Giving Up the Ghost
November 2023Kinder words for death are transition and transformation. By its very nature, autumn is always rife with transformation and November is perhaps best defined by this word. The middle month of the fall season, November transitions us into deep winter, curls and withers the leaves of once vibrant green trees. The month prepares us for dark and cold days ahead, when life goes underground and seeks warmth within. Seasonal holidays highlight this transformation with Halloween, aka Samhain, All Saints Day and Veterans Day, each of which commemorates those who have crossed over.
Not a season for delicate flowers or the faint of heart, it is no accident that November’s cosmic energy infuses intense invitations to plummet the depths of our lives, aspects of our hidden selves, our shadows. Driven by the “bulldozer of the zodiac” Powerful Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio digs down to the bottom of any situation, pulling up to the light that which must be seen. In short, Pluto and its sign Scorpio reveal. This November, revelations abound.
As the month opens, the ripple effect of these revelations occur like aftershocks of an earthquake. The reverberations of the October 28th Full Moon eclipse uncover everything in our work, our finances, our sexuality, power and how we use it, or don’t. Motivating Mars and Messenger Mercury still tightly conjoin the Sun in Scorpio. All oppose change agent Uranus and Generous Jupiter through most of November, meaning: our values, both moral and monetary are shifting, often dramatically. What once seemed vitally important is morphing, perhaps replaced by more pressing matters or deepening value of another person or venture.
This is the rich beauty of Scorpio: the treasure revealed as the covers, veil and dirt are pulled back and sifted through. While not a light and frothy time, tis the season of silver linings. And getting to that silvery side of life requires some pretty heavy lifting. If you try skirting, avoiding or running from the hard parts, Pluto’s bulldozer and dirty bits that it reveals, these will only wait around the bend for you. Make no mistake: What takes priority in your life is what you must focus on.
One matter to prioritize now is purchasing any holiday gifts during November. The energy is relatively clear this month making it a great time for shopping before December’s retrograde Mercury.
Only four days into November, Taskmaster Saturn turns direct motion, underscoring the weight and gravitas of our work this month. In soulful Pisces, Saturn puts our nose to the grindstone in the spiritual gymnasium of life and requires a different kind of hard work. Here, instead of pounds, we push through layers of our self. As you shed layers that are no longer relevant, remember these are former selves you have out grown. You may love pieces of those selves, like comfortable outfits or shoes you once owned and made memories inside of.
Now, however, we are called to step into new patterns and values that take time to grow into. In the season of transition and transformation, death and dying, there is grief for what was or what has been. It flourishes. So allow yourself to grieve. Let it out, let it flow, surrender to its pulling tide. This is not a step on the ladder of life you want to skip. Grief is an essential path on the emotional wheel. Of course it is not fun. But grief heals. Like all wounds, grieving takes time. On the other side of it, you’ll have a deep perspective of how far you’ve come.
Look back: you are not the same person you were at the beginning of 2023, much less in 2020 or 2017. And you would not want to be that person. There is time later on for existential questions and asking why me.
Now smoothing our path heading into Veteran’s Day weekend, Valuable Venus enters its own sign Libra on Thursday, November 9th. Take in an art exhibit, decorate a corner of your home, host friends, and create something beautiful. The very next day, Messenger Mercury shifts into Sagittarius on Friday, November 10th. Your mind seeks answers, wants to learn and exchange ideas; you may feel inclined toward adventure, to explore; and it is an excellent time to book travel for the holidays and 2024.
Freedom-loving Sagittarius is up for anything but most of all, wants the truth. With the Sun-Mars Scorpio duo still digging up dirt, Mercury wants honesty, to know WHY and HOW. As the New Moon in Scorpio approaches on Monday, November 13th tightly conjoined to Mars, look at your own motivations: why you want a certain person, goal or lifestyle. What exactly is driving your desire? Take a beat and be honest with yourself. Then carefully hand-write 3-5 intentions or goals to focus on for the next month and season.
At mid-month, our intuition is spot on. Scorpio Sun-Mars aligns helpfully with Neptune in Pisces. Time to trust your gut! If you are weighing decisions or choices, feel into your options. Walking by or being on or around water will amplify your intuition; so get out in nature when possible between November 14-19th. What has been muddled or confusing will become clear. You will gain clarity about the direction to take.
Thanksgiving festivities await us the following week. On Thursday, November 23rd, the Sun joins Messenger Mercury in Sagittarius followed by Mars two days later on the 25th, shifting the balance of cosmic energy from intense, emotional Scorpio to fiery, inquisitive Sagittarius. The final fire sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius shines the light and law of truth on everything that Scorpio brought up to be seen. Time to give up the ghost as there is no escaping or hiding from this Full Moon’s glare on Monday, November 27th.
In Gemini, the Moon opposes the Sun and Mars in Sagittarius. An annual event, the Gemini Full Moon communicates what the Sagittarius Sun adjudicates. Announcements gain big attention now. So if you are launching any projects, plans, businesses or endeavors, you will be noticed. For anyone with on-going legal concerns, prepare to hear something about your case, perhaps even a final decision, on or around this Full Moon.
Sagittarius is the teacher and wise one. It schools us whether academically or experientially, through life lessons. Watch for tests and exams. We are all enrolled in the school of life here on Earth. So when you find yourself in a sticky spot at year end asking existential questions or wondering why me? Ask: “what am I supposed to learn from this relationship or situation?” What is the lesson inviting you to see differently? No matter how old we are, each one of us is teachable. And learnable. You live, you learn.
Of Special Note:
Intuitive Life Coach Shari Elman joins the conversation on “Mystical Messages” podcast this month. If you are stuck and in search of re-direction, tune in to hear how Shari shifts her clients out of patterns and habits that are no longer working and develop practices to maximize their goals. Shari is incredibly personable and accessible to folks from all walks of life. Her gifts bring out your strengths.