November 1st opens with a New Moon, 9°35’ Scorpio, 5:47 am Pacific time. A watery, intuitive lunar time, Sun and Moon trine (120°) Saturn in Pisces at 12°52’. If we cast the chart using Santa Cruz as the location, the New Moon falls in the 1st house, Saturn in the 5th. The 5th house is about finding joy, pleasure and playful self-expression. Saturn in Pisces here is about creating a vision for your creative self, while Sun and Moon suggest we go deep within ourselves and transform how we assert ourselves and cultivate passion in our lives. Use Jupiter in Gemini to bring fresh perspectives.

We are in the heart of Scorpio season! Time to face our inner demons and life’s intensity and shadows. “There’s nothing you can hold for very long.” In autumn, we recognize life’s fleeting passage and the sign Scorpio embodies this feeling.

Mars in Cancer opposes Pluto at the very end of Capricorn, 29°46’, November 3rd. By election day, Mars is in Leo, but still in range of opposing Pluto. Moon is “out of bounds,” at extreme declination in Capricorn. There may be some over-the-top expressions of patriotism as old, political structures are fighting to be maintained. Pluto’s last gasp in Capricorn is about questioning control and outdated political structures, tearing them down, and finally wiping the slate clean. Such things don’t end easy and Mars opposing Pluto sets the stage for power struggles. Mars in Leo can manifest as a forceful effort to be “on top.” A high road to take with Mars opposing Pluto is to do some psychological work on ourselves: “deconstruct” why we may feel a need to control or feel we need to be “seen” by family or those close to us - maybe we are being too demanding?

On a lighter note, Mercury enters its “shadow” at 6°24’ Sagittarius November 7th and the planet is “out of bounds” the rest of the month. The days following, the planet of perception and communication moves over degrees it will travel once it turns retrograde at 22°40’ later in the month on the 25th. Sagittarius is about broadening our perspective and seeking the larger picture in life. Retrograde times are about reevaluation. In order to successfully navigate this, we need to sit with what we believe, reconsider what we hold to be true and open our curiosity to fresh points of view. “It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free…”Best not to act on any revelations until Mercury moves direct in December.

The Full Moon in Taurus, 24°01’, November 15th at 1:28 pm, conjuncts Uranus while Saturn stops in the sky and stations direct. Look to see where Uranus is moving in your own natal chart. Here your values are shifting and there may be some sudden changes on the horizon. Uranus wants to rattle the cage and help you take a more authentic path, true to your evolving self. The Full Moon triggers this longer process of personal growth. Some people may have sudden fits of anger. Be patient with one another. Watch out for your own stubbornness. With the Moon in a supportive aspect to Neptune in Pisces, try to calm down, let go and feel compassion.

Pluto reenters Aquarius November 19th, moving us solidly into the “Aquarian age.” Aquarius Pluto brings out all the shadows and potential problems we face with technology such as AI and in the digital world. On a personal level, look to see where early degrees of Aquarius fall in your chart. Here you may go through deep transformation in light of your personal freedom, innovative thinking or humanitarian values. Pluto helps us face our psychological wounds so to rise from the ashes like the phoenix and liberate us to claim a more authentic path forward.

Sun enters Sagittarius, November 21st, 11:56 am. The Sun’s shift into the fire sign will lighten up the mood as we approach the holidays. Just watch out for heated arguments around the Thanksgiving table as the low road of Sagittarius is thinking we are always right. A better use of this energy is to embrace life as a quest and enjoy the company of others in healthy debate. The New Moon, 9°33’ Sagittarius, occurs November 30th, 10:21 pm. Set intentions to open your mind and heart to new ways of viewing life’s journey. In a trine (120°) to Mars in Leo, time to let ourselves roar! “Dust off those rusty strings just one more time. Gonna make em shine”!