By Angel Lopez:
November finds us in the midst of a retrograde dance, revisiting old wounds and remembering all that we’ve been through this year. It’s Scorpio Season, which is a time for us all to look within while simultaneously engaging with the world. It’s not an easy task. But the goal is for us to see how we let the world affect us and to make sure that the inner and the outer are in alignment. By seeing how we allow the outside world to trigger us, we can make adjustments as needed. Perhaps we’ve been letting those wounds of the past still act out and masquerade as who we are now. With Mercury and Mars both in a retrograde phase, we can take the time to reconsider our reactions and our ideas of who we are and how we relate to the world.
This year has been one of the most transformative of recent, so it’s time to make sure that you’re removing anything that doesn’t need to come with you into the future.
Mercury’s retrograde journey comes to an end right at the top of the month, on the 3rd, where it pivots in the sign of Libra, the governess of fairness and equality. Those will be the words on everyone’s lips, and not everyone will feel like justice is being served them. Debate will be very heavy in the air.
It’ll be best for you to find ways to stand in balance for yourself by connecting with those who bring you some peace and comfort.
You’ll also need to find ways to restore balance for yourself, so it’ll be important to engage in activities that allow your mind some rest. Mercury will be retracing its retrograde steps until the 20th, so you could start to see some forward progression on anything you had in mind from the end of September on. It’ll also make its way back into Scorpio during this time, which urges you to transform the way you think about certain things in your life. You must allow yourself the chance to change your mind in order to grow.
Mars will also be completing the retrograde dance it’s been in since early September, really allowing you some much-needed forward progression. But on some level, it’s also going to take you back to where you were at the end of July and give you a chance to approach anything you’ve done since then in a new, more energetic way, utilizing all of the knowledge that you’ve gained since then. Mars is in Aries, where it will be through the start of 2021. When there, it wants to begin again. It wants to take new ideas and dive into their expression with gusto. It brings a passion and fire with it, and sometimes a temper.
Know that the rest of this year will move very quickly and with a renewed sense of determination. Use this month’s shift to focus it and make some commitments to areas in your life or projects that speak to your core identity as well as the larger new beginning you’re trying to forge with your life.
This month also brings some stress to relationships but with a mind toward growth. You may find yourself having to make some confrontations or engage in some tough-love conversations, particularly around the middle of the month. But again, it’s meant to push you toward more honest expression and to reveal any truths that have easily been pushed under for the sake of keeping things easy. But it’s not time for easy right now; it’s time for keeping things real, particularly in relationships. Venus, the planet of how we connect with others, is spending most of the month in Libra, where she wants you to forge connections with a sense of beautiful integrity. She’ll help bring you together with people in a way that challenges you to see everyone as your equal. You may have to release your old perceptions of others and just meet them as they are now. That will be the key to moving through any challenging conversations.
Be aware that you may be compelled to take things personally, but you have to know that it’s not about you. Only your reaction to the situation is about you.
November 14th brings us the Scorpio New Moon, arguably the witchiest of them all, when you get to set any intentions that will help you conjure up any of the final shifts that you need for this year’s great life transformation. It comes just on the heels of Jupiter’s conjunction with Pluto, where they perfectly align for a cosmic tango. When Jupiter and Pluto meet up, there’s an amplification of whatever shifts you’re trying to manifest. Life gets a growth spurt. So watch this new moon portal as a place for you to accelerate some of the changes you’ve been trying to activate.
Fill November 13th–15th with activities and experiences that support the version of you that you’re urging into existence.
Use your mind as a magical tool during this time by allowing yourself to speak some things into existence too. You’re co-creating this life, so you must say aloud what it is you’re trying to achieve. Let the world and Universe know what’s up. There’s a chance that others may be threatened by the direction you’re taking, but it’s because your example is forcing them to expand beyond their usual way of thinking and being.
Be that example of gorgeous resilience and evolution with your actions and positive mindset.
Sagittarius Season comes in on the 22nd, which is when we all move toward greater expansion with a sense of optimism and belief in what is possible. Regardless of the world around you, do what you can to guide yourself toward shining your light on what inspires you and supports your personal growth. Follow the breadcrumbs to experiences that help you learn more of your craft or find time to invest in subjects or skills that excite you. Sagittarius is all about finding the truth, but it uses the world to find out the truth about itself. So, take a look at your surrounding world and see what truths it’s telling about you. Is your life a solid reflection of who you believe yourself to be? If not, what are the adjustments that need to be set into play.
The end of the month brings a Gemini Full Moon on the 30th, and with it comes some much needed discourse, not just with others but with yourself. Mercury and Venus will both be in Scorpio, so they’ll be doing what they can to get you to the bottom of things. They’ll invite happenings and conversations that will make you see the real you as well as the real version of others in your life. Is this who you want to be partnered with? And are you being a good partner to yourself? You’ll have a good opportunity with this one to release any partnerships or situations that ultimately bring a cloud of negativity your way.
You may have to take more ownership of your life and where it’s headed, but that’s kinda been the whole point of this year.
Use this time to commit even more deeply to the exciting transition you’ve been in and even allow yourself to cement some changes here, keeping your best interest in mind.
If anything, this month should show you that you deserve to evolve into a more joyful you.
The shames of the past don’t have to come along for the ride anymore. They’ve served you as teachers, so you can thank them for their service and bid them adieu.
Angel Lopez is a film producer, writer, astrologer, and co-host of the podcast, THE SPIRITUAL GAYZ alongside his husband, our Spiritual Guru Brandon Alter. Angel has been studying and working with both tarot and astrology for twenty years. He hosted the astrology web-series, ASTRO TALK WITH ANGEL, and writes the blog ASTROLOGY REALNESS. He has also had pieces published on Upworthy.com and The Huffington Post.
On the film side, Angel produced the Sundance Film Festival award winning film DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, as well as the features THE DINNER and STATE LIKE SLEEP. He also wrote and directed his own short film, I CAN’T WITH YOU, which had its premiere at the 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival, and he recently finished producing filmmaker Justin Simien’s second feature, BAD HAIR.