on collective energy and decisions governments are making – instead of criticizing, complaining, or feeling victimized by things beyond your control, come back home to yourself. Connect to your heart on a daily basis by sitting in stillness, going for a walk in nature, or meditating and focusing on the breath. Remember that you have all the tools within you to get through this time. You are stronger than you think.
This week is also a good time to do some journaling, perhaps even a little bit every day. The practice of getting our thoughts out of our head and onto to paper allows us to clear the mind and see things more objectively. With all the chaos, it can be hard to hear ourselves think and see what’s true for us, so making this a regular practice will be quite grounding.
On Monday and Tuesday, we have the moon in Virgo, the sign of service and purity of thought. This sign loves to clean, so it’s a good time to do just that. Clean your house, get organized, and donate those few items that have been sitting in the back of your closet for ages now, just taking up space. The energies will begin to really pick up again after this week, and you may feel inspired to start creating, so take this opportunity while you have it. It’s easier to allow new energies to come through in a space that is clean and tidy.
Illuminating truths may surface this Thursday
On Thursday, we have this year’s third and final conjunction between Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn. This rare series of transits has been known to cause quite a stir in the past, and 2020 has been no exception. The finale to the series this week will bring closure to a cycle that began in early April, and hopefully provide us with some clarity to move forwards.
Jupiter expands whatever it touches, so we may see an amplification of the themes surrounding Pluto, that icy dwarf planet that really knows how to pack a punch. In more practically speaking terms, we may see an uptick in cases within the pandemic, but this is also a moment for deep transformation should we choose to accept it.
This conjunction is an astrological representation of the death of the old systems that we’ve been watching unfold this year. Jupiter is lighting up the underworld of corruption and secrets, as well as our tendency to cling to our long-held ways of doing things that exists within our world, bringing clarity to what needs to change and the precise ways in which the old hierarchical systems are no longer serving us. While we may be hooked into tradition, Jupiter is urging us to change. In fact, this year is making it so we can no longer go back to the way things were – we need to create a new world in order to keep going.
We can use this day to our advantage and lean into the energy of transformation that is available to us when we allow ourselves to let go and dream of what might be instead. If we try to cling to our old sense of normalcy and recreate that which existed in the past, we will find ourselves in more painful situations as we are forced into a new reality. Be proactive by choosing to change rather than fighting it. Then you may be part of creating the world you want to see, instead of being a victim of the one others create.
Tensions are released as Mars goes direct on Friday
The themes surrounding the small red planet will be amplified this weekend as Mars, which has been retrograde since September 9, burst back into action. The upside of this retrograde is that it has given us the opportunity to redo things that weren’t working and reassess our plans of action moving forwards. It may, however, also have caused a build-up of frustration within our personal lives and the collective at large as we bottled up our emotions to be deal with later. Later may just arrive sooner than we think as Mars urges us to let it all out this weekend.
Be conscious of your words – not only what you say, but how you say things. People are bound to be more on edge, and so we must leave a little more room for compassion + understanding. Collectively, we may see an eruption of violence as people grow angry and take to the streets. So as you watch the drama unfold, ask yourself this: where do I want to place my energy?
Anger may feel good in the moment, but the long-lasting consequences can be painful if we act in the heat of the moment and allow our impulses to take over. Seeing as anger is a secondary emotion, there is usually something beneath it that can help you move through trauma and begin to heal. Are you feeling helpless and out of control because it seems everything is going wrong this year and you don’t know how to fix it? Are you saddened by the separation this virus has caused between you and your loved ones? Do you feel fired up because you see the injustice that has been going on in so many places for too long, and you want to do something to change it? Blind anger can be dangerous, but informed anger can be a useful tool to show us the spaces that need a little more light in our lives.
This weekend would be a good time to channel your energy into something more productive: do a shaking meditation, consciously release your emotions by throwing a tantrum in your room, go for a run, or finally take that at home boxing class you’ve been meaning to try. Do something, and you will feel better. Let the fire burn off in a safe way.
We have a powerful choice to make: do we choose to take the high road and let Mars activate our courage, igniting the warrior within? Or do we find ourselves caught in a blind rage of injustice and vengeance? The choice is ours, and how we respond will have a ripple effect on all our futures.
A Scorpio new super moon this weekend brings darkened skies
This Saturday, we have a new moon in Scorpio. As the detective of the zodiac, this sign rules all things deep, intense, and sensual. Whenever Scorpio gets involved, things tend to be forced into the light that we’d rather pretend don’t exist. They see all our darkest thoughts, deepest fears and secret weaknesses. We may see a collective dark night of the soul on this day, the moment of utter darkness before the light breaks. Because it’s a super moon, the moon is closer to earth and we will likely feel our emotions more acutely than normal, possibly feeling ourselves pulled to deeper depths. This is when the real work begins.
On the high road, Scorpio becomes the healer, bringing light to the deepest shadows within our souls as they are willing to go places where we’ve never dared tread before. On the low road, she can get caught up in the petty dramas of life, holding a grudge forever and never learning how to forgive or let go.
This year has been the embodiment of the phoenix archetype: the beautiful bird who burns to ashes in order to be reborn. We can find courage in knowing there is life to be had after the breakdown, that there is a new world to explore should we chose to accept the challenge. The time has come. Which path will you choose?
The deep exhale is coming, the brilliant calm after the storm; when things feel like they’re falling apart, remember you’re being reborn.
If you’re looking for more tools and mantras to help you in this time, you may like my short collection, Just Breathe: Eleven Mantras + Tools for Heart Healing. You can find the e-book on Kindle, Kobo or Apple Books for $2.99. Find out more here.