Halloween had a reputation for trickiness long before its current incarnation as a night of dark side fancy dress. To the ancient Britons it was Samhain, the last day of the Celtic year, when seeds had been settled for the long winter’s sleep. On Samhain the veil between the visible and invisible realms grew thin, the human and spirit worlds overlapped. Hence the church’s name for the date, All Hallows Eve.
Mysteries and things that go bump in the night are very much the realm of Scorpio, a sign of passion, sex, death, magic and resurrection. At least, that’s what it says on the posters. There’s certainly no shortage of said qualities among the list of celebrity Scorpios below.
In November and December Scorpio has a major role in planetary affairs. Three weeks (count ’em) of messenger Mercury in a retrograde sulk describes dither and u-turns, wheels spinning or stuck in the mud, though it’s an excellent time for re-evaluation and revision…anything with a ‘re’ in front. Scorpio being a sign of intrigue, it’s also when secrets spill. Other sides of Scorpio’s character come into play with the arrival of warrior Mars on November 19; brave, reckless, sexy, scheming, the sting in the Scorpion’s tail. For the UK, it looks like a long, underhand and tiring general election.
November is also the last hurrah for Jupiter in Sagittarius, its own sign, where the giant of the solar system has spent the last year. In public affairs righteous Jupiter and the new Moon of November 26 promise a useful counterbalance to Scorpio’s Machiavellian streak. In geo-politics, the abiding astrological signature remains that of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, heading for their historic conjunction in early 2020.
November 28 is the birthday of the great English poet, painter, patriot and visionary William Blake (b.28/11/1757), who is currently being celebrated with a magnificent exhibition at Tate Britain. The Centaur is a good fit for Blake (born with Sun and Jupiter there); a ceaseless quester who evoked other worlds. Astrology didn’t interest Blake (unlike his friend and fellow painter John Varley) but Jerusalem ‘s ‘bow of burning gold and arrows of desire’ is strikingly Sagittarian.
It’s also the 30th anniversary of Chartered Streets, a short film I co-wrote with director Jeremy Wooding. It’s an impressionist look at late 1980s London through Blake’s verse, which is beautifully read by writer Pauline Melville, actor Julian and writer/bard Billy Bragg.
Jeremy has just re-issued the film on YouTube. Find it here
Major events
- New Moon in Scorpio 28 October 03.38 GMT
- Mercury retrograde in Scorpio 1-21 November
- Full Moon in Taurus: 12 November at 13.34 GMT
- Mars into Scorpio: 19 November
- Sun into Sagittarius 22 November at 12.49 GMT
- New Moon in Sagittarius 26 November at 15.06 GMT
- Jupiter into Capricorn 3 December
A Nest of Scorpions
Leonardo Di Caprio, Bjork, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Attwood, Leon Trotsky, Julia Roberts, Pablo Picasso, Sylvia Plath, Bill Gates, Mahalia Jackson, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Meg Ryan, Diego Maradona, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Alan Moore, Whoopi Goldberg.
Scorpio
‘Empowered’ – for once that over-used buzzword seems entirely appropriate. Your birthday month comes with a powerful lunation and is followed by six weeks of ruler Mars romping through your skies. All systems go then? Not quite. The spanner in the works is Mercury crawling backwards (until the 21st), obliging you to be cautious with your decisions and attentive to detail and dates. Keep your powder dry. Unfinished work is as good as new initiatives.
So empowered to do what precisely? You can scheme (Scorpios are good at it) and make preparations for your tilt at world domination after the 21st, by which time Mars has arrived. This is when you show what kind of Scorpio you are; the domineering, ruthless assassin of legend perhaps. Also up for grabs from the Scorpio cookbook; the creative powerhouse, the smouldering lover, the vampiric ice queen, the bloody general, the stalwart friend, the keeper of the mysteries…whatever your bag, Scorpios likes things intense. Make it so.
Mercury in forward motion helps, not least with getting the ear of powerful folk in your line of work. Your Scorpio planets chime handily with those in Capricorn (water and earth respectively); for you the establishment does not look in especially intimidating mood (unlike for certain other signs). With Jupiter culminating in your cash zone, there may even be a windfall (or a spending splurge).
With so much action in your sign, passion should be in plentiful supply, even if it’s you making things happen. Your new Moon (October 28) was bang opposite Prometheus the liberator, and the full Moon of the 12th also involves the said planet, plus Mars opposite Prometheus on November 24 promises a mighty spark of attraction or antagonism. If you are stuck in an unsatisfactory affair, here’s a good time to drop off the key, Lee, and set yourself free. Happy birthday.
Sagittarius
Mmmm, very sweet. Venus, goddess of sugar, spice and good company arrives on the 2nd and stays until the 25th. That alone should keep your social life ticking over, and, as Venus also equals romance, you can loose off a few arrows of desire if you’re in the mood. It’s also make-over time, ready for the birthday season, and since Mercury is retrograde as hell until the 21st, time taken off the job is time well spent.
The constraints of Mercury behind the scenes are at odds with the spirit of your ruling planet, Jupiter, now completing its 12 months transit of your noble sign. Jupiter is super strong this month, especially for those of you born after 14 December. Jupiter is in a hurry to sign off projects and get things moving, but if you can wait until the new Moon of the 26th, so much the better. One minor danger with Jupiter is that you take things for granted, as normal rather than just grand! Hoover up the invitations to get out and present yourself to all and sundry with Sagittarian grandeur (without becoming a pantomime horse, obviously). Polish your aura but keep your tone moderate.
Along with MRS, Jupiter continues to accentuate the collective; teams, committees, meetings. If you want to assume command, rather than being the voice of truth heckling from the back, the way is open. Jupiter is the politician’s dream planet.
Autumn moves up a notch once the Sun moves into the Archer’s skies on November 23, with a new Moon on the 26th. A new chapter dawns if that’s your birthday. Work and money may loom like thunderclouds, but just for now, you have to be true to your disobedient, wayward self – you can catch up with the formal stuff after Jupiter has moved on at December 3.
Capricorn
Somewhere in the valley below a solitary church bell is tolling. Is it an augury of doom or welcome? Or has the digital bell in the belfry simply gone haywire during Mercury retrograde? You get a taste of all three scenarios in November. The upcoming rare confluence of planets in your sign lends a feeling of destiny to your birthday season; big events, big decisions. The sort of stuff for which Capricorns were born.
Step down from those giddy heights for a moment and deal with three weeks of Mercury retrograde in misty Scorpio, a sign that emphasises your group involvements; workmates, collectives, committees, gatherings of every stripe. Best expect an element of heel-dragging amongst your compadres therefore. Proceed on a need-to-know basis, and keep your cards close to your chest in any small ‘p’ political games. The brakes come off at the 21st when Mercury moves forwards and Mars takes over to lead your team to glory.
At the other end of the Scorpio action remains Prometheus in Taurus, signalling excitement in your more personal life. The Taurus full Moon of November 12th is a time to be out and about for singletons.
As ever at this time of year, there is planetary action behind the scenes in Sagittarius, with a new Moon there on November 26. Cut yourself some slack in the run-up to Christmas. Bells of welcome are in the air once Venus arrives in the Goat’s skies on November 26, and with the arrival of jolly Jupiter imminent in early December, you can scrabble down into the valley with confidence.
Ouch! After a month of congenial earthy Virgo, the sharper spurs of Libra are kicking in. The new Moon in the Scales on September 28, and the arrival of warrior Mars on October 4 are signals to a move on, especially since a retrograde of Mercury looms in November.
You have, of course, Saturn and Pluto in your sign also urging you onwards to world domination, or at least financial and spiritual survival. Though this pair are sometimes – and sometimes justly – painted as an implacable force, Saturn remains your ruler and its slow but sure, cognisant approach has worked for you so far, so why wouldn’t it continue to do so? As for Pluto, worry about it when and if he comes calling.
Nonetheless, this pair get a sharp nudge at the full Moon of October 13 (Luna opposite Sol conjunct Mars square Saturn/Pluto, fact fans); both a potentially wild weekend and a reality check on the current state of your professional intentions and the financial reality that goes with them. Tough decisions may be called for, though time-frame is over the next few months rather than weeks.
Scorpio’s season should help – the new moon there on October 28 is water for your earth, help from your fellow travellers and, if you are a Christmas born baby, a possible jolt of unexpected romance.
Aquarius
Your horoscope looks somewhat conflicted between the need to get out and prove yourself to the world, and a desire to retreat into a place of refuge – your yoga/ recording studio perhaps – to beaver away on your own (or simply pull the duvet over your head). The solution, of course, is to find a just balance between the two.
An element of public scrutiny looks inescapable with so much planetary action at the peak of your ‘scope, in Scorpio. That Mercury is going backwards suggests October’s events and decisions will be back on the agenda for revision (or even a mea culpa). Patience and persistence – Aquarian virtues – help. So too should planets in fiery Sagittarius, signalling strong support from your team and your fellow travellers. Venus and Jupiter both favour a charm offensive among your network. Office romance anyone? The 5th and 6th put you favourably in the limelight.
Things get more decisive and exciting with the season of Sagittarius, starting on the 23rd and quickly accelerating into a mixture of challenge and good fortune. You are going to have get used to any hotheads at work who appear then; they’ll be bugging you until new year. The Aquarian love of radical, innovatory and unorthodox ideas remains a potent part of your armoury, not least for birthdays circa January 23. Those of you born around February 17/18 are those first in line for a fat favour from Venus and Jupiter on the 24th. No harm in asking others for favours. If you don’t ask you don’t get as the saying goes (or ‘shy bairns get nowt’ as Geordies have it).
The Taurus full Moon of the 12th shines light on your domestic arrangements, and here too, a radical rather than routine solution may present itself. The need for respite from the fray remains under emphasis, thanks to your traditional ruler, Saturn, staying behind the scenes.
Pisces
Contrary to some descriptions of your sign as that of fanciful dreamers, Pisceans are just as capable of practical, effective action as any other sign. Just as well, since you are likely to face a few awkward questions in November; financial issues, promises you made in October that are called in. With Mercury retrograde, you don’t have much option but to work through the figures and schedules and clear your desk.
The Scorpio new Moon of October 28 nonetheless promises a fruitful month, with your outreach to foreign shores and distant friends enhanced. Those of you in education and charity work are likewise favoured. Show business is another option. With your traditional ruler, Jupiter, completing its transit across the most public sector of your horoscope, a high profile is required, and as Venus is also there you might as well milk your reputation for all it’s worth. Charm, and your Piscean ability to navigate choppy waters with canny ease, work wonders. Play to the gallery. The weekend of the 7th/8th, with Luna in your skies, has what looks suspiciously like an enchanted aura. Romantics take note.
With so much going on in the realm of work and self-display, dating and the like – as opposed to the few score of public mwahs you’ll be handing out – may have to move to the back burner. New encounters may have an unorthodox quality, not least around the full Moon of November 12. The new Moon of November 26 underscores your professional ambitions, where a bravura display of your talents is one thing, but gaining the ear of the establishment another, the latter being a major part of this winter’s agenda.
Aries
Don’t be surprised if you spend a large part of November unravelling October’s events, digesting experience and going through the small print of your financial obligations. Much depends on how you feel about this time of year; there’s certainly plenty of mist and murk in your ‘scope, much of it ultra-personal. Having one’s ruler in opposition is rarely a simple transit, especially when it’s red-blooded Mars that’s staring you down from the opposite corner of the ring. You don’t want things to turn into a bare-knuckle fight obviously, but rivalry is currently part of most one-on-one relationships. The almost full Moon of the 9th and 10th makes for a heady weekend; if you can turn rivalry into mutual attraction you could make a breakthrough. Mars moves on at the 19th, whether disputes (especially over money) can do the same is open to ongoing negotiation.
Concurrent with the deep and meaningful stuff in Scorpio and Libra is the razzle dazzle of Jupiter and Venus in Sagittarius, signalling a gloriously outgoing phase that can take you through the midwinter celebrations to the entertainments of next year. Sagittarius, a kindred fire sign, is about both geographical and philosophical exploration; outdoor treks, travel, fierce expositions on truth and beauty. Also strong in the mix, thanks to Venus, are romantic adventures and attractions that happen swiftly enough even for impatient Rams.
Jupiter being the planet of plenty (and too much), you may also get a pay-off as it completes its year- long transit of the Archer. Birthdays from April 13 onwards are urged not to take good fortune for granted. The new Moon of November 26 is an omen of joy and adventure for all of you, though with Saturn still overhead, you still have to take care of business.
Taurus
Welcome to the mire of Mercury retrograde – opposite you until the 21st – more of which shortly. First let’s consider the upbeat new Moon of October 28, which was precisely opposite liberating Prometheus, a planet in long term residence in the Bull’s skies. This particular configuration hasn’t happened in a while – since the 1930s – and represents a challenge to the status quo of your relationships; lovers, friends, spouses, ex’s, blatant enemies, the works. The bar just got set higher for what you expect and/or will put up with from significant others. New alliances and friends come along to displace worn-out associations.
Such is the backdrop for November, when the Sun opposes you from Scorpio (until the 23rd) along with that moody Mercury and, from 19th, Mars. In the midst of it all comes the Taurus full Moon of November 11/12, when it’s your turn in the Halloween costume. All of which asks you to handle your one-on-ones with rare finesse. Compromise – not always a Taurean virtue – is required, even if you feel undervalued. Merely digging in your heels only serves to drive others away. The retrograde Mercury until the 21st requires a detailed retrace of recent agreements, but nothing happens in a hurry.
Mars in opposition will keep the pot bubbling through to new year, whether it’s a feud or a crush that’s happening. A whirlwind affair is on the cards with Mars in Scorpio, but if you insist on getting into disputes, expect to find yourself outgunned. Mars in Scorpio can be a wily bruiser.
You can always opt for industriousness as a way out of personal jams. The heavyweight planets in Capricorn are about to get heavier, and approaches to the status quo of your profession are promised a cordial reception. An international dimension may well be involved. Persistence, a subject in which you hold an A*, will deliver.
Gemini
Like most astrological omens, Jupiter in opposition is a double-edged affair, spurring you on to better things but not necessarily granting those all-important ‘lucky breaks’. In November the giant planet completes its year-long transit of Sagittarius, hopefully granting you a stroke of good fortune as it departs.
More reliable is the opposition of Venus between November 2 and 26, an opportunity to make peace overtures to anyone with whom you are on the outs, and to marvel at the excellent company and meaningful looks you attract. With Mars likewise in a romantic spot (until the 19th), your love life looks a high burn thrill. If not, the cosmos is on your side to turn things around. The 14th and 15th look promising, as does the Venus-Jupiter conjunction of the 24th. The new Moon of November 26 is another spur to stay active.
Your ruling planet, Mercury, is stuck in the mudflats of Scorpio, in your sixth house of work and good practice. Recent readjustments to your timetable are ongoing; use November to spruce up your infrastructure, tech and surroundings; you are looking for something Scandi- cool, case of clear of clutter, clear of mind. It’s hard to get anything done in a rush.
As action in watery Scorpio links with Neptune in Pisces, still hovering on the roof of your ‘scope, you are in with a sporting chance of fluffing up your professional reputation. Anything arty ticks the right boxes.
Cancer
In a dynamic, I’ll-show-’em mood? Or feeling just plain stuck? Your horoscope gives you good reason for both emotions. The new Moon (your governor) of October 28 promises a lively month when you can feel at ease with yourself and your social circle, the latter in a state of happy flux as new contacts breeze along. Scorpio being a fellow water sign, and planets there nodding to distant Neptune in the third water sign, Pisces, spells dynamism. It’s a time to assert your individuality, polish up your unique selling points, and to see and be seen. Scorpio birthday parties call for your attendance. There are, of course, catches. Mercury retrograde until the 21st slows everyone’s pace, asks you to complete unfinished tasks (you won’t have time later!) and brings your personal history into play.
There is no harm in reflecting on old times, and unseen-for-ages friends and ex’s may make a reappearance, not least around the full Moon of November 12 and the following weekend of the 16th, when Luna passes through the Crab’s skies. Personal affairs and private business initiatives look more fruitful than official business. Many Cancerians have the dread duo of Saturn and Pluto in opposition, meaning the status quo at work is indifferent to your fate or actively blocking your progress. This too shall pass; 2020 brings a fresh perspective on seemingly intractable issues.
Matters perk up once Mercury straightens out and Mars arrives in Scorpio to rock the party (any party you can find will do). If you are in the dating game the stretch to new year puts you on the front foot, the hunter if you like. Existing partnerships are due a shake-up if they are to provide the nourishment you want. Take your pleasures seriously. To help move things along, Venus moves into opposition on November 26, and will be followed by Jupiter early in December.
Meanwhile there is a new moon in Sagittarius, also on November 26; a straightforward affair asking only that you work at maximum efficiency and look after your health, which given the strain of all that partying, may need cossetting.
Leo
With regards to your professional plans, and those you nurse for an upgrade to the Leo homestead and its attendant royal household, how does ‘slow but sure’ sound? The new Moon of October 28 was something of a bugle call for change, but change has a provisional quality when Mercury is retrograde at the root of your ‘scope. Delays and distractions are the order for the first three weeks of the month. And sometimes you just have to accept that someone or some event doesn’t arrive on time, if at all. Hey ho.
Change remains on the cards, however, even if it’s slow to arrive in November. Mars arrival at the root of your ‘scope on the 19th could be a game changer; look for unorthodox solutions (and challenging people) to unlock situations that have become intolerably stuck. Mars in Libra until the 19th remains obliging for whipping up support and for trade and mutual backscratching.
The ‘distractions’ in play are fragrant rather than annoying. Venus and Jupiter in Sagittarius are a combo to light Leo fires, and since career progress seems on a go-slow, you might as well get the heck out the house/office and share life-affirming encounters with friends, lovers and strangers. Venus in the Centaur is the stuff of grand romance, folks on white chargers and chestnut mares. The last week of the month, when Venus and Jupiter meet and a new Moon arrives, looks joyous and should carry you clear through to Christmas.
Virgo
A planetary picture steeped in earth signs like your own promises a helpful mood. Carry on the good work from October, first of all where finances are concerned. Mars has a couple of weeks more in your zone of resources, and is agreeably aligned to Saturn, the master of material affairs, in fellow earth sign Capricorn; money and pleasure hand in hand.
The glitch is that your Mercury ruler is backsliding until the 21st, a go-slow which has been known to drive punctilious Virgos nutty but is actually a minor annoyance in this month’s starry scheme. The Scorpio new Moon of October 28 signalled a welcome shake-up in your professional outlook, with particular emphasis on the digital realm and matters involving education, speaking, and finding a fresh audience/market for your talents. Such themes are re-emphasised at the Taurus full Moon of the 26th, and with the arrival of Mars across your communications and travel axis at the 19th. Through to new year you have outreach, perhaps even internationally. Pursue with vigour (Mercury retro allowing); reticence is the enemy.
Partnerships and heart strings are very much part of the mix. Venus in earthy Capricorn from the 26th is handy for the social whirl and the flirtation that goes with it. More enduring associations are promised over the winter once Jupiter arrives here in a month’s time. Neptune remains in opposition, representing a relationship that is beguiling/ misleading/on-off/druggy/needy/inspirational (tick where appropriate); stay true to your most grounded self.
There’s plenty of action, too, at the root of your scope, with Venus and a new Moon there; time to access your inner design queen and restyle Virgo Villas.
Libra
Having Mars in your sign is like owning a sharp kitchen knife; beautiful to work with but not for the clumsy. You can take that metaphor on a physical level – coughs, sneezes, bumps, bruises, reckless tackles – and on the behavioural plane too. Don’t be blundering into unnecessary conflicts, least of all with the family.
Practical work is one way to stay out of trouble – at least until Mars moves on at the 18th. Consider your ‘stuff’. Your ‘scope is currently chock a block with it; everything from the boxes in the attic to the cash on your travelcard. The current lunation in your second house of resources calls for a rethink. Mercury retrograde (until the 21st) offers the perfect time to declutter, to streamline your accounts and decide who’s worth being handed your hard-earned money. The charity shop will welcome unwanted items.
The intensifying planetary congregation in Capricorn likewise concerns your material security; bricks and mortar, family ties, endowments and the like. Saturn squaring one’s Sun is no small thing; it teases out anxieties and imperfections, and asks you to raise your game, proud jaw jutting defiantly against the wind and the rain…you get the picture.
So much water and earth going on may make a flighty Libran feel bogged down. Happily there’s plenty of air and fire at work on the astrological wheel. The asteroid Juno, the goddess of marriage and justly balanced relationships, is now busy in your skies to help you set things to rights. Nurse your wounds. Sagittarius, fire for your air, hosts your ruling planet Venus until the 25th, with a mighty crescendo when said planet meets Jupiter on the 24th. Opportunity is knocking at your door.